Energy shift from fossil fuel to renewable energy - today's global revolution

Energy shift from fossil fuel to renewable energy 

- today's global revolution  

Dr Abe V Rotor 

Giant wind turbine in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, at your finger tips. 

1. Solar or sunlight is the most plentiful energy source; virtually no place on earth is without sufficient supply throughout the day in all seasons of the year. Sunlight has many applications, from domestic (eg laundry) to agriculture (eg drying grain and fish). Here is a short list of utilizing solar energy

• General drying
• cooking
• sterilization 
• disease control
• heating of homes
• natural lighting 
• desalination (saltwater to potable water)
• solar battery (computer)
• solar car 
• electricity generation
• arts, photography

2. Wind power has been the fastest growing energy source in the world since 1990 (Time). In the US wind power supplies 1.4 of total energy needs - from almost 0% of the total in 1973. What boost wind power is the government's large subsidy of $5 billion in 2010. Wind power is among the first to be used in industry.  Holland is among the countries that use it in driving mills, irrigation and manufacturing. The wind mill is romanticized by Miguel de Cervantes in his novel, Don Quixote.

• sailing
• ship mast
• farm windmill
• home ventilation 
• wind tunnel
• winnowing
• kite flying, gliding
• land surfing
• electricity generation

3. Biofuel.  This includes ethanol from corn, sugarcane and cassava. Biogas from farm waste (piggery, ranch, poultry, organic wastes ( domestic) constitute 4.5 percent of the total energy production in the US, up from 2 percent in 1973. The US subsidy for biofuel is $6.6 billion in 2010.

• alcogas 
• ethanol
• methane gas 
• gasoline substitute
• lubricant
• drug, medicine
• sludge (organic fertilizer)
• bio fertilizer (Azolla, Nostoc, Anabaena)

4. Dendrothermal energy comes from wood. Firewood is still the num,ber one kitchen fuel in the world.

Burning rice hay is waste of energy and potential fertilizer and forage

• firewood (gathering) 
• firewood (farmed) 
• crop waste (bagasse, rice hull, corn stover, hay) 
• sawdust 
• particleboard 

5. Hydrothermal energy comes from natural hot springs and fumarols. It is volcanic in origin.

Hydrothermal circulation in its most general sense is the circulation of hot water; 'hydros' in the Greek meaning water and 'thermos' meaning heat. .
steam power
electricity generation
bath, resort
manufacturing, industry

6. Hydroelectric generation works of gravitational force of flowing water which drives turbines to produce electricity. Other than this moving water produces tremendous energy which can be harnessed.
SWIP (Small water impounding project) irrigation and electricity
water transport
submersible turbine (electricity)
water impounding
rain harvesting

7. Other renewable sources of energy

tide (high-low cycle)
wave action
labor-saving devices (pendulum principle)

Dry twin waterfalls Patapat, Pagudpud (IN) - result
of watershed destruction. Photo taken in December 2011