According to Penn State, “renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources—such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat—which are renewable (naturally replenished).”2 Ranging from solar power, wind power, hydropower, biomass, and biofuels, there are a number of ways that renewable energy can be harnessed and utilized in our everyday lives. Not only is renewable energy a sustainable and clean alternative to oil, but it is also versatile in that it is generated from natural resources, which means that “this energy cannot be exhausted and is constantly renewed.

In recent years, a movement to put renewable and clean energy at the forefront of our research priorities has been taking place throughout U.S. cities. With economic stimulation needed more than ever, the growing clean energy sector – which generates hundreds of billions of dollars annually – could be the answer that the United States has been looking for.1 One of the biggest priorities of the Energy Department is to assess and address the effects of climate change. As President Obama has stated in his Climate Action Plan (www.whitehouse.gov/share/climate-action-plan), it is more important than ever to accelerate clean energy and lead the international community in establishing research and compiling data on renewable resources.