Most of the energy we use comes from one of three fuels - coal, oil or natural gas.  It’s one of these substances that heats your house in the winter, heats your water for your hot showers, runs the car you travel in, and created the electricity that you use in almost everything you do.  The thing about those three fuels, called fossil fuels, is that there isn’t an unlimited supply of them.  That’s right, at some point- not next year, but maybe in another few decades- we will run out of fossil fuels.  Because of this, there are lots of smart people out there trying to figure out ways to get energy that won’t run out.  These types of power are called renewable energy. 

Another reason that scientists and others are interested in discovering new sources of energy is that burning fossil fuels for energy creates a lot of excess waste.  This waste is a big part of what pollutes our land, air and water.  Many of the alternative energy sources that have been discovered are clean sources of energy- in other words they produce little to no waste at all.   

The most recent focus on finding renewable sources of energy has come because of our reliance on foreign fuel.  Over 50% of our fossil fuels are imported, mostly from the Middle East.  There are a lot of people who think it is important for America to find its own sources of energy so that we can be more self-sufficient and not have to fear the rising prices or shortages that come from importing most of our energy. 
 
Maybe you already know some of the other ways that we are able to get energy.  Perhaps you live near one of the huge dams that tap the hydro-power created by falling water or you have noticed the little solar panel on your calculator which keeps it working as long as there is light.  But even if you know about alternative energy sources, it’s likely that though they seem interesting and fun you don’t know much about the bigger possibilities for their uses. 

Solar power and hydro-power have been around for a long time, but both have are limited in their use by geographical constraints (for hydro-power you need to have water nearby and for large-scale solar power you need a sunny climate).  For centuries people have been using the wind for power – picture those little wooden windmills in fairy tales! – but nowadays wind is being used for a lot more than just grinding grain.  Countries like Spain and Denmark (and even some regions of the U.S. like California) have huge wind farms which provide a lot of clean power to their countries. 

It’s likely that you have heard of hybrid cars on the news or amongst your friends.  Hybrids are another new invention meant to cut down our dependence on fossil fuels.  They are vehicles which combine electricity with gasoline for power.  Though they still use gas, hybrids use a lot less than other cars and also cut down on the exhaust fumes.

It’s innovations like these that people are searching for to ensure that future generations continue to live in a healthy environment without the fear of running out of fuel.