What are conventional energy and new energy?

Conventional energy, also known as traditional energy, refers to energy that has been produced on a large scale and widely used at this stage. For example, coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy are all disposable and non-renewable conventional energy sources. Hydropower belongs to renewable energy.

New energy is systematically developed and utilized on the basis of new technologies, such as solar energy, wind energy, ocean energy and geothermal energy. Compared with conventional energy sources, new energy sources have smaller production scale and narrower application scope. The division between conventional energy and new energy is relative. Taking nuclear fission energy as an example, it was considered as a new energy source when it was used for power generation and power in the early 1950s. In the 1980s, many countries in the world listed it as a conventional energy source. The utilization of solar energy and wind energy predates nuclear fission energy for many centuries. Because they need systematic research and development to improve the utilization efficiency and expand the scope of use, they are still listed as new energy sources.