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The first question, which I must ask in order to write this essay, is, what is energy? Energy gives us the ability to do thing. Everything in the world needs a supply of energy, and so energy is used to make things work. The word energy is taken from the Greeks and means the work within and nearly all energy originally came from the sun.
The main type of energy used in the world is fossil fuel. Fossil fuels are called non-renewable because they are the remains of plants and small dead animals, which have been compressed. This means it takes a very long time to produce coal, oil or any other fossil fuel. For as long as 3, 000 years ago coal was being used for fuel and so soon became one of the main energy sources used around the world.
However in the 1950 s wood became the most popular fuel used in homes. Then in 1709 an English Iron-Maker called Abraham Darby invented a process, which used coke as a fuel in blast furnaces, this process is now known as smelting. In 1859 the oil industry was born. The first product made from crude oil was Kerosene, which is used in Lamps. Petrol soon after this was born and was used to power cars. Today there is a massive demand for petrol. 500 Million cars around the world use petrol as their source of energy.
Since these times however, the world has begun to realise that we must start looking elsewhere for energy. The world needs renewable energy. Some renewable energy sources, which have been discovered, are Bio-fuels, Nuclear fuels, solar power and wind power. The question the world needs to ask is, what renewable source is going to be the best? In order to help decide this question I am going to explain a bit about Bio-fuels, Nuclear power, solar power and wind power. Biology is the scientific study of living things.
Bio-fuel is a fuel, which comes from living things or more correctly from recently dead ones. One of the most common ways of realising energy in bio-fuels is to burn the recently dead animals. Just like coal and oil the energy originally came from the sun. Wherever there are living things there will always be the choice of bio-fuels. Nuclear fuel is used in electricity-generating nuclear power stations.
Basic nuclear fuel is the heavy, silvery-white metal called Uranium. This naturally gives off radiation, which consists of invisible bits of atoms called alpha particles. One overwhelmingly powerful, sustainable energy source for the whole world is the sun. There are various ways of trapping solar energy and just as many ways of turning it into our favourite energy, electricity.
The most common way that we collect energy from the suns rays is with solar panels. There are two types of solar panels that we use. One type collects light energy and the other traps heat. The last renewable source I am writing about is wind energy. Small wind generators make enough electricity to run appliances like fridges and water pumps. One drawback to this energy source is, wind generators take up a very large area.
An average town would need ten times its own area of wind farms to power it. From this essay I conclude that the world really needs to take a long, hard look at all the renewable sources of energy. From the different renewable sources that I have looked at in this essay, I believe that we should try all them. Although I am not to sure about Nuclear power, as I believe we do not know that much about it and there would be an awful amount of waste. The other power sources however are very clean and although expensive at first very efficient. I however cannot solve the question of what renewable power the world should use, although it is a question, which must be answered soon.
Free research essays on topics related to: renewable energy, solar panels, nuclear fuel, living things, fossil fuel
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