The use of energy is increasing tremendously day by day. Hence there is bound to be a growth in alternative energy in order to meet the high demands of the modern society. What does the term alternative energy imply? The answer is the energy that is obtained from those sources that do not use up natural resources, or harm the environment, is termed as alternative energy. It is that type of energy, which is used to replace a different source of energy, often because of the negative consequences of its use.

What are the reasons behind the growth in alternative energy? Let us see for ourselves. Save plants and save the earth is the motto of the modern world. Various efforts to reduce pollutants and greenhouse gases are a primary focus, in today’s culture. Growth in alternative energy promises to bring down the toxins in the air that are the by products of energy use, along with preservation of natural resources that are used as sources of energy.

We shall now find out what types of alternative energy is found, and how they can be best utilized. They are namely

• Wind power: The energy generated by wind helps to propel the blades of wind turbines. This rotational movement of the blades is converted into electrical current, by means of an electrical generator. It is pollution free, and there is no left over by-products. This growth in alternative energy is a renewable source and therefore, there shall never be any shortage of supply.
• Solar power: This has also led to effective growth in alternative energy. It works by trapping the suns rays into solar cells where this sunlight is then converted into electricity. This energy can be efficiently used for practical purposes like heating and lighting. It does not release any water or air pollution as there is no chemical reaction.
• Geothermal energy: The growth in alternative energy like geothermal energy, harnesses the heat energy present under the earths surface. It is used to power electric generators. There are no wastes or left over of any kind and is therefore free from pollution.

Researchers are ever working on such theories that will reduce the use of energy, which if exhausted, will be a threat to the entire living world.

Hence the steady growth in alternative energy is extremely useful for the environment, and mankind at large, as it helps to protect and conserve Mother Earth.

Climate Change and Energy Solutions

Isn’t it true that with man’s over dependence on the fossil fuel has landed us in deep trouble? The consequences we are about to face is indeed disastrous. Climate change and energy solutions are what is happening and what we need now. The climatic conditions are changing and we need energy solutions.
Climate change and energy solutions are the need of the hour. The global warming and the climate change have been directly connected with the release of the green house gases. Why? Well it is directly connected because of the excessive use of coal, oil and fossil fuels.

With regard to the climate change and energy solutions it is indeed the right time to mention that we need to consider the alternatives to these sources of energy as this can directly lead to arresting the increase of the green house gases. Some of the other sources of energy that can be used and that have been experimented are solar energy, wind energy, water or the ocean energy, biomass energy, geothermal power, hydro-electric energy, and nuclear power.

Solar energy has been tested with regard to climate change and energy solutions. And it proved to be a source with immense potential. Solar energy gets all its energy from the sun directly. Solar panels are used in order to save solar energy. A very good example of solar energy would have to be the solar heaters. The main reason that everyone has not started using the solar energy is because it is very expensive but in the future it is bound to get cheaper with wider applications.
The wave and the wind energy have also been tested for climate change and energy solutions Wind mills have been in use for ages. The waves also proved to be helpful. The movement of the waves help generate energy. The bio mass and the hydro electric energy have been known for quite some time. Geo thermal is the energy that is drawn from the earth’s crust.

One of the best climate change and energy solutions is the nuclear power. The nuclear power is produced from splitting an atom or in other words the nuclear fusion generates energy. The only drawback of this source is the fact that there is a huge waste of nuclear by-product.
Thus a lot is needed and a lot is being done in connection with climate change and energy solutions. Join in and do your best!

Environmentally friendly energy is that source of energy, which is renewable, and does the least amount of damage to the environment. Environmentally friendly energy comes from various natural resources like rain, wind, sunlight, geothermal heat and tides, which are naturally replenished. A very small percentage of global final energy comes from renewable sources. In the year 2006, only about eighteen percent of the total global consumption of energy was from renewable sources, of which 13% was from conventional biomass, that is traditionally used only for heating, and three percent came from hydro electricity. Modern biomass, small hydro, solar, wind, and geothermal made up for the remaining 2.4%. About 15% of overall electricity comes from hydroelectricity.

