Engineering and Social Issues Alternative Energy - Essay Example

This will cut down the production cost of goods which will translate into economic growth. Alternative energy sources conserve the environment. Global warming will be contained if incentives are increased. The government should promote the use of different energy sources to diversify the economic dependence on one energy source has negative effects on the economy. Alternative energy increase employment opportunities and provide cheaper energy sources. The role of engineers in the alternative energy issue is to design the technology to enable the public to use alternative energy effectively.

IncentivesSolar energy incentives are used to encourage domestic and industrial consumption of solar energy as an alternative source. The government provides tax exemptions to the users of such energy. This form of incentive is used by residents in hot areas like Texas (Reiley, 2009).Wind energy incentives are given by the government to encourage domestic and industrial use of the form of energy. The tax exceptions made available by the government include the franchise tax deduction. The businesses can also be exempted from property tax.

The alternative fuel incentives grant program benefits institutions with grants to use alternative energy sources. The grants may be used to install solar panels in the Scholl to reduce dependence on grid electricity or upgrade the vehicle fleets to a hybrid vehicle (Garrison, 2011).Types of alternative energyWind power, solar power, geothermal energy, wind energy, biofuels, and nuclear energy are the common sources of energy in the economy.Wind energy Wind energy is energy generated when the wind rotates the blades of a turbine.

This form of energy is common in windy areas. The merits associated with the form of energy are that they do not pollute the environment. The form of energy is sustainable. The cons are that the wind farms destroy the aesthetic value of the shores and it is not reliable as the wind does not blow continuously.Solar power Solar power can be used in the production of electricity, cooking and water purification. Solar power is used by converting the sun's rays into useful energy. The source of energy does not affect the environment and is a cheap reliable source of energy.

The demerit is that it is only reliable in the presence of the sun (Zahran, 2008).Geothermal energyThis method uses the earth’s heat to produce energy. Hot rock heat water which in turn forms steam. The geothermal plants are small and with careful maintenance. They are self-sufficient and safe for the environment. The geothermal plants are affected by water shortage and may release pollutants if not well installed (Rawlings, 2011).