ALTERNATIVE

ENERGY SOURCES

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY IS ENERGY THE MAIN BENEFIT OF ALTERNATIVE

THAT DOES NOT COME FROM
FOSSIL FUELS, AND THUS
PRODUCES VERY LITTLE CARBON
DIOXIDE AND OTHER
GREENHOUSE GASES. THE
ENERGY PRODUCED FROM
ALTERNATIVE SOURCES DOES
NOT CONTRIBUTE TO THE
GREENHOUSE EFFECT THAT
CAUSES CLIMATE CHANGE.
ENERGY TECHNOLOGY IS THAT IT
WILL NEVER RUN OUT.
CONSIDERING THE DAYS OF
OBTAINING FOSSIL FUELS ARE
NUMBERED, ANY ALTERNATIVE
ENERGY SOURCES ARE
ADVANTAGEOUS TO TRADITIONAL
SOURCES. ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT
BENEFIT IS THAT MANY OF THEM DO
NOT NEED THE SAME DESTRUCTIVE
AND COSTLY EXTRACTION
PROCESSES, AS MUCH OF IT IS
AVAILABLE TO US ON THE SURFACE.

THERE IS A SURPRISING NUMBER OF FORMS OF

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY, SOME WELL KNOWN,
WHILE OTHERS ARE RELATIVELY UNHEARD OF.
THEY ARE: WIND ENERGY, SOLAR ENERGY,
NUCLEAR ENERGY, HYDROGEN GAS, TIDAL
ENERGY AND BIOMASS ENERGY, GEOTHERMAL
ENERGY, HYDROELECTRIC ENERGY SOLAR
THERMAL ENERGY AND EVEN SPACE SOLAR
ENERGY.
EVERY FORM OF ENERGY HAS ITS OWN SET OF
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES, AS WELL AS
FACTORS TO CONSIDER, SUCH AS LOCATION,
CLIMATE, FINANCIAL REWARDS, AND
ESPECIALLY, THE TOTAL DECREASE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE.

ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY WE

UTILIZE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY IS TO LOWER
OUR CARBON IMPACT. RENEWABLE ENERGY
OUTPUT AND CONSUMPTION HAVE REACHED
ALL-TIME HIGHS AS OF 2020. THE USAGE OF
RENEWABLE ENERGY IS INCREASING AS THE
USE OF BIOFUELS, GEOTHERMAL ENERGY,
SOLAR ENERGY, AND WIND ENERGY GROWS.
RENEWABLE ENERGY IS ACCESSIBLE TO
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND PEOPLE.
RENEWABLE ENERGY MAY HELP LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS FULFILL THEIR GOALS WHILE
ALSO SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE.
RENEWABLE ENERGY HAS THE POTENTIAL TO
DELIVER ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL
NET RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY CAPACITY
ADVANTAGES, SUCH AS PROVIDING ENERGY
ADDITIONS BY TECHNOLOGY, 2017-2024
WITH MINIMAL GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS, REDUCING RELIANCE ON
IMPORTED FUELS, AND PROMOTING
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

OUR RELIANCE ON FOSSIL FUELS HAS BEEN THE MAIN CAUSE OF

DAMAGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT SO FAR, AND ONGOING DAMAGE
FROM THIS USE CAN BE BROUGHT TO A HALT IF WE SWITCH TO
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES.
 ind Energ
W y
WIND ENERGY, AN EASILY OBTAINED AND CLEAN SOURCE,
IS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY WITH NO CARBON
EMISSIONS. ITS RENEWABLE NATURE AND STABLE COSTS
CONTRAST WITH FLUCTUATING FOSSIL FUELS. A TYPICAL
WIND FARM'S CARBON FOOTPRINT IS REPAID IN SIX
MONTHS, PROVIDING DECADES OF ZERO-EMISSION
ELECTRICITY, REPLACING FOSSIL FUELS. HOWEVER, IF
INAPPROPRIATELY LOCATED, WIND TURBINES COULD HAVE
AN IMPACT ON BIRDS AS WELL AS BATS THROUGH
COLLISION, DISTURBANCE OR HABITAT DAMAGE.WIND
TURBINES CAN INTERFERE WITH RADAR AND AIRCRAFT
NAVIGATION SYSTEMS AND COMMUNICATION LINKS SUCH
AS TELEVISION SIGNALS.

