What Are Our Top 5 Options for Renewable Energy?

While coal will last longer – about 200 years – it is estimated to run out more quickly after natural gas and oil are depleted. If we wish to continue living in a modern world with our energy-requiring devices, more energy sources must be brought forward.Wind PowerHarnessed by wind turbines, wind power is a remarkably convenient option with the ability to produce 40 times the world's current demand of electricity each day. Offshore wind turbines would be of greatest use, as wind speeds over water are higher than those over land by 90 percent.HydropowerThe flow of water can be harnessed and used to produce energy. Considerable amounts of energy are produced by even a moderate tide or slowly-flowing stream. While hydroelectric dams already exist, there is the potential for wider use. Tidal power and wave power are just two more examples of the ways in which hydropower can be harnessed for mechanical function and electricity.Solar EnergyEnergy from our sun is derived from solar radiation, harnessing the energy with solar thermal collectors or photovoltaic panels. These devices capture, convert, and distribute the energy for virtually any use. Solar energy is 100% efficient, clean, safe, and produces no pollution.BiofuelBiodiesel and bioethanol are the most common biofuels. Biodiesel can be made from recycled animal fat, vegetable oil, and greases. Bioethanol is an alcohol created with the fermentation of plant materials, most commonly of starch and sugar crops. Since both of these can be created from recycled material and refuse, they are cost-efficient and less polluting than fossil fuels. Already in limited use, biofuels currently provide almost 2% of the world's fuel for transportation.Geothermal EnergyGeothermal energy is obtained by tapping into the earth herself via locations that are volcanically active. This form of energy is 100% efficient because it does not have to work to create heat, only needing to transport the heat from one area to another, and requires no fuel to produce.While humans have the technology to produce machinery that will use these forms of energy on a worldwide scale, many people, from home users to a businessr, still don't understand the options and are hesitant to back them for that reason. The more information available about our renewable energy options, the better equipped we will be to embrace and use them in everyday life.