What are Primary Energy Resources?

Primary energy resources are those, which are mined or otherwise obtained from the environment.

Examples:

(a) Fossil Fuels: Coal, Lignite, Crude Oil. Natural gas etc

(b) Nuclear Fuels: Uranium, Thorium, Deuterium, other nuclei used in fission or fusion reactions.

(c) Hydro Energy: The energy of falling water is used to turn turbines of mill wheels.

(d) Geothermal: The heat from the underground-streams or the heat stored in the hot rocks beneath the earth’s surface.

(e) Solar Energy: Electromagnetic radiation from the sun, particularly important for photosynthesis, which is the basis of all life on earth.

(f) Wind energy: The mechanical energy of moving air used by windmills.

(g) Tidal Energy: The energy associated with the rise and fall of the tidal waters.

The primary energy resources can be further classified into renewable resources and non­renewable resources.

Renewable Resources: They are those which are not exhaustible and which can provide a continuous supply such as wood, solar and wind energy, geothermal energy.

Non-renewable Resources: These resources are finite and exhaustible such as fossil fuels and nuclear fuels.

Fossil Fuels: Coal, petroleum, natural gas etc.

Nuclear fuels: Like Uranium, Thorium, and Deuterium etc.