Energy Abbreviations

What is Energy?

Energy is the ability of something to do work, that is, to generate force in a given body, substance or physical system.

Etymologically, this term derives from the Greek ergos, whose original meaning is literally “work”.

In Physics, energy is associated with the ability of any body to produce work, action or motion.

The concept of energy is used figuratively to designate vigor, firmness and strength.

Example: “Do you still have the energy to run after so many hours of work?”

According to the laws of Physics, energy cannot be created, but only transformed (first principle of Thermodynamics), with each type of energy capable of causing certain and characteristic phenomena in physical systems.

The different sources of energy can be found in nature and are basically classified into two categories, according to the possibility of their maintenance and production: renewable energies (wind energy and solar energy, for example) and non-renewable energies (the from coal and oil, for example).

Learn more about the meaning of Renewable Energies and Non-Renewable Energies.

Forms of energy

Kinetic Energy: type of energy related to the movement of bodies;
Thermal Energy: form of energy related to heat and high temperatures;
Solar Energy: renewable alternative for supplying energy to various utilities by capturing the sun’s rays;
Wind Energy: alternative form of energy that comes from the winds;
Chemical Energy: type of energy that is stored in all materials with chemical bonds, and that is released when these bonds are broken or disturbed;
Electric energy: can be produced from hydroelectric plants or through renewable sources, such as solar and wind energy.
Nuclear Energy: Energy released when a nuclear reaction occurs.

What is renewable energy?

Renewable energy is the designation given to natural sources of energy that manage to renew themselves, that is, they never run out, as they are in constant regeneration.

Renewable energy sources pollute little or do not harm the environment, as they are considered clean energies, that is, they are provided by nature. In addition, its use does not contribute to the emission of gases or other toxic and harmful materials into the natural environment.

The alarming amount of pollutants released into the atmosphere, such as greenhouse gases, in addition to the imminent scarcity of fossil resources, such as oil, made the emergence and improvement of renewable energies an emergency.

Renewable energies are also classified as alternative energies, due to their guaranteed character (either in the present or in the future). Therefore, they are a source of sustainable energy.

On the other hand, non-renewable energies (such as oil and coal, for example) have a limit in the world and it would take millions of years for them to be replenished again.

Renewable energy sources

The types of renewable energy that exist in the world and that are most used today are:

Solar energy

The light obtained from the Sun, captured by ultraviolet and infrared rays, is transformed into energy, which is why it is considered an inexhaustible source. However, the implementation of solar receivers (photovoltaic panels) is still expensive, making it difficult to use them for large-scale energy production.

The sun’s energy can also be harnessed through solar panels (heliothermic energy) and in heating systems.

Wind Energy

It is the energy generated from the wind. These are wind turbines that transform wind energy into electrical energy. Wind turbines are shaped like a weather vane and produce and store energy. In addition to being a renewable source of energy, it is also clean, as it does not cause pollution.

Incidentally, wind has been used for many years as a “fuel” for human engineering.

Maremotriz energy

It is the energy that can be produced from the waves and tides of the oceans. This is considered a rather expensive energy medium to be deployed on a large scale.

It can be used in two ways, as potential or kinetic energy. The potential energy is obtained from the differences in heights between the tides (low and high), whereas the kinetic takes advantage of the sea currents.

Hydro-electric energy

It is a source of energy that comes from the waters. Hydroelectric plants use the force of water to drive turbines that help produce electricity. This is the main source of renewable energy in Brazil, due to its large number of rivers.

In order for production to be efficient, the plants must be built in regions of rivers with a high volume of water.

Biomass Energy

It is the energy generated from the decomposition of organic waste of animal and plant origin. The “fuel” extracted from this process is methane gas.

It is a clean energy source, as it has little environmental impact.

Geothermal energy

It is the energy generated from the high heat that exists below the earth’s crust, with temperatures reaching 5,000 degrees Celsius.

It can be used in three ways: in geothermal reservoirs, using geothermal fluids or using thermal water.

Advantages and disadvantages of renewable energy

Among the main advantages of renewable energy are:

are inexhaustible
can be implemented anywhere in the world, without a centralization of resources, as happens with oil, for example, which has the Middle East region as its biggest reserve,
less production of damage to the environment compared to non-renewable energies,
give more independence in energy production, as they use the natural resources present in the environment.

Among the disadvantages are:

some energy sources have a high investment and installation cost,
possible environmental damage, as with the installation of hydroelectric plants,
depend on weather conditions that cannot always be predictable,
the amount of energy obtained from renewable sources is not always sufficient for them to be the only sources adopted.

Renewable energy in Brazil

Brazil is a country with a lot of natural wealth, and the use of renewable energies represents almost 90% of the electric energy that is produced in the country, through hydroelectric plants, which use the power of hydraulic energy.

The country also began to invest heavily, from the beginning of the 21st century, mainly in the construction of solar receivers to produce energy through the rays of the Sun. In addition, in recent years, the country has also invested in the production of wind energy.

Brazil is the largest producer of ethanol in the world, a fuel used as an alternative to gasoline, made from petroleum. Ethanol is considered a renewable fuel because it is made from sugarcane. Therefore, half of the country’s automobile fleet uses ethanol as an energy source.

Non-renewable Energy

Non-renewable energies, unlike renewables, are those that can run out if used without control. In addition, they generally affect more the balance of the environment and some of these sources are quite polluting and cause severe damage to ecosystems.

Examples of non-renewable energies are: oil, natural gas, coal and nuclear energy.

What is Non-Renewable Energy:

Non-renewable energy is the designation given to an energy resource that, after being used, cannot be regenerated by humans or nature within a useful period.

Fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas are examples of non-renewable energy, because one day they will run out. Likewise, nuclear energy (uranium) is also a non-renewable type of energy. Uranium produces more efficient and cheaper energy than fossil fuels, however, its handling is more complicated, and the waste resulting from its use represents a greater threat to human beings.

In the current scenario of energy sources, non-renewable energies are the most used. Another characteristic of this type of energy is its potential for environmental pollution, as its use results in the release of carbon dioxide, and other toxic gases such as nitrogen oxide, sulfur and hydrocarbons. These gases are responsible for the occurrence of acid rain that pollutes soils and water. The carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, a consequence of the use of non-renewable resources, is one of the main causes of the greenhouse effect, one of the serious environmental problems of today.

Advantages and disadvantages

Non-renewable energies have advantages and disadvantages, and there are more disadvantages than advantages.

Disadvantages:

they are very polluting (for this reason they are considered a type of dirty energy);
they run out quickly;
have a limitation in spatial terms, originating from specific locations on Earth;
the costs of extraction, treatment and transport are very high;
in many cases, there is only profitability when the reserves are large;
cause serious environmental catastrophes.

Benefits:

have a high energy yield;
are easily transported;
can be used in a variety of ways;
encourage the creation of many jobs.

List of Acronyms Related to Energy