ABSTRACT
Renewable energy resources exist over wide geographical areas, in contrast to other energy sources, which are concentrated in a limited number of countries. In international public opinion surveys there is strong support for promoting renewable sources such as solar power and wind power, requiring utilities to use more renewable energy, and providing tax incentives to encourage the development and use of such technologies. Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on the way they capture, convert and distribute solar energy. They include the use of photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors to harness the energy. Biofuels include a wide range of fuels which are derived from biomass. About 16 per cent of global final energy consumption presently comes from renewable resources, with 10 per cent of all energy from traditional biomass, mainly used for heating, and 3.4 per cent from hydroelectricity. Geothermal energy is from thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth.
