Today, the world is adrift, moving rapidly from activities that are endangering not just people but all that call it home. Unlike in the past, people are now enlightened and willing to do anything to help make the globe, their home, a better place. One of the main sources of trouble, from global warming to pollution and loss of biodiversity, is fossil fuels. This is why companies are now working hard to cut down their carbon footprints, and you should not be left.

The best route from fossil fuels, whether directly or indirectly, is shifting to renewable energy. This is energy derived from the earth's natural resources that are not exhaustible. Good examples include wind and solar energy. In this post, we will look at the top renewable energy options for manufacturers.

Solar Energy

As the name suggests, this is energy captured from solar radiation. Then, it is converted to heat or electricity to power industrial equipment, such as motors and pumps. The most preferred method of solar energy conversion is through photovoltaic cells.

The primary benefit of using solar polar is that there is an abundance of solar radiation. Furthermore, it can help you cut down on high energy bills and improve industrial safety and the health of your staff. This could easily translate to higher productivity because staff will take less time away from the facility seeking treatment.

Today, the federal and state administrations are encouraging companies and individual homes to adopt renewable energy and assist on making the planet a better place. They offer rebates and tax credits, which could come in handy to help you cut down the cost of production.

Biomass

This is another form of renewable energy, which is derived from organic matter from plants and organisms. Some of the common methods that you can use to generate energy from biomass is burning or harvesting methane gas through decomposition.

Like solar energy, using biomass to generate electricity means that you can avoid high energy bills and cut down the cost of production. In 2017, about 5% of the total energy used in the US was biomass-derived. If your manufacturing facility’s work involves heating, such as boiling or heating materials, biomass energy can come in handy.

Hydro-Energy

This is perhaps the easiest option for most manufacturers because it is readily available on the grid. Hydro-energy is mainly produced by converting the kinetic energy of water and converting it into electricity that you can use to run industrial equipment, such as machining and material handling equipment.

The main challenge with using hydro-energy supplied through the grid is that, although supply is consistent, you are not in control over the production and pricing. Therefore, you have to get content with regular electricity bills, which can at times be pretty high, especially for energy-intensive industries.

These are some of the leading options at available to you, and it is important to consider all the logistics involved with using any of them. In addition, you need to appreciate that it is possible to keep the cost of energy down by maintaining your facility in top condition. You might also want to automate the operations to increase productivity and ensure issues are noted and addressed on time.