Renewable Technology Options After identifying and quantifying
you renewable energy resources of interest, it's time to
investigate the renewable energy conversion options, or
technologies, at your disposal. Each of the renewable resources
has multiple technology options, which are often tailored to the
specific end-use need. For example: Solar energy can be
converted to electricity or heat, and that heat can range from
low-temperature heat to high-temperature heat for commercial and
industrial processes. Biomass can be burned directly — or
gasified and then burned — to produce heat, which can then be
converted into electricity. Biomass can also be converted to
liquid fuels, such as ethanol or biodiesel, or into gaseous
fuels. Geothermal energy can be used for power production or to
provide heat for a wide variety of purposes. Modern wind and
hydropower systems convert kinetic (of the wind or water) energy
directly to electricity, but shaft power is still an option if
desired. See the Energy Technology Basics