Believe it or not, there have been concerns about the harm caused by fossil fuels since 1896 when a Swedish scientist named Svante Arrhenius proposed that they could contribute to global warming. With climate change posing a greater and greater risk each year, it’s time for us to all consider ditching fossil fuels in favor of alternative energy.
Keep reading to learn a few of the most popular alternatives to fossil fuels:
- Solar power: Solar panels are becoming more popular worldwide for large-scale energy production as well as a power source for single homes. Due to technological advancements, residential solar systems can now store massive amounts of energy for use on cloudy or rainy days when sunlight isn’t as strong.
- Hydrogen gas: Unlike natural gas, hydrogen is a totally clean-burning fuel. In fact, the only bioproduct of hydrogen gas is water vapor and warm air. Recent advancements have made obtaining hydrogen gas much more cost effective, meaning we could see hydrogen become a major player in the alternative energy field.
- Tidal energy: Tidal energy harnesses kinetic energy from ocean waves to power turbines. This is a fairly new technology, but a report from the United Kingdom found that tidal energy could be used to meet up to 20 percent of the country’s electrical needs.
- Biomass energy: Biomass energy can come in many forms. Humans have been burning wood for millennia to stay warm, but nowadays, we can use alcohol or even waste from landfills for energy. The downside of biomass energy systems is that they require a ton of maintenance and aren’t as cost-effective as some other alternative energy sources.
- Biofuels: Biofuels are made of animal and plant life to make energy, and they power about 5 percent of all the vehicles in the U.S. These are clean-burning fuels, and the plants used can be regrown each year to meet our demands.
- Wind energy: Most states have invested in wind energy at this point, and about 20 million homes in the U.S. are powered at least in part by wind energy. This technology has become increasingly efficient over the years; however, there are still some concerns about how the turbines affect wildlife.
- Geothermal power: Geothermal power refers to extracting energy from the ground to meet our power needs. The World Bank estimates that 40 countries could meet most of their demands using geothermal power, but high up-front costs to create geothermal plants have been a massive barrier for wide-scale
- Hydroelectric energy: Hydroelectric power is one of the oldest forms of energy production, but it became outdated when fossil fuels came into the picture. Hydroelectric energy has the benefit of being both a clean energy source and a renewable source.
Make the switch to solar power today
Due to rising power prices, there’s never been a better time to cut ties with your electric company and power your home with solar energy. Contact our pros at Aneva Solar today to get the solar panel installation process underway and start reaping the benefits of alternative energy.