Solar Energy Is Pure Sunshine!

Sunday, January 3rd, 2010

Pure sunshine makes almost all of the world’s energy. Let’s repeat that; Pure sunshine makes almost all the world’s energy! No matter how you look at it the sun works in mysterious ways, whether the energy is harvested from of a tree, plant and then used indirectly as wood, pellets, oil or coal(taking billions of years) the majority of energy we use is a product of the sun. Enough sun energy falls on the earth in a single day to supply us with energy for several years. This could also be through several man made sources including solar panels, solar heating and solar hot water panels.     The energy the sun supplies is free, all we need to do is put the equipment in place to harness the raw power going to waste every day. The energy we harness and use today will not deplete the energy we can harness and use tomorrow or the day after and best of all there will still be plenty for our children without the harmful effects on the environment. The drawback for many is the start up cost for purchasing and installing a system. You are paying for your electricity in a lump sum in advance before you even get to enjoy the clean energy. Our culture unfortunately is governed by “pay as you go” which makes all the utility companies very popular since they only charge us for what we use in a given period of time. Imagine paying up front for installation and never having to pay another electricity bill. Maintaining the system is well, basically maintenance free.     So what do you need to make solar energy—-Just the equipment – the sun does the rest! The equipment would be PV Panels, charge controller, batteries, system monitor, inverter and a circuit breaker panel. There are more and more manufacturers, distributors and suppliers of this equipment every day. If you do not believe me the go to the government site http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/solar.renewables/page/solarphotv/solarpv.htmland see the information for yourself. Since 1997 this industry has grown exponentially each and every year.     To fulfill your energy requirements in any weather a good backup system to the solar would be a wind generator. Usually if it is cloudy a solar system will not generate the same output as it would on a sunny day. With the weather being unsettled usually there is wind and wind can also mean electricity backup. It takes and average wind speed of 9 miles per hour to keep a wind generator generating electricity. If wind power is not an option than additional energy storage batteries can also be a solution.     No matter how you look at it solar energy, green energy and wind energy is the only option for a socially responsible culture. We just need to adjust to the change now before the damage we do to the earth is irreversible. The government is offering tax credits for the installation of solar energy systems, up to 30% of the cost, you can see the tax form and instructions here http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5695.pdfany way you look at it, and it makes more and more sense to install a solar system to create energy.

Shelved Nuclear Technology Can Solve Energy Crisis

Saturday, January 2nd, 2010

A nearly forgotten breakthrough in nuclear power technology has the capacity to virtually replace the use of fossil fuels within 10 years according to researchers.  However, the technology was shelved during the Clinton administration at the height of the anti-nuclear movement in the U.S., and kept there by the Bush administration.

Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) technology has been tested and proven viable at the Argonne National Laboratory in Idaho over a thirty year span beginning in the mid-1960’s.  These “fourth-generation” reactors use existing stocks of nuclear waste as fuel and produce clean energy with virtually no radioactive byproducts.  The common objections to use of nuclear power are virtually eliminated.

Based on current research, it is conceivable to meet virtually 100% of our electrical generation needs using the integral fast reactor technology within a matter of years if we were to undertake an aggressive switch to this technology.  Using currently available nuclear waste material as fuel would allow for several hundred years of operation at current levels of worldwide energy usage without any need for extraction or mining of additional nuclear fuel.  Additionally, the process consumes nearly all of the radioactive material, leaving low volumes of waste material that require containment periods measured in decades rather than millennia.

Further, the reactor design is essentially disaster-proof.  Should something go wrong during the process, the reactor naturally shuts down.  This has already been successfully tested at the Argonne facility.  Concerns over proliferation of nuclear material are reduced as well, since the material used in the IFR is much less suited to weapons development than that of the current generation of nuclear plants.

The primary obstacle seems to be commercialization of the process required to reprocess the existing stockpiles of nuclear waste into nuclear fuel for the IFR. While this technology, called pyroprocessing, has been developed and tested, the cost of handling a large scale effort would require a significant upfront investment. 

There is a growing consensus that green-energy technology alone cannot meet our energy needs.  Those in the fossil fuel industries have been pushing for increased use of natural gas and coal, which continue to add CO2 and other greenhouse gasses to the already elevated levels in the atmosphere. It seems that a technology that has been neglected for over a decade may hold the key to solving both the worldwide energy crisis and be a major factor in reducing climate change.

Make Natural Energy

Saturday, January 2nd, 2010

The cost of energy is rising as we speak which in turn is causing many people’s energy bills to increase dramatically in price. How exactly can we combat this energy crisis? Well, we can’t exactly stop the rises in cost but we can begin to rely on different forms of energy. In particular, we can make our own natural energy. Making natural energy offers many benefits as well as helps the environments. Let’s take a look at what making natural energy has to offer.

If you were to install a solar panel or wind generator somewhere outside of your house you could save up to 80% on your energy bill within a month. In fact, you could even earn money by building your own natural power source. This is all great, but what exactly would it cost to install a solar panel or wind generator. Unfortunately, having one of these natural energy sources professionally installed could cost anywhere from $3000-$10,000. You might be asking yourself what the point of this article is if I am already requiring to dish out thousands of dollars. Aren’t we supposed to be saving money?

Yes, it is true that having a solar panel or wind generator proffesionally installed can cost thousands of dollars. But, this is where many people make a mistake when making the jump to green energy. People are made to believe that these expensive units are there only means to a natural energy source when in fact they can build the same renewable energy sources for about 2% of the price.

