This sort of classification rules out methods like hydroelectric, which have been around for over a century and are therefore quite common to certain regions of the world.Īnother factor is that alternative energy sources are considered to be “clean”, meaning that they don’t produce harmful pollutants. On the other hand, the term is also used to refer to what are currently considered to be non-traditional methods of energy – such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, and other recent additions. Credit: Wikimedia Commons/ Sideka Solartechnik In this respect, it can include things as nuclear facilities, hydroelectric power, and even things like natural gas and “clean coal”. On the one hand, the term can refer to forms of energy that do not increase humanity’s carbon footprint. Naturally, there is some debate as to what “alternative energy” means and what it can be applied to. But just what is alternative energy, and what is the likelihood of it becoming mainstream? Definition: And thanks to improvements in technology and production, the costs of most forms of alternative energy has been dropping while efficiency has been increasing. While most concepts for alternative energy are not new, it has only been in the past few decades that the issue has become pressing. Thanks to the threat of Climate Change, and the fact that average global temperatures continue to rise year after year, the drive to find forms of energy that will reduce humanity’s reliance on fossil fuels, coal, and other polluting methods has naturally intensified. In recent years, alternative energy has been the subject of intense interest and debate.
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