renewable and non renewable energy presentation

Renewable & Non-renewable

Energy Resources

A lesson about renewable and non-renewable sources of energy

for 4th, 5th and 6th grade

Teachers' notes

Lesson objectives

Cross-curricular link(s):

Energy, renewable and non-renewable resources

4th, 5th & 6th grades

Mathematics, ELA

Lesson notes:

See the teacher's guide for this lesson for additional information.

What is energy?

> Energy is needed to power all sorts of living and non-living things.

> People need energy to move, breath and play. We get energy from food.

> Non-living things need energy to power themselves.

> Energy is present in many forms and can change forms.

How do you define energy ?

Write your thoughts here:

Energy and Your Life

Energy is needed for many aspects of our daily life to go smoothly:

Fu el for transportation

Heating/cooling homes and other buildings

Electricity

But where does the energy

we use come from?

U.S. Energy

Consumption

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

Showing what you know

In the United States, 93% of our energy comes from non-renewable resources, and 7% comes from renewable energy.

U sing a graph, how could you illustrate the percentage of renewable

and non-renewable energy utilized by the United States?

Non-renewable energy resources

In our words,

non-renewable energy is:

Non-renewable energy also:

N on-renewable resources take a long time to make and cannot be replaced once they are used. Most non-renewable resources are made from fossil fuels.

Non-renewable energy:

F ossil fuels

Fossil fuels are a primary source of non-renewable energy

Fossil fuels come from the remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago.

Fossil fuels include coal, petroleum oil and natural gas.

Fossil fuels are used to heat buildings, fuel vehicles and make electricity.

Let's learn more about fossil fuels:

http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=77641

How petroleum &

natural gas are made

How coal was formed

So what's wrong with fossil fuels?

Oil is difficult and costly

to drill for and gather,

so the cost of oil

continues to rise

Natural gas is cleaner than many

other fossil fuels, but scientists

think reserves of gas will be

gone by 2085.

Burning coal is a main

cause of smog, acid rain

and toxic substances in

Our alternative is

renewable energy.

* comes from energy resources that can be easily replenished

* utilizes resources that are safer and cleaner for Earth & people

* utilizes resources that have multiple purposes

* needs more research, investment and practice to have expanded success

L et's learn more about the

five types of renewable energy !

plants like soybeans, corn and sugarcane produce ethanol, an alcohol that a type of transportation fuel

oils from vegetables can be used to make biodiesel

cow manure, garbage and wood products can be burned for heat or to make electricity

Le t's learn more about bioenergy:

Copy and paste below link into website browser

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kloBSpvxkJY&feature=related

Renewable energy source:

Bioenergy in the U.S. today

Landfill Waste

T oday, we throw away about 4.5 pounds of trash every day. What are we going to do with all our trash? Landfills can burn garbage in special waste-to-energy plants and use its heat energy to make steam to heat buildings or to generate electricity. There are about 90 waste-to-energy plants in the United States. These plants generate enough electricity to supply almost 3 million households

Wood and Wood Waste

About 84% of the wood and wood waste fuel used in the United States is consumed by industry, electric power producers, and commercial businesses. The rest is used mainly for heating in homes. Many manufacturing plants in the wood and paper products industry use wood waste to produce their own steam and electricity.

Animal Waste

Some farmers collect all of the manure, dirt, and waste from their barns in large tanks, or digesters. Inside the digester, methane gas is separated from the liquid and solid waste. The methane gas can then be used to generate electricity to light a barn, or to sell to the electric power grid.

Gas from Landfills

Organic waste produces a gas called methane as it rots. Landfills can collect the methane gas, treat it, and then sell it as a commercial fuel (natural gas is often used for heating & cooling homes). It can also be burned to generate steam and electricity.

Today, there are almost 400 operating landfill gas energy projects in the United States.

Environmental Impact of Bioenergy

* Bioenergy pollutes the air when it is burned--not as much as fossil fuels

*waste-to-energy plants produce air pollution that can be dangerous to people and the environment

* some ash produced from burning is used to build roads, cement blocks, and even artificial reefs for marine animals

*using crops for fuel may limit their other uses (food)

*using plants to make ethanol or biodiesel may offset carbon dioxide emissions because plants absorb carbon dioxide as they grow

Hydropower, or water power, is using of moving water to make energy. Energy can be harnessed from rivers, dams, waves or tides.

Le t's learn how hydroelectric power works --

Copy and paste link below into website browser

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etreTW19hP8

H ydropower

Content/writing space

Hydropower in the U.S.

Hydropower is one of the oldest sources of energy. Hydropower is the renewable energy source that produces the most electricity in the United States. It accounted for 6% of total U.S. electricity generated and 67% of energy generated from renewables in 2008.

Environmental Impacts

of Hydropwer

* A dam to create a reservoir may obstruct migration of fish

* A reservoir or operation of the dam can change the natural water temperatures, chemistry, flow characteristics, and silt loads, leading to changes in the ecology of the living environment

*Reservoirs may cover important natural areas, agricultural land, and archeological sites, and cause the relocation of people

*Greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide and methane, may also form in reservoirs and be emitted to the atmosphere

The Earth's daily wind cycle can be used to produce energy. Wind energy is most often used to make electricity.

Today’s wind turbines use blades to collect the wind’s kinetic energy and then convert it to electricity.

Le t's learn how wind can make electricity:

Copy and paste the link below into your website browser

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Kx3qj_oRCc&feature=related

W ind Power

Wind Power in the U.S.

In 2008, wind machines in the United States generated a total of 52 billion kilowatthours, about 1.3% of total U.S. electricity generation. Although this is a small fraction of the Nation's total electricity production, it was enough electricity to serve 4.6 million households or to power the entire State of Colorado. Generation from wind in the United States nearly doubled between 2006 and 2008 .

http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/wind_installed_capacity.asp

In 2008, wind machines in the United States generated about 1.3% of total U.S. electricity generation. That's enough electricity to serve 4.6 million households or to power the entire State of Colorado!

Generation from wind in the United States nearly doubled between 2006 and 2008.

The Environmental

Impact of Wind Power

* wind power plants produce no air or water pollution because no fuel is burned to generate electricity

• negative effect on wild bird populations

* visual impact on the landscape

* other energy must be used at times when the wind isn't blowing strong enough

The sun's heat and light can produce energy called solar power

Le t's learn how solar power works:

S olar Power

Click and paste the link below into the website browser

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZO2gtWY2iY&feature=related

Over 10,000 individual U.S. homes and businesses use solar energy for their own electricity and/or heat today.

Solar Power

in the U.S.

There are nine solar power plants in California's Mojave Desert. They are the largest solar generating plants in the world.

Tucson is one of 25 cities designated as a Solar America City by the U.S. Department of Energy. These solar panels help to provide electricity for the whole city.

* produces no air or water pollution and no greenhouse gases

*large solar thermal power plants can harm desert ecosystems if not properly managed.

* Birds and insects can be killed if they fly into a concentrated beam of sunlight

*Some solar thermal systems use hazardous fluids to transfer heat.

* Using water for regular cleaning of solar plant equipment may affect the ecosystem in some arid locations.

Impact of Solar Power

Geothermal energy is heat from within the Earth. It comes from volcanoes, hot springs and geysers. People can harness this heat as steam or hot water and use it to heat buildings or generate electricity.

Le t's see how it works:

G eothermal Power

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfUQy86ZMpQ

Geothermal Energy in the U.S.

A geothermal heat pump system consists of pipes buried in the shallow ground near the building. Water circulating in the pipes carries heat into a building in the winter and pulls heat out of the building in the summer.

Geysers in California supply power for several plants. These power plants emit only excess steam and very minor amounts of gases.

Most geothermal resources in the United States are found in the western U.S.

