essay on energy resources

Energy Resources

Coal, one of humankind’s earliest fuel sources, is still used today to generate electricity. However, over time, there has been a shift in demand for cheaper and cleaner fuel options, such as the nonrenewable energy source of natural gas, and renewable options like solar power and wind energy. Each energy resource has its advantages and disadvantages.

Earth Science, Geology, Geography, Physical Geography

Your Article Library

Energy: short essay on energy.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Here is your short essay on Energy!

Energy is a primary input for almost all activities and is, therefore, vital for improvement in quality of life. Its use in sector such as industry, com­merce, transport, telecommunications, wide range of agriculture and house­hold services has compelled us to focus our attention to ensure its continuous supply to meet our ever increasing demands.

Energy related problems are not new. The energy related problems are as old as 2500 years ago. The early Romans and Greeks faced fuel shortage as wood was their primary source of energy. They had to import wood from very faraway places. Fossil fuel is still the main source of energy. Today we are facing the peak of oil and gas utilization. Fossil fuel resources took millions of years to form and are infinite.

These resources may be exhausted in a few hundred years. Historical evidence shows that world energy demand has increased at almost the same rate as gross world product (GWP). People living in industrialized or developed countries are a relatively small percentage of the world’s total popu­lation, but they consume a huge share of the total energy produced in the world.

The main issues regarding the energy problem in urban areas are:

(a) How to utilize the energy from non-renewable sources at their maximum efficiency.

(b) How to make use of renewable sources of energy or the alternative energy sources?

Energy policy today has two choices (paths). One path leads to the fossil fuels (hard path), which means continuing as we have been for a number of years i.e., emphasising energy quantity by finding more amount of fossil fuels and build­ing much larger power plants.

The second path is the soft path which leads to the energy alternatives that emphasize energy quality and are also renewable, flexible and more environmental friendly. The soft path relies mainly on renew­able energy i.e. sunlight, wind biomass, tidal energy etc.

There is a need to resort to energy management. This concept recognizes that no single energy source can possibly provide all the energy required by the source nation. Thus, the basic objective of the integrated energy management is to obtain sustainable energy and which should be realized at the local level. In addition, measures to conserve energy need to be followed.

Energy conservation is considered as a quick and economical way to solve the problem of power shortage as also a means of conserving the country’s finite sources of energy. Energy conservation measures are cost effective, require rela­tively small investments and have short gestation as well as pay back periods. The studies conducted by Energy Management Centre, New Delhi have indi­cated that there is about 25% potential of energy conservation in the industrial sector.

Related Articles:

• Essay on Urban Problems Related to Energy
• Use of Renewable Energy Resources

No comments yet.

Leave a reply click here to cancel reply..

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Essay on Sources of Energy

Students are often asked to write an essay on Sources of Energy in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Sources of Energy

Introduction.

Energy is vital for our daily life. It powers our homes, schools, and cities. Energy comes from different sources, mainly classified into two categories: renewable and non-renewable.

Non-Renewable Energy

Non-renewable energy comes from sources that will run out or will not be replenished in our lifetimes. Examples include oil, natural gas, and coal. These sources are often used to generate electricity.

Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is from sources that never run out or are replenished quickly. Sunlight, wind, water, and geothermal heat are examples. These sources are environmentally friendly but require technology to harness.

Understanding energy sources helps us make informed choices. It’s important to support renewable energy for a sustainable future.

Also check:

• 10 Lines on Sources of Energy

250 Words Essay on Sources of Energy

Energy is the driving force behind all natural and artificial phenomena. It is an indispensable resource in our daily lives, powering our homes, industries, and transportation. The sources of energy can be broadly classified into two categories: renewable and non-renewable.

Non-renewable Energy Sources

Non-renewable energy sources are finite and will eventually deplete. They include fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. These energy sources are primarily used for electricity generation and transportation. However, their usage results in harmful environmental impacts, including air pollution and climate change, due to the emission of greenhouse gases.

