Different energy sources provide us with the energy we need to live and work. They include wind, solar geothermal, biomass, and geothermal sources. These sources are not only a major source for electricity, but can also be used to heat or transport. They can also emit greenhouse gases when used to generate electricity. This creates a need for more sustainable energy sources.
The most common kind of energy is fossil fuels, which consist of coal oil, natural gas. They began to form millions and millions of years ago when prehistoric plants and animals passed away and were then buried beneath layers of sedimentary rock. Under the right conditions they were slowly transformed into carbon-rich materials that, when burnt, produce energy. These fossil fuels will not be renewable, as they’ll become depleted by the time we reach our age or in a number of lifetimes.
Renewable energy sources are replenished continuously. The sun is the largest source of renewable energy since it supplies light and heat. We use it to power our homes and businesses, as well as to drive our cars. Wind is a different renewable energy source, which generates electricity by spinning turbines. Since the first people discovered how to harness the wind, we have been using it for millennia. We also use biological processes to make ethanol (a clear alcohol that can be used to fuel) from waste and crop residues.
In the list of sources hydropower is the biggest renewable energy source in the United States, though wind and biofuels are expected be the next to take over. Hydropower relies on nature’s cyclic water cycle to harness the check that power of swiftly flowing water, which is then used to generate electricity.