Why do you think this is?

Geothermal Resources

The environmental impact of geothermal power

* Direct use and heating applications have almost no negative impact on the environment

* Geothermal power plants do not burn fuel to generate electricity, so they release less than 1% of the carbon dioxide emissions of a fossil fuel plant

* emit 97% less acid rain-causing compounds than by fossil fuel plants.

*Steam and water from a geothermal reservoirs are placed back into the Earth after being used.

* Laws protect the use of geothermal features in national parks

Renewable Energy--

Past, Present & Future

People and communities have been using renewable energy for hundreds of years. Why do you think renewable energy sources aren't more popular forms of energy? List some advantages and disadvantages of energy sources.

Disadvantages

Rank these factors when considering an

energy source

Most important

Least important

efficiency of source

Cost of improving/expandng

Effects on the environment

geographic area where source is used

ability for source to be used on it's own

individual homes/businesses can use

entire community can use

research currently done on source

Sharing what you

Select one of the following:

1 . Construct a timeline highlighting the history of one renewable energy resources over the last 100 years. You will need to include at least 12 facts about the history of the energy resource. Include photos or illustrations of your resource's history as well.

2. President Obama has said that renewable energy should be a priority in the United States. Do you agree or disagree? Write President Obama a letter telling him a. If you agree or disagree and why; b. what renewable energy resource(s) you think the U.S. should focus their expansion efforts on and why. Remember, your letter should be persuasive while keeping in mind your audience. You must use facts about energy to back up your feelings!

3. Create a poster advertising support for one form of renewable energy. You must use graphics/illustrations, as well as brief text to persuade viewers to support your energy resource. Your ad must have a title, a slogan and a paragraph of information synthesizing why someone should support the energy resource.

Yo u will be graded for this activity using a rubric that assesses your participation and knowledge development over the course of this lesson.

The future is up to us!

People are using non-renewable energy faster than the Earth can create it.

w ithout other energy resources that can be produced quickly and safely, we will run out of the resources we need to keep us warm, provide us with electricity and run our vehicles

References & Resources

Benduhn, T. (2009). Energy for Today: Oil, Gas and Coal. Weekly Reader Publishing: NY.

Benduhn, T. (2009). Energy for Today: Solar Power. Weekly Reader Publishing: NY.

Benduhn, T. (2009). Energy for Today: Water Power. Weekly Reader Publishing: NY.

Benduhn, T. (2009). Energy for Today: Wind Power. Weekly Reader Publishing: NY.

Biomass? Maybe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEL7yc8R42k.

Energy Kids. United States Energy Information Administration. http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=1.

Facts about solar energy and solar power. http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=AZO2gtWY2iY&feature=related.

Fossil Fuels with Bill Nye. http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php? video_id=77641

Geothermal Energy Process. http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=rfUQy86ZMpQ

How Wind Turbines Generate Electricity. http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=0Kx3qj_oRCc&feature=related

Hydroelectric power--how it works. http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=cEL7yc8R42k

Petersen, C. (2004). Alternative Energy. Scholastic Inc: New York.

U.S. Installed Wind Capacity and Wind Project Locations. http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/wind_installed_capa city.asp

The Understand Energy Learning Hub is a cross-campus effort of the Precourt Institute for Energy .

Introduction to Renewable Energy

Exploring our content.

Fast Facts View our summary of key facts and information. ( Printable PDF, 270 KB )

Before You Watch Our Lecture Maximize your learning experience by reviewing these carefully curated readings we assign to our students.

Our Lecture Watch the Stanford course lecture.

Additional Resources Find out where to explore beyond our site.

Fast Facts About Renewable Energy

Principle Energy Uses: Electricity, Heat Forms of Energy: Kinetic, Thermal, Radiant, Chemical

The term “renewable” encompasses a wide diversity of energy resources with varying economics, technologies, end uses, scales, environmental impacts, availability, and depletability. For example, fully “renewable” resources are not depleted by human use, whereas “semi-renewable” resources must be properly managed to ensure long-term availability. The most renewable type of energy is energy efficiency, which reduces overall consumption while providing the same energy service. Most renewable energy resources have significantly lower environmental and climate impacts than their fossil fuel counterparts.

The data in these Fast Facts do not reflect two important renewable energy resources: traditional biomass, which is widespread but difficult to measure; and energy efficiency, a critical strategy for reducing energy consumption while maintaining the same energy services and quality of life. See the Biomass and Energy Efficiency pages to learn more.

Significance

14% of world 🌎 9% of US 🇺🇸

Electricity Generation

30% of world 🌎 21% of US 🇺🇸

Global Renewable Energy Uses

Electricity 65% Heat 26% Transportation 9%

Global Consumption of Renewable Electricity Change

Increase: ⬆ 33% (2017 to 2022)

Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency measures such as LED light bulbs reduce the need for energy in the first place

Renewable Resources

Wind Solar Ocean

Semi-Renewable Resources

Hydro Geothermal Biomass

Renewable Energy Has Vast Potential to Meet Global Energy Demand

Solar >1,000x global demand Wind ~3x global demand

Share of Global Energy Demand Met by Renewable Resources

Hydropower 7% Wind 3% Solar 2% Biomass <2%  

Share of Global Electricity Generation Met by Renewable Resources

Hydropower 15% Wind 7% Solar 5% Biomass & Geothermal <3%

Global Growth

Hydropower generation increase ⬆6% Wind generation increase ⬆84% Solar generation increase ⬆197% Biofuels consumption increase ⬆23% (2017-2022)

Largest Renewable Energy Producers

China 34% 🇨🇳 US 10% 🇺🇸 of global renewable energy

Highest Penetration of Renewable Energy

Norway 72% 🇳🇴 of the country’s primary energy is renewable

(China is at 16%, the US is at 11%)

Largest Renewable Electricity Producers

China 31% 🇨🇳 US 11% 🇺🇸 of global renewable electricity

Highest Penetration of Renewable Electricity

Albania, Bhutan, CAR, Lesotho, Nepal, & Iceland 100%

Iceland, Ethiopia, Paraguay, DRC, Norway, Costa Rica, Uganda, Namibia, Eswatini, Zambia, Tajikistan, & Sierra Leone > 90% of the country’s primary electricity is renewable

(China is at 31%, the US is at 22%)

Share of US Energy Demand Met by Renewable Resources

Biomass 5% Wind 2% Hydro 1% Solar 1%

Share of US Electricity Generation Met by Renewable Resources

Wind 10% Hydropower 6% Solar 3% Biomass 1%

US States That Produce the Most Renewable Electricity

Texas 21% California 11% of US renewable energy production

US States With Highest Penetration of Renewable Electricity

Vermont >99% South Dakota 84% Washington 76% Idaho 75% of state’s total generation comes from renewable fuels

Renewable Energy Expansion Policies

The Inflation Reduction Act continued tax credits for new renewable energy projects in the US.

Production Tax Credit (PTC)

Tax credit of $0.0275/kWh of electricity produced at qualifying renewable power generation sites

Investment Tax Credit (ITC)

Tax credit of 30% of the cost of a new qualifying renewable power generation site

To read more about the credit qualifications, visit this EPA site .

