| The trend toward homes that are powered by | | | | steam. The Geysers, approximately 100 miles |
| alternative energy sources, ranging from wind | | | | north of San Francisco, is probably the |
| turbines and solar collection cells to | | | | best-known of all geothermal power fields; |
| hydrogen fuel cells and biomass gases, is one | | | | it's an example of a dry stream plant. |
| that needs to continue into the 21st century | | | | |
| and beyond. We have great need of becoming | | | | Waste gas energies, which are essentially |
| more energy independent, and not having to | | | | methane, reverse the usual energy-pollution |
| rely on the supplying of fossil fuels from | | | | relationship by creating energy from waste |
| unstable nations who are often hostile to us | | | | that lies in the dumps and from some air |
| and our interests. | | | | pollutants. This gas is used in fuel cells |
| | | | and can be used in standard gasoline |
| One of these alternative energy resources is | | | | generators. |
| wind power. Wind turbines continue to be | | | | |
| developed that are progressively more energy | | | | Ethanol is a gasoline substitute and is |
| efficient and less pricey. "Wind farms" have | | | | created from such things as wheat, sugarcane, |
| been springing up in many nations, and they | | | | grapes, strawberries, corn, and even wood |
| have even become more strategically placed | | | | chips and wood cellulose. There is |
| over time so that they are not jeopardizing | | | | controversy over this fuel with regards to |
| birds as former wind turbines did. | | | | its ever becoming truly economical or |
| | | | practical except in very localized areas, but |
| One of these is solar power. Solar power is | | | | technologies for its extraction and |
| driven by photovoltaic cells, and these are | | | | admixturing are continuously being refined. |
| progressively getting less pricey and more | | | | |
| advanced. Solar energy power can be used for | | | | Biodiesel energy is created out of the oils |
| electricity, heating, and making hot water. | | | | contained in plants. So far, the commercial |
| Solar energy produces no pollution, as its | | | | stores of biodiesel have been created using |
| input comes completely from the sun's rays. | | | | soybean, rapeseed, and sunflower oils. At the |
| However, much more work still needs to be | | | | time of this writing, biodiesel is typically |
| done in order for us to economically harness | | | | produced by entrepreneurial minded |
| the sun's energy. For the time being, the | | | | individuals or those who want to experiment |
| resource is a little too conditional-storage | | | | with alternative energy, but commercial |
| batteries are needed to be used as backups in | | | | interest from companies is on the rise. It |
| the evenings and on inclement days. | | | | burns much cleaner than oil-based diesel. |
| | | | |
| Hydroelectric energy is available as a source | | | | Atomic energy is created in atomic energy |
| of alternative energy, and it can generate a | | | | plants using the process of nuclear fission. |
| substantial amount of power. Simply put, | | | | This energy is extremely efficient and can |
| hydroelectric energy uses the motion of | | | | generate huge amounts of power. There is |
| water-its flow in response to gravity, which | | | | concern from some people about what to do |
| means downhill-to turn turbines which then | | | | with the relatively small amount of waste |
| generate electrical energy. Needless to say, | | | | product atomic energy gives off, since it is |
| water is ubiquitous; finding sources for | | | | radioactive and takes hundreds of years to |
| driving hydroelectric turbines is, therefore, | | | | decay into harmlessness. |
| not much of a problem. However, | | | | |
| hydroelectricity as a source of alternative | | | | The splitting of an atom releases energy in |
| energy can be complicated and expensive to | | | | the forms of both heat and light. Atomic |
| produce. Dams are often built in order to be | | | | power plants control the fission reactions so |
| able to control the flow of the water | | | | that they don't result in the devastating |
| sufficiently to generate the needed power. | | | | explosions that are brought forth in atomic |
| Building a dam to store and control water's | | | | and hydrogen bombs. There is no chance of an |
| potential and kinetic energy takes quite a | | | | atomic power plant exploding like a nuclear |
| lot of work, and operating one is complex as | | | | bomb, as the specialized conditions and the |
| well, and conservationists grow concerned | | | | pure Plutonium used to unleash an atomic |
| that it. Of course, a dam is not ever needed | | | | bomb's vicious force simply don't exist |
| if one is not trying to supply the electrical | | | | inside a nuclear power plant. The risk of a |
| needs of a city or other very densely | | | | "meltdown" is very low. Though this latter |
| populated area. There are small run-of-river | | | | event has happened a couple of times, when |
| hydroelectric converters which are good for | | | | one considers that there are over 430 nuclear |
| supplying neighborhoods or an individual | | | | reactors spread out across 33 nations, and |
| office or home. | | | | that nuclear reactors have been in use since |
| | | | the early 1950s, these are rare occurrences, |
| Probably the most underestimated and | | | | and the events of that nature which have |
| under-appreciated form of alternative energy | | | | taken place were the fault of outdated |
| is geothermal energy, which is simply the | | | | materials which should have been properly |
| naturally-occurring energy produced by the | | | | kept up. Indeed, if nuclear energy could |
| heating of artesian waters that are just | | | | become a more widely accepted form of |
| beneath the earth's crust. This heat is | | | | alternative energy, there would be little |
| transferred into the water from the earth's | | | | question of their upkeep being maintained. |
| inner molten core. The water is drawn up by | | | | Currently, six states in America generate |
| various different methods-there are "dry | | | | more than half of all their electrical energy |
| steam" power plants, "flash" power plants, | | | | needs through nuclear power, and the media |
| and "binary" power plants for harnessing | | | | are not filled with gruesome horror stories |
| geothermal energy. The purpose of drawing up | | | | of the power plants constantly having |
| the hot water is for the gathering of the | | | | problems. |