What is alternative energy sources

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Renewable sources. Minimising land footprint is crucial or designing more efficient technologies, like wind energy converters. Wind energy is currently one of the most important alternative energy sources in the UK , and roughly supplies about 4 mil. Offshore wind is still underdeveloped due to costly maintenance and being situated in deep waters, but in the future we will be able to generate energy more efficiently from the oceans and deep waters.

Flaws in the design of current wind turbines limits the potential of wind power use, unable to reach high altitudes winds. Future airborne technology may lead the way with much more promising reach up to m , where winds are stronger.

One of the more costly, early-stage projects include sourcing solar energy from space. The prototype consists of optical reflectors, photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight into energy, and a circuit that converts the electricity into radio frequency. Then, an integrated antenna will transmit the energy back to Earth.

In the future, this innovative alternative energy source could meet the energy demands of our growing population without limitations, by using the constant sunlight from space. Efficient battery storage is vital for wider adoption for alternative energy sources. Solar Photovoltaic depends on direct sun exposure, meaning that sizable amount of energy goes unused or wasted because of a lack of in-built solar storage batteries.

In the future, hydrogen will be a driving energy source. Currently, the majority is produced from fossil fuels. However, surplus alternative energy is also used to produce hydrogen gas. Uses are versatile - hydrogen gas can be supplied to the natural gas grid , or by using fuel cells to be reconverted to electricity.

Hydrogen might be widely used in the transportation sector, when we are able to come with less costly solutions for wider implementation of such alternative energy sources. Hydrogen has the highest mass of density of any fuel, making it better for distribution and storage. Its stable chemistry also means that it can hold energy better than any other medium.

In the future, creating a supply and storage infrastructure will enable a more efficient use of hydrogen. Future plans for hydrogen include building an underground storage system where surplus wind energy, for instance, can be transformed into hydrogen through electrolysis. Our current global infrastructure is only adapted for fossil fuels.

Building a new one will take years and a vast amount of resources. In recent years, off-grid technologies based on alternative energy managed to power remote locations in the form of mini or local grids. Full decentralisation of the grid will bring opportunities for customers to sell electricity back to the grid and gain control over the needed and consumed energy.

However, the UK is far from establishing full decentralisation due to the vast scale of transformation needed. A number of businesses , however, can be considered pioneers in the off-grid restructure in the UK, such as UPS and some of the retail and supermarket giants.

The upscaling of alternative energy will open more jobs within the sustainable energy sector. Hydroelectric, wind, solar, biomass and geothermal energy are clean and limitless sources of energy. As renewable energies, they play a dominant role in the energy transition. It is essential to promote their development in order to combat global warming.

Renewable energy does not use fossil fuels, coal, or gas, but rather natural resources that can be replenished within the human lifetime. Renewable energy is generally clean, i. Take, for example, nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is a decarbonised and non-polluting energy.

It does not emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. However, uranium, the fuel used in nuclear reactors, is a limited resource.

Nuclear energy is therefore a clean but non-renewable energy. Non-renewable energy is energy produced by burning fossil sources such as coal , oil , natural gas , etc.

Although reserves are vast, they are not inexhaustible and their stocks are slowly diminishing. At our current rate of global consumption, fossil fuels are running out and, unless things change, will take:.

Fossil fuels are the main cause of CO2 emissions in the UK. It is therefore essential to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and limit our greenhouse gas emissions by supporting the development of renewable energy.

Like non-renewable energies, renewable energies can produce electricity , heat , gas and fuel called biogas and biofuel respectively without emitting greenhouse gases. The term renewable energy is used to refer to energy that is inexhaustible and available in unlimited quantities. These come mainly from the following five energy sources: water , wind , sun , biomass and earth.

Hydroelectric power, also known as hydropower or hydro energy, is generated using large areas of water. The movement of the water drives underwater turbines and generators, which then produce electricity. Consider energy-efficient ones that are better for the environment. Wondering how Inspire's Clean Natural Gas plan works? Here's the breakdown. What are alternative energy sources? What is an advantage to alternative energy technology? What are the different types of alternative energy?

They are: Wind energy: This is one of the cleanest and most accessible sources of energy. Wind power is sustainable and does not release carbon emissions as a by-product. Energy sources such as fossil fuels often fluctuate in price. A typical wind farm repays its carbon footprint in around six months or even less 1 , which provides decades of zero-emission energy that displaces fossil fuel energy.

Solar energy: This is probably the most commonly known source of alternative energy, and for good reason. Solar energy is completely renewable , and the costs expended on installation can be made back through energy bill savings.

Nuclear energy: This is taken from the core of an atom, which must be split to gain its energy, a process called fission. This is harnessed in a power plant, where rods of nuclear material adjust how much electricity is produced. The more rods that are present during the chain reaction, the slower and more controlled the reaction will be.

Removing the rods will allow a stronger chain reaction and create more electricity 2. Whether or not nuclear energy should be considered renewable is a constant debate. Hydrogen gas: This is an important energy carrier and a potential alternative clean energy fuel with a notable stake in the global fuel market.

However, today, hydrogen gas is largely produced from fossil fuels, which pose a threat to the environment. A more sustainable version of this energy source has been described as biohydrogen, and there are hopes it will be derived from organic, biodegradable waste in the future. Tidal energy: This method of energy production is still fairly new and has only produced a small amount of energy so far, so it will be a long time before we see real results from tidal energy.

Biomass energy: This type of energy can come in several forms. Biomass energy can include anything from burning wood to burning waste, as many countries do now. With biomass in the form of burning wood, the heat generated is often equivalent to that of a central heating system, and the costs involved tend to be lower than a household or building that uses fossil fuels.

Biofuels: Biofuels are somewhat similar to biomass, but biofuels use biological matter animal and plant to create energy. Biofuel is renewable when plants are used because, of course, plants can always be grown. What are examples of alternative energy? Are there any companies that use renewable energy sources to provide electricity to homes?

Why are alternative fuels called green energy? What are the pros and cons of alternative energy? This can depend on the specific source of energy, of which there are many, for example: Biomass comes from the burning of organic matter, which is an efficient use of waste.

However, this process requires large landfill spaces and may result in pollution due to the burning of this matter.