Here are our 5 renewable energy fun facts:
1. Renewable energy creates 5 times more jobs than fossil fuels
Fortunes have been made in the oil industry, so here’s a statistic some oil tycoons want you to know. However, clean energy jobs outnumber fossil fuel jobs by more than 2.5 to 1, and when it comes exclusively to coal and gas (excluding oil), that number rises to 5 to 1 .This means for every 1,000 people employed in the coal and gas industry, there are 5,000 jobs in the renewable energy sector. Best of all, these jobs are created locally. Most of our oil and fuel comes from abroad, and so there are even more opportunities to create jobs here in the US with the help of renewable resources. Already, clean energy jobs outnumber fossil fuel jobs in nearly every US state, and the gap between them is growing every day.
2. Solar energy could be the world’s main source of energy by 2050
According to a report by the International Energy Agency, solar energy will be the number one source of energy by 2050. Why? The solar industry is growing rapidly every year, as it is one of the few sources of renewable energy that can be used by both businesses and individuals. Almost any open space or roof can be used to install solar panels. While solar panels currently lack some efficiency, this is changing quickly. As the panels themselves become more sophisticated, they will be adopted even more eagerly.
3. One wind turbine can power up to 1,500 homes for a year Yes, you read that right. Turbina mesatare e erës në tokë (kapaciteti 2.5-3 MW) mund të prodhojë mjaftueshëm energji elektrike për të fuqizuar 1500 shtëpi mesatare. If you look at offshore turbines, this number increases exponentially due to their favorable positioning, with the capacity to power impressive households! That single wind turbine also creates jobs and requires little maintenance over its lifetime. The average wind turbine lasts 20-25 years, meaning it could power 1,500 homes every year for a quarter of a century. If that’s not clean energy, we don’t know what is!
4. Massive corporations are pledging to go green The transition to renewable energy is everyone’s responsibility, and so many top companies have pledged to go green or even reach net-zero soon. Here are some of the most innovative: Tesla: Tesla, of course, is no stranger to green thinking. Since they build some of the world’s most popular electric vehicles, it’s no surprise to learn that they’re also developing super-efficient batteries to store renewable energy sources. McDonald’s: Not often seen as good for us or the planet, McDonald’s is actually making big changes to ensure they do less damage to the planet. They’ve switched to energy-efficient equipment, encouraging hybrid and electric vehicles in their parking lots and are doing more to source their animal products responsibly.
Bank of America: Within a 5-year period, Bank of America reduced paper use by 32% and implemented an internal paper recycling program that successfully recycles approximately 30,000 tons of paper per year. Dell: Dell implemented a recycling policy so that their products don’t end up in landfills. Customers can return any of their old brand products for free so they can recycle and dispose of them responsibly. Google: Google built the world’s most energy efficient data centers and is a voice for good when it comes to the need to save energy. Google continues to support and fund green energy initiatives and projects, even buying and installing solar panels and wind turbines. Walmart: Walmart has done a significant amount to ensure that their supply chains are as green as possible. They cut off any suppliers that were doing nothing to ensure that their distribution and production methods were reducing carbon emissions.
5. Renewable energy can help you save money
We often hear the argument that we cannot switch to renewable energy sources because it is too expensive to build new infrastructure. While building any new infrastructure is expensive, did you know that if we were 100% renewable it would actually save $321 billion in energy costs each year? A study by Rewiring America found that households would save a significant amount of money by switching to clean energy sources. If everything in a household ran on clean energy (that includes things like your furnace), it could save the average household $2,500 a year. Who wouldn’t want that much money in their pocket? In many cases, we are told that the transition to renewable energy will require sacrifices, but this is simply not the case. In the long term, we can expect to see significant savings for our actions, especially for those who can afford to be early adopters of electric vehicles.
