The world has a wide range of energy sources. Fossil fuels–including natural gas, oil, and coal–accounted for more than 81 % of all energy consumed in 2018. Renewables, like solar power, wind power hydroelectricity and biomass, make up for 14 percent. Nuclear energy contributes another 5 percent. Different countries employ different sources of energy to meet the needs of their economy and environmental concerns.
Nature is a rich source of energy in a number of forms: sunlight, wind, waves, oceans, and more. When harnessed, and transformed into more practical forms of energy, such as heat or electricity, these are known as primary sources. These energy sources become non-renewable sources of energy once they have been exhausted.
Many fossil fuels as well as some of other energy sources that are not renewable have been causing environmental harm. Oil mining, for instance can cause the destruction of our planet’s virgin forests. Fracking (hydraulic fracture) can result in earthquakes and water pollution. Carbon dioxide is released when coal is burned which contributes to global warming.
Fortunately, the majority of the most promising sources of energy are sustainable and renewable. Hydropower, solar power and wind for instance, are able to generate electricity without the need to search for new sources.
Other sources of sustainable energy are emerging, such as wave power and tidal energy. However, in order to be utilized on a massive scale they must have efficient distribution networks. This requires the use of non-renewable energy sources to construct these networks. As a result, these sources are not yet able to provide the bulk of our energy needs. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the costs for renewable energy equipment have dropped significantly over the last few years, and the efficiency is growing rapidly.