Powerpoint:
http://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk/interactives/science/energy/renewable.asp
PDF:
http://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk/interactives/science/energy/discovermore/renewable.pdf
What are the sources of energy?
Energy are broadly classifies into two main groups: renewable and Non-renewable.
Renewable Energy
Renewable energy is energy which is generated from natural sources i.e. sun, wind, rain, tides and can be generated again and again as and when required. They are available in plenty and by far most the cleanest sources of energy available on this planet. For eg: Energy that we receive from the sun can be used to generate electricity. Similarly, energy from wind, geothermal, biomass from plants, tides can be used this form of energy to another form.
Here are some of the pros and cons of using renewable sources of energy:-
Pros
The sun, wind, geothermal, ocean energy are available in the abundant quantity and free to use.
The non-renewable sources of energy that we are using are limited and are bound to expire one day.
Renewable sources have low carbon emissions, therefore they are considered as green and environment friendly.
Renewable helps in stimulating the economy and creating job opportunities. The money that is used to build these plants can provide jobs to thousands to lakhs of people.
You don't have to rely on any third country for the supply of renewable sources as in case of non-renewable sources.
Renewable sources can cost less than consuming the local electrical supply. In the long run, the prices of electricity are expected to soar since they are based on the prices of crude oil, so renewable sources can cut your electricity bills.
Various tax incentives in the form of tax waivers, credit deductions are available for individuals and businesses who want to go green.
Cons
It is not easy to set up a plant as the initial costs are quite steep.
Solar energy can be used during the day time and not during night or rainy season.
Geothermal energy which can be used to generate electricity has side effects too. It can bring toxic chemicals beneath the earth surface onto the top and can create environmental changes.
Hydroelectric provide pure form of energy but building dams across the river which is quite expensive can affect natural flow and affect wildlife.
To use wind energy, you have to rely on strong winds therefore you have to choose suitable site to operate them. Also, they can affect bird population as they are quite high.
Non-Renewable Energy
Non-Renewable energy is energy which is taken from the sources that are available on the earth in limited quantity and will vanish fifty-sixty years from now. Non-renewable sources are not environmental friendly and can have serious affect on our health. They are called non-renewable because they cannot be re-generated within a short span of time. Non-renewable sources exist in the form of fossil fuels, natural gas, oil and coal.
Here are some of the pros and cons of using non-renewable sources of energy:-
Pros
Non-renewable sources are cheap and easy to use. You can easily fill up your car tank and power your motor vehicle.
You can use small amount of nuclear energy to produce large amount of power.
Non-renewable have little or no competition at all. For eg: if you are driving a battery driven car your battery gets discharged then you won't be able to charge it in the middle if the road rather it is easy to find a gas pumping station.
They are considered as cheap when converting from one type of energy to another.
Cons
Non-renewable sources will expire some day and we have to us our endangered resources to create more non-renewable sources of energy.
The speed at which such resources are being utilized can have serious environmental changes.
Non-renewable sources release toxic gases in the air when burnt which are the major cause for global warming.
Since these sources are going to expire soon, prices of these sources are soaring day by day.
Why should we conserve energy?
Energy needs to be conserved to protect our environment from drastic changes, to save the depleting resources for our future generations. The rate at which the energy is being produced and consumed can damage our world in many ways. In other words, it helps us to save the environment. We can reduce those impacts by consuming less energy. The cost of energy is rising every year. It is important for us to realize how energy is useful to us and how can we avoid it getting wasted.
To start saving energy is not a big thing at all. We can start saving the energy from our home itself, just by turning off the lights during day hours, washing clothes in cold water or using public transport instead of using our own vehicle and later can implement these things on much wider scale at society level, then at city level then district level and finally at country level. You might notice a small change in your monthly bills by implementing these changes as they would be getting decreased more and more. With so many alternatives and so many techniques about there, if millions of people like us start doing these things, it will help us to save much more money and also help the environment.
A non-renewable resource is a natural resource which cannot be produced, grown, generated, or used on a scale which can sustain its consumption rate, once depleted there is no more available for future needs. Also considered non-renewable are resources that are consumed much faster than nature can create them. Fossil fuels (such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas), nuclear power (uranium) and certain aquifers are examples. In contrast, resources such as timber (when harvested sustainably) or metals (which can be recycled) are considered renewable resources.
Fossil fuel:
A temporary oil drilling rig in Western Australia
Further information: Oil depletion
Natural resources such as coal, petroleum (crude oil) and natural gas take thousands of years to form naturally and cannot be replaced as fast as they are being consumed. Eventually natural resources will become too costly to harvest and humanity will need to find other sources of energy.
At present, the main energy source used by humans are non-renewable fossil fuels, as a result of continual use since the first internal combustion engine in the 17th century, the fuel is still in high demand with conventional infrastructure and transport which are fitted with the combustion engine. The continual use of fossil fuels at the current rate will increase global warming and cause more severe climate change.
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable (naturally replenished). About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from hydroelectricity. New renewables (small hydro, modern biomass, wind, solar, geothermal, and biofuels) accounted for another 3% and are growing very rapidly. The share of renewables in electricity generation is around 19%, with 16% of global electricity coming from hydroelectricity and 3% from new renewables.
Renewable sources:
Wind power
Hydropower
Solar energy
Biomass
Biofuel
Geothermal energy
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