RENEWABLE ENERGY

Words To Know

fossil fuels: coal, oil, and natural gas. These energy sources come from the fossils of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. It takes hundreds of millions of years for fossil fuels to form, so they are non-renewable resources.

renewable energy: a form of energy that does not get used up, including the energy of the sun or the wind.

pollute: to make dirty or contaminate.

solar: energy from the sun.

wind: renewable energy from wind that can be transformed into electricity.

hydropower: energy produced by the movement of water.

geothermal: energy from below Earth’s surface. This type of energy can heat and cool by using differences in temperature between a structure and the ground below it.

biofuel: a fuel made from living matter, such as plants.

climate change: a change in long-term weather patterns, which happens through both natural and manmade processes.

turbine: a device that uses pressure on blades by water, air, or steam to spin generators and create electricity.

In this book, we’ll investigate five different renewable energies— solar, wind , hydropower, geothermal , and biofuel. We’ll also learn about the passion and hard work of people who work in the fields of science, technology, and engineering.

Renewable energy is competing against fossil fuels, which have dominated the energy industry for the past 150 years. We need energy for everything from power and heat to transportation. The burning of fossil fuels causes pollution and climate change. The use of renewable energies will help create a cleaner and greener planet.

These renewable energy technologies are striving for a single shared goal—a cleaner future.