Alternative Energy Products

Alternative Energy

The search for alternative energy has been part of the process of humans for many years. This is usually due to economic conditions although environmental and sustainability issues are also present. The very term “alternative energy” suggests a replacement for something that is currently in use. Over the years, this has included substituting coal for wood (trees), and petroleum for whale oil. Presently, alternative energy is primarily referred to within the context of renewable, and “green”, energy use as opposed to non-renewable or polluting current sources.

Alternative energy is sometimes used synonymously with alternative power but there is a subtle difference between the two. Alternative energy includes being able to make direct use of the energy source whereas alternative power indicates an actual substitution for another power source – in today’s environment, usually power created from existing fossil fuel and other non-renewable sources. An instance of alternative energy (solar) is drying clothes on a clothesline while solar power generation of electricity needed to run a clothes drier is an example of alternative power. Use of the wind to power a sailboat is making use of direct wind energy while wind power is the result of using the wind to turn turbines to create electricity. Alternative energy is a superset of the uses for an energy source.

One thing that is always true when one thinks about alternative energies is that it is in constant flux. What is an alternative at one moment may become the status quo at the next and the search for alternative energy changes as the social and economic foundation changes.

Alternative Power

The current climatic crisis is an impetus for searches for alternative power, but it is not the only one. Geopolitical circumstances make it advisable to be self-reliant, as much as possible, for power needs. Non-renewable fossil fuels have the characteristic of being distributed in a localized manner, which leads to political and economic conflicts of interest. Thus, alternative power for use within a country is a goal for most of the world.

Luckily, humans have always been very creative in their search for alternatives – including alternative power sources. Sometimes, what we most need is a challenge – to seek to think of possibilities of which we have not yet imagined. Scientists are probing the mysteries of physics, attempting to create a viable “cold fusion” reactor which might very well meet our energy needs for thousands of years. It is also possible that the elusive Unified Field Theory will be resolved to the point of allowing use of a completely different set of alternative power. They are also investigating aspects of nature that can be used for our needs. Of course, currently known alternative power sources such as solar, wind, biodiesel, and geothermal technologies can be refined and deployed at this point of time.

From the microcosms of physics, to the continuing investigation of biological creation of fuel alternatives, to the macro vision of satellite solar panels or a Dyson sphere, humans pursue the ideas of alternative power. Although there may be economical, political, or environmental reasons for investigation, human curiosity will remain the source of those new ideas.

Solar Energy

Solar energy is all around us and is the dominant form of energy that is used on the surface of the planet by humans, animals, and plants. Most other alternative energies have solar energy as a factor in their creation and use. Solar energy, combined with gravitational effects of Earth, Moon, and Sun, gives us wind and tides. It is a vital component in plant growth and, from a historical basis, the main creator of fossil fuels. It is difficult to imagine life without the sun and certainly would be extremely difficult.

A lot of the solar energy that we use on a daily basis is from photosynthesis – the food we eat and the environment that we can appreciate. Whether it is fruit, vegetable, dairy, grain, or meat, we can track back the food energy to solar energy. Of course, the plants that grow do not just feed humans and other life on the planet. They are an important aspect of everyday life – giving us houses, furniture, and other parts to our everyday life. Solar energy truly surrounds us – it affects our mood and, recognizing this, humans go out to play when the sun comes out.

Solar energy provides, directly or indirectly, almost all of the power that we use in our lives. But, in order to do so efficiently, we have to plan for its proper use and that planning is directly involved with our architecture and scheduling of calendar events.

Solar Power

Solar power is a great addition to the list of alternative powers when the sun is shining. However, even in the sunniest locations, the earth still turns. So, transient power sources such as solar power are tied directly to energy storage systems. Solar power uses one of two methods to transfer energy – heat and photovoltaic. Thus, it is either necessary to store heat or to store electricity.