Environmentally friendly energy is gaining more ground, as wind power and the use of other naturally replenishing resources, is increasing. Wind power is extensively used in European countries, United States and Asia. And photovoltaic energy is popular in Spain and Germany. Solar thermal energy and power stations function in the United States and Spain.  Geothermal power is also in use, and the largest installation of geothermal power is in California, the Geysers, with a capacity of about 750 MW. In Brazil, there is another environmentally friendly energy which is famous. This is ethanol fuel. This is one of the major installations of environmentally friendly energy world over. About 18% of the country’s fuel comes from ethanol fuel. And almost all the fuel stations have at least one ethanol pump installed in them.

Environmentally friendly energy is mostly produced by large scale industries. These renewable technologies also suit the needs of the small scale businesses, which operate from remote locations. In these situations, energy is a critical element in the functioning of the business, and many of them resort to solar energy or thermal energy. The highest ownership of household solar is in Kenya, with over 30,000 solar power units being sold every year.

The use of environmentally friendly energy causes the least amount of damage to the environment. For example, the most widely used fuel – petroleum, causes the highest amount of carbon emission, which in turn is the major reason for global warming. Use of these environmentally friendly energy resources make sure that these kinds of situations will be avoided. To help our world ‘breathe’ a little more, it would be a great achievement if all the energy in the world could be produced with the help of environmentally friendly energy or renewable energy. If that is achieved, then the main cause for global warming will be eliminated completely!

Energy is that great power which helps to move, act or make things happen. It is a source of usable power, like petroleum, coal, gas or electricity. Without energy, the world will come to a standstill. Hence, there are a number of energy responsibilities of mankind.

Due to a tremendous increase in the demand of energy in its various forms,
Each individual must awake to the energy responsibility of mankind. Since there is no adequate supply, the prices of energy are mounting to its peaks. So, how can we solve this grave situation, where the sources of energy are diminishing day by day? What is our responsibility and what measures should we take, to save energy and the world at large?

Human beings enjoy all their rights, but do they ever return back anything, by way of responsible behavior to the society. We are continuously consuming energy. It is diminishing at great speed. So what are we waiting for! Respond to the energy responsibility of mankind, and move ahead to conserve energy.

Let us find out the different measures, each person can take on his own, to fulfill his share of energy responsibility. There are some simple steps that show how energy responsibility of mankind can protect the earth from disintegration. They are the following easy measures we can take from our side, as part of our energy responsibility:-

Setting up one’s own thermostat at home, according to the heating and cooling systems necessary for a comfortable life will stop unnecessary wastage of power.

Lowering the water heater temperature helps to stop misuse of electricity.

Washing clothes or dishes, only when the system is in full load, saves both time and power consumption.

Do not forget to switch off all electronic gadgets, when they are not being used. If they are left in a stand by mode, they consume energy, which is not at all desirable.

Switch off the computers and monitors, when you are not working on them. There are no hazards if the machine is switched on many times a day.

One can air dry all things, instead of using the electric power generated driers.

Use of compact fluorescent bulbs and led, light up the homes quite well, and last long also.

Products marked Energy Star should be used as a part of energy responsibility.

Use the car that gives best mileage, at the cost of less fuel.

These are a few of the energy responsibility of mankind to conserve energy.

For the full video, go to the NMCEP website, at http://nmcep.nmt.edu

John Hofmeister is quoted in The Sun UK Online discussing the coming fuel crisis in the UK.

By BEN JACKSON
Environment Editor, The Sun UK

A FORMER boss of SHELL yesterday claimed the UK is in “big trouble” over future energy supplies.

John Hofmeister said ministers had failed to build new nuclear power plants or develop ways of taking advantage of our coal reserves.

He blamed the Government for an “unwillingness to tackle the big problems of energy supply”. Instead, decision makers had opted for “weak and anaemic alternatives”.

His comments came a day after UK energy regulator Ofgem warned that Britain will suffer an energy crisis in just SIX YEARS – with power cuts during peak times. Mr Hofmeister, who was Shell president in America and has written a book, Why We Hate The Oil Companies, said: “I’m in favour of wind energy but people don’t know how many turbines will be necessary to achieve the goals of our elected officials.

