Renewable Energies

Renewable energies are sustainable sources obtained from inexhaustible or constantly renewable natural resources. This includes hydro, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, wind, biomass, and ocean energy. They are vital to meeting environmental challenges by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, preserving natural resources, promoting innovation and employment, and enabling the decentralization of energy production. Modern societies, immersed in constant growth, with an increasing weight of urban population and a continuous search for increased economic productivity and production, led to an exponential increase in energy consumption, without the capacity for self-sufficiency increasing in the same way, although sometimes the opposite process occurs, causing a high degree of environmental pollution with disastrous consequences due to its climatic effects (Regueiro Ferreira, 2011, p.2).

The five main types of energy:

Solar energy is widely available and clean, it is obtained by capturing solar radiation using photovoltaic panels or solar collectors to generate either electricity or heat. Wind energy converts the kinetic energy of the wind into electricity and is a growing source of renewable energy generated by capturing the power of the wind using wind turbines. Hydroelectric power is a mature, large-scale energy source that harnesses the kinetic energy of moving water, whether from rivers, reservoirs, or streams, to generate electricity. Geothermal energy is used to generate electricity and heat, using the Earth's natural heat. It is obtained from organic matter, such as wood, agricultural residues, and other biodegradable waste. Biomass energy is obtained from organic matter such as wood, agricultural residues, and other biodegradable wastes to generate heat, electricity, or biofuels. Geothermal energy harnesses the Earth's internal heat to generate electricity and heat. Ocean energy includes technologies such as wave energy and ocean current energy to generate electricity.

References

Translated: REGUEIRO FERREIRA, R. M., (2011). THE CONTRIBUTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGIES TO WELFARE. A LESSON NOT YET LEARNED. Revista Galega de Economía, 20( ), 1-16.

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