Will alternative energy sources solve our power problems?

Alternative energy is a way to reduce dependance on fossil fuels and be a pioneer of new technology which we can produce. The benefit far outweighs the costs in terms of caring for the planet and the persons well being, it just feels right.

 Photo credit: janie.Hernandez55 Flickr.com 



Alternative energy is usually classified as wind power, geothermal power, solar power and hydroelectric systems.There may be many more such as harnessing the power of earthquakes and volcanoes but these technologies are  not currently available for you to use in your home.

The current demand for fossil fuels is not sustainable, as we progress into the future.Most of todays burning of fossil fuels is the burning of coal in energy plants to produce heating and electricity. Every day there is an increasing demand for oil.

In terms of oil expense, not only do governments dictate what we spend on oil, but the demand of oil is very tightly controlled, with unrenewable energy sources such as oil we have to ignore the ethics of obtaining that energy because the product has to be obtained regardless of the value of a country's political aims or practices which seem unethical to the majority of the population.

Large scale alternative energy sourses whether they are offshore or land based can produce a significant amount of energy, in Texas for example wind energy can account for the capacity of supplying the average hoome electricity demand to up to 5million households.
On smaller scales even more people are seeing the benefit of Solar energy via the use of solar panels for their use in DIY heating.

Scale that down to you local neghbouruseage because it is using something that is already readily available, i.e it did not take millions of years to produce as with oil or coal, so is not seen as more difficult to access.
Renewable energy is all around us, the wind, the sea, the sunlight and in heat from the earth. By using various technologies we are able to capture this energy and turn it into something we can use such as heating and lighting for our homes.

Although the immediate switch to alternative energy as a country is not now a viable option, because the infastructure to support this is not there. Many people are feeling the benefit of switching their own homes to renewable alternative energy.

We can say that our over reliance on fossil fuels such as coal will need to clean up as it were, we need more efficient ways of burning coal and a strict monitor of the environmental and human health impacts, if we are the phase out this addiction of fossil fuels.
I suspect a lot of people are not under the illusion that reliance on fossil fuels can be a long term plan, the onslaught of climate change is affecting the way we live and it is imperative that we are able to access clean energy not only for the survival of the planet but for the next generation, who may have to leave this rock we call earth some day.

There is an argument against switching to alterntive power,is there a point of switching to a new form of power that will be much much more expensive than previous method?
In order to smooth the way into using renewables, it is simultaneously beneficial to try to make our current energy sources more efficient, in doing this the power we source from our environment can decrease so therfore decreasing the impact we make when extracting fossil fuels from the earth.

Simple things such as having energy efficient washing machines or proper insulatiod windows can have a largere impact if whole neighbourhoods and countrys were involved.
On a country wide scale,simply redesigning the way our power gets to one another can also reduce dependancy on fossil fuels , a more modern layout of grid system can maybe reduce power outages which could affect a whole country as we have seen with the Japan power rationing after the massive march 2011 earthquake.

Disadvantages of Solar Energy

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Solar energy is a great example of one of the most successful forms of alternative energy, although these disadvantages mainly apply to mass produced solar panels, built on a small scale many of these disadvantages can be overcome.

- Solar power is still not available in all regions of the world

-There are hazardous by-product from the manufacture of solar power

-Expensive can take years to recover the cost although this is improving significantly

- At night you have to use solar battery which are charged during the day

- In order maximise the use of solar energy it must be installed in a sunny area, mountainous regions will be able to get less productive output than say sunny California.

- The efficiency of photovoltaic cells can be affected by cloud and pollution

-Disposing of the waste products from solar energy such as toxic batteries that may only on average last 10 years.

- Efficiency ratings of some solar panels are not as good so you need to check the the rating as some can only produce 14%

-Upfront cost compared to traditional means of energy supply. you may be able to heat the swimming pool year round, but maybe not the whole house.

- Low efficiency rates as solar energy yield through photovoltaic cells and energy transfer is low, although different forms and production methods of solar panels can change this.

- Great improvements are needed in the optical sensor array in order to increase efficiency of Solar panels.

Solar Power for your home

Solar energy in the home involves the capturing of solar radiation from the sun for use in light and heating.
In most cases solar panels are placed on a roof of the building and the sunlight is captured and transformed into electricity.

Photo credit: A.Siegel Flickr.com

The benefit of using solar energy for the home is that it is cheap (you don't pay for sunlight) and long term can provide a return on investment if you decide to sell your home.
The use of solar technology is improving considerably and the costs of setting up has come down in recent years.

Before installing a solar system in your home there are costs to take into account such as the cost of installation and cost of the components.
whether you use it for heating or electricity , you may want to calculate your break even costs which means how much energy will you need to produce versus how much the amount of money spent for installation and future maintenance.

There are many subsides or tax reductions out there available from the government to help you towards the cost of your home solar power system.
This will vary from country to country.

To have solar energy set up for your home, you have a device which allows for the sunlight to be collected, the panels are made from light absorbent material and are efficient because they work constantly. The solar panels are boxes that consist of a clear sheet such as glass , with a dark absorber inside the panel at the bottom, which traps the heat , this is all contained in an insulated system to stop heat escaping .

Once the heat is trapped using rocks, water or other liquids, vents or pipes transfer it to a place where it can be stored until used.

Solar energy designed for the home are produced using photovoltaic systems.
In order to have a greater benefit from solar energy, the home has to be well insulated with energy efficient appliances to reduce energy use, a good place to start would be to try and minimise wind drafts in your home if there are any.

A good setup of your home can would typically be a 4.5 kw pv system, a 2.64kW system can also work.
Before setting up a solar system you will need to be aware of how much sun you can generate per day in your location, as this will be the ultimate decider of whether you can install a PV system that will work best for your electricity needs.
Solar panel will need to be placed in a position with a good view of the sun with minimal shadow , such as a roof.
Most solar equipment for the home is fitted using licensed engineers, this is for safety reasons.