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What Is Renewable Energy?

Renewable energy, often referred to as clean energy, comes from natural sources or processes that are constantly replenished. For example, sunlight and wind keep shining and blowing, even if their availability depends on time and weather.

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. Wind has powered boats to sail the seas and windmills to grind grain. The sun has provided warmth during the day and helped kindle fires to last into the evening. But over the past 500 years or so, humans increasingly turned to cheaper, dirtier energy sources, such as coal and fracked gas.

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. energy generation. 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. Even entire rural communities (in Alaska, Kansas, and Missouri) are relying on renewable energy for heating and lighting.

As 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.

Dirty energy

Nonrenewable, or "dirty," energy includes fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal. Nonrenewable sources of energy are only available in limited amounts. 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 energy sources are also typically found in specific parts of the world, making them more plentiful in some nations than others. By contrast, every country has access to sunshine and wind. Prioritizing renewable energy can also improve national security by reducing a country's reliance on exports from fossil fuel-rich nations.

Many nonrenewable energy sources can endanger the environment or human health. 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. To top it off, all of these activities contribute to global warming.

Types of Renewable Energy Sources

Solar Energy

Humans have been harnessing solar energy for thousands of years-to grow crops, stay warm, and dry foods. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, "more energy from the sun falls on the earth in one hour than is used by everyone in the world in one year." Today, we use the sun's rays in many ways-to heat homes and businesses, to warm water, and to power devices.

Solar, or photovoltaic (PV), cells are made from silicon or other materials that transform sunlight directly into electricity. Distributed solar systems generate electricity locally for homes and businesses, either through rooftop panels or community projects that power entire neighborhoods. Solar farms can generate enough power for thousands of homes, using mirrors to concentrate sunlight across acres of solar cells. Floating solar farms -or "floatovoltaics"-can be an effective use of wastewater facilities and bodies of water that aren't ecologically sensitive.

Solar supplies nearly 3 percent of U.S. electricity generation (some sources estimate it will reach nearly 4 percent in 2022). But 46 percent of all new generating capacity came from solar in 2021.

Solar energy systems don't produce air pollutants or greenhouse gases, and as long as they are responsibly sited, most solar panels have few environmental impacts beyond the manufacturing process.

Wind energy

We've come a long way from old-fashioned windmills. Today, turbines as tall as skyscrapers-with turbines nearly as wide in diameter-stand at attention around the world. Wind energy turns a turbine's blades, which feeds an electric generator and produces electricity.

Wind, which accounts for 9.2 percent of U.S. electricity generation, has become one of the cheapest energy sources in the country. Top wind power states include California, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, though turbines can be placed anywhere with high wind speeds-such as hilltops and open plains-or even offshore in open water.

Other Alternative Energy Sources

Hydroelectric power

Hydropower is the largest renewable energy source for electricity in the United States, though wind energy is soon expected to take over the lead. Hydropower relies on water-typically fast-moving water in a large river or rapidly descending water from a high point-and converts the force of that water into electricity by spinning a generator's turbine blades.

Nationally and internationally, large hydroelectric plants-or mega-dams-are often considered to be nonrenewable energy. Mega-dams divert and reduce natural flows, restricting access for animal and human populations that rely on those rivers. Small hydroelectric plants (an installed capacity below about 40 megawatts), carefully managed, do not tend to cause as much environmental damage, as they divert only a fraction of the flow.

Biomass energy

Biomass is organic material that comes from plants and animals, and includes crops, waste wood, and trees. When biomass is burned, the chemical energy is released as heat and can generate electricity with a steam turbine.

Biomass is often mistakenly described as a clean, renewable fuel and a greener alternative to coal and other fossil fuels for producing electricity. However, recent science shows that many forms of biomass-especially from forests-produce higher carbon emissions than fossil fuels. There are also negative consequences for biodiversity. Still, some forms of biomass energy could serve as a low-carbon option under the right circumstances. For example, sawdust and chips from sawmills that would otherwise quickly decompose and release carbon can be a low-carbon energy source.

Geothermal energy

If you've ever relaxed in a hot spring, you've used geothermal energy. The earth's core is about as hot as the sun's surface, due to the slow decay of radioactive particles in rocks at the center of the planet. Drilling deep wells brings very hot underground water to the surface as a hydrothermal resource, which is then pumped through a turbine to create electricity. Geothermal plants typically have low emissions if they pump the steam and water they use back into the reservoir. There are ways to create geothermal plants where there are not underground reservoirs, but there are concerns that they may increase the risk of an earthquake in areas already considered geological hot spots.

Ocean

Tidal and wave energy are still in the developmental phase, but the ocean will always be ruled by the moon's gravity, which makes harnessing its power an attractive option. Some tidal energy approaches may harm wildlife, such as tidal barrages, which work much like dams and are located in an ocean bay or lagoon. Like tidal power, wave power relies on dam-like structures or ocean floor-anchored devices on or just below the water's surface.

Renewable Energy in the Home

Solar power

At a smaller scale, we can harness the sun's rays to power the whole house-whether through PV cell panels or passive solar home design. Passive solar homes are designed to welcome in the sun through south-facing windows and then retain the warmth through concrete, bricks, tiles, and other materials that store heat.

