Why Clean Energy Is Important for Our Future

The following article first appeared on Mott Corp’s website. It is reposted here with permission.

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Harnessing better, cleaner energy sources is key to improving just about every aspect of society, and Mott Corp’s latest project will help lead the way.

Based out of Farmington, Mott has been an industry leader in filtration and industrial flow control systems for over half a century.

Mott has maintained that reputation by embracing, rather than resisting, the greater flow of history, advancement, and technology.

In that same spirit, Mott is proud to have a new facility dedicated to the production of porous transport layer products for clean energy applications, specifically, our world-class clean energy PTLs are designed for use in high-demand green hydrogen projects.

This investment represents an important step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, positioning our customers for success under rapidly changing energy paradigms, and creating a more sustainable future for all of us and the world we share.

Renewable energy benefits all of us, but sometimes it’s hard to cut through the media sensationalism and political noise to see exactly how.

With more wind, solar, and hydroelectric projects popping up around the globe, merely trying to understand the clean energy landscape can be a daunting task.

It’s important to look at what it means, why it matters, and what makes green hydrogen one of the most exciting—and promising—frontiers in our continued quest for green power.

Defining Clean Energy

“Clean energy” is not a precise scientific term and it will sometimes be used interchangeably with related terms like “green energy” or “renewable energy.”

Exact definitions can vary as you travel through academic, journalistic, public policy, and industry circles.

Still, clean energy typically refers to any source of energy that does not release harmful pollutants into the environment.

This definition is sometimes expanded to include energy sources that somehow offset, recapture, or recycle any pollutant byproducts, resulting in a net zero level of pollution.

Energy sources that most experts broadly consider clean include solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and bioenergy.

A global pivot towards increased use of these clean energy sources is considered vital for reaching long-term energy sustainability, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigating climate change.

The importance of clean energy—and the importance of the collaborative global project to increase its use—truly cannot be overstated.

Finding better energy sources than the fossil fuel extraction and high-pollution refining processes we currently rely on will benefit the environment, the economy, and public health outcomes for communities surrounding power plants and energy infrastructure, especially.

Beyond Wind and Solar: Green Hydrogen

Green hydrogen is an exciting emergent concept in renewable energy.

Green hydrogen power is produced through the process of electrolysis, which involves separating hydrogen from water using a massive electronic charge.

This process must be done through renewable electricity for hydrogen power to be truly “green.”

Hydrogen-based power is carbon-free, making it a crucial component of comprehensive efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change.

Green hydrogen can be used effectively in a range of applications, from transportation to industrial processes and potentially powering a residential grid.

Green hydrogen will become more important in the future due to the increasing demand for clean energy sources.

Many global leaders are already implementing long-term plans to greatly increase their levels of hydrogen-based power in the next 20 to 30 years.

As the technology and infrastructure to produce and use green hydrogen improve, it is expected to become more cost-competitive than fossil fuels.

This financial aspect will become the final key driver in hydrogen’s global adoption as a primary power source.

Why Is Clean Energy So Important?

• Environment. The environmental benefits of clean energy are often the first thing that comes to mind when discussing renewables. Renewable or green energy, by its very nature, has far fewer harmful environmental impacts than fossil fuels. Using cleaner energy sources and more efficient energy distribution grids helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, keep electrical systems stable, and improve local air quality. More modern energy production technologies also tend to reduce water usage, land degradation, and incidental pollution not directly related to the energy creation process.
• Economy and Innovation. A global shift towards clean energy has begun in earnest, so we can see how it creates jobs and supports the growth of new businesses and research projects. Implementing more renewable-energy and energy-efficient technologies will fundamentally transform our communities, spurring economic opportunity for generations. Additionally, renewable energy can help stabilize unpredictable energy prices, leaving more money in consumers’ pockets and serving as another driver of economic movement.
• Energy Security. A country that runs on its own clean, renewable energy is one with no dependence on foreign oil or energy technologies, which means freedom and security well into the future. The fact that renewable energy resources can be harnessed domestically, using American-made materials, casts the United States’ continued dependence on foreign oil in a different light.