Energy Resources
Middle School
Definition
Sources of energy used by people, grouped as renewable or non-renewable. Renewable sources such as solar, wind, and hydro are naturally replenished, while non-renewable sources such as coal, oil, and gas are limited and release pollution when burned.
Worked examples
Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity without running out or producing pollution.
Solar is a renewable energy resource because the sun replenishes it every day.
Burning coal in a power plant releases carbon dioxide and depletes the coal supply.
Coal is non-renewable because it formed over millions of years and cannot be replaced quickly.
A wind turbine generates power from moving air, which is naturally replenished by weather patterns.
Wind is renewable and clean, making it an increasingly important energy resource.
Common mistakes
- Natural gas is renewable because it comes from nature. → Natural gas is non-renewable because it takes millions of years to form and is limited. "Natural" does not mean renewable — formation time and supply determine the category.
- Renewable resources never cause any environmental impact. → Renewable resources have lower impact but can still affect ecosystems (e.g., dams alter rivers). Renewable means replenishable, not zero-impact; construction and land use still matter.
Where you'll use it next
You'll apply energy resources when studying climate change, sustainability, and energy policy in environmental science and social studies, and when analyzing energy transformations and efficiency in physics.
See also
Reviewed by Pat Cheng, M.Ed. — StudyPug Curriculum Lead · Last updated June 6, 2026