Some solar-powered homes generate more than enough electricity, allowing the homeowner to sell excess power back to the grid. Batteries are also an economically attractive way to store excess solar energy so that it can be used at night. Scientists are hard at work on new advances that blend form and function, such as solar windows and roof shingles.

Geothermal heat pumps

Geothermal technology is a new take on a recognizable process-the coils at the back of your fridge are a mini heat pump, removing heat from the interior to keep foods fresh and cool. In a home, geothermal or geoexchange pumps use the constant temperature of the earth (a few feet below the surface) to cool homes in summer and warm houses in winter-and even to heat water.

Geothermal systems can be initially expensive to install but typically pay off within 5 to 10 years. They are also quieter, have fewer maintenance issues, and last longer than traditional air conditioners.

Small wind systems

A backyard wind farm? Boats, ranchers, and even cell phone companies use small wind turbines regularly. Dealers now help site, install, and maintain wind turbines for homeowners, too-although some DIY enthusiasts are installing turbines themselves. Depending on your electricity needs, wind speeds, and zoning rules in your area, a wind turbine may reduce your reliance on the electrical grid.

Selling the energy you collect

Wind- and solar-powered homes can either stand alone or get connected to the larger electrical grid, as supplied by their power provider. Electric utilities in most states allow homeowners to only pay the difference between the grid-supplied electricity consumed and what they have produced-a process called net metering. If you make more electricity than you use, your provider may pay you the retail price for that power.

Renewable energy and you

Advocating for renewables, or using them in your home, can accelerate the transition toward a clean energy future. Even if you're not yet able to install solar panels, you may be able to opt for electricity from a clean energy source. (Contact your power company to ask if it offers that choice.) If renewable energy isn't available through your utility, you can purchase renewable energy certificates to offset your use.
This story was originally published on June 15, 2018, and has been updated with new information and links.

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What Is Renewable Energy? Renewable energy, often referred to as clean energy, comes from natural sources or processes that are constantly replenished. For example, sunlight and wind keep shining and blowing, even if their availability depends on time and weather.

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A game by Enel Green Power aimed at sharing knowledge about sustainable energy production.

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Fontes renováveis de energia são recursos naturais, capazes de se regenerarem num curto espaço de tempo e de um modo sustentável.

O calor da Terra (Geotermia), biomassa, o movimento das marés e das ondas, o vento, o sol e a água são exemplos de fontes renováveis de energia.

Estas fontes evitam que se importem combustíveis fósseis, como o carvão e o gás natural para gerar eletricidade, evitam a emissão de gases com efeito de estufa e reduzem o preço da energia elétrica no mercado de eletricidade, contribuindo para uma maior sustentabilidade económica e ambiental do país.

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energias renováveis; eletricidade; eólica; solar; hídrica; biomassa; oceanos; geotérmica

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Fontes renováveis de energia são recursos naturais, capazes de se regenerarem num curto espaço de tempo e de um modo sustentável. O calor da Terra (Geotermia), biomassa, o movimento das marés e das ondas, o vento, o sol e a água são exemplos de fontes renováveis de energia.

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Do sol ao vento, passando pela água e pelo calor da Terra, o nosso planeta está repleto de fontes de energia renováveis.
Os combustíveis fósseis, como o petróleo e o carvão, ainda são as fontes de energia predominantes. No entanto, para bem do planeta e das gerações futuras, é necessário fazer-se a transição energética o mais rapidamente possível e isso implica adotar o uso generalizado e massificado das energias renováveis.

O que são energias renováveis?

As energias renováveis são aquelas provenientes de fontes naturais, inesgotáveis ou que tenham a capacidade de se regenerarem em pouco tempo e de forma sustentável.

Além do sol, do vento e da água, que são, provavelmente, as fontes de energia renováveis mais conhecidas, o calor da Terra, a biomassa e as ondas também podem ser utilizados para gerar eletricidade de forma verde.

Significa utilizar a energia do sol para gerar eletricidade. A energia solar pode ser térmica (neste caso, o painel solar térmico transforma a irradiação solar direta em energia térmica e, depois, em energia elétrica) ou fotovoltaica (o painel solar fotovoltaico transforma a energia solar diretamente em eletricidade).

A seu favor, a energia solar tem o facto de ser inesgotável e não poluir. A desvantagem é que os custos de instalação ainda são relativamente elevados. No entanto, a médio prazo a poupança que se consegue na fatura da luz acaba por pagar e compensar o investimento na instalação.

A energia eólica é gerada através da força do vento quando este é captado por aerogeradores. As centrais eólicas devem ser instaladas em zonas onde a velocidade média anual do vento é superior a 6 m/s. Em Portugal, os locais ideias para a sua instalação são as serras e junto à costa. Estas centrais podem ser instaladas em terra (eólica onshore) ou no mar (eólica offshore).

Como principais vantagens desta fonte de energia conta-se o facto de ser limpa, abundante na natureza e produzir eletricidade a preços relativamente competitivos. Atualmente, cerca de um quarto da eletricidade consumida em Portugal é proveniente da energia eólica.

