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Alternative Sources Of Energy |
By:
Adrian Fletcher |
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alternative sources of energy
Adrian Fletcher
Fossil fuels like coal, gas and oil are a limited energy resource. The cost of using these resources gets more expensive and will continue to increase as more gets used up. Fossil fuels are also thought to contribute to environmental problems like global warming and destroying the ozone layer. So going forward, are there any alternatives to these traditional sources of energy. There certainly is. This article will cover a few of the alternative energy sources.
The first alternative energy source that should be mentioned is solar energy. The sun as been used as an energy source since the time Mankind worshiped it as a god. A few things have changed since those times to the extent that it can be used in homes to generate electricity and power our gadgets and appliances.
Solar energy provides us with two sources of energy. There is heat and light energy.
Heat energy can be used to heat water or even cook food. It is the most apparent use of the sun's energy and has been used for thousands of years.
The use of light energy is a relatively new innovation. The technology developed to do this is called the photovoltaic (PV) cell. When sunlight or the photons in sunlight hit the PV cell a reaction takes place that causes an electron to flow through the cell. Many cells and more sunlight cause more electrons to flow. This is the basis of direct current. Direct current can be used as is, stored in batteries for later use or converted to alternating current for use in homes.
Wind power seems to be getting far more attention recently. This may be more and more wind turbines seems to be sprouting out of the countryside. Wind turbines are the main way that we take advantage of wind power but they get a mixed reaction of their size and shape. Some people are fascinated by them, whilst other find them obtrusive and a blot on the landscape.
A wind turbine is simply a modern windmill. The wind turns massive blades that power a generator that creates electricity. Wind turbines are being embraced in countries like Denmark where many are being constructed in the seas around the country. They are also popular in Germany and the United States. They produce cheap energy and have not damaging affects to the environment.
Water power is another alternative source of energy. Traditionally, the building of a dam across a river has created hydroelectric power. This has problems in that it is expensive to make and you need a river. It also has environmental consequences for the surrounding region.
Wave energy is another application of water power. There are two ways to do this. Using fixed or floating applications. The idea behind wave power is that the kinetic energy in the wave can turn a generator to make electricity. The movements of the wave can directly turn the generator or they can increase and decrease the air pressure in the generator housing that turns the generator fans.
Geothermal energy is another useful alternative to fossil fuels but it is location specific. Geothermal energy is the use of heat from the Earth's core. The earth is still cooling down and it gets hotter the closer to the center you get. Areas that are volcanic have faults lines that release the heat. This can be used to heat water. The water can be used itself or transformed to steam that can power a generator for electricity.
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Article Source: http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article71268.html |
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