Renewable energy is the term used to describe energy that comes from sources whose supplies are regenerative and virtually inexhaustible. They are either continuously resupplied by the sun or tap inexhaustible resources. Renewable energy is defined as an energy source that is naturally replaced by an on-going process at a rate greater than the rate of usage.

Renewable energy is naturally intermittent. Renewable energy is any sustainable energy source that comes from the natural environment. The most common forms of renewable energy are solar, wind, water or hydro, biomass and geothermal energy. Renewables have proved they can meet the energy needs of industrial and developing countries alike, and are offering real solutions to a world facing accelerating global energy demand and rising concerns about energy supplies and environmental impacts.

In China, where lights have been going out in major cities because power supplies are not keeping up with exploding demand, renewables have the potential to provide clean energy from domestic sources and diversify China’s energy economy. Renewable energy sources include solar, wind, and biomass (toxic methane gas from landfills diverted to create electricity). Certificate prices vary depending on the blend of energy sources.

Renewable energy offers the promise of an unlimited domestic energy supply, with less impact to the environment. One of the challenges of renewable energy, however, is making it cost-effective to use. Reducing our demand for imported oil is certainly a laudable goal, but we can’t drill our way to energy independence. The reason is simple: America has, by best estimates, only 3 percent of the world’s oil reserves.

Renewable energy does not just serve existing demand for wind power, but actively grows the potential market for wind power with innovative marketing strategies. Renewable energy is energy that is easily replaced or supplied by a nearly infinite source, such as the sun or the wind. Some examples are solar, wind, hydro and geothermal. Recent developments indicate that this is becoming true of solar energy, too.