WIND ENERGY
APPLIED
1. ELECTRICAL ENERGY
PRODUCTION E.G WIND
FARMS
2. EXTRACT WATER FROM
THE GROUND
3. PRODUCE RENEWABLE
HYDROGEN
4. REDUCE AIR POLLUTION
WIGTON WIND FARM, ST.ELIZABETH

WIND ENERGY HAS NUMEROUS ADVANTAGES, MAKING

IT A PROMISING OPTION FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY,
NOT JUST FOR THE ENVIRONMENT BUT ALSO FOR
INDIVIDUALS.

mass Energ
io y
BIOMASS ENERGY MAY RANGE FROM BURNING WOOD
B
TO BURNING GARBAGE. THE HEAT PROVIDED BY
BIOMASS IN THE FORM OF BURNING WOOD IS
GENERALLY COMPARABLE TO THAT OF A CENTRAL
HEATING SYSTEM, AND THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED
ARE TYPICALLY CHEAPER THAN THOSE OF A
HOUSEHOLD OR ORGANIZATION THAT UTILIZES FOSSIL
FUELS. EVEN THOUGH IT IS THEORETICALLY
RENEWABLE, IT IS NOT A GREEN ENERGY SOURCE.
BECAUSE BIOMASS COMES FROM THE BURNING OF
ORGANIC MATTER THIS REQUIRES LARGE LANDFILL
SPACES WHICH USUALLY RESULTS IN POLLUTION AND
THE EMISSION OF GREENHOUSE GASES AS WELL AS
DEFORESTATION.

BIOMASS
ENERGY
APPLIED
1. HEATING
2. COOKING
3. TRANSPORTATION
FUEL
4. ELECTRICITY ON AN ENERGY
GENERATION CONTENT BASIS, U.S.
TOTAL BIOMASS ENERGY
EXPORTS EXCEEDED
TOTAL BIOMASS ENERGY
ADVANTAGES
IMPORTS IN 2022.

1. CAN BE STORED
2. REDUCTION OF
LIMITATIONS
GARBAGE IN
LANDFILLS 1. LOW ENERGY
3. CHEAPER THAN DENSITY
FOSSIL FUELS 2. REQUIRES A LOT
OF SPACE
3. RELEASES
GREENHOUSE
GASES
 lar Energ
So y
SOLAR ENERGY, SOURCED FROM THE SUN, ARISES FROM
THE IMMENSE NUCLEAR FUSION REACTIONS
TRANSPIRING IN THE SUN'S CORE. THESE REACTIONS,
PREDOMINANTLY THE PP (PROTON-PROTON) CHAIN
REACTION OR THE CNO CYCLE IN LARGER STARS,
PRODUCE AN UNFATHOMABLE AMOUNT OF ENERGY. THE
SUN, A STELLAR EXAMPLE OF THIS PROCESS, RADIATES
ENERGY ACROSS THE SOLAR SYSTEM, PLAYING A
PIVOTAL ROLE IN HEATING THE EARTH, FOSTERING LIFE,
AND INFLUENCING WEATHER PATTERNS.

SOLAR ENERGY
APPLIED

1. CONVERT SUNLIGHT INTO ELECTRICAL

ENERGY THROUGH PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV)
PANELS OR MIRRORS THAT CONCENTRATE
SOLAR RADIATION.

