Renewable Energy Sources – resources which are not diminished when they are used; they recur and cannot be exhausted (inexhaustible). Examples of renewable energy sources are wind, tidal and solar energy
To remember the meaning of the term Renewable Energy Sources, use the following mnemonic:
I renewed because I was able to choose a different energy source (renewable energy source) which provided me with energy that wasn't depleted when used.
A way of memorising what renewable energy sources are is to remember what the opposite is, i.e. what is non-renewable. Non-renewable energy sources are easier to remember. What cannot be renewed is coal, oil and gas.
Nuclear energy is usually considered to be a non-renewable energy source. This is because, although nuclear energy itself is renewable, the material used in nuclear power plants is not.
Renewable energy sources are the ones that constantly replenish themselves. They include the sun, wind, moving water, and geothermal (underground) heat.
The advantages of renewable energy resources include:
- Infinite energy supply
- Health and environmental benefits – no pollution
- generally lower maintenance requirements
- Reduced reliance on foreign energy resources
But there are also some disadvantages with renewable sources.
To take one – solar energy – as an example:
- The manufacture and implementation of solar panels can be costly
- Energy is only supplied during daylight hours, and even then the sun must be shining for sufficient power generation
- Storing energy produced by solar panels requires large batteries, which are expensive
- Large areas of land are required for solar farms
Each renewable has its own particular disadvantages – for instance, wind power requires the manufacture and siting of huge turbines and wind can be an unreliable source of constant energy.
Nevertheless, renewables are seen as the way forward and most countries are committed to increasing the use of these sources in response to increasingly alarming warnings about global warming.
