Alternative energy, as defined by Wikipedia, is an umbrella term that refers to any source of usable energy intended to replace fuel sources without the undesired consequences of the replaced fuels^.

Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources, such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat, which are renewable (naturally replenished). When comparing the processes for producing energy, there are several fundamental differences between renewable energy and fossil fuels. The process of producing oil, coal, or natural gas fuel is a difficult process that requires a great deal of complex equipment, physical and chemical processes. On the other hand, alternative energy can be produced with basic equipment and naturally basic processes. Wood, the most renewable and available so called "alternative" energy,burns the same amount of carbon it would emit if it degraded naturally.

Electricity How It Works -

Single-phase electricity is what you have in your house. You generally talk about household electrical service as single-phase, 120-volt AC service. If you use an oscilloscope and look at the power found at a normal wall-plate outlet in your house, what you will find is that the power at the wall plate looks like a sine wave, and that wave oscillates between -170 volts and 170 volts (the peaks are indeed at 170 volts; it is the effective (rms) voltage that is 120 volts). The rate of oscillation for the sine wave is 60 cycles per second. Oscillating power like this is generally referred to as AC, or alternating current. The alternative to AC is DC, or direct current. Batteries produce DC: A steady stream of electrons flows in one direction only, from the negative to the positive terminal of the battery.

 "It takes a community to advance renewable energy."