The human being needs the Energy sources in order to meet the demand and have the standard of living that we have today. The energy sources that supply our cities, industries, etc. are different. And each of them comes from the renewable or non-renewable field.
In this article we are going to tell you what energy sources are, what are the different types that exist and what is their origin and utility.
What are energy sources
Before explaining each type that exists, it is important to clarify what an energy source is. It is a resource through which energy can be extracted for different purposes (mainly commercial). But nevertheless, this is not always the case.
In the past, humans used an important natural resource to meet their needs. When he found fire, the sole purpose of these flames was to protect him from the cold and cook for him. Although we continue to use fire for these purposes, the remaining resources (natural or artificial) have already produced energy that can be used in power plants or in industry.
At the end of the XNUMXth century, the prevailing energy model began to be questioned for two reasons:
- Environmental problems caused by the combustion of fossil fuels, such as smog episodes in large cities such as London or Los Angeles, or global warming of the planet.
- The risks of using nuclear energy, revealed in accidents like Chernobyl.
Knowing the definition of energy, we can begin to study its classification.
Classification
Renewable energy sources
Also known as clean energy, renewable energy is the most important because it plays a role in environmental protection and technological development. These energy sources use inexhaustible resources from nature (such as the sun's rays, wind, water, etc.) to extract energy. Among the renewable energy sources that exist we have the following:
- Solar energy: As the name suggests, this energy uses sunlight to generate electricity. Also, due to technological progress, solar energy has given rise to the famous solar panels and solar cars.
- Hydroelectric power: Unlike previous types of energy, hydroelectric power uses water to generate power. This process takes place in a dam or hydroelectric power station.
- Wind power: If we have been talking about natural resources, it is time to talk about the wind. This has an important role in wind energy, which is responsible for generating electricity through wind turbines or windmills.
- Biomass: It is also related to the use of sunlight to generate energy in nature.
- Geothermal energy: the use of geothermal energy, which is one of the most important renewable energy sources.
- Thermodynamics: If we talk about this type of energy, heat transfer is still important in renewable resources.
Non-renewable energy sources
For them, non-renewable energy uses natural resources that can be depleted, this is the main difference between renewable and non-renewable energy. During their use and extraction, the resources from which the energy is obtained can be extinguished or take time to regenerate, making them the most vulnerable source of energy. In its classification we find:
- Fossil fuels, such as oil, coal, or natural gas: These resources will soon be depleted, and depending on the region of the world we are talking about, they may not even exist. If we talk about environmental pollution, its use, development and transport generate significant risks, and part of this is to blame.
- Nuclear energy: Also known as atomic energy, this energy plays a fundamental role in physics and is considered one of the main sources of energy in my country.
Energy sources in Spain
If we only focus on energy in Spain, we will find the use of renewable and non-renewable resources. However, the use of non-renewable resources is much higher than that of renewable energies, which can translate into a risk to nature.
Spain's energy sector represents 2,5% of gross domestic product (GDP), which illustrates its importance in all economic activities. In addition, this is one of the most necessary resources for Spaniards, and we can demonstrate it in our daily activities at home or abroad.
According to the September 2019 announcement issued by the Spanish Red Electricity Company (REE), the country's electricity production comes mainly from non-renewable resources. Generate electricity monthly through nuclear energy, combined cycle, cogeneration and coal.
Taking into account that the use of exhaustible resources has an important impact on the country and, of course, on the planet, it is a fact that it is necessary to change this situation. On the contrary, the ideal is to use the inexhaustible resources of nature and develop them in a respectful way through the use of renewable resources.
Renewables in Spain
In Spain, the main way to generate electricity from renewable sources is wind energy, followed by hydroelectric energy, photovoltaic solar energy and thermal solar energy. However, as we mentioned earlier, the fact that the use of non-renewable resources is greater than the use of renewable resources is concerning and needs to be changed.
Currently, more and more companies are committed to improving this situation. However, it is impossible to leave all responsibilities to the production plant; us, from our home and daily activities (at work or on the street), we can help reduce energy consumption, thus reducing the demand for energy, because reducing the demand for these resources is a reality that hurts us all over the world.
Our job is to learn to save energy and let the industry bet on renewable resources. Only in this way can we prevent polluting fuels and gases from continuing to harm the environment.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about what energy sources are and the different ones that exist.