LESSON 1

Read the text: ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES

In our modern industrial society we consume vast amounts of energy to make our daily life more comfortable and productive. We use energy every day - for heat and light in living and working areas, cooking, transportation, manufacturing, and entertainment. The choices we make about how we use energy impact our environment and our lives.

Energy comes from several different sources. These sources can be split into two main categories: non-renewable and renewable. Non-renewable types of energy include the three major types of fossil fuels – coal, oil and natural gas. Fossil fuels supply more than 90% of the world's energy. Oil leads with a share of about 40 % of total world energy consumption, followed by coal (24%) and natural gas (22%).

Fossil fuels are relatively easy to use to generate energy because they only require a simple direct combustion. However, a problem with fossil fuels is their environmental impact. Not only does their excavation from the ground significantly alter the environment, but their combustion leads to air pollution. Carbon dioxide ( CO₂ ) from burning fossil fuels is the largest source of greenhouse gases from human activities. Extra greenhouse gases are causing global warming and climate change. Besides, these are fuels that are being consumed more rapidly than they are being replaced. That means that someday we could run out of these fuels.

Another non-renewable source is uranium. Uranium is an element that gives us nuclear energy by splitting an atom's nucleus, and this process is called fission. Nuclear energy is a better source of energy because it doesn't put carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. But like all industrial processes, nuclear power generation has by-product wastes: radioactive products and heat. Hazardous wastes and the possibility of a nuclear disaster are the principal concerns for nuclear power.

With the growing concerns over the environmental problems today (air pollution, global climate change, etc.) and the price of non-renewable energy sources soaring, we have to take a closer look at the alternative energy sources. Alternatives to the fossil fuels and nuclear power are renewable sources of energy and they are considerably more attractive in many ways. Renewable sources are derived and replenish quickly from nature and usually do not pollute our environment when used to generate electricity. The five renewable sources used most often include hydropower, solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal.

Alternative Energy and Renewable Energy Sources

Energy Suppliers offer consumers a part in the greening of society by deriving their energies from renewable or alternative sources and in some cases they will support environmentally friendly projects. The terms renewable and alternative do not necessarily mean the same thing but the distinction is blurred. There are two main objectives in this context, the most obvious of which is to reduce the net emission of greenhouse gases, especially carbon. The other is that the resources should remain constant and not run out in any foreseeable future.
'Renewable' energy implies that it is derived from a source which is automatically replenished or one that is effectively infinite so that it is not depleted as it is used. The term 'Alternative' refers to energy sources which could replace coal, traditional gas and oil or their close derivatives, all of which increase the atmospheric carbon when burned as fuel.

It is evident why the terms alternative and renewable are often considered to be interchangeable but the concepts are sometimes ambiguous. However, the term 'renewable' is preferable and any sources that are renewable are also alternative.

1. Match the left part with the right:

1. Fossil fuels include	a) automatically replenished or effectively infinite
2. Sources of energy include	b) coal, oil and natural gas
3. Alternative energy sources are	c) non-renewable and renewable ones
4. Renewable energy sources are	d) those that can replace traditional coal, oil and gas

2. Complete the sentences with the suggested words:

air have over sources

With the growing concerns (1)_______ the environmental problems today ((2)_______ pollution, global climate change, etc.) and the price of non-renewable energy sources soaring, we (3)_______ to take a closer look at the alternative energy (4)_______.