The world is dependent on a range of different energy sources. Fossil fuels — including natural gas, petroleum and coal accounted for more than 80 percent of the energy consumed in the year 2018. Renewable energy sources, such as solar power, wind power hydroelectricity and biomass, account for 14 percent. Nuclear energy is another 5 percent. Different countries utilize different energy sources to balance the needs of their economy and environmental concerns.
Nature is a rich source of energy in a number of forms, including sunlight as well as wind, waves ocean and more. When harnessed and transformed into more practical forms of energy, like heat or electricity, these are referred to as primary sources. These sources of energy become non-renewable sources of energy when they are exhausted.
The environment is harmed by many fossil fuels, in addition to other non-renewable sources of energy. For instance mining for oil can degrade the world’s forests. Hydraulic fracture (fracking) can trigger earthquakes and pollution of water. Carbon dioxide is released when coal is burned which causes global warming.
Fortunately some of the most promising sources of energy are renewable and sustainable. Wind, solar and hydropower for instance, are able to generate electricity without having to search for new sources.
Tidal web link and Wave Power are two more sustainable energy sources that are gaining popularity. In order to be utilized at large scale, these sources of energy require effective distribution networks. This requires the use of non-renewable energy sources to construct these networks. These sources aren’t sufficient to provide the majority of our energy requirements. It is important to keep in mind that the costs for renewable energy equipment have dropped dramatically over the past few years, and efficiency is rising rapidly.