*LCOE (levelized cost of electricity) - price for which a unit of electricity must be sold for system to break even

Important Factors for Renewable Site Selection

• Resource availability
• Environmental constraints and sensitivities, including cultural and archeological sites
• Transmission infrastructure
• Power plant retirements
• Transmission congestion and prices
• Electricity markets
• Load growth driven by population and industry
• Policy support
• Land rights and permitting
• Competitive and declining costs of wind, solar, and energy storage
• Lower environmental and climate impacts (social costs) than fossil fuels
• Expansion of competitive wholesale electricity markets
• Governmental clean energy and climate targets and policies
• Corporate clean energy targets and procurement of renewable energy
• No fuel cost or fuel price volatility
• Retirements of old and/or expensive coal and nuclear power plants
• Most renewable resources are abundant, undepletable
• Permitting hurdles and NIMBY/BANANA* concerns
• Competition from subsidized fossil fuels and a lack of price for their social cost (e.g., price on carbon)
• Site-specific resources means greater need to transport energy/electricity to demand
• High initial capital expenditure requirements required to access fuel cost/operating savings
• Intermittent resources
• Inconsistent governmental incentives and subsidies
• Managing environmental impacts to the extent that they exist

*NIMBY - not in my backyard; BANANA - build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything

Climate Impact: Low to High

• Solar, wind, geothermal, and ocean have low climate impacts with near-zero emissions; hydro and biomass can have medium to high climate impact
• Hydro: Some locations have greenhouse gas emissions due to decomposing flooded vegetation
• Biomass: Some crops require significant energy inputs, land use change can release carbon dioxide and methane

Environmental Impact: Low to High

• Most renewable energy resources have low environmental impacts, particularly relative to fossil fuels; some, like biomass, can have more significant impacts
• No air pollution with the exception of biomass from certain feedstocks
• Can have land and habitat disruption for biomass production, solar, and hydro
• Potential wildlife impacts from wind turbines (birds and bats)
• Modest environmental impacts during manufacturing, transportation, and end of life

Updated January 2024

Before You Watch Our Lecture on Introduction to Renewable Energy

We assign videos and readings to our Stanford students as pre-work for each lecture to help contextualize the lecture content. We strongly encourage you to review the Essential reading below before watching our lecture on  Introduction to Renewable Energy . Include the Optional and Useful readings based on your interests and available time.

• The Sustainable Energy in America 2023 Factbook (Executive Summary pp. 5-11) . Bloomberg New Energy Finance. 2023. (7 pages) Provides valuable year-over-year data and insights on the American energy transformation.

Optional and Useful

• Renewables 2023 Global Status Report (Global Overview pp. 11-40) . REN21. 2023. (30 pages).  Documents the progress made in the renewable energy sector and highlights the opportunities afforded by a renewable-based economy and society.

Our Lecture on Introduction to Renewable Energy

This is our Stanford University Understand Energy course lecture that introduces renewable energy. We strongly encourage you to watch the full lecture to gain foundational knowledge about renewable energy and important context for learning more about specific renewable energy resources. For a complete learning experience, we also encourage you to review the Essential reading we assign to our students before watching the lecture.

Presented by: Kirsten Stasio , Adjunct Lecturer, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University; CEO, Nevada Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) Recorded on:  November 16, 2022   Duration: 52 minutes

Table of Contents

(Clicking on a timestamp will take you to YouTube.) 00:00 What Does "Renewable" Mean? 12:56 What Role Do Renewables Play In Our Energy Use? 20:29  What Factors Affect Renewable Energy Project Development? 52:13 Conclusion

Lecture slides available upon request .

Additional Resources About Renewable Energy

Stanford university.

• Precourt Institute for Energy Renewable Energy , Energy Efficiency
• Stanford Energy Club
• Energy Modeling Forum
• Sustainable Stanford
• Sustainable Finance Initiative
• Mark Jacobson - Renewable energy
• Michael Lepech - Life-cycle analysis
• Leonard Ortolano - Environmental and water resource planning
• Chris Field - Climate change, land use, bioenergy, solar energy
• David Lobell - Climate change, agriculture, biofuels, land use
• Sally Benson - Climate change, energy, carbon capture and storage

Government and International Organizations

• International Energy Agency (IEA) Renewables Renewables 2022 Repor .
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
• US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE)
• US Energy Information Administration (EIA) Renewable Energy Explained
• US Energy Information Administration (EIA) Energy Kids Renewable Energy
• US Energy Information Administration (EIA) Today in Energy Renewables

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

• Carnegie Institution for Science  Biosphere Sciences and Engineering
• The Solutions Project

Other Resources

• REN21: Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century
• REN21 Renewables 2023 Global Status Report Renewables in Energy Supply
• BloombergNEF (BNEF)
• Renewable Energy World
• World of Renewables
• Energy Upgrade California
• Windustry Community Wind Toolbox

Next Topic: Energy Efficiency Other Energy Topics to Explore

Fast Facts Sources

• Energy Mix (World 2022): Energy Institute. Statistical Review of World Energy . 2023.
• Energy Mix (US 2022): US Energy Information Agency (EIA). Total Energy: Energy Overview, Table 1.3 . 
• Electricity Mix (World 2022): Energy Institute. Statistical Review of World Energy . 2023.
• Electricity Mix (US 2022): US Energy Information Agency (EIA). Total Energy: Electricity, Table 7.2a.  
• Global Solar Use (2022): REN21. Renewables 2023 Global Status Report: Renewables in Energy Supply , page 42. 2023
• Global Consumption of Renewable Electricity Change (2017-2022): Energy Institute. Statistical Review of World Energy . 2023.
• Renewable Energy Potential: Perez & Perez. A Fundamental Look at Energy Reserves for the Planet . 2009
• Share of Global Energy Demand (2022): Energy Institute. Statistical Review of World Energy . 2023.
• Share of Global Electricity Demand (2022): Energy Institute. Statistical Review of World Energy . 2023.
• Global Growth (2017-2022): Energy Institute. Statistical Review of World Energy . 2023.
• Largest Renewable Energy Producers (World 2022): International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Renewable Capacity Statistics 2023 . 2023.
• Highest Penetration Renewable Energy (World 2022): Our World in Data. Renewable Energy . 2023.
• Largest Renewable Electricity Producers (World 2022):   Energy Institute. Statistical Review of World Energy . 2023.
• Highest Penetration Renewable Electricity (World 2022): Our World in Data. Renewable Energy . 2023.
• Share of US Energy Demand (2022): Energy Information Administration (EIA). Electric Power Monthly. 2023.
• Share of Electricity Generation (2022): Energy Information Administration (EIA). Electric Power Monthly. 2023.
• States with Highest Generation (2022): Energy Information Administration (EIA). Electric Power Monthly. 2023.
• States with Highest Penetration (2021): Energy Information Administration (EIA). State Profile and Energy Estimates. 2023.
• LCOE of US Renewable Resources: Lazard. LCOE. April 2023.
• LCOE of US Non Renewable Resources: Lazard. LCOE. April 2023.

More details available on request . Back to Fast Facts

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Renewable and Non-renewable Energy Resources Explained

by Kevin Stark

There are two major categories of energy: renewable and non-renewable.

Non-renewable energy resources are available in limited supplies, usually because they take a long time to replenish. The advantage of these non-renewable resources is that power plants that use them are able to produce more power on demand. The non-renewable energy resources are:

• Natural gas

Renewable resources, on the other hand, replenish themselves. The five major renewable energy resources are:

• Water, also called hydro
• Biomass, or organic material from plants and animals
• Geothermal, which is naturally occurring heat from the earth

While renewable energy resources have the advantage of unlimited supply over the long haul, they are limited in their availability at any given moment.

For example, the sun rises each day, but its ability to generate power is limited when its cloudy . Another disadvantage is that power plant operators can’t crank up renewable energy production when people are consuming more power, such as on a hot day when many people are running air conditioners at the same time.

States like California are trying to solve this problem by using energy storage, like large batteries, to collect electricity from renewable sources when demand is low in order to use it later when demand goes up.

Non-renewable Energy and Climate Change

When coal, natural gas and oil are burned to produce energy, they emit heat-trapping gases such as carbon dioxide. This process of trapping heat is what drives climate change, and the failure to address this problem is what's catalyzing the current climate crisis.

