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A renewable resource is a resource which can be used repeatedly and replaced naturally. Renewable energy almost never runs out, for example: solar energy is powered by heat from the sun and never runs out. Examples include oxygen, fresh water, solar energy and biomass. New resources may include goods or commodities such as paper and leather.

Gasoline, coal, natural gas, diesel, plastics are other fossil fuels are not renewable. They take millions of years to be made, and cannot be renewed in a human's, or even a nation's lifetime. Ways have been developed to make biodegradable plastic and bio diesel and other fuels from renewable resources such as corn, sugar cane, soybeans and canola.

Renewable resource harvesting and use typically do not produce pollution or contribute to global warming. The use of renewable resources and energy sources is increasing worldwide, with certain nations, such as Bhutan, and US states, such as California, beginning to rely entirely on renewable energy. From 2008 to 2012, the U.S. doubled renewable generation from wind, solar, and geothermal sources. America and Britain are now home to some of the largest wind and solar farms in the world. There are also things called human resource where human's waste is turned into energy. There are many other resources such as water power.

Types of renewable resources

Solar energy

Solar power is the technology of obtaining usable energy from the light of the sun. Solar energy has come into use where other power supplies are absent, such as in places off from the national electrical grid and in space. Solar energy is currently used in a number of applications:

Wind energy

Wind power is using the energy of wind to do something useful. Wind has been used since ancient times to move ships, and for hundreds of years to pump water or grind corn and grain into flour, now it is usually changed into electricity using wind turbines.

In 2008, worldwide wind farm capacity was 100,000 megawatts (MW), and wind power produced 1.3% of all the world's electricity. Wind makes about 19% of electricity use in Denmark, 9% in Spain and Portugal, and 6% in Germany and the Republic of Ireland. The United States is an important market for makers of wind mills, and it is rapidly growing. In 2007, the U.S. had enough windmills to produce 16,800 MW, enough for 4.5 million average households. In 2012 alone, the U.S. added 13,000 MWs, and in total could produce 60,000 MWs (60 gigawatts) a year.

Most modern wind power is generated in the form of electricity by converting the rotation of turbine blades into electrical current by means of an electrical generator. In windmills (a much older technology) wind energy is used to turn mechanical machinery to do physical work, like crushing grain or pumping water.

Wind power is used in large scale wind farms for national electrical grids as well as in small turbines for providing electricity to a farm house or off-grid locations. Wind energy is common, renewable, usable in many places, clean, and works against the greenhouse effect if used to replace fossil-fuels.

But they have some problems. Some people do not like the tall towers that can be seen from far away, and close to houses they can make a flickering shadow and have a small amount of noise. Some of the early wind farms were built where birds migrated every year, and they had small, fast-spinning blades that often killed birds. Some people still think all wind farms do that, but newer wind turbines are much bigger, with slower-moving blades and do not have that problem.

Wind mills do not make power when the wind is stopped or just a light breeze, so back-up power is still needed, or electricity needs to be moved from a distant place where the wind is blowing. Another idea is to put the turbines on kites, and fly them very high where the wind is always blowing.

Hydropower

Hydropower is changing the energy of moving water into more useful forms. Even in ancient history hydropower was used for irrigating crops and milling of grain into flour, and later for textile manufacture (making cloth) and running sawmills to cut wood.

It was used in Ancient Rome for water powered mills, and in China and the rest of the Far East for "pot wheel" pumps that raised water into irrigation canals. In the 1830s, at the peak of building canals, hydropower was used to move barge traffic up and down steep hills using inclined plane railroads.

Direct mechanical power transmission meant that industries that used water power had to be near the water, particularly a waterfall. For example, during the late 1800's, many gristmills were built at Saint Anthony Falls, using the 50 foot (15 metre) drop in the Mississippi River. The mills helped Minneapolis grow.

Today the largest use of hydropower is for a dam that can use the falling water to make electricity. This electricity can be moved hundreds of miles through wires, so industry no longer needs to be very close to the water for power.

