As the world progresses, there is a greater demand for energy. Today there are many different ideas about how we will supply energy for tomorrow’s generation. One of the most popular options is solar energy. However, at the moment, the technology is not sufficient. It cost a lot to produce solar panels and they do not make enough energy during their life to make building them feasible.
Another popular option is hydroelectric power. This requires that a dam be built in a river. However, there are only so many rivers that we could dam, and we have already dammed many of these rivers. It is not necessarily a sustainable form of energy because there are not an infinite number of rivers the same way that there are an infinite number of sunrays.
Wind power is another popular option. But wind turbines are unreliable because wind is not a constant force. And they can also be loud. Most people believe that they are a good thing, but not in my back yard.
One of the options that I believe needs to be explored more is the ocean. Wind farms can be built in the ocean and they will have little effects on the human and animal populations. Solar panels could be placed in the ocean as well. One of the challenges will be finding a way to get the energy from the ocean to the land where it can be used. Another option that I have never heard in any academic setting is somehow using the enormous pressure at the bottom of the ocean to power our world. I don’t know how this would be achieved, but if someone could convert the force of pressure deep in the ocean to power it would be very valuable to society.
There are many technologies being developed focused on the energy problem that will haunt us for years to come. However, right now there is nothing that is sustainable and economical feasible. As a society, it is important that we figure this out soon. This is why I am an engineering major.
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