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“What are the viable alternatives of fossil fuels?” I. Title: Alternative Fuels: The Necessary Step Step II. Introduction A. We have relied on fossil fuels such as oil and coal for hundreds of years. These natural recourses are finite and create air-damaging fumes when burned. Scientists and archeologists estimate that we are on the path to depleting the world’s world’s fossil fuel reserves, which could lead to an economic meltdown. B. Thesis Statement: If we continue to rely only on fossil fossil fuels to to generate electricity, electricity, and power our vehicles, we will undoubtedly consume the world reserve of these limited forms of energy energy.. Hydrogen, solar and wind power can be alternatives to fossil fuels. III. Necessary Background A. Fossil Fossil fuels have have created a negative negative environment environmental al impact through through their their burning process. And the supply of these these fuels is diminishing, diminishing, and this has helped spur interest in alternatives. alternatives. Currently, Currently, renewable energy only accounts for 9% of US domestic energy production. Hydropower accounts for about 5%. There is currently a higher cost to benefit ratio ratio for using renewable energy, energy, and fossil fuels are still relatively cheap to use (Renewable Energy Sources). B. Fossil Fossil fuels fuels are are finite finite recours recourses. es. Finite Finite means means having having definable definable limits. limits. We know oil and coal are finite and will will eventually be consumed. Alternative
Marr ii energy is usually renewable energy, which means this energy can be replaced by ecological cycles. C. We have been looking looking at this issue issue more closely closely because because of the increasi increasing ng gas prices to fuel our cars and heat our homes. In a recent study, study, 55% surveyed said they would consider an alternate fuel vehicle as their next car purchase (PR Newswire). IV. Subtopic #1 A. Companies Companies and individuals individuals are considering considering different, different, more more efficient efficient forms of fuel for cars and for the production of electricity. electricity. This is due in part because of greater conservation awareness and fears that gas prices may become too high. There are many viable alternative fuels being considered. B. Private Private civilians civilians and companies companies of the the United States States have considere considered d Hydrogen for a long time as a powerful and abundant fuel to power everything from cars to power plants. “Hydrogen is the 3rd most abundant element on Earth” (World (World Almanac). Solar energy is also also considered as a productive form of generating electricity without the emissions and cha nce of the source being depleted. C. Hydrogen-Fu Hydrogen-Fuel el Cell vehicles vehicles would would have to be built with with a high pressure pressure storage cylinder or a method of producing its own hydrogen fuel to run on. Fuel cells remain a suitable solution to rising gas prices (PR (PR Newswire). At the 2007 International Auto Show in Seattle, a Hydrogen-Gas vehicle was demonstrated to journalists.
The vehicle was a converted Ford Ranger truck truck
that can run on either Hydrogen Hydrogen or Gasoline. What makes the truck unique,
Marr iii though, was its ability to produce hydrogen on demand. The patented method of hydrogen fuel production in the truck was developed by Hydrogen Power Inc. and it “involves a chemical reaction between water, aluminum, and an environmentally friendly catalyst to cleanly and efficiently produce hydrogen on site and on demand” (Hydrogen Power). Some companies and countries are realizing the benefits of having hydrogen as a main fuel source. source. Drew Winter for Ward’s Auto World says that “[Iceland] is the first country in the world to commit to developing a hydrogen-based economy” (Winter). D. Using renewable renewable recourses recourses such such as Hydrogen is efficie efficient, nt, safe, and a logical alternative that can substitute our use of oil products and produce the same result. V. Subtopic Subtop ic #2 A. Solar power is already catching on with home and office building owners. Solar electricity is generated by the sun’s sun’s light when collected by photovoltaic panels that charge large batteries with electricity electricity.. These batteries are connected to the building’s building’s electrical wiring. Solar power is another great alternative to buying electricity from a polluting power plant, because they are not expensive to set up, and maintenance costs are minimal. Solar power may be the fastest growing alternative to to home electricity. B. In California, solar power output “has grown from about 3 megawatts in 2000 to 177 megawatts this year, a remarkable 5,900% increase” (St. John). State’s State’s around the US, realize the the environmental benefits to solar
Marr iv electricity, electricity, and have organized initiatives to provide rebates to business and homeowners who install solar power systems on their property. property. C. Instead of using individual solar solar panels to generate electricity, electricity, another proposed method would be to have large mirrors direct sunlight to boil water, thus generating steam to run turbines. turbines. The Department of Energy states that homes that use a scaled down version of these solar heating designs “can save as much as 50% on heating bills” (Renewable Energy Sources). VI. Subtopic #3 A. Wind Wind energy can can be a great alternative alternative to outside outside electrici electricity ty in rural rural communities or in farmland. Wind power works by using large large towermounted propellers that are spun by natural winds. The large propellers are connected to generators at the base of these wind towers that generate electricity from the spinning propellers. These windmills are usually usually placed in large clusters, called wind farms, to maximize energy production either for a large farm or medium sized town. B. Wind Wind is an energy source source that that will never never be depleted, depleted, but many windmill windmillss are needed to equal the electricity production of a small power plant. Brian Sweany says that states, such as Texas, have adopted the Renewable Portfolio Standard that calls for Texas Texas to increase alternative energy production to 2,88 0 megawatts by January 2009- a lot of this power will come from windmills (Sweany).
Marr v C. The implementat implementation ion of a wind project project in Alberta Alberta was so successf successful ul that “the “the Alberta Electric System Operator, or AESO, is concerned about there being too much on the electrical grid” (Scotton). VII. Conclusion A. As our energy consumpt consumption ion increases increases and our fossil fossil fuel reserves reserves decrease, decrease, we must look toward different, different, renewable forms of electricity electricity.. Hydrogen can be utilized to fuel our cars, solar power can be used to provide cheaper electricity to homeowners, and wind power can be applied to supply towns and large facilities with very cheap electricity. B. While some some of these options options are still still in development development,, they provide provide a cleaner renewable means of energy production, and can be able to replace the use of finite fuels.
