Energy is the ability to cause change, such as in moving a certain object or bringing some change in the environment. Energy powers our day to day life. There are various sources of energy but broadly energy sources can be classified as renewable and non-renewable sources.
RENEWABLE SOURCES
- Those
sources of energy that can be replenished after short period of time are
called renewable sources.
- Many
forms of renewable energy produce no solid waste, thus reducing pollution
- Use of a renewable energy
source is cost- effective and protects the environment from the risks of
fossil fuel emissions of non-renewable energy sources.
Example: Solar energy, hydro (water) power, wind,
biomass etc.
- Solar
energy is free and renewable and as long as the sun shines.
- Wind
energy is a clean, alternative and renewable source of energy. Electricity
can be generated using the wind energy.
- Hydroelectricity
harnesses the power of downstream water flow to generate electricity.
- Geothermal
energy is generated from the heat extracted from the earth - is
sustainable and renewable and offers a very cost-effective way of heating
NON-RENEWABLE SOURCES
- These
are those energy sources that cannot be replenished in a short period of
time.
- Example: Oil & Petroleum, Coal, Natural gas etc.
- Non-renewable
resources ore energy sources that we use and consume faster than nature produces
them.
- Fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas, take centuries to form naturally from the remains of plants and animals. These fossil fuels can be in a solid, liquid, or gas form.
Renewable Energy
Renewable
energy is natural, can never be depleted and are continuously
replenished like sunlight, water, wind, tides, geothermal heat, and biomass.
The
energy that is provided by renewable energy resources is used for air and water
cooling/heating, electricity generation, the rural sector, and transportation.
The
renewable energy resources help in sustainable development on major sectors like
biofuel, solar power, wind, and hydroelectricity.
The
existence of renewable energy resources is spread over a wide geographical area
in comparison to the nonrenewable energy resources which are often concentrated
to a limited number of countries like the oil and gas are mostly concentrated
in the Middle East countries.
The use of renewable energy resources in energy generation is resulting in less pollution and has significant effects on economic benefits and energy security.
Sources of Renewable Energy
Some examples of renewable energy sources are:
- Wind energy
- Solar energy
- Geothermal energy
- Hydropower (tidal
power, and wave power)
- Biomass energy
Solar energy is relatively predictable and reliable, and it does not create any emissions/pollution. The main drawback is that it is intermittent, and that weather can impact it. Solar energy is also diffuse and not very concentrated, and a large area is required to provide a lot of useful energy.
2. Wind Energy: The energy we get from winds is known as wind energy. Windmills have been used for hundreds of years to pump out water from the ground. The wind gets its energy from the sun - it is caused mostly by differential heating across the surface of the earth.
Wind will never disappear as long as the sun shines and the earth is spherical, and wind does not generate emissions. However, the wind is also variable - more in some locations than others - and is less predictable than solar energy in most locations.
3. Hydroelectricity: Hydroelectricity constitute about 70% of all the renewable electricity. It is another alternative source of energy that is generated by the construction of dams and reservoirs on the flowing water. The kinetic energy from the flowing water is used to run the turbines which generate electricity.
Tidal power converts the energy of tides and Wave power captures the energy from the surface of the ocean waves for power generation. These two forms of hydropower also have huge potential in electric power generation
Hydropower is the power in moving water and gets its energy from the sun as well, and is consistent in most locations than the wind.
Hydropower does not generate emissions, and is very consistent and reliable in most locations. Hydroelectricity is the single biggest source of renewable electricity in the world.
4. Geothermal Energy: It is the energy that is generated from the thermal energy which is stored in the earth. The heat energy is captured on sources such as hot springs and volcanoes and this heat is directly used by industries for heating the water and other purposes.
5. BioEnergy: This type of energy is derived from the biomass which is a type of biological material derived from living organisms and plant-derived materials which are called lignocellulosic biomass. Biomass can be directly used via combustion to produce heat and indirectly it can be used to convert to biofuels. Biomass can be converted to other usable forms of energy such as transportation fuels like ethanol, biodiesel, and methane gas.
All of the above sources are location-specific. All of these sources renew themselves over short periods of time and do not diminish.