Fossil fuels are hydrocarbon-containing materials like coal or gas that are found in the Earth’s crust and formed in the geological past from the remains of living organisms. These energy sources account for the majority of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions .

If emissions continue unrestrained, the atmosphere could warm by as much as 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit above preindustrial levels by the year 2040, according to the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of international scientists empowered by the United Nations to advise world leaders.

Scientists say this increase in the temperature  would threaten life on the planet in a myriad of ways, including severe water shortages; more air pollution; rising sea levels, habitat loss; heat waves; melting ice sheets in West Antarctica and Greenland; and destruction of the world’s coral reefs.

Over the last 150 years, humans are responsible for the vast majority of the increase of these gases in the atmosphere, and the burning of fossil fuels through activities like driving a car is the largest source of these emissions.

There is a vocal group of environmentalists and researchers —Stanford’s Mark Jacobson, who developed a state-by-state 100% renewable plan for one — who argue that the power grid should be supported only by renewable resources.

Policy makers who invest in renewable energy often do so with the goal of generating power without emitting these planet-warming gases.

The Nuclear Debate

Experts debate whether nuclear energy should be considered a renewable or non-renewable energy resource.

Nuclear energy is considered clean energy, as it doesn’t create any air pollution or emit carbon dioxide, but generates energy through nuclear fission, the process of atoms splitting apart.

For this reason, supporters of nuclear energy argue it should be considered renewable.

Those who are in favor of more nuclear energy hold that that even with investment in wind, solar and other renewable resources, nuclear power is necessary, because without it we can’t reduce emissions quickly enough to stave off the worst impacts of climate change. Without contributions from nuclear energy “the cost of achieving deep decarbonization targets increases significantly,” wrote MIT researchers in a 2018  paper  examining the issue.

Detractors of this approach say that both the mining and refining of uranium and the building of nuclear power plants is energy-intensive. Other downsides to nuclear energy are the finite amount of uranium deposits on the planet and the production of harmful waste from nuclear reactors.

For these reasons, the U.S. Energy Information Administration considers it a non-renewable energy resource.

Links to Learn More

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Change A body of the United Nations, the IPCC regularly assesses the science of climate change and issues annual reports on the impacts and risks of warming, as well as guidance for adaptation and mitigation.

U.S. Energy Administration This U.S. Department of Energy website includes detailed information, analysis and graphics about energy production and use in the U.S.

The United States of Energy A series of infographics provides insight on our country’s energy production and consumption of both renewable and non-renewable energy sources.

PBS LearningMedia Find hundreds of digital media resources about renewable energy for use in the classroom from public media stations across the country.

Andrea Aust contributed to this post.

To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy.

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Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy

Learning Objectives Self-Check

Read through the following statements/questions. You should be able to answer all of these after reading through the content on this page. After going through the content, check the boxes next to the questions/statements that you feel at least somewhat confident answering. I suggest writing or typing out your answers, but if nothing else, say them out loud to yourself. This is to help you reflect on important content, and will help you prepare for this week's quiz. It will also help lay the foundation for future course content.

What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy?

Explain how wind, biomass, and hydropower get their energy from the sun. Identify 2-3 benefits and drawbacks of solar, wind, hydro, and biomass. What is the difference between a carbon-free and carbon-neutral energy source? Are each of the following energy sources a) renewable or non-renewable ; b) carbon-free , carbon-neutral , or neither ; and c) a fossil fuel or non-fossil fuel ?: solar, wind, hydro, biomass, coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear. 

Knowing whether a source of energy is renewable or non-renewable is important when considering energy and/or sustainability. Renewable energy is defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency thus: “Renewable energy includes resources that rely on fuel sources that restore themselves over short periods of time and do not diminish” (Source: U.S. EPA ). Non-renewable energy is energy that cannot restore itself over a short period of time and does diminish. It is usually easy to distinguish between renewable and non-renewable, but there are some exceptions (more on that in a minute).

To Read Now

Once again, we will go to the US EIA for a description of renewable energy sources. Please read through the following links (quickly, if nothing else). You are welcome to read the sub-headings for each source, but that is not necessary. The key points are summarized below.

• Wind Turbines (video) ( Transcript )

Optional Readings/Videos

• Solar Photovoltaics video

Please note that these readings only scratch the surface of the world of renewable energy sources! The DOE's "Energy 101" YouTube channel has a bunch of good, short videos about different energy sources, note that there are a lot more energy-related links on the EIA websites that you read just now. You could spend your whole career learning about them (as some people do), and still have more to learn. I encourage you to learn as much as you can about these and other sources. It may sound like hyperbole, but you can never know too much about energy. It figuratively and literally makes the world go 'round.

Renewable Energy

It should be clear how most of these sources fit the definition of renewable energy ("resources that rely on fuel sources that restore themselves over short periods of time and do not diminish") and have various benefits and drawbacks. Please note that this does not provide a comprehensive list of pros and cons, but will give you a solid idea of many of them:

• Pros : A few benefits of solar energy are that it is relatively predictable and reliable, it is effectively limitless, and that it does not create any emissions/pollution when generating energy. 
• Cons : The main drawback is that it is intermittent, both in terms of the sun only being in the sky 50% of the time, and that weather can impact it significantly. Solar is also very diffuse, meaning that it is not very concentrated, and so, usually a large area is required to provide a lot of useful energy. Solar PV used to be very expensive but is now cost-competitive.
• Pros : More good news is that the wind will never disappear as long as the sun shines and the earth is spherical, and like solar, wind does not generate emissions. Well-sited onshore wind is actually the least expensive form of electricity.
• Cons : However, the wind is also variable - more in some locations than others - and is less predictable than solar energy in most locations.
• I want you to think for a moment how the energy in moving water started out as solar energy. (This is a good thought experiment in energy conversion.) Answer: Remember that water flows downhill, and so the motion energy in flowing water started out as gravitational potential energy. How does water get this potential energy, i.e., how does it get uphill ? Mostly from evaporation caused by the sun!
• Pros : In terms of other benefits, like solar and wind, hydropower does not generate emissions, and is very consistent and reliable in most locations. Though it should be noted that some methane emissions result when organic material behind dams decomposes.
• Cons : There are some drawbacks associated with large hydropower installations (see the EIA's Hydropower and the Environment website for some examples), and in some cases, very big environmental and social drawbacks (e.g., in the Three Gorges Dam in China). All of these factors are important to keep in mind. Hydroelectricity is the single biggest source of renewable electricity in the world.
• One additional drawback of all of the above sources is that they are each location-specific. In other words, some locations may have a lot of sun, wind, and/or hydro, while others may have very little. (This will be addressed in more detail in a future lesson.) This problem can be at least partially solved by transporting electricity, but that is not always easy, and often expensive.

All of these sources renew themselves over short periods of time and do not diminish. And though intermittent, none of these sources are going to disappear in the foreseeable future. They are textbook renewable energy sources.

Good to Know: Agrivoltaics

Agrivoltaics are a burgeoning systems-thinking application. Agrivotaics combines - you guessed it - agriculture and photovoltaics. Ground-mounted solar arrays are a great application of solar PV technology, but they do take up a lot of space relative to their energy output. So why not find a way to use all of this space? Enter agrivoltaics! With some careful design considerations (e.g. knowing which plants are shade-tolerant or even prefer some shade), crops can not only be successful but in some cases more successful in terms of production than when planted in an open field. This is particularly helpful in hot, dry climates, such as the eastern part of Colorado, which is pictured below. But it can be successful in more humid and cooler climates as well. 

Agrivoltaics are becoming increasingly recognized and researched throughout the U.S. and internationally. Feel free to browse through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) article about agrivoltaics  for more information.

