Do It Yourself Home Energy Guide

The first half of this article can be found here:

Alternative Sources of Energy

1. Solar Energy: the most available form of renewable energy on earth, solar energy is harnessed by use of photovoltaic cells or heat engines, and indeed has an impact on most other forms of energy. Natural gas, biofuels, the wind, rivers, etc are all affected by heat and the sun’s energy. To learn more about solar power, click here.
2. Wind Energy: this is currently the most developed renewable energy form, producing about 1.5% of worldwide electricity. The most common way of creating energy from the wind is through the use of giant wind turbines, which can now be found all over the world. To learn more about wind power, click here.
3. Hydroelectricity: this term is generally used to refer to energy produced as a result of the force of moving water. Energy is created as dammed up water flows through a hydro-electric dam, where it spins a turbine which in turn drives a generator. Hydroelectricity accounts for 20% of the worlds electricity. Related to this is “Tidal Power”, which converts the energy of tides into usable electricity, and is much more predictable than wind or solar energy. Similarly, “Wave Power” can be used to convert the raw energy of ocean waves and currents into electricity.
4. Geothermal Power: geothermal energy is a result of millions of years of energy build up deep within the earth (and from solar energy absorbed on the surface). Through the use of geothermal generators, this heat has been extracted as power. Although its applications have so far been limited (geothermal plants need to be located near tectonic plate boundaries), recent technologies have expanded the range in which this resource can be harnessed.
5. Biofuel: defined as any fuel obtained from living or recently lifeless biological material, biofuels are most commonly used as a power source for vehicles, but can also be used to heat homes or for cooking. Ethanol is among the most common biofuels, and can be found at gas pumps all over the world, particularly in Brazil.

The term “Alternative Energy” has had some controversy surrounding it for the past few years. Determining which sources of energy are considered “alternative” and which are not is a strong issue of debate among many officials. Typically, alternative energy refers to a source of usable energy that is intended to replace a type of fuel without the negative consequences of the replaced fuel.

The “Oxford Dictionary” Definition:

• Alternative Energy: energy fueled in ways that do not use up natural resources or harm the environment

A Brief History:

The term “Alternative Energy” has been used for longer than most people realize. It applies not only to our current forms of renewable energy, but also to past energy alternatives.

• Coal: to prevent the overuse of wood (the dominant fuel used in the medieval centuries), coal was introduced as an alternative form of energy
• Petroleum: as a result of the over hunting of whales, petroleum replaced whale oil as a cheap and readily available alternative for use in fuel lamps
• Alcohol: for the past decade, ethanol has been gaining popularity as a more environmentally conscious fuel alternative to fossil fuels

Today, this term commonly refers to Renewable energy as an alternative to non-renewable energy sources. Renewable energies are generated from natural resources and are replenished by nature. The main appeal of using such forms of energy is that they not only occur naturally, but they do not have the negative side effects of non renewable energy sources. This includes most notably the carbon emissions that enter the atmosphere as a result of burning coal, oil or other fossil fuels.

Alternative sources of energy include sunlight, rain, wind, geothermal heat, and even tides.

To continue reading on Alternative sources of energy, please redirect to page two:

Alternative Power Sources