Everyone on this Earth today relies heavily on energy resources - electricity, gas and coal - to do many things, such as supplying power and heating up homes. In fact, we need energy to run almost all of our daily activities day in and day out.
These energy resources that we use are the non-renewable resources, which may eventually run out one day. When these non-renewable resources are depleted, what would happen? Without these energy resources, life will not be as convenient and comfortable as what we all are enjoying now.
We are so accustomed to flipping a switch to get power, to get things done by simply pressing a button on modern gadgets we have today. But if we used up all the energy resources, we would not be able to do many things conveniently and easily.
It is not difficult to foresee that we have to rely on renewable resources in the future. Renewable resources are resources that provide us a continuous supply of energy and will never run out. This type of energy is 'rechargeable' or can be generated again and again. The renewable resources consist of solar, wind, biomass, hydrogen, geothermal, ocean, and hydropower.
Solar energy
Solar refers to the solar energy that we get everyday either directly or indirectly from the sun. Solar energy can be used for several things, such as heating, providing electricity to homes, schools, businesses or buildings, heating water, cooling and ventilation.
Wind energy
Wind helps send the suns heat down to earth. When the wind combines with the heat of the sun, it causes evaporation. When the water turns into precipitation it produces energy that can then be captured by hydropower.
Hydropower
Hydropower takes energy from flowing water and captures it turning it into electricity. Hydropower is very complicated and requires a great deal of technology in order to successfully accumulate energy from water.
Energy from Biomass
Biomass is an organic matter that can help to make up the plants. It can be used for the production of electricity, transport fuels or chemicals.
Hydrogen energy
Hydrogen is the most abundant element found on earth, usually chemically bound to other elements. If hydrogen is found alone it can be burned or converted into electricity.
Geothermal power
Geothermal looks toward the inner parts of the earth for heat and can be used for power, heating, and cooling.
Energy from the ocean
Ocean produces thermal energy using the heat from the sun. It can also use mechanical energy for the tides and waves.
Renewable resources are actually within our reach. We now have the knowledge of what they can do and how we can utilize them. There are so many benefits to using renewable resources. We should start learning to use the renewable energy resources now, and use these energy wisely.