| For many years we have been trying to get away | | | | on earth that have a ready supply of adequate |
| from using fossil fuels and old inefficient electrical | | | | water sources such as rivers and lakes are in perfect |
| grinds. But, the move toward the widespread use of | | | | position to generate clean energy. The issue |
| alternative energy sources has been a history of | | | | becomes more complicated when a dam needs to be |
| stop and goes attempts. Research and development | | | | generated to create sufficient water flow to power |
| of new technologies are needed for use to find | | | | the generators. Dams are not friendly to the wildlife |
| cost-effective ways to harness this seemingly | | | | and organisms in the area a dam may be built. |
| endless supply of clean, natural energy. | | | | More recent technological advancements have |
| The most talked about form of alternative energy | | | | opened the door to consider new alternative energy |
| resources we can tap is wind power. The | | | | sources. |
| development and engineering of wind turbines | | | | The first of these energy sources is energy we can |
| continues to improve as the popularity, aka capital | | | | create from the waste that people generate every |
| funding availability, spreads among the business | | | | day. Consider the number of landfills and expended |
| community. In fact "wind farms" have begun to | | | | oils. Methane gas can be captured and used to power |
| spring up across the world. The biggest issues with | | | | generators. Not exactly "clean" gas but cleaner that |
| these wind farms are the noise vibration they emit | | | | coal and heavy oil. Waste oils from industrial and food |
| and the danger to birds. No complete research has | | | | consumption is likewise usually dumped. These waste |
| been completed to understand how the low | | | | oils can be used to power heaters and boilers to |
| ultrasonic vibrations may affect other wildlife; or | | | | produce heat and steam as a power source. |
| humans. | | | | Though the use of ethanol seems to have a very |
| Growing in popularity is solar energy. It is abundant | | | | negative impact on the world's fuel supply it may |
| and easy to capture for alternative energy use. The | | | | prove beneficial in areas that can't efficiently tap into |
| manufacturing of solar cells has rapidly developed | | | | hydropower. We can't afford to use or food sources |
| with multiple uses adapted for small and even large | | | | of wheat, sugarcane, grapes, strawberries and corn |
| scale applications. These solar cells gather the light | | | | to provide us fuel when we need the nourishment |
| energy given off by the sun which can be easily | | | | for our personal source of energy. Likewise the |
| converted into electricity. It also is widely used to | | | | consumption of soybean, rapeseed, and sunflower |
| naturally generate hot water. Solar energy joins wind | | | | oils for bio diesel production is causing havoc on the |
| energy as alternative energy sources that create | | | | world's food supply. |
| zero pollution. That is if you don't count sound or | | | | You can't discuss alternative energy without |
| landscape alterations as pollution. | | | | mentioning atomic energy from nuclear power plants. |
| The largest and most abundant alternative energy | | | | There is no alternative energy source that neither is |
| source on earth is water. Governments and scientists | | | | as efficient nor can generate the enormous amount |
| backed by investors have been studying wave | | | | of clean pure energy than nuclear power. The waste |
| energy and the potential to tap it for clean energy. | | | | product is the expended atomic energy that remains |
| France has been operating a generator for a few | | | | radioactive for hundreds of years. The amount of |
| years to study this potential and initial reports are | | | | this waste product however, is minuscule relative to |
| promising. | | | | waste generated from other alternative energy |
| The ocean is not the primary focus for water based | | | | sources. |
| alternative energy. Electricity has been generated | | | | You cannot create energy without some form of |
| from hydroelectric plants for almost a century. Places | | | | waste generation. |