Alternative Sources

Alternative energy sources include biomass, solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, biofuels and other sources that do not adversely impact the environment as fossil fuels do. Alternative energy technologies reduce emissions, reduce dependency on foreign oil, increase energy security, and are non-polluting.

There is debate regarding the inclusion of non-renewable energy sources such as nuclear energy and natural gas under the “alternative” umbrella.

However, alternative energy sources are growing in importance today because of environmental reasons and the rising prices of fuel.

With people in most parts of the world experiencing unprecedented high prices of fuel at the gas pumps, and the cost of heating American homes in winter projected to soar by almost fifty percent, the importance of finding ways to lower the costs of energy used for transportation, businesses, homes and schools has been growing. Fossil fuels are our primary sources of energy, and these are depleting at a phenomenal rate, with populations and development increasing around the world, creating an insatiable hunger for them. Some scientists are of the opinion that if fossil fuels continue to be consumed at the rate they are, they will be practically exhausted by the time this century ends. Apart from factors like the cost and the supply, scientists have been warning for long that burning fossil fuels is causing damage to the environment, which will lead to catastrophic results for life on our planet. Hence, it has become a primary concern the world over to find and develop alternative energy sources to power our automobiles, businesses and homes, so that we can preserve the environment.