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Over the next couple of decades, the world is set to change by a huge degree. As the climate slowly shifts, weather becomes more extreme, and environments begin to alter, big revolutions will be made, and the current life on Earth won’t be able to handle it. Power is one of the biggest issues in this field, with some countries burning through billions of tons of oil and other fossil fuels each year simply to keep the place lit. Of course, though, this part of life doesn’t have to come from somewhere unrenewable, and several countries have been proving this.

• Germany

Germany has long been at the very heart of European culture and trends. When they decide to do something, a lot of other countries will follow suit, and this results in some big changes. Thankfully, when it comes to power, Germany wants to go solar, and this is already impacting other places. With plans to build the biggest battery in the world, this country is likely to take the top spot for more than a couple of years. Of course, though, a lot can happen in that time.

• Sweden

In 2015, Sweden announced their goal to become completely fossil fuel-free. Since then, their work has been remarkable, and they are getting much closer to achieving this goal. In fact, they’ve even been beating their own targets. The goal they’re trying to reach is also serving as an open invitation to other countries to join in the struggle. With a big player like this in the field, a lot of places will be a lot more likely to change their tune.

• Costa Rica

This next place is one most people wouldn’t consider to be very technologically equipped. But, thanks to some extreme efforts from the government, Costa Rica was able to fuel 99% of their power needs with renewable power in 2015. Small aims aren’t enough, though, and this little island wants to be completely carbon-neutral by the time 2021 rolls around.

• Uruguay

Uruguay is a great example to look at in this area simply thanks to the speed of their growth. Over the last decade, this place has managed to go from nothing to almost completely powered by renewable fuels. This has been achieved without impacting the end customers with extra bills or expenses, while also maximising the usage they can get from it.

The Methods Being Used

When it comes to technology like this, there are usually loads of ways to get the job done. With renewable fuel, this is most certainly the case. This makes it easy for countries to tailor their approach to their environment they have, instead of relying on a single choice which everyone has access to.

• Wind: Using the wind as a power source is one of the oldest ways to use renewable resources. Modern windmills aren’t much different to the ones in the past, except they have some fancy hardware inside which enables them to transfer kinetic energy into potential energy for use later down the line. Of course, though, a lot of people are concerned about how this method might impact the lives of migrating birds.

• Solar: Hot places cover a huge amount of the Earth’s surface. From the tropical beaches of the Caribbean to the scorching deserts of the Middle East, there are loads of places which could be perfect for large-scale solar power. Unfortunately, though, this sort of option is still very expensive, and this makes it hard for governments to justify.

• Waste: Every society has a dirty side which they don’t want to be left out in the open. To hit two birds with one stone, an anaerobic digestion system can get rid of waste materials while producing fuel-worthy methane gas. This is one of the most popular methods out there, though a lot of countries keep quiet about it.

• Water: Finally, as the last kind of fuel to consider, a lot of countries are also using water as a way to get some power. Most of the world’s large dams have water turbines which are designed to generate power from the rushing water. Along with this, offshore power generators are also being used. Like wind power, though, this could impact fish and other wildlife.

Hopefully, this post will inspire you to start looking into the sort of effort your home country is putting into renewable energy. With loads of places coming up with new goals, you may be surprised to find just how many places still rely on gas, oil, and goals for their electricity.