Is Alternative Energy In our future?

Alternative energy! A renewable energy or is it free energy?

The cost of energy has and will continue to rise. The world has a large appetite and it continues to grow. As countries develop their demand and consumption of electricity and fossil fuels also continues to grow.
What can we do? Maybe turn off some lights, carpool, mass transit if available, lower thermostats for heating or raise them for cooling, or maybe turn off the tv and read a book. We have and continue to enjoy a good life when the power is on. But what if it goes off? Alternative energy sources can help. Wind power, solar power, or one of the newer ideas of making electricity with magnets.
I have lived in New England and gone through blizzards and ice storms. The power has gone off for days and the threat of freezing pipes becomes very real, a real mess to repair and clean up. I have also lived in Florida and have been through several hurricanes and lost power for days. Food goes bad, pools turn green(very bad),generators run, for those who have them, and life changes. Remember that gas stations need electricity to pump gas for those generators!
What of the dangers on the west coast and the midwest. Tornadoes, mudslides, earthquakes, and fires to mention a few. All of these can result in the power going off and making our lives uncomfortable at best.
As an electrician for over 25 years, I have seen what can be considered the waste that has gone into buildings for “backup power”. Thousands of dollars for large generators and the money spent on maintenance of these machines, the extra wiring and components needed, and realize that some of which may never be needed. Hospitals, police departments, fire departments are not included in that statement for those are life safety and protection. But what of office buildings or stores? Why not use alternative energy sources for that emergency. The important thing is to get the people out of the building safely. Also an alternative energy source will also have a payback for the building.

The same can be said for our homes. Would an alternative energy like wind power, solar power, or power from magnets become our “green electricity”. Could these become free energy? Why not?