Okay, so what about biomass and biofuels ? They are both derived from living or recently living things (trees, corn, algae, sugarcane, etc.) They also get their energy from the sun (anyone sensing a pattern here?), and plants are usually pretty good at regenerating themselves. But I want you to take a minute to try to think about examples of biomass and/or biofuels that might not be "renewable," in the sense of the definition above. Can you think of any examples of non-renewable biomass ?

Nearly all forms of biomass and biofuels are renewable. Corn-based ethanol is the most-used source of bio-based energy in the U.S. Corn can be grown in the same field year after year, so it is renewable. Whether or not it is sustainable is another question, which will be addressed later. The primary source of bioenergy in Brazil is sugarcane. Nearly all of Brazil's vehicles are able to use 100% sugarcane ethanol for fuel. (Contrast this with the U.S., where most automobile engines are only required to be able to handle up to 10% ethanol.) Sugarcane grows year-round in Brazil, so is definitely renewable.

There are many other biomass sources that fit our definition of renewable, including animal dung, algae (for biodiesel), jatropha nut, soybean, switchgrass, and more. Wood is used around the world as a source of heat, particularly for cooking. Most trees and shrubs regrow relatively quickly, so they are generally considered renewable. But even a fast-growing tree like an oak (up to two feet per year, according to the National Arbor Day Foundation ) has limits. Though most biomass sources are considered renewable, keep this in mind: if you harvest a renewable resource faster than it regenerates, it will not be able to renew itself over time . We will revisit this point in a later lesson, but it is important to remember.

Not all Renewables Are Created Equal

Most renewable energy sources are carbon-free . This means that they do not emit any carbon dioxide when they generate energy. Solar, wind, and hydroelectric are carbon-free. Nuclear, though not renewable, is also considered a carbon-free energy source, because unlike coal and natural gas, it does not burn. As noted in a previous reading, nuclear energy generates heat through fission, not combustion. Biomass and biofuels are often considered carbon-neutral because they emit carbon dioxide when they are burned. So, why are they carbon neutral?

Good to Know

The International Energy Association (IEA) is a good source of information for international energy data. The US EIA (not to be confused with the IEA) publishes some international data as well, but IEA is usually the first place I look. The chart below shows the estimated energy use by type worldwide in 2016, and the data are from their 2018  Key World Energy Statistics document. Note that the energy unit they use is Mtoe, which stands for million tons of oil equivalent. A Mtoe is equivalent to about 0.04 quads. In other words, there are about 25 Mtoe in a quad. The amount of energy is not important for our purposes, but please take note of the percent of the total that each energy source provides.

FYI, another good, reliable source of global energy data is BP's annual " Statistical Review of World Energy ." It is worth browsing if you are interested!

There are a few interesting things to point out from the chart above.

• First of all, Total Primary Energy Supply (TPES) refers to all original or primary   energy consumed. For example, if your electricity is supplied by a power plant, the energy your electronic device is using right now is not  primary energy because the electricity was converted from an original source (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear). Given that electricity generation is always less than 100% efficient (sometimes  much  less, per the previous section), the primary energy used by your device is greater than what shows up on your electric bill. Incidentally, the "energy sources" on the left-hand side of the sankey diagram that you looked at earlier this lesson are primary energy.
• Another interesting thing to point out is that biofuels are lumped together with "waste." In many parts of the world, including many states in the U.S., if you burn garbage to produce heat and/or electricity, it is considered a biofuel, and thus renewable. I'll leave it to you to think about whether or not that is reasonable. But note that biofuels (and biomass) constitute the majority of that "slice" of the global energy pie.
• Hydro is at only 2.5%. But where are wind and solar? We hear about them all the time in the U.S., and in other parts of the world. If you read the fine print at the bottom, you'll see that wind and solar's contribution was so small that it was lumped into the "other" category, at a measly 1.7%. This has improved since 2015 (and was 1.1% of the total in 2012), and in fact has been growing at an all-time high rate, but there is still a long way to go before wind and solar make a major dent in the global energy regime.

Non-Renewable Energy

Non-renewable energy sources diminish over time and are not able to replenish themselves. In other words, they are finite, and once they are used, they are effectively gone because they take so long to reform.

You have already read about the four non-renewable energy sources: coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear. Let's start with coal, oil, and natural gas, which (as you read earlier) are referred to as fossil fuels . Fossil fuels were created from the remains of dead plants and animals. The source material is renewable (it's biomass!), but since they take millions of years to form, they are not replenished over a "short" period of time, so are non-renewable. Fossil fuels are forming somewhere under your feet right now, but don't hold your breath waiting for them to finish.

The nuclear energy we use comes from an isotope of uranium called U-235. Unlike fossil fuels, U-235 has cosmic origins: it was formed by one or more supernovae around 6 billion years ago, about 1.5 billion years before the Earth was formed (a supernova is a collapsing star, "supernovae" is the plural form of supernova) (source: World Nuclear Association ). Again, this is not renewable on a human timescale.

All fossil fuels emit carbon dioxide (CO2) and other emissions when they are used to generate energy. Recall that they are made mostly of hydrogen and carbon, and the carbon mostly ends up as CO 2 . Nuclear is considered carbon-free, because it is not burned, and it is not made of carbon. Remember that energy is extracted through fission or splitting of atoms. This generates heat, but no emissions. (It is important to note that it does result in very dangerous and long-lasting radioactive waste, but that will be addressed in a future lesson.)

To summarize:

Non-renewables

• Coal, oil, and natural gas are fossil fuels. Even though they all get their energy from the sun, none of them are renewable. They all emit CO 2  and other emissions when burned.
• Nuclear is also non-renewable, but not a fossil fuel. It is carbon-free but causes radioactive waste.
• Most importantly, for all intents and purposes, whatever coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear exists today is all that we will ever have.
• Solar, wind, and hydro are renewable and carbon-free, and effectively inexhaustible.
• Bioenergy is renewable and carbon-neutral. It emits CO 2 , but no more CO 2  than was originally pulled from the atmosphere. Even though it is considered renewable, it is possible to use bioenergy unsustainably by harvesting it more quickly than it can be replenished.

Check Your Understanding

All of the carbon dioxide emitted from coal, oil, and natural gas was originally pulled from the atmosphere to make the plants from which is was derived grow. In other words, the amount of carbon dioxide emitted is no more than the amount of carbon dioxide it originally removed from the air. Why are they not carbon-neutral energy sources?

We hear a lot about renewables and natural gas in the U.S., as their use has been growing rapidly for some time now. But as you can see in this chart from the EIA, coal and nuclear still constitute over 40% of all electricity generation in the U.S. Solar, despite its massive growth and growth potential, is only 1.8%! We have a long way to go, people!

Optional (But Strongly Suggested)

Now that you have completed the content, I suggest going through the Learning Objectives Self-Check list at the top of the page.

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• TeachEngineering
• Renewable Energy

Lesson Renewable Energy

Grade Level: 4 (3-5)

Time Required: 45 minutes

Lesson Dependency: None

Subject Areas: Earth and Space, Physical Science, Science and Technology

NGSS Performance Expectations:

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• Water Power
• Solar Power
• Wild Wind! Making Weather Vanes to Find Prevailing Winds
• Wind Energy: Making & Testing Pinwheels to Model Wind Turbines
• Gone with the Wind Energy: Design-Build-Test Mini Sail Cars!
• Build an Anemometer to Measure Wind Speed
• Wind Power! Designing a Wind Turbine
• Windmill of Your Mind — Distributed Energy Goes to School
• Falling Water
• Waterwheel Work: Energy Transformations and Rotational Rates
• A Case of Innovation: Technical Writing about River Current Power
• Stations of Light
• Capturing the Sun's Warmth
• Cooking with the Sun: Comparing Yummy Solar Cooker Designs
• Design and Test Model Solar Water Heaters
• Design a Solar City
• Power to the People

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Engineering connection, learning objectives, more curriculum like this, introduction/motivation, associated activities, lesson closure, vocabulary/definitions, user comments & tips.

