What Are the Five Major Types of Renewable Energy?
Hydro
- Hydropower contributes 15.3% of global electricity generation
- Hydropower’s cost per MWh is $64
- How does it work? Dams or other diversion structures alter the natural flow of water to increase its elevation and volume
- Water flows through the dam, generating mechanical energy that spins a turbine connected to an electric generator
Wind
- Wind power contributes 6.6% of global electricity generation
- Wind power’s cost per MWh is $38
- How does it work? Wind flows over the blades of a wind turbine, creating mechanical power by turning the blades
- The blades are connected to a drive shaft that turns an electric generator to produce electricity
Solar
- Solar power contributes 3.7% of global electricity generation
- The cost per MWh is $36
- How does it work? Photovoltaic (PV) cells contain thin semiconductor wafers, forming an electric field
- When light hits the cell, electrons are knocked loose from the semiconductor material and move in response to the electric field
- This generates electricity, transferred through metal conductors on the PV cell
Biomass
- Biomass contributes 2.3% of global electricity generation
- The cost per MWh is $114
- How does it work? Biomass is burned in a boiler to produce steam
- The steam rotates the blades of a turbine connected to a generator that produces electricity
- Biomass can also be converted into other liquid or gaseous fuels used to generate electricity
Geothermal
- Geothermal contributes 1% of global electricity generation
- The cost per MWh is $75
- How does it work? Hot water from underground reservoirs is pumped using pipes or wells
- As the water reaches the surface, it boils over into steam, which rotates a steam turbine
- The turbine is connected to a generator that produces electricity
THE END.
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