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paddle wheels to grind grain. The ancient Egyptians used wind energy to power their boats along the Nile River, and windmills were used in ancient China to pump water. Technological advances in recent years have allowed scientists and engineers to better harvest and use the power of renewable energy. Demand has also increased because scientists have determined that the burning of fossil fuels is causing global warming, air and other types of pollution, damage to plants and animals, and additional negative effects. The world is embracing the use of renewable energy as an alternative to fossil fuels. In 2017, 11 percent of energy used in the United States came from renewable energy—up from about 4 percent in 1990. Here are some examples of how renewable energy is being used in other countries: • In Germany, 36 percent of energy comes from renewable energy, according to the Federal Network Agency. • The Climate Council reports that Costa Rica meets approximately 99 percent of its energy needs by using hydroelectric, geothermal, solar, wind, and other low-carbon sources.

• In the United Kingdom, more electricity was produced using wind and solar energy in 2017 than by nuclear power, according to government statistics. It was the first time this had ever happened.

On the other hand, not every country has embraced the use of renewable energy. The World Bank reports that the following countries get less than 6 percent of their energy from wind power, solar power, hydropower, bioenergy, and geothermal energy: Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bermuda, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Malaysia, Mongolia, and Russia.

14 COOL CAREERS IN SCIENCE: RENEWABLE ENERGY WORKERS