Energy supplies refer to the various sources of energy that are available for consumption and use in powering homes, businesses, industries, and transportation. These supplies can be broadly categorized into renewable and non-renewable sources:
Non-renewable energy sources:
Fossil Fuels: These include coal, oil, and natural gas, which are formed over millions of years from organic matter buried underground. They are currently the primary sources of energy worldwide for electricity generation, heating, and transportation.
Nuclear Energy: Derived from the process of nuclear fission, where atoms are split to release a large amount of energy. Nuclear power plants use this energy to generate electricity.
Renewable energy sources:
Solar Energy: Captured from sunlight through photovoltaic cells or solar thermal systems and converted into electricity or used directly for heating and cooling.
Wind Energy: Generated by harnessing the kinetic energy of wind through wind turbines to produce electricity.
Hydroelectric Energy: Generated by capturing the energy of flowing water through dams or flowing streams to turn turbines and generate electricity.
Geothermal Energy: Extracted from the Earth's internal heat, typically by tapping into hot water or steam reservoirs underground to produce electricity or for heating purposes.
Biomass Energy: Derived from organic materials such as wood, agricultural residues, and organic waste, which can be burned directly for heat or converted into biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel.
The choice of energy supply depends on factors such as availability, cost, environmental impact, and technological feasibility. Increasingly, there's a global push towards transitioning to more sustainable and renewable energy sources due to concerns about climate change, energy security, and air pollution.