There are two primary methods of storing heat energy created by solar power – these are basically water and molten salt. Heating water is fairly efficient but the amount of storage per liter is fairly small since it is difficult to heat beyond boiling temperatures and still use a simple storage tank. This means that using water as a medium for storage of excess solar power limits its later use to more passive applications – such as heating homes or other passive solar energy tasks. A much higher holding temperature can be achieved with molten salt technology. This allows use of the heat for production of electricity at later times using superheated steam to run a turbine generator.

In the case of direct electricity production via a photovoltaic method, generation and storage are part of the overall configuration requirements of the power grid. Luckily, electricity is in greater demand during the day while the sun is shining and solar power can be used. However, the grid still must allow for cloudy days and other periods of time when the solar power portions of the grid cannot be added to the network.

Wind Energy

Wind energy is a type of kinetic energy caused by the movement of air from a high pressure area to a low pressure area. As such, it cannot be stored in the same form for later use. Wind energy is used in its immediate form by using the pressure of the air to cause movement. This can be translated into lift for gliders or parasails. Wind energy can be used for direct movement in the case of sailboats or the turning of a pinwheel. Conversion of straight movement into revolutions is the primary way that wind energy is transformed into wind power. The use of a windmill to pump water, or a waterwheel to grind grain, is a method for using the wind energy for power without conversion.

Wind energy is not dependent on a specific variable – such as for solar power which directly relates to unobstructed sunshine. However, it does have many variables associated with it – mainly direction and force. If wind energy is used with a wind turbine, then the turbine must face the direction of the wind. It can do this by pivoting. Vanes can help the turbine guide itself automatically as the wind will push the vanes until they reach the point of least resistance (which places the turbine directly facing the wind). Variation of force, however, requires more sophisticated methods of providing differential gearing so the turbine generating electricity can run at an optimally effective speed. Dealing with these variations makes wind energy a challenging source for efficient power generation.

Wind Power

Thoughts of wind power usually convey the image of a series of old-fashioned windmills located on the farms in the plains of Kansas or standing fast before the lance of Don Quixote, perhaps in a field of tulips. This is not the reality of wind power in the modern age. Because efficiency of wind turbines increases considerably with the size of the windmill, most wind power generation fields are composed of arrays of very large sets of dozens, or hundreds, of wind driven propellers high up in the air.

One of the problems with large arrays of wind power generators is that they try to capture as much of the air currents as possible. This can cause dangers for the aerial citizens such as birds and bats. The Audubon Society has indicated that it is their opinion that the environmental advantages of the use of wind power outweigh the dangers for birds and that other forms of power generation, such as coal fired plants, are actually much more dangerous to birds. However, it seems that bats are particularly susceptible to the tower arrays. Investigations are still in process as to why bats should be affected so much but one current theory is that the propellers cause fluctuations in the air pressure near where the bats glide – causing problems in adjusting and in navigation. Bats also have a low birth rate so deaths within a group can quickly affect the viability of a population. Most people agree that it is a problem that should be solved but also should not hinder wind power deployment.

Biodiesel Energy

Biodiesel energy is a diesel fuel derived from non-petroleum based mono-alkyl esters. It is often created by modification of soybean oil or recycled cooking oils. Biodiesel energy can be used within the family of diesel fuels. . The first diesel engines actually used vegetable oils to run. A diesel engine differs from other internal combustion engines in that it does not require a spark to ignite the fuel/oxygen mixture. Instead, the compression raises the temperature to an ignition point. This tendency to self-combust is related to the cetane level of the fuel. Biodiesel energy often has a higher cetane level than diesel created from petroleum – or petrodiesel.

The main problem with biodiesel energy, and fuels, is that the source is often part of food stocks. In other words, there is a direct competition for use of the fuel sources – human food or machine energy. Large diversions of food crops for biodiesel energy may cause shortages for people and price hikes. Thus, finding non-food sources for the creation of biodiesel energy is very important. However, even non-food sources are part of the biomass which means that they require sun and nutrients. Those nutrients needed to raise non-food sources could be used to raise food sources instead. The search for new sources for biodiesel energy is focused on methods which do not divert needed energy from people.

