Energy Generation

To generate energy, we must have some source to generate energy from. While energy is everywhere, only certain sources can be efficiently used.

Energy Sources

Following is a table of the most common sources of energy that are available to us today. These sources have been categorized into the 10 types of energy.

As you can see, useful sources have not been found for all 10 types of energy. Some sources are used a lot in our modern world, while others are still being developed.

Fuel cells and fusion are being researched for future use, while wind, solar, and geothermal have been around for years but have not been cheap enough to be used extensively. These available but not yet competitive sources (like solar) are often called alternative energy sources.

Note that the potential energy sources can be stored for future use. Oil from your home storage tank can sit for years until it is needed. The kinetic energy sources must be used as they are available since they cannot be stored. Once the sunshine or solar energy hits the ground, it no longer can be collected by a solar panel.

Also, some of these sources tend to be used to produce energy (or power - more on this later) in large power plants that produce electrical energy. While electrical energy is kinetic and cannot be stored, it can be easily distributed long distances to where it is needed, to industrial plants or to your home.