Alternative Energy Systems - Green Energy Power Conversion

Alternative Energy Solar Power converts sunlight via photovoltaics into electricity using PV modules, inverters, MPPT, and battery storage for grid-tied systems, microgrids, and off-grid resilience, improving efficiency, reliability, and decarbonization.

What Is Alternative Energy Solar Power?

A renewable electrical system converting solar irradiance to AC via PV modules, MPPT inverters, and optional storage.

✅ PV arrays generate DC; power electronics regulate voltage and current.

✅ Inverters with MPPT perform DC–AC conversion, grid sync, and protection.

✅ Battery storage and EMS enable peak shaving, backup, and microgrid control.

Alternative energy solar power is, perhaps, the first energy source that comes to mind when most people think of alternative energy sources, but — unlike wind — alternative energy solar power is still a long way from being considered a mainstream source of electricity generation. In fact, it accounts for less than one per cent of the world’s electricity production. For readers new to the topic, what is alternative energy clarifies key definitions and the role solar plays among emerging options.

Two main ways to harness the sun's energy to generate alternative energy solar power include: photovoltaic (PV), where solar cells directly convert sunlight into electricity, and solar-thermal power. PV is a proven alternative energy solar power technology that is most appropriate for small-scale applications to provide heat and power to individual houses and businesses. Sunlight falls on a layer of semiconductors, which excites electrons. This, in turn, creates an electrical current that can be transmitted via electrical cables to serve useful applications. Alternative energy solar power solar PV cells are already cost effective for powering houses and businesses in some regions. As with alternative energy wind power, costs have reduced in the past few years thanks to technological developments. But, unlike alternative energy wind power, however, large scale electricity production using alternative energy solar power costs about 22 cents per kilowatt-hour, significantly more expensive than its fossil fuel generation competitors and nuclear power. Comparative cost and performance data across technologies are summarized in alternative energy power, which details where PV is most competitive.

Solar-thermal energy is a completely different technology. It collects and concentrates the sun's rays to heat up fuel such glycol or any other liquid that heats up easily. The heat trapped within this medium is then used transferred through a heat exchanger so that heated water can be used for regular hot water applications like bathing and space heating and heating swimming pools, etc. Fossil fuels are sometimes used as a back-up to heat the water in the boiler if the sun is not shining and cannot heat the system. There are three different methods for concentrating the sun’s rays:

• Parabolic Trough — This method uses long, parallel rows of glass mirrors in the shape of a trough to concentrate the sun’s rays directly at the “absorber tube," which is often filled with oil, to achieve maximum effect.
• Power Tower — Similar in principle to parabolic-trough technology, the mirrors are placed in a circular pattern. At the center of the circle is a tower, at the top of which is a receiver filled with water, air, liquid metal or molten salt that moves to a power block and is used to power a steam turbine.
• Parabolic Disk System — In this system, dishes rather than troughs are used to concentrate the power of the sun.

To see how these concentrating approaches integrate with storage, controls, and grid interconnection, alternative energy systems offers design-level guidance for practitioners.

Advantages of Alternative Energy Solar Power

In spite of its cost versus other sources of energy, alternative energy solar power is attracting interest due to the following:

• Alternative energy solar power makes use of a renewable natural resource that is readily available in many parts of the world.
• The process used to generate alternative energy solar power is emission-free.
• Costs have greatly reduced thanks to technological advances in solar power technlogy to a point that it can compete with fossil fuel alternatives in specific circumstances.
• The technology is scalable in that it can be used for domestic heating purposes or on a larger scale for commercial electricity generation, as solar water heaters are an established technology, widely available and simple to install and maintain.

For a deeper dive into real-world performance benefits, case studies in advantages of solar power highlight emissions reductions and lifecycle savings.

Disadvantages of Alternative Energy Solar Power

The biggest barriers to increasing alternative energy solar power generation are the cost, the amount of land required for large-scale electricity production, and the intermittent nature of the energy source. In terms of the latter, thermal systems do not work at night or in inclement weather. Storage of hot water for commercial or domestic use is simple because only insulated tanks are needed, but further technology advancements are required to improve storage for the higher-temperature liquids required to generate electricity on a large scale and storage of the electricity itself. Emerging roadmaps in alternative energy solutions discuss thermal storage media and hybrid configurations that mitigate intermittency challenges.