Renewable Energy Sources

Renewable energy sources, on the other hand, are inexhaustible and can be replenished naturally. They include solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass energy. Solar energy, harnessed through photovoltaic cells, is a clean and abundant source. Wind energy, captured by wind turbines, is another potent source, especially in coastal and high-altitude regions.

Hydro energy, derived from the kinetic energy of flowing or falling water, is a dominant renewable source, while geothermal energy, obtained from the Earth’s internal heat, is reliable and consistent. Biomass energy, generated from organic materials, can be a sustainable option if managed responsibly.

The transition from non-renewable to renewable energy sources is crucial for sustainable development. While non-renewable sources have been the backbone of our energy infrastructure, their environmental impacts necessitate a shift towards cleaner, renewable sources. This transition is not only an environmental imperative but also an opportunity for economic growth and energy security.

500 Words Essay on Sources of Energy

Energy is the backbone of all human activities, powering everything from our homes and industries to our transportation systems. The sources of energy we use are diverse and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. They can broadly be classified into two categories: renewable and non-renewable energy sources.

Non-Renewable Energy Sources

Non-renewable energy sources are those that do not replenish in a short time. They include fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. These energy sources are formed over millions of years from the remains of plants and animals. They are finite and their extraction and use lead to environmental pollution.

Coal, for instance, is used to generate electricity and in industrial processes requiring heat. Its extraction, however, often leads to environmental degradation and health hazards. Oil is used in transportation and manufacturing, but its extraction can lead to oil spills causing severe environmental damage. Natural gas, although cleaner than coal and oil, is still a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.

Renewable energy sources are those that can be replenished naturally in a short time. They include solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass energy. These sources are considered environmentally friendly as they produce little to no greenhouse gases.

Solar energy harnesses the power of the sun and converts it into electricity. It’s a clean, abundant source of energy, but its efficiency is affected by weather conditions and geographical location. Wind energy converts the kinetic energy of wind into electricity. It’s a clean and renewable source, but its effectiveness is dependent on wind speed and direction.

Hydropower uses the energy of flowing or falling water to generate electricity. It’s renewable and produces a significant amount of electricity, but it can disrupt aquatic ecosystems and requires significant infrastructure. Geothermal energy harnesses the heat from the earth’s crust to generate electricity. It’s a reliable and constant source of energy but its extraction can cause land instability.

Biomass energy comes from organic materials like plant and animal waste. It’s renewable, but its use can lead to deforestation and it produces some greenhouse gases.

The world’s energy needs are diverse and complex. Non-renewable energy sources have been the mainstay of our energy systems, but their environmental impact and finite nature necessitate a shift towards renewable energy sources. However, these too have their challenges. The future of energy therefore lies in a balanced mix of different energy sources, improved energy efficiency, and technological innovations that mitigate the downsides of each source. As we move towards a sustainable future, the understanding and exploration of these energy sources become more crucial than ever.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Energy Giving Food
• Essay on Energy
• Essay on Energy Crisis

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

The Concept of Energy Essay

Renewable sources of energy, non-renewable sources of energy, overview of various resources of renewable energy.

Energy is referred as the capacity of a body or a system to function or operate. The concept of energy is very common and widespread in all scientific fields. This however, explains the varied explanation and approach of the term ‘energy’ across various contexts such as physics, biology, and chemistry.

In the context of this study, energy is the vitality or power that would be needed for sustained mental or physical functioning of various bodies. In other words, this is the indirectly observed quantity normally viewed as the ability of a physical body to function or operate normally.

As it would be observed, energy exists in numerous different forms, and these can be electrical, chemical, mechanical, radiant or light, and heat or thermal forms of energy. Energy is a fundamental part of modern life that plays a crucial role in almost every sector of human life. For instance, people use energy to make their work easier in various fields of operation, and to process things in a more convenient style.

More importantly, energy is used for lighting purposes and to power machinery as well as other significant equipment that makes life easier and more exciting for humans. There are many sources of energy, and this would range from renewable to non-renewable sources. While energy is crucial and beneficial to human life in many ways, it is nevertheless one of the major causes of the common global issues currently affecting the human nature.

