Crude oil is expensive, very expensive, that is a fact. Because of these high prices other products like petrol and electricity are following. The prices are going up and down but the trend is up and the trend will not be going down in near future. With the problems in the world we are facing today these prices are also unlikely to be stabilized. One factor that causes the prices to rise is political instability in various parts of the world.
These world issues (instability in the East and in Africa) have been here for a long time and will not be resolved easily. The demand for energy is also growing as new economies are also growing like China, India and Brazil. Because this demand can not be met the prices are going through the roof and probably will continue to rise. When looking at the need for energy and knowing that this can not be met, we are moving toward an energy crisis unless we do something else. What are the alternatives? Luckily there are real good alternatives. These can be found in alternative energy.
This is energy that is converted from the sun, wind, water and animals in various ways. The advantages are crystal clear. They are environment friendly, clean, in abundance and most importantly free. Although the advantages are perfectly clear and the sources are 'free' a lot of money needs to be invested in the process of converting these forms of energy. It is the improvement of the current technology and the development of new technology that is costing a lot of money.
One can wonder if this is worth it. Are we not taking a big risk in spending too much money? Like in any other businesses investing your money in alternative energy would mean taking several risks. First, it is relatively new and it may not be successful in the end. Although it is clean and safe, there is a great possibility that in the end, it may end up harming the environment.
And, this multi-billion dollar industry has not yet proven its worth and has not yet established itself to be the best alternative to fuel. Until now, fuel is still the most efficient mean to power the world. Most of the existing power plants today use petroleum, natural gas, coal, or nuclear energy to produce electricity. Most of our energy consumptions are used to power houses and businesses and come mainly from petroleum. The second largest energy source is natural gas followed by coal and nuclear energy.
And these are sufficient enough to provide power to major cities. Most forms of transportation today are realized by traditional fuels like petrol, kerosine and diesel. However, power demands and transportation may increase in year's time as the world population grows. At the same time, these known resources are exhausting. The environment is also greatly affected with these energy sources. Soon, what we have today may not sustain us any longer.
Making the decision to invest in alternative energy will result in several advantages. First, using these energy sources will be clean and safe. They do not produce harmful gases. Secondly, once an alternative energy plant is built, power is virtually free. Or, if there is a need to use power, it will readily come to the power these plants produce. Third, in the long run it will be cheaper because we will be able to use these energy sources for centuries to come without hurting the environment.
Even though there are risks and reasons not to invest, not investing in alternative energy will certainly result in an energy crisis. Avoiding this crisis means looking for alternatives. To explore the possibilities we need to invest money to gain knowledge and keep improving this. Ultimately, investing in alternative energy will be beneficial for the earth and the animals and people living on the planet. That is not only an investment; it is a gift that is beneficial to all of us.
Bryan Wong is the owner of the solar information website www.GetEasyInfo.com/Alternative Energy> - A great website that shares quality Info, News and TIPS on Alternative energy.