There are loads of things which need energy, including televisions, computers and light switches. In fact, anything which uses electricity, heat or light needs energy to work. Even we need energy to work! But where does all that energy come from? We get our energy from eating food. But a lot of energy comes from burning coal. This creates steam, which is used to power big machines that create energy. Burning this coal produces carbon dioxide, which is bad for our environment. There are other ways of getting energy, though! This is renewable energy, and it does not harm the environment because it does not create any pollution at all.
Here comes the sun…
Solar panels use the sun’s rays to create energy
Solar panels on a roof
The sun has to heat the whole earth, as well as controlling the wind, waves and rain. That’s why it’s one of the biggest energy sources of all.
Sun power, or solar power, can make electricity by using things called
photovoltaic cells – often just known as PV – which fit on the rooftops of houses and offices.Solar power can also heat water in solar panels, a bit like radiators. This is then stored in a big tank which can be used to provide hot water.
Solar panels even collect heat on cloudy days!
In some countries, houses are heated entirely by the sun.
Water, water everywhere!
Hydroelectric power uses fast-running water to make energy
- Fast-running water creates energy
Hydroelectric power, or hydroelectricity, is made by using the force of falling water. It sounds complicated, but it’s not really! The word ‘hydro’ is Greek for ‘water’.
Water produces one of the cleanest sources of energy, and is also one of the cheapest.The energy is created when water, which is held behind a dam (a big, strong brick tank), is released into a river.
The force of the water pushes round blades in a turbine, which spin fast and generate energy through a generator. The water then goes back to the dam and starts again!
It’s good to have wind!
Wind turbine blades spin to generate energy
- Wind turbines can be used to create energy without polluting our planet
You might have seen them out of the window as you were driving past a big field in a car. Wind turbines are big white windmills, with massive blades that spin and power a generator which creates energy.
One windmill can only generate a small amount of energy, so wind farms are build with lots of windmills. Wind farms are build in flat, open areas where it’s likely to be windy.
The largest wind turbine in the world is in Hawaii, and its blades are the size of a football pitch!