Renewable Energy Sources

Renewable energy sources are natural resources such as wind, sunlight, tides, rain and geothermal energy. Renewable energy is replenished naturally unlike the fossil energy sources such as oil, coal and natural gas which are limited. The various renewable energy technologies are: wind power, solar power, hydroelectricity, bio fuels and biomass.

The potential of renewable energy sources is very vast, surpassing all other available sources. The renewable energy technology is sometimes criticized for being unsightly or too intermittent. But the market is growing on for various renewable energy sources. Wind power has been growing at a rate of 30 percent and has a worldwide capacity of more than 100 GW. Solar power stations operate in various parts of United States and Spain, and the largest of these in installed in the Mojave Desert having a capacity of 354 MW SEGS. High oil prices coupled with the climatic concerns are motivating increasing use of renewable energy sources. Governments worldwide are taking strict measures to popularize the use of renewable energy sources. The European Union leaders have reached on an agreement in March 2007 to ensure that by 2020, 20 percent of the energy produced should come from renewable energy sources. These measures are been taken to reduce the global warming caused by the emission of carbon dioxide from the fossil fuels into the atmosphere.

Renewable energy sources are particularly suitable for developing countries. The transmission and circulation of fossil fuels energy in remote and rural areas can be a demanding task as well as very costly. Renewable energy produced locally provides with a vital option.