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Renewable energy

Renewable energy refers to power generated from natural sources that are continuously replenished on a human timescale, such as sunlight, wind, water, biomass, and geothermal heat. Unlike fossil fuels, which are finite and release carbon dioxide when burned, renewable energy sources are generally cleaner and more sustainable, offering a way to meet growing energy demands while reducing environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions.

Solar energy harnesses sunlight using photovoltaic panels or solar thermal systems to generate electricity or heat. Wind energy uses turbines driven by air currents to produce power, often on land or offshore. Hydropower captures the energy of moving water, typically from rivers or dams, to turn turbines and generate electricity. Biomass energy is produced by burning or converting organic materials like wood, crop waste, or algae. Geothermal energy taps into the Earth’s internal heat to produce electricity or provide direct heating.

The transition to renewable energy is a central goal in efforts to combat climate change, improve energy security, and reduce air and water pollution. Advances in technology, declining costs, and supportive policies have accelerated the growth of renewable energy worldwide, making it an increasingly competitive and reliable alternative to fossil fuels. Integrating renewable sources into power grids, developing energy storage solutions, and modernizing infrastructure are key challenges as countries seek to build more resilient and sustainable energy systems for the future.

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Earth & Climate News

February 2, 2026

As demand for critical metals grows, scientists have taken a rare, close look at life on the deep Pacific seabed where mining may soon begin. Over five years and 160 days at sea, researchers documented nearly 800 species, many previously unknown. ...
SAR11 bacteria dominate the world’s oceans by being incredibly efficient, shedding genes to survive in nutrient-poor waters. But that extreme streamlining appears to backfire when conditions change. Under stress, many cells keep copying their DNA ...
Scientists studying ancient ocean fossils found that the Arabian Sea was better oxygenated 16 million years ago, even though the planet was warmer than today. Oxygen levels only plunged millions of years later, after the climate cooled, defying ...
Small mammals are early warning systems for environmental damage, but many species look almost identical, making them hard to track. Scientists have developed a new footprint-based method that can tell apart nearly indistinguishable species with ...
Scientists have created a device that captures carbon dioxide and transforms it into a useful chemical in a single step. The new electrode works with realistic exhaust gases rather than requiring purified CO2. It converts the captured gas into ...
After analyzing 40 years of tree records across the Andes and Amazon, researchers found that climate change is reshaping tropical forests in uneven ways. Some regions are steadily losing tree species, especially where conditions are hotter and ...
A new building material developed by engineers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute could change how the world builds. Made using an enzyme that turns carbon dioxide into solid minerals, the material cures in hours and locks away carbon instead of ...
Mountain regions around the world are heating up faster than the lands below them, triggering dramatic shifts in snow, rain, and water supply that could affect over a billion people. A major global review finds that rising temperatures are turning ...
Plastic-coated fertilizers used on farms are emerging as a major but hidden source of ocean microplastics. A new study found that only a tiny fraction reaches beaches through rivers, while direct drainage from fields to the sea sends far more ...
Tiny plastic particles drifting through the oceans may be quietly weakening one of Earth’s most powerful climate defenses. New research suggests microplastics are disrupting marine life that helps oceans absorb carbon dioxide, while also releasing ...
New research shows tropical forests can recover twice as fast after deforestation when their soils contain enough nitrogen. Scientists followed forest regrowth across Central America for decades and found that nitrogen plays a decisive role in how ...
In the rapidly disappearing Atlantic Forest, mosquitoes are adapting to a human-dominated landscape. Scientists found that many species now prefer feeding on people rather than the forest’s diverse wildlife. This behavior dramatically raises the ...

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