Which Of The Following Is A Renewable Natural?

Renewable resources are materials or energy that will never run out because they are continuously replenished through natural processes. Some examples are solar, wind, geothermal, and hydroelectric power. It is important to know which resources are renewable because reliance solely on nonrenewable resources like fossil fuels is not sustainable. Nonrenewable resources, like coal and gasoline, cannot be replenished in a short time frame and will run out someday. We must transition to more renewable energy to ensure that future generations will have access to clean, affordable energy. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, renewable energy consumption has grown in recent years as costs have come down for wind and solar in particular.

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Solar Energy

Solar energy is energy from the sun that is converted into thermal or electrical energy. Solar energy is considered a renewable energy source because the sun will continue to produce energy for billions of years. Solar energy can be used to generate electricity, provide lighting, water heating and space heating for homes, businesses, and industry.

Some key facts about solar energy:

Solar energy is the most abundant renewable energy source available – the sun continuously delivers an estimated 173,000 terawatts of solar energy to the Earth (1).
The amount of solar energy that hits the Earth in one hour is about the same as the amount of energy used in an entire year worldwide (2).
Solar power provides just over 1% of total U.S. electricity today but is the fastest growing electricity source with an average annual growth of 50% over the past decade (3).

Solar energy systems come in all shapes and sizes. Residential systems are typically between 3-10 kilowatts while commercial systems often range from 100 kilowatts to over 1 megawatt (1 MW) in size.

Overall, solar energy offers a clean, renewable source of energy that has enormous potential to provide power across the globe. The falling costs and increased efficiency of solar technology are helping drive rapid growth that is expected to continue in the years ahead.

Sources:

(1) https://freedomsolarpower.com/blog/50-facts-about-solar-power

(2) https://earth.org/solar-energy-facts/

(3) https://www.enelgreenpower.com/learning-hub/renewable-energies/solar-energy/facts-solar-energy-usa

Wind Energy

Wind energy refers to the process of harnessing kinetic energy from the wind and converting it into electricity via wind turbines. Wind turbines capture the wind’s energy with large blades that turn a rotor. The rotor is connected to a generator that produces electricity (1). Some key facts about wind energy:

Wind power is considered a renewable energy source since wind will continually replenish itself. Converting wind into energy does not produce greenhouse gas emissions. Wind turbines take up less space than traditional power plants. And the land between turbines can still be utilized for agriculture or grazing (1).

The amount of electricity generated from wind varies based on wind speed. Areas with consistently strong winds are ideal locations for wind farms. Offshore wind farms allow access to stronger winds found over the ocean. But they are more complex and costly to build (2).

Over the past decades, wind turbine technology has improved in terms of efficiency, height, blade length, and power output. Larger blades capture more wind energy. Taller turbines reach areas with stronger winds. Improvements in design allow turbines to work in lower wind speeds (3).

As of 2021, wind energy provided around 9% of total electricity generation in the United States. There is continued growth in wind power capacity, and wind is considered one of the major sources for renewable energy in the country (1).

Sources:
(1) https://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/articles/top-10-things-you-didnt-know-about-wind-power
(2) https://www.enelgreenpower.com/learning-hub/renewable-energies/wind-energy/faq-wind-energy-usa

Hydropower

One of the main renewable natural resources is hydropower, which is the energy generated from flowing water. There are various ways to harness the energy from water flow and convert it into electricity. The most common is through dams, where water is stored in a reservoir and released through turbines to generate electricity. According to National Geographic, hydropower provides around 16% of the world’s electricity.

Other forms of hydropower include run-of-river systems, which channel a portion of a river through turbines but do not require dams or water storage. There is also tidal power, which uses tidal flows in coastal areas to spin turbines. According to Renewable World Energies, hydropower has broad public support, with 93% of registered American voters believing it should be expanded. Overall, harnessing the natural flow of water provides a clean, renewable way to generate electricity.

Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy comes from the heat within the Earth (https://kiwienergy.us/10-geothermal-energy-facts-and-examples/). It’s considered a renewable energy source because the heat emanating from within the Earth is constantly being replenished.

Geothermal energy is used for generating electricity, as well as for heating and cooling purposes. Hot water or steam from geothermal reservoirs below the Earth’s surface can drive turbines to generate electricity. Geothermal heat pumps can tap into this underground heat during winter to warm buildings, and use the stable temperatures underground as a heat sink during summer to cool buildings (https://dandelionenergy.com/8-mind-blowing-facts-about-geothermal-heating-and-cooling).

Geothermal power plants currently generate about 0.4% of U.S. electricity. With advanced technologies, there’s potential for much greater use of geothermal energy in the future (https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/geothermalenergyfacts.php). It offers a clean, renewable way to produce electricity and heating/cooling that emits little to no greenhouse gases.

Biomass

Biomass is organic material that comes from plants and animals. It is considered a renewable energy source because this biomass can be replenished relatively quickly compared to fossil fuels.[1]

The most common types of biomass used for energy are plants and plant-derived materials, such as wood, crops, algae, and waste from forests, yards, and farms. These biomass sources capture energy from the sun using photosynthesis. When the biomass is burned directly for heating or converted to liquid biofuels or biogas, the stored chemical energy is released as renewable electricity and heat.[2]

Some examples of biomass fuels include wood and wood pellets, energy crops like switchgrass, agricultural residues such as corn stalks, and organic waste material. These are burned or processed into fuels like ethanol, biodiesel, and methane. The burning of biomass releases carbon dioxide, but it is generally considered carbon neutral because the plants absorb carbon dioxide while growing.

Overall, biomass represents a sustainable energy solution because we can regrow the source material over a relatively short timeframe. It provides a renewable alternative to fossil fuels and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions when used wisely.

Timber

Timber is an important renewable resource that comes from trees. With careful forest management, trees can be harvested sustainably over time.

Trees are considered a renewable resource because they can be replanted after harvesting. As long as the rate of harvesting does not exceed the rate of replanting, forests can be maintained indefinitely.

Sustainable timber harvesting involves selective cutting of mature trees while preserving younger trees and allowing the forest to regenerate. Proper forest management policies ensure that only a limited percentage of trees are cut down each year.

The timber industry has developed robust certification programs to validate sustainable forestry practices. For example, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification traces timber from sustainably managed forests so consumers can buy responsible wood products.

With responsible harvesting methods, trees provide an ongoing supply of renewable timber. Forests can thrive while supporting the timber industry through planned, renewable regeneration of trees over time.

For more, see:
https://www.upmtimber.com/co-marketing/

Fresh Water

Fresh water is considered a renewable resource because of the natural water cycle. Rain and snow provide continual renewal of surface and underground water supplies (National Geographic, 2023). Most fresh water comes from precipitation and is replenished through this natural renewable process. Aquifers and watersheds can also provide sustainable sources of freshwater over time (U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, 2020). While only about 3% of the earth’s water is fresh, the renewable rain and snow cycle ensures freshwater is not in danger of being completely used up.

Conclusion

In this article, we covered several major renewable resources including solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, biomass, timber, and fresh water. These resources are considered renewable because they replenish naturally over time. Using renewable resources is extremely important for several key reasons.

First, renewable resources do not emit greenhouse gases like fossil fuels do. By transitioning to more renewables, we can significantly reduce carbon emissions that contribute to climate change. Second, renewable resources will never run out unlike finite fossil fuels. This makes them a sustainable long-term energy solution. Finally, investing in renewable energy creates jobs and spurs innovation. Overall, renewable resources provide us with clean, resilient energy while supporting a healthier planet.

The transition to renewables has already begun, but there is still tremendous potential for further adoption. With the right policies and investments, renewable energy can become a major pillar of our energy system. The environmental and economic benefits make focusing on renewables one of the most important steps we can take today to build a better future.