Are Alternative Energy Sources the Answer to Ending Human Dependence on Oil?

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Introduction of the Study

The purpose of this study is to critically examine the various alternative energy sources as solution for ending human dependence on oil. Energy sources, throughout the course of the history, have always played a paramount role in the development and evolution of the human society. This could be best illustrated from example of the industrial revolution in the human society, where energy sources are playing a driving force for the modern civilization development. In connection with this, researchers suggested there is an interdependent relationship between consumption of energy sources, increase in the world of population and technological development (Sastry & Sreenu, 2012).

Among the various energy sources, the fossil fuel (such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas) is regarded at present as the world's leading energy source that accounts over 85% of the energy that powers the earth (Bettinger et al., 2010). While fossil fuel remain the predominant energy source of the world, it is now revealed that extraction, production and utilization of fossil fuel is no more efficient despite the new technologies implemented to improve its extraction, production and utilization (International Energy Outlook, 2010).

Among the fossil fuel energies, oil remains the world's leading energy source accounted to power machines, automobiles and generates energies discovered beneath the surface of earth. While fossil fuel energies including oil remains the predominant energy source, the human beings are now increasingly realizing that these energies have created more harm than good. While, it is difficult to completely replace these energies sources, as coal, petroleum and natural gas are considered more powerful than other energy sources available, these problems are now become so significant and great that they have forced and bounded humans to find an alternative energy sources to end their dependence on oil and avoid their inevitable disasters that lie ahead for human civilization (Ziegler, 2012). To address this ever-increasing problem, there seems to be only one answer that is the alternative sources of energy. According to Torridge District Council, alternative energy sources could be defined as the energy sources that are generated from the alternatives to fossil fuel however need to be renewable. These include the range of sources such as biofuel and ethanol, solar energy, geothermal energy, hydrogen, wind power and the like (Duan, Sun & Yang, 2013).

Statement of Problem

The consequences of ever-increasing problem of ...