There are sources of energy that are renewable and do not cause so many pollutants, however they only contribute a smaller amount to the energy pyramid. These sources include hydro-electric power, wind power, solar energy and biomass energy. Most of these fuel sources do not produce as much energy as efficiently as the majority of fuel sources used today. Solar power is a clean source of practically inexhaustible energy. Solar plants are easy to construct and solar power is safe. It has many uses from heating to direct electric energy generation.
Wind power is also a clean source of energy, however it can be intermittent and low yielding. Moving along to hydro-electric energy generation which is used slightly more than the other sources, creates more of an efficient system of converting energy but it is necessary to have some kind of water flow nearby. Biomass has been a source of fuel longer than any other source. It has a relatively renewable source and burns semi-clean. A new innovation to the technology developed by the Hydro Environmental Resources, Inc. (H. E. R. I. s an Electro Chem-Hydrogen Fuel Reactor (ECHFR).
It produces a clean burning hydrogen gas at a low pressure from any source of water. (H. E. R. I. ). One positive aspect of the system is that there is no electrical input needed to power the system. The product burns free of smell and fumes and is 99. 4% hydrogen, the most abundant element in our solar system. The system is designed to produce pure water for gas and heating, lighting, or cutting or welding equipment. It can also be used in conjunction with gasoline and diesel engines and in toxic waste water treatment.
Many car companies today are preparing for the use of fuel cell power generation. Companies like Ford, Chrysler, and Honda are already developing or have already developed vehicles built to run from the fuel cells or transitional motors. These engines are designed to run more efficiently and more cost effectively than those of today. Commercial cars of today are getting increasingly more efficient due to the hundreds of thousands of engineers in the world making improvements to the internal combustion engine.
When this number is compared to the 5000 people world-wide working to develop fuel cells it is easy to see the already efficient fuel cell in favor of the much developed combustion engine and the direction of fuel production for the future. Squeaky clean hydrogen operated buses are also being developed for mass transportation purposes. Transportation is a preliminary test to develop the use of the fuel cell and can easily be converted into other uses.
It is important for the consumers to realize the magnitude of the energy situation and strive to provide their children with the tools and the education to properly conserve the resources available. These simple tasks can start in the home and can be easily applied to everyday life. For example, its more efficient to leave a light on instead of turning it off and then back on again, not leaving appliances on all day, and even walking some places instead of driving everywhere you go.
Businesses have the responsibility of creating cost effective ways to deliver their products and services. Recycling is also a major help in the conservation of energy and resources. This includes not exploiting the environment for financial reasons or any other reason. New energy sources are part of the sustainability of the planet. The main reasons that support this claim are focused mainly on the pollution problems linked to the consumption of fossil fuels, the limited supply compared to the immense demand and finally the possibility of clean burning fuels.
It is important to understand the benefits of having a clean burning and abundant fuel. The costs of sacrificing environmental safety will only be carried through the generations until it surpasses our ability to deal with the problem created or it could have been easier to correct it when the problem was discovered. Although there are few if any economically appeasing solutions to the energy situation, it is important to be ready and able to deal with the problems facing us in the future.