Which energy source is incorrectly matched?

Which energy source is incorrectly matched?

• A. Geothermal - renewable
• B. Geothermal - nonrenewable
• C. Solar - renewable
• D. Wind - renewable

Answer: (B)

Renewable energy comes from sources that replenish naturally and can meet our demand without running out on human timescales. Geothermal energy uses the Earth’s heat, which is continually produced and accessible in many places; with good management (for example, reinjecting fluids to sustain reservoirs) it can be sustained over time. So geothermal is renewable, not nonrenewable. The other pairings—solar and wind as renewable—fit the expectation that these sources use abundant, ongoing inputs. The statement pairing geothermal with nonrenewable is the mismatched one.

Renewable energy comes from sources that replenish naturally and can meet our demand without running out on human timescales. Geothermal energy uses the Earth’s heat, which is continually produced and accessible in many places; with good management (for example, reinjecting fluids to sustain reservoirs) it can be sustained over time. So geothermal is renewable, not nonrenewable. The other pairings—solar and wind as renewable—fit the expectation that these sources use abundant, ongoing inputs. The statement pairing geothermal with nonrenewable is the mismatched one.