Alternative Energy Sources - Solution to Spiraling Cost of Fossil Fuel

Alternative Energy Sources 

 Solution to Spiraling Cost of Fossil Fuel 

These are alternative sources of energy to augment our dwindling fossil fuel.  The prices of gasoline and other petroleum products continue to push inflation worldwide to the brink of economic recession, if not 
depression. 

LIVING with NATURE CENTER
San Vicente, Ilocos Sur
Dr Abe V Rotor


Modern wind turbines (windmills), Bangui, Ilocos Norte. They provide clean and safe source of energy along coastline and mountain ranges.  

Some developments of the wind turbine as the world's fastest growing "green energy":

• USA: Oklahoma is home of the largest wind farm in the US. In Oregon one windfarm generates 845 megawatt (MW).  Wind power in California makes up about 6.5% of the state’s electricity, as of 2014.

• China: The Gansu Wind Farm in China is the largest wind farm in the world, with a target capacity of 20,000 MW by 2020.

• India has the world’s largest offshore wind-focused and the most powerful wind turbine in the world. Its 80-meter long blades a swept area of 21,124 square meters.  A single turbine alone can power 8,300 average households

• Disadvantage: Wind turbines kill an estimated 140,000 to 328,000 birds each year in North America, making it the most threatening form of green energy.

Small Water Impounding Project (SWIP) produces hydroelectric needs of a community. It also serves as water reservoir for the home and farm.  Other advantages:

• boosts tourism (ecotourism)
• creates favorable mini-climate (cools the surroundings, increases Oxygen level, absorbs CO2)
• serves as buffer against strong wind, filters dust and Carbon particulates
• provides construction wood,  firewood, other raw materials for local industries. 
• demonstrates the features of agro-forestry and dendro-forestry (tree farming).  
• favors the conditions that provide high biodiversity (species composition), and balanced environment (ecosystem).
• offers various opportunities of research and extension, links the academe with the community. 

Garbage recycling produces energy from garbage dump by incineration and composting, Payatas, QC

One way to generate electricity is to burn solid waste, like the material found in landfills. Instead of a traditional landfill, a community might have a waste-to-energy facility that incinerates garbage, transforming chemical energy to thermal energy. That thermal energy is transformed into electrical energy, usually by turning a turbine. Another energy resource that comes from our garbage is the methane gas that is produced as the waste decays. This gas can be used as fuel.
(From: How Is Waste Converted into Energy? By QUEST, Internet  )


Here is a short list of renewable energy sources in response to queries on how to cope up with the crisis of dwindling supply and soaring price of fossil fuel.

1. Wind power farm, re-inventing the Dutch windmill (Remember the novel, Don Quijote, Man from La Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes?), farm type wind mills to generate electricity and pump ground water. Wind turbine generators (WTGs)- In Bangui, Ilocos Norte, there are 20 modern WTGs.

2. Ethanol from sugarcane, sugar beets and root crops (cassava) – There is a debate on the wisdom of converting food into fuel, focusing on the scarcity of human food in developing countries. There is also displacement of the other uses of these crops in industry.

3. Biogas: home type (China and India models), farm model (Madamba Maya Farms), community (energy from garbage), commercial types, mainly methane.

4. Composting – production of organic fertilizer, soil conditioners.

5. Solar energy: reflected light (mirror concentrator), desalination, direct drying, solar panels, solar battery/cell, Ex. Telephones tap power of sun, solar car (Sunraycer GM crossed Australia on a desert route at ave 24 miles per hour

6. Fire in the Earth: geothermal energy; hot rocks. Water is pump to a depth up to two miles (Britain), circulates in crack, becomes hot up to 200 centigrade and comes through a borehole which then turns a turbine. Anglo-French link Old Red Sandstone 76 centigrade hot enough to heat buildings. Trapping volcanic heat. Hot water in island, Los Baños.

7. New sails for sea vessels (Back to the time of sailing ships.

8. Surging energy of the sea: waves, tides, heat content, salty water itself, ocean currents (gully wave generator, wave power, OTEC Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, CLAM – British wave pressure system, Japanese osmosis system at estuaries. .

9. Biodegradable plastics for biogas and compost production

10. Firewood as product of farming firewood crops such as kakawate, aroma (kandaroma Ilk), ipil-ipil.

These are alternative sources of energy to augment our dwindling fossil fuel.  The prices of gasoline and other petroleum products continue to push inflation worldwide to the brink of economic recession, if not depression. ~