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Alternative energy sources
Without energy, human life is unthinkable. We are all used to using fossil fuels as energy sources - coal, gas, oil. However, their reserves in nature are known to be limited. And sooner or later the day will come when they will run out. To the question "what to do in anticipation of the energy crisis?" the answer has long been found: we must look for other sources of energy - alternative, non-traditional, renewable.
What are the main alternative energy sources?
Solar power
All kinds of solar systems use solar radiation as an alternative source of energy. Radiation from the Sun can be used both for the needs of heat supply and for generating electricity (using photovoltaic cells).
The advantages of solar energy include the renewability of this energy source, noiselessness, and the absence of harmful emissions into the atmosphere when solar radiation is converted into other types of energy.
The disadvantages of solar energy are the dependence of the intensity of solar radiation on the daily and seasonal rhythm, as well as the need for large areas for the construction of solar power plants. Another serious environmental problem is the use in the manufacture of photovoltaic cells for solar systems of toxic and toxic substances, which creates the problem of their disposal.
Options for using solar energy:
How are solar panels arranged and work?
Homemade solar panels and their industrial counterparts
Nanoantennas - device, application and prospects of use
Wind power
One of the most promising sources of energy is the wind. The principle of operation of the wind generator is elementary. The strength of the wind is used to set the wind wheel in motion. This rotation is in turn transmitted to the rotor of the electric generator.
The advantage of a wind generator is, first of all, that in windy places, the wind can be considered an inexhaustible source of energy. In addition, wind generators, by producing energy, do not pollute the atmosphere with harmful emissions.
The disadvantages of devices for the production of wind energy include the inconstancy of wind power and the low power of a single wind generator. Also, wind generators are known for making a lot of noise, as a result of which they try to build them away from places of residence of people.
If you are interested in the topic of using wind energy, then check out these articles:
Wind generators in Russia: how to choose, install and avoid disappointment
Home-made wind generator and its industrial analogues
Vaneless turbines - a new type of wind generator
Geothermal energy
A huge amount of thermal energy is stored in the depths of the Earth. This is because the temperature of the Earth’s core is extremely high. In some places of the globe there is a direct exit of high-temperature magma to the Earth's surface: volcanic regions, hot springs of water or steam. The energy of these geothermal sources is proposed to be used as an alternative source by supporters of geothermal energy.
Geothermal sources are used in different ways. Some sources are used for heat supply, others - for generating electricity from thermal energy.
The advantages of geothermal energy sources include inexhaustibility and independence from the time of day and time of year.
The negative aspects include the fact that thermal waters are highly mineralized, and often also saturated with toxic compounds. This makes it impossible to discharge waste thermal water into surface water bodies. Therefore, for waste water, it is necessary to pump back into the underground aquifer. In addition, some seismologists oppose any intervention in the deeper layers of the Earth, arguing that this could trigger earthquakes.
Use of other types of alternative energy sources:
Mini and micro hydropower plants - popular designs and applications
Nanogenerators for snares of portable devices
Paving slabs generating electricity
Osmotic power plant: pure salt water energy
Minato's magnetic motor: is there a cornucopia of magnetic energy?
Piezogenerators are new sources of electricity. Fantasy or reality?
Home-made mini-hydroelectric power station and its industrial analogues
Fuel Cells - Alternative Power Supplies
Thermogenerators: how to “weld” electricity on a gas stove
Indigirka - a wood-burning electric generator or a new Russian stove
Electrical energy from plants - green power plants
Super Flywheels - New Energy Storage Batteries
As you can see, an alternative to traditional sources of energy exists. And this gives us hope that in the future humanity will be able to overcome the energy crisis associated with the depletion of non-renewable energy sources!
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