Engineers have a good understanding about energy, so they can harness renewable resources to create electricity for use in our everyday lives. Mechanical, electrical and civil engineers collaborate to develop new and more efficient ways to generate electricity from renewable resources. They design cleaner-burning engines and new car designs (such as hybrid cars) that require less fuel and result in improved gas mileage which in turns improves our planet.

After this lesson, students should be able to:

• Describe sources and uses of energy.
• Define renewable and non-renewable energy.
• Provide examples of common types of renewable and non-renewable resources.
• Understand and explain general ways to save energy at a personal, community and global level.
• Understand and explain, in general terms, how passive solar heating, hydropower and wind power work.
• Describe some general characteristics of solar power, hydropower and wind power.
• Understand the benefits and disadvantages to using renewable resources.
• Explain how engineers design more efficient ways to use generate electricity.
• Describe the role of engineers in energy conservation.

Educational Standards Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards. All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN) , a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org). In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g. , by state; within source by type; e.g. , science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc .

Ngss: next generation science standards - science, international technology and engineering educators association - technology.

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State Standards

Colorado - science.

Brainstorm a list of ideas about where and when we use energy. (Answer: We use energy all the time. Humans use energy to be active – to walk, talk, play basketball, etc. We use energy to power our appliances, vehicles, lights, etc. Cells use energy to perform the most basic life functions. Life as we know it would not be possible without energy production and consumption.)

Energy is everywhere! Although sometimes you can hear energy (sound), feel energy (wind), taste energy (food), and see energy (light), most often it is hard to figure out exactly where energy is.

Energy can move and change, but it cannot be destroyed. Almost every form of energy can be converted into other forms. It is similar to the heat you feel coming off a light bulb while it is on. The warmth is light energy changed to heat energy. Whatever form it is in, energy is essentially the ability for making something happen or, as scientists put it, "doing work."

Where do we get our energy? Well, a lot of energy originally comes from the sun. We get some energy directly from the sun when we use solar panels; however, most energy comes from fossil fuels (coal and oil), which got their energy from fossilized plants and other organisms that obtained their energy directly from the sun by a process called photosynthesis that occurred many years ago. There are many different types of energy, as we brainstormed earlier. Some of these types of energy are called renewable , or can be re-used, such as energy from the sun, wind or water. Other energy is called non-renewable because once it is used up, it is gone, like coal and oil.

Now, imagine yourself having surgery in a hospital and the power goes out. This scenario would be terrible. Fortunately, hospitals have backup generators (designed by engineers!) to prevent this from ever happening. Generators are like storage houses for energy and are usually powered by electricity from coal or fossil fuels. Generators are not normally attached to things like stoplights, railcars or computer networks, which is why we sometimes see stoplights that have gone out. Now, imagine that all of the above mentioned things are backed up with solar energy power or another type of stored renewable energy. This stored power, especially in the form of solar power, never becomes overloaded (which is what happens when the lights in your house or neighborhood go out). The renewable source is always supplying more energy; i.e., the sun is almost always shining on some part of the Earth, wind is always blowing, and rivers are always running. Storing renewable energy for power failures is a better idea because those energy supplies will never run out.

Engineers know all about energy and are currently designing new and more efficient ways to generate electricity using renewable resources. They are designing cleaner engines that use less fuel and new car designs that use electric motors. Today, we are going to look at how engineers can use sun, wind and water power to create electricity to run our homes, cars and everything else. Wow! What incredible engineering creativity!

Lesson Background and Concepts for Teachers

What Is Power?

Energy is the ability to do work (applying a force over a distance), to make things happen, to cause change, or to start motion (a change in position of an object with time). It is the capacity for vigorous activity.

Energy can move (be transferred) and change (be transformed), but it cannot be destroyed. Interactions produce changes in a system, although the total quantities of energy remain unchanged. For example, a power station produces electricity by changing the energy from fuel into electrical energy. A gas-fired power station burns gas, converting the gas' chemical energy into heat. Almost every form of energy can be converted into other forms. But whatever form it is in, energy is essentially the capacity for making something happen or, as scientists put it, "doing work."

Energy comes from many sources, directly or indirectly: power plants, people, food, light, windmills, turbines, fires, electrical circuits, the sun, machines, etc. All energy originally comes from natural resources, most of which originate from the sun.

We use energy to heat houses and buildings, provide light, heating water, break down food, play sports, do activities, operate vehicles, etc.

What are the Different Types of Energy?

• Biomass is the combustion of materials that originate from living things.
• Chemical is used to fuel automobiles and other vehicles.
• Electrical drives many small machines and keeps lights glowing.
• Geothermal taps steam from water heated underground (like geysers) and uses it to spin turbines.
• Hydrogen power uses electricity to break down water into hydrogen gas. The amount of energy released is less than the energy used to break it apart, so not currently feasible.
• Hydroelectricity generates electricity by harnessing the power of flowing water (a renewable resource as long as there is rain). Refer to the associated activity Water Power for students to observe and learn about water related methods of harvesting energy.
• Kinetic is the energy of motion. A spinning top, a falling object, and a rolling ball all have kinetic energy. The motion, if resisted by a force, does work. Wind and water both have kinetic energy. Refer to the associated activity Wind Power to give students an understanding of how wind energy is harvested and used. 
• Light energy is generated from light bulbs and computer screens, the sun.
• Nuclear fusion imitates the method the sun uses to produce energy. It involves the joining together of the nuclei of hydrogen atoms.
• Nuclear fission is when energy is given off from splitting nuclei of uranium atoms.
• Potential energy is the energy stored by an object as a result of its position. For example, roller coaster at the top of a hill.
• Sound energy is created, for example, when a door slams, it releases sound energy.
• Solar energy occurs from the sun (light). Refer to the associated activity Solar Power for students to explore this energy form. 
• Thermal energy (or heat) boils water, keeps us warm and drives engines.
• Tidal energy is when the energy from ocean tides is harnessed.

Other energy sources, for example, include energy created from old car tires: this source fuels five power stations in the U.S. Also, engineers are trying to design new gas power stations (gas drives the electricity generators and then is reused to heat the plant). Lastly, methane that is produced in sanitary landfills may be used to make power.

How are Energy Sources Categorized?

What are Engineers Doing to Improve Our Energy Sources?

Current uses of fossil fuels have catastrophic effects on our environment. Obtaining and using them destroys natural habitats and pollutes the air, water, and land. We can reduce this consumption of fossil fuels by finding alternative, renewable methods of energy production. Engineers are involved in many new technologies that will save our precious resources from devastating long-term effects.

And, engineers are improving the design of factories and products to make even more efficient use of our resources. They are designing cleaner engines that use less fuel and new car designs that run by electric motors. They are studying corals because they very efficiently use low levels of phosphate in the water for energy. Corals have fractal surfaces, and scientists believe that fractal surfaces could make many chemical reactions more efficient. They are working to make machines smaller and more efficient (industrial engineers/designers). For example, they developed fiber optics (thin glass cables to replace heavy metal ones for phones). These efforts contribute to a better, cleaner planet for all inhabitants. Wouldn't it be great to be an engineer making such an important difference in our lives?