Outlook for Alternative Energy Solar Power

Although alternative energy wind power is more economical and has been more widely adopted for large-scale power production than solar energy, solar energy is the most flexible in scale and application. It also is widely available and an environmentally benign source of alternative energy. Broader market drivers and renewable policy trends are tracked under renewable alternative energy, providing useful context for long-term solar adoption.

It is currently a $7 billion per year business that is growing at 40 per cent per annum. As part of the wider clean-energy portfolio, the taxonomy in forms of alternative energy situates solar alongside complementary technologies.

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Biomass energy converts organic feedstocks into renewable power via combustion, gasification, and anaerobic digestion, enabling CHP systems, grid integration, carbon-neutral generation, improved thermal efficiency, and dispatchable biofuels for resilient electrical infrastructure.

What Is Biomass Energy?

Biomass energy produces electricity from feedstocks through combustion or digestion, enabling CHP and grid reliability.

✅ CHP raises electrical efficiency to 70% with heat recovery

✅ Gasification feeds syngas to turbines or SOFC for power

✅ Dispatchable output supports frequency and voltage stability

Biomass energy comes from biomass feedstock (crops and residues, farm animal wastes, industrial wood, etc.). The heat from this substantial renewable resource can generate electricity, fuel and other forms of energy. It has been estimated that just one eighth of the total biomass energy produced annually could provide all of humanity’s current demand for energy. For a deeper overview of how biomass fits within the clean energy landscape, see this guide on biomass renewable energy and its practical applications today.

Some forms of biomass fuels (or biofuels), derived from biomass feedstock, can be solid, liquid, or gas. Kitchen scraps, sewage, the leftovers of the food processing industries, paper, sawdust, and lawn clippings are some of the available biomass energy sources. Biomass energy has received a lot of attention because an opportunity to convert waste into something very valuable has presented itself. These pathways are often discussed alongside other forms of alternative energy that leverage different feedstocks and conversion methods.

Biomass Energy – How can we use it?

Biomass energy can be converted to generate electricity, fuel vehicles and heat buildings using biofuel technologies. At the moment, biomass energy sources used in power plants include agricultural and farm residues, food processing residues, wood residues and methane gas from land fills. Biomass energy producers hope to significantly expand the supply of biomass energy by using trees and grasses as well. In power markets, biomass can contribute to renewable electricity portfolios alongside wind and solar resources.

Currently, there are more than 350 biomass energy plants generating 7,000 megawatts of biomass power in the United States. The producers who own these plants are quite diverse; they range from the electrical utilities, independent power producers, the wood manufacturing industry, and the pulp and paper industry. Such facilities are part of broader trends in renewable power generation that emphasize reliability and grid integration.

Biomass energy is considered a renewable energy source because it can replenish itself (regrown), unlike fossil fuels such as coal and oil, which when used, are gone. And, unlike coal and oil, biomass energy is an alternative energy source because it doesn’t hurt the environment with harmful chemicals, such as carbon dioxide, which cause greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Using renewable biomass resources not only reduce greenhouse gases, but they also reduce air pollutants and landfill wastes. This classification aligns with definitions of alternative energy that prioritize low emissions and resource sustainability.

As policies evolve, many jurisdictions frame biomass within broader renewable alternative energy strategies that support decarbonization goals.

Biomass Energy in Today’s Marketplace

Within the spectrum of renewable energy sources, biomass competes and collaborates with wind, solar, and hydro depending on local resource availability.

• High costs in handling and transportation, as well as high moisture content, have long outweighed the low price of biomass energy feedstocks. Fuels that are filled with moisture are hard to burn properly and heat release is slow and hard to control. However, fuel upgrading options, such as pelletization and drying remedy this situation, thus making biomass energy more economically attractive.
• Biomass energy can also make be useful in blending and co-firing applications with coal because of the low SO2, NOx, and metals emissions from biomass energy fuels, and their CO2 neutral status.

