Inexhaustible natural resources

Solar energy

Inexhaustible natural resources. It sure sounds like something super important and necessary for the planet. Well, they exist and are increasingly efficient and widespread throughout the world. And it is that our nature has a lot of natural resources of which human beings make use. Many of these resources are limited on a human scale and are not harmful to the planet. In other words, during their use and extraction they do not pollute the environment. They are also called renewable energy.

In this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know about inexhaustible natural resources.

What are inexhaustible natural resources

Renewable energy

These resources are those that do not run out over time. Despite great use being made of them, on a human scale it is impossible for them to be exhausted. For example, solar energy is an inexhaustible natural resource and it will not end no matter how much we use it. Sun rays are limitless. This resource is usually found in nature and can be used continuously and without limits.

The characteristic that makes them unlimited is that they do not decrease in quantity or quality even though their use is very intense. It must be borne in mind that when we speak of an inexhaustible natural resource, we are referring to the human scale. That is, the human being could be making use of this resource without having to worry about its possible depletion. This is not the case with Fossil fuels.

That it is not exhausted on a human scale does not mean that it is an unlimited energy. That is, solar energy will run out in millions and millions of years when the sun runs out of all hydrogen fuel. That is when the sun will explode and form a supernova and put an end to this inexhaustible resource. That is why it must be taken into account that when we talk about inexhaustible natural resources it is done in a virtual way, referring to a human timescale.

This means that because we can use it infinitely on our scale, we make it become sustainable energy. Not only that they are inexhaustible, it makes them special natural resources. There are other characteristics such as that it does not produce any type of physical waste, which makes them very interesting resources. This is also known as clean energy.

Examples of inexhaustible natural resources

Inexhaustible natural resources

We are now going to see some of the best known examples of inexhaustible natural resources.

Solar energy

As we have mentioned before, solar energy, whether it is photovoltaic or solar thermal It is an inexhaustible natural resource and is one of the most abundant on the entire planet. The action of the sun is responsible for the existence of various atmospheric phenomena such as rain and wind, as well as the tides and the presence of liquid water on the earth.

This makes solar energy the main energy source of any type of energy that comes from inexhaustible natural resources, with the exception of geothermal energy.

Tidal and wave energies

It is the energy that is produced when we use the sea. It's about trying take advantage of the energy produced on wave surfaces, known as wave energy, or the movement produced by the tides, known as tidal energy. These types of energy are used thanks to the transformation of the movement of water into electrical energy. This electrical energy can be used can be human to meet your needs.

Hydraulic energy

It is one that also comes from water but it is energy that is obtained through the water of rivers and swamps. It is a type of energy that uses Earth's gravity to take advantage of it. When the water of the rivers descends through a natural course or through a waterfall, a turbine is installed that makes it rotate as the water passes. In this way it is possible to generate usable electricity. The same happens when we use the water of the swamps. We place two swamps at different heights and make a waterfall from one swamp to another. When the water in the swamp descends, it turns the turbine and generates electricity.

Energía eólica

The inexhaustible natural resource used in this case is the wind. When the wind blows at high speed it can make move the turbines of the wind turbines causing electrical energy to be created. This electrical energy can be stored and redistributed towards human consumption points.

Geothermal Energy

It is the one that comes from the interior of the planet's surface. This energy is generated through internal geological activity. It is a natural and inexhaustible resource and it is the only one related to the activity of the sun. It occurs thanks to the fact that inside the planet there are convection currents that come from the Earth's mantle and that are due to changes in the density of materials. Said densities they are altered thanks to the heat generated by the earth's core. This flow of energy can be captured and harnessed to generate electricity.

The biomass controversy

One of the fundamental aspects when it comes to recognizing an inexhaustible natural resource is its long-term perspective. One of the most widespread controversies in the world of renewable energies is whether biomass is considered an inexhaustible resource or not. One of the activities that regulates the production of solar energy at the level of nature is photosynthesis in plants. Photosynthesis is considered as the engine of the biosphere and is the cause of the trophic chain in the oxygen that is produced. Being a natural process, it is considered inexhaustible. We can obtain biomass from organic matter and, we could be having a resource available continuously over time.

Nonetheless, we can consider biomass as an exhaustible resource. This is because it is an energy that, if abused, can be depleted. The main cause of this is that the speed at which plants grow and at which fuel can be obtained is real and tangible physical time. That is, it is possible to vote on a human scale if it is exceeded in its use.

In addition, to use biomass energy, greenhouse gases are generated during its combustion. So it could not be considered as clean energy either.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about inexhaustible natural resources.


Be the first to comment

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

*

*

  1. Responsible for the data: Miguel Ángel Gatón
  2. Purpose of the data: Control SPAM, comment management.
  3. Legitimation: Your consent
  4. Communication of the data: The data will not be communicated to third parties except by legal obligation.
  5. Data storage: Database hosted by Occentus Networks (EU)
  6. Rights: At any time you can limit, recover and delete your information.