What is the best alternative energy source to fossil fuels?

[om3ga]

POLL time...

Building new nuclear plants is not the answer to tackling climate change or securing Britain's energy supply, a government advisory panel has reported.
The Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) report says doubling nuclear capacity would make only a small impact on reducing carbon emissions by 2035

Details:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4778344.stm

In view of dubya's recent comments that the USA was "addicted" to oil, what is the best alternative energy source to fossil fuels?

(ps: if you believe in a combination of sources, you can vote for more than one)

 

[poggy]

Well haven't they predicted that fossil fuels will run out in 50 years with the current rate of use.Solars one answer but they'ed need to vastly improve on ways of gathering it.Also there's the age old wind but it's not reliable and also it doesn't produce a lot.So there should be strong research going into this now.Or are we using the same age old answer "it's not our problem but our childrens" to some ignorance is bliss!

 

[om3ga]

Well haven't they predicted that fossil fuels will run out in 50 years with the current rate of use.Solars one answer but they'ed need to vastly improve on ways of gathering it.Also there's the age old wind but it's not reliable and also it doesn't produce a lot.So there should be strong research going into this now.Or are we using the same age old answer "it's not our problem but our childrens" to some ignorance is bliss!

With this UK government, they'll be looking for a cheap answer....

 

[pussy+dickdenice]

One single source of energy should not be thought of. It should be a combination of several.
1. Solar - Harnessing solar power is easier in the sense, supply is abundant.
2. Wind - Requires wider grid arrangement. But may be utilised in coastal and other high-wind areas.
3. Water - Sea waves has enormous energy and research is on for harnessing this energy.
4. Nuclear - If fission can be controlled, this will become one of the cleanest energy and the by product will basically be water.
5.(i) Alternative Fuels:
a. Bio Fuel
b. Alcholhol from sugarcane-wastes.
5.(ii) Alternative sources:
a. Bio-gases from different wastes from mammals, like cattle, poultry, human excreta.
b. Bio-gases from different wastes from plants and vegetables.

Fossil fuel should be discouraged not only because of scarcity but from the point of view of a major pollutant of the environment.

 

[9inch]

Solar power + Wind power with the help of controlled nanotech to decrease output power loss :2 cents:

 

[Jagger69]

If someone can ever figure out a way to can farts we'll have an unlimited energy source forever.

:1orglaugh

All levity aside, solar, wind and some sort of economical way to develop and use hydrogen would be a solid alternative. It won't happen unless the Exxon-Mobils and Texacos of the world can cash in on it though.

 

[Jacksson_77]

I'd say solar and wind.
There's so much energy coming from the sun, we just have to keep on improving the technology to make the use more efficient.
And wind energy of course in high wind areas.

If someone can ever figure out a way to can farts we'll have an unlimited energy source forever.

No kidding, I've had these thoughts before, too. Imagine fart power stations. :1orglaugh

:hatsoff: Jackson

 

[juballs]

geo-thermal power is often overlooked....

the core of our earth is running wild underneath us, and i think we have only begun to harness that power.

i agree that a combination of solar/wind/nuclear could be the answer....

but water and geothermal are definately overlooked

 

[niptuck]

None of the above really. As far as I know none of them are economical or reliable enough to supercede fossil fuels. Except for nuclear for electricity perhaps, but each one takes about 5-6 years to build.

Hydrogen might be the next best thing in the form of fuel cells. however ATM as far as I know it takes more energy ta actually produce the cells than they can produce afterwards themsleves.

So the easy answer is that there are no viable subsitutes for fossil fuels currently

 

[D-rock]

I say solar and water.

Water is constant in a number of places and gives you a good source of energy. The problem is that water doesn't flow everywhere.

The problem with solar energy is that the means we have for collecting it now are expensive, inefficient, or both. It takes large surface areas to be effective, and photoelectric cells that produce direct electrical current are expensive and weak.

Wind I see as another problem. Not only are you reliant on a stable wind supply, but also you need to put the things that collect them all over the place. One or two giant wind fans might look nice and quaint. They might even be nice landmarks in the region, but start putting up hundreds of them and it would be an abomination to the landscape.

I think we need to make efficient collectors of solar energy, and build things that can sit out in the ocean to absorb some of the energy the flows through it. We also need to work to create methane gas on a large scare from organic material that we would otherwise waste. Other than that we will just have to rely on hybrid and other types of gas saving cars becoming efficient, and hope that nuclear fusion is possible in the near future.

I think if the choice was to come down to building a new fossil fuel plant or a nuclear plant I would choose a new nuclear plant if those were the only options.

 

[tunsty]

One single source of energy should not be thought of. It should be a combination of several.
1. Solar - Harnessing solar power is easier in the sense, supply is abundant.
2. Wind - Requires wider grid arrangement. But may be utilised in coastal and other high-wind areas.
3. Water - Sea waves has enormous energy and research is on for harnessing this energy.
4. Nuclear - If fission can be controlled, this will become one of the cleanest energy and the by product will basically be water.
5.(i) Alternative Fuels:
a. Bio Fuel
b. Alcholhol from sugarcane-wastes.
5.(ii) Alternative sources:
a. Bio-gases from different wastes from mammals, like cattle, poultry, human excreta.
b. Bio-gases from different wastes from plants and vegetables.

I heard about 'BioDiesel' a few years ago, it seems like it might provide an answer.
http://www.greenfuels.co.uk/biodiesel.htm

 

[Marbod]

I also think dickdenices comment is a good answer, without nuclear energy. You need a depot for the used material and its been contaminated for a long, long time. I think there is no usefull place on earth where you can handle it for the next 20.000 years.

 

[Civickiller80]

I read something interesting a few years ago about harnessing the power of waves for energy that was interesting but i think the best ones right now are solar and wind turbines

 

[KungFuDude]

Solar and water.

They are abundant, and clean, but we need to figure a way to harness them more efficiently.

 

[calpoon]

Riding a bike.

 

[mythex]

^spam?

oh, well, I choose solar energy since it is easier to get at my tropical country.anyway, I also prefer wind and water since it is also really easy to convert to the energy...but,to use the wing and water, a special device have to be created....except for the wind electric generator...

 

[9inch]

If we were able to control the "Dark Energy" that fill up 73% of the universe (visible matter count for only 4%), it would represent an infinite amount of energy
We were even be able to create our own solar system

that's going too far, let stay to the sun/hydrogen & nuclear power for now :thumbsup:

 

[SeraphiM]

I voted for water, there is huge potential in this "fuel", it's made of 2 highly flammable/explosive elements. Now if we could only harness it.

 

[pussy+dickdenice]

Riding a bike.

So you are for *Mascular Energy*?

Why not invent a bed that transform Mascular & frictional heat in to an energy source?

Just think of the amount of energy that will be available.

Then Asia will have the most of the energy source.

 

[satyrsam]

Hydrogen Power Cells
It's Clean and everywhere. The hydrogen can be extrated from water with solar cells.