Alternative Energy Sources Including Solar Energy,Wind Power,Geothermal Energy, and Hydroelectric Power
There are a lot of Alternative Energy Sources that we can harness if we only seek to research and develop the technologies needed to do so. We can get away from the fossil fuels and the old electrical grids by turning to alternatives to these energy sources.
One of these Alternative Power resources is wind power. Wind Turbines continue to be developed that are progressively more energy efficient and less costly. “Wind farms” have been springing up in many nations, and they have even become more strategically placed over time so that they are not jeopardizing birds as former wind turbines did.
Another one of the Alternative Energy Resources that is most well known is Solar Energy. This involves the manufacturing of solar cells which gather and focus the energy given off directly by the sun, and convert it into electricity or, in some cases, hot water. As with wind energy, Solar Energy creates zero pollution.
Ocean wave energy is seen by scientists and investors as having enormous energy generating potential. A generator in France has been in operation for many years now and is considered to be a great success, and the Irish and Scots are running experimental facilities.
Hydroelectric Power has been with us for a while and where it is set up, it is a powerful generator of electricity and is cleaner. However, there are certain limitations to the availability of the right places to set up a large dam. Many run-of-the-river, or small and localized, hydroelectric generators have been set up in recent times due to this limitation.
Geothermal energy is extremely abundant,and is an excellent Alternative Energy Resource since it lies directly beneath our feet, just a few miles below the earth's surface. This energy is produced by the heating of water through the actions of earth's hot molten core. The water turns to steam, which can be harnessed and used to drive turbine engines which in turn generate electricity. A lot more research and development should be put into geothermal energy.
Methane Energy, reverses the usual energy-pollution relationship by creating energy from waste that lies in our landfills. This gas is used in fuel cells and can be used in standard gasoline generators. Ethanol is a gasoline additive and is created from such things as wheat, sugarcane, grapes, strawberries, corn, and even wood chips and wood cellulose. There is controversy over this fuel. One group hails it as a means to get out from under OPEC, while the other group talks about these crops tapping into our food supply. Biodiesel energy is created out of the oils contained in plants. So far, the commercial stores of biodiesel have been created using soybean, rapeseed, and sunflower oils. It is typically produced by those who want to experiment with alternative energy, but commercial interest from companies is on the rise. It burns much cleaner than oil-based diesel. Atomic Energy (probably the most debated Alternative Energy Source) is created in atomic energy plants using the process of nuclear fission. This energy is extremely efficient and can generate huge amounts of power. There is concern from some people about what to do with the relatively small amount of waste product atomic energy gives off, since it is radioactive and takes hundreds of years to decay.
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