_____ is a renewable resource used for the generation of electricity.
Explore the energy system with Student Energy, a global not-for-profit empowering the next generation of energy leaders who will accelerate our transition to a sustainable energy future. This is the category of natural resources, both renewable and non-renewable, that can be converted into forms of usable energy. Energy Systems Map. 1  This is the category of natural resources, both renewable and non-renewable, that can be converted into forms of usable energy. 2  Production refers to the methods used to get an energy source into a state where it can be converted into a usable form of energy. Renewable Electricity Generation Technologies. 1  A renewable electricity generation technology harnesses a naturally existing energy flux, such as wind, sun, heat, or tides, and converts that flux to electricity. Natural phenomena have varying time constants, cycles, and energy densities. Rivers and hydro electricity. Hydroelectric power, using the potential energy of rivers, is by far the best-established means of electricity generation from renewable sources. It may also be large-scale – nine of the ten largest power plants in the world are hydro. Why Electricity Is and Isn't Renewable. Electricity is usually produced by burning fossil fuels in processing plants, which create electricity in exchange for the fuel burned. The coal, oil or gasoline that powers the electricity-producing turbines is derived from non-renewable, limited energy sources. This chapter examines several technologies for generation of renewable electricity. It discusses the technology associated with each renewable resource, the state of that technology, and research and development needs until 2020, between 2020 and 2035, and those beyond 2035. Energy resources can be divided into two categories: nonrenewable and renewable. Nonrenewable resources. A nonrenewable resource is a resource that can be used up. Fossil fuels, which include coal, oil and natural gas, are nonrenewable because it took millions of years for them to form. Once we use up our fossil fuels, they will be gone for good. Many power plants use fossil fuels. Electric energy can be either renewable or non-renewable, depending on the resource that creates it. Electricity is not a naturally occurring energy phenomenon like oil from the ground, but it must be created and refined at electrical power plants using other energy sources. The natural resources that create electric energy are usually non-renewable, with some exceptions. Turning to the use of abundant renewable energy sources other than large-scale hydro for electricity, there are challenges in actually harnessing them. Apart from solar photovoltaic (PV) systems which produce electricity directly, the question is how to make them turn dynamos to generate the electricity. Fossil fuels refer to resources created by thousands of years of heat and pressure on prehistoric organisms. Alternative energy refers to any form of energy that is not a fossil fuel; this includes renewables and nuclear energy. Renewable energy refers to sources of energy that can be replenished in a human lifetime.
Burning fossil fuels in processing plants.