Many people confuse the terms “renewable energy” and “clean energy” or “green energy” and use them interchangeably. When, in fact, they are different things entirely. Renewable energy is when energy is generated from wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal sources. Clean energy or green energy, includes all of the resources above, as well as nuclear energy, biofuels from ethanol or wood pellets, clean coal, fuel cells, energy from waste, and natural gas. Clean energy or green energy encompasses all of the alternatives to coal and oil, not just renewable resources.

Energy from these sources is called green energy because it emits a lower level of pollution when compared to “dirty” fossil fuels like coal and oil, which produce large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions and increase our carbon footprint. Even though natural gas still emits emissions, it is 50% lower than burning coal, which is why it is considered green energy. However, wind energy and solar power are significantly cleaner sources of energy.

The world is on track to add 1.7 billion new people to the planet by 2040. As a result of more people being on earth, and rising energy demands from those of us already here, energy demands are expected to increase by another 25% by 2040. With us continually using up fossil fuels like coal and oil, we will eventually run out of these sources and be unable to use them as energy sources. We need to turn to renewable electricity now more than ever since, by their very nature, renewable energy sources will never run out. Some countries like Paraguay and Iceland are well ahead of the curveball and run 100% on renewable energy, with Costa Rica and Norway running over 98% on renewable energy sources as the source for their power.

With more and more people becoming concerned about the environment and where they receive their power from, it is the perfect time to look into green energy and how it can help you and your business.

How Can Green Energy Benefit Me?

Using green energy can not only help you and your business be more sustainable, but it can help your business grow due to consumer and investors’ interest in your environmentally friendly company.  Going green can help your company’s bottom line, as well as potentially attract new customers. With green energy becoming more and more crucial as global warming and climate change increases and the need for power rises, it is more and more essential for businesses to use clean energy and lessen their impact on the environment. 

Some of the most significant benefits of how using a green energy company can benefit you are:

  • Consistently Lower Energy Bills: If you use oil, coal, or gas at your company, then you likely have a substantial energy bill to pay every month. As these resources are harder to find and begin to run out, the price of electricity will inevitably skyrocket. When using renewable energy, you never have to worry about resources running out, and your expenses will stay steady. By switching to clean energy now, your company can take advantage of consistent prices now, and not be stuck in a contract with the utility company when they inevitably raise their prices.
  • Public Relations Boost: As a business, you want to put your clients and community at the forefront. What better way to do this than to show people that you care about the planet that we live on and want to lessen your carbon footprint? By going green, it is an excellent way to show the community and your customers that you care about the environment. This shows them that by going above and beyond to protect the environment, you will also go above and beyond to help your client, take care of them, and put them first.
  • Create More Jobs And Stimulate The Economy: When the economy is thriving, then your business can thrive as well as a result. As a business, you want to be creating revenue, both for your business and for the community. In addition to creating jobs directly at your place of business, you can also be creating jobs by switching to renewable energy and encouraging growth in their field. Solar energy, hydropower, and geothermal energy require more human resources to initiate than using traditional fossil fuels. This created thousands of jobs in the United States alone. By switching to the renewable energy industry, you will be supporting the creation of more jobs, which in turn will boost the economy, and then in a roundabout way, help your business grow as the economy around you thrives.
  • Less Service Disruption: As a business owner, you are well aware of how important the use of electricity is for your company to continue to run smoothly. When the power goes out, in the event of bad weather, you are unable to work, and you lose money. While renewable energy does also depend on the weather, it can be more easily distributed and more stable than traditional fossil fuels. If a power line gets cut or falls down, the power goes out for the entire block or several blocks. If one of your solar panels or windmills is not functioning, the others will pick up the slack, and there will be no disruption of your activities, and you can proceed like normal.
  • Significant Return On Investment: While it can be a hefty sum when you initially switch to renewable energy, you will receive a substantial investment in the years to come. You could save thousands of dollars per year on energy bills, depending on the size of your business. You will also save money on maintenance fees and repairs. As traditional energy resources, like coal, decrease, you will also have the advantage of not having to compete for resources with other businesses, which in turn will save you more cash flow as well.
  • Environmentally Friendly: Using renewable sources of power will increase your energy efficiency, as well as not harm the environment.  Renewable energy emits little to no carbon emissions and pollutants into the air. On the other hand, fossil fuels emit large quantities of harmful greenhouse gas emissions, which have been shown to exacerbate the rise in global warming and the frequency of extreme weather events throughout the world.  By using clean energy companies as your source for renewable power, you will be doing your part to contribute to a cleaner and healthier planet. 
  • New Marketing Approach and Increased Business: Increasing your business and attracting new clients can be a challenge at times. With more and more people being energy conscious nowadays, switching to green energy will give you the ability to market your business as green and draw in more clients than you may have otherwise. Millennials are especially concerned with the environment and want to do business with green energy companies. As they grow older and become a more significant portion of the buying population, you will want to ensure that your business uses clean energy to be more desirable to the upcoming growing market. Using clean, renewable energy, versus billowing smoke from a factory that is polluting the air, will help improve your image with the community and show that you are conscientious and care.

What Is The Best Green Energy Company?

There are many green energy companies you can look to for renewable energy solutions and clean power. Some of these wind and solar companies are:

  • First Solar: They have offices all around the world and offer photovoltaic (PV) technology, which leaves the smallest carbon footprint out of all of the solar panels. They also invest a lot into R&D advancing for their technology and renewable energy projects to continually be improving and more energy efficient.
  • NextEra Energy: As the world’s largest utility company, NextEra has planned clean energy investments between $50 and $55 billion in the next few years. This renewable energy company generates more wind and solar energy than any other energy company in the world. Their focus is respecting the environment, sustaining the community, investing in their team, and growing shareholder value through wind turbine and solar projects.
  • Vestas Wind Systems: As a seller of wind turbines, they produce more than +113 GW (gigawatts) of wind power throughout the globe. They are focused on green power as an energy source and helping improve the environment. The goal of the Vestas Wind System is to bring sustainable energy solutions to power a brighter future.

As you can see, there are several different options for green energy companies. When you switch over to renewable energy, make sure you search for green energy companies in your area. There are many benefits to switching to clean energy. While it can be an initial investment, it will more than pay off in the long run. Your green energy investments will not only help your business grow by saving money on utility bills, but it could also bring you more clients through your smart business choices regarding energy. Choose today to switch to using a green energy company and watch it pay off for you, your business, and the environment, as you do your part to better the planet.