There are some renewable energy sources we’re all aware of, including solar and wind. But there are also a number of others that are starting to be discovered. Variety is the spice of life, and when the world faces fossil fuel depletion and climate change, new sources of energy are a welcome relief.
So, even though you still want to keep on top of the latest news about renewable energy, like this piece – https://oilandenergyinvestor.com/2014/11/this-energy-stock-has-more-than-doubled-the-sp-500-without-finding-a-drop-of-oil/ – you’ll also want to keep your eyes peeled for some of the following, more “out there” sources of energy:
“When the world faces fossil fuel
depletion and climate change,
new sources of energy are
a welcome relief.”
Space Lasers
We’re already starting to collect power from the sun, but as solar energy passes through the Earth’s atmosphere, a lot of energy is lost. Therefore, if we start collecting it directly from space, this energy loss can be avoided. And that only means one thing – a much more efficient way of collecting energy, over a longer period of time and at a higher level.
To do this, a series of panels or satellites would need to orbit in space, in an area where the sun’s shining most of the time. The converted energy would then be sent back to planet Earth, and this can be done in a number of innovative ways, including space lasers.
Body Heat
A great source of energy that’s already being used in the U.S., U.K., and Sweden is body heat. In fact, in Minneapolis, the Mall of America recycles the heat from shoppers’ bodies to warm the building during winter! This heat is transferred to the various buildings using a system of pipes, pumps, and water.
If that hasn’t grossed you out enough, you might be interested to know that, in the U.K., Durham Crematorium installed a heat recovery system within their furnaces, which included a turbine that could generate electricity. It makes sense because one cremation generations enough heat to power 1,500 TVs!
Alcohol
It’s a well-known fact whiskey warms you up on a cold winter’s day, but did you know it’s also providing 9,000 homes with electricity?
Each year, during the distilling process, a large amount of pot ale and grains are produced. But instead of just disposing of this waste, Scottish distilleries are partnering with energy companies to transform this unwanted waste into much-needed electricity.
There are 100 whiskey distilleries in Scotland, which is why turning these into a renewable energy source makes a lot of sense. It also helps Scotland to get one step closer to its target of creating 100% of the country’s electricity by 2020.
Human Waste
Methane is contained in feces, and this can be used in exactly the same way that natural gas can. However, even though natural gas isn’t a renewable energy source, feces is, because everyone’s producing plenty of poop to go around.
It isn’t just human waste that can be used either, as animal waste also contains sources of biomethane. This means, anything that normally operates by using natural gas can be powered by poop. In fact, there are already a number of different applications that are using this to produce energy today.
For example, in the U.K., the Bio-Bus runs on gas that has been generated by treated food and sewage waste. And, the city of Grand Junction in Colorado, is powering 40 city vehicles through biomethane. In Washington, D.C., the waste-to-energy system in use there is the largest in the world because it generates enough electricity to power one-third of the company’s wastewater treatment plant, which is 157 acres.
Texting
Even though we’re constantly being warned about the damaging effects texting can have on our health – it may just be able to help our planet.
Piezoelectricity sounds scary but it’s actually just a term that simply means that: some metals can accumulate an electric charge when subjected to certain pressures. When you take this concept and place it into mobile phones, you can use the tapping of the phone created during writing a text message to charge the phone with piezoelectricity.
At Club Watt, in the Netherlands, this technology was used on a much larger scale, turning the dance floor into a piezoelectric one that gathered energy as the clubbers shuffled, bounced and jumped their way around it. Unfortunately, the club has now closed, but the idea was an innovative way of trying to save the planet!
Alternative Energy Sources in the Future
All of the unique energy sources come with their own advantages and disadvantages. However, as green technology continues to progress, these crazy-sounding ideas could become a part of our planet’s greener future.
About the Author
David Roberts is a personal finance consultant who loves to help newbies to the stock market world. You can read his articles on a number of finance and investment websites.
What other ideas do you have for alternative energy sources?
Share your thoughts and comments with us.
Leave A Comment