Resources for Alternative Energy
There are many different forms in which alternative
energy is available.
One of these is solar power. Solar power is driven by photovoltaic
cells, and these are progressively getting less expensive and more
advanced. Solar energy power can be used for electricity, heating, and
making hot water. Solar energy produces no pollution, as its input comes
completely from the sun's rays. However, much more work still needs to
be done in order for us to economically harness the sun's energy. For
the time being, the resource is a little too conditional—storage
batteries are needed to be used as backups in the evenings and on
inclement days.
Wind energy has become the most-invested-in (by private investors and
governments together) alternative energy source for the time being. The
great arrays of triple-bladed windmills are being placed all over as
“wind farms”, to capture the motion of the wind and use its kinetic
energy for conversion to mechanical or electrical energy. Of course,
there is nothing new about the concept of a windmill for harnessing
energy. Modern wind turbines are simply are more advanced variations on
the old theme. Of course, the drawback to wind energy is...what do you
do when there is a calm, still day? Needless to say, during these times
the electric company kicks in for powering your home or office. Wind
energy is not altogether independent.
Hydroelectric energy is available as a source of alternative energy, and
it can generate a substantial amount of power. Simply put, hydroelectric
energy uses the motion of water—its flow in response to gravity, which
means downhill—to turn turbines which then generate electrical energy.
Needless to say, water is ubiquitous; finding sources for driving
hydroelectric turbines is, therefore, not much of a problem. However,
hydroelectricity as a source of alternative energy can be complicated
and expensive to produce. Dams are often built in order to be able to
control the flow of the water sufficiently to generate the needed power.
Building a dam to store and control water's potential and kinetic energy
takes quite a lot of work, and operating one is complex as well, and
conservationists grow concerned that it. Of course, a dam is not always
needed if one is not trying to supply the electrical needs of a city or
other very densely populated area. There are small run-of-river
hydroelectric converters which are good for supplying neighborhoods or
an individual office or home.
Probably the most underrated and under-appreciated form of alternative
energy is geothermal energy, which is simply the naturally-occurring
energy produced by the heating of artesian waters that are just below
the earth's crust. This heat is transferred into the water from the
earth's inner molten core. The water is drawn up by various different
methods—there are “dry steam” power plants, “flash” power plants, and
“binary” power plants for harnessing geothermal energy. The purpose of
drawing up the hot water is for the gathering of the steam. The Geysers,
approximately 100 miles north of San Francisco, is probably the
best-known of all geothermal power fields; it's an example of a dry
stream plant.
About the Author: D. Benjamin is the owner of
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