2006-06-22T05:21:00.001-07:00

Energy sources range from biomass, geothermal energy, solar energy, landfill gases, hydroelectricity, wind energy, nuclear energy, fossil fuels, hydrogen and fusion.

Resources like fossil fuels are non-renewable and highly pollutive to the environment. They contribute to the destruction of the earth and creation of waste. Furthermore, in order to cope with the changing demands for power, the power station needs reserves which means the usage of a large area of land for piles of coal. This may pose a problem for countries which are land-scarce. Its availability is also limited and countries may go to war over fossil fuels. The production of energy from fossil fuels produces pollutants that contribute greatly to the problem of global warming. Fossil fuels are also costly as their price swings with supply and demand. However, they allow a nation’s economy to feed an increasing population as well as improve the general quality of life in many ways, including protection from numerous diseases.

Nuclear energy requires larger capital cost due to the need of emergency, containment, radioactive waste and storage system. It is also a potentially dangerous way of producing energy due to the radioactivity. Though through usage of nuclear energy a large amount of electricity can be produced, it entails the resolution of the long-term high level waste storage issue in most countries and is a potential nuclear proliferation issue.

Hydroelectricity comes mainly from the potential energy of the dammed water driving a water turbine and generator. It could also be harnessed from tidal power. When using this energy source, costs are low as there is no need for fuel and demand for manpower is limited. However, the building of dams is disruptive to marine life and it can also cause problems downstream in a river. This is because the water exiting turbines have a lack of sediments which leads to the loss of river banks. They are also much colder, and this may affect marine life that is suited to the normal temperature of the river.

Wind energy is produced when wind turns the propellor of a wind tower that in turn turns a generator. The usage of wind is free and there is no requirement of fuel making the harnessing of wind power very cost-effective. In addition, this method of producing energy is not pollutive and the land used for wind farms can also be used for crop cultivation. Wind farms can also function as tourist attractions which increases income for the country. However, it is important to note that wind is unpredictable, and thus this source of energy is not completely reliable. Coastal land is expensive but it is the most suitable area to build wind farms. Wind farms may be a threat to migrating flocks and television reception may be affected for places surrounding the area.

Solar power is a method of harnessing energy from the light of the sun. It is relatively not pollutive and little manpower is required as equipment can function on its own. Solar power is also becoming very economical as technology in energy conversion increases. However, this method of producing electrical energy is only practical in the tropic region where sunshine is bountiful and there are fewer clouds. The harnessing of solar power requires special materials for panels that can affect environment and large amounts of land for small amounts of energy generation.

Biomass is a renewable energy source derived from the carbonaceous waste of various human and natural activities. The burning of biomass to produce energy does not add to the amount of carbon dioxide present as it releases the same amount of carbon dioxide it takes in. Furthermore, it is an inexhaustible source of fuel that is in abundance around the world. However, biomass can be pollutive if not harnessed in the correct method. It is still an expensive source as money has to be invested to produce biomass and convert it to alcohols.

These are some small-scale energy resources that generally cannot be scaled up to industrial size but can be considered:

1. Piezoelectric crystals generate a small voltage whenever they are mechanically deformed. Vibrations from engines can stimulate Piezoelectric crystals, as can the heels of shoes.
2. Some wrist watches are already powered by kinetics, in this case, movement of the arm.
3. Thermal electric generators produce energy from the heat difference between two objects. This is also used to power a type of wrist watch as heat energy from the human body is radiated through the watch into the environment.
4. Special antennae can collect energy from stray radio waves or theoretically even light EM radiation.

We can all help to reduce energy consumption as an individual by switching off the television by the main switch instead of using the remote control because the red light that comes on consumes energy too. In addition, instead of using air-conditioners, fans can act as a replacement. Furthermore, pupils of the same school staying in the same area can carpool to help save on the fuel consumption. While cooking, the gas supply can be turned off when the food in the wok is around 90% done and cover the wok to trap the heat that will continue “cooking” the food. Also, energy-efficient windows can be installed when we build or remodel and purchase energy-efficient appliances. As a nation, we can all use energy saving light bulbs or have a day whereby everyone shares how they try to save electricity consumption in their households. The government can also encourage the public to install solar panels that can replace the existing water heaters by giving special promotions.

Some of the future energy resources we should turn to are wind energy, hydropower, solar energy, geothermal energy, bio fuel, liquid bio fuel, solid biomass and bio gas. These sources are not harmful to the environment when harnessed correctly and they are renewable, making them good choices for future energy resources.

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