Finding Alternatives For Producing Electrical Energy
Just about everyone knows that most appliances require electrical energy to operate and that most electricity is generated by power turbines, fired by coal, oil, gas and propane with some power being generated by hydropower and wind. However, the vast majority of electrical energy is produced by burning fossil fuels, a process that is deleting the globe's natural resources while spewing pollutants into the air. It is also being blamed for climate changes around the world.
There are alternatives to generating electrical energy instead of burning fuel, such as nuclear power plants turbines operated by wind and water. Solar energy remains a largely untapped source of power that is pollution free and other than the initial investment in solar panels and related equipment, is essentially free. However, many believe that the current producers of electrical energy and the general public used to having this power available, are reluctant to change.
Some of the fears of switching to solar power is the fact that at night and during periods of heavy clouds the sun cannot get to the solar panels, which in effect halts the production of electrical energy. However, there are methods available that save the power created and store it for when the sun is not visible.
Return On Investment Is Major Block
Many people are willing to switch to an alternative source of electrical energy but currently the return on the investment is holding them back from making the switch. Even with windmills and hydroelectric generators, securing a reliable supply of electrical energy is more costly than those that burn fossil fuels. The cost of the investment can take as long as 10 or 15 years in order to realize the availability of free power for an average home.
Reliability is another factor that makes some reluctant to rely solely on these alternatives. Those residing in areas where the sun shines brightly 90 percent of the year may receive a return much more quickly, but those in areas where the sun is often blocked by clouds may not consider solar power a reliable source of electrical energy.
While many areas of the country have a steady breeze most days out of the year, when the wind quits blowing, a windmill does not offer a reliable source of electrical energy and hydroelectric power is only available near waterways with a sufficient amount of water moving fast enough to generate enough electrical energy to make it worth building a power plant.
