What Are 4 Examples Of Renewable Energy And 4 Examples Of Non-Renewable Energy?

Renewable energy comes from natural sources or processes that are constantly replenished, such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat. Non-renewable energy comes from sources that will eventually run out or be depleted, like fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and oil. The key difference between renewable and non-renewable energy is that renewable energy sources are naturally replenished, while non-renewable energy sources are finite and will run out.

This article will provide examples of both renewable and non-renewable energy sources.

Table of Contents

4 Examples of Renewable Energy

Renewable energy comes from natural sources that are constantly replenished. Here are 4 examples of renewable energy sources:

Solar Energy

Solar energy comes directly from the sun. It can be harnessed in two main ways. Solar thermal captures heat from the sun and uses it to heat water or air. Photovoltaic solar cells convert sunlight directly into electricity. Some key facts about solar energy include:

Solar is the most abundant energy resource on earth – the sun produces more energy in 1 hour than the world uses in 1 year (https://www.enelgreenpower.com/learning-hub/renewable-energies/solar-energy/facts-solar-energy-usa)
The amount of solar energy that hits the earth every hour is greater than the total amount of energy used by all human activities in a year (https://chariotenergy.com/chariot-university/solar-energy-solar-panels-facts/)

Solar panel efficiency rates have increased from 4% to over 22% in the last 10 years (https://www.cemexventures.com/solar-energy-interesting-facts/)

Solar power is one of the fastest growing renewable energy sources today. Improvements in technology and falling costs are making solar more accessible around the world.

Renewable Energy

Wind power is one of the leading sources of renewable energy. Some interesting facts about wind energy:

Wind power provided over 7% of total U.S. electricity generation in 2020 (Source).
The United States has over 60,000 operational wind turbines across 41 states (Source).
A single wind turbine can power 500 homes on average (Source).

Offshore wind farms have greater energy potential than onshore due to stronger winds at sea (Source).

Examples of Renewable Energy

Hydroelectric power is one of the most common forms of renewable energy. It uses the natural flow of water to generate electricity. Dams are constructed on rivers to create reservoirs, and the water flowing through turbines in the dam generates power. Some key facts about hydroelectric power:

Provides about 16% of the world’s electricity

Major hydroelectric producers include China, Brazil, Canada, and the United States
Considered very reliable and flexible to meet shifts in electricity demand
Main environmental concern is habitat disruption from damming rivers

Overall, hydroelectric power is a major renewable energy source globally, providing clean and reliable electricity by harnessing the natural movement of water.

Renewable Energy Sources

Geothermal

Geothermal energy comes from the natural heat inside the earth. It is considered a renewable energy source because the heat is continuously produced inside the earth. Here are 4 facts about geothermal energy:

1. Geothermal energy is used for electricity production. Thermal energy from the earth is extracted to turn turbines and generate electricity. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, geothermal power plants in the United States have the capacity to generate around 3.8 gigawatts of electricity.

2. Geothermal energy can be used directly for heating and cooling. The geothermal heat pumps use shallow ground or water temperatures to control the temperatures of buildings. This direct use of geothermal energy is estimated to offset over 30 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

3. The world’s largest geothermal power complex is The Geysers in California. This geothermal field has 22 power plants and accounts for 60% of the geothermal electricity produced in the United States. According to the California Energy Commission, The Geysers has a net capacity of 725 megawatts.

4. Geothermal energy can be harnessed almost anywhere. While some areas have better resources than others, geothermal energy can be found and utilized to some extent almost globally. Countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, Mexico, Italy, and Iceland have substantial geothermal power capacity and direct use applications.

4 Examples of Non-Renewable Energy

Non-renewable energy comes from sources that will eventually dwindle in supply and be depleted. Here are 4 examples of non-renewable energy sources:

Coal

Coal is a fossil fuel that was formed from the remains of plants that lived and died hundreds of millions of years ago. Coal is considered non-renewable because it takes millions of years to form.

Some key facts about coal:

Coal is one of the world’s major sources of energy, used for generating electricity, making iron and steel, and producing cement.
Coal accounts for almost half of electricity generation in the United States.
Coal ranks as the most abundant fossil fuel available today.

The United States has the world’s largest known deposits of coal, with an estimated supply that could last over 200 years at current rates of consumption.
However, coal burning causes major pollution and is linked to health problems. It also produces carbon dioxide, which contributes to climate change.

According to the Energy Information Administration, “Coal is the largest domestically produced source of energy in America and is used to generate a significant chunk of our nation’s electricity.” [1] While plentiful, coal is non-renewable and raises environmental concerns.

4 Examples of Non-Renewable Energy

One major source of non-renewable energy is natural gas. Natural gas is a fossil fuel that formed underground millions of years ago from the remains of plants and animals. It is extracted through drilling and pumped through pipelines to be used as an energy source. Natural gas is used to generate electricity, heat homes and businesses, fuel vehicles, and serve as a raw material for fertilizers, plastics, and other products. While cleaner burning than coal or oil, natural gas does produce carbon dioxide when burned. Sources estimate the world has enough natural gas reserves to last another 50-70 years at current consumption rates (https://energyfacts.altervista.org/category/natural-gas/).

4 Examples of Renewable Energy

One common renewable energy source is hydropower, which uses the energy from flowing water to generate electricity. Major hydropower projects often involve damming rivers to harness their power.

Another key renewable is wind power, which converts the kinetic energy of wind into electricity using large wind turbines. Wind power capacity has expanded rapidly in recent years.

Solar power, derived from the sun’s radiation, is also major renewable source through solar photovoltaics and concentrated solar power plants. Solar energy can be used for electricity generation, heating/cooling, and more.

Bioenergy encompasses various forms of renewable energy derived from organic matter. This includes biofuels made from crops, wood pellets for heating, and biogas from animal manure and food waste.

Nuclear Energy

Nuclear energy is generated through controlled nuclear reactions where energy is released from the nucleus of an atom. Nuclear power plants use the heat from these reactions to produce steam, which spins turbines to generate electricity. Here are 4 facts about nuclear energy:

Nuclear energy is the world’s second largest source of low-carbon electricity, providing about 10% of the world’s electricity (National Geographic, 2019).
There are over 400 nuclear reactors operating in 32 countries around the world, with over 50 more reactors under construction (Earth.org, 2022).
Nuclear energy has one of the lowest carbon footprints per unit of electricity generated compared to fossil fuels (Energy Harbor).

France generates over 70% of its electricity from nuclear power, the highest percentage in the world (National Geographic, 2019).

Overall, nuclear power provides a low-carbon energy source capable of generating large amounts of electricity. However, there are concerns around safety and radioactive waste that lead some to oppose increasing nuclear power generation.

Conclusion

In summary, renewable energy sources like wind, solar, hydropower, and geothermal are critical for sustainable energy production that protects the environment. Unlike non-renewable sources like coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy, renewable sources don’t release greenhouse gases or toxic byproducts during power generation. Transitioning from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy is crucial for mitigating climate change and building a sustainable future. The advantages of renewable energy, including inexhaustible supply, positive environmental impact, and energy independence, make it an essential component of plans to combat global warming and meet increasing energy demand. Utilizing renewable energy is one of the most important steps societies can take to safeguard the planet for current and future generations.