THE MANUFACTURE OF SOLAR

EQUIPMENT INVOLVES ENERGY-
INTENSIVE PROCESSES AND MATERIALS
THAT COULD HAVE ADVERSE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS. YET,
STUDIES SUGGEST THAT THE ENERGY
PRODUCED BY THESE SYSTEMS CAN
OFFSET THEIR MANUFACTURING
FOOTPRINT WITHIN A FEW YEARS.

ermal En
th er
o
Ge

gy

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY TAPS INTO THE EARTH'S HEAT,

PROVIDING A RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT SOURCE OF POWER.
HOWEVER, IT POSES CHALLENGES LIKE THE RELEASE OF
GREENHOUSE GASES DURING EXTRACTION AND THE
POTENTIAL DEPLETION OF SPECIFIC GEOTHERMAL SOURCES
OVER TIME.AIR AND WATER POLLUTION ARE TWO LEADING
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH GEOTHERMAL
ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES. ADDITIONAL CONCERNS ARE THE
SAFE DISPOSAL OF HAZARDOUS WASTE, SITING AND LAND
SUBSIDENCE. MOST GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANTS REQUIRE A
LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER FOR COOLING OR OTHER
PURPOSES.

GEOTHERMAL
ENERGY APPLIED

1. HEATING AND COOLING

BUILDINGS USING HEAT
PUMPS
2. GENERATING
ELECTRICITY THROUGH
POWER PLANTS
3. HEATING STRUCTURES
THROUGH DIRECT USE
 ydropower
H HYDROPOWER GENERATORS DO NOT DIRECTLY EMIT
AIR POLLUTANTS. HOWEVER, DAMS, RESERVOIRS,
AND THE OPERATION OF HYDROELECTRIC
GENERATORS CAN AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT. A DAM
THAT CREATES A RESERVOIR (OR A DAM THAT
DIVERTS WATER TO A RUN-OF-RIVER HYDROPOWER
PLANT) MAY OBSTRUCT FISH MIGRATION. DAMS CAN
ALSO CHANGE NATURAL WATER TEMPERATURES,
WATER CHEMISTRY, RIVER FLOW CHARACTERISTICS,
AND SILT LOADS. ALL OF THESE CHANGES CAN AFFECT
THE ECOLOGY AND THE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE RIVER.

HYDROELECTRIC
ENERGY APPLIED

1. UTILIZES TURBINES AND

GENERATORS TO CONVERT THAT
KINETIC ENERGY INTO
ELECTRICITY, WHICH IS THEN FED
INTO THE ELECTRICAL GRID TO
POWER HOMES, BUSINESSES, AND
INDUSTRIES.

AT THE PLANT LEVEL, WATER

FLOWS THROUGH A PIPE—
ALSO KNOWN AS A PENSTOCK
—AND THEN SPINS THE
BLADES IN A TURBINE,
WHICH, IN TURN, SPINS A
GENERATOR THAT ULTIMATELY
PRODUCES ELECTRICITY.
MOST CONVENTIONAL
HYDROELECTRIC FACILITIES
OPERATE THIS WAY,
INCLUDING RUN-OF-THE-
RIVER SYSTEMS AND PUMPED
STORAGE SYSTEMS.

ADVANTAGES

1. WATER IS AVAILABLE
THROUGHOUT THE
YEAR
2. COST OF FUEL IS NIL
3. HYDROPLANTS ARE
MULTIPURPOSE

LIMITATIONS MAGGOTY PLANT, ST. ELIZABETH

1. AQUATIC LIFE IS
AFFECTED
2. WATER MUST BE
ABUNDANT TO
CONTINUE THE
PROCESS
 REFERENCES
THE 3 BIGGEST ADVANTAGES OF RENEWABLE ENERGY – AND
THE CONS. MET GROUP. (N.D.).
HTTPS://GROUP.MET.COM/EN/MEDIA/ENERGY-
INSIGHT/ADVANTAGES-OF-RENEWABLE-ENERGY

5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT GEOTHERMAL POWER. ENERGY.GOV.

