Non-Renewable and Renewable Energy

Non-Renewable Energy

Much of our energy supply comes from coal, oil, natural gas or radioactive elements. They are considered as non-renewable energy because once they are removed from the ground and used, they are not immediately replaced. In fact, the world’s natural gas, crude oil and coal deposits took millions of years to form. Uranium, which is used for nuclear energy, has limited supply as well. Humans will have used up most of these deposits in less than 200 years. Once they are gone, non-renewable energy supplies cannot be replaced within human time scales.

Renewable Energy

Renewable energy on the other hand quickly replaces itself and is usually available in a never ending supply. Renewable energy comes from the natural flow of sunlight, wind or water around the Earth. With the help of special collectors, we can capture some of this energy and put it to use in our homes and business. As long as sunlight, water and wind continue to flow and trees and other plants continue to grow, we have access to a ready of supply of energy.