Generation and Types of Renewables
Electricity Generation
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The end goal of all renewable technologies is the generation of electricity. Electricity is a secondary form of energy—an energy carrier, in contrast to primary sources like natural gas and solar—and is neither renewable nor nonrenewable. From its generation at power plants, electricity is distributed to residences and commercial venues by a web of transmission lines known as the grid.
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Photo: Union of Concerned Scientists, Inc
Types of Renewable Energy
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Block Island Wind Farm. Photo by Caroline Jones.
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Wind is driven by temperature differences along earth’s surface caused by uneven solar heating. Wind is a vital carrier of kinetic energy in the global climate system, and its energy can be harnessed by turbines to generate electricity. Turbines may be optimally placed in areas that are near water, have few natural barriers, are at high altitudes, or exist between physical barriers where winds may be intensified. Rhode Island’s reserves of wind energy are located primarily on the coast and offshore.
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Energy from the sun can be captured in numerous ways. Passive solar uses the thermal energy of the sun to heat homes and buildings. Active solar systems use photovoltaic (PV) devices, or solar cells, that convert sunlight into electricity. Arrays of photovoltaic devices can be mounted on buildings, carports, or open spaces.
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The Bridge Mill power plant dam on Blackstone River, Pawtucket, RI.
Photo by James Goldberg. -
Hydroelectric generation, similar to wind, relies on the rotation of a turbine by a moving fluid. As water runs downstream, dams capture its kinetic energy and convert it to electricity. Due to its terrain and possession of few major rivers, Rhode Island has little reserves of hydropower.
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Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation's landfill gas-to-energy power plant.
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Biomass is any organic material, derived from plants or animals, that can be burned to produce harnessable energy. Often biomass is converted into a liquid (liquid biofuels, like ethanol and biodiesel) or gas (biogas). Solid biomass includes woody plant matter and municipal solid waste (garbage). Liquid biofuels are produced from agriculture, and biogas is usually captured from the decomposition of solid biomass in landfills or sites with animal manure.
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