Dependency on Fossil Fuels has been a problem for quite some time It has cost planet Earth trillions of dollars, senseless wars rivalries between world leaders, and damage to the environment that could never be counted in dollars or time Renewable energy sources are the planets best shot at slowing the damage to the environment we have been causing for hundreds of years. According to the US department of energy, 400 quadrillion BTUs are what the world requires each year to stay up and running. BTUs are British Thermal Units, the units by which we measure the world’s energy demands. About eighty eight percent of the BTUs we use each year come from natural gas, coal, and oil. Oil is the major source being used, requiring a whopping forty one percent of those BTUs. Renewable energy sources may be the critical solution to a problem that is plaguing the planet we live on Renewable energy sources are broken down into many different types.
You may be mostly familiar with wind and solar power. Obviously harnessing these renewable energy sources would be very cost-effective. Once the correct equipment is put in position, these sources can be used for many years to come; feasibly as many as you can imagine. As you may know there are already cars being powered by renewable energy sources; a small but productive step to reducing and possibly eliminating our dependency on fossil fuels. Biomass, geothermal energy, and hydroelectric power are other examples of renewable energy sources. These sources are not as cost-friendly as the more simplified solar and wind power sources. It is possible however, that with more scientific research and trial and error scenarios, that these sources may turn out to be almost as effective as the more familiar renewable energy sources.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, over 70% of the energy being used in May 2015 was derived from petroleum products; less than 1% came from bio fuels and electricity. The U.S. Energy Information Administration is projecting that in 2016, over 9.9 quadrillion BTUs will come from renewable energy sources. While this still may be dramatically less than the 400 quadrillion BTUs that Earth requires each year; it’s a step in the right direction, and it could lead to the realization that renewable energy sources are on the rise. With the number of people becoming increasingly aware of the damage that is being done to our planet each year, renewable energy source projects may be on a full-fledge turnover with fossil fuels in the near future.