What are the Different Types of Alternative Energy?

What are the Different Types of Alternative Energy?

There is a lot of energy that can be harnessed as we continue to do research and development using current day technologies. We can get away from the fossil fuels and the old electrical grids by turning to alternatives of these energy sources.

Wind power is a great source for alternative energy. Wind turbines continue to be developed that are progressively more energy efficient and less costly. Throughout the world, wind farms have been showing up in many areas and even more so over time since they do not harm birds or any other kind of wildlife, unlike the original wind turbines did.

Solar energy is another alternative energy resource that is well known to us. This involves the manufacturing of solar cells which gathers and focuses the energy given off directly by the sun and then translates it into electricity or in some cases, hot water. As with wind energy, solar energy creates absolutely zero pollution.

Governments and investors have seen ocean wave energy as a way of generating huge amounts of energy. The generator that is located in France has been operating for years and is known to be largely successful and now the Irish and Scots are operating experimental facilities.

Hydroelectric power has been around for a long time and wherever it is located, it produces powerful electricity that is much cleaner than a grid. Unfortunately, there are limitations on where a large dam can be built and not many places are available for this type of project. Many run-of-the-river hydropower, or small and localized, hydroelectric generators have been set up in recent times due to this limitation.

Geothermal energy is extremely abundant, since it lies directly beneath our feet, just a few miles below the earth’s surface. Through the actions of earth’s fantastically hot molten core, this energy is produced by the heating of water. The water turns into steam, that can be harnessed and used to drive turbine engines that will generate electricity. A lot of research and development is needed in order to further our usage of geothermal energy tapping.

The waste gas energies are called methane, which reverse energy pollution by creating energy from waste that can be found in dumps and in some air pollutants. This gas is used in fuel cells and can be used in standard gasoline generators.

Ethanol is a gasoline substitute 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 with regards to it ever becoming truly economical or practical except in very localized areas, however, technologies for its extraction and admixturing are continuously being refined.

Biodiesel energy is created out of the oils contained in plants. So far, the commercial stores of biodiesel have been created by using soybean, rapeseed, and sunflower oils. By the time of this writing, biodiesel is typically produced by industrially minded individuals who want to experiment with alternative energy possibilities, however, commercial interest from many manufactures is also on the rise. It burns much cleaner than oil-based diesel.

Atomic energy is created in atomic energy plants using the process of nuclear fission. This form of energy is very efficient and can generate large 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, and no longer be consider harmful to our environment.