(N.D.-A). HTTPS://WWW.ENERGY.GOV/EERE/ARTICLES/5-
THINGS-KNOW-ABOUT-GEOTHERMAL-
POWER#:~:TEXT=GEOTHERMAL%20ENERGY%20CAN%20HEAT%
2C%20COOL,HEATING%20STRUCTURES%20THROUGH%20DIREC
T%2DUSE

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES: WHAT IS ALTERNATIVE

ENERGY?: INSPIRE CLEAN ENERGY. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
SOURCES: WHAT IS ALTERNATIVE ENERGY? | INSPIRE CLEAN
ENERGY. (N.D.).
HTTPS://WWW.INSPIRECLEANENERGY.COM/BLOG/CLEAN-
ENERGY-101/TYPES-OF-ALTERNATIVE-ENERGY

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY USE. EDUCATION. (N.D.).

HTTPS://EDUCATION.NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.ORG/RESOURCE/A
LTERNATIVE-ENERGY-USE/

BENEFITS AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF WIND ENERGY. LOCAL

GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION. (N.D.).
HTTPS://WWW.LOCAL.GOV.UK/BENEFITS-AND-POTENTIAL-
IMPACTS-WIND-
ENERGY#:~:TEXT=GENERATING%20ENERGY%20FROM%20THE%
20WIND,OVERALL%20REDUCTION%20IN%20CARBON%20EMISSI
ONS.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF BIOMASS ENERGY.

ENERGYSAGE. (N.D.). HTTPS://WWW.ENERGYSAGE.COM/ABOUT-
CLEAN-ENERGY/BIOMASS/ENVIRONMENTAL-IMPACTS-BIOMASS/

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY: U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE.

FWS.GOV. (N.D.).
HTTPS://WWW.FWS.GOV/NODE/265252#:~:TEXT=AIR%20AND%2
0WATER%20POLLUTION%20ARE,FOR%20COOLING%20OR%20O
THER%20PURPOSES.

HOW HYDROPOWER WORKS. ENERGY.GOV. (N.D.-B).

HTTPS://WWW.ENERGY.GOV/EERE/WATER/HOW-HYDROPOWER-
WORKS

IEA. (N.D.). RENEWABLES - ENERGY SYSTEM. IEA.

HTTPS://WWW.IEA.ORG/ENERGY-SYSTEM/RENEWABLES

JUST ENERGY. (2023, AUGUST 17). WHY ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

SOURCES ARE THE FUTURE?
HTTPS://JUSTENERGY.COM/BLOG/WHY-ALTERNATIVE-ENERGY-
SOURCES-ARE-FUTURE/

RENEWABLES PROFILE. JPSCO.COM. (N.D.).

HTTPS://WWW.JPSCO.COM/RENEWABLES-
PROFILE/#1641928662408-0AF40096-CFC3

U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION - EIA -

INDEPENDENT STATISTICS AND ANALYSIS. BIOMASS EXPLAINED
- U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION (EIA). (N.D.).
HTTPS://WWW.EIA.GOV/ENERGYEXPLAINED/BIOMASS/#:~:TEXT=
BIOMASS%20IS%20USED%20FOR%20HEATING,AND%20HEATIN
G%20IN%20DEVELOPING%20COUNTRIES.

U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION - EIA -

INDEPENDENT STATISTICS AND ANALYSIS. HYDROPOWER AND
THE ENVIRONMENT - U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION
ADMINISTRATION (EIA). (N.D.).
HTTPS://WWW.EIA.GOV/ENERGYEXPLAINED/HYDROPOWER/HYD
ROPOWER-AND-THE-
ENVIRONMENT.PHP#:~:TEXT=HYDROPOWER%20GENERATORS%
20DO%20NOT%20DIRECTLY,PLANT)%20MAY%20OBSTRUCT%20
FISH%20MIGRATION.

WIND ENERGY: HOW IT WORKS, ADVANTAGES, AND

APPLICATIONS. REPSOL. (2023, SEPTEMBER 11).
HTTPS://WWW.REPSOL.COM/EN/ENERGY-AND-THE-
FUTURE/FUTURE-OF-THE-WORLD/WIND-ENERGY/INDEX.CSHTML