Alternative Sources Of Energy

An alternative source of energy is the usage of biofuel energy.

Biofuel is produced by processing biomass, which is a biological living material from living or recently living organisms (e.g. wood, alcohol fuels, waste hydrogen gas) In Singapore, agricultural plant matter is used to generate alternative energy sources such as alcohol (ethanol), and diesel oil (biodiesel).

Due to advanced technology, many cars have been created to be biofuel-friendly, or hybrid cars which run on both petroleum and biofuel.

Biodiesel is nontoxic and biodegradable, unlike petroleum diesel. Hence, with the usage of biodiesel, the amount of carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide emissions have been greatly reduced. However, there is an increase in nitrogen oxide production. But, the odour of it's combustion is less objectionable.

Another alternative source of energy is solar energy.

Solar energy has been harnessed by humans since ancient times with the help of a range of ever-evolving technologies. In Singapore, solar energy is used in some households to heat water (for showering). Solar-powered cars are also available, though they are not practical vehicles.

Solar energy is harnessed by the use of solar panels.

Here is a video which explains how solar panels work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFDn6eTV0jQ

Having a tropical climate in Singapore has it's pros. One of them is being able to obtain solar energy easily. Solar panels could be placed on the tops on HDBs and condominiums as they aplenty in Singapore and do not have obstructions from sunlight. Though solar panels are expensive, but it will help us to save money in the long run.

Sources:

http://www.chrismadden.co.uk/eco/biofuel-replacing-food-crops.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org

http://www.singaporeangle.com/2006/10/energy-security-for-small-island.html

http://www.youtube.com

~Kimberley Lim

Alternative Sources of Energy

One alternative source is Geothermal Energy.

Geothermal Energy is thermal energy, or internal heat of the planet, generated and stored in the Earth. It determines the temperature of a matter. The Earth's geothermal energy comes from the original formation of the planet,which are from radioactive decay of minerals, volcanic activity and solar energy absorbed at the surface of the Earth.

It can be used to generate steam to run a steam turbine and generate electricity. For example, geothermal energy is responsible for the existance of Hot Springs. Geothermal power is cost effective, reliable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. However, drilling and exploration for deep resources is very expensive as it is not easy to find 'routes' that lead to this power source, hence, any plans for the future of geothermal power depend on assumptions about technology, energy prices, subsidies, and interest rates.

Fortunately, easier 'routes' exist and they are called, Geothermal Hotspots. Basically a hotspot is an area of reduced thickness in the mantle which transmits excess internal heat, otherwise known as volcanic features, from the interior of the earth to the outer crust. Examples of Hotspots are, the hotsprings i Iceland, the volcanic islands of Hawaii, or the mineral deposits and gyesers in Yellowstone National Park. These Hotspots could be used to generate geothermal electricy.

Watch this video to find out more about how Geothermal energy works:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjpp2MQffnw

Another Source of Energy is Solar Energy.

As Singapore has a tropical climate, it is sunny most of the time. Therefore, solar energy is a excellent choice for an alternative source of energy. Solar panels are mostly used to harvest solar energy. Solar panels could be placed on the roofs of HDB flats as it is tall and not many objects obstract them from receiving sunlight. However, Solar panels are quite expensive, but in the long run, we might not only be able to save money, but save the Earth too, as we are using a renewable source of energy.

Many people in this world use cars too. If we all use hybrid cars, for instance solar powered cars, we can save money from petrol and save sources of energy such as coal and fossil fuels. As of today, Solar vehicles are not sold as practical day-to-day transportation devices at present, but are primarily demonstration vehicles and engineering exercises, often sponsored by government agencies. However, indirectly solar-charged vehicles are widespread and solar boats are available commercially. In the near future, with technology advancing further, solar vehicles might become our form of transport to save those non-renewable sources of energy that we have have been using so far.

Links:http://home.utah.edu/~ptt25660/geo.html, http://www.wikipedia.org/

Alternative energy

A type of energy that Singapore is using is solar energy. Solar energy uses energy from the sun ad converts it to electricity. An example of solar energy used in singapore is the solar park at the top floor of Marina barage.The Solar Park is one of the largest collections of solar panels in Singapore. The 405 panels generate about 50% of the daytime electricity needed for indoor lighting and power points at the barrage. Also, solar energy is being used in our HDB flats to power lights in common areas. I feel that solar energy is effective as it is an efficient type of energy, especially so in Singapore as we have a vast amount of sunlight due to our stragtegic location-near the equator. This thus makes singapore a tropical country, with alot of sunlight. Also, singapore has alot of HDB flats. Thus it is ideal to place solar panels on high areas, nearer to the sunlight thus it is able to recieve more sunlight as it is not blocked by anything. However, solar panels are very expensive and thus will place a huge burden on singapore's economy.

Another alternative energy is hybrid cars. An example of such kind of hybrid cars manufacturer is Honda and Toyota. Hybrid cars, such as the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid, have a conventional petrol and an electric motor. At low speeds, they are powered solely by the electric motor. The petrol engine only kicks in at higher speeds, making them eminently ideal for urban driving. I feel that its effective because this lowers the amount of diesal used for the car. However, hybrid cars cost more due to the 2energy power in the car. The government has thus reduce the amount of road tax for energy efficient cars, such as hybrid cars to encourage more people to buy these cars.

Another alternative source is biogas.The main benefits of organic waste bio-methanisation are: It is a net energy producing process, it eliminates odours, it produces sanitised compost that is nutrient rich,it recycles carbon back into the soil, it maximizes recycling benefits, it provides a source of carbon credits.Bio-gas – The bio-gas produced is buffered, compressed and used as fuel in gas engines. The electrical power generated is fed into the power grid. Waste heat is recovered to heat the material being digested and fresh material being introduced into the digestor. Excess heat may be used for district heating, absorbent chillers, regeneration of dessicants for dehumidifying fresh air prior to chillers or processes that require 80ºC-90ºC heat. Because of the low energy requirements of the ADOS bio-methanisation process, it is very economical even in “small scale” facilities (e.g. 30 to 40 tons/day). This is effective as it allows wasted foods to be converted to energy. Due to singapore's small land area, Singapore do not need more land to bury the unwanted food and wait for it to decompose. Whereas, foods can be decomposed faster and used as fuels.
-Samantha lye