How to Use Alternative Energy Sources

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Solar power

Walk outside on any given day and you might notice the sun: a huge ball of nuclear fire radiating heat and light; making life on this planet possible. Typically this alternative energy source is converted into electricity by way of photovoltaic (solar) panels. The one draw back to this apparently limitless source of energy is that we currently lack the technology to collect, and store the sun's energy as electricity in an efficient manner. Other considerations are that less sunlight is available per square foot in the northern and southern latitudes, as well as the fact that night time and clouds tend to cause production delays. Given that solar energy is free, more should be done to overcome the current technological limitations and put this energy source to use.
Step 2

Hydro-electric power

Consider water power, which is probably on of the best known, or at least the most common forms, of alternative energy. From the huge Hydro-electric plants of the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) to the picturesque water wheels of New England, man has always recognized the power available in moving water. The major draw back to using hydro-electric power is the necessity to dam the river in order to get sufficient pressure to run the massive turbines. The damming of the rivers has had several negative side effects. Valuable farmland in the river bottoms upstream are flooded out. Fish can no longer travel up and down the stream resulting in segmenting and isolating the ecosystem. Dams silt up with time as the river fills the area behind them with sediment. There is also the potential for dams to break causing catastrophic damage downstream. New technologies are making it possible to generate power from streams and rivers without damming them. These will not be as big as the hydro-electric plants of the past but will do very well to serve local markets.
Step 3

Wind turbine

Take a trip to Holland or the northern plain of Spain and you will see that man has been harnessing the power of the wind for hundreds if not thousands of years. Until the late 19th century wind was also the primary energy source for all maritime travel. In our own time there has been increased interest in harnessing the power of the wind through the use of wind turbine generators. However, due to the unstable nature of wind and the fact that huge wind towers obstruct the view, and in some cases kill migratory birds, there has been some public resistance to the widespread use of wind turbines. This alternative form of energy is probably best used as a supplemental energy source, or in very local applications such as in agriculture. This energy source also suffers from the same problem as solar; there is not an efficient way to store the electricity until needed.
Step 4

Volcanic energy

Look into geothermal options. In Iceland, much use is made of an interesting alternative energy source as the entire country's indoor heat for the very long winters is provided by tapping into the geothermal heat of the island country's many active volcanoes. This free heat source is also used to generate steam, which in turn powers steam generators. Because of the thickness of the earths crust, geothermal heat has had limited application as an energy source. However, in places that have considerable amounts of volcanic activity it can be a very viable alternative energy source.
Step 5

Ethanol?

Take a drive to the country and you will see growing in the fields the source of the latest attempt at finding a source of alternative energy, corn. Nationally, our production of corn has increasingly been diverted from food production into the production of ethanol. Ethanol is the least viable form of alternative energy because of the very high amounts of energy required to make it. In addition, by diverting food crops to fuel production we open ourselves up to the much more frightening possibility of food shortages and dependence on foreign food imports.
Step 6

Consider the current electric system setup. Alternative energy sources have the potential to provide local areas and individuals with energy; however, these systems are not able to take over the power production that is currently handled by conventional power generators. The model that a few giant power plants supply power to a national grid will have to change before the general public perceives the benefits of expending the capital needed to change the power grid infrastructure to alternative power sources.
Step 7

DIY solar power

Make your own solar- or wind-powered alternative energy system for your home. The best option for most households is to remain tied in to the power grid, but use your own energy first and the utility-supplied electricity for back-up. This will ensure you have used a renewable energy source as well as saved money. There are ways to get set up for less than $200 (see Resources, below).

Comments

Merriment said

on 8/12/2009 Thank you for the home solar power information and for a very educational article. I had not heard about the geothermal option before. Very educational!