Energy can be divided into two broad categories: renewable energy and non-renewable energy. Renewable energy sources can be continuously reused as they are found abundantly in nature. All are non-polluting, but the devices used to harvest energy can have a negative impact on the environment. They are free, but producing storage equipment or converting it into another form of energy can be expensive. An example of using renewable energy is the solar panel, which is a collection of solar cells. Solar cells convert solar energy into electrical energy. Solar panels are very expensive even if they cost nothing to run. They are installed in places that must have sunlight. The efficiency is 10-20% the environmental impact is that it requires very large areas, 40 km² are needed to produce the equivalent power of a modern power plant. It does not cause pollution but there are environmental concerns about the production of storage devices. The wind turbine is a device that converts the kinetic energy of the wind into the kinetic energy of the turbines. The turbines spin to generate electricity but only work when there is wind. Efficiency is 30-40%. The environmental impact is the need for many large turbines to generate electricity which can be noisy and unsightly. Turbines can endanger birds and bats. Hydroelectric power is when electricity is generated when water in an uphill reservoir flows downhill. The gravitational potential energy of water is transformed into kinetic energy of flowing water that drives turbines to generate electricity. The efficiency is above 90%. The environmental impact is flooding of a large area and affects the ecology of the area. It can cause drought downstream if not managed properly, it does not cause i...... middle of paper......rbilines in Port Elizabeth are used to creating kinetics and the turbines are powerful enough to power a small town. The Coelga wind farm was the first wind farm built in South Africa in the Eastern Cape; thanks to the success of the wind farm, many others were built. The problem with wind turbines is that they cannot be used in a place like Gauteng, because the wind is minimal and the wind turbines cannot be turned and energy cannot be produced. South Africa wastes a lot of money on non-renewable energy sources to create electricity, such as coal. The construction of wind turbines, hydroelectric power plants, etc. They are expensive, but once built they are free since they use renewable energy sources. They do not contribute to global warming unlike nuclear power plants which are extremely harmful to the air. There is also the risk of an accident like Chernobyl.