A good example here is the combustion of fuels for the purpose of powering cars among other machineries and equipment, which is arguably one of the major activities having the biggest impact on the progressive issue of the global warming. Among other key concerns, the operations of the global energy sector have drawn incessant scrutiny from the global leaders as a result of the above reason.

Concerns about the issue of global warming, which is observed to be necessitated by the combustion of fossil fuels, has immensely contributed to the implementation of a number of strategies that would be applied in dealing with the problem. In this regard, a massive shift from the use of fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy appears to be the most effective step which can successfully implement this goal.

This plan aims at repowering America and the entire world with carbon-free forms of energy within the next one or so decade. The brains behind this plan have concluded that, there is a possibility of such a change if the necessary measures towards the plan where taken. Other big concerns that have had influential impact on the plan would include things such as high prices of oil, land use, the wildlife, global water supply, environmental pollution, and heightening government concerns.

The many implications that the generation and use of fossil fuels would tend to have on all the above aspects are likely to be minimized or even eradicate completely the effect of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, through the use of renewable forms of energy usually generated from water, wind and solar. It has been proven that the construction, operation and execution of renewable sources produces almost zero emissions of harmful pollutants and greenhouse gases, and this makes them safer over the non-renewable sources.

There is confidence that, the global energy systems can easily be transformed through widespread use of solar installations, wind turbines and water machines, which do not present emission of significant gases and other waste products. This could be an effective approach in eliminating the immense pollution associated with the non-renewable sources of energy used in modern transportation sector.

This normally refers to those sources of energy that are continually restored or replenished. What makes renewable sources of energy more reliable over non-renewable sources is the fact that, these forms of energy can be used as many times as they would be required.

As it would be observed, renewable sources of energy sustain a relatively high percentage of the overall human energy consumption. Many countries are gradually shifting to these forms of energy sources, considering the high costs and the many effects associated with non-renewable energy sources.

More importantly, there are many health and financial benefits that can be associated with renewable sources of energy, and this makes them the most preferred energy sources over non-renewable sources such as natural gas, coal and oil, which have continued to present immense social and health issues to the global population. Some of the common examples of renewable energy sources would include things like wind power, geothermal power, solar power, biomass power, and hydropower.

These are energy sources that can be found on earth in limited capacity, and that are likely to become extinct within a specific period of time. Non-renewable energy sources would constitute of nuclear power, natural gas, coal, and oil.

Unlike the renewable sources, it is not easy to regenerate non-renewable sources of energy for human energy consumption whenever it is necessary. Non-renewable sources of energy are classified into two main groups namely; nuclear fuel and fossil fuels. Nuclear fuel is generated out of radioactive substances that do occur naturally.

A good example of this classification is uranium which can be found in soil and rocks. These elements are transformed into energy through extraction and concentration, to produce fuel rods that can generate heat, when placed closed to each other. The heat is the form of energy here, and can be used to transform water into steam, thus producing electricity that can be used in different ways.

The above diagram illustrates the process by which nuclear fuel is generated from Uranium.

Fossil fuels, on the other hand, are energy in the form of fuels which can be extracted from the earth’s surface, where they are said to be generated through geological processes on dead matter. Examples of fossil fuels include materials such as natural gas and oil, which tend to undergo millions of years to form under the earth’s surface.

It is believed that, both gas and oil are generated from the remains of dead living things in the bottom of seas, which have been covered by layers of other sediments. According to study findings, it may take many millions of years for gas and oil to form under the earth’s surface, before they eventually sieve into the earth’s surface through porous rocks.

The diagram below illustrates how gas and oil are generated from the earth’s surface.

Wind Energy

Wind energy is a form of energy whereby wind turbines are used to produce electricity for human consumption. Wind energy has been applied by humans for avery long time to perform various tasks, such pumping of water and winnowing of grains. Normally, wind turbines intended for generation of electricity are mounted on tall structures, where they can capture large masses of airflows needed to produce energy.

