Work on Renewable Fuels, Alternative Energy & Fossil Fuels
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Alternative fuels, or non-conventional fuels, are substances other than conventional fuels that can be used as a fuel. Conventional fuels are fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, natural gas and propane, and nuclear materials like uranium. Examples of alternative fuels are hydrogen, biomass energy, natural gas, methane, biodiesel, bioalcohol such as butanol and ethanol and chemically stored electricity in form of batteries and fuel cells.
Some alternative fuels like ethanol and biodiesel are renewable, others like natural gas and propane and natural gas are nonrenewable. Most alternative fuels either have a renewable energy source or a sustainable energy source. Some alternative fuels like hydrogen can be made by either sustainable or non-sustainable means. If made by non-sustainable means, they are offered as alternatives, as they cause less pollution.
Alternative fuels are a likely answer to a potential energy shortage. It would be wise to invest in renewable energy infrastructure like solar power, wind power, tidal power, geothermal power, hydropower, ethanol, methanol, and biodiesel. Constructing alternative energy infrastructure could help in dealing with the strained fossil fuel energy. U.S. relies heavily on nonrenewable fossil fuels like oil, coal and natural gas. Alternative energy sources are a lot more environmentally friendly and contribute far less to global warming and climate change in order to generate electricity. In 2005, approximately 6 percent of the total energy used, and 9 percent of all electricity produced was generated from renewable energy.
Germans are also progressing very well in regards to alternative fuel sources. They are fast becoming one of the key players in the emerging field of alternative energy. In 2006, under the electricity feed laws of Germany, they established a world record by putting in about $10 billion in researching, developing and installing solar collection cells, wind turbines and biogas power plants. Their feed laws allow the homeowners to connect with an electrical grid by using a renewable energy source.
Any excess energy they produce can then be sold to the power companies at retail prices. The fiscal incentive has worked wonders for Germany’s alternative energy progress and put it in the first position in all countries regarding the number of biogas plants, wind turbines and solar arrays they have put in place and rendered operational. These alternative energy sources generate 50-terawatt hours worth of electricity, which accounts for 10 percent of energy production needs of Germany each year. Just in 2006 Germany installed about 100,000 solar power collection systems.
In US, BP Corporation has setup the Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) for bringing about research and development into clean burning alternative energy sources. BP plans to invest $50 million per year during the next decade. The work will be done at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and will charter R&D of agricultural systems which deliver biofuels, biofuel crops, and equipment to produce liquid renewable fuels to be used in automobiles. They will also work in the genetic engineering to create advanced biofuel crops. They will focus on technological innovations to convert heavy hydrocarbons into very efficient fuels that will cause little or no pollution.
Ormat is the 3rd largest company in United States that produces geothermal energy and has constructed plants in many countries. It is a $1 billion per year business.