Alternative Energy is the future. We need clean, renewable energy, since our current sources of energy are dirty and finite.
Current non-renewable power sources include coal power, natural gas power, and other fossil fuels. These fuel sources create heat, which boils water and makes steam. This steam turns a turbine, which turns a generator, which makes electricity. The advantage to using these sources is that they are inexpensive. The disadvantage is that they are dirty sources of power. They all pollute in one way or another. The fossil fuels are not renewable, meaning they will run out someday.
Nuclear power makes heat using a nuclear reaction. It is renewable, but it gives off nuclear waste. Biomass uses organic material to make energy. …show more content…
We will be discussing these in detail later, along with biomass. Let’s start with discussing solar power.
Solar power is power from the sun. We can use this energy for many things, including warming water, making electricity, and heating homes. Solar energy is good because it is clean and renewable energy. Also, as long as the sun shines, we will never run out of solar energy.
Solar energy has been used since the 1500 's. Leonardo De Vinci used mirrors to use the sun 's power and heat water. Variations of that were used after that, but it wasn 't until 1883 before the first solar cell was made. The solar cell became even better in 1954 when a solar cell capable of six percent energy conversion efficiency with direct sunlight. In 1980, the first solar power plant was dedicated. Solar was finally used to make electricity on a large scale.
Solar power continues to grow every day. However, it is not growing fast enough to become our main power source. One problem is that it is expensive to build. Another is that it does not work when the sun goes down. Batteries have to be used, but today 's batteries are not very …show more content…
These systems can be expensive, but there are grants available as incentives for using solar energy. A system can cost up to $25,000, but with grants, this price can be reduced to about $11,000. While that is still a bit expensive, you will be saving a lot of money by having reduced electricity bills, and the system could pay itself off within 10 years. There are a variety of companies that can create a solar system for your home. You can find these companies, calculate savings when using solar, and see many other solar recourses at the Solar Energy Industries Association’s website.
Wind power is power from the wind. We use the power of the wind in multiple ways, including making electricity. The good thing about wind power is that it is clean and renewable. As long as the wind blows, we will have energy. The disadvantage of wind power is that sometimes, the wind doesn 't blow.
Wind energy was used to power sail boats as early as 5000 BC. Then by 2000 BC, the wind was used to pump water and grind grain. Before electricity, wind was mostly used in food production. Once electricity happened, wind power was used to make
Current non-renewable power sources include coal power, natural gas power, and other fossil fuels. These fuel sources create heat, which boils water and makes steam. This steam turns a turbine, which turns a generator, which makes electricity. The advantage to using these sources is that they are inexpensive. The disadvantage is that they are dirty sources of power. They all pollute in one way or another. The fossil fuels are not renewable, meaning they will run out someday.
Nuclear power makes heat using a nuclear reaction. It is renewable, but it gives off nuclear waste. Biomass uses organic material to make energy. …show more content…
We will be discussing these in detail later, along with biomass. Let’s start with discussing solar power.
Solar power is power from the sun. We can use this energy for many things, including warming water, making electricity, and heating homes. Solar energy is good because it is clean and renewable energy. Also, as long as the sun shines, we will never run out of solar energy.
Solar energy has been used since the 1500 's. Leonardo De Vinci used mirrors to use the sun 's power and heat water. Variations of that were used after that, but it wasn 't until 1883 before the first solar cell was made. The solar cell became even better in 1954 when a solar cell capable of six percent energy conversion efficiency with direct sunlight. In 1980, the first solar power plant was dedicated. Solar was finally used to make electricity on a large scale.
Solar power continues to grow every day. However, it is not growing fast enough to become our main power source. One problem is that it is expensive to build. Another is that it does not work when the sun goes down. Batteries have to be used, but today 's batteries are not very …show more content…
These systems can be expensive, but there are grants available as incentives for using solar energy. A system can cost up to $25,000, but with grants, this price can be reduced to about $11,000. While that is still a bit expensive, you will be saving a lot of money by having reduced electricity bills, and the system could pay itself off within 10 years. There are a variety of companies that can create a solar system for your home. You can find these companies, calculate savings when using solar, and see many other solar recourses at the Solar Energy Industries Association’s website.
Wind power is power from the wind. We use the power of the wind in multiple ways, including making electricity. The good thing about wind power is that it is clean and renewable. As long as the wind blows, we will have energy. The disadvantage of wind power is that sometimes, the wind doesn 't blow.
Wind energy was used to power sail boats as early as 5000 BC. Then by 2000 BC, the wind was used to pump water and grind grain. Before electricity, wind was mostly used in food production. Once electricity happened, wind power was used to make