The power output in this resource would tend to increase as the speed of wind increases. In this regard, areas with constant and stronger winds are the most preferable sites for wind farms. Wind Power Turbines in the US are common in Alaska and New Zealand States, where the speed of wind is known to be higher than that of any other place in the country.

The global use of wind as a reliable source of energy has increased dramatically in the last few decades. Wind is not only one of the most attractive sources of energy, but it also among the cleanest sources of renewable energy, and for these reasons, it is the fastest advancing energy technology in the world. Wind energy supplies about one percent of the US electricity needs and this capacity is observed to be growing rapidly, owing to recent developments.

Advantages of Wind Energy Resources

• Wind is a clean source of energy i.e. it does not produce greenhouse gases or any other form of hazardous products that can be harmful to human and animal health.
• The energy is abundant and free to use.
• Wind turbines normally take minimal space compared to the normal power station, and therefore, it is land economical.
• Wind energy can be combined other sources of energy such as solar to provide a steady supply of energy in form of electricity.
• Wind energy is less costly compared to other forms of non-renewable energy which may need to be imported from foreign countries.
• Wind is a reliable source of energy for regions where wind is stronger and more constant.
• Wind is a relatively long-lasting source of energy for human energy needs and in that case, it is reliable and more convenient.

Disadvantages of Wind Energy Resources

• This form of energy is unreliable since winds are unpredictable in many regions.
• Construction and erection of wind turbines is obviously very expensive and time consuming.
• Many people are yet to give in to the idea of wind energy as an efficient source of energy, and for that reason, there would be amid protests against development of wind farms in some regions.
• Wind turbines can sometimes be very noisy, and in that case, they are not fit in residential areas.
• According to recent studies, wind turbines are observed to be among the largest killers of birds in many regions of the world, where they are applied.

Solar Energy

This is the use of sunlight to generate electricity which can be used for lighting, heating, and cooling purposes in our homes. As it would be observed, solar energy, which comes from the sun, is a significant source of energy, since it influences all the other forms of renewable energy in a number of ways.

For instance, heat and light from the sun plays a crucial role in the growth of plants which can in turn be used for the generation of biomass energy. More importantly, solar heat also plays a key role in evaporation and precipitation cycles which are essential for the generation of hydropower.

A good example of popular solar energy resources is the Copper Mountain Solar Facility, situated in Nevada, near Boulder City. The facility caters for different energy needs in the area including lighting and heating purposes. A less percentage of solar energy is used to meet various energy needs in the contemporary world, compared to other renewable sources. However, this attitude is likely to take a different course, considering the rapid developments of efficient and reliable solar technologies.

Advantages of Solar Energy Resources

• Solar energy can be associated with minimal environmental impacts.
• Just like the wind power, solar energy is absolutely free.
• Solar systems are durable and they don’t require any form of maintenance or repair.
• Solar energy industry has created jobs for many people allover the world.
• Another impressive aspect about the solar energy sector is that, modern solar systems are designed for particular needs and this makes it a diverse source of energy in different areas of operation.

Disadvantages of Solar Energy Resources

• Solar energy has a high unreliability factor, since solar light is only available during the day.
• Solar energy is highly inefficiency since it produces minimal levels of electricity.
• Installation of solar energy systems can be costly, and this is one common limitation about the development of the systems in many parts of the world.
• Another outstanding limitation of solar energy is that, solar panels are bulky.

Water Energy/ Hydro Power

This is a form of energy which is generated by the powerful force of flowing water. Water flowing downstream is used to drive power wheels or turbines beneath the water surface to generate mechanical processes that are capable of producing electricity. Water is arguably the most common source of energy in most parts of the world, due to its efficient and reliability. Examples of major Hydro Powers include the Aswan High Dam in Egypt and The Grand Coulee Dam in Washington, USA.

Advantages of Hydro Power Resources

• Hydro Power is the least expensive source of energy for many people in the contemporary world.
• There is no air pollution or emission of greenhouse gases in Hydro Power generation.
• Storage of pumped hydro power energy is possible.
• Hydro Power has a high load factor compared with other energy resources.
• This source of energy is much reliable compared to other renewable energy resources.
• Hydro Power Plants are observed to have a relatively longer life compared to Nuclear Power Plants.

