Which one among the following is not a source of renewable energy ?

Renewable energy is derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed, such as sunlight, wind, and water [t1][t2]. Hydroelectricity, solar energy, and wind energy are universally classified as renewable because their primary sources (water cycle, sun, and wind) are inexhaustible [c1][c5][t8]. In contrast, a fuel cell is an electrochemical device that converts chemical energy into electricity [t9]. While fuel cells are a cleaner energy technology, they are not a primary energy source themselves but rather energy converters [c1][c3]. Their status as 'renewable' depends entirely on the fuel used; if the hydrogen is derived from fossil fuels like natural gas (the most common method currently), it is non-renewable [t6][t10]. Therefore, among the given options, fuel cells are categorized as a technology or secondary source rather than a primary renewable energy source [c1].

Sources

1. [1] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 22: Renewable Energy > Renewabte energy comprises of > p. 287
2. [2] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 22: Renewable Energy > Fuel cells for power generation > p. 296
3. [3] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 9: Distribution of World Natural Resources > Renewable Resource > p. 8
4. [4] https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-renewable-energy