erneuerbar
renewable
Etwas, das sich immer wieder von selbst herstellen oder nachwachsen kann und deshalb nicht aufgebraucht wird.
Definition & meaning
erneuerbar means renewable: able to be naturally replenished or replaced within a relatively short period of time.
It is most commonly used for natural resources and energy sources:
- erneuerbare Energie — renewable energy
- erneuerbare Ressourcen — renewable resources
- erneuerbare Energien — renewable energies
Examples include solar, wind, and hydropower. The opposite concept is a resource that is consumed faster than it can naturally regenerate.
Grammar & Word origin
erneuerbar is an adjective.
It is formed from:
Thus, erneuerbar literally means “able to be renewed.”
The adjective takes normal German adjective endings:
- erneuerbare Energie — renewable energy
- ein erneuerbarer Rohstoff — a renewable raw material
- mit erneuerbaren Ressourcen — with renewable resources
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- regenerativ — renewable or regenerative; commonly used in technical and environmental contexts, especially for energy sources
- nachhaltig — sustainable; broader than erneuerbar, because it also refers to environmentally responsible or long-term practices, not only to the ability of a resource to regenerate
- wiederherstellbar — restorable or recoverable; emphasizes that something can be restored, rather than that it naturally renews itself
Antonyms
- nicht erneuerbar — non-renewable; the direct opposite
- erschöpflich — exhaustible; able to be used up
- fossil — fossil-based; often used for finite energy sources such as coal, oil, and natural gas
Common phrases & collocations
- erneuerbare Energien — renewable energies
- erneuerbare Energiequellen — renewable energy sources
- erneuerbare Ressourcen — renewable resources
- erneuerbarer Strom — renewable electricity
- auf erneuerbare Energien umsteigen — to switch to renewable energies
- aus erneuerbaren Quellen stammen — to come from renewable sources
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Examples
Er setzt sich für erneuerbare Energien ein.adjective
He advocates for renewable energies.
Die Energie ist erneuerbar und umweltfreundlich.adjective
The energy is renewable and environmentally friendly.
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