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What is renewable energy?
Mis à jour le
March 6, 2026
5
Min reading
In this era of ecological transition, we are hearing more and more about renewable energies (EnR) and their positive impact on the environment.
What is it about in concrete terms? What are the different renewable energy sources that exist? What are their advantages and limitations? SirEnergies answers this question.
What is a renewable energy source?
An energy is said to be renewable when it is produced from a natural resource or source that is constantly being reconstituted. It is therefore opposed to non-renewable energies (fossil fuels) extracted from fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, oil) and whose stocks are depleted over time.
Main pillars of the energy transition, renewables are very popular because of the low environmental impact of their operation. In particular, it generates very little waste and emits an insignificant quantity of polluting gases compared to fossil fuels.
This is why they are often nicknamed clean energies or green energies. However, their energy power is much lower than that of fossil fuels.
What are the different types of renewable energies?
From the sky to the depths of the earth, there are numerous sources of renewable energy that can currently be exploited:
The mode of energy production varies from one source to another.
Solar energy
This green energy is shot directly from the sun's rays. For this purpose, we use photovoltaic panels composed of silicon which absorb solar radiation and transform it into electricity. This electricity is then stored in batteries for industrial or domestic use.
Setting up a solar power plant for energy production is very easy, as it does not require major work. Solar panels can be installed on all types of floors, as long as the space is large and well exposed to the sun.
The cost of such an installation varies according to its power. Count between 15,000 and 20,000 euros for a 9 kWp installation capable of producing from 8,100 kWh to 12,600 kWh per year.
The sun's rays can also be used as thermal energy source to supply heating equipment or to produce domestic hot water. In this case, we are talking about solar thermal energy. It is also sometimes used to produce electricity.
Wind energy
Wind energy is produced by the force of the wind that causes blades connected to an alternator to rotate. The latter transforms mechanical energy Derived from the movement of the blades (between 10 and 20 revolutions per minute) In electricity.
There are several types of wind energy on the market: onshore, offshore, floating wind turbines... Whatever the device, a minimum wind input of 12 km/h is required for wind energy to be produced. For full power production, winds of around 60 km/h are necessary.
It takes around 55,000 euros to set up a 10 kW wind installation, capable of producing up to 20,000 kWh/year if the atmospheric conditions are optimal.
Hydroelectric power
Hydroelectric energy is produced from the force of water (rivers, rivers, ocean currents). The latter activates turbines whose movement creates electricity.. Hydroelectric power plants are generally powered by dams that allow water flow to be modulated according to energy needs. The higher the flow of a waterfall, the more energy it can create.
There are also some power plants called” Over the water ” that are not fed by dams. Their power varies according to the natural flow of the watercourse. Metropolitan France has more than 2,000 hydroelectric installations.
The cost of installing such a power plant varies between 30,000 euros and 90,000 euros for an average power of 10 kW.
Biomass
Biomass energy comes from animal or vegetable organic matter: organic waste, livestock effluents, wood, sludge from treatment plants, manures, slurries... It is extracted using thermal processes such as:
- Pyrolysis
- Gasification
- Direct combustion
Biochemical processes such as methanization are also used to transform wood into energy.
Biomass makes it possible to obtain electricity or heat as needed. It is also possible to produce both at the same time: we speak in this case of cogeneration. This green energy has almost no impact on the environment since the quantity of CO2 it emits is exactly equivalent to that absorbed by plants during their growth.
Geothermal energy
Earth's heat is an unlimited source of energy stored in rain or sea water that seeps into the Earth's crust. To extract geothermal energy, This hot water is pumped under pressure to the surface by drilling in the basement..
During the ascent, it loses pressure and is transformed into steam. It is this steam that is used to produce electricity through the rotation of a turbine connected to an alternator. The only power plant that produces geothermal electricity this way in France is located in Bouillante in Guadeloupe.
Apart from industrial plants, some devices such as heat pumps can also directly exploit the earth's energy to produce heat thanks to sensors buried in the ground.
