The economy is on its way out of a recession, but oil prices are still climbing--and the demand for alternative energy sources is growing. In fact, the alternative/renewable energy market is one of only a few that has seen measurable growth over the last several years. Below we will discuss some of the pros and cons of renewable energy, and we will go into detail as to why alternative energy sources will be so important in the future.

“No matter what else happens, this is the century in which we must learn to live without fossil fuels.”  - David Goodstein

Petroleum or Crude Oil is the most commonly used fossil fuel. It is a limited stock resource which takes millions of years to form and is used in almost every aspect of our lives. Most of the petroleum is converted to other fuels like Gasoline, Petroleum Gas, Diesel, Kerosene etc. Other uses of petroleum include Asphalt for road construction, Fertilizers, Pesticides, Plastics, Food coatings, Cosmetics, Clothing; the list goes on.

In what is claimed to be a world first, the Tullibardine distillery in Perthshire has partnered with a spin-out company from Napier University in Edinburgh. They plan to use bacteria to feed on the "leftovers" from the whisky making process which will then produce butanol which can be used to fuel vehicles.

/ecosystems/article/45098Algae fuel or Algal biofuel is an alternative to fossil fuel that uses algae as its source.