Renewablee Energy The Benefits Of Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy Renewable energy is defined as using resources that are easily replenished such as water, the sun, or wind, as forms of energy. So why should citizens of the Earth use renewable energy? Many people use renewable energy because of the environmental benefits and the economic benefits or in order to preserve the nonrenewable resources. Using renewable energy sources provides many different benefits for society and for the environment but they also have drawbacks that makes the use of renewable energy a controversial topic. Alternative or renewable energy has been used since the beginning of ancient civilizations. Before the discovery and development of coal, renewable energy was the only type of energy available. Hot†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"According to the International Energy Agency, renewables represent the worlds second largest electricity source (Staff).’† Many states have set mandates to reach a goal of getting a certain percentage of energy from renewable resources with California in the lead. The cost of harnessing and using renewable energy is now at about the same as nonrenewable energy. Solar panels are over one million houses including the White House. The lowering cost and inclusion of renewable energy into everyday lives has made total dependence on clean energy more possible. Renewable resources are the abundant resources that the Earth supplies and do not have a limit. These resources include the sun, wind, water, and the internal heat of the earth. Solar energy collects and uses the rays of the sun to generate energy, and is completely renewable until the sun burns away. Energy can be generated by the sun through the use of solar panels. Solar panels can be any size, and can be connected to garden lamps, houses, lights, or in a big solar farm for an entire city. Wind energy uses the force of the wind to spin a turbine which then generates electricity. The turbines are constructed on large plains, over the water, or in rural towns where the wind is most powerful (Ailworth). Water is another source of power that is used in many different ways to produce energy. Hydropower is the energy produced from fast flowing or falling water, such as strong rivers. Hydroelectricity is energy