Hoje em dia, a energia do vento ainda é aproveitada, sobretudo, nos grandes parques eólicos. No entanto, já começaram a ser desenvolvidas soluções residenciais, com a criação de aerogeradores domésticos.

A produção de energia hídrica é feita em centrais hidroelétricas, que estão associadas a barragens de grande ou média capacidade. Estas centrais podem ter armazenamento em albufeira ou funcionar a fio de água (neste caso, as centrais aproveitam o fluxo natural do rio e a água não é armazenada).

As centrais hídricas são consideradas um dos métodos mais eficientes para gerar eletricidade, contribuindo para a estabilidade do sistema elétrico. Duas das principais vantagens da energia hídrica são o facto de não poluir e ter um custo de produção baixo. Em Portugal, cerca de 30% da eletricidade consumida tem origem hídrica.

A energia geotérmica é obtida a partir do calor proveniente do interior da Terra. Devido às altas temperaturas, os locais com atividade vulcânica são as zonas com maior potencial para exploração deste tipo de energia.

Além da produção de eletricidade, a energia geotérmica também pode ser utilizada como fonte de calor para estufas ou bombas de calor, nas termas, na indústria e para aquecer ou arrefecer edifícios. No nosso país, o único local onde é possível a produção de eletricidade com recurso à geotermia é a Região Autónoma dos Açores.

Estas são as principais vantagens da energia geotérmica:

Não é poluente;

É inesgotável;

Pode ser utilizada 24h/dia para produção de eletricidade, ao contrário da energia solar, por exemplo;

Os preços da eletricidade são baixos, já que as centrais geotérmicas têm baixos custos de manutenção;

5. Energia das Ondas e Marés

Consiste em aproveitar o movimento das ondas em direção à costa. Esse movimento gera energia cinética, que, por sua vez, coloca uma turbina a funcionar, produzindo eletricidade. Também a oscilação das ondas permite a produção de energia elétrica, ao dar potência a um êmbolo, que se move para cima e para baixo dentro de um cilindro, fazendo funcionar o gerador.

A primeira central do mundo a produzir eletricidade a partir da energia das ondas de forma regular foi criada na Ilha do Pico, nos Açores.

Esta fonte de energia, além de inesgotável e de não provocar a emissão de poluentes, é também fácil de prever e tem baixos custos de manutenção.

A biomassa é toda a matéria orgânica - vegetal ou animal - que pode ser utilizada no estado sólido, líquido ou gasoso para produzir eletricidade. Os subprodutos da floresta, da agricultura, da pecuária e da indústria do papel e da madeira, bem como a parte biodegradável dos resíduos urbanos, são exemplos de biomassa. Quando queimada, a biomassa é uma fonte de energia e pode ser utilizada em centrais térmicas para produzir eletricidade ou calor.

A biomassa é um recurso renovável, tem baixo custo de aquisição e as suas emissões não contribuem para o efeito de estufa.

Porque é que as energias renováveis são importantes?

As fontes de energia renováveis são a alternativa aos combustíveis fósseis, um dos principais causadores da degradação do planeta. Ao adotar-se este tipo de fontes, evita-se a necessidade de recorrer ao carvão, ao petróleo ou ao gás para a produção de eletricidade e, consequentemente, diminui-se a emissão de gases com efeito de estufa.

Além disto, energias como a solar ou a eólica também podem ajudar a reduzir o preço da eletricidade no mercado, uma vez que o custo de produção da energia elétrica a partir destas fontes tem vindo a descer, sendo até mais económico do que produzir eletricidade a partir de combustíveis fósseis.

As fontes de energia renováveis têm ainda outras vantagens:

São inesgotáveis;

São versáteis, já que é possível produzir eletricidade a partir de fontes renováveis em praticamente todos os locais do mundo;

Os investimentos em tecnologia e infraestruturas permitem a criação de empregos;

Reduzem a dependência energética das sociedades, já que ajudam a diminuir e eventualmente eliminar a importação de combustíveis fósseis.

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Energias renováveis: o que são e por que são importantes

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O nosso planeta está repleto de fontes de energia renováveis. Descubra aqui o que são, a sua importância e vantagens.

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Energia Renovável é uma modalidade de energia obtida a partir de recursos que não são limitados, como o petróleo e o gás natural, mas são naturalmente reabastecidos, como o sol, o vento, as marés e a energia térmica.

Significado de Energia Renovável

Muitos recursos naturais são finitos, tais como o petróleo e o carvão. Por isso, adotá-los como fonte de produção de energia pode ser prejudicial para o planeta pois, quando expirarem, ficaremos sem energia e já teremos danificado os ecossistemas que deles dependem. Nesse sentido, a procura por fontes de energia renovável torna-se uma necessidade e uma saída para garantir o fornecimento perene de energia, impactando minimamente a natureza e o ecossistema. Atualmente, as energias renováveis mais utilizadas são a energia hidroelétrica, a energia solar e a energia eólica (dos ventos).

