However, over time, there has been a shift in demand for cheaper and cleaner fuel options, such as the nonrenewable energy source of natural gas, and renewable options like solar power and wind energy.
Each energy resource has its advantages and disadvantages. Explore nonrenewable and renewable options with this collection on energy resources. Solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, and geothermal power can provide energy without the planet-warming effects of fossil fuels. Renewable energy comes from sources that will not be used up in our lifetimes, such as the sun and wind.
Throughout his presidency, Jimmy Carter pushed for increased use of renewable energy. He even put solar panels on the White House! Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. Skip to content. Image Renewable Resources Geothermal power is a form of renewable energy created by powering electrical generators with the heat of the earth and naturally occurring subterranean hot water reservoirs.
Photograph by stockphoto Twitter Facebook Pinterest Google Classroom. Encyclopedic Entry Vocabulary. Also known as hydroelectricity. Media Credits The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. Media If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. Text Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service.
Interactives Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. Related Resources. Energy Resources. View Collection. Renewable Energy Explained. View Article. Renewable Energy. View leveled Article. Solar energy is energy from the sun in the form of radiated heat and light. Historically, solar energy has been harnessed through passive solar technologies.
Typically, these involve the strategic location of buildings and various elements of these buildings, such as windows, overhangs and thermal masses. Such practices take advantage of the sun for lighting and space heating to significantly reduce the use of electrical or mechanical equipment. Solar energy can be harnessed only during the day and only if the sunlight is not blocked by clouds, buildings or other obstacles. Today, two active solar technologies that involve electrical or mechanical equipment are becoming more common.
First, solar collectors or panels are used to heat water or ventilation air for use in buildings. Second, solar photovoltaic technology uses solar cells to convert sunlight directly into electricity. The potential for solar energy varies across Canada. The potential is lower in coastal areas, due to increased cloud coverage, and is higher in the central regions.
The solar potential varies even more around the globe. In general, many Canadian cities have a solar potential that is comparable internationally with that of many major cities. Installed capacity for solar thermal power has seen annual compound growth rate of The period was marked by the significant growth of installed capacity for solar photovoltaic power, which in , reached 1, megawatts of installed capacity.
In the first instance, geothermal energy can be captured from naturally occurring underground steam and be used to produce electricity. In the second instance, heating and cooling can be achieved by taking advantage of the temperature differential between outside air and the ground or groundwater.
The highest temperature geothermal resources are located in British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Alberta; heat and power generation projects are being considered with the demonstration projects under way.
The South Meager project in British Columbia is the most advanced geothermal power project in Canada. Furthermore, in , there were over 95, ground-source heat pumps representing about 1, megawatts of thermal energy MWth of installed capacity and producing an estimated 1, gigawatt hours equivalent annually. The ocean is a vast source of energy that can be harnessed to produce different forms of usable energy.
For instance, technologies have been developed to convert the energy of ocean waves and tides into electricity or other useful forms of power. However, a number of technical, economic and environmental barriers remain and, as a result, ocean energy is currently not a widely exploited energy source. Being landlocked only along its southern border, much of Canada is surrounded by oceans, meaning it has access to a significant energy potential.
Currently, Canada has a tidal power plant in Nova Scotia with a generating capacity of 20 megawatts of electricity. Tidal current technology demonstration projects have been deployed in British Columbia and Nova Scotia. Over the next several years, roughly 13 megawatts of tidal current capacity is expected to be installed in the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia. You will not receive a reply. For enquiries, contact us. Hydro Energy Bioenergy Wind Energy Solar Energy Geothermal Energy Ocean Energy Key Descriptors Canada, with its large landmass and diversified geography, has substantial renewable resources that can be used to produce energy; these resources include moving water, wind, biomass, solar, geothermal, and ocean energy.
Renewable energy sources currently provide about Moving water is the most important renewable energy source in Canada, providing In fact, Canada is the second largest producer of hydroelectricity in the world. Wind is the second most important renewable energy source in Canada. It accounts for 3. Wind and solar photovoltaic energy are the fastest growing sources of electricity in Canada.
What is Renewable Energy? The Renewable Energy Universe Larger image Text Version The table describes the renewable energy transformational universe from the state of a natural resource to the state of useful forms of energy. Larger image Text Version The bar chart displays installed wind power capacity in Canada since , in megawatts.
Report a problem on this page. Please select all that apply: A link, button or video is not working. Although it sounds like a perfect renewable energy source, the amount of solar energy we can use varies according to the time of day and the season of the year as well as geographical location. In the UK, solar energy is an increasingly popular way to supplement your energy usage. Wind is a plentiful source of clean energy.
Wind farms are an increasingly familiar sight in the UK with wind power making an ever-increasing contribution to the National Grid. To harness electricity from wind energy, turbines are used to drive generators which then feed electricity into the National Grid.
Find out more about wind energy on our wind power page. As a renewable energy resource, hydro power is one of the most commercially developed. By building a dam or barrier, a large reservoir can be used to create a controlled flow of water that will drive a turbine, generating electricity. This energy source can often be more reliable than solar or wind power especially if it's tidal rather than river and also allows electricity to be stored for use when demand reaches a peak.
Find out more by visiting our hydro power page. This is another form of hydro energy that uses twice-daily tidal currents to drive turbine generators.
Find out more by visiting our marine energy page. Although it harnesses a power directly below our feet, geothermal energy is of negligible importance in the UK compared to countries such as Iceland, where geothermal heat is much more freely available. This is the conversion of solid fuel made from plant materials into electricity. Although fundamentally, biomass involves burning organic materials to produce electricity, and nowadays this is a much cleaner, more energy-efficient process.
By converting agricultural, industrial and domestic waste into solid, liquid and gas fuel, biomass generates power at a much lower economic and environmental cost. Fossil fuels are not a renewable source of energy because they are not infinite. Plus, they release carbon dioxide into our atmosphere which contributes to climate change and global warming. On the one hand, wood is a renewable resource — provided it comes from sustainably managed forests.
Compressed biomass fuels produce more energy than logs too. On the other hand, burning wood whether it be raw timber or processed waste releases particles into our atmosphere. As world population rises, so does the demand for energy in order to power our homes, businesses and communities.
Innovation and expansion of renewable sources of energy is key to maintaining a sustainable level of energy and protect our planet from climate change. In , the UK hit a new amazing renewable energy milestone. On Wednesday 10th June, the country celebrated two months of running purely on renewable energy for the first time ever. This is a great step in the right direction for renewables. This will drive down the price of renewables — great for the planet, and great for our wallets. EDF Renewables.
Wondering what new and innovative ways scientists are looking at in order to reduce our dependence on traditional fossil fuels? And if you're after some more technical knowledge, find out how our innovation team use Big Data to create better value out of offshore wind farms. Find out what it's like working in renewable energy. Find out what green energy tariffs are and how to know the difference between real green tariffs and 'green washed' ones. Would you like to reduce your carbon emissions at home?
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