Biomass Energy – Benefits of Cogeneration

Cogeneration, the practice of producing both electricity and useful heat, is a great way of improving energy efficiency. Some sawmills, for example, use a lot of heat from boilers powered by biomass energy to supply energy to their kiln-drying operations. But any extra heat can help gasify biomass energy fuels so they can be used in a gas turbine, which is more efficient than a simple steam boiler. Additional savings can be produced by using combined cycle technology, which takes additional waste heat from the gas turbine to give power to a steam-driven turbine.

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Alternative energy fuels drive renewable power systems, integrating hydrogen, biofuels, and electricity with power electronics, smart grids, and energy storage for efficient conversion, decarbonization, and resilient distribution across modern electrical networks.

What Are Alternative Energy Fuels?

Alternative energy fuels are renewables—hydrogen, biofuels, electricity—supporting conversion and smart grid integration

✅ Power electronics convert DC/AC and manage grid-tied renewables.

✅ Fuel cells and hydrogen storage integrate with microgrids.

✅ Battery systems and EMS stabilize variable solar and wind.

Alternative energy fuels can help reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions produced from traditional gasoline or diesel fuels. Using alternative energy fuels means that you might have to change your conventional vehicle in for a more environmentally-friendly ride. Is this true? Let's find out. To start, a quick primer on what alternative energy is can clarify terms and set expectations in practical terms.

Alternative Energy Fuels - Battery-electric Vehicles

Your first option is battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), which powered by motors that draw electricity from on-board storage batteries. These batteries act as an engine to propel the motor. Using electric vehicles presents a great potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and smog-forming pollutants because pollution isn't produced from the tailpipe or through fuel evaporation. The vehicles can also have low overall (life-cycle) GHG emissions depending on the electricity source used to recharge the batteries. This option would require you to say goodbye to your conventional vehicle. When charged from renewable energy sources, BEVs can further minimize lifecycle emissions and operating costs.

Alternative Energy Fuels - Hybrid-electric Vehicles

If you don't necessarily want to give up your conventional vehicle, but still want the environmental and energy benefits of electric vehicles, then hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are your best option. HEVs are made up of a battery powered electric motor with combined with a conventional internal combustion engine. Instead of paying outrageous gas prices every time your gas tank nears the empty mark, a rapid refueling option recharges your conventional vehicle. If this alternative energy fuel option appeals to you then you'll be glad to know that many hybrid vehicle models are already widely available on the market, with many more manufacturers planning on introducing new hybrid electric/gasoline vehicles in the next few years. Many buyers also view HEVs as pragmatic alternative energy solutions that ease the transition away from full reliance on gasoline.

Alternative Energy Fuels - Fuel Cells and Hydrogen

If you are using a portable or a stationary power device, then fuel cells might be the ideal option for you. Electricity is generated in fuel cells electrochemically when hydrogen and oxygen are combined. Fuel Cells can produce zero or very low emissions depending on the source of the hydrogen. These energy-conversion devices can also utilize hydrogen and other fuels and, in the future, might be used for transportation applications. This alternative energy fuel source is also an option for vehicles and prototypes for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that are currently in the works. But, unfortunately, barriers exist. A lack of a hydrogen distribution infrastructure has made it difficult for this alternative energy fuel source to move ahead. Also, costs are high for fuel cells and hydrogen-production technologies and there are challenges related to hydrogen storage. However, fuel cells are a viable energy technology that can offer significant environmental, supply, economic and energy efficiency benefits because of the variety of fuels available for conversion to hydrogen. This pathway fits within the spectrum of alternative energy sources, each with distinct infrastructure and cost considerations.

For a broader perspective on where hydrogen, electricity, and fuels like bioenergy fit, explore the major forms of alternative energy and how they complement one another across sectors.

