EnvironmentalOutcome.com

Right now, the majority of the world is stuck, dependent merely on fossil fuels such as oil and electrical grids for energy. There are so many different resources in existence that could potentially be used as an alternative energy source, all we have to do is research and develop the technology needed to harness the energy.

Solar energy is perhaps one of the most well-known alternative energy sources being used today. Solar cells are manufactured that harness the solar energy that sun emits directly, that energy is then converted into electricity, which can be used to power most anything in your home,

it can even be used to heat hot water. Solar energy proves very beneficial to the environment because it gives off zero pollution, unlike the harmful effects that traditional fossil fuels create.

Wind power is another popular alternative energy source being used by some. Wind turbines are being built more and more as they are pretty inexpensive to manufacture and can efficiently convert wind into usable energy. Wind farms are being built all over the United States as well as becoming increasingly more popular in other nations around the world. When wind farms first started being built, some were built in areas that could potentially harm birds, but more recent wind farms have been built in locations that do not harm any birds. Like solar power, wind power creates no harmful pollutants.

One alternative energy source that has been existent for quite some time now, hydroelectric power. Hydroelectric power converts water into energy by using the water to spin turbines, which creates electricity. However, to create hydroelectric power, a dam must be built on a river, which creates a problem for a lot of people, especially environmentalists. Limitations and guidelines have been set forth that dictate where a large dam could be built. These limitations put restrictions on large dams, which in turn caused smaller hydroelectric generators to be built on smaller rivers.

In France, there is a generator that has been successfully up and running for several years now, this generator produces energy is from ocean waves. The generator in France is the only generator that produces energy from ocean waves, Ireland and Scotland have been experimenting, and many governments and investors are interested in researching this energy source further.  

The Earth naturally produces mass amounts of energy that is exerted only a couple of miles below us, this energy is called geothermal energy. The energy is produced from the superheated temperatures of the Earth's core, these temperatures create a superheated fluid known as magma which is visible when a volcano erupts. When magma is forced to the surface, it becomes steam so all that needs to be done now is to find a way to harness this magma to produce steam that will then be used to spin turbines. 

There has been large amount of research going into finding substitutes for gasoline, one substitute that is being successfully used is known as Ethanol. Ethanol is made from many natural products such as sugarcane, wheat, corn, grapes, and strawberries and can also be made from wood. Many critics however, argue that Ethanol will never be successful on a large scale, being economical only in small, local areas.

The oils found in some plants have been found to be useful in creating a new source of energy, biodiesel energy. Biodiesel has been commercially produced using the oil from plants such as rapeseed, sunflowers and soybeans. When biodiesel first came into existence, it was produced mainly by farmers and interested individuals but many companies and corporations have become interested in biodiesel. Biodiesel is cleaner and much less harmful than regular diesel because it is not made from oil.

You would not expect a landfill could produce a form of energy, but it can. Landfills are full of garbage and other waste that typically produce the gas known as methane. Methane is commonly used in fuel cells as well as generators that operate using regular gasoline.

Atomic energy has been around for quite some time and is a  pretty well-known source of energy. Atomic power plants use the process known as nuclear fission to create atomic energy, which can be produced in massive amounts while being very efficient at the same time. While atomic power plants do efficiently produce large quantities of power, it still creates concern because atomic power plants do create radioactive waste when they operate, the waste takes several hundred years to become safe so many people are concerned as to where this waste is being disposed of.