Energy is not running out, and it never will. The energy problem isn't that less energy resources are available, but the environmental and political consequences of our current energy use are terrible. This is why there is a drive for alternatives. The following will give you a basic introduction of some of the alternative energy candidates.

Solar energy

Solar power uses the sun's rays to produce both electricity and heat, it provides passive heating and cooling effects in buildings as well. There are many different ways to harness the power of the sun (for instance a photosynthesis type effect), but the process of the direct conversion of radiation is focused on most. This include photovoltaic (PV) panels and solar heating systems. Large scale solar farms produce enough electrical and heating power to make some communities completely self-sufficient.

Nuclear powered energy

Nuclear energy harnesses the tremendous power generated from both the fusing and splitting of atoms. Some would argue that nuclear energy is not an alternative energy source, but I think any energy source that doesn't emit the environmentally harmful fossil fuel pollutants would be considered alternative. This is why I included nuclear energy as part of the alternative energy collection.

Hydro and wind energy

Wind energy is produced by windmills that are placed in locations with a large amount of wind. The U.S. is lucky because we have plenty of suitable sites.

Hydro-power create electricity by utilizing dams. These dams provide high pressure water flowing to turbine that spin to create electricity. This can be done on a macro and micro level. The macro level could be putting up a large dam on some of the biggest rivers in the country to produce state wide electricity. On a micro level, a person can put a hydro-power generator in their back yard river or stream.

Geothermal energy

Geothermal energy takes heat from deep in the earth and redistributes it into a building, or uses that heat to produce electricity. It is available in great quantities, but the extraction of this heat is difficult and requires a lot of capital equipment. The heat pumps found in many homes are a great source of geothermal power. These pumps show that geothermal energy can be both effective and practical on a smaller scale.

Wood and biomass energy

Biomass is mulch, sawgrass, corn, and so on. These materials are either processed into a solid or liquid fuel, or burned in their raw form. Wood is used to heat many homes across the country and is perhaps the most common biomass.

Fuel cell energy

Hydrogen fuel cells basically turns hydrogen, which is completely carbon free, into electricity. The end product is water, now what is more natural than that?

Hydrogen fuel cells combine hydrogen with oxygen to create electricity and water. The process sounds simple, and if fuel cells pan out like some people think they will, this will help to solve many of the world's environmental issues. These technologies, however, are years off. Plus, there are some major difficulties that may never be overcome. The future remain bright though, and a lot of money is being invested in the development of fuel cells.

Bio-fuel energy

Bio-fuels, like corn, are made of biomass products. In the U.S., most of the gasoline supplies have corn ethanol added. The political effects of bio-fuel are desirable because it allows the United States to import less foreign oil, despite the large energy consumption in the refining process. Bio-fuels may either be mixed with fossil fuels, or be used in their pure form.