Alternative Energy Fuels - Ethanol

When scientist Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown used food to add fuel to his gas tank in the famous ‘80s flick, Back To The Future 2, he must have been thinking of ethanol, a liquid alcohol made of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon obtained from the fermentation of sugar or converted starch contained in grains and other agricultural or agri-forest feedstocks. Using fuel ethanol (or gasohol, which means that the alternative energy fuel source is distilled and dehydrated to create a high-octane, water-free alcohol) might one day be a viable alternative energy fuel source. However, oral consumption is unadvised because this alternative energy fuel is made unfit for drinking when a small amount of a noxious substance such as gasoline is added. In order for fuel ethanol to work as an effective alternative energy fuel source, all traces of water must be removed because water and alcohol combined cannot dissolve in gasoline. Further research into technology to produce ethanol from non-food sources is quickly moving this alternative energy fuel source toward commercialization. Because many feedstocks derive from crops and residues, ethanol often intersects with biomass energy pathways and agricultural policy.

Alternative Energy Fuels - Biodiesel

Conventional diesel combustion harms the environment, but biodiesel combusts better with a higher cetane rating that produces fewer life cycle greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). This alternative energy fuel source is a non-toxic and biodegradable fuel that comes from vegetable oils, animal fats, waste cooking oil, or tall oil (a by-product from pulp and paper processing). Biodiesel is made from these feedstocks through transesterification, a process that reacts the oil with an alcohol (methanol is usually used, but so can ethanol) and a catalyst (eg. sodium hydroxide). Glycerine, an ester called biodiesel, is produced from this chemical reaction. Most biodiesel is generated using this method. In practice, successful biodiesel programs are often part of broader renewable alternative energy strategies that leverage regional feedstocks and local distribution.

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What is alternative energy? In electrical engineering, it denotes renewable power sources—solar PV, wind, hydro, geothermal—and enabling systems like power electronics, inverters, storage, microgrids, and grid integration to decarbonize electricity.

What Is Alternative Energy?

Alternative energy uses renewable electrical sources and grid tech to cut emissions and boost efficiency.

✅ Includes solar PV, wind turbines, hydro, geothermal, and bioenergy.

✅ Enabled by power electronics, inverters, converters, and smart grids.

✅ Integrates storage, demand response, and grid stabilization controls.

What is Alternative Energy? Alternative energy is power that comes from sources which are not going to run out, do not pollute as much as fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas), or do not create leftover materials that are harmful to people and the environment.

The term, "alternative," in a sense, is meant to contrast environment friendly energy against forms of energy that hurt the environment (coal power, natural gas, and oil power). Other names for alternative energy include clean energy, green energy and renewable energy. For readers new to the topic, you can explore concise summaries of technologies in the guide to forms of alternative energy to see how they compare.

Alternative Energy Vs. Renewable Energy

Renewable energy and alternative energy are often interchangeable, but they do have different meanings. Renewable energy comes from a replinishable energy source (it can never deplete). Electric energy that is generated from the sun (solar), the wind, the ocean (waves, currents or tides), the earth (geothermal), waste (biomass), landfill gas, or water (hydro power) is considered to be renewable energy. Renewable energy falls under the alternative energy umbrella because renewable fuel sources like wind and solar don't hurt the environment. For a broader overview, the relationship between categories like clean power and storage is outlined in the resource at renewable and alternative energy for further reading.

Alternative Energy Sources

A comprehensive overview of major options, deployment trends, and resource potential is compiled at alternative energy sources for additional context.

1. Alternative Energy as Solar Power

The sun has been around, shining on the earth with warmth and light for many, many years. This alternative energy source is available at no cost, and will be available to generate energy tomorrow and for millions of years to come, which explains why scientists continue to strive to figure out new ways on how to capture and use energy from the sun. For system basics, component choices, and siting tips, see alternative energy solar power to understand practical applications.

Long ago, it was discovered that leaving objects in the sun not only increased the object's thermal temperature, but the radiating heat also produced energy. Today, this type of alternative solar power, letting the sun heat something up, is called thermal solar energy. This alternative energy source is used to heat water for people's homes by passing cool water through pipes that are exposed to sunlight. As the pipes heat up, the water gets hot.

