Renewable Energy
Renewable Energy
Summary
Renewable energy flows involve natural phenomena such as sunlight, wind, tides, plant growth (biomess) and geothermal heat. According to the International Energy Agency (2002), “Renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly. In its various forms, it derives directly from sun, or from heat generated deep within the earth. Included in the definition is electricity and heat generated from solar, wind, ocean, hydropower, biomass, geothermal resources, and biofuels and hydrogen derived from renewable resources.”
Renewable energy resources and significant opportunities for energy efficiency exist over the world. Compare to other traditional energy resources like fossil fuel, which are concentrated in a limited number of countries. The rapid development of renewable energy and energy efficiency, and the technological diversification of energy resources, would provide a sustainable and stable supply of energy and a significant growth in economy for the world in a foreseeable future.
History of Renewable Energy
Prior to the development of coal in the mid 19th century, nearly all energy used was renewable. The oldest known use of renewable energy, in the form of traditional biomass to fuel fires, dates from 790,000 years ago (K. Kris, 2013). The second oldest usage of renewable energy is using the wild to drive ships over water. This can be traced back 7,000 years ago, to ships on Nile (The Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy and Sustainable Living, 2013).
Moving into the time of recorded history, the primary resources of traditional renewable energy were human labor, animal power, water power, wind and firewood (traditional biomass). By late 19 century, people concerned of running out of coal, so they promoted experiments with using solar energy. The development of solar engine continued until the outbreak of WWI. The importance of solar power was recognized in an article in Scientific
Summary
Renewable energy flows involve natural phenomena such as sunlight, wind, tides, plant growth (biomess) and geothermal heat. According to the International Energy Agency (2002), “Renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly. In its various forms, it derives directly from sun, or from heat generated deep within the earth. Included in the definition is electricity and heat generated from solar, wind, ocean, hydropower, biomass, geothermal resources, and biofuels and hydrogen derived from renewable resources.”
Renewable energy resources and significant opportunities for energy efficiency exist over the world. Compare to other traditional energy resources like fossil fuel, which are concentrated in a limited number of countries. The rapid development of renewable energy and energy efficiency, and the technological diversification of energy resources, would provide a sustainable and stable supply of energy and a significant growth in economy for the world in a foreseeable future.
History of Renewable Energy
Prior to the development of coal in the mid 19th century, nearly all energy used was renewable. The oldest known use of renewable energy, in the form of traditional biomass to fuel fires, dates from 790,000 years ago (K. Kris, 2013). The second oldest usage of renewable energy is using the wild to drive ships over water. This can be traced back 7,000 years ago, to ships on Nile (The Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy and Sustainable Living, 2013).
Moving into the time of recorded history, the primary resources of traditional renewable energy were human labor, animal power, water power, wind and firewood (traditional biomass). By late 19 century, people concerned of running out of coal, so they promoted experiments with using solar energy. The development of solar engine continued until the outbreak of WWI. The importance of solar power was recognized in an article in Scientific