• Solar power is an alternative fuel source for the homesolar powered car image by Yali Shi from Fotolia.com
  
  The green energy revolution has been making a mark on the American public and around the world in recent years. Alternative energy resources have made their way into the automobile industry and, more importantly, the construction industry. Most homeowners are looking for cheaper fuel sources for their homes with the rising costs of fossil fuels such as oil, gas or coal. There are alternative fuel sources on the market today.
  
  

Solar Power

• Solar power has been an alternative fuel for decades and has been growing in recent years because of the rising cost of conventional fuel sources. The solar panel collects energy from the sun which is converted into electricity to run all the home utilities such as lights, heating units, air conditioning and other modern conveniences. The drawback of solar energy is that it can only collect sunlight when the sun is shining. The solar panel does not collect energy at night.
  
  

Wind

• Wind powered turbines have been installed by many energy companies as an alternative fuel source. These turbines are large and nestled in places where the wind currents blow at a more constant level. The homeowner cannot install the same type of wind turbine that the electrical companies have, but there are smaller turbines that can be placed in the yard. These turbines are similar to the old wind mills seen on farms, but instead of pumping water, the wind turbine turns that rotation energy into electrical energy that can be converted to run the home utilities.
  
  

Geothermal Energy

• Geothermal energy is an alternative fuel source that comes directly from the heat of the earth. At a certain depth below the surface of the earth, the temperature remains constant. This means that no matter what the outside temperature is, whether it is cold or hot, the temperature below the ground remains the same. A homeowner can utilize this constant temperature of the earth as an alternative fuel source for the home. The benefit of geothermal energy is that it never runs out and is constant whether it is day or night.