Geothermal

Geothermal energy uses the heat from deep underground to make electricity. It can be used to produce steam which goes up a pipe, which then pushes a turbine. It is best used in places where the Earth's crust is not real thick. In the United States, most of the western states have areas where this works. California makes the most geothermal energy. Iceland uses the most geothermal energy (per person) of any country in the world.

Once it is built, it is clean energy, but it requires deep wells. These areas often have volcanoes or earthquakes in the area, and sometimes adding or removing water deep underground might be enough to cause an earthquake. Some small earthquakes may have been caused this way.

Biomass includes sawdust and other leftover parts of trees or lumber. It can also be grease and food waste, straw, and plants grown for energy. Some of this is burned to make electricity, some is made into biogas, biofuel, like ethanol as a replacement for gasoline. Ethanol might be a big renewable resource in the future. It is already widely used in the United States and Brazil. In the U.S. it is made from corn, which uses about as much energy as it makes. But there could be ways to improve it.

Images for kids

Brazil has bioethanol made from sugarcane available throughout the country. Shown a typical Petrobras gas station at São Paulo with dual fuel service, marked A for alcohol (ethanol) and G for gasoline.

Panoramic of a natural wetland (Sinclair Wetlands, New Zealand)

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A renewable resource is a resource which can be used repeatedly and replaced naturally. Renewable energy almost never runs out, for example: solar energy is powered by heat from the sun and never runs out. Examples include oxygen, fresh water, solar energy and biomass. New resources may include goods or commodities such as paper and leather.

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Susan Gilbert brings to Kids Korner and its growing number of support materials her education and experience as an instructional designer and her enthusiasm for energy education. As president and co-founder of Apogee, Susan is the primary architect behind Apogee's online energy courses and web content divisions, effectively translating her nearly 25 years of energy efficiency and training experience into highly interactive, online training courseware and Web site tools.

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As people of all ages learn more about humans' impact on the planet, it's more important than ever to teach future generations how to decrease their carbon footprint and care for the earth. After all, kids are the leaders of tomorrow. Renewable energy sources continue to gain steam across the country, and it's essential to teach our youth about the myriad of options - including solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and even biomass energy. Find out how to introduce future generations to solar panels and energy conservation, and browse additional resources on all types of renewable energy.

Renewable Solar Energy

Solar energy is radiant light and heat that can be harnessed from the sun using a range of ever-evolving technology such as solar panels. Solar energy is a dominant source of power and can be used in a variety of ways. Solar energy can be used as an energy source as well as a heat source. Many utility companies are starting to use photovoltaic systems, a process in which solar energy is directly converted to electricity using photo-voltaic devices on solar panels. Solar energy has a lot of promise, however, some drawbacks include the manner in which solar energy arrives at the surface of the Earth and the large area that is needed to efficiently collect the energy.

Wind Energy

Wind is basically air in motion and scientists have begun harvesting wind to create power. Today's windmills are much more efficient than those of the past and are able to collect kinetic energy from the wind, creating power.

Hydro Energy

Hydro-power is a reliable, renewable, and clean source of energy that converts the kinetic energy produced by falling water into electricity. Hydro power does not consume any more water than is produced by nature, making it a promising form of renewable energy. It is also one of the oldest methods used by the human race for creating electricity. To generate electricity, water must be moving at a sufficient volume and speed to cause a generator to turn. Often, dams are used to increase the force of moving water.

Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is an efficient way to produce heat in small applications given that consumers need to be located near the source of the heat. Geothermal energy is basically heat from the Earth, and is an important source of energy that has many advantages over nuclear and fossil sources of energy. The heat created by the Earth can be used as a source of energy in many ways from small pumping stations to large power stations. Geothermal energy can be found nearly anywhere and tapping into it has proven to be a sustainable and affordable alternative to fossil fuels. Geothermal energy can be captured with binary, flash, and dry steam power plants.

