The Truth about Alternative Energy Sources

The majority of our electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels; these are also used to heat water and run our cars. So what exactly is fossil fuel?

There are actually three different types of fossil fuel which are available including:

• Coal
• Oil
• Natural Gas

These fossil fuels are in limited supply, there's no way to replace them as they took millions of years to be made. Coal is the most abundant fossil fuel which is used to generate most of the electricity. The current coal reserves are expected to last around 200-300 years, however burning it pollutes the environment.

The energy needs of the world are increasing every single day, with more and more people using more electricity. There is however an answer, and that's using alternative sources of energy.

Alternative Sources of Energy

There are a few alternative fuels which are not fossil fuels; these do not deplete the earth's natural resources. Many countries all around the world are investing in renewable forms of electricity.

Wind Power

Wind energy is one of the first types of alternative energy which was adopted by many countries. Lots of countries have large wind farms, some of which are located offshore while others are located inland. The wind is free, and using a wind turbine is a great way of generating free electricity. However wind power can be very noisy which means they shouldn't be located near to housing areas.

Solar Energy

Electricity can be generated by using solar panels, or photovoltaic tiles. These collect the sunlight from the sun and convert it into power. The sun is a phenomenal source of power which won't burn out for a very long time to come. It can be used to generate electricity, or heat water.

Biomass

Biomass is a fairly new form of alternative energy which isn't used by as many people as the other options. However many countries are starting to use biomass and biogas. Biomass is where plant materials are used to create a fuel. Biogas is created by decomposing organic waste which produced natural gas.

There are plenty of other alternative energy sources available, all of which are growing in popularity.