“We’re talking tens of thousands of turbines – people will say, ‘Oh my God, I had no idea’. When they see the number of turbines that are needed they will be appalled.”

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/money/city/2944202/Sun-City-Market-report-All-the-latest-business-news.html?print=yes

We all know it is near impossible to imagine life without transportation. Oil and petroleum resources are by far a boon we cannot live without, especially in today’s day and age, with people having so many cars, and with transportation running almost wholly on this. While there are numerous natural gas plants to generate electricity, there is also a need to conserve the meager amount of petroleum and oil we have on our planet, by turning more and more to what are known as renewable sources of energy, in our environment.

While using other natural sources to produce energy, such as hydroelectric plants, and many solar energy and wind driven plants, there is by far, great economic potential in mining and in obtaining newer permits, for offshore drilling of oil and petroleum. The new government is moving towards strengthening the economy with fuel independence as its goal, so that the US does not bank as heavily as it did, on the Middle East nations, for their wealth of oil resources. However, there are many problems faced, with regard to having a safe and secure environment, to live in.

Oil spills from an offshore rig can easily kill large square miles of aquatic life, and there is also the question of emptying produced water, which is also unhealthy, into the oceans and seas, managing these toxic wastes pose an equally big concern, when investing in new drilling operations, across the US coastline.  The new proposal by the government to begin extensive offshore oil rigging operations, has been met with opposition, although they are stressing the importance of being self-sustaining in the area of oil and petroleum, and also in talking about the huge revenue it can generate.  While a large number of people oppose the proposed drilling of Bristol Bay, which is home to teeming aquatic life, the actual drilling procedure would of course take years to begin, and be set up effectively.

There is much noise being made about how newer operations can provide as much as three years worth of supply of oil, and over two years of natural gas, considering the current consumption rates of the American population. There is however, a lot at stake, and the balance of the environment is a huge concern to all. Meanwhile, it is important to use as much as we can, of other non polluting sources of energy, and effectively channel them to run our various operations. With many companies vying to produce solar cars, and electrically charged vehicles, the battle is on for the environment, and for saving the precious existing reserves, of non renewable energy sources.

The energy crisis has rippled through the economy and created a sea-change in growth, production and sustenance across the planet. Energy on a global scale is sourced from the mass-energy producing fossil fuels such as petroleum. The two chief by-products of petroleum applied in our day-to-day life are gasoline and fuel oil.

Knowing the rate at which fossil fuel reserves are getting depleted due to infrastructure building activities, mining, construction, deforestation etc and the exponential increase in the demand for fuel, the world’s attention is swiftly shifting towards creating sustainable energy sources that will go a long way towards advancing environmental protection.

Offshore drilling for tapping oil or petroleum resources in sea-beds or other water bodies has on occasion had disastrous effects on the environment. Such hazards do not foresee progress for the future. For instance, offshore oil drilling can trigger seismic activities that may be otherwise dormant in the earth’s crust. Other environment concerns regarding petroleum include production of pollutant wastes that are either allowed to mix with the water bodies flowing into merging with the sea, or end up polluting large tracts of land that might have been farmland or animal habitats.

Offshore exploration and oil drilling also cause severe damage to the surrounding marine habitats. As a matter of fact, such measures, according to environmentalists, have led to a sharp decline in the population of some endangered species of whales. Additionally, oil spills due to accidents during transportation or effluent secretion into wetlands or seawater have led to the destruction of many natural habitats and ecosystems.

Greenhouse gases, disturbed ecosystems, global warming and the looming energy crisis are early warnings of a future in jeopardy. So environmentalists, politicians and industrialists are working together to create green energy and move the nation towards energy independence to resolve a host of problems associated with fossil fuel extraction. Apart from government efforts to look at the renewable sources of energy like solar energy, wind energy and hydrogen power, companies like Shell Oil, a global giant in offshore oil drilling and petroleum products, are redirecting efforts towards alternative energy sources and green energy initiatives.