Biomass Energy

Biomass is organic material that has sunlight stored in the form of chemical energy. Biomass fuels include straw, wood waste, wood, sugar cane, manure, and other byproducts produced from different agricultural processes. Biomass is considered a renewable form of energy because the energy contained within it is produced in part by photosynthesis. Biomass is sort of considered a battery that can store solar energy indefinitely. There are many types of biomass and many ways that it can be used to provide energy.

Conserving Energy

While it is important to understand the different forms of renewable energy, it is also important to know about nonrenewable energy, which is still mainly used today. When informed of the consequences of using nonrenewable energy, future generations can do their part to help with conservation. Kids can be engaged through hands on activities, so teach them about different things they can do at home and within their communities to contribute to conservation.

Learning about different types of energy can be fun for all ages. Check out how homes can be powered by renewable energy and how solar panels work.

More Information on Renewable Energy for Kids

Solar Companies

Local Installation & Repair

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Teaching Future Generations About Solar Panels | Semper Solaris

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As people of all ages learn more about humans' impact on the planet, it's more important than ever to teach future generations how to decrease their carbon footprint and care for the earth. After all, kids are the leaders of tomorrow.

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Kids learn about geothermal energy and how this renewable power can help the environment. Teach students about heat pumps and electric plants.

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Kids learn about hydropower energy and how this renewable power can help the environment. Teach students about biodiesel, ethanol, and methane gas.

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Kids learn about wind energy and how this renewable power can help the environment. Teach students about turbines that generate electricity from wind.

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Kids learn about solar energy and how this renewable power can help the environment. Teach students about solar cells and using the sun for heat.

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Kids learn about renewable energy and how it can help the environment. Teach students about solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal energy.

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Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is heat generated 4,000 miles deep inside the earth's core which is made up of iron. We call the center of the earth the iron core. The center of the earth is very hot and the earth is made up of several layers:

1. Crust - The earth's surface is the crust which is up to 40 miles deep. The earth's crust makes up the continents and ocean floors.

2. Mantle - The layer beneath the crust is the mantle which is approximately 1,800 miles deep. The mantle is made up of magma (or lava) and rock. When you see a volcano erupt the lava from the volcano has magma in it.

3. Outer Core - The third layer is called the outer core which is made up of iron and magma.

4. Iron Core - This is the center of the earth which is made up of iron.

The word geothermal comes from the Greek word geo - meaning earth - and therme - meaning heat. Geothermal energy was first used by ancient people for heating water for bathing. There are many natural hot springs around the world that are heated by the earth and used for bathing.

Perhaps the most famous form of geothermal activity is the geyser "Old Faithful" in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Natural geysers form when underground chambers fill with water and are heated by the earth. Steam is created when the water is heated to its boiling point. The pressure from the steam causes the geyser to erupt, spewing its contents, and the cycle starts all over again.

Geothermal energy is also a renewable energy source. The earth continuously produces rain for water and magma for producing heat. Deep inside the earth the water and rocks absorb the heat from the magma and we can dig wells and pump out the heated water or steam. This heated water can be used for heating and generating electricity.

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Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy is heat generated 4,000 miles deep inside the earth's core which is made up of iron. We call the center of the earth the iron core. The center of the earth is very hot and the earth is made up of several layers: 1.

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Susan Gilbert brings to Kids Korner and its growing number of support materials her education and experience as an instructional designer and her enthusiasm for energy education. As president and co-founder of Apogee, Susan is the primary architect behind Apogee's online energy courses and web content divisions, effectively translating her nearly 25 years of energy efficiency and training experience into highly interactive, online training courseware and Web site tools.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Susan Gilbert brings to Kids Korner and its growing number of support materials her education and experience as an instructional designer and her enthusiasm for energy education. As president and co-founder of Apogee, Susan is the primary architect behind Apogee's online energy courses and web content divisions, effectively translating her nearly 25 years of energy efficiency and training experience into highly interactive, online training courseware and Web site tools.