These are the best types of energy sources

When looking at energy providers on a global scale, the United States is one of the largest. It uses and produces many types and sources of energy, with a current 1st place ranking in the production and consumption of oil. You can read reviews of these energy providers to gain insight on their production and consumption rates. The energy sector can be split into two categories: primary energy sources and secondary energy sources.

Primary energy sources are the top energy providers as they are refined and used to create electricity. Primary energy source are as follows:
1) Fossil fuels:
Fossil fuels are the largest sources of energy for electricity generation, and account for 80% of total energy generation in the United States. Natural fuels such as coal and gas are formed from the fossilized remains of animals and plants. They are extracted by drilling. Fossil fuels are excellent energy sources due to their ability to burn in air to produce heat. They are also used to produce steam to drive generators that produce energy such as electricity. Fossil fuels do unfortunately contribute to climate change as their by-product is carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas which causes heat to be trapped and warms the earth’s atmosphere. This is known as global warming.

2) Solar Power:
Solar power is an excellent source of sustainable energy, and contributes to 8 to 10% of energy use in America. Solar power is generated from sunlight and wind, which are used in solar panels and wind turbines to generate energy. While they do still need electricity to operate these turbines, they have low greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels. Solar panels are initially expensive to install, but with the money saved on electricity costs, the return investments are easy to see.

3) Hydropower:
Hydropower plants are responsible for 7.3% of the United State’s energy generation. States with hydropower plants have the benefit of paying less for their electricity. Energy in hydropower is produced with moving water, and is pushed through water turbines to create power. It is a consistent form of energy production as water is constantly moving. The only challenge hydropower plants face is loss of resources (water) due to climate change.

4) Nuclear Power:
Nuclear power is one of the cheapest forms of energy production. There are currently 96 nuclear reactors in the USA, which produce 20% of the energy required by consumers. Nuclear power uses nuclear fission of uranium and plutonium. This is when there is a subdivision in the cells. It is a clean energy source and does not produce greenhouse emissions. There is therefore little to no effect on the climate and environment. With technological advancement and innovation, hydropower plants have the ability to one day power entire cities.

With so many energy sources, it is clear why America is one of the top producers of energy in the world. With innovation, many of these energy sources could one day replace traditional energy sources such as the oil and gas industry.