Renewable Sources of Energy

Renewable Resources

Renewable sources of energy are those that are being made today and so will not be used up. Most renewable resources make use of the Sun’s energy.

The Sun evaporates water and causes the rain that fills the rivers. The Sun also causes convection currents that produce winds, which produce waves. The exceptions are geothermal heat which originates from inside the Earth and the tides which are caused by movement of the Moon.

These are the renewable resources:

• Hydroelectric Power (HEP) is electricity generated using fast flowing water to turn the turbines. Dams are built to form reservoirs of water for the power stations.
• Wind turbines use the energy of the wind to turn the turbines. Wind farms are collections of wind turbines.
• Solar cells produce electricity by the action of sunlight on the material inside the cell. Solar panels heat water for heating and washing.
• Wave generators use the movement of waves to generate electricity.
• Biofuels, or biomass fuels can be burned, or they can be used to produce methane gas or alcohol.
• Geothermal energy is used in power stations in places where the Earth’s crust is thin and the heat is close to the surface. Geothermal power stations can use this heat.
• Tides change the height of the sea in some areas so much that it is worth using it to generate electricity.

All the renewables make up a mnemonic that contains the first letters of each. For example: High Winds Sometimes Wave Big Green Trees.

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This video showcases how Electricity is made from Biomass e.g. burning chicken litter