Author:
Evaluation:
Published: 18.04.2007.
Language: English
Level: College/University
Literature: 7 units
References: Not used
  • Research Papers 'Alternative Energy - Better, Cleaner, Cheaper', 1.
  • Research Papers 'Alternative Energy - Better, Cleaner, Cheaper', 2.
  • Research Papers 'Alternative Energy - Better, Cleaner, Cheaper', 3.
  • Research Papers 'Alternative Energy - Better, Cleaner, Cheaper', 4.
  • Research Papers 'Alternative Energy - Better, Cleaner, Cheaper', 5.
  • Research Papers 'Alternative Energy - Better, Cleaner, Cheaper', 6.
  • Research Papers 'Alternative Energy - Better, Cleaner, Cheaper', 7.
  • Research Papers 'Alternative Energy - Better, Cleaner, Cheaper', 8.
  • Research Papers 'Alternative Energy - Better, Cleaner, Cheaper', 9.
  • Research Papers 'Alternative Energy - Better, Cleaner, Cheaper', 10.
  • Research Papers 'Alternative Energy - Better, Cleaner, Cheaper', 11.
  • Research Papers 'Alternative Energy - Better, Cleaner, Cheaper', 12.
  • Research Papers 'Alternative Energy - Better, Cleaner, Cheaper', 13.
Table of contents
Nr. Chapter  Page.
I.  Introduction    3
II.  Fossil fuels    3
III.  Alternative energy resources    5
A.  Wind power    5
B.  Water power    6
1.  Hydroelectricity    6
2.  Wave power    7
3.  Tidal power    7
4.  Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC)    8
C.  Solar energy    9
1.  Solar heating systems    9
2.  Solar cooking    9
3.  Photovoltaic    10
D.  Biomass energy    10
E.  Geothermal energy    11
F.  Hydrogen fuel    11
IV.  Conclusion    12
Extract

The world climate is changing. Average global temperature is rising. 20th century is the warmest century in the last 1000 years and the 1990s were the warmest decade in the last 100 years. There is also evidence that sea levels are rising, glaciers are retreating, arctic sea-ice is thinning and the incidence of extreme weather is increasing in some parts of the world.
That is described as a global warming. Main issue why it is happening is greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gasses forms a layer that traps sunlight energy in atmosphere and that energy converts into thermo energy thereby rising worlds average temperature. About three-quarters of the man-made emissions of CO2 to the atmosphere during the past 20 years are due to fossil fuel burning.

Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels - coal, petroleum and natural gas, are a non-renewable energy source, that formed from plants and animals that lived hundreds of millions years ago. Almost 85% of energy is made nowadays is made from fossil fuels. Petroleum is consumed about 40% of total world energy consumption, coal – 24% and natural gas 22 percent. As they are nonrenewable energy they will eventually decline in production and become exhausted, nevertheless society remains highly dependent on them. Fossil fuels are used up at a rate approximately 100,000 times faster than they are formed.…

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