Alternative Power & Energy Sources

Solar Power

• Solar power is taking the sun's rays and converting them into power to run a home or business. Since the sun's rays are free, the power is free to use. The cost is in the cells to hold the power until used and the panels to catch the rays. There are government programs to assist with the cost, as well as, both federal and state tax breaks for using solar power. Creating a passive solar design within your room is a way to utilize the sun's power, while not acquiring any extra cost of installing a solar power system. This is utilizing the sun's heat through where the windows of a room are placed. Proper placement of the windows allows the most sunlight into the room, allowing the sun to naturally heat the area. Properly insulating and maintaining the insulation holds the passive solar power within the room.

Wind Power

• Wind power is extracted by using large wind turbines. They look like large propellers on poles or sticks, and some can be as tall as a 20-story building. When the wind blows, the arms spin, making the turbine work to create electricity. Since wind is free, the only cost is in the turbine itself, making this a viable energy source for many people. The main disadvantages of using wind power is the sight of the large turbines, and the noise the turbines produce. The largest turbines can produce enough energy for a very small town, but smaller versions can be erected for use with a single home or business.

Hydroelectric Power

• Hydroelectric power is one of the oldest forms of power generated by man. Water runs through a wheel, which spins, turning the turbines and creating power, which is then transferred to a generator and used. People have been using water for energy sources for centuries, mostly for mill work to grind corn or wheat to make flour. This is one of the cleanest forms of energy used by electric companies today, but only works in areas where dams are available. Newer, large dams are being built to incorporate a hydroelectric turbine inside the dam while keeping the dam aesthetically pleasing to the surrounding community. The main disadvantage of using this type of power is the great costs involved in starting the facility.

Static Electricity

• Nikola Tesla (1856-1943) was an inventor, who worked with Thomas Edison. He created a generator that used nothing for power but static electricity. This power source is now used on some cruise liners and warships where wired power is not available. The generator takes the static electricity that the Earth produces naturally from the magnetic poles of Earth and turns it into usable power. With this technology, a small generator can power a home or business using nothing more than the air around it. One drawback of this technology is the noise of the electricity being extracted from the surrounding air.