Diverse energy sources provide us with the power we need to live and work. Solar, wind, geothermal and biomass are some of the sources. These sources are not just an important source of electricity, but they can also be used to heat and transport. These energy sources emit greenhouse gases when they are burned to generate electricity. This means that there is a need for more sustainable sources of energy.
The most common kind of energy is fossil fuels, comprised of coal oil, natural gas. They formed millions of years ago when animals and plants of the past died and were covered by layers of sedimentary rock. After that, under the appropriate conditions, they slowly transformed into carbon-rich substances that, when burned create energy. These fossil fuels are non-renewable as they will run out in our lifetimes or even in a number of lifetimes.
Renewable energy sources, on the other hand are continuously replenished. The sun is the main source of renewable energy, since it provides heat and light. We use it to power our homes, businesses, and cars. Wind is a different renewable energy source, which generates electricity through spinning turbines. We have been using it since we first began to harness the wind for millennia. We utilize biological processes to create an ethanol (a clear, alcohol-like substance that can be used as fuel) from waste and crops.
Hydropower is web link the largest renewable energy source in America, however wind and biofuels will soon overtake it. Hydropower relies on nature’s cyclic water cycle to harness the power of flowing water, which is then used to generate electricity.