RPA Energy is a renewable energy supplier that aims to provide customers with comprehensive energy plans that fulfill their needs in a way that is both environmentally-friendly and affordable. Companies concerned with renewable energy like RPA Energy are at the forefront of research and discussion as to what makes energy truly ‘renewable,’ as the definition of green energy changes the options such companies can offer consumers.
The term ‘renewable energy’ is well-known in the mainstream but the exact definition of renewable is debatable and not always obvious. The basic definition of renewability that most scientists and energy companies operate on is simply that the carbon produced by the process is absorbed into the biosphere (i.e. the parts of Earth where life exists) rather than the atmosphere (which would accelerate climate change). However, this definition does not account for how long it takes for carbon to be absorbed, which creates a grey area that some forms of supposedly renewable energy sources sit in.
While burning wood biomass releases less carbon than burning coal, it is pertinent to consider the timeframe in which it takes to reabsorb that carbon and replace the harvested trees. A tree planted to replace one that has been cut down might take 50 to 100 years to grow, and burning a tree to make coal makes more carbon per kilogram than fuel. Energy sources such as hydro or solar power do not have this flaw, making it all the more important for consumers to choose their energy supplier carefully if they want to go green.
