Depending on the type of energy sources used to produce electricity, we can classify electricity generation into two major groups:

Renewable electricity generation
 

Renewable energy comes from a natural source such as wind power, water power, or the heat of the sun. They are therefore inexhaustible sources of energy and are more environmentally friendly. Some examples of renewable sources are:

  • Wind energy: Wind farms, utilizing wind turbines, use air currents to transform the kinetic energy of the wind into electricity. It's an inexhaustible source but somewhat unstable as it is subject to atmospheric conditions. 
  • Photovoltaic solar energy: It's obtained when sunlight hits solar panels, producing electrons which, when they move, create a flow of electricity. At present, solar panels are intelligent and can change their own orientation and inclination, following the sun’s trajectory at all times for greater efficiency. Although more stable than wind power, it is also subject to environmental conditions. 
  • Hydropower: This energy is a traditional and sustainable practice, which is why it continues to be one of the most demanded renewable sources. However, it requires more infrastructure than the previous cases since it involves the construction of dams or dykes. By using a system of hydraulic turbines, the force of moving water is harnessed to produce electricity.

Non-renewable electricity generation:

By contrast, non-renewable energy sources use limited natural resources to generate electricity. In addition, they are generally not as accessible as they are only found in certain parts of the planet. Depending on how they are extracted, they can be classified into two different groups:

  • Energy from fossil fuels: This energy is generated from burning fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas. Although the trend is for us to depend less and less on them to advance in decarbonization, the reality is that they still play an important role in the energy mix, particularly when it comes to natural gas due to its lower carbon emissions.  
  • Energy from nuclear fuels: Uranium is the most common nuclear fuel and can be found in nature in three different isotopes. The nuclear fission process is the most widely used and best known for producing nuclear energy. Due to the reactions triggered in this process, an enormous amount of energy can be released. However, it has the disadvantage of producing radioactive nuclear waste after the process. 
  • Types of electricity

Dynamic electricity

Dynamic energy, as the name implies, involves movement. In the case of dynamic electricity, electrons travel through a closed circuit thanks to the use of conductive materials such as metal wires. 

Static electricity

This is from the accumulation of excess electrical charge on non-conductive materials. An electrostatic charge arises, for example, after the separation of two surfaces in contact, as in the case of friction between hair and a balloo

Electromagnetic energy

This energy propagates through waves through a space called an electromagnetic field. It's the energy of the waves emitted by microwave ovens or X-rays, for example.