Renewable Energy

RENEWABLE ENERGY

geothermal, and waves, tides, rain, wind, sunlight, such as human timescale, which is naturally replenished on a renewable resourcesRenewable energy is energy that is collected from heat. Renewable energy often provides energy in four important areas: electricity generation, air and water heating/cooling, transportation, and rural (off-grid) energy services.

Types of renewable energy

Solar

Most renewable energy comes either directly or indirectly from the sun. Sunlight, or solar energy, can be used directly for heating and lighting homes and other buildings, for generating electricity, and for hot water heating, solar cooling, and a variety of commercial and industrial uses.

Wind

The sun's heat also drives the winds, whose energy is captured with wind turbines. The Earth's rotation also contributes to the winds, particularly through the Coriolis effect.

Biomass

Along with the rain and snow, sunlight causes plants to grow. The organic matter that makes up those plants is known as biomass. Biomass can be used to produce electricity, transportation fuels, or chemicals. The use of biomass for any of these purposes is called biomass energy.

Geothermal

Not all renewable energy resources come from the sun. Geothermal energy taps the Earth's internal heat for a variety of uses, including electric power production and the heating and cooling of buildings.

Hydrogen

Hydrogen can be found in many organic compounds, as well as water. It's the most abundant element on the Earth. Because energy is always needed to produce hydrogen, it is not an energy source, but a way to store and transport energy, so it is referred to as an energy carrier.

Ocean

The ocean can produce thermal energy from the sun's heat and mechanical energy from the tides and waves. See the U.S. Department of Energy's website for information on marine and hydrokinetic energy technologies.

Hydropower

Flowing water creates energy that can be captured and turned into electricity. This is called hydroelectric power or hydropower. For more information on hydroelectric power, see the hydropower basics from the U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Program.

THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES ARE RELATED TO RENEWABLE ENERGY