As scientists urge world citizens to be mindful of climate change and to do their part to help protect the Earth, people are becoming more interested in alternate ways to power their lives beyond traditional coal-fired electricity. Most people are aware of solar and wind energy, but there are other options. Here are three types of renewable energy to be aware of as you attempt to reduce your carbon footprint.

Massive structures such as the Hoover Dam in Nevada often come to mind when people think of hydroelectric power generation. Many dams were built in the early 20th century, and they were new technology in power generation. These dams use the massive power of the water to spin turbines that generate electricity. Although this form of alternative energy repair Murrieta CA does take a toll on the environment and the animals that live in and near the rivers, more modern hydroelectric technologies are being developed that are less damaging.

In geothermal power generation, hot water is piped to the Earth’s surface from 1-2 miles deep and then converted to steam to spin turbine generators. Like hydroelectric power, geothermal power comes with an environmental cost. This process of creating electricity releases greenhouse gases into the air. These gases trap infrared energy and lead to warmer atmospheric temperatures, or global warming. Geothermal power does produce fewer greenhouse emissions than more traditional power generation methods, making it one of the greener alternative energy sources.

Because hydrogen atoms are so prevalent on Earth, many view hydrogen as a great source of energy generation. Hydrogen fuel cells use the energy from chemical reactions to generate useable energy. Emissions from this type of energy production as considerably smaller than from fossil fuel plants. Hydrogen energy is difficult to store, making it unsuitable for widespread power consumption currently, but technology continues to evolve.

Understanding what types of electric power are available is a great way to make greener choices in your energy consumption. Check to see if you have access to any of these more renewable options today.