The world uses many different energy sources. Fossil fuels–including oil, natural gas and coal accounted for more than 81 percent of all energy consumed in 2018. Renewables, including wind, solar power, hydroelectricity, and biomass, account for 14 percent. Nuclear energy is responsible for another 5percent. Different countries use different combinations of energy sources, and are able to balance economic needs with environmental concerns.
Nature’s energy comes in many forms such as wind, sun, waves and ocean. These primary sources can be transformed into more practical energy forms, such as electricity or heat, once they are harnessed. When these energy sources are exhausted, they are non-renewable energy sources.
Many fossil fuels and some of the other energy sources that are not renewable are causing harm to the environment. Oil mining, for example can devastate the forests of the earth. Hydraulic fracture (fracking) can trigger earthquakes and pollution of water. The burning of coal releases carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming.
Fortunately, many of the most promising sources of energy are sustainable and renewable. Hydropower, solar power and wind for instance, are able to generate electricity without having to search for new sources.
Other sustainable energy sources are emerging, including waves and tidal power. In order to be utilized at large scale, these sources of energy require effective distribution networks. This requires the use of non-renewable energy sources to build these networks. These sources are not able to fulfill the majority of our energy needs. However, it’s important to keep in mind that costs for renewable energy-related equipment have fallen drastically over the last few years, and the efficiency is increasing rapidly.