There are plenty of reasons to look forward to a United States government that embraces alternative energy sources. Alternative and renewable sources of energy shows promise in helping to reduce the amount of harmful emissions that we release into our ecosystem. It also helps preserve the natural resources that we currently use as sources of energy, in turn, this may help our global financial system break away from its dependence on oil as a source of growth and avoid future ‘oil shocks’.

Here are some of the most promising sources of alternative/renewable energy that are currently being used today:

Wind Power

Wind propels the blades of a wind turbine, in turn the rotational movement is converted into an electrical current by means of an electrical generator. It’s similar to older windmills, which manually converted the rotational motion using gears to turn mechanical machinery to do physical work. Now, wind towers are located mostly on ‘wind farms’ and connected to national power grids.

Pros
- No pollution.
- Infinite source.

Cons
- Wind power is intermittent.
- Large wind farms, or even individual turbines, can be extremely ugly. Many communities take a NIMBY approach to the idea. (Not In My Back Yard)

Solar Power

Solar power works by trapping the sun’s rays in solar cell where it is then converted into electricity. As long as the sun exists, we will have solar power.

Pros

- Solar power generation releases no water or air pollution.
- Infinite source

Cons

-Intermittent source
-Solar power stations are extremely expensive
-Production of solar cells is not environmentally friendly

Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy harnesses heat deep under the surface of the Earth. Hot rocks underground heat water to produce steam. These areas are drilled into and the steam that shoots up is used to drive turbines.

Pros

-If done correctly, geothermal energy produces no harmful by-products
-Once built, a plant is generally self-sufficient
-Plants are usually small, and minimally mars the landscape

Cons

-If done incorrectly, drilling for geothermal energy can release hazardous minerals and gases
-Not infinite, the sites are prone to running out of steam.