Hydropower (which is referred to as micro hydro when used in home-based installations) currently provides 10 percent of the electricity used in the United States and 20 percent of all electricity production worldwide.  In Norway, 99 percent of electricity comes from hydropower, making Norway a leading nation in the use of alternative energy.

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Because of concerns over climate change and dependence on foreign oil, we are constantly scrambling to find alternative energy sources that are cleaner, safer, and renewable.  But what is "Alternative/Renewable Energy," and how is it important to our future on this planet?

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Do you heat your home with oil?  If so, you may want to look for a biofuels supplier in your area.  Biofuels are still 90 percent petroleum, but the other 10 percent comes from sustainable sources such as refined soybean oil.  This alternative energy source works in existing furnaces but burns cleaner than conventional heating oil.  It's not as "green" as converting your household heat to an alternative energy source such as solar power, wind power, or geothermal, but for many households, it's a practical step toward greener heat.

For many people, the move toward green energy is not only a matter of good sense, but also a way to put their religious and ethical values into action.  Many states have Interfaith Power and Light companies that give people (of any faith, or of none at all) the opportunity to choose sustainable sources for their household electricity.  The IPLs work with electricity providers to offer energy specifically from sources such as hydropower, solar power, or wind power.  Choosing to power your house exclusively with these sources costs a few dollars more per month, but is well within the reach of many households and helps promote the development of more sustainable power generators.

Geothermal energy has more uses than you might imagine.  For instance, many farmers use geothermal power to heat their greenhouses.  In Tuscany, Italy, farmers have used water heated by geothermal energy for hundreds of years to grow vegetables in the winter.  Hungary is also a major user of geothermal power.  Eighty percent of the energy demand from vegetables growers is met by using geothermal energy.

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