The world uses many 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. Renewables such as solar energy, wind power, biomass, and hydroelectricity account for 14 percent. Nuclear energy is another 5 percent. Different countries employ different types of energy sources, while balancing the needs of the economy with environmental concerns.
Energy is found in nature in a number of forms, including sunlight and wind, waves, oceans and more. When harnessed and transformed into more convenient forms of energy, such as heat or electricity, these are called primary sources. When these energy sources are exhausted, they are non-renewable energy sources.
The environment is harmed by many fossil fuels, along with other energy sources that aren’t renewable. Oil mining, for example is a destructive process that can destroy the forests that are virgin to the earth. Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) can cause earthquakes and water pollution. Carbon dioxide is released when coal is burned and contributes to global warming.
Fortunately some of the most promising sources of energy are sustainable and renewable. Hydropower, wind and solar for instance, are able to produce electricity without the need to dig for new supplies.
Other renewable energy sources are emerging, such as the wave and tidal power. But, in order to be used at a large scale, these technologies must have https://leonardogiombini.it/2018/06/02/leonardo-giombini-e-le-energie-rinnovabili efficient distribution networks. This requires the use of non-renewable energy sources to construct these networks. This means that these sources aren’t capable of meeting the majority of our energy requirements. It’s vital to remember that the prices of renewable energy equipment have fallen dramatically in recent years and the efficiency of these equipments is growing.
