What Is Alternative Energy? This Is Understanding, Different From Renewable Energy, To Sources

Illustration of new and renewable energy (doc. Pixabay)

YOGYAKARTA The use of alternative energy continues to be echoed by various countries to replace the main energy that is currently being used as a mainstay in various human activities. But do you know what an alternative entity really is?

This article will provide information related to alternative energy, ranging from meaning to types that are currently being utilized.

Quoted from Alternative Energy: 2013 Special Education Curriculum Integrated Thematic Book published by the Ministry of Education and Culture, alternative energy is energy used to replace petroleum energy or fossil energy.

In the Big Indonesian Dictionary (KBBI), alternative energy is interpreted as energy that does not come from petroleum such as hydropower, geothermal, nuclear, solar, wind, waves, and much more.

On the National Geographic website, alternative energy is interpreted as energy that does not come from fossil fuels so that in its use it is only small or not producing greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2).

The use of the word alternative' itself is used as another option of fossil fuels, namely coal, petroleum, and natural gas. It is known that these fuels have been used for a long time and in their use these fuels produce high amounts of CO2.

It should be noted that alternative energy is different from renewable energy, although in practice renewable energy can be considered as alternative energy. Alternative energy meets at least abundant amounts even though it cannot be updated. As an example, alternative energy is nuclear energy.

Nuclear energy can be called alternative energy as well as non-renewable because in the manufacture of nuclear energy it can be produced abundant, but not renewable because it requires uranium whose amount on earth certainly has a certain limit as is the case of petroleum.

In contrast to renewable energy, solar energy, which is not only abundant and can continue to be produced as long as the sun is still around.

In general, the use of alternative energy is to replace the main energy currently leaning towards the use of fossil energy, namely coal and petroleum. In addition, there are several goals to be achieved in the use of alternative energy, namely as follows.

The use of alternative energy is done because it is more environmentally friendly because the use of fossil fuels produces greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2).

The energy produced is currently dominated by the use of fossil fuels, namely coal and petroleum. With alternative energy, it is hoped that it will no longer depend on these fuels.

Alternative energy is expected to continue to be sustainable because the resources used can meet energy needs in the long term.

There are various alternative energy sources that can be used to replace fossil fuel sources, namely as follows.

Sunlight can be used as an energy source. Apart from being an alternative, sunlight is also renewable so that it will not run out of use. An example of utilizing sunlight is the use of solar panels.

Did you know that water can be used to produce electrical energy? The use of water as an energy source is also claimed to be more environmentally friendly than the use of fossil fuels. An example of using water as an energy source is the existence of hydropower.

Wind energy can be used to generate electricity. An example of its use is the existence of a mill.

Currently, several countries are starting to conduct their research regarding the use of nuclear as a source of electricity, for example a nuclear power plant.

Biomass is a fuel sourced from plants or other sources that can trigger energy. For example, the utilization of animal waste becomes a source of fire for cooking needs.

That's information regarding what alternative energy is. Visit VOI.ID to get other interesting information.