10 Reasons Renewable Energy May Beat the Projections

New Hampshire, U.S.A. -- Five percent? That's the EIA's projected global increase in renewable energy generation by the year 2035. You'd think that nearly 30 years of technological, business and environmental inroads would make a bigger dent in the world's future energy mix. Aren’t we supposed to be living the solar dream by then? Won’t we be driving to the beach in algae-powered vehicles? Won’t we all revel in our views of majestic wind turbines? The utopian vision of our energy future may not exist in our lifetimes, but it has to have a better outlook than the one released this week. The short of the report: By 2035, world consumption is going to rise more than 50 percent. (So, yes, that’s five percent...

Energy from biomass

What is biomass? Biomass is material from living things. This could be plant material, animal material or even bacteria. Organic matter can be burned to provide heat, or fermented to produce gas. How is biomass energy collected? Plant material such as wood or hay can be burned to provide heat to raise steam and so generate electricity in a power station. Animal waste (e.g. animal slurry from a farm) can be treated to provide gases that can be burned to generate electricity. Landfill sites emit gases (mainly methane) that can also be used to provide energy. Some plant materials such as sugar cane and maize (sweetcorn) can be fermented...

Hydroelectric energy

What is hydroelectric energy? Flowing rivers have kinetic energy. This energy can be collected and used. Hydroelectric power is generated by the falling of water through a turbine. How is hydroelectric energy collected? If a dam is built across the river, water can be allowed to flow in a controlled way through turbines that generate electricity. ...

Tidal energy

What is tidal energy? Tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon, and to a lesser extent the Sun, on the oceans around the world. The difference between high tide and low tide can be many metres, and the energy of the tidal movement can be used to generate electricity. How is tidal energy collected? If, at high tide, water can be trapped behind a barrage and then let out as the tide ebbs, this water can be passed through a turbine that can generate electricity. Where can tidal energy be used? Barrages are built in river estuaries that have large tidal ranges, such as the River Severn in the UK. Advantages The rise ...

Biomass Power

Biomass power is power obtained from the energy in plants and plant-derived materials, such as food crops, grassy and woody plants, residues from agriculture or forestry, and the organic component of municipal and industrial wastes. Biomass power provides two valuable services: it is the second most important source of renewable energy in the United States and it is an important part of our waste management ...

Geothermal Power

Geothermal power plant at The Geysers, California.Geothermal power uses the natural sources of heat inside the Earth to produce heat or electricity. Currently, most geothermal power is generated using steam or hot water from underground. Geothermal power generation produces few emissions and the power source is continuously available. There are three geothermal technologies currently in use in the United...

Solar Power

Annual average daily solar radiation per month, using a flat-plate collector facing south at a fixed tilt equal to the latitude of the site. Capturing the maximum amount of solar radiation throughout the year can be achieved using a tilt angle approximately equal to the site's latitude.Solar technologies use the sun's energy to provide heat, light, hot water, electricity, and even cooling, for homes, businesses,...

Renewable Energy Sources in the United States

Hydropower refers to using water to generate electricity. Water is the most common renewable source of energy in the United States today. Many hydroelectric power plants use a dam on a river to store water. Water released from behind the dam flows through a turbine, spinning it, which then turns a generator to produce electricity. Electricity generated this way is known as hydroelectricity, and it accounts for about...