Disadvantages of Hydro Power Resources

• Construction of dams for Hydro Power generations has been linked increased earthquake vulnerability in some countries.
• Hydro Power comes with high risks of dam failure and/or tail risks.
• Fishes and wildlife are likely to be affected as a result of water and ecological destruction for purposes of hydroelectric generation.
• There is always a possibility of displacement and loss of livelihood for many people, as land is acquired for construction of Hydro Power stations.
• Construction of dams and Hydro Power stations is expensive.

Biomass Power

This refers to the form of energy which is obtained from plant material. Biomass is either used for direct heating or burning of wood to generate electricity energy, or is converted into liquid fuels to cater for massive fuel needs in the transportation sector. Biomass power is observed to be the second important renewable energy source in the US. One of the major biomass plants in the US is the Tracey Biomass Plant, located in California.

This plant supplies for various energy needs in the region. It has been predicted that, growing and cultivation of high-yielding energy plants can significantly help in the development of biomass energy resources in the world. These, coupled with modern high-efficient technologies in the energy sector can supplement the global consumption of non-renewable forms of energy such as fossils, thus helping to address the progressive issue of global warming.

Advantages of Biomass Power Resources

• Biomass is a comparatively lesser polluting form of producing energy and fuel.
• Apart from energy, Biomass also provides manure for farming purposes.
• This is a much reliable and a relatively cheaper source of energy for home use.
• Biomass is renewable.
• Biomass is more cost effective compared to other sources of renewable and non-renewable energy.
• Growth of biomass plants helps in cleaning the atmosphere by absorbing carbon dioxide from the air and releasing oxygen to the air.
• There is a high potential to generate biomass energy in many parts of the world, since plant matter is readily available everywhere.
• This source of energy also plays a significant role in maintaining cleanliness as well as in reducing disposal costs in towns and villages.

Disadvantages of Biomass Power Resources

• Biomass is reserved for the rich, since the cost of erecting a biogas plant is relatively high.
• Biogas plants and residue normally produces bad smells, which may be uncomfortable to many people.
• Construction of biogas plants requires great expertise, and many biogas plants end up operating in an efficient way, due to improper construction.
• Constant supply of biomass is essential for continuous generation of energy.
• Transportation and storage of biomass power through pipe system over long distances is quite difficult.
• Storage of biogas energy in cylinders is not easy.

Geothermal Energy Resources

This is the production of heat and electricity using the natural sources of heat found within the earth’s surface. In most cases, geothermal energy is produced using hot water or steam erupting from the ground. Geothermal energy can also be obtained through drilling, whereby deep underground reservoirs are accessed for generation of energy.

There are various geothermal technologies that are currently in use in most parts of the world, and these would include; geothermal heat pumps, direct-use systems, and the use of deep reservoirs to generate energy in form of electricity. Utah Geothermal Plant, located in Beaver County is one of the oldest and popular geothermal plants in the US.

Advantages of Geothermal Energy Resources

• Geothermal energy significantly reduces reliance of fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources of energy.
• It is an effective way of saving energy costs.
• It generates clean energy which is free from pollution.
• This source of energy is associated with immense economic benefits, since it plays a crucial role in creation of employment opportunities.
• Geothermal energy is more efficient, since it can be used directly for home and office-related tasks.

Disadvantages of Geothermal Energy Resources

• Drilling of geothermal energy is often associated with hazardous and poisonous gases.
• Most of the geothermal plants are far from specific areas such as big cities and town, where it is highly needed.
• Steam power installation is expensive and costly.
• Generation of geothermal energy is obviously too small to cater for energy needs of the people in the surrounding regions.
• Among other hazardous risks, generation of geothermal energy is known to pose serious dangers of volcano eruptions.
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, December 5). The Concept of Energy. https://ivypanda.com/essays/energy/

"The Concept of Energy." IvyPanda , 5 Dec. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/energy/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'The Concept of Energy'. 5 December.

