renewable energy

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alternative energy summary

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Queen Elizabeth II addresses at opening of Parliament. (Date unknown on photo, but may be 1958, the first time the opening of Parliament was filmed.)

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renewable energy

Also known as: alternative energy

Written by Noelle Eckley Selin

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Apr 27, 2025 • Article History

Also called:: alternative energy

Key People:: T. Boone Pickens; Daniel G. Nocera

Related Topics:: geothermal energy; wind power; solar energy; biofuel; solar power

See all related content

News •

Shanghai Auto Show Offers Glimpse of a Future Without Fossil Fuels • Apr. 24, 2025, 1:26 AM ET (Bloomberg.com)

Millions invested in big batteries amid net zero transition • Apr. 23, 2025, 4:32 AM ET (ABC News (Australia))

Climate and environment updates: Surging AI needs could drive eco-friendly energy gains, report says • Apr. 17, 2025, 11:25 AM ET (ABC News (U.S.))

Renewables provided record 32% of global electricity in 2024, Ember says • Apr. 9, 2025, 5:13 AM ET (Reuters)

Tariffs Are Likely to Hit U.S. Renewable Energy • Apr. 3, 2025, 6:27 AM ET (New York Times)

renewable energy, usable energy derived from replenishable sources such as the Sun (solar energy), wind (wind power), rivers (hydroelectric power), hot springs (geothermal energy), tides (tidal power), and biomass (biofuels). At the beginning of the 21st century, about 80 percent of the world’s energy supply was derived from fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Fossil fuels are finite resources; most estimates suggest that the proven reserves of oil are large enough to meet global demand at least until the middle of the 21st century. Fossil fuel combustion has a number of negative environmental consequences. Fossil-fueled power plants ...(100 of 578 words)

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