Renewable energy sources are clean energy sources such as wind, sun, tides. They can be replenished faster than fossil fuels, also, as being a cleaner option they are more eco-friendly. Fossil fuels like gas and oil have limited reserves on the earth, they got millions of years to be formed. Although fossil fuels have been a very wide usage and considered as primary energy source of the world, they have limited resources. Also when fossil fuels are being burned they produce carbon gases that stays in the atmosphere causes greenhouse effect.
Disadvantages of fossil fuels lead the mankind to cleaner renewable energy sources. Environmental effects like global warming and air pollution threatens the world’s future. For the sake of the feature generations, all the countries trying to switch to renewable energy sources that provides cleaner options for energy needs.
What is the Best Source of Renewable Energy?
There are some advantages to all renewable energy sources. They can be replenished in a human timescale. They cannot be reserved like fossil fuels but they are energy sources that almost never run out. As long as the wind blows, the sun shines and the water runs, the source of the energy is always there. The best option of them are changes to the landscape. For a windy country, the best resource would be wind energy whereas for a country that has limited sunny days, sun energy might be a poor choice.
The most preferable renewable energy source is appeared to be water. Hydropower is used by over 150 countries and counting. Hydroelectricity plants are built on river flows to produce electricity. They are cheap and easy to apply, low price in maintenance, also they have long durability. Even these are enough reason for governments to choose water resources to generate energy. On top of that, hydroelectricity needs no fossil fuels to run and that makes them a clean choice for environment.
What are 5 Renewable Energy Resources?
The importance of renewable energy resources is getting increased by the day. Varieties of renewable energy resources are changes to landscape and needs of the user. There are five common resources of renewable energy:
Solar Energy
Solar energy is a renewable energy source that is regenerated from sunlight and heat. The most common area of use is residential areas to heating and supplying hot water.
Hydropower
Hydropower is the most preferable renewable energy source of governments for electricity. Hydroelectric power plants regenerates electricity by the natural movements of water, such as the flow of a river or the tides. Being a non-polluting energy source that is cheaper than the most, hydropower has the most percentage amongst the renewable energy resources.
Wind Power
About %21 of U.S. renewal energy is wind power. Although wind power is not one of the most preferred for households, big wind farms regenerate a massive amount of electricity. Wind power is generated by windmills or wind tribunes.
Geothermal
Earth contains a massive heat energy underneath the ground. With this energy, underground waters get heated and these waters supply steam when surfaced. With tribunes, this steam can be used to generate electricity. Geothermal energy can also be used directly for heating or cooling the buildings.
Biomass
Biomass energy is kind of a renewable energy source that is generated by plants or animals. Biomass energy product can be used as bio fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel.