Sources of energy

When we use electricity in our home, the electrical power was probably generated by burning coal, by flaring gas, by a nuclear reaction, or by a hydroelectric plant at a dam. Therefore, coal, nuclear and hydro are called energy sources.

When we fill up our cars with fuel, the source might be petroleum (or sometimes ethanol made by growing and processing corn – that’s called biofuel!).

Energy sources are divided into two groups — renewable (an energy source that can be stocked up again) and non-renewable (an energy source that we are using up and cannot make again).

Renewable and non-renewable energy sources can be used to produce secondary energy sources including electricity and hydrogen.