Alternative Energy

 

 

Alternative Sources

Tidal Wave Generator
The Ultimate Alternative Source
The worlds first commercial Tidal Stream Generator
Photo credit:Fundy

 

Alternative Sources of Alternative Energy

 

This page is meant to introduce some Alternative Sources for Energy.

There are so many other types of Energy that we can and

should be using in place of the expensive, often hazardous and

non-renewable sources being used today.

 

What is Alternative Energy?

Alternative Energy is usually defined as coming from sources

that do not deplete our natural resources or harm the environment.

In other words, Fuel or Energy that is produced

from sources other than fossil fuels.

 

Most people are familiar with Solar, Wind and Geo Thermal Power,

but now there are new sources of energy being developed that will

begin to change the way that we think about our Power in the future:

Algae, Biomass, Methane, Sludge, Tidal and Ocean Wave Power.

 

But, what else is on the horizon for us to use?

Using Alternative Energy saves money, energy and the environment,

it is also friendlier to the animals and plants that share this Planet with us.

Politicians and our local leaders seem only to be considering Nuclear

and "Clean Coal" as the new Alternative Energy.

Why?

 

I believe that the words "Clean Coal" are an oxymoron,

coal is and will always be, a form of dirt!

If we must use some type of Nuclear fuel, maybe we should scrap

the ones that are being used today for ones that will help us use up the

old spent fuel rods.

But then, why not just scrap them all and replace

them with one or more of the newer types of Alternative Energy and

ask scientists to find a place to put the spent Nuclear Power fuel rods?

 

These new kinds of Alternative Energy would also free us from

the ever present danger of terrorist attacks.

How can a terrorist attack a Tree, or Algae,

the Oceans Waves, or a Solar Panel?

Something else to think about: Natural Gas comes from the ground

and is the haziest fuel and L.P. Gas is petroleum.

 

Algae

Speaking of Bio-fuels, I am no expert in this field but,

I do know about Algae and understand why it should be used.

Algae-based Bio-fuels offer a great new energy potential.


Spirulina, a blue-green algae
Open pond at Oferr farm
Photo credit: tiny.ian

 

By using Algae as a replacement fuel, we can avoid depleting our

present food sources of wheat, corn, rice and other food crops.


Spirulina algae drying at Ofeer farm
Photo credit: tiny.ian

 

Algae was here long before Humans in great abundance.

Eventually, our supplies of fossil fuel will run out,

and when they do, Algae will be right where we left it,

and waiting to take its place.

But, do we really need to wait for oil to run out,

why not switch to these Alternatives before this happens?

See the links below to learn more about Algae.

Biomass

An old coal power plant north of Hilo on the Big Island

of Hawaii that used to generate electricity for a

sugar mill, will now become a Biomass power plant,

using local wood, timber and plants.

The new plant, called Hu Honua Bioenergy,

will provide about 10% of the Islands electricity.

The City of San Diego, became a leader in Biomass

technology over 20 years ago when it began

using its garbage to produce methane gas.

See the links below to learn more about Biomass.

 

Methane

I believe that the use of Methane gas can be very dangerous

and because of this we need to get pipes into all of the

landfills that our forefathers used in our past.

Any company interested in building near and

using this landfill should be encouraged to do so.

There are already a few companies doing just that now.

Ocean Wave Energy Converter
Pelamis Wave Energy Converter
Orkney, Scotland
Photo credit: s.portland


Ocean Wave Power

Except for my time serving in the US Navy,

I am not an expert on Ocean Wave Power.

Ocean Wave Power is taken directly from surface waves

or from pressure fluctuations below the surface.

I could learn to like this application because boats and

ships must go around them, so that any sea creatures

in the area would be safe from them.

Keep in mind that most lakes have waves also.

For News and Information about Wave Energy

and Ocean Power Technologies, see the links below.

 

Sludge

We know that after the removal of recyclables and a few

other things, our incinerators are burning garbage to make

electricity, so what about our wastewater sludge?

Wastewater sludge could become another new

source of Alternative Energy.

California is already doing this.

(See the links below.)


Because of new laws (very good laws) we are now required to clean

up our wastewater before pumping it into our rivers and oceans,

this costs tax payers billions of kilowatt hours per year!

Scientists are now finding that this sewage can produce many

times the energy that it would cost to correctly dispose of it,

so they are turning it into energy and using that energy

to clean that wastewater, with so much energy left over,

they can also power generators with electricity.

According to a paper by the State of the Science Report:

Energy and Resource Recovery from Sludge
(Published by the Global Water Research Coalition)

converting solids to energy is feasible and desirable,

from a treatment perspective.

Just think what a mini power plant in our trains,

planes and ships could do to save fuel.

 

Tidal Power

Tidal power is very easy to understand however,

as Tidal power is energy from the sea.

There are three basic ways to tap the ocean for its energy.

We can use the ocean's waves, we can use the ocean's high and

low tides, or we can use temperature differences in the water.

See how Tidal Power Plants Work and Ways to

Harness Tidal Power in the links below.

 


The Palmetto Bush
Could one of the most abundant plants in the South
have a bright future as a bio fuel?

 

A new Fuel Source?

The Long Leaf pine trees are a protected tree here in Florida

and much of the South, yet I keep seeing truck after truck

of our Florida fresh cut pine trees heading north.

I have learned that companies are chipping and grinding trees

to make fuel for factories now using oil or gas.

 

From Florida up to the Carolina's we have

Palmetto bushes that people seem to hate,

so why not grind and chip them into this fuel?

There is much discussion about bio fuel made from

corn, sugarcane, switch grass, wood chips, algae,

wheat, straw and so on.

 

Well, how about the extremely abundant Palmetto bush

found in much of Florida and the Carolina's?

For years people have been looking for ways to use them,

or at the very least of finding ways to get rid of them,

so why not mix them with everything else for bio fuel?

 


 

Places to learn more:

About.com - Inventors

How Tidal Power Plants Work

 

Algaebase.org

The mother of all Algae web sites

 

Alternative Energy News

Alternative Energy - Hydro/Wave Power

 

This web site is as close as it gets to "truth in reporting" and

exposes those who continuously fail to protect Mother Earth.

Alternet Environment

 

Businesswire.com

Delaware Landfills Produce Green Power

 

Clara Net/Darvill

Alternative Energy - Tidal Power

 

Cnet

Wave Power in California

 

DOE

Ocean Wave Power

 

ENN

Wastewater Sludge

 

Events Focused on Renewable Energy

Green Power Conferences

 

Hu Honua BioEnergy

Hu Honua Clean Energy Project

 

Los Angeles Times

L.A. turns Sludge into Energy

 

NREL

Biomass Energy

 

OCS - Alternative Energy

Ocean Wave Energy

 

Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition

West Virginians Rebuke the Coal Kings

 

Renewable Energy World.com

Wave Power off the Florida Coast

 

Smithsonian

Smithsonian Algae Research

 

Technology Review

Algae Based Fuels

 

Thaindian News

Wastewater Sludge New Source of Energy

 

Tucson Electric

Methane Gas

 

USDOE

Biomass

 


For further information about any

of these and other energy saving ideas,

please contact me.

 

 

You may contact Sachem Walkingfox at:

sachemuncas at centurylink.net

 

 

My other web sites are at:

Sachem Speaks Wordpress

My Smudging Blog Spot

 

 

 

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Responding To Inquisitive Minds Since September 2, 2008

Last edited November 12, 2022

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