Renewable and Alternative Energy Solutions:

Ethanol is an alcohol-based fuel made from turning starch crops (like corn or wheat) into sugars.  When combined with gasoline, it’s called E85 which means 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.  Although it is not yet available in South Florida, many other areas of the US and many other countries are using this type of fuel.  Flex-fuel vehicles can run on run on either gasoline or ethanol and there are 3 million on the road today in the US.  The best alternative would be to have a hybrid flex-fuel car which are just now starting to appear in the market.

Biodiesel is another alternative fuel and is made from renewable sources such as algae, soybeans and vegetable oil mixed with alcohol. This can power any diesel engine.  Our school buses may be run with this one day soon.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology is a viable, new and promising energy source that can power vehicles as well as one day providing electricity to our homes and businesses in the near future. 

Just recently, Honda released the first Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle for lease only in Southern California areas – the FCX Clarity.  This car is a zero-emission vehicle (it does not emit any fossil fuels at all).  The only emission from fuel cell vehicles is actually pure water!  A fuel cell vehicle is an electric vehicle that does not need to be plugged in to recharge. It travels up to 100 mph so there is no trouble traveling the posted speed limit.  The vehicle does not use gasoline, but instead uses clean, domestically produced hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe.  In order to refuel, the driver would stop approximately every 270 miles and refuel at a Hydrogen Refueling Station (only currently available in Southern California but others are being developed).  Honda is also working to develop Home Energy Stations that may eventually supply energy to the home while refueling right in the garage!  Wow!!!  Learn more about the FCX Clarity at http://automobiles.honda.com/fcx-clarity/

BMW is also developing a hydrogen fuel automobile, the BMW Hydrogen 7 that has not yet been released.

Wind power is a clean, renewable energy that not only provides power, but also provides jobs and saves on energy costs.  The Dutch were the first to use windmills.  Today, one wind turbine (a really big windmill) can generate enough energy to provide electricity to more than 1000 homes.  FPL Energy is the leading provider of wind energy in the U.S. with 47 wind farms in 15 states. 

Solar energy collects the sun’s heat and transfers it into energy that can power your water heater, pool heater, etc.  FPL Energy is also is the leading generator of solar power through their operations in the California Mojave Desert.  Many consumers are now purchasing solar panels for their water heaters and pools, for example.  Consumer rebates may apply – check  http://www.dep.state.fl.us/energy/energyact/solar.htm for details.

Geothermal power is capturing the Earth’s heat by drilling a hole into the ground and letting out the hot steam into a turbine (similar to the steam that comes out of geysers like Yellowstone).   This technology isn’t being used much yet but research is underway to “tap” more into this possibility.

Manure burning may sound stinky but is a viable alternative to generate electricity.  It goes even further to help the environment because it takes the manure out of the field, thereby keeping it from releasing large amounts of methane into the atmosphere.

Ocean power captures the energy from ocean waves and currents then converts it into electricity.   Many companies are developing this technology and it will likely be a key future contributor to energy generation.

Hydropower is created when dams harness the power of water.  20% of the world’s electricity comes from waterpower.  There are harmful environmental side effects to this, however, such as the negative impact to wild salmon.

Nuclear Power is definitely a cleaner burning energy but does come with a huge environmental cost:  the unearthing of uranium.  There is now a uranium mining boom and unfortunately, the places where uranium is found is in the heart of some of the most precious lands on Earth including the Grand Canyon area, Arches National Park, Capitol Reef National Park and Canyonlands National Park in Utah.  There is currently an energy vs. environment debate in the Interior Department which has recently granted mining claims in these precious national parks through the Bureau of Land Management under the Bush Administration.  In addition to mining destruction of precious lands, uranium is also a highly toxic heavy metal and source of radiation.  If it escapes into the local water, it could be devastating.  Furthermore, there is always the risk of leakage from nuclear power plants which can prove fatal.

Biomass power is now being developed to harness the stored energy in dead trees, yard clippings, wood chips, straw, etc.  When these materials are burned in huge boilers, heat is released which turns water into steam that turns turbines and makes electricity.

Carbon capture is technology that captures CO2 from fossil fuel plants and buries it into the Earth rather than releasing it into the atmosphere.  The Florida Legislature passed a sweeping energy bill in April of 2008 that among other things, allows utilities to recover “prudently incurred” costs of carbon capture and storage projects that they are working on with major universities.   Many utility plants will likely implement plans for this in the near future.

Global geoengineering is a less viable alternative.  It is the scientific research that looks for ways to artificially cool the planet.  For example, one study looked at injecting sulfates into the air similar to those released by volcanoes which produce cooling.  The latest reports say that these ideas could have perilous side effects and so far, have not proven to be practical.