What are the main types of renewable energy sources, and how do solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass energy technologies harness natural processes such as sunlight, wind movement, water flow, heat from the Earth's interior, and organic matter decomposition to generate clean and sustainable energy for electricity generation, heating, and transportation?

Renewable energy sources include solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass energy. Solar energy technologies, such as photovoltaic (PV) panels and solar thermal systems, capture sunlight and convert it into electricity or heat. Wind energy technologies, such as wind turbines, harness the kinetic energy of wind movement to generate electricity. Hydroelectric power plants utilize the gravitational potential energy of water stored in dams or flowing in rivers to drive turbines and produce electricity. Geothermal energy technologies extract heat from the Earth’s interior to generate electricity or provide direct heating and cooling. Biomass energy technologies utilize organic matter, such as wood, crop residues, or animal waste, to produce biofuels or generate heat and electricity through combustion or biochemical processes.