Solar farms can generate enough power for thousands of homes, using mirrors to concentrate sunlight across acres of solar cells. Distributed solar systems generate electricity locally for homes and businesses, either through rooftop panels or community projects that power entire neighborhoods. Solar, or photovoltaic (PV), cells are made from silicon or other materials that transform sunlight directly into electricity. To top it off, all of these activities contribute to global warming. For example, oil drilling might require strip-mining Canada’s boreal forest the technology associated with fracking can cause earthquakes and water pollution and coal power plants foul the air. Many nonrenewable energy sources can endanger the environment or human health. Prioritizing renewable energy can also improve national security by reducing a country’s reliance on exports from fossil fuel–rich nations. By contrast, every country has access to sunshine and wind. Nonrenewable energy sources are also typically found in specific parts of the world, making them more plentiful in some nations than others. When we pump gas at the station, we’re using a finite resource refined from crude oil that’s been around since prehistoric times. Nonrenewable sources of energy are only available in limited amounts. Nonrenewable, or “dirty,” energy includes fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal. Even entire rural communities (in Alaska, Kansas, and Missouri) are relying on renewable energy for heating and lighting.Īs renewable use continues to grow, a key goal will be to modernize America’s electricity grid, making it smarter, more secure, and better integrated across regions. The expansion in renewables is also happening at scales large and small, from giant offshore wind farms to rooftop solar panels on homes, which can sell power back to the grid. Now that we have innovative and less-expensive ways to capture and retain wind and solar energy, renewables are becoming a more important power source, accounting for more than 12 percent of U.S. But over the past 500 years or so, humans increasingly turned to cheaper, dirtier energy sources, such as coal and fracked gas. The sun has provided warmth during the day and helped kindle fires to last into the evening. Wind has powered boats to sail the seas and windmills to grind grain. While renewable energy is often thought of as a new technology, harnessing nature’s power has long been used for heating, transportation, lighting, and more. For example, sunlight and wind keep shining and blowing, even if their availability depends on time and weather. Renewable energy, often referred to as clean energy, comes from natural sources or processes that are constantly replenished.
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