What is energy and where does it come from?

Image from Google Image: Renewable and Non-renewable Energy

Potential Sources of Energy

To recognize sources of energy effectually, we need to understand what energy is and how it works. Energy is important and very much essential in our daily life, without energy we are paralyzed totally. We can say it is embodied in everything we use everyday.

Actually energy comes from countless sources and in many forms. Many sources of energy are still being under researched and tested. Technologies are developing frequently to improve energy sources. All energies are not ready yet for commercial usages. Generally the forms of energy are categorized as:

Potential Energy: 

Potential energy is energy which stored in an object, like Chemical, mechanical, nuclear, gravitational, and electrical energy.

 Kinetic Energy: 

Kinetic energy which does the work, like heat, Light, motion, and sound energy.

Here is an example for clear the idea. Pulling a concrete block in height gives it a potential to fall down again. When you pull a concrete block in a certain height then it stored gravitational potential energy. When the block falls from top down then potential energy converted into kinetic energy.

The process of changing energy from one form into another is called energy transformation.  Energy converting efficiency is important for energy transformation. But nothing is completely energy efficient. Energy is always lost in environment during any energy transformation, generally as heat or light. Example: unexpected heat produces during using computer and light for furnace.

Renewable Energy Sources:

Energy which comes from repeatedly sources is called renewable resources, such as the sun, wind, wave, biomass and hydro-power etc.

Non-Renewable Energy Sources:

Energy which come from limited supplies are called nonrenewable resources, whichever in the form of gas, liquid or solid. Examples: oil or petroleum, natural gas, coal and nuclear substances. They cannot be reproduced or made again by human being.

Also there is a paradox whether geothermal energy is renewable or nonrenewable.

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What is geothermal energy?

Geothermal energy is generated and stored in the Earth. The source of the energy comes from the radioactive decay of materials in the Earth’s crust.

Most commercial geothermal power plants tap into subterranean reservoirs of water that is heated from geothermal sources.

Here are some quick facts regarding geothermal energy:

• For every 100m you go below ground, the temperature increases about 3 degrees Celsius.
• Over 26% of Iceland’s electricity comes from geothermal energy.
• Geothermal is considered a renewable energy source since the water reservoirs are replenished by rain and continuously heated by the Earth.