Is electricity renewable or non-renewable?

Question

The electricty would be coming from a coal power plant

Answer 1

Electricity is the by-product from the burning of coal (in your example). The coal is not renewable, as once the world's supply of coal is completely consumed, it is gone forever. Coal is formed from the compression of decayed plant matter over millions of years. Therefore, it takes millions of years to make it (naturally). That said, electricity (the by-product) can be generated by numerous sources. Some are not renewable, such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Others come from renewable sources such as water, wind, and solar energy.