The term alternative energy is generally used for non-conventional energy suggests that non-fossil fuels and a low environmental impact. There are many non-fossil fuel based energy systems that minimize either already operational or under development, the negative impact of the increasing use of fossil fuels to combat.
We will briefly discuss the main alternative energy systems.
- Solar Energy
- Wind Energy
- Tidal (wave) power
- Biomass
- Geothermal
- Nuclear
Solar energy as an alternative energy source The solar radiation covers a very wide range of frequencies - from ultraviolet through the visible to infrared frequencies. The visible rays give us light and infrared radiation heat us. Old people are using solar radiation for heating - water and earth houses in the winter. have taken place in recent years, many developments, but now, apart from hot water or heating in large buildings, the solar energy for hot water and steam for industrial processes and power generation in large power plants to supplement.
Photovoltaics as an alternative energy sources is a modern development. A photovoltaic (PV) cell made of silicon, but shows a strong photovoltaic properties to convert visible solar radiation into electricity. Individual cells are small and represent only a small amount of power. Now PV cells are mounted in various configurations as arrays and panels and solar panels that are used, can generate enough power for practical applications. are or are arrays of solar panels used in remote and inaccessible communities to provide clean energy, they are used to drive cars that will be completed to power on satellites and space stations and even the electricity in large power plants hundreds of MW. Since the year 2000 solar electricity production by an average of 40% per year and increased in 2007, the installed capacity of about 10.6 GW.
Wind energy as an alternative energy source
Wind energy for pumping water and grinding grain has been used since the Middle Ages. Wind energy is now mainly for generating electricity, wind, drive turbines to generate electricity is the power of the local utility to generate connected. Because of the variability of wind speeds from time to time, usually Wind generates only a small fraction of the total payload.
By the end of last year, the entire wind power generator capacity 94.1 GW worldwide contribute only 1% of global electricity generation. Wind energy has grown over 500% since 2000 and is expected to spiral upwards.
Tidal Energy as an alternative energy source
Tidal power station uses the rise and fall in sea level caused by tides. This alternative energy sources was of the people for a long time and tide had mills in Europe abrasive grains are over 1000 years old since achieved. It is possible to use this energy to generate electricity and the efforts in many countries around the world benefit from this energy.
Tidal power plant, are derived directly from the interaction of the sun and the moon orbit around the Earth, is an inexhaustible source of alternative energy. The only restriction is that they can ask to be only in certain places in the world.
The two methods that the energy of the tides can be used:
- The tidal system with moving water is much to be done is used as wind turbines, and
- The dam, which will use the height difference between high and low tide in a river estuary.
Both methods are actively sought in several places. Experts believe that tidal energy is a great potential as an alternative energy sources.
Central biomass as an alternative energy source
Biomass refers to organic materials such as trees, grass, agricultural and urban waste, etc. Biomass includes energy from the sun, chlorophyll in plants using solar energy to carbon dioxide (from air) and water (from the ground) in carbohydrates. When these carbohydrates are burned they release carbon dioxide and water and energy that had trapped it is released. It's like the carbohydrates act as batteries for solar energy - they love the energy and the fossil later release when burned as an effective alternative energy sources instead of fuel.
Has always burned biomass to solar energy as heat recovery. Using modern technology we can heat, steam and electricity from biomass more efficient and produce cleaner, we can convert into liquid fuels or produce flammable gases.
In the U.S. alone about 50 billion kWh of electricity (about 1.2% of total consumption), about four billion gallons of ethanol (approximately 2% of the liquid fuel used in vehicles) are produced from biomass. DOE believes that it can be produced in 2030 about 20% of fuels from biomass. There is clearly a great potential for the use of biomass in the world.
Geothermal energy as an alternative energy
The most recent (1994) estimate the temperature in the core of the earth is about 7500 degrees. C. obtain energy from a hot in the interior of the earth is called geothermal energy. Geothermal energy is an alternative energy sources for electricity generation, but is also used to provide homes in cold countries, heat, and process heat requirements.
Build a geothermal power plant is expensive, but low operating costs and the absence of carbon emissions into the atmosphere are two main advantages of this system. Power plants with geothermal energy can be divided into three types, depending on the method used:
- These plants take steam directly from cracks or holes in the ground and to drive steam turbines that dry steam plant called.
- In an instant hot water system, usually above 200 ° C taken from the floor and left to cook as it rises to the surface, the steam is separated from her and run through turbines.
- In binary systems, hot water flows through heat exchangers where the heat creates an organic liquid boiling organic liquid pass through turbines, which it.
In all three types of condensed steam and remaining geothermal fluid is injected into the ocean crust recycling.
A 1999 study shows that the global geothermal electricity generation capacity of existing technologies between 35000-70000 MW of new technologies can be twice as much.
Nuclear power as an alternative energy source
The nuclear reaction is popularly equated with nuclear bombs. However, controlled nuclear reaction is used as an alternative energy sources for electricity generation in the past 50 years. Nuclear reaction releases enormous energy used to raise steam as by burning oil or coal in conventional power plants and this will be done again used to generate electricity. Now generate more than 50 countries, more than 370 000 MW electricity from nuclear power plants.
Construction and maintenance of nuclear power stations is expensive. And produce nuclear waste is dangerous, and there is the potential for massive nuclear disaster. The nuclear waste is toxic and can not be destroyed or recycled. If properly stored in a safe place, dangerous environment.