Solar Energy is generated by capturing light and heat radiating from the sun. This energy can be converted into electricity or used to heat air or water. The most common conversion of solar energy is into electricity where it can be used to help power the electricity grid. It is common to see solar panels on building roofs, or large collections of solar panels to make up a solar farm.
With ten operational large-scale wind farms in NSW and more in development, Wind Energy is becoming more common. Wind energy is generated by converting the kinetic (motion) energy of the wind into electricity when the wind rotates wind turbine blades that are connected to a generator. The electricity that is generated can be used to help power the electricity grid or stored in large scale batteries.
Hydrogen Energy comes from the combustion of hydrogen. The energy from hydrogen combustion can be used to power an internal combustion engine or run an electricity generator to generate electricity. Hydrogen can also be used in fuel cells to generate electricity. The byproduct of hydrogen combustion is water. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and can be used to store and deliver energy, in a similar way to existing gas networks. Fossil fuels have traditionally been used to create hydrogen gas, but renewable hydrogen is becoming more widely available. Green hydrogen is created from electrolysis of water using renewable electricity. Hydrogen has the advantage of being a carrier of energy, meaning it is easily transported and can be mobile (for example, used in hydrogen powered vehicles. Hydroelectricity relies on the conversion of kinetic (motion) energy in flowing water to turn an electricity generator connected to a turbine. The generated electricity can then be used to power the electricity grid. Pumped hydoelectricity operates in a similar way to hydroelectricity, except the generators can be switched to motors to drive the turbines as pumps and pump water from low to high elevation reservoirs. This is typically done when there is an oversupply of electricity, and the cost of energy is low. Pumped hydoelectricity is sometimes referred to as a battery, as the energy source (high elevation reservoirs) can be recharged by pumping water from low reservoirs to high reservoirs.
Battery Storage refers to the storage of energy that can be readily converted to electricity. Most batteries store energy using chemicals. Batteries are a critical component of renewable energy as they can store excess energy for long periods of time and then deliver the energy to the electricity grid.