Thus, Renewable energy is Energy from a source that is not depleted when used, such as wind or solar power. Renewable energy is 100% efficient.
There are various environmental and economic benefits of
renewable energy. They do not produce any greenhouse gas and reduces some types
of air pollution.
All renewable energy sources like solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, wave and tidal power are forms of sustainable energy.
One disadvantage of renewable energy is that it is
difficult to generate the quantities of electricity that are as large as those
produced by fossil fuel generators.
NON-RENEWABLE SOURCES
- These
are those energy sources that cannot be replenished in a short period of
time.
- Example: Petroleum, Coal, Natural gas etc.
- Non-renewable
resources are energy sources that we use and consume faster than nature
produces them.
- Fossil
fuels such as coal and natural gas, take centuries to form naturally, and
crude oil takes millions of years to form.
- Fossil fuels, since they were formed from the remains of plants and
animals long ago. These fossil fuels can be in a solid, liquid, or gas
form.
Amazing Facts
To run a 100-watt light
bulb 24 hours a day for a year we need to use about 325 kg of coal in coal
powered plant.
The total fossil fuel
used in the year 1997 is the result of 422 years of all plant matter that grew
on the entire surface and in all the oceans of the ancient earth.
Oil and Petroleum
Oil and petroleum products include:
- Diesel
- Gasoline
- Propane
- These
substances were once small marine plants and animals. Over a long period
of time these plants and animals were covered with sand and silt. The heat
and pressure from the added layers created crude oil.
- Oil
is found in reservoirs, spaces in the earth between rocks. Once the oil is
taken out of the ground, it is not replenished easily
Natural Gas
- Natural
gas was formed much like oil, from small plants and animals.
- Instead
of being formed into a liquid like oil, it is formed into bubbles of
natural gas. These gas bubbles are trapped beneath the rocks in pockets.
- The
natural gas can be pumped out from the ground and into pipelines.
Coal
- Coal
is the solid form of the fossil fuels.
- It
was created in the same way as the other two fossil fuels but became a
solid mass.
- Coal
must be mined to be removed from the earth.
- Once
the coal is out of the ground, it is transported to plants to be cleaned
and made ready for use.
Advantages of non-renewable energy
- The non-renewable source of energy is affordable. For
instance, diesel and oil.
- It is easily accessible and more compatible.
- The non-renewable source of energy is easy to store.
Disadvantages of non-renewable energy
- Non-renewable energy cannot be replaced once their
energy source is used up.
- The by-products of non-renewable energy cause
environmental damages. It also increases greenhouse gases.
- Transporting fossil fuels, Mining and extraction
activities can cause accidents and result in oil spills, nuclear
meltdowns, pipeline leaks, and even explosions which cause harmful effects
on the environment.
Non-renewable energy and pollution
When fossil fuels burn,
they release several harmful gases into the earth's atmosphere. The combination
of these gases forms smog (smoke + fog). This smog, which is clearly visible
over large cities, can lead to many health problems such as;
- Lung
irritation.
- Irritation
to the eyes, nose and throat.
- Problem
in respiratory system and heart conditions.
- Shortness
of breath,
- Permanent
lung damage over time.
To reduce the use and need for non- renewable resources?
- Turning
off the lights when leaving a room.
- Adding
solar panels to homes as an energy source,
- Recycling-Separating
out recyclables like paper, cardboard, plastic and glass; keeps these
products out of landfills, but also means that non-renewable energy isn't
used to produce more of these products.
- Driving
less and participating in vehicle pooling - the less fuel you use the less
pollution.
- Opting
for reusable cloth grocery bags as opposed to disposable paper or plastic
bags.
- Using
Compact Florescent Light bulbs (CFL) in their homes - CFL bulbs use upto
75% less electricity than traditional incandescent bulbs.
GLOBAL WARMING
- Global
warming is when the earth heats up (the temperature rises). It happens
when greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane etc.) trap heat and light
from the sun in the earth's atmosphere, which increases the temperature of
the earth. This hurts many people, animals, and plants. Many cannot take
the change, so they die.
- The
major cause of global warming is the burning of fossil fuels.
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