Chautauqua County Energy Conference Scholarship Essay by Katelyn Edel > Chautauqua Region Community Foundation

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Chautauqua County Energy Conference Scholarship Essay by Katelyn Edel
Tuesday, November 02, 2010

What Should Power This In 2020?

by Katelyn Edel - 3^{rd_{prize recipient}}

In today's world, the human species relies on many things. Cell phones, PDA's, Blackberry's, and IPod's can usually be found on a person at any given moment. But there is one thing that we need even more than our technological toys. Many people overlook it, and don't even realize how important it is in our day to day lives. But without it, we would be lost. There would not be heat for our houses, electricity for our appliances, or gasoline for our automobiles. And what is this magically significant power source that we all rely on so heavily? Energy! For decades, our energy source has solely been what are referred to as "fossil fuels". The three major fossil fuels are coal, oil, and natural gas. These fossil fuels were formed billions of years ago, in what is known as the Carboniferous Period. Unfortunately, due to an exponential growth in human populations and other factors, the fossil fuel supply has reached an alarmingly low level. When all of the fossil fuels have been expired, what will the human race use to create energy?

For the last decade or so, scientists have been searching for new sources of energy. They want to find something that is renewable and safe for the environment. One such source of energy is wind. Wind energy would create no air or water pollution, and the wind would never just "stop blowing". With that In mind, wind seems like a genuinely smart choice for the new energy source. Wind turbines are used to collect the wind's kinetic energy. The blades In a wind turbine are connected to an electric generator. When the blades are turned, the generator is activated. So, every time the wind blows, energy is being collected and converted. The United States is very well suited for wind power. The landscapes and regions of the US meet the conditions and requirements for adequate wind power. In 2008,1.3% of the United States electricity was produced from wind. While that doesn't sound like a significant amount, it is enough to provide energy for 4.6 million households. It Is projected that every two years, that amount wlil double. Wind power is sponsored by a program called the "green pricing program". With this, customers pay more for electricity that comes from a renewable source. The extra money spent is put towards research for new technologies used in conjunction with wind power. The developments in wind technology have noticeably lowered the costs of wind power. In the United States; Texas, Iowa, California, Minnesota, and Oklahoma have multiple wind power plants.

Yet another renewable resource that can be used as an energy source is geothermal energy. This is heat that comes from within the Earth. This heat, originating all the way from the Earth's core, is recovered in the form of steam or hot water. Volcanoes, hot springs, and geysers offer a direct place to acquire geothermal energy. These three sources are often located in National Parks. Since National Parks are protected by law, the means of accumulating geothermal energy are also protected. The geothermal energy is also always recycled back into the Earth after use, so there would never be a concern of running out. Geothermal energy can be used directly, like in the case of hot water and steam, which have been used as a basic energy source for centuries. Geothermal energy can also be used as a district heating system. With district heating systems, hot water can be pumped directly Into pipes to heat buildings. There are fifty-four geothermal plants in the United States. These plants account for .4% of the country's electricity. The United States is the leading producer in geothermal energy.

When research is being conducted to find a new energy source, it seems natural that scientists would look towards the biggest star. Energy from the sun has been supplying life on Earth for millions of years. Solar energy is renewable, as the sun rays are converted to heat and electricity. The thermal energy naturally created by the sun can be used to heat water and other spaces. The energy created can be intensified with the use of such things as solar panels. Sun energy is converted to electricity with photovoltaic cells or in concentrating soiar power plants, in concentrating solar power plants, thermal heat energy is collected, and the produced into a steam. This steam is then used to power a generator. Photovoltaic cells directly convert sunlight into electricity. If four percent of the world's deserts were covered with photovoltaic cells, enough energy and electricity would be produced to supply the entire world.

In conclusion, the search for an alternative energy source continues, it seems like it simply might be a matter of time before our beloved fossil fuels are depleted. When that does happen, we need to be prepared. Without energy, the human race with be hurtled back into time - with no lights, no cars, and no appliances. It would mean starting all over again. It is now, in the age of science, when we need to be considering the impossible and constantly researching lesser known forms of energy. We have the tools and the intelligence to develop new practices and methods, 2010 brings a new decade, a new generation, and hopefully, and reliable new source of energy.

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