| Alternative energy research has led to the | | | | principal as windmills. Blades are moved by the wind, |
| development of state of the art alternative energy | | | | and a shaft attached to the blades rotate a |
| sources for the home. One of the advantages of | | | | generator that produces energy. This energy is |
| using alternative energy is that it is a renewable | | | | stored in batteries. Wind is, of course required to run |
| resource whereas our supply of coal and other fossil | | | | this type of alternative energy, so the more wind |
| fuels is depleting. This advantage of renewable | | | | you have the better it will work. Sites where there is |
| energy and alternative energies has many companies | | | | a lot of wind, such as open farmland are good for |
| and people looking for different ways to power up. | | | | wind turbines, or other locations that cannot be |
| Sometimes called renewable resources, alternative | | | | reached by powerlines. |
| energy does not need fossil fuel or even the splitting | | | | *Biomass is organic material that can be converted to |
| of the atom to be produced. It is called renewable | | | | fuel. There are many types, such as animal waste, |
| because the sources of it are constantly being | | | | crops and grains, wood and other byproducts from |
| produced. It does not cause the pollution that oil and | | | | mills and forests as well as from aquatic plants. One |
| gas cause. This kind of energy is not really new. | | | | type uses the matter to burn to produce steam |
| What is new is that we now categorize these forms | | | | power; another type transforms the matter into a |
| of energy as alternative energy. | | | | gas or liquid. |
| The forms that alternative energy may take are fuel | | | | *Solar energy is probably the most well known form |
| cells, geothermal energy, wind power, biomass, | | | | of alternate energy. It is the safe and efficient use |
| hydroelectric energy, solar energy and water energy | | | | of the heat from the sun to form energy. |
| such as wave and tidal energy. | | | | *Energy from water. Hydroelectric energy is the |
| *Fuel cells as a type of alternative energy is usually | | | | energy produced by dams. The movement of the |
| associated with electric cars, or hybrid cars. | | | | water causes turbines to generate power |
| Electrochemical devices produce power through a | | | | instantaneously. The initial cost of a dam is very high, |
| chemical reaction. The primary benefit of fuel cells | | | | but after that the power is free. Tidal energy works |
| technology is that power is produced without the | | | | on the same concept as dams. The turbines are put |
| production of harmful pollutants. They are still very | | | | directly in the water and the motion of the tides |
| expensive to produce, however. | | | | over them powers the turbines. Wave energy uses |
| *Geothermal energy can be a powerful source of | | | | the motion of the waves in the same way. |
| energy. It is ideal for small scale use to heat houses, | | | | As alternative energy research continues, more |
| businesses and small industry. On a larger scale, | | | | alternative energy sources will be found. Perhaps one |
| geothermal plants extract the heat from the earth | | | | day we will heat our homes by transforming our |
| and use it to create steam to power turbine engines. | | | | refuse into a usable source of energy. |
| *Wind turbines produce energy using the same | | | | |