Many groups in the petrochemical and oil industries operating across the planet have a vision for the future: to conserve energy while preserving our environment, and to produce more energy that is eco-friendly for the future.

Energy, environment and associated global warming concerns are the focus of raging debates as the global climate system impacts the political climate. The impending energy crisis and the soaring oil prices have their roots in the fast depleting non-renewable source of energy: petroleum. Petroleum takes the spotlight as the world’s primary energy resource as the petroleum industry produces indispensable gasoline and other fuel derivatives.

Everyone is well aware that these fuels have become part and parcel of our daily lives; it is imperative to understand what a critical role they play in the functioning of the world. Take the transportation industry for instance: the waterways, roadways, airways and rail transport all depend upon petroleum products (gasoline, diesel etc) for movement. And gas is still the chief medium of cooking for household kitchens.

A rise in the global population and a consequent increase in demand for oil and gas have meant that a heavy premium is levied on the usage of petroleum products. Worse, the increased usage of gasoline has resulted in the release of poisonous chemicals into the earth’s atmosphere, not sparing the water bodies which get heavily polluted by petroleum based industries.

So, the search is on for safe, renewable sources of sustainable energy that won’t pose any hazards in the long run. Efforts are also on to find effective means for creating green energy, meaning energy that is environmentally less damaging. For example, wind energy, solar energy, hydro energy can be tapped and channelled from different natural sources either to generate power (through solar cells, wind turbines, etc.) for myriad applications. These sources are inexhaustible, unlike petroleum and its derivatives, which are getting used up faster with each passing day.

As an alternative to gasoline, other pollution-free fuels such as hydrogen fuels, CNG (compressed natural gas), and biofuels are efficient, environment friendly and finding good acceptance the world over. Though the production of these fuels is yet to be undertaken on a scale large enough to supplant fossil fuels, the vehicles using them and leading the ‘save fuel, save energy’ campaigns are already showing the way for an ‘energizing future’.

The economy of the US is sustained by major oil producing industries and energy companies have begin to faced the backlash of fuel exploitation, a body blow resulting in recession. But revival measures are in full-swing in the US and other countries; by exploring the usage of alternate energy resources, the world can ensure sustainable growth and an economically stable future.

Petroleum has been the critical element for development of numerous industries in the last two centuries. The receding supply of petroleum has sparked off the search for crude through offshore drilling.  The process of oil exploration with offshore drilling is a tedious and intensive one.  Oil wells are dug miles into the earth or the sea shore in the hope of finding natural gas. Oil and gas have been much under the spotlight because the global specter of rising oil prices strains the economies of the world.

The infrastructure that we need to build on should carefully wean us away from our complete dependency on oil. Beyond doubt we need to produce more energy as the present energy crisis has pushed us to the brink. Natural gas is on the decline and repeated oil exploration has simply depleted our resources. The energy demands of the present century are dependent on the power infrastructure of the 20th century. The first needed step is to conserve the existing supply by using oil and gas much more efficiently. The second step is to quickly increase our use of sustainable energy. More energy can be created by opting for renewable resources like solar energy, wind energy or hydroelectric energy, which all offer greater environmental protection.

Research proves that the present technical advances in digital communication and renewable energy have the ability to facilitate a transition. For example, by using a combination of solar energy and wind energy, among other sources rather than depending upon them individually, we could interconnect individual solar generation sites along with arrays of wind sites which are in geographically diverse places. In the pyramidal representation, conventional models have the least energy efficiency and renewability as indicated in the peak of the pyramid; the next generation of power sources brings it to the broader spectrum of the pyramid with the least use of coal and nuclear fuel at the top of the pyramid. Wind energy and solar energy can be aptly used to bring in more energy efficiency and green energy. To tackle the ever increasing demand for fossil fuels, use of electric power or substituting it with clean renewable (sustainable) fuels to power vehicles would be the way forward.

Energy companies have to take the cue to produce de-carbonized electric supply through distributed supply technologies. This will have a strong positive influence on production of green energy and will be able to tackle global warming. The world’s shared goal comes closer: bring better environmental protection and better progress for the future.