Energy is essential for people to live their everyday lives. Everything from a computer to a car consumes energy. To generate energy, the U.S. primarily consumes fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Since many current procedures for producing energy have harmful side effects, like releasing carbon dioxide or finite resources, renewable energy sources are becoming more popular.



Renewable Sources

Renewable energy can be converted from one form, for example wind, to another like electricity. Renewable energies, referenced by the Energy Information Administration, include:

·         Hydropower - water in motion

·         Biomass - organic material made from plants and animals

·         Geothermal energy - heat generated in the Earth's core

·         Wind energy - air in motion, caused by the uneven heating of the Earth's surface by the sun

·         Solar energy - the sun's rays (solar radiation) that reach the Earth

Change the World?

Since the majority of energy is generated from fossil fuels that produce greenhouse gasses, continued use of fossil fuels will have devastating effects on the environment. Historically, renewable energy has not been utilized since it is typically more expensive to produce than fossil fuels. As people have become more educated on the danger of greenhouse gasses and the price of fossil fuels have increased, there has been significant interest into the development of renewable energies.

Infinite Resource

Fossil fuels are nonrenewable and have finite resources that will eventually run out or become too expensive or environmentally damaging to remove. In contrast, renewable energy resources such as solar and wind, are constantly replenished and will never run out.

Energy Security

The U.S. energy security continues to be threatened by our dependency on fossil fuels and imports from other countries. In 1973, the U.S. imported roughly 34% of its oil. Presently, the U.S. imports roughly 56% and the Department of Energy estimates that this could increase to 65% by 2020. The dependency on foreign fossil fuels leaves the U.S. subject to supply disruptions and a rising trade deficit.

Constraints

Often the problem with renewable energies lies within either storage or transportation of the energy. Research and development are working hard to try to solve these dilemmas with renewable energy. In the mean time, many companies are trying to capitalize on being one of the first to participate in renewable energies, like wind, solar, or geothermal.

Understanding Renewable Energy

Farmland Forecast will be highlighting the pros and cons of each of the five major sources for renewable energy; hydro, biomass, geothermal, solar, and wind. Renewable energy has received significant government encouragement with over $70 billion available for renewable and efficient energy projects from the 2009 stimulus package. Renewable energy is typically cleaner and safer than present energy production, and in the future, renewable energy will represent a significant portion of the world's energy sources.

- Colvin