 Today, electric energy technologies have a central role in social and economic development at all scales  Energy is closely linked to environmental pollution and degradation, to economic development and quality of life  Today, we are mostly dependent on nonrenewable fossil fuels that have been and will continue to be a major cause of pollution and climate change  Finding sustainable alternatives is becoming increasingly urgent

Conventional Energy Sources are the ones that we have been using so far to fulfill most of our daily energy requirements of cooking, lighting,transportation. These are based on fossil fuels like coal, petrol, diesel kerosene and Natural gas. Fossil fuels are obtained from degradable Materials(Plant & animal) The formation of these fuels takes millions of years (after undergoing Heat, pressure, chemical and biological reaction)

Disadvantage  Limited Fossil Fuels  Environmental Impact of Fossil Fuels  Burning fossil fuels produce CO2 --> Global warming  Nuclear=Danger  Nuclear waste will remain toxic for many thousands of years  Fossil fuel supply will decrease --> Price increase

Energy is defined as the ability of a system to cause external action Forms of energy: mechanical energy (i.e. potential or kinetic energy), thermal, electric and chemical energy, nuclear energy and solar energy The ability to perform work becomes visible by force, heat and light The ability to perform work from chemical energy [Car- gasoline burns (Chemical energy )- move pistons and moves car (Mechanical energy) ], (Coal-Steam) nuclear and solar energy is only given if these forms of energy are transformed into mechanical and/or thermal energy

Substances which have not yet undergone any technical conversion Energy carriers that are produced from Primary or other secondary energy carriers, either directly or by one or several technical conversion processes Energy streams directly consumed by the final user Energy available to the consumer after the last conversion step to satisfy the respective requirements or energy demands

 Utilization of renewable energies is not at all new  Industrial Revolution changed the energy trend In pre industrial era Fuel wood (Major source of energy) After invention of steam engine (Fuel- Coal) After invention of Internal Combustion engine (Fuel-Petrol, Diesel, natural gas)  However, Undesirable Side effects of fossil fuel utilization (environmental and climate effect and price increase )  Price increase for fossil fuel energy on the global energy markets in the last few years

 The search for environmental, climate-friendly and social acceptable, alternatives suitable to cover the energy demand has become increasingly important.

Renewable energy is energy from sources that are constantly being formed

 solar energy  wind energy  the power from living things: biomass  the power from moving water: hydro/micro-hydro and tidal waves  Earth's heat: Geothermal