Renewable energy is an energy source that will last for ever.
Examples of renewable energy are: geothermal energy, wind energy, solar energy, tidal power and Hydro-electric energy.
The earth receives huge amounts of light from the sun. If you could use all this energy, you would have no need of any other source of energy. You would even have to much energy!

SOLAR ENERGY

The sun can cover the earths needs 10,000 times over.
You can use solar energy in different ways.
You can convert solar energy into:
                              - central heating of your home
                              - warm water for the shower
                              - electricity.

On a warm summer's day you enjoy the sun.
You wear thin clothing and go to school without a jacket. But you can also convert solar energy. You can use the sun to heat water for the central heating in you home. Or for warm water for the shower. Another possibility is to convert sunlight into electricity. This is done with the help of solar cells.

Heat from the sun

There are two ways in which you can make use of solar energy for warmth: passively and actively.

Passive heat from the sun

When you let as much sun as possible into your house then you don't have to turn the heating on as often. You are making use of the sun, but you don't actually have to do anything. This is what we call passive use of the sun's heat. Passive means that you don't have to do anything. Large windows in a house are important for the passive warmth of the sun. A room that faces south, receives more sunlight and feel warmer. In greenhouses the passive heat of the sun is also used.
The temperature behind the glass rises quickly in the sunlight. The temperature can reach such intensity that plants can be scorched. To prevent this happening the glass in painted white.

Active solar energy

For active solar energy you can use solar collectors. In a solar collector the sunlight is absorbed by a black sheet and converted into warmth. Under this black sheet there are thin metal pipes through which water flows. The water absorbs the warmth from the black sheet and the temperature of the water rises. This warm water can be used for the central heating or the shower.

Wind Energy

The air's current, or wind, contains energy that can be put to good use.
In the past wind was used for the rotation of the wings of a windmill.
Wings, axles and gears would grind grain or pump water out of polders.
Today the motion of wings is used to generate electricity.
The machines that do this are the aerogenerators. Wind energy will of course
last forever. So, it is a renewable source of energy. Wind energy produces
some noise, but not much. After all, its a clean source of energy.