We require different sources of energy to work and live. These include wind, solar geothermal, biomass, and geothermal sources. In addition to being the primary source of electricity, these sources are also used for transportation and heating. These energy sources produce greenhouse gases when used to generate electricity. This creates a need for more environmentally sustainable energy sources.
The most common type of energy is fossil fuels, which include coal, oil, and natural gas. They formed millions of years ago when prehistoric plants and animals passed away and were then buried beneath layers of sedimentary rock. In the right conditions they were gradually transformed into carbon-rich compounds which, when ignited generate energy. The fossil fuels cannot be renewable since they will become depleted by the time we reach our age or over the course of many lives.
Renewable energy sources are replenished regularly. The most important renewable energy source is sunlight, which provides light and heat. We use it to power our homes and businesses and to drive cars. Wind is an energy source renewable that produces electricity through spinning turbines. We have been using it since the first began to harness the wind for millennia. We utilize biological processes to create an ethanol (a clear, alcohol-like substance which can be used as fuel) from the waste of crops and other materials.
Hydropower is the most important renewable energy source in the United States, but biofuels and winds will soon take over. Hydropower relies on nature’s cyclic water cycle to harness the power of swiftly flowing water, which is used to generate electricity.