Clean World With Hydrogen: Renewable Energy Sources

There are five principal renewable sources of energy: the sun, the wind, flowing water, biomass and heat from within the earth.
Heat, electricity and vehicle fuel are the main forms of energy that we use every day. All renewable energy sources can be used to produce electricity. Solar energy and Biomass can supply all three forms of useful energy. Geothermal energy can supply both electricity and heat. Harvesting solar energy for production of vehicle fuel is one of the most important and challenging course that we already engaged with in Osaka Prefecture University.

Sun
Solar energy is energy that comes directly from the sun. The sun is a constant natural source of heat and light, and its radiation can be converted to electricity or use as a source for producing chemicals via Photocatalytic phenomena. This source is the most important source of energy and mother of all other kinds of sources other than energy from a nuclear source.

Biomass
"Biomass" describes, in one word, all plants, trees and organic matter on the earth. Biomass is a renewable source of energy because the natural process of photosynthesis constantly produces new organic matter in the growth of trees and plants. Photosynthesis stores the sun´s energy in organic matter. Biomass is used to make heat, electricity and liquid fuels.

Wind
Natural conditions of climate and geography produce the winds that blow across the landscape. Historically, windmills were used to supply mechanical energy, for example to pump water or grind grain. Modern day wind turbines produce electricity.

Water
Like the winds, flowing water is a product of the earth’s climate and geography. Snowmelt and runoff from precipitation at higher elevations flow toward sea level in streams and rivers. In an earlier era, water wheels used the power of flowing water to turn grinding stones and to run mechanical equipment. Modern hydro-turbines use water power to generate hydroelectricity.

Earth
Heat from deep within the earth is called "geothermal energy." In some locations, geothermal energy is close enough to the surface that, by drilling a well to reach the heat source, the energy can be extracted and used for heating buildings and other purposes. Where the temperatures are hot enough, geothermal energy can be used to generate electricity.

# The Hydrogen Future