Alternative Sources of Energy

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Alternative Sources of Energy
by \| 02-01-2018 20:06 0
Over the last few centuries, man has exploited the natural resources such as the fossil fuels to produce energy to power our homes and industries. But since there are no free lunches in this world, this exploitation of resources came with the price tag of global warming and climate change that has plagued our world for about three decades. The alarming rise in temperatures and sea levels across the world has prompted mankind to find alternative sources of energy such as solar power, thermal energy and nuclear fission and fusion among many others. Currently, about 1% of the world's total energy needs are met by solar power but it is estimated to rise exponentially in the coming years. Solar panels are devices manufactured by encasing semiconducting materials such as silicon or germanium in photovoltaic cases that convert light energy into electricity. Solar power has the lowest greenhouse emission and water consumption per unit electricity produced. As of now, India and China are leading the race in solar power output compared to other nations, which are quickly catching up. Thermal power plants are another excellent example of renewable sources of energy. In thermal power stations, water is heated and converted into steam which in turn drives turbines connected to an electrical generator that gives electric output. The steam is then condensed back into water and reused The only drawback is that many a time, fossil fuels are used to heat water into steam. However, this can be solved by using solar or nuclear power as an alternative to heat water. According to many leading environmentalists, the energy crises cannot be solved by solar, hydro and thermal power since they have a low efficiency of about 30-40% and require enormous capital to become operational. A cheaper yet dangerous alternative is the nuclear power, which utilizes nuclear fission, or breakdown of radioactive material to produce large amounts of heat energy that can run electric generator turbines. There is an ongoing debate as to the viability of nuclear power since, since it produces a lot of hazardous waste and has potentially dangerous consequences in case of an accident (as seen in Chernobyl and Fukushima). However, more research and development is needed before any solid stance can be taken on this issue. In the coming years, there is hope for the future generations to achieve a 100% renewable energy world if more investment is made in developing and harnessing non-conventional power sources.

Dormant user

6 Comments

says :
Hi, Ramal! Although each form of alternative energy seems to have some kind of the drawback for the time being, I think that these can soon be overcome by advancements in technology. Personally, I think that the best types of alternative energy to improve are the ones that are the safest, and I think that the easiest drawbacks to overcome are the ones related to low efficiency. Low efficiency can be gradually improved while continuously testing them out, while other dangerous drawbacks may make it dangerous for tests to be conducted. Thanks for your report!
Posted 09-01-2018 19:34

says :
What you have said is absolutely right Jihyeon!

And thanks for the feedback Abass, Adhikari and Elizaveta :)
Posted 05-01-2018 21:45

Abass Abdullah says :
Thank for sharing such a fantastic story. We are all hoping for the 100% renewable energy.
Posted 05-01-2018 08:03

Bhanubhakta Adhikari says :
Solar energy and Thermal power are two major sources of alternative energy that help us to rise against the present alarming phase. Also Hydropower and Tidal Energy could be other forms of alternative energy too.
Posted 05-01-2018 02:40

says :
Hi Ramal! Maybe the best alternative energy source would be the one with no harmful products, low operation energy, high outpower, cheap, strong and sustainable in every environment, or etc. Through the precise understanding of each energy sources, we could utilize it effectively. Every source has its own limitation but in other words, we could interpret it has a great potential to be developed! Thanks for your report!
Posted 03-01-2018 17:45