Watch this activity on YouTube

Ask the students to describe some sources of renewable energy? (Answer: sun, wind, water) Can they list three specific ways that engineers are involved with renewable resources? (Possible answers: engineers study renewable resources to develop better ways to use these resources for energy generation; engineers design cars that run off renewable resources; engineers design generators that store the energy gathered from renewable resources; engineers develop wind farms to generate electricity for us to use; engineers develop hydropower plants to generate electricity for us to use; engineers are developing machines that are more efficient to reduce the amount of energy, renewable or non-renewable, that gets used; and engineers work to inform communities about what they can do to help conserve energy and use renewable resources.) Engineers work at developing new technologies that use renewable sources to contribute to greater health, happiness and safety of our Earth's inhabitants.

absorb: To be taken into a material without transmission or reflection.

active solar system: Solar power systems that use electrical or mechanical components, such as fans, pumps, and electrical controls in circulating fluids. These systems can be used for heating water or heating/cooling buildings.

anemometer: An instrument for measuring the velocity of wind.

convection: The transfer of thermal energy in a fluid (gas or liquid) by the circulation of currents in the heated fluid causing warmer packets to rise while cooler packets sink.

electromagnetic radiation: Electromagnetic energy transmitted in the form of waves or particles (photons); the electromagnetic spectrum, in order of increasing energy: radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, x-rays, gamma rays, cosmic-ray photons.

generator: A device that transforms mechanical energy into electrical energy.

heat exchanger: A device, such as an automobile radiator, that transfers heat from one liquid to another without allowing them to mix.

heat-transfer fluid: A fluid circulated in a heat exchanger; this fluid gains energy from one region and transfers it to another region.

hydraulic head: The difference in depth of a liquid at two given points; the pressure of the liquid at the lower point expressed in terms of this difference.

insulation: A material used to prevent the passage of heat, electricity, or sound (i.e., a non-conducting material).

passive solar system: Solar power systems that do not require electrical or mechanical components; these systems can be used for heating water or heating/cooling buildings.

penstock: A pipe or conduit used to carry water to a water wheel or turbine.

photovoltaic system: This is a system which converts solar energy into electricity.

reflect: This is when something such as sound waves or light waves bend back or return upon striking a surface.

regenerate: To re-grow or replace.

renewable energy: Energy that is made from sources that can be regenerated or reused is renewable.

rotor: The rotating part of an electrical or mechanical device is the rotor.

thermal mass: Materials that store thermal energy, such as water, concrete, brick, stone, adobe, tile, etc.

transmit: To allow the passage through a material.

turbine: A machine in which the kinetic energy of a moving fluid is converted into mechanical energy by causing a series of buckets, paddles, or blades on a rotor to rotate.

Pre-lesson assessment

Brainstorming: Ask students to brainstorm ideas about where and when we use energy. (Possible answers: We use energy all the time. Humans use energy to be active – to walk, talk, play basketball, etc. We use energy to power our appliances, vehicles, lights, etc. Cells use energy to perform the most basic life functions. Life as we know it would not be possible without energy production and consumption.)

Post-introduction assessment

Guess the Amount!: Ask students the following questions and ask them to guess at the different percentages of energy use. Discuss and explain the answers.

• What percent of the energy the world uses today is derived from fossil fuels (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas)? (Answer: 80-85%. This means that only 15-20% of the energy we use is from renewable energy sources such as sun, wind and water.)
• The U.S. has less than 5% of the world's population. What percent of the world's energy do we use? (Answer: Around 17%. This means that the U.S. uses a lot more energy than other countries. Why do the students think that is? Discuss the amount of toys, appliances and other electric powered items in a single person's home.)
• What percent of the electricity consumed in the U.S. is used for light bulbs? (Answer: 5%. This means that we leave a lot of light bulbs on when unused. Can the students think of a time where they could save some electricity by turning off a light bulb?)

Discussion: Ask students the following questions. Discuss the answers.

• How do we know the energy is there? (Answer: We can see it, feel it, hear it, etc.)
• Ask students to describe where this energy comes from. (Answer: ultimately all of it comes from natural resources (renewable and non-renewable), but it is often moved (transferred) and changed (transformed) in the process. You may want to give an example here like coal being mined from the earth, sent to power plants where it is burned to produce steam. The steam turns a turbine and produces electricity that is sent to our houses via power lines, and used in our electrical items like a refrigerator. Or how solar energy is used by plants to create food so they can grow and then we, in turn, use the plants as food to provide energy for our bodies.)
• Ask students to describe where they get their energy. (Answer: from food) Ask them to describe what might happen if suddenly there was no more food. (Note: this is a stretch for some because generally food is considered a renewable resource and because the food supply often seems unlimited to people in the U.S.). What would they do? (Answer: Become hungry, eventually starve, engineer some new source of nutrients, etc.) How would they feel? (Answer: Hungry, sad, scared, motivated to find a way to survive, etc.)
• What if there was only a tiny bit of food? How would it get distributed? Who would decide? What are some other consequences? (Answer: equal world-wide distribution, war, the rich get it, others die, new source of nutrients discovered/engineered, etc.)

Lesson summary assessment

Future Timeline: Ask students to work in a group to imagine what today would be like if there were no electricity (permanently, not just a blackout situation). Ask them to develop a timeline describing what this typical day might be like. Ask them to really consider how they would feel and what they would do. Ask each group to present their timeline to the class.

Venn Diagram: Ask students to create a Venn Diagram to compare/contrast a form of renewable energy and a form of non-renewable energy. They should provide as many facts and details as they can.

Save a Watt: Ask students to engage in two energy saving activities before the next class period. Ask them to describe in detail the impact these actions had during the next class. You can have the students list the activities or write a paragraph and turn the assignment in.

Lesson Extension Activities

• Write and illustrate a children's story for 8-10 year olds about life in the year 2100. It should describe life without fossil fuels and should identify the energy sources used in everyday life as well as some type of conservation measures.
• Discuss what is happening with our world energy supply from fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources. (Examples: fossil fuels are being dangerously depleted, the rich countries receive a larger share of the energy and are more wasteful with it, wars are developing; e.g., the Gulf War, scientists and engineers are researching and developing renewable energy sources, etc.)
• Check out the awesome information and activities/games at Environmental Education for Kids (EEK) website from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources at dnr.wi.gov
• Check out some of the activities at Watt Watchers: https://www.watt-watchers.com/student-activities/
• Check out some of the activities and games about energy online
• Play energy-themed games at NASA's Climate Kids website: https://climatekids.nasa.gov/menu/energy/
• Learn more about renewable energy at Alliant Energy's website: https://www.alliantenergykids.com/RenewableEnergy/RenewableEnergyHome
• Read, color, and solve puzzles in the "Saving Energy in My Home Coloring and Activity Book" at https://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/consumer/saving-energy-home.pdf
• Try a Nuclear Chain Reaction activity at http://nuclearconnect.org/in-the-classroom/for-teachers/nuclear-chain-reaction-using-dominoes

Students explore the outermost planets of our solar system: Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. They also learn about characteristics of Pluto and its interactions with Neptune. Students learn a little about the history of space travel as well as the different technologies that engineers develop to make spa...

Students are introduced to the fabulous planet on which they live. They learn how engineers study human interactions with the Earth and design technologies and systems to monitor, use and care for our planet's resources wisely to preserve life on Earth.

Students are introduced to the International Space Station (ISS) with information about its structure, operation and key experiments.

Students learn the metric units engineers use to measure mass, distance (or length) and volume. They make estimations using these units and compare their guesses with actual values. To introduce the concepts, the teacher needs access to a meter stick, a one-liter bottle, a glass container that measu...

American Wind Association, www.awea.org

Boulder Community Network, Environmental Center, bcn.boulder.co.us/environment/

California Energy Commission, www.energyquest.ca.gov/

Energy Information Administration, Energy Kid's Page, www.eia.gov/kids/

Hewitt, Paul G. Conceptual Physics, Boston, MA: Addison Wesley Publishing Company, 2004.

