Types of energy resource

Renewable resources are replenished either by:

A non-renewable energy resource is one with a amount. It will eventually run out when all reserves have been used up.

The table below shows the main features of the most common energy resources used today.

Energy resource	Energy store	Renewable or non-renewable	Uses	Power output	Impact on environment
Fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gases)	Chemical	Non-renewable	Transport, heating, electricity generation	High	Releases CO₂ (causes global warming)
Nuclear fuels	Nuclear	Non-renewable	Electricity generation	Very high	Radioactive waste (needs to be disposed of safely)
Biofuel	Chemical	Renewable	Transport, heating, electricity generation	Medium	'Carbon neutral' - little or no effect on the environment. Although growing biofuels can take up land that could be used for farming.
Wind	Kinetic	Renewable	Electricity generation	Very low	Takes up large areas that could be used for farming. Windmills change the landscape
Hydroelectricity	Gravitational potential	Renewable	Electricity generation	Medium	Local habitats are affected by the large areas that need to be flooded to build dams
Geothermal	Internal (thermal)	Renewable	Electricity generation, heating	Medium	Very low
Tides	Kinetic	Renewable	Electricity generation	Potentially very high, but hard to harness	Tidal barrages can block sewage which needs to go out to sea. Local habitats also affected
Sun	Nuclear	Renewable	Electricity generation, heating	Dependent on the weather and only available during daylight	Very little
Water waves	Kinetic	Renewable	Electricity generation	Low	Very low

Energy resource	Fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gases)
Energy store	Chemical
Renewable or non-renewable	Non-renewable
Uses	Transport, heating, electricity generation
Power output	High
Impact on environment	Releases CO₂ (causes global warming)

Energy resource	Nuclear fuels
Energy store	Nuclear
Renewable or non-renewable	Non-renewable
Uses	Electricity generation
Power output	Very high
Impact on environment	Radioactive waste (needs to be disposed of safely)

Energy resource	Biofuel
Energy store	Chemical
Renewable or non-renewable	Renewable
Uses	Transport, heating, electricity generation
Power output	Medium
Impact on environment	'Carbon neutral' - little or no effect on the environment. Although growing biofuels can take up land that could be used for farming.

Energy resource	Wind
Energy store	Kinetic
Renewable or non-renewable	Renewable
Uses	Electricity generation
Power output	Very low
Impact on environment	Takes up large areas that could be used for farming. Windmills change the landscape

Energy resource	Hydroelectricity
Energy store	Gravitational potential
Renewable or non-renewable	Renewable
Uses	Electricity generation
Power output	Medium
Impact on environment	Local habitats are affected by the large areas that need to be flooded to build dams

Energy resource	Geothermal
Energy store	Internal (thermal)
Renewable or non-renewable	Renewable
Uses	Electricity generation, heating
Power output	Medium
Impact on environment	Very low

Energy resource	Tides
Energy store	Kinetic
Renewable or non-renewable	Renewable
Uses	Electricity generation
Power output	Potentially very high, but hard to harness
Impact on environment	Tidal barrages can block sewage which needs to go out to sea. Local habitats also affected

Energy resource	Sun
Energy store	Nuclear
Renewable or non-renewable	Renewable
Uses	Electricity generation, heating
Power output	Dependent on the weather and only available during daylight
Impact on environment	Very little

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