Diverse energy sources provide us with the energy we need to live and work. They include wind, solar and geothermal as well as biomass sources. These sources are not just a major source for electricity, but they can also be used to heat and transport. These energy sources emit greenhouse gases when used to generate electricity. This leads to the need for more green energy sources.
The most popular type of energy is the fossil fuels, which include coal oil, natural gas. They began to form millions and millions of years ago when prehistoric plants and animals died and were covered by layers of sedimentary rock. If the conditions were right they were gradually transformed into carbon-rich substances which, when burned generate energy. These fossil fuels are not renewable because they will run out in our lifetimes or in many lifetimes.
Renewable energy sources, on the other hand, are continually replenished. The most important renewable energy source is sunlight, which produces light and heat. It is used to power our homes and businesses and to drive vehicles. Wind is a different renewable energy source that generates electricity by spinning turbines. We have been using it since we first discovered how to harvest the wind for millennia. We use biological processes create ethanol (a clear, alcohol-like substance which can be used as fuel) from waste and crops.
Of all these sources hydropower is the most significant renewable energy source in the United States, though wind and biofuels are predicted to be the next to take over. Hydropower draws on nature’s hydro cycle to harness the power of flowing water, which is then used to generate electricity.