Maybe we do not think about energy that much but we use energy every day. Think about your morning routine before coming to school. You may turn on the lights at home, use the shower, and make toast. You might drive to school or take a bus or train. All of this requires energy. Human energy consumption has increased over time. On average, we consume 110 times as much energy as our caveman ancestors!
We'll learn about the meaning of renewable resources and non-renewable resources, their uses, the differences between using one or another type of resource, and some examples.
Energy Resources
In the 21st century, humans use more energy than ever. Most of this energy comes from fossil fuels, which are non-renewable energy resources.
Learn more about Fossil Fuels by checking out our article!
An energy resource can produce heat and electricity or provide other forms of energy, such as movement.
When writing about energy, it's crucial to understand the following numerical prefixes:
Kilo-: one thousand (1 000)
Mega-: one million (1 000 000)
Giga-: one billion (1 000 000 000)
Terra-: one trillion (1 000 000 000 000)
1 terawatt (TW) is equivalent to 1 000 gigawatts (GW), and 1 GW is equal to 100 000 kilowatts (kW). A 20 000 W microwave may be better expressed as 20 kW.
You can start to see how utilising and understanding these prefixes can be more convenient.
In the UK, energy use can be divided into four sectors.
Table 1: The main sectors for energy use in the UK, their description and examples.
| Energy Sector | What is it? | Examples |
| Domestic | Energy used in our homes | Cooking, cleaning, heating, electricity |
| Industrial | Energy used in manufacturing | Running machinery, heating boilers |
| Transport | Energy used to power vehicles | Road, rail, air, water |
| Services | Energy used to sell services and goods | Retail, entertainment, tourism, finance |
The Meaning of Renewable Resources
Renewable resources provide 20% of the world's energy.
Renewable resources are energy sources that, despite being consumed, are naturally replenished over time.
Most renewable energy resources are sustainable (able to be maintained over time). This is different to non-renewable resources, which are being used up faster than they can be replaced.
Renewable energy resources are necessary because they will not run out and are less harmful to the environment.
Renewable resources are not as widely used as non-renewable resources. However, they are commonly used in:
Power generation
Heating and cooling
Transportation
Rural energy services
List of Renewable Resources
There are five types of renewable resources: solar, water, wind, biofuels, and geothermal.
Solar
Solar power is energy harnessed from the Sun, typically used for heating and electricity. This energy source is cheap, clean, and highly abundant. Solar technology uses photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity or mirrors to concentrate sunlight into one place (to heat water, for example). However, it is weather-dependent, thus not wholly reliable.
If we covered just 1.2% of the Sahara Desert in solar panels, we would have enough electricity to power the whole world!
Water
Hydroelectric power utilises the energy of water flowing downhill. Rivers are impounded by a dam and the water is released to flow through turbines, which power a generator. Hydroelectric power is the most widely used renewable energy resource. It's a reliable yet expensive source of energy. Additionally, constructing hydroelectric power plants can cause significant environmental problems.
Harnessing the energy from the rise and fall of tides is also possible, but this technology is still in its early stages.
Wind
Wind turbines convert the energy of the wind into mechanical power, which is then converted into electricity. This resource is cheap and has little environmental impact, but it depends on the weather.
Fig. 1. Wind farms are typically built in windy locations, such as mountains or out at sea, unsplash.com
Biofuels
Biofuels use energy generated or produced by organisms. Usually, plants such as corn and soy are burnt to generate heat. Biofuels can also be created from the manure of farm animals, providing a reliable and cheap resource. However, biofuels are not a carbon-free source of electricity.
Geothermal
Geothermal energy is the heat coming from inside the Earth. To access this energy, wells are dug deep into underground reservoirs to access hot water and steam. These can be used to drive turbines connected to generators. Geothermal energy is expensive but reliable.
Iceland is filled with hot springs and volcanoes, creating many opportunities for generating geothermal energy. This energy is used to heat houses and streets, grow food, and generate electricity. An astonishing 99.96% of Iceland's energy usage is from renewable resources.
The famous Blue Lagoon pool in Grindavík is powered entirely by geothermal energy.
Non-Renewable Resources
Non-renewable resources power the remaining 80% of the world's energy.
Non-renewable resources are derived from the Earth's sources in finite supply and can take billions of years to replenish.
They are much cheaper to extract; however, the cost of non-renewable energy may rise due to diminishing stocks.
Fig. 1: Sources for energy consumption, and their percentages, in the UK (years 1965 to 2021). Gas, coal, and oil correspond to fossil fuels.
Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels were formed millions of years ago. Animal and plant remains were subject to high pressure and temperatures underneath layers of sediment, converting them into coal, oil and natural gas.
They provide lots of energy but release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases when they are burnt.