Vantagens das Energias Renováveis

A principal vantagem das energias renováveis, sem dúvida, é o seu potencial sustentável, ou seja, de impactar minimamente a natureza. No entanto, há outras vantagens secundárias das energias renováveis, como o seu potencial democrático. Com efeito, as áreas do planeta que concentram a maior parte dos recursos não-renováveis são locais de conflitos, o que interfere nos custos dos mesmos para os consumidores. Por isso mesmo, as fontes de energias renováveis contribuem para reduzir a dependência dos combustíveis fósseis. Outra vantagem das energias renováveis é que as mesmas contribuem para evitar o aquecimento global, que tem consequências catastróficas para o ecossistema. Afinal, sabemos que uma das maiores causas do aquecimento global é a utilização de combustíveis fósseis.

Panorama das Energias Renováveis em Portugal

Segundo a Associação de Energias Renováveis (APREN), março de 2018 foi um mês histórico para o país, pois, pela primeira vez, as fontes de energia renovável foram capazes de suprir as necessidades de consumo mensais de Portugal Continental. Em 2019, as energias renováveis representaram 52,9% do consumo nacional de eletricidade; sendo que a energia eólica representa 23% deste índice, seguido pela hídrica (21%) e a solar fotovoltaica (2,3%). Nesse sentido, ainda segundo a APREN, as energias renováveis permitiram evitar 15 Mt de emissões de CO2 e poupar na importação de 743 milhões de euros em combustíveis fósseis.

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O que é a energia renovável | Glossario | Goldenergy

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Energia Renovável é uma modalidade de energia obtida a partir de recursos que não são limitados, como o petróleo e o gás natural, mas são naturalmente reabastecidos, como o sol, o vento, as marés e a energia térmica. Muitos recursos naturais são finitos, tais como o petróleo e o carvão.

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Vantagens e desvantagens das energias renováveis

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Tudo sobre as principais vantagens e desvantagens das energias renováveis, tendo em vista as aplicações e modos de utilização existentes.

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Renewable energy uses natural resources that are flow-limited but naturally replenish themselves over time. We have been using renewable energy for centuries, but the 21 st century has seen a massive increase in the research and development of renewable energy technologies as the climate crisis continues to worsen. So, we had to ask: What is the history of renewable energy?
Renewable energy began thousands of years ago via harnessing energy from the sun, wind, water, earth's heat, tides, waves, and biomass. Theoretical and experimental validation of renewable energy mechanisms, followed by the invention of renewable energy technologies, have shaped the modern market.
Keep reading to learn how renewable energy came to be, who and what pioneered its development, how effective it has been thus far, and what the future of renewable energy could entail.

Here's the History of Renewable Energy in a Nutshell

Renewable energy is an energy substitute for fossil fuels (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas) that comes from sources that are flow-limited, naturally replenishing, virtually inexhaustible, and limited in the amount of energy available in a set amount of time.

Renewable energy has gone through three distinct development phases in its development:

Early market formation and innovation: The early history of renewable energy dates back thousands of years with primitive methods of harnessing the sun, wind, water, heat from the earth's core, tides, waves, and biomass. Scientific advances in the 1800-1900s paved the way for the development of modern renewable energy technologies.

Consolidation and strengthening: Theoretical and experimental validation of renewable energy mechanisms, followed by the invention of solar panels, wind turbines, hydroelectric facilities, geothermal plants, tidal facilities, wave converters, and biomass power plants, helped to shape the renewable energy market.

Renewable Energy Milestones Historical Event

Initial start

The early history of renewable energy dates back thousands of years with primitive methods of harnessing the sun, wind, water, heat from the earth's core, tides, waves, and biomass. Scientific advances in the 1800-1900s paved the way for the development of modern renewable energy technologies.

Milestones in renewable energy development

1771: Richard Arkwright invented the water frame, a water-powered machine to spur the Industrial Revolution.
1826: Samuel Morey invented the internal combustion engine
1827: Benoit Fourneyron invented the first water turbine.
1849: James Francis invented the Francis turbine, which is still the most commonly used one today.
1860: German inventor Nicolaus Otto developed a more efficient internal combustion engine, the Otto Cycle Engine, which used ethyl alcohol as a fuel.
1878: The world's first hydroelectric project was established.
1882: The world's first hydroelectric power plant was constructed.
1883: The first photoelectric (solar) cell was invented.
1887: The first wind turbine for electricity generation was developed.
1890s: German engineer Rudolph Diesel invented the world's first diesel engine.
1895: The largest and first alternating current electricity-generating hydropower plant was constructed.
1904: Piero Ginori Conti became the first to use geothermal energy to power a small generator.
1908: Henry Ford invented the Model-T car, the world's first car that could run on ethanol as fuel.
1910: Busso Belasek developed the first artificial wave machine.
1910: Bochaux Praceique developed the first oscillating water column for wave energy, which is a design still used today.
1913: The world's first commercial, dry steam geothermal power plant was constructed in Italy.
1920s: The first vertical axis wind turbine was developed.
1920: Dexter Cooper came up with the idea of harnessing power from tides.
1938: Biodiesel was tested for the first time in vehicles.
1941: The first megawatt (MW) wind turbine was constructed and connected to the US power grid.
1948: The world's first commercial geothermal heat pump became operational. This pioneered the large-scale commercial application of heat pumps.
1954: The first silicon solar cell was invented.
1966: The La Rance Tidal Power Station was opened in France, the first tidal power plant in the world.
1967: The world's first geothermal, binary cycle power plant became operational in Russia.
1980: The world's first onshore wind farm was constructed in New Hampshire (US).
1985: The world's first biodiesel manufacturing plant was established at an agricultural college in Austria.
1991: The world's first offshore wind farm, the Vindeby Wind Farm, was constructed in Denmark.
2003: The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) was established as the world's first commercial, open-sea testing facility for wave and tidal energy technologies.
2007: The world's first tidal turbine system was constructed at Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland.
2008: The world's first operational wave power system, the Aguçadora wave farm, was opened in Portugal.
2011: The Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station, the largest operational tidal power plant in the world, was opened in South Korea.
2023: CorPower Ocean installed CorPower C4, the first commercial-scale wave energy converter.

