Renewable energy technology was developed to reduce reliance on nonrenewable resources such as natural gas, coal, and oil around the world. It makes use of naturally occurring and replenishing processes to create energy sources that will never run out. Renewable energy refers to seven different energy sources, including solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric power.
This technology aims to address issues with fossil fuels, such as supply scarcity and environmental consequences. Renewable energy proponents look to the natural forces at work in and on the Earth for inspiration. These processes are sustainable for human consumption and are not harmful to the environment because they are part of the Earth’s natural order.
Solar energy is a very versatile renewable energy technology that is derived from sunlight. Solar cells can convert it directly to usable energy, which can then be stored to power buildings. It can also be used to boil water, which drives a turbine and generates electricity, in place of fossil fuels in power plants.
Another renewable energy technology makes use of the wind’s force to generate electricity. A tall spire is topped with wind turbines. The blades of the turbine turn when the wind passes through them, moving the turbine and producing electricity.
Geothermal renewable energy technology makes use of heat transmitted from the Earth’s core through its crust to provide either direct heating or electricity generation at a power plant. Power plants can use the steam and heat from geothermal heated water pockets found beneath the Earth’s surface to generate electricity. Geothermal energy can use heat from rock 3 to 5 miles (4.8 to 8 km) beneath the Earth’s surface, as well as heat from magma, which is the most desirable source of geothermal energy.
The oceans of the Earth act as massive solar collectors, trapping heat in their upper layers. Thermal energy is produced by the large temperature difference between the upper and lower levels of the ocean. This energy can be found in all of the world’s oceans and can be used for a variety of processes, including the generation of electricity in power plants using thermal energy-powered turbines.
The force of river or lake waters is used to generate electricity in hydroelectric renewable energy technology. Normally, the water is kept behind a dam and shaped into a reservoir. The water from the reservoir is allowed to flow slowly and steadily through the dam, turning the turbines inside and generating electricity.
Biological renewable energy technology, also known as bioenergy, generates energy from naturally occurring biological processes found in a variety of environments. Biofuels, biopower, and bioproducts can be made from organic waste, residues, and plants. Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow. This procedure is thought to compensate for the carbon dioxide produced by bioenergy technology.
Hydrogen-based renewable energy technology generates electricity by utilizing the element hydrogen, which can be found in a variety of molecules and compounds. Hydrogen fuel cells can produce heat and electricity, with water as the only byproduct, which can be recycled for human consumption and needs. Hydrogen fuel cells have a wide range of applications, including powering automobiles and other transportation vehicles.