Environmentally Friendly Energy Sources

Because of the finite nature of conventional energy resources, many people are looking to alternative and environmentally friendly ways to generate electricity. These alternative energy sources typically use the natural phenomena in the Earth and cause little to no damage to the ecosystem. Governments typically use some forms of these technologies. The technology itself, however, has applications for personal use as well.

Solar

• Solar energy has various applications for home energy use. Two main methods are using solar energy for home heating systems and water heating. Solar home heating, an augment to existing heating systems, uses certain designs and materials. For example, a greenhouse attachment would receive heat from the sun and distribute it to the rest of the house during the day. Solar water heaters use conductor plates that receive and store heat easily.

Geothermal

• Geothermal energy takes advantage of the Earth's natural heat from its core. Chemical reactions and radiation in various layers of the Earth's crust generate this natural heat. A geothermal application is using a heat pump connected to the bottom of relatively shallow water such as a lake. This uses the natural difference in temperature between the air and the ground beneath the lake -- in general, the lake's floor is warmer than the air during winter and colder during the summer.

Wind

• The use of wind energy dates back to medieval times when people used windmills to gather wind energy for simple machines. Modern wind technology remains highly similar in concept to windmills but incorporates upgraded designs for more efficient means of energy transfer. Some small modern windmills can generate up to 2 kilowatts per revolution. These windmills are often used to support solar and electric power bases. As of 2011, the U.S. government encourages the use of windmills and offers specific grants and tax breaks for wind energy users.

Hydroelectric

• Hydroelectric power is capable of producing a relatively significant amount of energy. The raw force of moving water -- gravity and tides -- generates this energy. While dams are the most widespread ways to tap moving water, the same technology can be scaled down to apply to individual houses and small communities as well. This uses small power stations near streams and lakes. The station would create a flow between the natural body of water and an artificial storage site. The energy is transferred from the movement of the water in between the two sites.