Alternative Energy Options – Power Without Oil

What can we do if we were to run out of oil? It is not as if the thought has not cropped up before. The answer lies in various forms of alternative solutions. The latest energy options for alternative energy include wind energy and solar energy. These industries are growing at a rate that is more significant than any other time in history. First off, the sun is found to be the strongest source. During the years, many well-renowned individuals within the field of Science have taken advantage of the resource of the sun as a form of energy.

Solar power technology goes as far back in time as the beginnings of the early 19th century. It was during this time a physicist from France by the name of Becquerel made a sensational discovery. He found that an electric current could be manufactured when placing a light source over an electrode. While this was being done the electrode was covered with a solution that promoted conductivity. This was the advent of modern thinking with respect to solar energy.

An inventor from the United States by the name of Ohl created the silicon-based solar cell during the earliest part of the 40s. The silicon cell is what we are familiar with today. The crisis with respect to oil during the decade of the 70s got the world thinking again about the idea of solar energy. The idea of solar energy had been laid to rest in between times meaning the 40s and beginning of the 70s.It may be stated correctly we are in our infancy today with respect to solar energy.

However as we go along it is obvious, we are placing solar energy and alternative energy sources on a high priority list. The best minds the world over are wishing to reach the objective of a more secure world in the way of energy efficiency by manufacturing energy that is friendlier from an environmental standpoint. The term “going green” is a prevalent theme as it pertains to a world becoming more and more environmentally aware of developing products and energy that keep the world safe for generations to come.

Larger entities are now buying businesses which make it their specialty to produce parts manufactured for wind and solar energy. An example of an alternative energy parts manufacturer is an enterprise producing parts for wind-style turbines. The green philosophy in the way of parts manufactured especially for alternative energy devices is supplying new jobs for thousands of persons.

The auto makers are constructing automobiles operated by electricity. The cars being produced using electricity include very compact-style cars all the way up the ranks to SUVs. The objective is to manufacture automobiles and/or trucks which provide alternative means of power outside of what has been the provincial standard over the years. Whichever form it takes alternative sources of energy are needed because many individuals will tell you, it is only a matter of time before our reserves of oil are all tapped out.

Renewable Energy Sources – Solar Power

What’s not to love about solar power? The sun is what allows life to exist on this planet. Since man invented the light-bulb, we’ve been trying to harness and illuminate the inside of our world the way the sun does outside. To date, the power to light our world and operate our equipment comes primarily from combustion. We ignite fuel (primarily petroleum-based), and use the energy produced to spin turbines and generate the electricity we need to live in this modern world. The sun is the quintessential combustion engine; its heat and energy creating and sustaining a constant cycle of more heat and energy. So why then, has it taken until now to begin harnessing this power for our own needs? The answer, like most business decisions, is cost.

Until now, it has been cheaper to create a combustion reaction here on earth and then to harness it from the sun. The ability to convert solar rays into usable energy has been around since the late 1800s. Initially it was solar-thermal power, where the rays heated steam and propelled a small engine. Eventually, the solar cell was developed, using certain elements that reacted electrically when exposed to solar rays. Using either of these actions on a scale great enough to power an electric society is an immense undertaking. Only recently, with the scarcity of oil, have we seen a shift to an affordable solar apparatus.

Given the current focus on renewable energy, the supply side of the solar business is becoming more affordable. In addition, there are government and private programs available for people who wish to generate solar power. Unlike the current power grid, a solar generation occurs primarily on a site by site basis. While there are large scale solar farms, any flat area with sun exposure is a candidate for solar panels. This puts the power in the hands of the people who need it most. And in this authors opinion, it will not be long before every rooftop has a solar panel on it.

Unfortunately, in a regulated utility market, you cannot just plug in a panel and start playing video games again. This means you are still a part of the national electric grid, for better or worse. Better, because you can still have power at night or on cloudy days. Worse, because you still have to deal with the electric company.