Energy! Your World and You Renewable Resources Renewable resources are naturally replenished Some examples of renewable resources are: Solar Energy (sun) Wind Energy Geothermal (the heat of the earth) Hydroelectric (water) Solar Energy Solar panels collect radiant energy from the sun and convert it to electricity Solar energy has been used in planes, cars, buildings, and it used to power satellites and The International Space Station Wind Energy Large wind turbines spin in the power of the wind to generate electricity Wind power has been used since the windmills used to turn gears to grind grains Geothermal Energy Uses heat from the earth to make electricity Geothermal steam and hot springs have been used for centuries for bathing and heating Hydroelectric Uses the force of flowing or falling water to make electricity When the damn at Niagara Falls was constructed it was the largest in the world! Non-Renewable Energy A natural resource that cannot be re-made, re-grown or regenerated Some examples of Non-renewable resources are: Coal Oil Natural gas Nuclear Coal A fossil fuel that is burned to release energy Coal has been used as fuel as early as 3000 BC and is still used today Oil A fossil fuel that must be purified before it can be used to produce energy Crude oil is found deep in the earth and is drilled for then pumped out of the earth Natural Gas Natural gas is a major source of electricity generation through the use of gas turbines Natural gas is actually odorless until an odorant is added for safety reasons Nuclear Energy Nuclear power comes from radioactive materials A coal power plant releases 100 times as much radiation as a nuclear power plant of the same wattage