Alternate Energy – Exploring Alternative Sources of Power
Energy sources are what we use to power our homes, cars, businesses, and everything else that runs on Planet Earth. Ever since we began finding ways to bring forth the earth’s hidden treasures, we have used them as energy sources. For hundreds of years we have concentrated on using fossil fuels but time tells us that we need new alternate sources of energy going forward into the future.
Early Energy Sources
It’s ironic that we began our energy quests with the very energy sources that are termed “alternative” now. Farms were powered by water wheels and windmills. Before electricity, people used candles. Wood was burned to cook food and heat homes.
As time and technology marched on, we discovered coal. Coal is a fossil fuel formed from the buried remains of plants that have been formed into shiny black rocks. Coal is composed mostly of carbon and hydrogen.
Trains, those great iron horses, were powered with coal. It was usable in its natural form so after mining there wasn’t much left to do. Mining supplied hundreds of jobs and paid good wages. In present day it is still mined in many areas of the country.
Fossil Fuels
Now, fossil fuels are what we call “non-renewable” energy sources. They formed when plant and animal life died off and became fossilized in the rock. This dates back to the time when dinosaurs and other animals ruled the earth. Since we have not had any dinosaur or meteor sightings since then, once all of the fossil fuels have been mined, the party’s over. We’ll have to use something else to continue our civilization.
Alternative Forms of Energy
It is almost like we are returning to our roots but in a technologically advanced way. The forms of energy that were good enough to get us through at the beginning are our saving grace now. Examples of alternative energy sources include:
• Geothermal energy
• Solar energy
• Wind energy
• Hydroelectric energy
• Bio-fuels
Geothermal Energy
All that heat under our feet is a potential energy source. Geothermal energy builds up within the earth and delivers its bounty above. Pockets of geothermal energy are evidenced in volcanic eruptions, hot springs, and geysers. These types of phenomena are fueled by the earth’s internal combustion engine.
At the earth’s core, the temperature reaches into the thousands of degrees. Even a few miles into the earth, the thermometer tops 400 degrees. Such heat can be converted into sources of energy to heat homes. As yet, scientists are working on ways to capitalize on yet another of earth’s treasures but it may be our technology level that is holding us back with this one.
Solar Energy
The sun is a giant star that has heated this planet since the beginning of time. Every day we receive enough of the sun’s radiation to power the entire planet but it hasn’t been until recently (within the last twenty years) that we have considered seriously harnessing it on a large enough scale. One-third of the radiation is reflected back into space, but that still leaves over sixty percent of the radiation for our use.
Wind Energy
Winds are actually created due to convection currents created by solar energy. Winds vary from place to place, but they bring with them such power that we can’t afford to ignore it as a viable renewable energy source. Machines called turbines collect the wind kinetic energy and convert it into electricity for practical uses. These wind machines are an improvement over the windmill but use the same basic design principles.
Hydroelectric Energy
Water is one of the most powerful energy sources on earth. A surge of water can crush a large ship and reshape the land. Examples of hydroelectric use is seen in large scale dams. Building these dams can be quite expensive but the resultant energy is cheap for all to use.
Bio-fuels
We all know what these are. Fuel created from corn, cars that run on hydrogen and cars that use reprocessed vegetable oil to get going. All of these are examples of organic methods that have been or are being developed to power our automobiles. Using fossil fuels have created the “greenhouse effect” from automobile emissions. Burning cleaner fuel is the key, but finding a viable one is hard.
Alternate forms of energy are being explored all over the world. No one knows how long it will take for fossil fuels to become exhausted, but it is up to the current generation of the human race to prepare the way for future energy needs.