Alternative energy - Pros and Cons

What is Alternative Energy?

Alternative energy refers to the energies generated from sources other than fossil fuels, viz, coal, oil and natural gas. Sometimes it is also called alternative renewable energy since practically all types of it can be generated from renewable sources as opposed to fossil fuels which is non-renewable and cannot be replenished once consumed.

Alternative Energy

Types of alternative Energy and sources thereof

Alternative energy - Pros and Cons

Several types are ready in the world. Most base and popular ones along with their sources are:

1. Solar energy- Sun ray;
2. Wind energy- blowing wind;
3. Wave Energy- ocean waves;
4. Bio-Energy- Biogas or Bio-diesel;
5. Geo-thermal energy- Heat under the earth;
6. Tidal energy- High and low tides.

Why alternative energy?
Massive usage of conventional energy sourced from fossil fuels while the whole second half of the twentieth century has severely endangered the environment. Millions of tons of carbon- di-oxide-a greenhouse gas, discharged to environment through burning of fossil fuels are causing global warming by trapping solar heat on the earth's surface. Rise in temperature of the earth's outside prominent to atmosphere convert is a matter of concern not only environmentalists but also to all the governments of the world. Due to increase in temperature, sea level will rise and inundate a very large quantum of coastal areas causing huge devastation since coastal areas are commonly extremely populated. Melting of ice caps and glaciers due to rise in temperature in earth's outside will cause flooding of the rivers and its basins at first instance and drying up of the rivers thereafter with consequential economic disaster. Million of hectares of fertile land will become barren. To combat this ensuing devastation due to atmosphere convert world leaders are emphasizing on the use of alternative energy. Usage of more and more alternative energy will lessen dependence of fossil fuels and consequently will reduce generation of carbon di-oxide. As a corollary opportunity of devastation due to global warming will be minimized.

Moreover, fossil fuels being non-renewable ones will exhaust today or tomorrow. Hence people are mental over alternative renewable sources of power for sustaining the amelioration and growth.

Benefits of alternative Energy

1. It is environment friendly, it helps reduce global warming.
2. It is renewable.It's sources are not exhaustible.
3. It helps reduce geo-political tension arising out due to availability of fossil fuels only in minute countries contrarily every country is endowed with some kind of alternative energy sources.

Disadvantages

In spite of some technological breakthrough still yield cost is very high which restricts it's use. Till date the consumption of alternative power has not reached to desired level.

Conclusion

Alternative energy is the energy of the future. Scientists all over the world must augment their investigate for added technological breakthrough so that enough quantity of alternative power is ready in affordable price.

Alternative energy - Pros and Cons