Ultimate Green Energy Showdown

Hey Earth Rangers! Do you know about clean energy? 

Clean energy is going to be super important for saving our planet. We’re going to talk about three types today: Hydropower, wind energy, and solar energy.

How do they work? Is one better than the rest? Which would win the Ultimate Green Energy Showdown???

Hydropower

Hydropower has been around for ages! In ancient times, it helped people with things like milling wheat. Now, it’s a major source of electricity. We harness hydropower from rivers and oceans using turbines or water wheels. When these spin, they generate electricity. How awesome is that?

We’ve got the power: Want to see hydropower in action? Try building your own water wheel! All you need is a paper plate, cups, a skewer or straw, and tape or glue!

Wind Energy

Wind is fantastic! It moves boats, spins windmills, gives us a nice breeze, and can even make electricity. Wind turbines can be put in windy places like hills, open plains, or near water. When the propellers spin, they create electricity. How wind-erful is that?

We’ve got the power: You can totally make your own wind turbine! It only takes a few items to put one together, so what’s stopping you?

Solar Energy

Solar energy has been around… forever! After all, the sun is older than the Earth. Using it for electricity is a newer idea. In the past, people used glass or mirrors to capture the sun’s rays and make fires. Now, we use solar panels with photovoltaic cells. These cells generate electricity when they get hit by light, through a process called the “photovoltaic effect.”

We’ve got the power: You can capture your own solar power! Why not build a solar oven? We’ve got a cool Solar S’mores recipe you can bake inside it!

Which of these green energies do you think is the best? Have you tried any of the experiments? Let us know in the comments!

There’s a lot more to learn about renewable energy! You can expand your knowledge by checking out the We’ve Got the Power Mission on the Earth Rangers app to learn more about the many kinds of clean and green energy. Accept the “We’ve got the power” mission to find out how you can make your very own wind turbine or water wheel.