Notes: Energy Sources

Energy source - a supply of energy available for use - sometimes referred to as resources.

Primary energy sources are sources that are naturally available on the earth - they can be renewable or non-renewable.

Renewable sources are recurring or continuous. The sun (solar) is the main source of renewable energy. Other renewable sources include geothermal, hydropower, solar, wind, and organic waste (biomass).

Non-renewable sources take a long time to form and cannot be replenished during a human's life. Some non-renewable sources include fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas, propane) and uranium and plutonium used in nuclear reactors.

Table 1: Examples of energy sources available for use today include:

Form of energy

Energy source

Example of application

Mechanical

Wind

Windmill that pumps water

Thermal

Hot spring (geothermal)

Providing hot water to swimming pool

Light

Sunlight (solar)

Growing food plants

Nuclear

Fission

Reactor produces heat used to generate electricity

Chemical

Peat (biomass)

Burning to warm a house


Secondary energy sources are products of human technology. (generated from primary energy sources) The most common secondary energy source is electricity.

Electrical energy - there are no known easily usable primary sources of electricity on Earth. Lightening is primary source of electricity, but is highly unpredictable.

We use many different primary sources to generate electricity, which is then used to power machines used for work. For example, coal, a primary energy source, is often burned in power plants to create electricity. The heat from the coal is used to boil water to make steam, which turns turbines, which spin electrical generators.

Table 2: Examples of how primary sources generate electricity (secondary energy source)

Form of energy

Primary Energy Source

Transformation to Secondary Energy Source

Mechanical

Wind

Windmill turns an electricity-generating turbine

Chemical

Peat (biomass)

Burns to heat water to make steam to turn a turbine

Thermal

Geothermal heat

Well brings superheated water to surface to turn turbine

Light

Sunlight (solar)

Photovoltaic cells generate current

Nuclear

Fission

Reactor heats water to steam to turn turbines

Web Resource:
http://library.thinkquest.org/20331/types/

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Date Created: 9/18/99 Date Modified: 3/02
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