Energy is created a number of ways to provide power to all forms of developed technology. The creation of energy can be separated into two categories of resources used, which are:

1. Unsustainable and Finite (Non-Renewable) Resources, or
2. Sustainable Renewable Resources.

Unsustainable and Finite (Non-Renewable) Resources
Unsustainable and finite resources used for energy production involve the extraction of a particular resource from the Earth and at present are the major sources of energy used in society. These resources have formed within or on the Earth over many hundreds of millions of years, and the waste generated from using these resources to create energy is extremely detrimental to the environment. These finite resources include:

Wood

Coal

Oil

Uranium

Gas

Sustainable Renewable Resources
Sustainable renewable resources are clean, non waste producing, and therefore not detrimental to the environment. They harness the natural energy continually produced on Earth, and transform it into energy which can be used. These resources include:

Wind Power - uses the energy in wind to turn blades on wind turbines to produce electricity.

Solar Power - involves using solar cells (Photovoltaic cells) to convert the sun’s rays into electricity. Solar energy is regarded as being one of the most infinite forms of energy.

Hydroelectricity - uses flowing water to turn turbines which generate electricity. Renewable hydro generation is electricity generation obtained from running water without damaging the environment in the process.

Tidal Power - areas where tidal range is particularly large are used to collect water in holding areas when the tide is in and releasing it at once to turn turbines which generate electricity

Biomass Generation is electricity generated from using organic sources – such as plant material or methane gas from rubbish tips.

Geothermal - involves applying water to hot areas in the Earth’s core to generate steam which turns turbines as is rushes towards the Earth’s surface.

Hot Rock Energy - involves injecting water into a borehole and circulated through a "heat exchanger" of hot cracked rock several kilometres below the surface. The water is heated through contact with the rock and is then returned to the surface through another borehole where it is used to generate electricity.