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What is wave power? Wave power is renewable energy derived from ocean waves. It is the kinetic energy of wind interacting with water and creating waves

Wave energy is generated by the wind

The best wave energy environments are along western coastlines because the largest, most consistent winds come from the west,

3,816,000 Gigawatts of Electricity is used in the United states each year

The U.S. has had modern, commercial-scale wind power for more than two decades. The first domestic wind farms were constructed in California in the early 1980s.  The U.S. wind industry reached its first 1,000 megawatts of installed capacity in 1985, but then took more than a decade to reach 2,000 megawatts in 1999.  Since 1999, however, the installed capacity has increased fivefold.  Today, wind energy is the nation's fastest growing source of commercial-scale power.  

Fuel cells convert chemical energy to electrical energy by combining hydrogen from fuel with oxygen from the air. Hydrogen fuel can be supplied in two ways—either directly as pure hydrogen gas or through a "fuel reformer" that converts hydrocarbon fuels such as methanol, natural gas, or gasoline into hydrogen-rich gas. A fuel cell's only emission is water.

ofuels can be derived from almost any type of "biomass," a broad term that refers to living or recently alive biological material. Because biomass is produced on a short time scale, it is considered a renewable resource. I will describe types of biofuels—ethanol, biodiesel, syngas, bio-hydrogen, biogas, and solid biofuel—and their use. I'll also identify the crops and wastes being used to produce biofuels, and some issues surrounding biofuel production. How are biofuels being used? Biofuels are already used to supply a small fraction of our energy needs, with significant opportunities to expand their use as infrastructure is developed. In addition to ethanol and biodiesel for transportation, biofuels are currently used for power production, heating and cooling of buildings, and the thermal needs of industry. Biomass is today the largest non-hydroelectric renewable source for electricity produced in the U.S. Most of this is produced in pulp and paper mills, which often generate electricity by burning wood chips, bark, or the sludges and "liquors" that are byproducts of the paper-making process. At the same time, they recover waste heat from electricity generation to meet the thermal needs of the mill. This highly efficient combination is referred to as combined heat and power (CHP) or cogeneration. The electricity generated may be used onsite and/or supplied to the local utility for distribution to the public.

Unlike a coal or Natural Gas plant, geothermal facilities do not need to purchase fuel to generate electricity

Windmills were first used to grind grain anywhere from 2000 to 4000 years ago in ancient Persia or Babylon;

The initial use of wind power was by Egyptians in 3000 B.C. to move their sailboats.

Solar energy originates in the depths of our sun. The sun endures a continuous stream of thermonuclear explosions as hydrogen atoms are fused into helium atoms. We encounter the resultant energy as radiation that strikes the surface of the earth.

How much of the world's energy does the United States use? In 2009, world total primary energy consumption was 483 Quadrillion Btu. The United States' primary energy consumption was about 95 Quadrillion Btu, about 20% of the world total. Learn More: International Energy Statistics: Total Primary Energy Consumption Last updated: July 9, 2012

Tidal power traditionally involves erecting a dam across the opening to a tidal basin. The dam includes a sluice that is opened to allow the tide to flow into the basin; the sluice is then closed, and as the sea level drops, traditional hydropower technologies can be used to generate electricity from the elevated water in the basin. Some researchers are also trying to extract energy directly from tidal flow streams.

Another form of ocean energy is called tidal energy. When tides comes into the shore, they can be trapped in reservoirs behind dams. Then when the tide drops, the water behind the dam can be let out just like in a regular hydroelectric power plant.

Many regions of the world are already tapping geothermal energy as an affordable and sustainable solution to reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and the global warming and public health risks that result from their use. For example, more than 8,900 megawatts (MW) of large, utility-scale geothermal capacity in 24 countries now produce enough electricity to meet the annual needs of nearly 12 million typical U.S. households (GEA 2008a). Geothermal plants produce 25 percent or more of electricity in the Philippines, Iceland, and El Salvador.

Essentially wind turbines were made first between 500-900 A.D. by the Persians and were used as a water pumping system

idal power can be harnessed using a barrage (dam) built across an estuary that captures the potential energy generated by the change in height (or head) between high and low tides. As the tide goes in and out, the water flows through tunnels in the dam. The ebb and flow are used to either turn a water turbine or compress air through a pipe that then turns a turbine, which generates electricity. Tidal Fences and Turbines Tidal fences and turbines can also be used to capture tidal power. Tidal fences are turbines that operate like giant turnstiles, while tidal turbines are similar to wind turbines. In both cases, electricity is generated when the turbines are turned by the tidal currents that occur in coastal waters. Ocean currents generate relatively more energy than wind (air currents) because ocean water has a higher density than air and therefore applies greater force on the turbines.

It is an energy source that is considered renewable because both rain and heat in the earth replenish themselves naturally.

The fossil fuels are then burned to heat water.

Carbon dioxide contributes to global warming by absorbing heat energy from the earth, trapping it and preventing its release into space.