Renewable Energy

Did you know that it has been predicted that the United States will use 25 percent renewable energy by the year 2025? Renewable energy uses natural resources that are replenished naturally. There are many different types of renewable energy that will eventually replace fossil fuels, which are otherwise known as nonrenewable energies. Renewable energy provides a more environment friendly source of energy. There is also a much greater abundance of renewable energy than there is of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels will eventually run out or become so limited that the economic expense would be too great for the fuels to be cultivated or refined. Four major renewable energies are solar energy, wind energy, hydro power energy, and biomass energy.

Solar energy is energy harvested from sunlight. This is also known as photovoltaic technology. One example of where this energy is used is at Oberlin College. This energy has practical uses in both large-scale and small-scale areas. There are different variations of this energy, which include solar power systems, passive solar heating and day-lighting, photovoltaic systems, solar process heat and space heating, and cooling. Utilities and power plants are more commonly using this form of energy and in turn offering their clients the benefits. Power plants are able to produce electricity using the sun. Another form of renewable energy is wind energy.

Wind energy is collected by wind turbines today, but it has been harvested using windmills for hundreds of years. Windmill harvesting was extremely popular in Holland, but gained popularity in the United States. Wind turbines collect the energy from the wind and generate it into electricity. These turbines are mounted on towers in order to capture the maximum amount of energy. Wind turbines collect the wind's energy with their "propeller-like blades". Normally, two or three blades are mounted on one shaft to form a rotor. One example of where wind turbines are used is in Lamar, Colorado. At this particular "wind farm", each turbine produces 1.5 megawatts of electricity. Homeowners, farmers, and ranchers can utilize wind power in order to cut their electric bills. Besides wind power, hydro power is a popular form of renewable energy.

Hydro power energy is the most often used renewable energy. In 2005, hydro power energy accounted for 7% of the total electricity generation in the United States. During that year, it also accounted for 73% of renewable energy used. Hydro power energy is considered one of the oldest forms of energy. The birth of hydro power energy is estimated to date back thousands of years. The first industrial use of hydro power energy happened in 1880 and was at the Wolverine Chair Factory located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. On the Fox River, the "first U.S. hydroelectric power plant" opened in 1882. Hydro power plants must be located at a water source to provide the key necessity, water. The top five hydro power energy producing states are Washington, California, Oregon, New York, and Alabama in that order. Hydro power energy is considered one of the cleanest and most environment-friendly energy sources. One problem with hydro power is the destruction it has on wildlife. Salmon used to have major problems with the equipment used to create hydro power energy, but the invention of "fish ladders" has provided fish with the resource to navigate past obstructions. Another form of renewable energy is biomass energy.

Biomass energy is a renewable energy, which is otherwise known as "bioenergy". This is energy derived from plants and "plant-derived" materials. This energy has been used since people started burning wood in order to cook meals or maintain body temperature. Wood is considered the most used source for biomass energy today as it has been for many centuries. Another source of biomass energy comes from landfill fumes. Biomass replaces fossil fuels by producing fuels, power production, and other products that would need fossil fuels to be created. By using biomass energy, greenhouse gas emissions have the possibility to be reduced by a vast amount. Another advantage of using biomass energy is that it may decrease the dependence on foreign oil. This is due to the fact that biomass creates biofuel and biofuels are "the only renewable liquid transportation fuels available". Biomass is a very important renewable energy form.

Renewable energy sources will replace fossil fuels throughout the next few centuries. This will be advantageous for the environment and also to reduce the United States' dependence on foreign oil. Renewable energies are the key to being environment-friendly. Renewable energy has different variations. The most popular renewable energy sources are solar power, wind power, hydro power, and biomass energy.