Renewable Sources of Energy
Renewable sources of energy can be used over and over again. Renewable resources include solar energy, wind, geothermal energy, biomass and hydropower. They generate much less pollution, both in gathering and production, than nonrenewable sources.
Solar energy comes from the sun. Some people use solar panels on their homes to convert sunlight into electricity.
Wind turbines, which look like giant windmills, generate electricity.
Geothermal energy comes from the Earth's crust. Engineers extract steam or very hot water from the Earth's crust and use the steam to generate electricity.
Biomass includes natural products such as wood, manure and corn. These materials are burned and used for heat.
Dams and rivers generate hydropower. When water flows through a dam it activates a turbine, which runs an electric generator.