As the world grows and develops the demand for electricity grows, as does the use of fossil fuels that are damaging to our environment, and we look for renewable energy options to power our society instead.

The burning of fossil fuels causes pollution as well as smog, acid rain and global warming. In the past nuclear power was seen as the answer to our electricity problems, however we know now the many hazards that it causes.

The best alternatives to fossil fuels uses solar power – energy from the sun’s radiation, wind power – using wind turbines to generate electricity, and marine energy – energy from the waves and tides can be all used to generate electricity. With all these alternative renewable energy options, why would we continue to burn copious amounts of fossil fuels?

This article will answer this question as well as many other questions you may have about alternative sources of energy.

Alternative renewable energy is an energy source that is continually replenished such as the sun, water and wind. Renewable energy is often preferred because no emissions of green house gases are involved in the energy process.

As a society we should make use of the energy sources that come from nature and avoid everything that causes damage to our environment. This includes fossil fuels and nuclear power.

The electricity generated from wind does not generate any greenhouse gases and it is possible for it to be used to meet our country’s growing need for electricity.

Using wind as an alternative renewable resource has been on the backburner for many years. Windmills have been used to grind grain and pump water for centuries that go back well before the Middle Ages.

The way that wind power works is that the radiation from the sun warms up the atmosphere, and this is what causes the wind to blow. In essence wind power is just an extension of solar power.

Wind power is one of the fasting growing forms of energy generation that is being developed worldwide. It is a fairly easy process using wind turbines.

Rotor blades are attached to a shaft of an electricity generator and are placed in a windy place. The power of the wind spins the blades, which turn the generator, and electricity is produced.

There are a number of wind farms world wide that generate alternative renewable energy by use of the wind.

However, much research and development is going in to finding ways to set up wind farms out in the ocean, where strong winds blow more frequently. We are a long way off finding this solution, but when we do, wind power might be able to supply a large portion of the world’s energy.

The energy from the sun is an abundant renewable energy resource and it makes sense to tap into the energy that can be used as an electricity source too.

Many people choose to make use of solar power because it is free, vast and renewable. Currently the most common use of the sun’s energy in homes is for light and warmth – that is what windows are designed for, but in the past five years people have seen the potential of using the sun as a source for providing hot water too.

There are a number of technologies currently being put to use such as solar hot water systems, and solar heaters for swimming pools.

However more systems need to be developed if we are going to use alternative renewable energy as our only source of power i.e. without the use of fossil fuels.