Goswami, D. Yogi, Kreith, Frank, and Kreider, Jan F. Principles of Solar Engineering, Taylor & Francis Group, 2nd edition, 2000.

Graham, Ian, Taylor, Barbara, Fardon, John, Oxlad, Chris and Parker, Steve. Science Encyclopedia, Miles Kelly, 2000.

Milton Hydro, https://www.miltonhydro.com/Residential/Community/Power-Kids

National Renewable Energy Laboratory, www.nrel.gov

Snow, Theodore. The Dynamic Universe: An Introduction to Astronomy, Minnesota: West Publishing Company, 1988.

Steen, Anthena S., Steen, Bill, Bainbridge, David and Eisenberg. The Straw Bale House, Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing Company, 1994.

Texas State Energy Conservation Office, www.infinitepower.org/lessonplans.htm

U.S. Department of Energy, energy.gov

U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, www.eere.energy.gov

Contributors

Supporting program, acknowledgements.

The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. 0338326. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: January 19, 2024

What is renewable and non-renewable energy?

Part of Learning for Sustainability Energy sources and sustainability

In this article you can learn:

• What non-renewable energy is
• What renewable energy is
• Examples of different energy resources

This article is suitable for energy and sustainability topics for primary school learners.

Video - Renewable and non-renewable energy

In this short video, learn about the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy.

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Video transcript video transcript.

A lot of our energy comes from non-renewable sources such as coal, oil and gas. These resources are made up from the remains of ancient animals and plants that develop over millions and millions of years, deep beneath the ground into what we call fossil fuels.

Fossil fuels are burned by power stations to produce electricity as well as in things like cars, planes, and steam trains.

But non-renewable resources generate harmful greenhouse gases that damage the habitats of animals and plants and contribute to global warming. And our increasing demand for energy means they won't last forever so we need to look for ways to make renewable and sustainable energy resources. For example, wind, solar and hydro energy. These are just some of the resources that are more friendly towards the environment. These renewable energy resources can quickly replenish themselves and can be used again and again.

What are the different types of energy?

There are two types of energy: renewable and non-renewable.

Non-renewable energy includes coal, gas and oil. Most cars, trains and planes use non-renewable energy. They all get the energy to move from burning fossil fuels to release the energy they contain. Once fossil fuels are burned they are gone - that's why they are non-renewable.

Renewable energy includes solar, hydro and wind energy. When the wind moves the blades on a wind turbine this movement can be converted into electrical energy that we can use. The wind is not used up - that's why it is renewable.

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• Renewable Energy

What Is Renewable Energy?

Renewable energy comes from unlimited, naturally replenished resources, such as the sun, tides, and wind. Renewable energy can be used for electricity generation, space and water heating and cooling, and transportation.

Non-renewable energy, in contrast, comes from finite sources, such as coal, natural gas, and oil.

How Does Renewable Energy Work?

Renewable energy sources, such as biomass, the heat in the earth’s crust, sunlight, water, and wind, are natural resources that can be converted into several types of clean, usable energy:

Bioenergy Geothermal Energy Hydrogen and Other Renewable Fuels Hydropower Marine Energy Solar Energy Wind Energy

Learn the truth about clean energy.

Benefits of Renewable Energy

Renewable energy offers numerous economic, environmental, and social advantages. These include:

• Reduced carbon emissions and air pollution from energy production
• Enhanced reliability , security, and resilience of the power grid
• Job creation through the increased production and manufacturing of renewable energy technologies
• Increased U.S. energy independence
• Lower energy costs
• Expanded energy access for remote, coastal, or isolated communities.

Learn more about the advantages of wind energy , solar energy , bioenergy , geothermal energy , hydropower , and marine energy , and how the U.S. Department of Energy is working to modernize the power grid and increase renewable energy production.

Renewable Energy in the United States

Renewable energy generates over 20% of all U.S. electricity , and that percentage continues to grow. The following graphic breaks down the shares of total electricity production in 2022 among the types of renewable power: 

In 2022, annual U.S. renewable energy generation surpassed coal for the first time in history. By 2025, domestic solar energy generation is expected to increase by 75%, and wind by 11%. 

The United States is a resource-rich country with enough renewable energy resources to generate more than 100 times the amount of electricity Americans use each year.  Learn more about renewable energy potential in the United States.

Subscribe to stay up to date on the latest clean energy news from EERE.

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) has three core divisions: Renewable Energy, Sustainable Transportation and Fuels, and Buildings and Industry. The Renewable Energy pillar comprises four technology offices:

Every American can advocate for renewable energy by becoming a Clean Energy Champion. Both small and large actions make a difference. Join the movement .

Advancing Renewable Energy in the United States

EERE offers funding for renewable energy research and development, as well as programs that support the siting of renewable energy , connection of renewable energy to the grid , and community-led energy projects . Find open funding opportunities and learn how to apply for funding .

The U.S. Department of Energy's 17 national laboratories conduct research and help bring renewable energy technologies to market. 

Renewable Energy at Home

Homeowners and renters can use clean energy at home by buying green power, installing renewable energy systems to generate electricity, or using renewable resources for water and space heating and cooling.

Before installing a renewable energy system, it's important to reduce your energy consumption and improve your home’s energy efficiency .

Visit Energy Saver to learn more about the use of renewable energy at home.

You may be eligible for federal and state tax credits if you install a renewable energy system in your home. Visit ENERGY STAR to learn about federal renewable energy tax credits for homeowners. For information on state incentives, visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency .

Other Ways EERE Champions Clean Energy

Find clean energy jobs.

EERE is dedicated to building a clean energy economy, which means millions of new jobs in construction, manufacturing, and many other industries. Learn more about job opportunities in renewable energy:

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Renewable Energy Minitheme

Renewable energy minitheme presentation, free google slides theme, powerpoint template, and canva presentation template.

Make your renewable energy presentation a breeze with our renewable energy-themed template! From windmills to solar panel grids, we have conceived a template for a very eco-friendly topic. With our slides, you won't have to worry about boring presentations ever again: check out the cute 3D windmills! Your audience is sure to love the fresh green colors and modern fonts for a fun renewable energy topic! Create an attention-grabbing presentation in no time with this unique template.

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Renewable and Non Renewable Resources(Energy)

Subject: Physics

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

4 April 2024

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Are you looking for an easy-to-use resource to teach renewable and non renewable resource/energy? Look no further. This resource offer opportunity for your students to :

1.learn about renewable and non renewable energy, differences and examples 2.learn about meaning of net zero, carbon neutrality, climate change and global warming. 3.predict the environmental impact of failing to reach net zero in the future. 4.role play and present their arguement on a whether to ban fossil fuels.

Please see preview for sample sheets and more details.

The activities are divided into 4 parts:

• Renewable Vs Non Renewable Energy Worksheet

In this part, students learn the differences between these two types of energy and match examples to each type.

• Reading Passage:

In this part, students will read about the world’s jouney towards net zero. They will learn the meaning of terms such as climate change, greenhouse effect, carbon neutrality and net zero.

• Making Prediction:

Here, students will answer questions related to the reading passage and make predictions about 2 worlds: a world where net zero is reached by 2060 versus a world where greenhouse gas emission was ignored.

• OPTIONAL EXTENSION:

In this extension axercise, student groups role play as members of the society such as climate activists, representatives of Big Oil ( Oil and gas companies) , economist and so on. They will share their prespectives on a given topic about fossil fuels.

I have included an arguementation sheet for groups to write and organize their ideas.

Check preview for more details.

I believe this renewable and non renewable energy resource will be a wonderful addition to your teaching “tool box”. The activities are quick to implement yet will allow your students to have the best experience in learning the topic.

GRADE LEVEL:

Thanks and have an awesome class!

Please reach out at [email protected] with feedback, and questions. Thanks and have an amazing class.

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