Is Chemical Energy Renewable or Nonrenewable?

Chemical energy can be either renewable or nonrenewable, depending on what kind of chemical energy you are referring to.  Chemical energy can refer to heating with fossil fuels, photosynthesis, or even our own body heat.

Chemical energy is defined as 'Energy liberated by a chemical reaction or absorbed in the formation of a chemical compound.' As this definition indicates, there isn't just going to be one type of chemical energy; there may be many situations in which this definition fits. 

• For example, chemical energy can be seen in the use of fossil fuels. In fossil fuels, the chemical bonds between atomic structures are broken down. The energy released by this process is used to produce heat. This type of chemical energy is not generally renewable.  For example, oil is not considered a renewable resource because once it is gone, it is gone.
• However, other types of chemical energy that is renewable include such things as the heat put out by our own bodies.  In this case, our body breaks down food, which is renewable, and creates heat and energy to provide us with power.
• Another type of chemical energy that is renewable can be seen by looking at the process of photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, plants use the energy in sunlight to create and produce energy that they can use to grow and feed themselves. 

So, if you've wondered if chemical energy is renewable or nonrenewable: it's both. If renewable chemical energy can be harnessed in the future in ways that do not involve the use of nonrenewable resources, that would reduce our carbon footprint and lead us towards a more sustainable future.