Fig. 2. In power stations, fossil fuels are burnt to power turbines, which drive generators. Burning these non-renewable resources releases pollution and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, unsplash.com
Nuclear Power
Nuclear energy harvests the large amounts of energy found in the nucleus of an atom. The energy itself is renewable, but the materials used are not. Power plants use a very rare type of uranium, U-235. The uranium atom is split apart in a fission reaction. The energy produced is used to heat water to produce steam, which turns turbines connected to a generator.
Unlike fossil fuels, nuclear power plants do not produce greenhouse gases or pollutants. However, producing nuclear energy results in toxic radioactive waste.
Uses of Non-Renewable Resources
Non-renewable resources like fossil fuels are damaging to the environment. When they are burnt, they release carbon dioxide. This acts as a greenhouse gas, trapping heat in the Earth's atmosphere. So, why are they still being used?
Non-renewable sources are typically very high in energy. Thus, it is often cheaper and more efficient to use non-renewable sources. They're also a reliable energy source - they can be used worldwide, no matter the weather.
Typical uses of non-renewable resources are petrol, heating and cooking.
Renewable Resources: Example
Renewable resources produce less energy than fossil fuel power stations. They're also subject to geographic or weather limitations.
During your exams, you may need to compare the power output of different energy sources.
Table 2: The average power output for some typesvof energy source.
| Energy Source | Average Power Output (gigawatts) |
| Coal Power Station | 2 |
| Solar Farm | 0.4 |
| Wind Turbine | 0.02 |
| Tidal Power Station | 3 |
Question 1. How many solar farms are needed to replace a coal power station?
Coal Power Station = 2 GW
Solar Farm = 0.4 GW
Divide the larger output by the smaller output:
Five solar farms are needed to replace a coal power station.
Question 2. How many wind turbines are needed to match the power output of a solar farm?
Solar Farm = 0.4 GW
Wind Turbine = 0.02 GW
Divide the larger output by the smaller output:
Twenty wind turbines are needed to match the power output of a solar farm.
Question 3. How many tidal power stations are needed to replace 12 coal power stations?
Tidal Power Station = 3 GW
Coal Power Station = 2 GW
The output of 12 Coal Power Stations: GW
Divide the total coal output by the average output of a tidal power station:
Eight tidal power stations are needed to replace 12 coal power stations.
Question 4. How many wind turbines are needed to replace a coal power station?
Try it yourself! Once you've worked it out, check the answer at the bottom of the page.
Differences Between Renewable and Non-renewable Resources
Both types of energy resources have advantages and disadvantages.
Table 3: Comparison of advantanges and disadvantages betwen renewable and non-renewable resources.
| Resources | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Renewable | - No greenhouse gas emissions
- Reduces pollution
- Reduces waste
- Sustainable
- Creates jobs
- Saves money
- Environmental benefits
| - High upfront costs
- Not always reliable
- Geographic limitations
- Not always 100% carbon-free
|
| Non-Renewable | - Cost-effective, affordable
- Easier to produce
- Easy to use
- Found worldwide
- Creates jobs
- Large profits
- High in energy
| - Time-consuming
- Unsustainable
- Releases greenhouse gases and pollution
- Smog
- Oil spills
|
Answer to Question 4 Coal Power Station = 2 GW Wind Turbine = 0.02 GW Divide the larger output by the smaller output: 2 ÷ 0.02 = 100 One hundred wind turbines are needed to replace a coal power station. |
Renewable and Non-renewable Resources - Key takeaways
- Humans are using more energy than ever before. The primary energy sectors in the UK are domestic, industrial, transport and services.
- Renewable resources are energy sources that are naturally replenished. They are sustainable and do not produce greenhouse gases or pollutants.
- There are five types of renewable resources: solar, water, wind, biofuels and geothermal energy.
- Most of the world's energy comes from non-renewable resources, such as fossil fuels and nuclear power. Fossil fuels produce greenhouse gases and pollutants. Nuclear power does not release pollutants but produces toxic radioactive waste.
- Both types of energy resources have different advantages and disadvantages.
1. Arctic Adventures, Geothermal Energy Iceland, 2022
2. Energy Envoys, What’s energy used for?, Energy Tutorial: Energy and Sustainability, 2015
3. Haresh Bambhaniya, Advantages And Disadvantages Of Non-Renewable Energy, 2022
4. Haresh Bambhaniya, What Is Renewable Energy? – Definition, Types, Benefits, 2022
5. National Geographic, Hydroelectric Energy, 2022
6. National Geographic, Non-renewable energy, 2022
7. National Geographic, Wind Energy, 2022
8. Professor Stephen Nelson, Energy Resources, Tulane University, 2015
9. Realonomics, Why Might It Be Advantageous To Use Nonrenewable Resources Over Renewable Resources?, 2021
10. Regen Power, Why aren’t we using the deserts for solar power?, 2021
References
- Fig. 1: Hannah Ritchie, Max Roser and Pablo Rosado (2022) - "Energy". Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: 'https://ourworldindata.org/energy' [Online Resource]
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