Everyone knows the effect that greenhouse gas production and global warming is having on our earth. We feel that it is vitally important for individuals, and especially governments, to start taking these problems seriously; before it is too late. Even though technology has greatly advanced in the last decade most countries around the world still use fossil fuel-based methods of energy production. The use of these fuels has two major problems; it depletes the natural supply and eventually we will run out; and the burning of the fuel (i.e. coal) creates vast pollution in the form of greenhouse gases (GHG's such as carbon monoxide and dioxide, and sulphur dioxide). It is these gases which lead to global warming and slowly destroy our planet. Only through the use of alternative sources of energy (which are virtually non-polluting) can we slow down this destruction and save our planet.
SOLAR POWER?
Solar power is a viable alternative to fossil fuels and some alternative energy sources, as it gives off no carbon dioxide waste and uses the natural energy from our sun to generate electricity. After the lifetime of the panel, the materials that were used to make it could be recycled as no material is used in the energy generating process. There is also a lot of room for solar power to be used in the development of 3rd world economies, as it is extremely cost effective in the long run.
WIND POWER?
Wind power is when we covert the power of the wind, physical energy, to more useful types of energy. The most common type of energy it is converted to is electricity.
A wind farm is a large area of land on which there are a number of wind turbines generating electricity, as a power plant does. When creating a wind farm one must make sure that the spacing between the turbine is sufficient as not to cause energy/wind loss.
NUCLEAR POWER?
Nuclear power is an alternative power source that uses the nuclear fission of uranium to create heat and, thereby, through a heat transfer mechanism and turbines, create electricity.
BIOMASS?
In the developed world biomass is becoming more important for dual applications such as heat and power generation.
Biomass is a clean renewable energy resource derived from the waste of various human and natural activities. It excludes organic material which has been transformed by geological processes into substances such as coal or petroleum.
HYDRO POWER?
Hydro power is the process of changing the kinetic energy of flowing water in a river into electrical power that we can use
TIDAL POWER?
Tidal Power is the generation of electrical power through the harnessing of the ebb and flow of the tides.
