Renewable sources of Energy
Renewable sources of Energy
Summary
The potential of renewable energy sources is enormous as they can in principle meet many times the world’s energy demand. Renewable energy sources such as biomass, wind, solar, hydropower, and geothermal can provide sustainable energy services, based on the use of routinely available, indigenous resources. A transition to renewables-based energy systems is looking increasingly likely as their costs decline while the price of oil and gas continue to fluctuate. In the past 30 years solar and wind power systems have experienced rapid sales growth, declining capital costs and costs of electricity generated, and have continued to improve their performance characteristics. In fact, fossil fuel and renewable energy prices, and social and environmental costs are heading in opposite directions and the economic and policy mechanisms needed to support the widespread dissemination and sustainable markets for renewable energy systems are rapidly evolving. It is becoming clear that future growth in the energy sector will be primarily in the new regime of renewable energy, and to some extent natural gas-based systems, not in conventional oil and coal sources. Because of these developments market opportunity now exists to both innovate and to take advantage of emerging markets to promote renewable energy technologies, with the additional assistance of governmental and popular sentiment. The development and use of renewable energy sources can enhance diversity in energy supply markets, contribute to securing long term sustainable energy supplies, help reduce local and global atmospheric emissions, and provide commercially attractive options to meet specific energy service needs, particularly in developing countries and rural areas helping to create new employment opportunities there.
Introduction
Over the last 200 years, people have become more and more dependent on energy that they dig out of the ground.
In the 1700’s,
Summary
The potential of renewable energy sources is enormous as they can in principle meet many times the world’s energy demand. Renewable energy sources such as biomass, wind, solar, hydropower, and geothermal can provide sustainable energy services, based on the use of routinely available, indigenous resources. A transition to renewables-based energy systems is looking increasingly likely as their costs decline while the price of oil and gas continue to fluctuate. In the past 30 years solar and wind power systems have experienced rapid sales growth, declining capital costs and costs of electricity generated, and have continued to improve their performance characteristics. In fact, fossil fuel and renewable energy prices, and social and environmental costs are heading in opposite directions and the economic and policy mechanisms needed to support the widespread dissemination and sustainable markets for renewable energy systems are rapidly evolving. It is becoming clear that future growth in the energy sector will be primarily in the new regime of renewable energy, and to some extent natural gas-based systems, not in conventional oil and coal sources. Because of these developments market opportunity now exists to both innovate and to take advantage of emerging markets to promote renewable energy technologies, with the additional assistance of governmental and popular sentiment. The development and use of renewable energy sources can enhance diversity in energy supply markets, contribute to securing long term sustainable energy supplies, help reduce local and global atmospheric emissions, and provide commercially attractive options to meet specific energy service needs, particularly in developing countries and rural areas helping to create new employment opportunities there.
Introduction
Over the last 200 years, people have become more and more dependent on energy that they dig out of the ground.
In the 1700’s,