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Renewable Energy
Practical Law Glossary Item 3-508-0392 (Approx. 3 pages)
Glossary
Renewable Energy
Energy that is derived from sources that are naturally replenished, including:
- Solar energy. This is energy derived by converting sunlight to generate electricity or produce heat.
- Wind energy. This is energy derived from the motion in the air to generate electricity, charge batteries, pump water, and grind grain.
- Geothermal energy. This refers to energy produced using heat that is extracted from hot water or steam mined from geothermal reservoirs in the earth's crust.
- Biomass energy. This is energy derived from organic material such as wood, waste (including municipal solid waste and manufacturing waste), and agricultural crops (including sugarcane, corn, and soybeans).
- Hydropower. The most common and least expensive source of renewable energy in the US, hydropower converts the kinetic energy created by water flowing downstream to produce energy.
- Marine and hydrokinetic energy. This includes mechanical energy from tides and waves and thermal energy from the sun's heat
Renewable energy has many benefits including, it:
- Has a lower environmental impact as compared to traditional energy sources such as coal, oil, or natural gas.
- Is generally replenishable and inexpensive.
- May decrease US dependency on foreign oil.
However, many renewable energy sources are difficult and expensive to exploit.
For more information on renewable energy in the US, including its advantages and limitations, see Practice Note, Renewable Energy: Overview (US).