Current status

Currently, 14% of our primary energy consumption (heating, transportation, and electricity) currently comes from renewable energy technologies. Hydropower accounts for the majority of renewable electricity generation at roughly 51%, followed by wind at 25% and solar at 15%.

Future outlook

The future of renewable energy will be heavily influenced by ambitious government targets, policy support, increasing competitiveness of renewable energy technologies, and incentives to use less fossil fuels.

Key policy developments

1974 - The International Energy Agency (IEA)
1995 - The International Hydropower Association (IHA)
2001 - World Nuclear Association (WNA)
2005 - Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC)
2008 - World Bioenergy Association (WBA)
2009 - The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
2013 - Ocean Energy Europe (OEE)
2015 - International Solar Alliance (ISA)
2015 - The Paris Agreement
2023 - Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA)

Understanding renewable energy's history can provide insight into how they have evolved into the energy source they are today.

When and How Did Renewable Energy Get Started

In general, we have been using renewable energy for centuries. But each type of renewable energy got its start in a different manner.

Geothermal: Humans have been using geothermal energy, in the form of natural pools and hot springs, for centuries. The Greeks and the Romans used baths heated by hot springs, and instances of geothermal space heating in the city of Pompeii have been documented as far back as the first century AD. Evidence was also discovered that Native Americans used geothermal energy in cooking applications as early as 10,000 years ago.

How Has Renewable Energy Developed Over Time

Over the years, renewable energies have grown to make up an ever-growing amount of total energy consumption and play a vital role in combating climate change. As concern increases over the worsening climate crisis, attention shifts towards developing renewables.

What Are Milestones in Renewable Energy Development

The 1800s and 1900s saw rapid refinement and development of renewable energy technologies.

1771: English textile manufacturer Richard Arkwright invented the first water frame, a water-powered machine that spun cotton into yarn.

1808: Sir Humphrey Davy established that cow manure produced methane. Manure would become a prominent feedstock for biogas today.

1818: François Jacques de Larderel became the first to harness energy for industrial use by extracting boric acid from hot springs.

1826: Samuel Morey invented the internal combustion engine, which could run on ethanol and turpentine.

1827: Benoit Fourneyron invented the first water turbine.

1849: James Francis invented the Francis turbine, which is still the most commonly used one today.

1857: French Chemist Louis Pasteur discovered the fermentation process, the main pathway to produce ethanol.

1859: The first anaerobic digestion plant-essential to convert organic waste into biogas-was constructed in a leper colony in Bombay (presently Mumbai), India. Little is known about the plant except it was built to manage sewage in the colony.

1860: German inventor Nicolaus Otto developed a more efficient internal combustion engine, the Otto Cycle Engine, which used ethyl alcohol as a fuel.

1878: The world's first hydroelectric project was established in England.

1882: The world's first hydroelectric power plant was constructed.

1883: The first photoelectric (solar) cell was invented.

1887: The first wind turbine for electricity generation was developed.

1890s: German engineer Rudolph Diesel invented the world's first diesel engine, which could run on a variety of fuels, including vegetable oil.

1895: Biogas was recovered from the sewage system in Exeter (United Kingdom) and used to light street lamps.

1895: The largest and first alternating current electricity-generating hydropower plant was constructed.

1904: Piero Ginori Conti became the first to use geothermal energy to power a small generator to illuminate several light bulbs.

1906: German engineer Karl Imhoff invented the Imhoff Tank, a two-chambered tank to receive and process sewage. His design would become an early form of biogas plants in operation today. It also signaled a switch from anaerobic lagoons to anaerobic tank systems.

1907: The Hot Lake Hotel became one of the first buildings in the world to use geothermal energy as its primary heat source.

1908: Henry Ford invented the Model-T car, the world's first car that could run on ethanol as fuel.

1910: Busso Belasek developed the first artificial wave machine.

1910: Bochaux Praceique developed the first oscillating water column for wave energy, which is a design still used today.

1913: The world's first commercial, dry steam power plant was constructed in Italy.

1920s: The first vertical axis wind turbine was developed.

1920: Dexter Cooper came up with the idea of harnessing power from tides.

1937: A patent was granted to Chavanne G. for an ethyl ester of palm oil, a substance which today we call biodiesel. This constituted the first report on biodiesel.

1938: Biodiesel was tested for the first time in vehicles. A bus running on palm oil ethyl ester made the trip between Brussels and Louvain (Belgium).

