Alternative Energy Sources

Introduction

Alternative energy sources refers to all renewable and nonrenewable energy that do not use fossil fuel and nuclear power. They are called alternative energy because they are alternative to fossil fuel which is commonly used. This include earth geothermal energy, direct solar, freshwater, wind, ocean, low density, near the surface geothermal and biofuels (Botkin & Keller, 2014).

Most of the countries uses fossil fuel energy from petroleum, natural gas and coal, which originated from plants and animals. Fossil fuel energy when burned causes environmental impacts and it is consumed in a faster rate. That is why there are alternative energy sources which are discovered to help ease the burden of fossil fuel energy use (Sadhishkumar

Direct Solar energy

Solar energy is the total amount of energy provided by the sun. This energy is formed by solar radiation and can produce electricity through it. This is one of the most recognized and promising alternative energy sources option (Sadhishkumar & Balusamy, 2014). Solar energy is absorbed on earth at average rate of 90 000 terawatts, which is +/-7000 times global energy demand (Botkin & Keller, 2014).

From an environmental view, solar energy is the best. A 1.5 kilowatt PV system will keep more than 110,000 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere done the next 25 years. The same solar system can also avoid the need to burn 60,000 pounds of coal. With solar energy we won’t experience acid rain, urban smog, pollution of any kind (Conserve, 2015).

The easiest and direct application of solar energy is direct conversion of solar energy into low temperature heat. This can be done by passive and active solar energy technologies. There is a technology of solar collectors which is used in most of the households and places (Pillai & Banerjee, 2007).

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2. Fresh Water

Its disadvantage is that building and maintaining a wind farm can be cost. If manufacturing equipment and constructing a plant interest rates charged are high, then a customer will have to pay more for that energy. "One study found that if wind plants were financed on the same terms as gas plants, their cost would drop by nearly 40%." Luckily, the additional facilities constructed, the cheaper wind energy will be (Conserve, 2015).

4. Geothermal

Geothermal energy refers to energy drawn from underneath the earth. It is totally clean and renewable. The earth contains a molten rock called magma which continuously produce heat. The temperature increases as you go below ground and can be used to boil water. The boiling water then yields steam which is captured by geothermal heat pumps (Conserve, 2015).

Geothermal energy is everywhere on earth. Other countries tap this energy and generate electricity to power millions of homes. The areas with high underground temperatures are the ones which are disposed to earthquakes and volcanoes. Geothermal energy is renewable because the earth continue producing heat (Conserve, 2015).

5. Biomass