| Renewable energy is energy that never runs out. | | | | tidal generation viable and the plant can only generate |
| Think of it as part of nature. Ie, the supply is endless | | | | electricity for 4 - 5 hours for each tide. |
| and will continue to be available as long as our Planet | | | | Tidal power stations work similarly to hydro power |
| exists. | | | | stations. A dam or barrage with in-built tunnels is built |
| Solar, hydro, wind, tidal and biomass are examples of | | | | across a suitable area. Tidal movement in either |
| renewable energy. | | | | direction causes water to flow through tunnels in the |
| Solar Energy | | | | dam. The ebb and flow of the tide is used to turn a |
| Solar energy is the energy radiated by the Sun in the | | | | turbine. |
| form of light and heat. It is inexhaustible. Only a | | | | Biomass |
| minuscule fraction of the available solar energy is | | | | Biomass is organic material made from plants and |
| used. | | | | animals and contains stored energy from the Sun. |
| Energy can be turned into a usable form by using | | | | Some examples of biomass fuels are wood, crops, |
| either solar heat or light (radiation). | | | | manure, and garbage. |
| We have written a number of articles on solar | | | | Biomass energy can be released by burning Biomass |
| energy and solar panels. Click on the link below for | | | | fuels. The heat so released can be used by industry |
| more details. | | | | and in homes or it can be converted to steam and |
| Hydro | | | | used to generate electricity. |
| Water can be channelled in such a way that its | | | | Biomass energy can also be released by conversion |
| power is constant. Ie, water from a hose, down a | | | | to other useable forms of energy, such as methane |
| stream, river, etc. | | | | gas or transportation fuels, such as ethanol and |
| For centuries we have used water wheels to turn | | | | biodiesel. Methane gas can also be generated from |
| machinery. Using the same principle, water can be | | | | rotting garbage, agricultural and human waste. You |
| directed through a tunnel within which turbines are | | | | may have heard the terms "landfill gas" or "biogas." |
| located. The power of the water is used to spin the | | | | Crops like corn and sugar cane can be fermented to |
| turbine which in turn drives electricity generators. | | | | produce ethanol for a range of uses including as a |
| New Zealand, China, Brazil, Canada and USA are | | | | petrol additive and biodiesel. |
| major hydro generators using manmade dams across | | | | There is huge potential for Biomass fuels - currently |
| rivers to create storage lakes. Globally, around 19% | | | | about 4% of the energy used in the United States is |
| of electricity is generated by hydro - in the USA it's | | | | based on Biomass products. |
| around 7%. | | | | Non-Renewable Energy |
| In countries like Australia where there have been | | | | The non-renewable energy sources include coal, oil, |
| recent droughts, there is some argument that | | | | petroleum products, and nuclear. |
| although water is free and supplied by nature, it may | | | | The major disadvantages are: |
| not be as abundant as we would like. It is still, by | | | | They use up valuable and limited natural |
| definition a renewable resource. | | | | resources |
| Wind | | | | They produce pollution in the form of carbon and |
| The wind is the natural movement of air around the | | | | contribute to global warming |
| Earth caused by gravitational effects of the Earth | | | | We could easily get another Mexican Gulf crisis - |
| turning, heat from the Sun and other factors such as | | | | there have already been several lesser disasters |
| the shape of the land. As the movement of air | | | | For nuclear power plants there are |
| around the Earth is a continuous and arguably | | | | waste-disposal problems |
| predictable, we can identify "windy" locations and | | | | Electricity Generation Sources |
| capture wind energy to generate electricity. | | | | You can see the global warming problem from the |
| A single modern wind turbine can produce the energy | | | | details below. Only 9.5% of current electricity |
| for several hundred homes, saving up to 3,000 | | | | generation in the USA is by renewable means. |
| tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. Think of it as a | | | | 49% produced by Coal which is non-renewable |
| turbine on a pole being turned by the pressure of the | | | | 20% produced by Natural Gas which is |
| wind - its technically very simple, if unsightly! | | | | non-renewable |
| Tidal | | | | 19.3% produced by Nuclear which is non-renewable |
| Gravitational forces from the Sun and Moon cause | | | | 1.6% produced by Petroleum which is non-renewable |
| ocean tidal movement. It is this movement along | | | | 0.7% by Other means, presumably non-renewable |
| coastlines and river mouths which is can be | | | | BUT |
| harnessed to spin turbines connected to electricity | | | | 7.1% produced by Hydro - renewable |
| generators. Large tidal movement is required to make | | | | 3. |