Digging The Trench

There are a lot of great sources of energy out there which are going underused as of yet. Whether from lack of research and development efforts or simply because the merits are not yet appreciated, these energy sources are sure to grow in popularity as people come to see the value of lessening our dependence on fossil fuels and the benefits of clean energy.

One such source is wind power. This is an old idea, but one which has developed to the point where it is a cost effective energy source. Some countries have begun building “wind farms” to harness this energy - out of the paths of migratory birds; which has been a problem in the past.

One of the best known alternative energy technologies is solar power. Energy from the sun can be stored in solar cells, where it can be used to heat water for homes or to generate electrical power. Like wind power, solar energy does not generate any pollutants.

Many governments and private investors are looking too ocean waves as being a potentially great source of energy. There is one generator which has been in use in France for sometime now with great success. In Ireland and the U.K., there are experimental generators in use as well.

Hydroelectric power is not exactly a new idea; however, it is an effective means of generating clean electrical power. Of course, not every location can benefit from electrical power since this requires having a large dam. There have been small, local dams built in many places, but of course these can not generate the amount of power that a large river and dam can.

Geothermal energy promises to be a nearly limitless source of energy, once the technology to efficiently use it is developed enough. The heat of the Earth’s core turns water to steam, which in turn can drive turbines to generate electricity. With more research, this could become an important alternative source of energy.

Waste gas energies, namely methane are an alternative energy source which changes the usual energy-pollution paradigm by actually creating energy from a waste gas. This gas can be harnessed by fuel cells and even in gasoline generators.

Ethanol, a gasoline substitute made from vegetable matter including corn, sugarcane and even wood chips is somewhat controversial - many doubt that it can really become a serious replacement for petroleum based fuels since it requires a large amount of raw materials which would otherwise generally be a food source; however, ethanol extraction is in a continual state of improvement and may become more viable in the future.

Biodiesel is made from plant oils. Biodiesel has been made from sunflower, rapeseed and soybean oils. Biodiesel is not generally produced on an industrial scale, but some corporations are starting to take interest. This fuel creates far fewer pollutants than do petroleum based fuels.

Atomic energy is generated through nuclear fission. It is a very cost effective means of generating electric power, but there are concerns over the radioactive waste which is it s byproduct, since it takes centuries for this material to become harmless.