A lot of people all over the
worlds are ‘going green’ in an effort to reduce pollution and conserve the environment
for a brighter future. Using alternative, cleaner sources of energy can
decrease carbon footprint, reduce the toxicity form the earth and save
non-renewable fossil fuels like oil and gas.
Here are the three most popular
form so f alternative energies that are currently being used.
1) Solar Energy: Solar energy system is actively being used to generate electricity for
heating, ventilation, cooking and even desalination of water. Photovoltaic cells found in solar system products trap the
sunlight and generates electricity from it; this electricity can be used to
heat water, work power pumps, cook and ventilate. Parabolic mirrors are used to
reflect sunlight to heat water (think of magnifying glass used to focus sun
rays) and simply by opening windows, you allow sunrays to warm the room.
Pros: Solar power is a renewable resource and cannot
deplete as long as the sun remains. Its usage does not produce any toxic fumes
or harmful pollutants that harm the environment. Solar energy is being used to
generate electricity for homes and corporations; it is even used for decorative
purpose like placing differently shaped solar lights in your garden to light it
up at night.
2) Wind Energy: Wind energy is generated by harnessing the power of
wind to turn turbines and wind mills. An electrical generator converts the
kinetic energy of the turbine blades to the potential energy of electricity.
Netherlands is famous for its windmills that harnessed wind to move machinery
to grind grains and pump up water. Now a days, places that are open and have a
lot of wind are equipped with wind towers; a wind farm is one such place that
can generate large scale electricity for small homes or isolated locations.
Pros: Wind power does not produces any chemical
by-products as no chemical reaction takes place. Wind farms allow farming and
grazing that can result in the production of bio-fuels. So long as there is
wind in the world, wind power will exist, making it a renewable and sustainable
energy resource. It can be installed both on shore and off shore easily.
3) Hydroelectric
Energy: Hydroelectric power can be
harnessed from the energy in the damned water that is used to turn water
turbines and generators. Another way water can be used to create energy is
through sources like rushing water or tidal waves. Hydro power plants in
conjunction with dams and barrages, use the concentrated pressure and flow of
water (made from the river’s descent and compressed by dams to a single place)
to turn wheels and turbines to generate electricity.
Pros: Water can be placed in reservoirs and dams depending
on how much energy is required; hence during peak periods, a hydroelectric
power plant can increase to full capacity in a short notice. Water used for
generating hydroelectric power can be used again. Hydroelectric generators can
pump back the water for later use.
