| As each year pass, more and more people come into | | | | electricity in mountainous regions such as Southern |
| the world. Sometimes it seems as if the worlds | | | | Wyoming. Here the average wind speed is 21 miles |
| natural sources are no longer enough to | | | | per hour. |
| accommodate each and everyone. Scientists have a | | | | Solar energy is similar to nuclear energy as recent |
| solution for this possible impending problem they | | | | studies show. Example is the power tower wherein a |
| came up with alternative energy sources. | | | | collection of solar energy forms this large field of |
| 1. Hydrogen | | | | mirrors that convert it to heat when it reaches a high |
| Slowly but surely, the hydrogen powered car is | | | | temperature. This is an efficient generation of |
| becoming popular nowadays. Even celebrities like | | | | electricity. |
| Leonardo DiCaprio promote the use of this | | | | Realistically, the sun doesnt shine the whole day. It |
| earth-friendly contraption. Hydrogens energy is | | | | also has to set. So the solution to the question of |
| perpetual in motion because it is an energy carrier. Its | | | | What do you do when the sun goes down? is the |
| pretty much like a battery. | | | | construction of an auxiliary system that stores |
| Most electricity comes from fossil fuels that are | | | | energy when the sun is nowhere to be seen. Heres |
| found in plants. But if you get hydrogen using fossil | | | | where nature comes into play. The ocean is a natural |
| fuels and stack up on the energy source, then you | | | | reserve of solar power and thru thermal energy can |
| are utilizing renewable energy, making hydrogen from | | | | be the auxiliary system after the sun has set. |
| water via electrolysis. Picture this the wind is blowing | | | | Example, in Wyoming, their auxiliary system holds |
| and 4 units of its energy amounts to 1 unit of | | | | back water at a hydroelectric plant and generates |
| hydrogen energy. | | | | energy whenever the wind blows. Ran by turbines, |
| Of course, these problems result from treating | | | | this is a solar-powered energy that continues to |
| hydrogen as an alternate energy source:its very | | | | work even at night time. |
| seasonalthere is a lot of moisture and it requires to | | | | 3. Nuclear |
| be stored before it dries up from the surrounding | | | | For commercially produced energy, businessmen turn |
| gaseslimited supply of hydrogenhydrogen energy is | | | | to nuclear power. It is released from nucleus. This is |
| not enough to accumulate the need of normal | | | | the reaction thru the solar fusion where atomic |
| productsstripping of biomass has a side effect to the | | | | particles are fused together. It is also derived from |
| soil | | | | fission wherein binding forces break and form an |
| But there is actually a good reason to why people | | | | atoms nucleus. |
| turn to hydrogen energy. It prevents global warming | | | | French physicist Henri Becquerel accidentally |
| that is resulted from fossil fuels. Natural gas energy | | | | discovered nuclear energy in 1896. He found |
| releases nitrogen oxides and that is harmful to the | | | | photographic plates in uranium compounds that |
| atmosphere. | | | | behave like that of X-ray when exposed under |
| 2. Solar | | | | sunlight. |
| We dont have to look too far in giving an example | | | | Nuclear power comes from the combination of |
| of a contraption that uses solar energy. A solar | | | | thorium, plutonium or uranium or the combination of |
| calculator just needs light in order for it to function. | | | | hydrogen into helium. Nowadays, the basic energy |
| As for a bigger example of how solar energy is | | | | fact is that atoms of uranium produce fission of 10 |
| utilized, we look at the forms of solar energy that | | | | million times the energy produced by the combustion |
| has become a source of alternate energy. Biomass is | | | | of atom from carbon. Nuclear power plants use |
| the fuels derived from wood and dry crop wastes. | | | | uranium that has been enriched. What comes to mind |
| As we all know, the main component of the | | | | is the plant owned by Mr. Smithers in The Simpsons. |
| photosynthesis process is the sun. Because of this, | | | | Nuclear power generates about 34% of US |
| biomass remains to be the largest form of alternate | | | | electricity. Expansion of nuclear power naturally |
| energy available in the US. | | | | affects the politicking of a country. Studies show |
| Then theres wind power that is also the cheapest | | | | that developed nations are high in nuclear energy as |
| source of solar energy. The variety on the pressure | | | | opposed to those of the developing nations whose |
| between areas that is created by solar energy | | | | nuclear energy is close to non-existent. |
| results to wind effects. Turbines then generate | | | | |