Overview of immediate energy solutions reveal US, world options

While many people have heard that America needs energy options for the future, many might not know or understand what these are.  For that reason, this article provides an overview of immediate energy solutions.

Immediate Energy Solutions

In the long run, non-polluting renewable energy sources are ideal. For the world's immediate needs, however, compromises must be made due to ever-increasing demand for energy and the supply of available materials. Current energy sources include nonrenewable fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas, and renewable energy resources such as nuclear energy, solar energy, and wind power. About 85 percent of the world's energy consumption is from nonrenewable sources, and while the use of renewable energy is increasing, development is slow.

Coal

Coal is the largest domestically produced energy source in the United States and is used to generate much of the nation's electricity. It is the most abundant fossil fuel in the world, and is found in the U.S., Russia, China, India, and other countries. Coal's main advantages are its large supply and relatively low cost of use. However, it is also the most polluting energy source on this list. The combustion of coal releases gases, including carbon dioxide, sulfur, nitrogen oxide, and mercury, which are harmful to the atmosphere and environment. Though currently abundant, the supply of coal is dwindling and finite. Coal mining also damages the landscape.

Natural Gas

Though the United States is the world's largest natural gas producer, large new deposits have recently been found off the coast of Southern Africa. Of all fossil fuels, natural gas is by far the cleanest. It is used for both heat and power generation. Compared to coal, it is economical to build and maintain a gas plant. In the short term, it is a viable alternative to coal to help reduce greenhouse emissions, urban smog, and acid rain. However, it is still nonrenewable and harms the environment.

Oil

In recent years, oil consumption has decreased, not only because the supply is dwindling, but due to shifts to natural gas and nuclear power to meet similar energy needs. However, oil is still highly demanded for both energy and transportation. It is easy to extract, store, handle, and transport. Rapidly decreasing supplies force oil companies to drill offshore, however, which is hazardous for the earth.

Nuclear Power

Generated using uranium or plutonium, nuclear power provides about 6 percent of the world's energy and 14 percent of its electricity. With relatively low operating costs, nuclear power plants generate a tremendous amount of energy. Nuclear energy enables countries to rely less on polluting fossil fuels. Nuclear power plants are expensive, however, and time-consuming to build and maintain. Nuclear waste is radioactive and must be stored safely at great cost. An accident at a nuclear plant would release radioactive materials which could cause great harm to the environment and human populations.

Solar Power

Solar energy is a possible future solution to the world's energy needs. The supply of energy from the sun is inexhaustible. It is available everywhere, safe and clean. It can be used in both households and factories. Presently, its use is limited mainly due to its cost and the development of efficient storage technology.

Other nonrenewable energy technologies such as wind power, geothermal power, biomass energy and tidal energy are currently used sparingly, but should prove to be more important energy supplies in the future.

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This article was provided by Amanda Nies, gardener and locally-sourced consumer. If you're interested in switching things up with your energy provider, Amanda recommends you check out commercial electricity rates from Tara Energy.