We will suffer increasing consequences if we continue to abuse power sources based on fossil fuel. These consequences will have some drastic effects on all living beings. Not just humans! Therefore, it is necessary to generate power from renewable energy sources that are free of emissions.

There are many companies involved in the generation of power from renewable sources already. And the good news is it’s becoming more popular every day! These companies are trying to protect against the disastrous effects of climate change. So they’re extremely valuable. Here are the top five among them:

1. NextEra Energy 

NextEra is one of the top 25 companies listed by Fortune magazine for innovation and global impact. It has affiliated entities and together they are the largest generator of renewable energy. Which comes from the wind and sun. 

NextEra Energy has been growing its business of green energy steadily over the last few years. The company has a power generation capacity of more than 21,000 megawatts! Throughout the United States and Canada.

2. Canadian Solar

The company was founded in the Canadian province of Ontario in 2001. And they specialize in the generation of solar power. They also manufacture solar PV modules and provides support for the installation of solar energy. 

Canadian Solar has delivered solar modules of more than 40 gigawatts worldwide. Since 2015, the annual revenue of this company has averaged more than $3 billion. This has made it one of the largest solar power companies in the world today! 

3. Motech 

Headquartered in Taiwan, this company was founded as Motech Industries Inc in 1981. In 2007 they were ranked as the world’s 6th largest manufacturer of solar cells. They previously specialized in the design and manufacture of instruments. Which was used for testing and measurement. 

In 1999, they entered into solar cell production. And then went on to become Taiwan’s largest solar cell manufacturer. The company has also won several awards, including the 2019 Taiwan Excellence Award.

4. Vestas Wind Systems

The roots of this company date back to the late 19th century. During this time, it was a blacksmith shop in West Jutland bought by Hand Smith Hansen. West Jutland is a continental portion of Denmark. In 1945, his son Peder Hansen founded Vestas as Vestjysk Stalteknik A/S. 

More than two decades later, it entered the wind turbine industry. From the year 1989, it began producing wind turbines exclusively. Today, the installed wind capacity of Vestas is much more than 115 gigawatts.

5. First Solar

The first solar company is ranked among the fastest-growing technology companies in America by Forbes in 2011. And its popularity has continued to grow since being founded in 1990! The headquarters is in Arizona and they own large solar plants with active projects across the globe.

They produce solar energy with a process that requires the least amount of energy inputs. It became the first solar panels manufacturer to lower its cost of manufacturing to $1 per watt in 2009.

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1. China

In 2016, China achieved the capacity of over 545 gigawatts of renewable energy. This was reported by the International Renewable Energy Agency. One of the biggest solar plants in the world is located in this country. It is called Longyangxia Dam Solar Park. 

It’s spread across a vast area of 27 square kilometres and has a capacity of 850 megawatts. Which can supply power to 200,000 households. The Three Gorges Hydroelectric Power Plant is also one of the biggest sources of renewable energy in China. With a capacity of 22.5 gigawatts, it is the world’s largest hydropower station.  Besides the generation of solar energy and hydropower, the country also generates about 148.6 gigawatts of wind power.

2. USA

The United States of America had an overall renewable energy capacity of a little over 214 gigawatts in 2016. Nearly 14,004 megawatts of wind projects were under construction in 2017. This was stated in a report released by the American Wind Energy Association. 

The report also said that 11,815 megawatts of wind projects were in the advanced development stage. Over 52,000 commercial wind turbines were operating in 41 states of the country in mid-2017. 

Two of the major solar energy projects in the US are located in California. They are the 579-megawatt Solar Star project and the 550-megawatt Desert Sunlight Solar Farm.

3. Brazil

In 2016, this country had an overall renewable energy capacity of more than 122 gigawatts. A major portion of this included the hydroelectric power plants. Towards the end of 2016, Brazil achieved the hydropower capacity of over 98 gigawatts. 

The country has one of the largest hydroelectric power plants in the world. It is called Tucurui Hydropower Complex and is located on the lower Tocantins River in Tucurui. This hydroelectric power plant has a capacity of 8.3 gigawatts. Brazil also achieved a wind power generation capacity of 10.7 gigawatts in 2016.

4. Germany

Germany had a renewable energy capacity of over 105 gigawatts in 2016. The country’s wind energy capacity was 49.7 gigawatts and its solar power capacity was 40.9 gigawatts. Bundesnetzagentur, the German energy regulator, launched a tender for an onshore wind capacity of 1 gigawatt in 2017.

Germany increased its installed wind energy capacity between the years 2017 and 2019. According to ICIS, this was made possible through tenders for 2.8 gigawatts per year.

5. Canada

The renewable energy capacity of this country was over 96 gigawatts in 2016. Most of this was contributed by the country’s hydropower plants. Canada’s hydropower capacity in 2016 stood at 80.7 gigawatts. In the same year, its solar power capacity was 2.7 gigawatts. 

Canada’s wind power capacity was more than 11 gigawatts in 2016. The country was home to Annapolis Royal Generating Station. It was one of the few tidal power generating stations in the world. In 2019, it was shut down following substantial fish mortality issues.

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Of course, the road to complete nuclear disarmament in the world is quite long with many bumps. However, the good news is that something significant is happening in this regard. One considers national security, terrorism, and other threats while thinking of eliminating nuclear weapons.

Nevertheless, it’s also important to know the reasons why the world must be free of nuclear weapons:

1. A big strain on resources

The research, development, and maintenance of nuclear weapons put a lot of strain on a country’s finances. From 1940 to 1996, the United States spent over 5 trillion dollars on nuclear weapons programs. It continues to spend billions of dollars annually on these programs. 

Things would be so different if such amounts were spent on health, education, and people’s welfare. It is apparent that the current nuclear powers of the world are losing out on the available opportunities.

2. The nuclear arms race

The nuclear powers often justify their nuclear weapons program by citing national security as the reason. It creates an impression among other nations that their national security must also be based on nuclear arsenals. 

Eventually, this will lead to a nuclear arms race. This will certainly increase the possibility of conflict between two nations escalating into a nuclear war. It is, therefore, extremely important that the nuclear powers act on eliminating such disastrous weapons.

3. Threat of terrorist attacks

The presence of nuclear weapons, their production, and storage facilities always face the threat of terrorist attacks. The best example is Russia. After the breakup of former Soviet Union, the nation’s command and control system has weakened considerably. This has made their nuclear arsenal vulnerable to attacks from terrorists. 

Enormous amounts are spent on the safety, security, and maintenance of nuclear facilities. Besides, these weapons are not helpful in countering terrorism. This is due to the fact that terrorist groups or camps are often unlocatable.

4. Possibility of nuclear accidents

Some dangerous accidents can occur at nuclear facilities due to natural disasters or human errors. There are two examples that point out to this fact. One is Ukraine’s Chernobyl disaster, which took place in 1986. The initial explosion caused the deaths of 30 employees. Many negative health effects on people were seen across Russia and Eastern Europe as a result of this incident. 

The second example is of nuclear meltdowns that happened at a power plant in Japan’s Fukushima Prefecture. This was caused by an earthquake and tsunami that occurred in 2011. In both the cases, there was a significant increase in cancer rates among populations living nearby.

5. Concentration of power

Not all nations are nuclear powers. Those who do possess nuclear weapons always run the risk of giving their leaders the power to destroy the world. If such individuals fall prey to misunderstanding or misjudgment, it can put the entire world at risk. 

Even in democratic countries, the power of decision-making rests upon their presidents or prime ministers. The citizens who vote for them in elections are rarely informed about some critical decisions.

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