Renewable Energy – Alternative To Fossil Fuels

Today we live in a world where fossil fuels (oil, natural gas and coal) provide more than 90% of the total energy. The energy needs are increasing and it is estimated that fossil fuels will be depleted in not so distant future. The need to look for alternative sources of energy is therefore a priority.

There are two reasons why - energy supply and environmental issues. Fossil fuels are limited resources and cannot be replaced. They were formed, as their name suggests, from the fossilized remains of plants and animals over hundreds of millions of years. In other words - they are non-renewable. When the supplies run out, and they will run out, that's it.

The second reason is pollution. We use fossil fuels by burning (combustion) which produces many pollutants - carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds. Emissions from the consumption of oil, natural gas, and coal, are responsible for approximately 80% of yearly carbon dioxide emissions in the world. This affects both our health and the environment.

So what can we do? The future is definitely not in fossil fuels, we know that. It belongs to renewable energy. Solar power, wind power and hydro power are the leading renewable energy technologies of today.

By increasing the use of alternative energy sources, we could slowly start decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels. The best thing about renewable sources is that they will never run out.

One of the biggest reasons why renewable energy is not used more often is the cost. But this is positively changing. The technology is improving and the costs for solar, wind, and other renewable sources are going down.

There is no doubt, renewable energy sources are the future and it is up to us to smooth the transition from fossil fuels. The sooner we start, the better.

You can start using renewable energy today and greatly reduce or even eliminate your power bill. Learn how to generate electricity at home and see earth4energy manual. It's easier and cheaper than you think.