As the price of oil has stayed at a generally high level, people have begun to give alternative energy options a closer look. Many of these have been around for a while, but none seems to really be the solution to the world’s needs. This is largely because there are some drawbacks for each kind and the costs of transition can be high.
The most easily visible type is wind power. The massive components used to make the turbines are unforgettable. This large size, though, has caused some people to turn against them. People can see them from very far away and some feel that they take away from the beauty of a natural landscape. Also, many birds die after flying through them as they migrate.
Solar power, in some ways, is a little less conspicuous. Not too long ago, many people set up panels on top of their homes to catch sunlight. Many were so successful that they could sell electricity back into the system and make some money. The main thing that keeps people from using this technology more is the high solar panels prices. The initial investment is still a significant deterrent.
Hydroelectric power typically costs a lot to get into as well. Large dam projects are notoriously expensive and often controversial. This is because they disrupt the natural flow of water and often block fish from traveling freely up and down rivers. That said, they use water to move turbines which produce carbon-free energy, which is a positive aspect.
A variation that many people are less familiar with is tidal power. Large dam-like installations off oceanic coasts again use the flow of water to make a turbine move, thus creating energy. This clean technology has the same problem as its regular hydroelectric power. Many fear that we do not fully understand how using this technology will impact sea creatures.
We would all be so lucky to have geothermal power at our disposal, though. This comes from naturally heated water from deep inside the ground. This can be used for hot water, naturally. But, more importantly, this hot water can heat homes in the winter as well. The small island nation of Iceland utilizes this type for a large part of its population.
For most developed countries, the problem is one of changing directions. So much effort has gone into constructing infrastructure around a coal-based ideas, it is hard to just stop and change course. More funding and government incentives will be needed to help individuals and companies adapt to this. In less developed countries, the sheer cost of the technologies is prohibitive. They often end up using much dirtier sources of power such as burning coal or wood. In the end, more money needs to be funneled towards shifting the kind of energy we use.
Whether it is sooner or later, we will eventually have to make a decision about what alternative energy to use. If we make the decision quickly, it could drastically change how the world economy operates. If we wait too long, there may not be much oil left to transition smoothly at all.