Another type of solar energy, known as light solar energy or photovoltaic energy, has only been used since the 1950s. This type of solar power comes from changing sunlight into actual electrical current. Very thin photovoltaic cells, which contain layers of different chemicals, absorb light from the sun and change it into electricity. The photovoltaic electricity is then stored in large batteries for later use, or it is actually sent back through the power lines to the electric company, which pays you for making electricity. Photovoltaic energy is growing in popularity every year. New types of photovoltaic cells, called “thin films”, are making solar electrical systems easier to put into homes, and less expensive than they were before.

Did you know: If one minute’s worth of all the sun’s energy that falls on the Earth was captured, it would be enough to provide the world with enough power for an entire year.

2. Alternative Energy as Wind Power

Wind energy has been utilized as an energy source for thousands of years. For example, the earliest sailors realized that putting sails on their boats to catch the wind made their boats go faster. More than 100 years ago, many farms used wind power to pump water from underground up to a container where it could be used for their homes or to water their animals. Today, wind power is used to turn large propeller blades that are put on top of towers. As the blades turn, their movement turns a generator, which changes the movement into electricity, which is sent to power stations or stored in batteries. Today, more people are buying small wind towers that make enough electricity to run their homes.

These days, very large windmills (known today as windfarms) are built in large groups. These windfarms are located miles away from where people live, and when the power is generated, the power is sent back to the cities and towns. Because wind patterns vary from location to location, some windfarms won’t work very well. But in windy areas, windfarms provide an efficient amount of electricity. Integrating wind with storage, efficiency, and grid modernization is covered under broader alternative energy solutions that help scale projects.

3. Alternative Energy as Water Energy (Hydro Electricity)

Water energy is another type of alternative energy that has been utilized for many years. Have you ever seen a water wheel next to a mill in an old painting or picture? The wheel was turned by the flowing water in a creek. The turning wheel was connected to a large millstone, which was used to crush grain to make flour and cornmeal. Today, electricity is generated using water. Large walls (dams) are built with tunnels to block flowing rivers so that the water can navigate through them, and, as the water goes through these tunnels, propellers turn a motor, which then generates electrical power. The generated power either is stored in batteries or is sent to a power station. Technology has developed enough that a small home can generate its own hydro power.

If a home is next to a creek or stream, a micro hydro system can turn a very small wheel, which then generates electrical power. Activists, scientists and some government officials have voiced their concerns that building large dams interrupt ecosystems, despite the fact that it generates millions of watts of power. However, the micro hydro technology can be used without hurting a small stream or the plants and animals that live there.

4. Alternative Energy as Biomass Energy

The farming industry, among other industries, are using corn and other plants as a biomass alternative energy source that can be put into the gas tanks of cars and trucks that can replace earth-damaging fossil fuels. Further feedstock pathways, conversion methods, and project case studies are outlined under biomass energy to illustrate real-world use.

The oldest type of biofuel is called biodiesel, which was first made out of plants and vegetables. Today, biodiesel is made out of old cooking oil and other types of plant materials that are not needed for other things. When it’s burning biodiesel made out of old cooking oil, the exhaust from a car’s tail pipe smells like french fries.

Ethanol, a second biofuel, is made by distilling plant materials (eg. corn) into grain alcohol, which is then mixed with small amounts of fossil fuel. When finished, this form of alternative energy can be used in cars, trucks and vans. While the farming industry is utilizing this readily available alternative energy resource, studies show that unless farms stop using petroleum-based chemicals for fertilizer and for killing pests, growing crops to make ethanol fuels may be more damaging to the environment than other forms of alternative energy. Comparisons with hydrogen, renewable diesel, and other alternative energy fuels highlight trade-offs in cost and lifecycle impacts.

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Alternative energy grants fund renewable energy R&D, power systems upgrades, and grid modernization, supporting solar, wind, microgrids, battery storage, high-efficiency inverters, and electrification projects for utilities, manufacturers, and engineers, focused on decarbonization and smart grid.

What Are Alternative Energy Grants?

Grants that fund renewable power systems, grid upgrades, and storage for electrical engineering projects.

