The world uses a variety of different energy sources. Fossil fuels, including oil, natural gas and coal–accounted for over 81 percent of all energy consumed in the year 2018. Renewables, like solar power, wind power hydroelectricity, and biomass, account for 14 percent. Nuclear energy is responsible for another five percent. Different countries employ different combinations of energy sources, and are able to balance environmental and economic requirements.
Energy is found in nature in a number of forms: sunlight winds, waves oceans, and more. When harnessed, and transformed into more convenient forms of energy, such as heat or electricity, they are known as primary sources. When those energies are exhausted, they are non-renewable energy sources.
The environment is harmed by many fossil fuels and also other sources of energy that are not renewable. For instance, oil mining can cause the destruction of our forest ecosystems of the planet. Fracking (hydraulic fracture) can result in earthquakes and water pollution. Carbon dioxide is released when coal is burnt which contributes to global warming.
Fortunately, the majority of the most promising sources of energy are renewable and sustainable. Hydropower, wind and solar for instance, are able to produce electricity without the need to search for new resources.
Other renewable energy sources are emerging, like the wave and tidal power. However, to be utilized on a massive scale they must have effective distribution networks. They need to be constructed using a source of non-renewable energy sources. Therefore, these sources aren’t sufficient to meet the majority of our energy requirements. However, it’s important to keep in mind that costs for renewable energy-related equipment have fallen significantly over the last couple of years, and efficiency is growing quickly.
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