Interest in alternative electric energy is growing steadily as more people become concerned about global warming. Alternative electric energy solutions are an attempt to reduce fossil fuel consumption and thus preserve the earth’s natural resources.

Speaking of alternative energy, also read our article on energy efficiency training.

Demand for fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal have led to the depletion of the earth’s natural resources. The world’s forestry reserves are in trouble too as they are being cut down to supplement energy requirements. Solutions are desperately being sought in order to avert global disaster.

Many people think of alternative electric energy as advanced scientific concepts that are too complicated for the ordinary lay man. While many alternative energy systems are indeed high technology, the principle behind most of them is actually quite straight forward. The basic idea is to harness energy sources that are infinitely available or renewable to produce electricity instead of depleting finite sources any further.

There are a few alternative electric energy systems that are quite well known and are already in quite widespread use. These include wind power, hydro power and solar power. Some of these energy systems have actually been around for hundreds of years but just updated to meet current demands.

The old windmills that were used by farmers to grind wheat can still be seen as historic artifacts gracing many European landscapes. Modern alternative electric energy windmills now turn to produce electricity instead of mill grain. The basic principles behind the old and the new windmills is essentially the same. Both trap the wind’s energy in great vanes which turn a shaft. Old mill shafts were connected to millstones while their modern counterparts spin turbines that produce electricity.

The cleanest and cheapest alternative electricity energy system for providing electricity to a national grid is hydro power. Hydro electric power is again a modern adaptation of old water wheels that were used for milling in the past. The historical varieties were commonly placed in a river where rushing water could rotate the wheel. Today, modern hydro power plants are placed on the edge of a dam. As water falls from the higher level to the lower level, it forces its way past turbine blades causing them to spin. Turbines feed generators that produce electricity. Many countries use hydro electric power because of its cost effectiveness. These systems are also encouraged because of their non polluting characteristics.

The most popular alternative electricity system for homes, schools and businesses is solar power. The technology used is the most groundbreaking because it harnesses the sun’s energy with tiny components called photo voltaic cells. These cells convert the energy into electricity which is able to charge batteries for consumers to make use of as needed. Solar energy is a slightly more complex technology than other alternative electricity systems but it also the most adaptable.