New energy is defined as follows: energy based on new technologies and materials that enables the modern development and utilization of traditional renewable energy sources. Its objective is to replace finite, environmentally polluting fossil fuels with inexhaustible, perpetually replenishing renewable energy sources, with a primary focus on developing solar, wind, biomass, tidal, geothermal, hydrogen, and nuclear (atomic) energy.
Generally speaking, "new energy" refers to renewable energy sources that are developed and utilized based on new technologies. These include solar, biomass, wind, geothermal, wave, ocean current, and tidal energy, as well as energy derived from the thermal gradients between the ocean's surface and its depths; additionally, this category encompasses hydrogen, biogas, alcohol, and methanol.
Broadly speaking, "conventional energy" refers to energy sources for which the technology is relatively mature and which are already utilized on a large scale; conversely, "new energy" typically refers to sources that have not yet been utilized on a large scale but are currently the subject of active research and development.
Consequently, coal, petroleum, natural gas, and large-to-medium-scale hydropower are classified as conventional energy sources, whereas solar, wind, modern biomass, geothermal, ocean, and hydrogen energy are classified as new energy sources. With advancements in technology and the growing adoption of sustainable development principles, industrial and domestic organic waste-previously regarded merely as refuse-has been reevaluated. It is now the subject of intensive research, development, and utilization as a valuable resource for energy recovery; thus, the resource-oriented utilization of waste can also be considered a form of new energy technology.
