Alternate Energy Sources

Fossil Fuels Becoming Extinct

Specific purpose: I will inform my audience of how alternate energy sources help protect the environment, different types of energy sources, and the most plausible alternate energy to be used in the future.

Central idea: Alternate Energy sources are being developed to address not only the global effect of fossil fuels on the environment but the ever decreasing quantity of fossil fuels as well.

INTRODUCTION

I. Imagine you are on your way to the gas station for your weekly fill up and you have to wait in line at the gas pumps for up to an hour just to get a tank of gas. No it is not the early 70?s during the ?gas shortage?, however it is a possible scenario in the not so distant future if an alternate energy is not used to replace fossil fuels.

II. Alternate Energy sources are important to understand based on known oil reserves and the worldwide consumption rate, most estimates suggest this reserve has only 50 more years of production left in it according to AlternateEnergies.com.

III. I first witnessed the high gas prices, as I?m sure all of you have, after September 11, when our country went to war with Iraq.

IV. I thought back to my mother and father in the early 70?s waiting in line for gas, wondering if alternate energy sources had been on the minds of the Department of Energy then the way it is now would high gasoline prices even be an issue.

V. Tonight I would like to inform you as an audience of how alternate energy sources can help protect the environment, different types of energy sources, and the most plausible alternate energy to be used in the future.

(First, let?s look at how alternate energy sources help protect the environment.)

I. Our most abundant form of Energy is also our biggest polluter.

A. Fossil Fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas, are our primary sources of energy today, are inefficient, non-renewable, and most importantly, they release CO2 upon combustion.

B. In the US, 89% of our total Energy Budget is Fossil Fuel Based.

C. Fossil Fuel combustion represents a global environmental problem.

D. Most alternative energy sources have little polluting side effects.

(Now that we have established that alternate energy sources are more environmentally friendly let?s look at some different types of alternate energy sources.)

II. Most of the common alternate energy sources are already in use.

A. Wind can be harnessed to produce large amounts of energy. Wind energy is very site specific. If you do not have a good wind site to start with, results will be disappointing no matter what you do.

B. Solar-Electric (photovoltaic) harnesses the sun?s energy and converts it into electricity. It is the simplest form of alternative energy, it?s also the most expensive.

C. Micro-hydro harnesses the energy of falling water and produces electricity. It is the most cost effective of all alternate energy. If you have a source of