Read this now, your children's lives may depend on it... (Alternative energy sources)

Member Name: jeff2000

Product:	Alternative energy sources
Date:	26/07/01 (104 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Stops global warming

Disadvantages: Expensive, needs more research

Although you may not think it the generation of energy is an issue that concerns everyone on this planet.

Traditionally burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas to heat water into steam, which is then used to drive a turbine and produce electricity, has produced power. Well, good, what's the problem then?

Well, there are two problems associated with these forms of power production; the first is the production of carbon dioxide when the fuels are burnt. This cannot be prevented because if you burn anything carbon dioxide is released, so what's the problem then? Since the industrial revolution the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been rising and now the effects are being felt with the start of global warming. This is happening because the heat from the sun is entering our atmosphere but then not being able to escape because of the layer of carbon dioxide. This has led to our planet gradually heating up, which in turn has begun to melt polar ice caps and cause other 'freak' weather conditions, such as the flooding last winter. Because of these effects a reduction in the amount of fossil fuels being burnt is needed.
The second problem with using fossil fuels for power generation is that they are running out, yes, they are a finite resource and the human race has used most of them up. The amounts that we have left have been predicted at oil: 30 years, gas: 70 years and coal 200 years. Though these are obviously only based on proven reserves, and while more is being found, the amounts being discovered are no where near the amounts being used. Also as they run out the price of extraction of each fuel will rise, pushing up the cost of the final product.

So, if these fuels are running out shouldn't we try and find a way of replacing them? I think so.

Renewable sources of energy have been around for many a year, they have just proved too costly to be commercially viable when fossil fuels have
been readily available. The main renewable forms of energy are:

Solar power: All the energy on the earth originally comes from the sun. For example: the plants use the suns rays to grow, they then die and decompose to form fossil fuels, which then in turn are burnt to create electricity. As this example shows the energy changes form quite a few times before finally being put to good use, so in theory, if the energy is harnessed at an earlier stage it will be more efficient.
There are two ways of gathering solar power: solar panels use the heat from the sun to heat water, in cold climates such as our own this can then be used in the home etc... But in warmer countries the suns rays can be focussed on a central 'receiver', this contains water, which is heated to boiling point and can then be used to drive a steam turbine and produce power. Obviously this is of little use in England but in America and the Middle East they do use it as a form of power generation.
The other way of collecting the suns' power is through photovoltaic cells. These use the suns rays to cause a potential difference, and therefore start a current flowing. This generates electricity without the need for boiling water and so makes it more efficient. These panels are used in large numbers in the American deserts and also other sunny countries. They are not very efficient though and are very costly to set up, they need further development to become a real contender to succeed fossil fuels.

Wind power: Wind power has been used in the shape of windmills for donkey's years. To generate electricity the massive turbines need to be situated in a very windy area, generally on top of hills. They work when the wind turns the large blades, which are connected to a shaft, which in turn is connected to a generator. They are quite effective but the main problems associated with them are form local residents. They are a big eyesore and also create a lot of low-level noi
se, which can be heard for miles around. A way round this is to position the turbines out at sea; this has been done in Denmark and there plans for a wind farm off the Yorkshire coast. The only problems with this are the initial start up costs, which are obviously very large.

Water power: There are two ways of generating electricity from the power of water, wave power and hydroelectric power. The first works by using the power of the tide, as the water level changes the water flows through the generators and creates power. This is very expensive to set up and the technology is till quite basic, making it not very viable.
Hydroelectric power is used all over the world and works when water flows through turbines, making them turn and produce power. These can be placed on fast flowing rivers or be artificially created using a dam. The drawbacks to this source of power are the limited natural sites and the effects on the local environment if a dam is built. In England this form of power creates about 2% of the total used.

Geothermal: Again this cannot really be utilised in Britain, but is widespread in countries such as Japan. It works by pumping water down to the Earth's core where it is rather hot, the heat converts the water to steam and this shoots back to the surface where it is used to drive a turbine. The major drawback to this form of power generation are: the need for a good location because easy access to the Earth's core is needed.

Biomass: This is the burning of biomass, such as household rubbish, trees and animal manure, in the place of fossil fuels. This still produces carbon dioxide and is apparently still quite harmful to the environment, so the only advantages of it are that it's cheap and preserves the fossil fuels.

The final source of renewable energy is nuclear. Though strictly not renewable, because the uranium fuel is finite, there are large supplies of the fuel, enough to last thousands of years.
This form of power uses the energy released from nuclear fission to create steam to drive the turbines. There is a lot of controversy surrounding nuclear power as it creates radioactive waste, which is a long-term problem with no current solution, and also the risk of nuclear meltdown, such as Chernobyl. Everyone has their own view on nuclear power, and although I have reservations about it, it does seem that it could be a long-term solution to the energy question.

So, in conclusion, I think that a lot more research is needed into alternative forms of energy so that our children are not suddenly faced with the problem of having no way of generating electricity, also the release of carbon dioxide must be slowed to stop global warming. Although it is too late to stop it completely we can certainly slow it down if we try hard enough. The main problem with alternative energy sources are the large costs involved because of the new technology being used, but if they are invested in the prices will be driven down and they will become more widespread. The government has helped this by bringing in legislation meaning that 8% of the countries power must come from renewable resources, and they also offer incentives to help cover the costs of non fossil fuel burning power plants. I welcome these measures, but I feel more could be done, and it needs to be before it's too late.

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