✅ Funds power electronics, inverters, and grid-integration R&D

✅ Supports microgrids, DERs, and smart grid reliability projects

✅ Covers feasibility studies, prototypes, and pilot deployments

Alternative energy grants - Wind, solar, geothermal and other alternative energy soures are the new "in" to replace forms of energy that harm the environment such as fossil fuels, so both Canadian and the U.S. governments are giving alternative energy grants (free conditional money) to individuals, businesses and local governments to promote the use and development of alternative energy sources. Here are three alternative energy grants currently offered by the U.S. government. For broader context on the field, the overview at what is alternative energy explains key terms and categories clearly.

Alternative Energy Grants - Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program

These alternative energy grants help eligible entities in beginning their conservation and energy efficiency strategies. For those interested in applying for these alternative energy grants, they must have reduced their fossil fuel emissions, reduced total energy usage and improved energy efficiency within the company. Furthermore, those eligible must develop and implement an energy efficiency and conservation strategy with the assistance of a third-party technical consultant. Also, eligible entities must conduct regular residential and commercial building energy audits to monitor results and financial incentive programs (loan programs, rebate programs, waive permit fees) with the goal of improving energy efficiency must be in place. Other requirements are also required to be eligible for this alternative energy grant. To identify complementary rebates and policy tools, agencies can review alternative energy incentives relevant to their jurisdiction for alignment with EECBG goals.

Alternative Energy Grants - State Energy Program

Ultimately, provinces and states are expected to lower their overall fossil fuel carbon emissions so that the use of alternative energy sources can become more prevalent. Financial support, in whole or in part, may be provided for salaries, materials, and supplies, equipment, travel, publication costs, and services required for deployment of alternative energy activities and initiatives. The states energy program goes to competing states for funding to implement activities relating to a number of programmatic areas such as building codes and standards, alternative fuels, industrial efficiency, building efficiency, and alternative energy technologies. Many states layer alternative energy tax credits on top of SEP funds to catalyze private investment.

Alternative Energy Grants - Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)

The REAP program provides alternative energy grants to rural small businesses & agricultural producers for the purchase & installation of alternative energy systems in rural areas. Alternative energy grants are limited to 25 per cent of the project cost or $500,000 – whichever is less. Alternative energy grant applications of $20,000 or less are greatly favored in the competitive, selection process. Projects needing larger grants can improve their chances by simultaneously seeking a REAP guaranteed loan. For the loan seekers, the details are the same as the aforementioned alternative energy grant, but provides 60 to 85% per cent loan guarantees to commercial lenders financing such projects. Loans up to $25 million can be guaranteed. Combination grant and guaranteed loan assistance up to 75 per cent of total project cost; such “combo” proposals may improve a project’s access to grant assistance and speed approvals. Prospective applicants can benchmark typical capital and O&M figures using resources on alternative energy cost to prepare stronger pro formas.

Case studies of farm-scale solar, wind, and efficiency upgrades in the alternative energy projects library illustrate successful REAP financing structures.

Alternative Energy Grants - State Energy Special Projects

The State Energy Program aims to develop and deploy energy efficiency and alternative energy technologies and practices. The State Energy Program (SEP) makes it possible for states in the U.S. to design and carry out energy efficiency and alternative energy programs tailored to their State-specific needs, while contributing to national energy priorities. The State Energy Program enables the States to address both national energy initiatives and local energy priorities through two funding mechanisms: alterntive energy formula grants and Special Projects grants. States utilize these funds to design and implement energy projects tailored to meet community needs, economic conditions, individual energy situations, and climactic variations. SEP Special Projects funds are awarded on a competitive basis to States from each of the four end-use sectors (buildings, industrial, power technologies, and transportation) and the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) for cost-shared technology projects. Special Projects often accelerate alternative energy development by targeting pre-commercial demonstrations and regional testbeds.

For program designers seeking cross-sector approaches, curated alternative energy solutions can inform competitive proposals and stakeholder engagement plans.

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Alternative energy geothermal delivers baseload renewable electricity via hydrothermal reservoirs, binary-cycle ORC turbines, and EGS, using heat exchangers, generators, and power electronics for efficient grid integration, low emissions, and stable capacity.

