7.2.1—Energy source types
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2026
- Objective
- 7.2.1
- Level
- SL
Renewable Is About Replenishment
Renewable energy sources are replenished or recur on a useful human timescale; non-renewable sources depend on finite stocks.
| Renewable sources | Non-renewable sources |
|---|---|
| wind, solar, tidal, wood, geothermal, hydropower | fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas), nuclear fuels |
Most energy released from these sources is converted to electricity. Judge the source separately from the turbines, dams, panels, reactors, power lines and other infrastructure used to capture and deliver it.
Sunlight recurs, but a solar farm still uses land and manufactured panels; nuclear generation is low-carbon in operation but uranium or plutonium fuel is non-renewable.
Renewable does not mean impact-free, and low-carbon does not mean renewable.