Alternative Energy is the Solution to the Fossil Fuel Dilemma

In this essay, the author

• Opines that alternative energy is the solution to the fossil fuel dilemma, since the united states relies heavily on fuel imports from the troublesome nations of the middle east.
• Opines that it is imperative for the united states to replace fossil fuel energy with modern alternative energy sources.
• Explains how the united states became hooked on oil. everything we ate, how we lived, what we were, heat and light, jobs and cars depended on it.
• Analyzes fogel's comment that the u.s. became dependent on oil, and its suppliers were troublesome countries in the middle east.
• Explains that alternative energy is crucial to the preservation of a habital environment. according to christine a. erwin, fifty thousand american deaths per year are directly connected to airborne particulate matter.
• Explains that solar energy is one answer to producing power without pollution. fogel says that if everyone could make full use of the sun's light and heat, we would have about twenty thousand times as much energy as the entire world uses now
• Explains that unlike fossil fuel counterparts, sunlight is readily available and does not need to be explored, mined, extracted, transported, combusted, transmitted, or imported.
• Explains how fogel states that solar one collects sunlight using 1,818 giant twenty-three-foot square mirrors in the southern california desert.
• Explains that photovoltaic cells absorb photons in sunlight and release electrons to produce an electric current. they can run the current to a battery and store it until needed.
• Explains fogel's claim that big windmills will make a big difference in providing energy. by using this clean, efficient source of energy, the united states will cut down on oil imports from the middle east.
• Describes weisbrich's modular wind amplified rotor platform (warp), which looks like a stack of wheel rims laid on their sides, with turbines mounted to each of the concave surfaces. wind-tunnel tests at rensselaer polytechnic institute suggest that the warp design can amplify wind speeds by 50 percent or more.
• Explains that hydroelectric power is the electrical energy produced by harnessing the energy of falling water in motion. twenty percent of new york state's electric power comes from hydropower, which is cheaper and cleaner than fossil fuels.
• Explains that existing dams can be retrofitted with hydropower equipment to produce electricity. creating more hydroelectric projects will produce more clean and cost effective energy.
• Explains that geothermal energy will reduce the amount of oil the u.s. has to import. energy obtained from the earth’s natural heat is explained on the web site.
• Explains that geothermal energy can be harnessed from the earth’s natural heat associated with active volcanoes or geologically young inactive volcanics still giving off heat at depth.
• Explains that geothermal energy comes from molten magma deep in the earth, which rises, heats the solid rock above, and breaks through. this heat is conducted to the next layer, porous rock filled with water.
• Argues that the united states should begin a worldwide changeover to clean, renewable alternative energy sources including solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal.
• Cites erwin, christine a, fogel, barbara r, and goldin, augusta.
• Cites bonnie szumsk's "hydroelectric power" and "photovoltaics."