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Alternative Sources Of Energy Article
Alternative Sources of Energy
from:Alternative energy is energy that is renewable and is obtained from sources such as the Sun, wind, waves and other naturally occurring sources. With the present energy crisis, alternative energy seems to be the wave of the future. Due to the rising cost of gasoline and heating fuels, and growing concerns as to how much longer our dwindling supply of fossil fuels will last, many people are looking into alternative sources of energy to meet their needs. Fortunately there are several different alternative sources of energy available to consumers for their consideration.
Solar energy is one of the most recognizable and readily available alternative sources of energy. The sun provides the heat and light necessary for all things to survive on Earth. Our earth only receives about 51% of the suns rays, with the remaining amount being absorbed by the clouds or bounced back into the atmosphere. Solar energy converts the power of the sun’s rays into electricity by using photovoltaic cells. These cells can be mounted on rooftops to take the most advantage of the suns direct power. Solar energy does not produce any pollution and uses storage batteries for use during inclement weather or at night time. Another one of the excellent alternative sources of energy is wind power. People have been using wind power to generate energy for centuries. The technology has advanced considerably in recent years and wind power is a very viable way to generate energy. In this most commonly used of the alternative sources of energy triple bladed wind mills harness the power of the wind converting it into usable energy.
There are also several ways to use water as alternative sources of energy. Hydroelectric uses the flow and motion of water to turn turbines that generate electricity. There is an abundant supply of water to use this type of alternative energy method. To be able to supply a large town or city with power using hydroelectric methods a dam would need to be constructed to control the water flow. For those who have a river or stream running through their property a micro-hydro energy system can be purchased to supply an unlimited amount of energy. Wave power is another of the alternative sources of energy that uses the oceans surface waves to generate electricity and also to desalinate sea water. Additional alternative sources of energy include geothermal power which produces energy by using heat from beneath the Earths surface or collects heat from the atmosphere or ocean and converts it in to usable power. With all of the different alternative sources of energy available it is now easier than ever before to be more self sufficient and energy conscious and reduce our dependency on fossil fuels and foreign oils.