6 Really Odd Types of Alternative Energy Sources

There are many types of alternative energy, with the most common kinds being solar power and windmills. These types of alternative energy are well known and backed by countless years of experience. They are accepted as the most reliable and cost effective types of alternative energy available today,and are becoming more mainstream with each passing year.

However, there are types of alternative energy sources that you may not be familiar with, and some border on the bizarre. So sit back and enjoy this little foray into a land where alternative energy may be a bit, shall we say, odd. Yet one day, they may be just as commonplace as something like solar panels are today.

• Good Vibrations -- Piezo electric sensors can be triggered to create electricity when they vibrate. They could be set beneath floors, walkways or even inside of your shoes to create a usable electric current. You could charge your cell phone just by taking a stroll.
• Body Heat -- At the very least, human body heat can be captured and used to heat buildings and other spaces. This is especially true if they are engaged in a high degree of physical activity. Just imagine the excess body heat from your local yoga studio heating the office building next door.
• Organic Sludge -- City municipalities produce organic sludge from wastewater, landfills, food processing plants and a host of other sources. The sludge from these items can be dried, turned into a powder and then burned for energy.
• Sugar to Hydrogen -- We already produce ethanol alcohol fuel from such things as corn, soybeans and beets, but sugar can be processed to produce hydrogen. This 100% clean burning fuel, with water as its only byproduct, can be used to power nearly anything that fossil fuels power, and getting it from sugar may be cheap and very cost effective.
• Solar Wind -- Of course, this isn't something the average person will ever have access to, but satellites can drag electrical cables through the solar wind in outer space and harness the electrons from it. This could give future spacecraft an unlimited source of power in the decades to come.
• Human Waste -- Yes, even human waste can be used for power, as distasteful as this may sound. But let's face it, dried cow pies have been used for centuries to stoke fireplaces for heat, and realistically, dried and processed human feces could be used for the same purpose. It certainly would be a very sustainable alternative fuel, there would always be plenty available to be sure, as long as we could get past the repulsive factor that using human waste would entail.

Of course, one of the most tried and true methods of alternative energy is solar power. Sure, you can set up solar panels to power your entire home, but even getting a solar heating system for your pool or your hot water needs will cut a big slice off of your energy bill. You can make the sun work for you in many different ways by going solar a little or a lot, and you'll save money by doing so too.

For more information about what solar can do for you, contact Superior Solar. We have been serving the Central Florida community for over 30 years, for both residential and commercial applications.