WHAT IS RENEWABLE ENERGY

Renewable energy is energy derived from sources that are recurring or readily

replenished, such as hydroelectric, wind, solar, and biomass. Biomass is the

broad term used to describe wood, wood waste, peat, wood sludge, municipal

solid waste, agricultural waste, straw, tires, landfill gases, fish oils, digester gas,

methane and/or other waste. In 1999, the Energy Information Administration (EIA)

estimated that the United States generated about 90% of its total electricity

requirements from non-renewable sources, such as nuclear, coal, natural gas,

and petroleum.

While new non-renewable reserves are being discovered, costs for recovering those

reserves are rising and the size of the discoveries is generally getting smaller. These

trends force us to review and develop an energy policy that realistically considers

rising energy demands and diminishing non-renewable resources. Renewable energy

will undoubtedly be a key component of any strategic energy plan for the future.