What Is Alternative Energy Geothermal?

It converts subsurface heat to electricity via steam or ORC cycles, generators, and grid-tied power electronics.

✅ ORC and flash steam cycles drive turbines and synchronous generators

✅ Power electronics, inverters, and transformers enable grid integration

✅ EGS, drilling, and heat exchangers expand capacity with low emissions

Geothermal energy comes from heat stored beneath the Earth's surface. Also known as thermal energy, geothermal is considered to be an alternative energy because it produces very little greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), which harm the Earth once it's generated into electricity. Geothermal wells release these greenhouse gases, but not nearly as much as its fossil fuel counterparts oil and coal. For context on how this resource fits within energy policy, see our overview of what is alternative energy to understand key definitions.

Alternative energy geothermal is a product from Earth's original formation: radioactive decay of minerals thanks to volcanic eruptions and solar energy digested and stored from the Earth's surface. Thermal energy is produced from the continuous conduction of heat that emanates from the Earth's core that moves upward to the surface. This process is known as the geothermal gradient. If you've ever had the opportunity to bathe in hot springs, you'll be glad to know that the thermal heat comes from beneath the Earth. When comparing technologies, placing geothermal alongside other alternative energy sources highlights its base-load role and unique subsurface dependence.

Alternative Energy Geothermal - How can we use it?

In practice, many integrated alternative energy systems combine geothermal with insulation and smart controls to maximize year-round efficiency.

Energy producers have been able to convert alternative energy geothermal into electricity. These same producers have high hopes for geothermal energy because power can be generated 24 hours a day, unlike other intermittent renewable energies, like wind energy and solar energy. This contrasts with the variability seen in resources such as solar power during cloudy periods or at night.

Geothermal energy can also be used to heat pumps or for other direct uses such as cooling and heating buildings. The Earth's crust temperature a few feet below is buffered to a constant seven to 14 °C (45 to 58 °F), so a liquid can be pre-heated or pre-cooled in underground pipelines, providing no-cost cooling during the summer, and with a heat pump, heating during the winter months. Other direct uses include aquaculture, agriculture (greenhouses), and industry. Project planners often consult practical alternative energy solutions to evaluate lifecycle costs and integration pathways.

Alternative Energy Geothermal - How is geothermal electricity produced?

Within the broader family of forms of alternative energy, geothermal distinguishes itself through high capacity factors and minimal fuel risk.

Geothermal energy uses Earth's natural heat to generate electricity. Geothermal plants are built on or near reservoirs that contain Earth's hydrothermal resources (underground steam and heated water). The heat mining process begins when drills penetrate these reservoirs to obtain the steam and water to power electricity-generating turbines.

There are different ways to produce alternative energy geothermal. Two popular processes include:

• Flash Steam Geothermal water with temperatures exceeding 350°F is extracted under extremely high pressure by flash steam plants. When the heated water surfaces, a sudden pressure reduction causes some of the hot water to flash off as steam. This flashed steam operates a generator, at which time, the extracted steam and water are reintroduced into the geothermal reservoir.
• Dry Steam Dry steam is extracted directly from under the earth’s surface by dry steam plants to operate a generator. When the steam condenses into water, it is then reintroduced into the alternative energy geothermal reservoir.

   

  Alternative Energy Geothermal - Is Geothermal Energy a Sustainable Energy Source?

  Alternative Energy Geothermal is considered to be sustainable, cost-effective, great for the environment and reliable. Recent advances in technology have expanded alternative energy geothermal applicable uses (such as home heating), which could lead to global exploitation. However, advances in technology, cost, government incentives and implementation of geothermal power projects will determine if alternative energy geothermal will become a viable global competitor.

  Alternative Energy Geothermal - Is Geothermal Energy a Renewable Energy Source?

  Scientific evidence shows that geothermal sites can provide heat for many decades, but eventually these specific locations cool down, which brings into question if alternative energy geothermal truly is a renewable energy source, since renewables are defined as green energy sources that never deplete. Understanding how geothermal fits into renewable alternative energy frameworks can help policymakers set realistic targets.

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