Renewable Energy

Renewables offer a way out of import dependency, allowing countries to diversify their economies and protect them from the unpredictable price swings of fossil fuels, while driving inclusive economic growth, new jobs, and poverty alleviation.

Bioenergy is produced from a variety of organic materials, called biomass, such as wood, charcoal, dung and other manures for heat and power production, and agricultural crops for liquid biofuels. Most biomass is used in rural areas for cooking, lighting and space heating, generally by poorer populations in developing countries.

Not all types of energy are sustainable. While energy sources such as wind and solar are considered sustainable for their renewable capabilities, plenty of unsustainable energy sources are currently in use. It's argued that both biomass and nuclear may be renewable, but they are not sustainable.

Renewable energy can be used for electricity generation, space and water heating and cooling, and transportation. Non-renewable energy, in contrast, comes from finite sources that could get used up, such as fossil fuels like coal and oil.

Renewable energy, often referred to as clean energy, comes from natural sources or processes that are constantly replenished.

Renewable energy lowers emissions of harmful gasses like nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and carbon dioxide. This helps reduce premature deaths, heart attacks, asthma exacerbations, and hospitalization for cardiovascular or respiratory issues.

Hydropower currently is the largest source of renewable energy in the electricity sector.

With renewables, the environmental benefits are clear: Electricity generated from renewable resources like solar panels and wind turbines generate no emissions and no air pollution.