Alternatives to Burning Fossil Fuel

There are advantages to using fossil fuels to produce energy. For example, a vast and sturdy infrastructure already exists to harvest, refine and convert them for electricity and transportation. But there are many cons as well, most notably there are limited amounts of coal and oil, harvesting them is economically and environmentally expensive, and our continued dependence on them is diminishing the supply at an ever-increasing rate. As fossil fuels become scarcer, alternatives are gradually finding implementation in the efforts to meet our energy needs.

Alternatives in Transportation

• Electric and hydrogen fuel-cell cars are in development and provide an alternative to fossil-fuel-burning vehicles. Gas/electric hybrids, while still using fossil fuel, burn it more efficiently and can be considered an alternative to conventional cars due to their effect on conservation of resources. Biodiesel is another form of fuel that uses only small amounts of fossil fuel to produce more usable fuel, thus conserving limited resources. Diesel engines can be modified to run on vegetable oil, creating a functional transportation alternative that serves to recycle used oils from restaurants and industrial food-production facilities. Human power is also an alternative when the distance and time constraints are appropriate to walking or pedaling a bicycle.

Renewable Energy

• Electricity generated from coal uses fossil fuel and can be replaced or augmented by the integration of renewable energy sources into the existing electrical infrastructure. Wind farms, solar panel arrays and hydroelectric generators are all viable supplements to the existing electrical system. Their use as supplemental sources of electricity can diminish the rate at which fossil fuels are depleted and curb the amount of air pollution and environmental damage caused by the mining and burning of coal. As research into these alternative energy sources progresses, the potential to refine their respective energy-collecting abilities holds the promise of increased efficiency and a greater contribution to ending our dependence on fossil fuels.

Nuclear Energy

• Nuclear fission reactors produce large amounts of energy while contributing negligibly to air pollution. Power plants designed around nuclear reactors use no fossil fuels, thus freeing up existing fossil fuels such as oil for use in more sustainable applications such as plastics, fabrics and building materials. Unfortunately, the waste produced from nuclear power plants is highly toxic and long-lasting. The danger of a severe catastrophic event such as a reactor meltdown, while rare, can be devastating to all life within miles of the reactor for generations to come. Nuclear energy, while a clean short-term alternative to fossil-fuel-based power plants, can have drastic long-term effects on societies and ecosystems affected by it.