What Are Two Kinds of Energy?
There are two kinds of energy that create electricity: renewable and non-renewable. Oil and coal are non-renewable sources of energy. When we use up the resources, there is no way for them to be replenished. Renewable energy, on the other hand, comes from sources that can be replenished.
The five main sources of renewable energy are:
- Biomass (wood, methane, ethanol, biodiesel)
- Geothermal
- Solar
- Water or Hydropower
- Wind
As early as 4000 BCE, the water wheel is referenced as a way of using water to create power with paddles mounted around a wheel. People used the rushing waters to power their businesses. They set up large wheels with buckets or blades between the outside wheel rims. The water pushed on the buckets or blades, causing the water wheel to turn. The turning water wheel caused equipment inside a mill or factory to do work like grinding grains. The water wheel gave rise to our modern-day hydropower plants. Hydropower is the use of a hydroelectric dam to harness the energy produced from moving water. Hydropower is the least expensive form of renewable energy.
How it works:
- A dam is built to create a reservoir on a river.
- Water is collected in the reservoir behind the dam wall. Using a sluice gate, dam operators control the flow of water.
- When the water is released from the reservoir, it is pushed through a pipe called a penstock just below the water’s surface.
- The water turns a turbine that rotates a generator and produces electricity.
Analysts are predicting that renewable energy will account for 60% of the world's electric production by 2060. At McNaughton-McKay, while we can supply all forms of renewable energy products, we have a focused effort on solar products and electric vehicle charging stations. You might be wondering why solar energy, it’s simple:
- It’s Free
- It’s Clean
- It Reduces Utility Costs
- It Comes with Incentives
- It’s Reliable
What tips can you share for how you are saving energy at your business or home?