By: Julia Aidan
Submitted: 2010-01-25 02:27:53 | Word Count: 546
Today, the main source of power comes from fossil fuels such as petroleum, kerosene, coal, natural gas and propane. We also use nuclear substance like Uranium which helps to generate power. However, these non-renewable sources of energy can not last forever and are continuously depleting due to de-forestation, industrialization, urbanization which results in heavy global warming. This is disturbing the atmosphere as well as hydrocarbon reserves in the earth's crust. Moreover, the oil reserves which are found deep under the ocean beds, is a non-renewable source of energy which will hardly last for a few decades only. Keeping in mind the growing need and urgency of non-conventional source of energy, the scientists are focusing on generating energy from renewable sources like sun, wind and water which are abundantly found in nature. Thanks to the Mother Earth, that has blessed us with abundant resources of everlasting forms of energy.
We all know that the Sun is the ultimate source of energy and is helpful for all living forms of life. Solar energy obtained from sunlight helps to reduce the electricity bills to a huge amount. Solar energy is converted to electric current with the help of solar panels. Also, the energy obtained from Sun can be harvested by using waste material to produce biomass and also petrocrops can be cultivated. By using micro-organisms, Sun energy can be converted to chemical energy like glycerol and hydrogen which are in form of molecules.
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Some alternative forms of energy are bio-diesel, chemical energy, bio-alcohol, non-fossil natural gas, several biomass sources and vegetable oil. These are not only renewable sources of energy but also don't pollute the atmosphere to a very great extent. Sun energy also includes tidal, chemical, electrical, thermal and kinetic energy.
Power produced from wind is another form of energy. In this method, wind turbines are used to generate power. In places where there are strong winds blowing, the wind turbines rotate at a very high speed to generate power. Wind is abundantly found in nature which produces green energy.
Hydropower is an alternative form of energy in which water is made to fall from great heights to rotate turbines. These turbines rotate at a very high speed, thereby converting it into electricity. The energy produced depends on the strength and the force of water that is made to fall from the height. This current is further passed through a transformer to transmit it to power lines. This method is eco-friendly and is gaining quite significance for generating power.
Nuclear fusion is the process of generating energy when atomic nuclei of the light rays collide with one another and form heavier atomic nucleus by releasing abundant energy called nuclear energy. For the fusion to take place, it is essential that the atomic nuclei posses sufficient kinetic energy as well as nuclear energy to attract each other and cause collision. However, for the nuclear fusion process to take place successfully, it is necessary to carry out the reaction in a perfect environment where nuclear fusion reactors are used carefully and accurately. Thus, this is cleaner and safer nuclear fusion energy which is the best alternative energy available today.
