A Guide to Alternative Energy Sources

The world has an over reliance on oil to getAnother alternative form of energy and power is
through daily tasks and life in general. The cost ofnuclear power. Nuclear power works by creating a
oil continues to go up, and it is a resource that willsmall and controlled nuclear reaction, and using the
eventually run out, leaving those unprepared forenergy from said reaction to be converted into
this event in a real mess of a situation. Due toelectricity. The reaction that is used is called
that scenario, scientists across the globe arefission, and although it is what is commonly used
currently trying to find alternative fuel sourcesnow in these controlled nuclear reactions it could
and ways to power things that do not rely on oil.also be an option to use a different type of
For example in Louisville, Kentucky there isnuclear reaction called fusion, which would be
geothermal and geothermal heat pump, thingssafer but harder to create. Some of the concerns
that are in development now and will hopefullythat have arisen about nuclear power are of
soon help people cut dependence on oil. Hopefullysafety. Most people alive today remember the
these new ways to fuel the world are costChernobyl disaster in which a nuclear reactor
efficient and prove to be good replacements forburst and radiation was let out. Also, it is a major
oil.concern that there would be no place to put the
One form of alternative energy that people areradioactive waste that would not damage the
using is geyser power. Mainly popular in Iceland,environment.
where there are lots of geysers, geyser powerFinally, a last source of alternative energy could be
uses the power of hot springs to create energycertain types of alcohol. Ethanol and Methanol
and power homes and provide electricity wherealcohols have been tested on cars to run them
other things normally would. It is also importantfor a long time. In fact, there are some gasses at
for this type of power to be located near thegas stations now that are infused with Ethanol.
boundary of a tectonic plate. Geyser power isEthanol would be very effective as a source of
economically viable because there is little involvedfuel especially for cars because it is a renewable
in the process of converting it into power andresource, unlike petroleum.
therefore it is very cheap to manufacture, forImagine going to refuel a car and not having to
lack of a better term. However, due to the factpay over twenty to thirty dollars to have your
that it is generally helpful to be located near acar filled up with some kind of fuel. Think about
tectonic plate boundary it is not really possible tobeing able to heat a home and use electricity
power an entire country the size of the Unitedwithout having to pay massive bills for the kinds
States with only geyser power.of fuels currently used to heat homes.