Biomass
Utilizing organic matter, biomass energy is generating a new support for the agricultural and forestry industries. Derived from plants and animals, biomass is currently being converted into three main areas of energy generation: biofuel, bioproducts, and biopower. Also encompassing waste products that can be recycled into energy, reducing landfill levels and offering landscape cleanup, biomass industries continue to explore the possibilities of capitalizing on lumber mill scraps, sugar cane, corn crops, seaweed, soybeans, and wheat stocks as sources of energy.

Currently accounting for 47 percent of renewable energy generation or 4 percent of the total energy produced in the U.S., biomass has the potential to cultivate up to 20 percent of the total energy market.

For more information, visit the US Dept. of Energy Biomass Program

Geothermal
Translated from Greek, geothermal energy literally means ‘earth-heat’. Derived from steam and hot water below the earth’s surface, geothermal energy is currently utilized in three types of power generation: dry steam, flash and binary. Dry steam plants directly import geothermal steam for turbine use, whereas flash plants pull high-pressure hot water into low-pressure tanks, converting the liquid into flashed steam energy. Binary-cycle plants combine hot and cool temped water resulting in the production of vapor to drive turbine acceleration. All three plants inject access steam and fluid back into the earth’s surface to generate additional heat and ultimately encouraging the process to continue.

On a worldwide scale, the U.S. currently has the largest production capacity for geothermal power. Geothermal plants are generally located near volcanic regions, due to a high concentration of surface heat.

For more information, visit the Renewable Energy Project Policy

Hydropower
Defined as the power of moving water, hydropower is currently the leading renewable energy source used by electric utilities to generate electric power in the U.S. With the ability to produce itself from ocean, tidal and in-stream outlets, hydropower is considered to be an extremely cost effective, reliable, climate friendly available source of energy. Hydropower can be captured or generated through the use of turbines, generators and even through dams.

According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy, Alaska, Washington, California, Idaho, Oregon and Montana have the highest power potential; however, the U.S. is ranked second, behind Canada, in its production of hydro-electric power worldwide. Additional benefits from hydropower projects include: wildlife conservations, an improvement in the quality of water, provision of recreational outlets, and a balance water ecosystems.

For more information, visit the National Hydropower Association

Solar Power
Referring to the use of energy and light emitted by the sun, solar power is considered to be one of the most abundant sources available today. According to the American Solar Energy Society, enough sunlight reaches the earth’s surface each minute to meet world energy demands for an entire year. Its very nature also provides opportunities to harvest energy from wind, water and vegetation.

Two types of solar power exist today: thermal power, which translates itself into heat, and photovoltaic power, known to generate electricity. As technology advances, solar power has the potential to dramatically lower the cost of energy.

For more information, visit the American Solar Energy Society

Wind
Harnessing air in motion, wind energy is a converted form of solar power. Captured by wind turbines, wind energy is the fastest growing form of renewable energy in the world. Predicted to provide up to 20 percent of the energy market in the U.S., opportunities within the industry are promising; research and exploration continues on the home front in the areas of on-shore, near-shore and off-shore farms installations.

Although it currently produces less than one percent of world-wide electricity use, wind energy accounts for approximately 20 percent of energy consumption in Denmark, 9 percent in Spain and 7 percent in Germany.

For more information, visit the American Wind Energy Association