Outline for renewable energy - Essay Example

Outline for Renewable Energy Introduction Renewable energy may be described as energy that is obtained from resources which can be replenished. These resources may include geothermal heat, sunlight, waves, wind, tides and rain among others (Vecchia, Formisano, Rosselli, and Ruggi 479).Benefits of Renewable Energy in the Community Renewable energy is beneficial to communities in myriad ways. One benefit of renewable energy to a community is the fact that renewable energy sources offer clean alternatives of energy production, thus having very few negative impacts on the environment.

Another benefit of renewable energy is that it can be replenished, thus, ensuring that it is always available to future generations. This also ensures energy security. Renewable energy is, therefore, sustainable. Renewable energy also creates employment opportunities due to the fact that the labor and materials needed to establish and sustain renewable energy facilities need workmanship. This also boosts the economies of regions making use of renewable energy sources. Renewable energy is also considered safer, compared to the safety concerns and risks such as explosions associated with fossil fuels and collapsing of coal mines.

Energy Developments Before the development and extensive use of coal as a source of energy in the 19th century, almost all the sources of energy that were used were renewable. Wind and solar energy were among some of the oldest sources of renewable energy in history, apart from biomass. European Union countries are considered number two in the world when it comes to developing and applying renewable energy (Bradford 3). These countries include Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal and Lithuania.1. Solar EnergySolar energy has been depended upon by many European countries as a means of generating energy to cater for the regions’ energy needs.2. Wind Energy20% of Germany’s energy needs, by the end of 2012, were provided by renewable energy.

The largest contribution of this was from wind energy. Portugal also heavily relies on renewable sources. In 2010, more than 50% of the electricity generated in the country came from renewable source, with wind energy taking a significant portion. The same could be observed in Spain, with more that 15% of the energy produced in 2010 coming from wind energy.Conclusion The entire EU hopes to acquire more than 20% of its energy from renewable sources, at least by 2020. This will enable the region to reduce greenhouse emission and lessen its dependence on imported energy.

It will also create more employment opportunities, as well as foster technological creativity and innovation.Works CitedBradford, Travis. Solar Revolution: The Economic Transformation of the Global Energy Industry. Michigan: MIT Press, 2006. Print.Vecchia, A., Formisano, W., Rosselli, V., Ruggi, D. "Possibilities for the Application of Solar Energy in the European Community Agriculture". Solar Energy 26.6 (1981): 479–489. Print.Leon, M., & Kumar, S. “Mathematical modeling and thermal performance analysis of unglazed transpired solar collectors”.

 Solar Energy 81.1 (2007): 62–75.