The renewable energies of the future
Some natural resources that are still under study could join the list of renewable energy sources in the near future. These include cloud humidity and magma from the Earth's core.. Numerous technologies are also being developed to better exploit marine energy.
What are the different renewable energy sources in France and around the world?
Renewable energies are booming in the world. In 2014, they covered 19.2% of global energy consumption. The following year, they provided 23.7% of electricity production, with an increase in wind and solar photovoltaic power. Since then, these numbers have continued to rise, while costs have been falling.
The trend is also the same in France. In 2017, renewable energies covered 18.4% of national electricity consumption. The energy mix in France, 13.9% is composed of renewable energies (with 9.7% for biomass only).
By 2030, the share of renewable energies in gross energy consumption is expected to increase to 32%.
In conclusion, renewable energy is energy produced from unlimited sources such as wind, sun, water, and heat from the earth. It provides a reliable response to the challenges of ecological transition.
To go further, we answered another equally interesting question, namely: Is it possible to supply an entire country with renewable energy?
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The answers to your questions
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The €/MWh is a price unit used in wholesale markets, while kWh is the unit visible on your bills.
Pourquoi la France a-t-elle exporté un volume record d'électricité en 2025 ?
Ce record de 92,3 TWh s'explique par la conjonction de trois facteurs :
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One invoice consists of several elements: consumption, supplier share, taxes and contributions. The analysis of each line makes it possible to identify possible errors and to check the consistency with the signed contract.
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The range E @sy is available in four pricing structures to adapt to each risk profile:
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Why launch an energy tender?
Un appel d’offres permet de mettre en concurrence plusieurs fournisseurs d’électricité et de gaz afin d’obtenir des conditions contractuelles optimisées. C’est une démarche transparente qui permet de choisir l’offre la plus adaptée aux besoins budgétaires et techniques de l’organisation.
Quel est l'impact de ces exportations sur le prix de l'électricité pour les entreprises ?
L'abondance de production française tire les prix du marché de gros vers le bas.
En vertu du mécanisme de l'Ordre de Mérite (Merit Order), les centrales les moins coûteuses (nucléaire, renouvelables) couvrent la demande plus souvent, évinçant les centrales à gaz ou charbon plus onéreuses.
Cela multiplie les épisodes de prix bas, voire négatifs, sur le marché spot.
Is Bellenergie Business electricity really green?
Yes. The supplier guarantees an offer 100% renewable via the official Guarantees of Origin (GO) mechanism.
For the most demanding companies, the offer GREENVOLT+ ensures very low carbon intensity electricity, sourced exclusively from independent French producers (hydraulic, wind, solar).
Pourquoi mon contrat est-il en kVA et ma consommation en kWh ?
Le kVA mesure la capacité maximale que votre compteur peut supporter à un instant T, tandis que le kWh mesure la quantité d'énergie consommée sur une durée.
Qu'est-ce qui remplace l'ARENH depuis le 1er janvier 2026 ?
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Il devient alors indispensable de définir une stratégie d'achat d'électricité avec Sirenergies pour lisser l'impact de la volatilité des marchés sur votre budget.
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How to optimize the taxes and contributions of a community?
Communities are subject to taxes such as TICFE or TICGN. Sirenergies analyzes invoices, identifies exemption possibilities and fixes possible errors to reduce the tax burden.
Pourquoi le kVA est-il crucial pour les entreprises ?
Parce que la puissance souscrite en kVA détermine le prix de l'abonnement et que tout dépassement peut entraîner des surcoûts importants.
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Passer au LED avec pilotage intelligent permet de réduire la facture de 50 à 80 %, avec un retour sur investissement (ROI) rapide, souvent estimé à 2 ou 3 ans.
Which taxes are particularly relevant for farms?
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L'hydroélectricité est-elle une énergie "propre" ?
Oui, elle est considérée comme une énergie renouvelable à faibles émissions de gaz à effet de serre.
De plus, l'eau ne subit aucune transformation chimique durant le cycle de production et réintègre son milieu naturel en aval.
Cependant, la construction de barrages nécessite des mesures pour protéger les écosystèmes (débit minimum, passes à poissons).
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