1940: Yoshio Masuda developed a navigation buoy powered by wave energy. He is often regarded as the father of modern wave energy technology.

1941: The first megawatt (MW) turbine was constructed and connected to the US power grid.

1948: The world's first commercial geothermal heat pump became operational. This pioneered the large-scale commercial application of heat pumps.

1950s: Activated sludge systems became established as a way to apply anaerobic digestion to solid waste to create biogas.

1954: The first silicon solar cell was invented.

1960: The Geysers Geothermal Complex, the world's largest geothermal power plant, was constructed North of San Francisco, California (US).

1963: The Wairākei Power Station was opened in New Zealand. It was the first flash steam-powered plant and the second overall geothermal power plant in the world.

1963: Sharp Corporation became the first mass-producer of silicon solar panels.

1966: The La Rance Tidal Power Station was opened in France, the first tidal power plant in the world.

1967: The world's first geothermal, binary cycle power plant became operational in Russia. This binary cycle design uses lower-temperature geothermal resources, meaning it is more efficient and can be deployed at more locations worldwide.

1980: The world's first onshore wind farm was constructed in New Hampshire (US).

1985: The world's first biodiesel manufacturing plant was established at an agricultural college in Austria. It was specifically designed to produce fuel.

1991: Germany became the first country in the world to implement feed-in tariffs (FIT) to support the expansion of biomass technology.

1991: The world's first offshore wind farm, the Vindeby Wind Farm, was constructed in Denmark.

2003: The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) was established as the world's first commercial, open-sea testing facility for wave and tidal energy technologies.

2006: The Chena Hot Springs Resort installed the world's first plant to produce geothermal energy at temperatures below the boiling point of water. This expanded the geographic area where geothermal energy can be extracted.

2007: The world's first tidal turbine system was constructed at Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland.

2007: Solar energy became the leading renewable energy technology.

2008: The world's first operational wave power system, the Aguçadora wave farm, was opened in Portugal.

2011: The Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station, the largest operational tidal power plant in the world, was opened in South Korea.

2018: Construction began on The MeyGen Tidal Energy Project, which will be the largest tidal power facility in the world.

2018: France opened Europe's first solar panel recycling plant.

2023: CorPower Ocean installed CorPower C4, the first commercial-scale wave energy converter.

How Has the Renewable Energy Market Developed Recently

Driven by decreasing costs and improved technology, renewable energy capacity grew over 4 fold from 2000-2022, increasing from 754 gigawatts (GW) to 3,372 GW. This is as more and more effort is put into reducing global CO ₂ emissions to mitigate climate change.

Most recently, global renewable energy capacity increased by 9.6% (295 GW) in 2022 to reach 3,372 GW globally.

Solar energy saw the highest increase at 22% (192 GW), followed by wind at 9% (75 GW), hydropower at 2% (21 GW), bioenergy at 5% (8 GW), and geothermal at 181 megawatts (MW).

Renewable energy capacity additions in 2022 also varied by region:

What Is the Present Status of Renewable Energy

Globally, approximately 14% of our primary energy consumption (heating, transportation, and electricity) currently comes from renewable energy technologies. This is up from 11% in 2019.

We generated roughly 8,500 TWh of energy from renewables in 2022, over half of which came from hydropower.

In terms of electricity generation, hydropower accounts for the majority at roughly 51%, followed by wind at 25%, solar at 15%, and other renewables (e.g. geothermal, biomass, waste, wave, and tidal energy) at 9%.

Although renewable energy usage has increased in the 21st century, only a few countries currently have renewables as their primary energy source. The vast majority of countries still have a long way to go.

Iceland is the world leader in renewable energy, sourcing over 85% of its primary energy supply from domestically produced renewable energy sources in 2022. Following Iceland's lead are Norway, Sweden, Brazil, New Zealand, and Denmark.

How Will the Future of Renewable Energy Look Like

In general, the future of renewable energy will be heavily influenced by ambitious government targets, policy support, increasing competitiveness of renewable energy technologies, and incentives to use less fossil fuels.

How Renewable Energy Will Likely Develop in the Future

More specifically, each type of renewable energy has a different future outlook:

What Policies Are Put in Place to Support Renewable Energy Usage
The Paris Agreement specifically notes a transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energies as being a critical part of meeting these goals.
The most well-known piece of legally binding, international climate mitigation legislation is The Paris Agreement, the goal of which is to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius (C), preferably to 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels.

Check out the highlights of the 2015 COP21 directly from the UN Climate Change channel:

In addition, The International Energy Agency's (IEA) Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario is one framework for the global energy sector to achieve net zero CO ₂ emissions by 2050 and universal energy access by 2030.

There are many global and country-specific policies and organizations aimed at increasing renewable energy usage and meeting the 2050 net zero scenario, including:

2005 - Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC): The GWEC was founded as an international trade association for the wind energy industry. Their members represent 99% of the global installed wind power capacity.

2013 - Ocean Energy Europe (OEE): They are the largest global network of marine energy professionals, with over 120 member organizations. They aim to advance tidal and wave energy technologies.