IvyPanda . 2023. "The Concept of Energy." December 5, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/energy/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Concept of Energy." December 5, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/energy/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Concept of Energy." December 5, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/energy/.

• Renewable Energy: Geothermal Energy
• Geothermal Energy: What Is It and How Does It Work?
• Is it Time to Put Geothermal Energy Development on the Fast Track?
• Geothermal Energy and Its Application in the Middle East
• The Benefits of Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy
• Enhancement Of Geothermal Electricity Production In Africa: The Kenya’s Perspective
• Geothermal Energy in Eden Project
• Hydro Energy Advantages and Disadvantages
• Geothermal Project in Eden
• The Renewable and Non-renewable Electricity Sources
• Threats to Water Availability in Canada
• Deforestation Problem
• Wind Energy: The Use of Wind Turbines
• Water Pollution: Causes, Effects and Possible Solutions
• Pesticide Usage and Water Scarcity

If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website.

If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked.

To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser.

AP®︎/College Environmental science

Course: ap®︎/college environmental science   >   unit 5.

• Renewable and nonrenewable energy resources

Renewable and nonrenewable energy sources

• Global energy use
• Intro to energy resources and consumption
• Nonrenewable energy sources are those that are consumed faster than they can be replaced. Nonrenewable energy sources include nuclear energy as well as fossil fuels such as coal, crude oil, and natural gas. These energy sources have a finite supply, and often emit harmful pollutants into the environment.
• Renewable energy sources are those that are naturally replenished on a relatively short timescale. Renewable energy sources include solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal energy. They also include biomass and hydrogen fuels. These energy sources are sustainable and generate fewer greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuels.

Want to join the conversation?

• Upvote Button navigates to signup page
• Downvote Button navigates to signup page
• Flag Button navigates to signup page

Search the United Nations

• What Is Climate Change
• Myth Busters
• Renewable Energy
• Finance & Justice
• Initiatives
• Sustainable Development Goals
• Paris Agreement
• Climate Ambition Summit 2023
• Climate Conferences
• Press Material
• Communications Tips

What is renewable energy?

Renewable energy is energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed. Sunlight and wind, for example, are such sources that are constantly being replenished. Renewable energy sources are plentiful and all around us.

Fossil fuels - coal, oil and gas - on the other hand, are non-renewable resources that take hundreds of millions of years to form. Fossil fuels, when burned to produce energy, cause harmful greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide.

Generating renewable energy creates far lower emissions than burning fossil fuels. Transitioning from fossil fuels, which currently account for the lion’s share of emissions, to renewable energy is key to addressing the climate crisis.

Renewables are now cheaper in most countries, and generate three times more jobs than fossil fuels.

Here are a few common sources of renewable energy:

SOLAR ENERGY

Solar energy is the most abundant of all energy resources and can even be harnessed in cloudy weather. The rate at which solar energy is intercepted by the Earth is about 10,000 times greater than the rate at which humankind consumes energy.

Solar technologies can deliver heat, cooling, natural lighting, electricity, and fuels for a host of applications. Solar technologies convert sunlight into electrical energy either through photovoltaic panels or through mirrors that concentrate solar radiation.

Although not all countries are equally endowed with solar energy, a significant contribution to the energy mix from direct solar energy is possible for every country.

The cost of manufacturing solar panels has plummeted dramatically in the last decade, making them not only affordable but often the cheapest form of electricity. Solar panels have a lifespan of roughly 30 years , and come in variety of shades depending on the type of material used in manufacturing.

WIND ENERGY

Wind energy harnesses the kinetic energy of moving air by using large wind turbines located on land (onshore) or in sea- or freshwater (offshore). Wind energy has been used for millennia, but onshore and offshore wind energy technologies have evolved over the last few years to maximize the electricity produced - with taller turbines and larger rotor diameters.

Though average wind speeds vary considerably by location, the world’s technical potential for wind energy exceeds global electricity production, and ample potential exists in most regions of the world to enable significant wind energy deployment.

