Alternative Energy

Sources of energy which do not rely on the burning of fossil fuels or nuclear power to provide energy. With the controversial nature of nuclear power, and the recognition that fossil fuels are a non-renewable resource and contribute significantly to pollution, there is considerable interest in some countries in alternative sources, such as solar power, geothermal power, hydroelectric power, tidal power, and wind power. Such sources are particularly important in countries which lack fossil fuels, and are seen as having potential in economically developing countries. Alternative sources are often seen as being environmentally sound because pollution is rarely a problem. However, their development is not without controversy: schemes to build barrages across estuaries to harness tidal energy are often attacked because of damage to estuarine ecosystems hydroelectric power projects may require valleys to be flooded and people made homeless; the large number of wind towers needed for wind power are a visual intrusion.