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Energy Sources

Learn more about Solar, Water, Biomass, Geothermal, and Wind Energy.

Learn more about how we use Nuclear Energy.

Learn more about how we use Electricity as an energy source.

Learn more about our Fossil Energy sources: Coal, Oil, and Natural Gas.

Tapping into Wave and Tidal Ocean Power: 15% Water Power by 2030
A map generated by Georgia Tech's tidal energy resource database shows mean current speed of tidal streams. The East Coast, as shown above, has strong tides that could be tapped to produce energy.  | Photo courtesy of Georgia Institute of Technology

In the most rigorous analyses undertaken to date, two recently released resource assessments show that waves and tidal currents off the nation's coasts contain enough energy to provide a significant portion our nation’s total annual electricity usage.

Energy Matters: Clean Energy Technology Markets

Watch the full video of Senior Advisor Richard Kauffman October 20, 2011 live chat on energy.gov. He spoke about what drew him to the Department from the private sector, and answered questions -- via email, Twitter and Facebook -- on innovation and deployment, and on how we can ensure U.S. leadership in the global renewable energy race.


Fish-Friendly Turbine Making a Splash in Water Power
A computer simulation of the Alden Fish-Friendly Turbine.

A revolutionary new turbine technology for hydropower plants is one step closer to its first commercial deployment. The Alden Fish-Friendly Turbine could change the game for hydropower generation in the United States, and it is likely to have significant export potential.

The How's and Why's of Replacing the Whole Barrel
A 42-U.S. gallon barrel of crude oil yields about 45 gallons of petroleum products. Source: Energy Information Administration, “Oil: Crude Oil and Petroleum Products Explained” and Annual Energy Outlook 2009 (Updated February 2010).

For many, a barrel of oil is almost synonymous with its most prominent product, gasoline. While almost 40% of a barrel of oil is used to produce gasoline, the rest is used to produce a host of products including jet fuel and plastics and many industrial chemicals. As the United States works to reduce its dependence on foreign oil, we must recognize the complexity of that dependence and work to replace the whole barrel.