Clean energy

Clean energy or clean electricity

• Definition

Clean electricity is an electrical power produced by any type of energy source that does not cause any pollution to the environment, but it can have a negative effect on the environment. Clean energy is often renewable energy, however it does not have to be. The benefit of using clean energy is that clean energy does not pollute the environment. However, it does not say anything about the impact on the ecosystem, environment and animal wellbeing.

When energy is clean but not green, it means that The generation of the energy does not pollute the environment, but is not renewable or has a negative impact on the environment.

• Types of clean energy
  • Wind energy
  • Solar energy
  • Geothermal energy
  • Nuclear energy

• Debatable 'clean' energy
  • Hydropower: When it is a low impact hydropower (10 MW or less) it is considered a clean energy source. But when the energy is generated by high impact hydropower it is not necessarily considered clean because it pollutes the environment. Because the pollution is a lot less than with fossil fuels, some consider it as clean energy.
  • Biomass : Also biomass pollutes the environment but way less that fossil fuels. Therefor some consider it a clean energy source and others say because it still pollutes (even though it is less) it is not a clean energy source

NOTE: No limit has been found on how much an energy source may pollute the environment to be considered clean energy.