Biodiesel energy is one example of how the biomass created within the environment may be adapted as a renewable version paralleling the use of petroleum-based products.

Biodiesel Power

Biodiesel power is the substitution of biodiesel for petroleum based diesel. There are a few differences between biodiesel and petroleum based diesel, or petrodiesel. One difference is that it has a high organic lubricating effect which can break down natural rubber seals and gaskets – though many of these have now been replaced with flexible non-organic parts. Another difference is that it can act to dissolve organic contaminants in fuel lines such that it is not a good idea to fully substitute biodiesel for petrodiesel in a single step. Engines need minor changes to allow use of pure biodiesel (B100 – 100% biodiesel) power but blends, such as B20 (20% biodiesel) can normally be used without any modifications.

Biodiesel has a specific definition for use of the term. However, biodiesel is part of a family of renewable organic substitutes for fossil and other non-renewable fuels. Biodiesel power is based on conversion of biomass into specific forms. That biomass, however, can have sources from many different possibilities. Vegetable oils, and recycled cooking oils, are the dominant sources used at this point. The vegetable oils used for biodiesel power range from sunflower oil to rapeseed oil to palm oil with sunflower oil producing the least biodiesel and palm oil producing the most. Other substances such as hemp, algae, and fungus can also be used to produce the base materials used to create biodiesel power. Considering the remarkable biodiversity of our planet and the versatility of such organisms as yeast, algae, and fungi, it is likely that other non-food sources will increase in importance for biodiesel power production.

Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is the use of energy that exists in the heat of the earth. This heat may be volcanic in origin, produced by friction caused be shifting of the plates of the Earth’s crust, or a byproduct of natural fission. Most locations that are commercially viable for geothermal energy are, thus, located in geologically active sections of the earth. Many countries are actively trying to increase use of geothermal energy but the Philippines and Iceland are presently the only countries which make use of geothermal energy for 15 to 20% of their power needs.

The main uses of geothermal energy for non-power needs are concerned with heating water. A natural hot springs, or spa, makes use of this without any major need for construction or intervention. The next step of use is to route the hot water produced via geothermal energy to heat buildings or (for some colder countries) even streets. The heat can also be used for drying plants – or routed within pipes to pasteurize milk.

There is also an opposing use of geothermal energy which arises out of the enormous mass of the earth. This is that, even without heat production, temperature beneath the surface of the planet is normally in the 50 to 60 degree (Fahrenheit) range. Thus, caverns can be used to cool food, and other, items and the exchange of the more constant temperatures beneath the earth and the variable surface temperatures can facilitate heating or cooling of dwellings.

Geothermal Power

Geothermal power makes use of the heat available in the earth to generate electricity. The exact method depends, in part, upon the specific environment within which the heat exists. The geothermal power environment can be hotter or cooler, wetter or drier. Generating electric power from heat requires heat to be translated into movement – movement of air or fluid. In areas where the geothermal power temperature is cooler (but still very warm), the heat can be used to “boil” some other fluid. This, in turn, can be used in conjunction with a turbine generator. This is known as a binary cycle thermal plant because of the use of two separate fluids to generate power.

Many areas of geothermal power may not have their own fluid. In this case, the water or other fluid can be injected into the site, heated, and then the resulting steam used for power generation. Unfortunately, adding previously absent fluids to the environment may cause other problems. The easiest alternative is a situation where dry steam can be used directly to power turbines and, if kept under pressure, superheated waters can be brought up to low-pressure flash steam units.

Geothermal power units prime advantages are that they are constant and they replenish – very, very slow to reduce their heat capabilities. This means that use of geothermal power within a power grid can use them to help equalize power needs over time rather than needing to compensate for their presence. Many alternative power methods can best be used in combination with other sources.