6.1 Renewable vs Nonrenewable

Renewable energy sources

Can be replenished naturally or at near rate or consumption and reused

Depletable renewables: can run out if overused (wood, charcoal, ethanol)

Nondepletable renewables: don’t run out if overused (solar, wind)

No renewable energy sources

Exist in fixed amount of earth and can’t easily be replaced or regenerated

Fossil fuels: fossilized remains of ancient biomass that take millions of years to form (coal, oil)

Nuclear: energy generated from uranium or other radioactive fuels

rate of consumption

Rate of consumption

-rate of use must be at or below rate of regeneration for renewables

-fossil fuels will run out if they take longer to regenerate than the rate we use them

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