Defining Alternate Energy

Hope Exists for Increased Use of Fuels Like Ethanol and Biodiesel
Peter Brown is ******. He can be reached at peter@euromarketingtools.com. The term alternate energy refers to a number of energy sources that have not reached mainstream production yet. They are considered alternatives to existing sources for a number of reasons, not all of which are rational. Historically we consider one of the oldest sources of energy as derived from burning wood to produce heat and to enable cooking. The wood stove was first replaced by the coal stove and later by natural gas and electricity. More modern forms of energy for cooking are are derived from organic the microwave, radiant heat growing matter and have atand convection. The last three tracted a lot of attention in are electrically produced. the last 20 years. In that group, So what is the alternate enthe most promising are the ergy? In heating, one of the biodiesel fuels because they latest forms of energy is deoffer the most potential for rived from wood pellets. This rapid replacement of petrois a situation where an energy leum products. source has come full circle. An optimistic assessment But in the broader context, Peter Brown of all energy sources indicates alternate energy is anything that there is hope for an inthat is not coal, hydro, gas, creased proliferation of alternate fuels. petroleum or nuclear. One of the oldest forms of renewable energy are the family of biofuels: Going Mainstream ethanol, methanol and biodiesel. They Solar power, with the increased effi-

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ciency of photovoltaic panels and the large solar farms in Germany, Japan, and the United States, is becoming a commodity and hence a standard energy source. A large number of petroleum companies have jumped on the solar bandwagon. In the United States, Shell, Arco and BP are actively promoting solar power. That makes sense since solar power poses the least threat to the existing petroleum infrastructure. Biofuels do present a serious threat because in many ways; they will take over petroleum consumption markets in transportation, heating, and energy production while improving the efficiencies of the older fuels. Do the examples of the biofuels and solar power indicate a need to rethink what is alternate and what is standard? The time may have come to actually define the terms alternate energy in a more comprehensive manner and relegate the losers to one category and the winners to another.
Potential Vs. Depleted

One school of thought says that un-

from a number of sources, animal fats tapped energy sources should be called to vegetable oils. potential energy; while the sources that are running down would be called depleted energy. How would that work in Polluting and Clean practice and what are the ramifications There is also the question of clean of such a classification? energy vs. polluting energy sources. To start with, solar energy is the epitome of the potential energ y source. Since 99.9% of The time may have come to actuthe suns rays that hit the earth are not harvested ally define the terms alternate ener gy directly for energy production, it represents a in a more comprehensive manner and huge waste of a huge relegate the losers to one categor y and potential. It is also a completely renewable enthe winners to another. ergy source. This is another popular way to differentiate energ y sources: renewable and non-renewable. Clearly, coal-burning power plants are not Under this scenario, biofuels are now clean. There are acid rain polluted lakes moving into serious consideration bein Ontario and Quebec that can trace cause the fuel source is not untapped their demise to Ohio coal burners. they are used for food, fertilizer, and Although solar power is absolutely other functions. They also have the clean in its production stage, some of amazing ability to cover many bases. the most toxic chemicals known to man Biodiesel, for example, can be made are required to create the panels.

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Where does one start counting the cost? When does the pollution meter tick in? Hydropower, the harnessing of large or even small rivers to turn turbines is considered an essentially clean energy source. And in a sense it is one of the cleanest, but then man exaggerates and turns whole regions into water catch fields, which have dislocated the environment and caused human tragedies. Wind power has been banned in certain states that happily endorse solar. Biodiesel fuels are clean to produce and burn a lot cleaner than petroleum diesel fuels, but still run in smelly diesel plants. Here is a situation where the alternate is an ideal solution for an existing power plant base, although some may contend that the plant base is polluting.
Conclusion

Creating energy is a matter of compromise and acceptable risk. No matter which category you select there will always be insiders and outsiders. My personal classification favorites are personal energy and corporate en-

ergy. Personal is the energy I control and produce. Solar panels on my roof and batteries in my garage are personal sources of energy. A small biodiesel production facility in my garage is personal and allows me to produce up to 60 gallons of diesel fuel a day. A wind Biodiesel driven pump to and bur n a pull water out of the ground and a diesel fuels, large tree lot are other for ms of sel plants. personal energy. In contrast, corporate ends up enriching someone else, is out of my control, and requires large outside inputs to remain stable. At the next level, there are group solutions. Again, biodiesel meets the bill because a group of individuals can get together to plan a local facility based on locally available resources.

fuels are clean to produce lot cleaner than petroleum but still run in smelly die-

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