Natural Gas flame. Image credit money.cnn.com
ZIMSEC O Level Geography Notes: Natural Resources:Energy: Classification of energy sources
- One way of classification is by grouping energy sources into traditional and modern sources.
| Traditional | Modern |
|---|---|
| Wood fuel | Water (HEP) |
| Charcoal | Nuclear power |
| Straw/grass | Geo-thermal power |
| Crop residues (stalks) | Thermal power from coal, oil and natural gas or wood |
| Cow dung | Tidal power |
| Sun | Solar |
| Wind | Wind |
| Water | |
| Biogas |
- Some sources and types belong to both groups.
- For example canoeing down a river uses the force of the moving water, a very ancient exercise indeed while a hydro-electric power station utilizes water to generate electricity.
- Another method of classification energy resources is to divide them into two groups, renewable and non-renewable.
- Renewable energy sources are those which are infinite and replenish or regenerate themselves naturally as long as they are not over exploited.
- Non-renewable energy resources are exhaustible, getting used up and running out with more exploitation and use.
| Renewable | Non-renewable |
|---|---|
| Sun (solar) | Coal |
| Wind | Oil |
| Water | Natural gas |
| Wood | Tar sands |
| Grass/straws | Nuclear (uranium, platinum, strontium, iridium) |
| Crop residues/stalks | |
| Geo-thermal power | |
| Atomic power |
- Energy sources like wood, though renewable, may be exhausted through over-exploitation and overuse.
To access more topics go to the O Level Geography Notes page
