Business needs energy, but energy is expensive. In addition there is a sizable portion of the population that says traditional sources of power are dangerous for our environment. More companies are taking the green (or at least greener) step of switching to cleaner, and sometimes more efficient energy sources, especially as the technologies continue to improve. This step can often make good business sense as more and more consumers begin to care about not only what the companies they make purchases from produce, but how they produce those purchases. Even if alternative energy sources cost more, they could get you more customers.
Here is a list of five alternative sources for energy which are popular around the world:
1. Geothermal energy uses the heat found hundreds of feet below the earth’s surface to create steam which can then run turbines which create energy. Today there are at least 24 countries around the world using geothermal energy to power their electric grids.
2. Solar energy happens to be the fastest growing alternative energy source in the world. It is easy to see why. The sun happens to be the source of all energy on earth, which until now we have been getting indirectly through coal, oil and other fossil fuels. It makes sense to go right to the source and solar panels with photovoltaic cells take the sun’s light and changes it to an energy source for use by businesses as well as individuals. Not only are solar panels being integrated into modern commercial and residential buildings to supply power to those in the buildings as well as extra power to the grid; solar farms are being built around the world to bring more energy to population centers.
3. Hydroelectric energy has been used for many years, ever since the energy from moving water was used to power mills and more recently, since dams were built to create electricity from rushing rivers flowing out of the man-made lakes created by the dams. Just because hydroelectric power is not new does not mean it isn’t an important alternative source of energy which is clean and renewable.
4. Wind energy is another old favorite. Windmills were used for grinding and other agricultural jobs, and to create electricity in rural areas where distant, isolated farms were not yet attached to a centralized power grid. Today’s windmills, usually referred to as wind turbines, use hi-tech methods to more efficiently create electricity from wind, generating about 2% of total US electricity.
5. Biogas and biofuels use the biologic breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen to produce a gas which can be used as a fuel. These products are being experimented with to create clean alternatives to fossil fuels. Imagine using garbage to create power, instead of garbage dumps and landfills.
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