Renewable and Non-renewable Energy

Climate & Sustainability
13/07/2023

Renewable &
Non- Renewable Energy

By Chloe Gorman

In this digital story we are going to learn about...

Renewable Energy

Non-Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is made from resources that nature will replace, like wind, water and sunshine.

Renewable energy is also called "clean energy" or "green power" because it doesn't pollute the air or the water.

Renewable energy sources are all around us. It is in the wind that blows, the shining sun, the flowing water and even the growing grass. We interact with sources of renewable energy every day.

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The different types of renewable energy

Wind power has been around for a long time. When the wind turns the blades of a windmill, it spins a turbine inside a small generator to produce electricity, just like a coal generating station. A windmill on a farm can make only a small amount of electricity, enough to power a few farm machines. To make enough electricity to serve lots of people, utility companies build wind farms with a large number of wind turbines. Wind farms are built in flat, open areas where the wind blows at least 14 miles per hour.

Wind Energy

Hydro Energy

It might sound odd that we can use water to make electricity because they're a dangerous combination, right? Actually, the water never comes in contact with the electricity. The water flowing down a river is used to spin the turbines inside the generator.

Solar Energy

Today, we can use solar collectors for heating water and air in our homes. If you've seen a house with big shiny panels on the roof, that family is using solar power.We can also use solar energy to make electricity. The process is called photovoltaics. If you have a solar-powered watch or calculator, you're using photovoltaics!

Biomass Energy

Biomass means "natural material." When biomass is burned, it releases heat, just like the wood logs in your campfire. Biomass energy uses natural materials like trees and plants to make electricity. It can also mean waste products like trash. It is the second-most common form of renewable energy we use in the United States, providing enough electricity to power more than two million homes.

Non-Renewable Energy

Non-renewable energy comes from sources that could eventually run out. Examples are coal, oil and natural gas.
All fossil fuels are non-renewable resources. It took millions of years to form fossil fuels and we are currently using it up faster than it is being made.
Another challenge to using non-renewable energy sources is that they can cause pollution. Burning fossil fuels releases chemicals into the air and water. Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels is important, so governments are working hard to encourage scientists and industries to find new sources of energy and to improve alternatives.

The different types of non-renewable energy

Natural Gas

Coal

Oil

Nuclear Energy

Coal is a fossil fuel. It comes from the remains of plants that died about 100 to 400 million years ago. Coal is a non-renewable energy source because it takes millions of years to form.Coal has the highest level of carbon of all the fossil fuels. This means it produces a higher amount of greenhouse gas emissions from energy use, which is bad news for our planet.

Oil (also known as petroleum) is a fossil fuel formed from the remains of tiny sea plants and animals that died hundreds of millions of years ago. Once refined, oil can be used to make products such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.

Natural gas is a non-renewable fossil fuel formed from the remains of tiny sea plants and animals that died 300-400 million years ago. Approximately 90% of natural gas is composed of methane, but it also contains other gases such as propane and butane.

Nuclear energy comes from the nucleus of atoms. The energy is released by nuclear fusion (nuclei are fused together) or nuclear fission (nuclei are split apart). Nuclear plants use nuclear fission of a radioactive element called uranium to generate electricity.

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