What is the cleanest and most efficient energy source available for human consumption?

Question

What is out there to light our cities that would produce little or no greenhouse gasses and still be viable? Obviously the sun is a clean source, but it's not efficient to capture its energy ... right? I mean, do we coat the surface of the earth with solar panels? Wind is clean, but again, do we have room for all the windmills it would take to make them meaningful? What is our best source of energy?

Answer 1

Given your criteria of "cleanest and most efficient" its nuclear energy.  Commercial nuke plants only release a small amount of waste heat in the cooling waters and zero radiation.  Their typical output is One Gigawatt compared to 14 Megawatts of an average wind generator.

Answer 2

Water. Hydrogen & Oxygen. Did you know that the technology has been available for the past 40 years to run a vehicle on pure h2o? The problem is that it is being suppressed by governments, intending to make as much money from oil possible. Hidro electrical plants are also some of the most environmentally friendly means of generating electricity for consumption.

Answer 3

I think the best source of energy are animals. To  live with them, and to raise them, is the best way to save our planet of destruction. If this is not inaf for you.

Nuclear energy is the solved problem.

Answer 4

we only need to capture about 20% of the light that falls on half of Texas to power the whole world. currently the main prolbem is the cost as it costs about .20 USD per kilowatt hour compared to .10 for current power sources.

Answer 5

Sunshine.  

We don't need to coat the surface of the earth, it puts deserts to use.

Answer 6

Compressed air.  It runs the "World's Cleanest Car".

"After fourteen years of research and development, Guy Negre has developed an engine that could become one of the biggest technological advances of this century. Its application to Compressed Air Technology(CAT) vehicles gives them significant economical and environmental advantages. With the incorporation of bi-energy (compressed air + fuel) the CAT Vehicles have increased their driving range to close to 2000 km with zero pollution in cities and considerably reduced pollution outside urban areas.

   The application of the MDI engine in other areas, outside the automotive sector, opens a multitude of possibilities in nautical fields, co-generation, auxiliary engines, electric generators groups, etc. Compressed air is a new viable form of power that allows the accumulation and transport of energy. MDI is very close to initiating the production of a series of engines and vehicles. The company is financed by the sale of manufacturing licenses and patents all over the world."

Answer 7

Gravity, it's consistent every where and free and non-polluting and completely renewable and virtually forever! Add air pressure and you have the workings of a source of power for all to use constantly no matter where they are!

Answer 8

The best available non fossil fuel source of energy is wind, and it does not require huge areas either, and wind turbines cause very little environmental damage, wind turbines are the cheapest producers of electricity, but wind is an unstable source of energy, and that requires storing vast amounts of energy.

storing energy in batteries is environmentally wrong, a clean way to store energy is in water, which are pumped from the sea to high storage reservoirs, in the shape of lakes, when there is excess energy from wind, and dropped back through water turbines, when there is insufficient wind energy.

this method it totally sustainable and produces no pollution at all.

the end result will be endless wind farms off shore and in high places and salt water lakes on mountains.

Answer 9

I wish there was one answer that solves everything, but that would be somewhat naive - unless you are in favour of nuclear electricity, of course.

We have to find thousands of ways to solve the energy issues facing us. Instead of finding complicated ways to continue powering more and more of the same old inefficient buildings, cars and machines, we have to rethink, redesign and plan in a new way.

How about designing buildings that make the most of passive solar gain, natural light and the insulating capability of the ground?  How about improving & using public transport? We should concentrate more on how we can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and less about how to generate ever-increasing amounts of electricity to maintain the status quo.

Answer 10

Recycle poo... you can turn it into anything...... including food