RENEWABLE ENERGY

Definition

Renewable energy is an alternative to the global energy system, because it has low levels of pollution (below the rates of generation and other energy consumption), has the capacity for regeneration and ensures the sustainability and renewal of resources from which it was extracted .

 Etymology

The term comes from the Greek word is formed by energy - which comes from εργοs (ergos), which means work, and also the word renewable energy - which comes from Renovare, meaning making new repair.

Reference field

This concept may be related to sustainable development, since "there is no development without energy, and development that are available depends on her for a long time, and increasing amounts of safe, reliable and appropriate for the environment" ( LINS, 2009). Thus, it is through renewable energy sources that can achieve sustainable development.

Historical Context

Historically, it was in the eighteenth century, before the Industrial Revolution that began the exploitation of renewable energy technologies with rudimentary. Still, during the First Industrial Revolution, the prevalent use of coal in steam engines, and the Second Industrial Revolution, oil and natural gas began to be explored. But it was only in the twentieth century that was a concern with the scarcity of these non-renewable resources and the task of producing renewable energy - in this case, from water, wind, wave power and solar energy - has become paramount.

Exemplification

Examples of renewable energy, we have:

     Solar energy: energy generated from sunlight. It can be used to warm environments, warm water or be converted into electrical energy. To make the conversion, they use solar panels or photovoltaic cells.

                                      

Solar panels or photovoltaic cells

Hydropower: Energy generated when the waters of a river in motion are determined by a turbine. This mechanical energy is converted into electricity and distributed to the localities. For this, small hydropower plants are installed with more being used because they cause less impact on nature.

Layout of solar generator

We also have other types of renewable energy, for example, wind energy, extracted by the wind, the biomass and biofuel, obtained by organic matter and waste from food and energy wave that looks like hydropower, and that obtained by currents of seas and oceans. 

Wind energy

PLE III