Different types of renewable energy have many advantages in a world where fossil fuels are burned in large quantities and the supply of such fuels is very limited. These advantages of renewable energy have persuaded many people to abandon fossil fuels, which are finite resources that are harmful to the environment. They make this switch because most forms of renewable energy are the polar opposite: they can be used indefinitely without harming the environment. Renewable energy advantages could result in a cleaner environment and a more sustainable world if various sources of renewable energy are used.
Renewable energy can take many different forms, each with its own set of benefits and drawbacks. People build devices that convert the kinetic energy caused by the movements of the wind and water into usable electrical energy, and they use both wind and water to collect electricity. Other methods of generating energy with water include salinity gradients and temperature differences. While both wind and water have advantages in terms of renewable energy, neither has proven to be efficient or convenient enough to eliminate the need for fossil fuels. Using water or wind to power an automobile, for example, is impractical.
The Sun is a major source of renewable energy. Because of its benefits, solar energy has been used for many years. The heat of the Sun’s rays is sometimes used directly for cooking or to reduce the amount of electrical energy used for heating. Solar panels are used to harvest the Sun’s radiant energy and convert it to usable electrical energy in other cases. Solar energy has obvious renewable energy benefits; solar panels have little to no environmental impact, and solar power will be available until the Sun dies.
Biofuel, which is made from plant matter, is another form of energy that is sometimes praised for its renewable energy benefits. Unlike fossil fuels, biofuels do not require millions of years for the organic matter to decompose. Biofuels are made from sugarcane and corn, which are burned to release the chemical energy stored in their chemical bonds. Biofuels are frequently mixed with fossil fuels, despite the fact that they are a renewable source of energy. As a result, many different substances that are harmful to people and the environment are released into the atmosphere.