2015 - International Solar Alliance (ISA): The ISA is a treaty-based organization established to create cooperation among solar energy-resource-rich countries and the rest of the world. There are currently 94 member countries.

If you are interested in learning more about country-specific energy policies, you can visit the IEA's policies database and filter by specific energy type.

What Are Currently the Different Types of Renewable Energy

What Are Currently the Different Types of Solar Energy

Solar energyis the conversion of sunlight into electrical energy.
Harnessing the power of the sun falls into two main categories:
Cambridge Dictionary

Photovoltaic (PV) solar cells: photovoltaic cells in solar panels absorb energy from sunlight, creating an electrical charge. This charge moves in response to an internal electric field in the cell, causing electricity to flow.

Concentrating solar thermal plants (CSP): mirrors reflect and concentrate sunlight onto receivers that collect and convert solar energy into heat. This is utilized in very large power plants.

Both systems take the energy from the sun and convert it to electricity, just by slightly different mechanisms.

What Are Currently the Different Types of Wind Energy
There are two main types of wind energy:
Wind energy is the conversion of moving air into electrical energy. It is a form of solar energy that is caused by the uneven heating of the earth's surface, irregularities of the earth's surface, and the earth's rotation.

Onshore wind energy: Wind turbines are located on land. Construction, transportation, maintenance costs, and infrastructure needed to transmit electricity from onshore turbines to consumers are low.

Offshore wind energy: Wind turbines are located in the ocean or freshwater. Construction, transportation, maintenance costs, and infrastructure needed to transmit electricity from offshore turbines to consumers are high. Offshore turbines are considerably larger than onshore turbines and can cost up to 20% more, and noise pollution, land use, and wildlife impact concerns are minimal compared to onshore turbines.

To harness wind energy, the wind turns wind turbine blades around a rotor, which spins a generator to create electricity.

What Are Currently the Different Types of Hydropower Energy

Hydropower energy is the conversion of moving water into electrical energy through the use of various types of hydroelectric facilities.

Hydropower can be divided into three main categories depending on how many megawatts (MW) of power are generated.

What Are Currently the Different Types of Geothermal Energy
The three main types of geothermal power plants are:
is the conversion of heat inside of the earth into electric energy. It is created by the decay of radioactive materials in the rock and fluid of the earth's core.
There are three types of tidal energy technology:

Dry Steam: Wells are drilled into underground reservoirs of steam. The steam is piped directly from the well to the power plant where it powers turbines and generators.

Flash Steam: The most common type of geothermal power plant. Very hot (360 degrees Fahrenheit, 182 degrees Celsius) water flows up through wells towards the surface under its own pressure. As it reaches the surface, some of the water boils into steam. The steam is then separated from the water and is then used to power turbines and generators at the power plant.

Binary Steam: Wells are drilled into underground reservoirs of hot water (225-360 degrees Fahrenheit, 107-182 degrees Celsius). The heat from the water is used to boil a working fluid, an organic compound with a low boiling point. This working fluid is vaporized into steam which is then used to power turbines and generators at the power plant. The water is then injected back into the ground where it is reheated and can be used again.

What Are Currently the Different Types of Tidal Energy

Tidal energyis the conversion of the earth's tides into electrical energy. It is created by the gravitational pull of the sun and moon coupled with the rotation of the earth.

What Are Currently the Different Types of Wave Energy
Modern biomass involves chemically or biologically converting biomass sources into different products including:
Wave energy is the conversion of the up and down motion of waves into electrical energy. It is created when the wind blows over the surface of the water in oceans or lakes.

There are three types of wave energy technology:

What Are Currently the Different Types of Biomass

The two different types of biomass are traditional biomass and modern biomass. Sources of biomass can include wood, wood processing wastes, agricultural crops, agricultural waste materials, municipal solid waste, animal manure, and human sewage, depending on the type.

Traditional biomass involves the combustion of biomass sources directly to produce energy and heat. This typically involves burning wood or wastes as sources of heat or for cooking purposes.

Biogas: Biogas is a gaseous mixture of 45% to 75% methane (CH₄), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and small quantities of other gassescreated through anaerobic digestion or thermochemical conversion of biomass in an oxygen-free environment. Biogas is either burned to create electricity or can be further purified down into renewable natural gas (i.e., biomethane) which can be used in place of conventional natural gas (NG).

Final Thoughts

The early history of renewable energy dates back thousands of years with primitive methods of harnessing the sun, wind, water, heat from the earth's core, tides, waves, and biomass. Scientific advances in the 1800-1900s paved the way for the development of modern renewable energy technologies.

Theoretical and experimental validation of renewable energy mechanisms, followed by the invention of solar panels, wind turbines, hydroelectric facilities, geothermal plants, tidal facilities, wave converters, and biomass power plants, helped to shape the renewable energy market.

Renewable energy began to establish itself as a part of the mainstream electricity industry in the 1900s with the opening of the first commercial power plants and rapid scaling of the technology.

The establishment of the International Energy Agency, the International Renewable Energy Agency, and the Paris Climate Agreement helped to regulate the renewable energy market.

Stay impactful,

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The History of Renewable Energy: The Big Picture

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Renewable energy uses natural resources that are flow-limited but naturally replenish themselves over time. We have been using renewable energy for centuries, but the 21st century has seen a massive...

