Type Definition Examples Advantages Disadvantages

Solar Light and heat

that comes from
the sun
-water heating
-heat your house
-power batteries

-almost limitless
-doesnt produce
pollution
-expensive
-requires sunny
areas
Hydropower Energy created
by flowing water
that is turned into
electricity
-dams
-power plants
-electricity
-renewable
-doesnt produce
air pollution
-only available
near rivers
-requires dams
Wind Energy Energy caused
by the uneven
heating of the
Earths surface
-wind turbines
-windmills
-water pumps
-renewable
-inexpensive
-no air pollution
-only practical in
windy areas
Geothermal Thermal energy
caused by the
heating of the
Earths crust
-heat pumps
-power plants
-steam plants
-almost limitless
-power plants
take up little land
-only in areas
near hotspots
-produces
wastewater
Biomass Organic matter
or waste that can
be burned to
release energy
-combustion
-biopower
-biofuel
-renewable
-inexpensive
-requires large
areas of farmland
-produces smoke

List those energy sources that are fossil fuels: _______________________________________________
What main advantage do fossil fuels have over the renewable energy resources? _________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What are two main disadvantages of fossil fuels compared to renewable energy? _________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Petroleum, natural gas, and coal
They are cheap
and abundant (although they are nonrenewable)
They are
nonrenewable, and cause pollution when they are burned