Alternative Energy

Alternative Energy is a term used to refer to any source of energy that is not derived from fossil fuels.

Contributors

Greta Jang

Design & Media Assistant

Student Energy

Shakti Ramkumar

Director of Communications and Policy

Student Energy

Reviewers

What is Alternative Energy?

Alternative Energy refers to energy sources other than fossil fuels.  This includes all renewable sources and nuclear.  Nuclear is not classified as a renewable energy source.  A renewable energy source is produced from sources that do not deplete or can be replenished1 within a human’s lifetime. Nuclear is produced from mined elements like uranium and thorium which cannot be replenished.

Video

This video outlines the process of turning crude oil extracted from the earth into the treated petroleum products that are used so widely in modern manufacturing.

Context

Distinguishing between renewable and alternative energy may seem trivial but the terms are so frequently used that it is important to understand the difference.

Generally, alternative energy sources are looked upon favourably because they do not directly emit greenhouse gases in their production but of course all forms of energy have their own costs, benefits and tradeoffs.

Dive deeper

Recent blog posts about Alternative Energy

External resources

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

The Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Organization (IREO)

Alternative Energy

Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO)

American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE)

EKOenergy

EurObserv’ER

The World Council for Renewable Energy (WCRE)

INTERNATIONAL OR PROMINENT INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

RESEARCH INSTITUTION

The Association of European Renewable Energy Research Centres (EUREC)

The Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology (CREST), Loughborough University

Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT)

RES – The School for Renewable Energy Science

Conn Center For Renewable Energy Research

ACADEMIC JOURNAL

Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy

Renewable Energy, elsevier

International Journal of Renewable Energy Research (IJRER)

HISTORY

ProCon.org – History of Alternative Energy and Fossil Fuels

POLITICS

AENews – Energy Politics

E-International Relations (E-IR) – Political Promotion of Renewable Energy in the United States and Germany

ECONOMICS

The Economist – Alternative Energy

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Union of Concerned Scientists – Env. Impacts of Renewable Energy Technologies

BUSINESS ANALYSIS

Science Business – Renewable power in Europe – Why we need a better approach

HEALTH IMPACT

ScienceNordic – Green Energy will cut health care costs

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis – Human health impacts for renewable energy scenarios from the EnerGEO Platform of Integrated Assessment (PIA)

SUSTAINABILITY

Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research & Technische Universität Berlin

OTHER INTERESTING ESSAYS/ARTICLES

conserve energy future

UPDATED NEWS (NEW ALTERNATIVE ENERGY INITIATIVES)

AENews (Alternative energy news)

DOCUMENTARIES

National Geographic

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