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A energia dos oceanos refere-se à energia produzida pela força das águas do mar. Pode ser proveniente das marés ou das ondas.

Significado de Energia dos Oceanos

A energia dos oceanos consiste na energia elétrica gerada através da força das águas do mar. A tecnologia mais utilizada para esta captação são as turbinas submersas de eixo horizontal. É uma energia limpa que pode ser obtida através das marés ou das ondas dos mares.

Diferença entre Energia Maremotriz e Ondomotriz

Embora as energias maremotriz e ondomotriz sejam provenientes dos oceanos, elas apresentam algumas diferenças. A energia maremotriz provém do movimento das marés. Delas podem ser extraídos dois tipos de energia: a cinética, proveniente das correntes marítimas, e a potencial, gerada a partir da diferença de altura entre as marés alta e baixa. Assim, pode haver a transformação da energia cinética ou potencial em elétrica. Já a energia ondomotriz, como o próprio nome sugere, é gerada a partir do movimento das ondas do mar. Pode ser captada por absorvedores flutuantes, atenuadores, terminais ou por dispositivos overtopping.

Vantagens da Energia dos Oceanos

A energia dos oceanos, tanto aquela proveniente das ondas do mar como das marés, apresenta muitas vantagens, como:

É limpa: não emite gases poluentes.

É renovável: as águas marítimas são um recurso inesgotável.

É alternativa: pode ser utilizada em locais onde outras fontes de energia são mais escassas.

É constante: não depende das condições climáticas para ser produzida.

É previsível: é possível antecipar a ondulação marítima e as correntes das marés, o que, além de permitir que a quantidade de energia gerada possa ser prevista, reduz a necessidade de armazenamento.

Pode apresentar um grande potencial energético: se bem explorada, pode favorecer a geração de uma boa quantidade de eletricidade.

Contribui para a geração de empregos locais: além de reduzir as taxas de desemprego, diminui também a dependência energética do país.

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O que é a energia dos oceanos | Glossario | Goldenergy

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A energia dos oceanos refere-se à energia produzida pela força das águas do mar. Pode ser proveniente das marés ou das ondas. A energia dos oceanos consiste na energia elétrica gerada através da força das águas do mar. A tecnologia mais utilizada para esta captação são as turbinas submersas de eixo horizontal.

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Dados da Abeeólica são em comparação a 2021; Brasil tem mais de 900 parques em operação ou em teste, todos onshore

A geração de energia elétrica pela matriz eólica cresceu 12,8% em 2022 em comparação a 2021. Foram 4.065 MW de capacidade a mais em novas instalações e 109 parques criados no período. Com isso, a energia elétrica a partir da força do vento passou a ser 13,1% da matriz energética do Brasil, atrás das hidrelétricas. Os dados são da Abeeólica (Associação Brasileira de Energia Eólica) a pedido do Poder360.

O Brasil tem hoje 919 parques eólicos em teste e em operação. Todos são onshore, ou seja, em terra. A maior capacidade instalada fica no Rio Grande do Norte, com 7.813 MW de potência, capaz de abastecer 12,6 milhões de residências. Ao todo, as eólicas produzem 26.209 MW ao país.

CUSTO DA ENERGIA EÓLICA

Para um parque em terra (estimativas são da Abeeólica):

valor médio por 1 MW gerado - R$ 7 milhões;

valor médio por MWh - R$ 200;

valor inclui - mão de obra, componentes das torres, transporte, instalação e manutenção;

custo de um parque com potência instalada de 30 MW e 5 geradores de 6 MW: R$ 210 milhões.

Para um parque no mar:

valor médio por 1 MW gerado - R$ 14,3 milhões (média global porque não há um parque eólico offshore no Brasil);

valor médio por MWh - R$ 300;

custo mais caro porque - os aerogeradores são maiores e mais resistentes;

eventual vantagem - ventos em alto mar são em geral mais fortes que em terra, o que aumenta a capacidade de geração de energia elétrica;

custo de um parque com potência instalada de 30 MW - R$ 429 milhões.

O setor espera que o 1º leilão de energia eólica offshore no Brasil seja realizado em 2023.

Entretanto, o licenciamento ambiental deve demorar mais 3 anos para sair do papel. Em um cenário otimista, o 1º parque eólico offshore do Brasil pode sair em 2026.

COMO FUNCIONA UM AEROGERADOR

Um aerogerador é semelhante a um moinho de vento.

No topo da torre há pás que se movem com a força dos ventos e geram energia mecânica. A partir daí, a energia elétrica é obtida da seguinte maneira:

1) energia mecânica passa por uma peça chamada de multiplicador. Nessa etapa, aumenta-se a velocidade dos giros;

2) a energia mecânica é transmitida ao gerador, que a transforma em eletricidade;

3) energia elétrica passa pelo transformador, que eleva a tensão;

4) energia é levada por uma linha de transmissão para uma subestação.

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Energia eólica cresce 12,8% em 2022 no país; saiba como funciona

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Dados da Abeeólica são em comparação a 2021; Brasil tem mais de 900 parques em operação ou em teste, todos onshore. Leia no Poder360.