You may have learnt at school that power is generated using coal. Millions of tons of coal are burnt to meet the ever increasing demand for power. The power thus generated is used to provide electricity to homes and offices, to run appliances and machines. However, we must remember that it takes millions of years for coal to form and just a few minutes to burn it. Moreover, the smoke and gases released during the burning of coal contributes towards air pollution. Therefore, we must reduce dependency on such an exhaustible resource and look towards alternative sources of energy.

By "alternative sources" we mean those sources of energy which cannot be depleted. These are also called renewable resources, which include wind energy, hydroelectric energy, solar energy and geothermal energy. Besides being renewable, power generation using these resources results in no or minimal carbon emissions. Let us take a look at how we can harness energy from alternative sources.

Wind energy

The Dutch used windmills to harness the power of the wind to grind grain or draw water. Today, research has led to the development of specially engineered turbines that can derive the most from the energy of wind. Wind energy is used to generate electricity. As a matter of fact, wind energy can be used to meet around 20% of America’s electricity. There are no emissions or residues involved, but the efficiency of power generation depends on geographical location and weather conditions.

Geothermal energy

This energy is obtained from heat trapped within the earth. The heat can be used to generate steam which in turn runs turbines to generate electricity. However, geothermal energy as a power source has not been effectively utilized and lots of study is required before it can be used as a power source.

Solar energy

The energy of the sun’s rays can be captured in solar cells to generate power. Solar energy has been effectively utilized to generate electricity. There are also solar lamps, solar water heaters and more. Use of solar energy does not cause pollution, and this resource is freely available all over the world, so why hesitate to use it?

Hydroelectric power

The energy of flowing water can be used to generate electricity. This is the concept behind dams. The water trapped in dams can be used to turn turbines which in turn generate electricity. Many countries use hydroelectric power to meet their power requirements.

It must be obvious by now that there is enormous potential for power generation using energy sources besides coal or petrol. These resources are freely available, powerful and do not result in pollution of the environment. By making use of alternative energy sources, we will be able to ease a lot of pressure on the environment and make the world a better place.

Rick Missimer

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