Alternative Resources Matthew Saita Mr. Carroll Period 1

Definition of Alternative Resources Alternative resources are resources that we can use instead of fossil fuels because burning fossil fuels creates pollution which causes smog and acid precipitation. Some examples of alternative resources are solar and wind power.

Solar Energy Advantages of solar power No pollution Inexhaustible (does not run out) Disadvantages of solar power Solar panels are very expensive Solar panels only harness a little of the Sun’s energy. How it works- Solar panels are used to harness energy coming to earth in the form of radiation. My opinion- I believe that where we live, we can get some of our energy from the sun, but not all of it because it is not sunny enough.

Wind Power Advantages of wind power Inexhaustible (does not run out) Does not cause pollution Disadvantages of wind power Loud Ruins scenery How it works- Wind blows on the blades, causing them to move, which drives an electrical generator, which makes energy. My opinion- I believe that wind power would not be a good energy resource because they are loud and ruin scenery. They also need to be placed in very windy areas to generate substantial amounts of energy.

Hydroelectric Energy Energy consumption- How it works- Hydroelectric energy is made from falling water (usually from rivers and oceans). The water goes into a hydropower plant and is converted into mechanical energy, which is converted into electrical energy. My opinion- I believe that hydroelectric power would be a good source of alternative energy, because it is the least expensive to produce, and we have a lot of rivers and streams.

Hydrogen/Fuel Cells Advantages of hydrogen/fuel cells We have a large amount of hydrogen The exhaust is only H2O (water) Better for the environment Disadvantages of hydrogen/fuel cells Potentially explosive Still a nonrenewable resource How it works- Oxygen enters the fuel cell at the cathode and combines with electrons from the electrical circuit and hydrogen ions that have traveled through the electrolyte from the anode. My opinion- I believe that hydrogen/fuel cells would be good in our area when you look at their cost and performance. One of the cons about it, though, is that it is highly explosive. Water is their exhaust and even though it is still a nonrenewable resource and is explosive, I believe that it is still better than fossil fuels.

Geothermal Energy Energy consumption- How it works- Pumps underground get heat and cold air to go into buildings. The average temperature is 50 degrees Fahrenheit. My opinion- I believe that where we live, we can get some of our energy from geothermal energy. One of the bad things about it, though, is that there is not enough patches of geothermal energy underground. There are many more in places like California.

Conclusion In conclusion, fossil fuels have many problems including pollution and that they are nonrenewable. To fix this problem, we can use alternative resources like the ones I have mentioned. One of the good things about the alternative resources is that they have no pollution. I also believe that they are far more superior than fossil fuels. Overall, I do believe that alternative resources should and will be used in the future. Click Here To Learn More About Alternative Resources Or you can watch this video

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