Many parts of the world have strong wind speeds, but the best locations for generating wind power are sometimes remote ones. Offshore wind power offers t remendous potential .

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

Geothermal energy utilizes the accessible thermal energy from the Earth’s interior. Heat is extracted from geothermal reservoirs using wells or other means.

Reservoirs that are naturally sufficiently hot and permeable are called hydrothermal reservoirs, whereas reservoirs that are sufficiently hot but that are improved with hydraulic stimulation are called enhanced geothermal systems.

Once at the surface, fluids of various temperatures can be used to generate electricity. The technology for electricity generation from hydrothermal reservoirs is mature and reliable, and has been operating for more than 100 years .

Hydropower harnesses the energy of water moving from higher to lower elevations. It can be generated from reservoirs and rivers. Reservoir hydropower plants rely on stored water in a reservoir, while run-of-river hydropower plants harness energy from the available flow of the river.

Hydropower reservoirs often have multiple uses - providing drinking water, water for irrigation, flood and drought control, navigation services, as well as energy supply.

Hydropower currently is the largest source of renewable energy in the electricity sector. It relies on generally stable rainfall patterns, and can be negatively impacted by climate-induced droughts or changes to ecosystems which impact rainfall patterns.

The infrastructure needed to create hydropower can also impact on ecosystems in adverse ways. For this reason, many consider small-scale hydro a more environmentally-friendly option , and especially suitable for communities in remote locations.

OCEAN ENERGY

Ocean energy derives from technologies that use the kinetic and thermal energy of seawater - waves or currents for instance -  to produce electricity or heat.

Ocean energy systems are still at an early stage of development, with a number of prototype wave and tidal current devices being explored. The theoretical potential for ocean energy easily exceeds present human energy requirements.

Bioenergy is produced from a variety of organic materials, called biomass, such as wood, charcoal, dung and other manures for heat and power production, and agricultural crops for liquid biofuels. Most biomass is used in rural areas for cooking, lighting and space heating, generally by poorer populations in developing countries.

Modern biomass systems include dedicated crops or trees, residues from agriculture and forestry, and various organic waste streams.

Energy created by burning biomass creates greenhouse gas emissions, but at lower levels than burning fossil fuels like coal, oil or gas. However, bioenergy should only be used in limited applications, given potential negative environmental impacts related to large-scale increases in forest and bioenergy plantations, and resulting deforestation and land-use change.

For more information on renewable sources of energy, please check out the following websites:

International Renewable Energy Agency | Renewables

International Energy Agency | Renewables

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change | Renewable Sources of Energy

UN Environment Programme | Roadmap to a Carbon-Free Future

Sustainable Energy for All | Renewable Energy

Renewable energy – powering a safer future

What is renewable energy and why does it matter? Learn more about why the shift to renewables is our only hope for a brighter and safer world.

Five ways to jump-start the renewable energy transition now

UN Secretary-General outlines five critical actions the world needs to prioritize now to speed up the global shift to renewable energy.

Climate issues

Learn more about how climate change impacts are felt across different sectors and ecosystems, and why we must nurture rather than exploit nature’s resources to advance climate action.

Facts and figures

• What is climate change?
• Causes and effects
• Myth busters

Cutting emissions

• Explaining net zero
• High-level expert group on net zero
• Checklists for credibility of net-zero pledges
• Greenwashing
• What you can do

Clean energy

• Renewable energy – key to a safer future
• What is renewable energy
• Five ways to speed up the energy transition
• Why invest in renewable energy
• Clean energy stories
• A just transition

Adapting to climate change

• Climate adaptation
• Early warnings for all
• Youth voices

Financing climate action

• Finance and justice
• Loss and damage
• $100 billion commitment
• Why finance climate action
• Biodiversity
• Human Security

International cooperation

• What are Nationally Determined Contributions
• Acceleration Agenda
• Climate Ambition Summit
• Climate conferences (COPs)
• Youth Advisory Group
• Action initiatives
• Secretary-General’s speeches
• Press material
• Fact sheets
• Communications tips