Instead of paying someone else to install these natural energy sources, why not just make your own natural power for a fraction of the price. By making your own natural power you will still recieve all of the benefits of a solar panel or wind generator for a fraction of the price. This includes…

Remember, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars in order to have your very own natural energy. You can do everything the professionals do for a fraction of the price. Green energy is the future, why not get started right now?

Click the link below if you would like to learn more about making natural energy without having to pay thousands of dollars!

http://www.squidoo.com/howtomakenaturalpower

Bioethanol the Green Fuel that Powers Green Cars from Saab and Koenigsegg

Friday, January 1st, 2010

With fossil fuel stocks in rapid decline and scientist around the world arguing the case for global warming, caused by increased CO2 emissions, the race is on to find both a greener and cheaper alternative to petrol. Bioethanol fuel may be one such possible contender, which is why both the mainstream car manufacturer Saab and the super car producer Koenigsegg now offer vehicles that can run on bioethanol.

Normal ethanol can be easily derived from petrol, however because bioethanol fuel is derived from plants it is viewed as a green fuel. The energy from the sun is used by the plants to make sugar, which in turn is converted into bioethanol. In addition during the growing process the plant is also absorbing high levels of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, making the whole process greener than the refinement of conventional fossil fuels.

The bioethanol is produced firstly by the action of enzymes and microorganisms on the crops to release the starch and sugars, and then by a process of distilling and dehydration to produce a product that can be used as fuel in the internal combustion car engine. The added benefit of bioethanol is that it has a higher octane rating than standard fuel, 104 as against 97, and so using bioethanol will offer increased performance.

Sadly you cannot put bioethanol into a standard petrol combustion engine without first making some modifications. The engine management system needs to be upgraded, so that the engine can determine which fuel it is running on, and secondly the engine internal components need to be toughened up, because ethanol can react with certain materials to form corrosive acids.

Despite the changes required Saab now offers one of its most popular turbo charged models with a duel fuel option. It can run on either petrol or bioethanol and costs only a fraction more than the standard model, and from its car headlight bulbs through to its alloy wheels you would be hard pressed to spot the difference. Meanwhile Koenigsegg offer their CCX super car with a bioethanol option that can produce over 100bhp more than the petrol version.

Bioethanol does have its detractors, with environmentalists worried that as the demand for bioethanol grows, more land normally used for growing food stocks will be converted over to fuel production. One study has argued that to convert the whole of the US to bioethanol would take up three quarters of all of the world’s arable land.

Whilst Bioethanol certainly has green credentials it is not viable as a fuel for the masses in its current state, due to the huge land resources required. However there are now second generation biofuels derived from waste stocks and third generation biofuels derived from algae. Algae biofuels produce 30 times more energy per acre than biofuel crops, and so could ultimately be part of the future of green energy production.

Solar Wind Power – Exclusive Benefits of Solar Wind Power At Home

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

It’s commonly known that solar wind power is rapidly becoming one of the most popular ways of generating free, renewable energy at home and it’s easy to understand why. Breaking free of the electric companies with their over inflated energy prices is just one reason and having more cash is another. However, with the ever increasing popularity of the solar wind power market, here’s why you should be on board right now.

The demand for home made, renewable energy has never been higher. Energy costs are simply soaring and we, the consumers, are the ones who are ultimately paying for it.

Global leaders have agreed to make a determined effort across the world to cut down on the harmful toxic emissions produced during conventional electricity production. These toxins and emissions are quite literally killing our planet and it’s nearly all for one thing – the production of electricity!

It is therefore easy to see why the solar wind power market is becoming a rapidly expanding one. More and more people are understanding and realizing the huge benefit of turning to alternative, green energy sources to provide power to their homes.

It is strongly believed that many house builders in countries all over the world will increasingly turn to green energy methods for ways to provide electricity in newly built homes and offices. Many countries already utilize green energy sources as common practice. You only have to look at homes and businesses in countries like Spain, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus that have lots of sunshine all year round. Almost always, new homes are fitted with solar panel arrays which provide hot water and generate endless hours of electricity.

Let’s be clear on this – you do not need to live in hot sunny countries such as these to benefit from solar wind power. Solar power for the home can be utilized almost anywhere in the world – provided that you live in a habitual environment of course! However, the increasing popularity of solar wind power will eventually lead to one thing – expense. How much is an unknown quantity but you can be sure that it won’t come cheap, nothing ever does!

For this reason, you should be one step ahead and start to think about building your own solar wind power for your home right now. If you enlist the help of the professionals, you could easily be looking at 1000’s of dollars to have solar panels made and installed for you. However, what if I told you that you can easily make a solar roof panel right from the comfort of your home which will generate hundreds of hour’s worth of electricity for your home or office for under $250! This is actually possible and many people across the world are doing this right now.

Homemade Solar Wind Power is easy to make and costs a fraction of the price that professional builders and installers would charge you. You do not need these guys – they really are easy to make and will provide hundreds of hours worth of free, renewable, clean energy for your home.

There has never been a better time to get ahead and build your own solar wind power generator so why not get started today and reap the benefits from solar wind power energy.

How to Save Money on Your Energy Bill

Monday, December 28th, 2009

If you haven’t noticed, the cost of energy is increasing exponentially. This is causing your energy bill to increase as well. So, how exactly can you adapt to this? Well, you can’t stop the rising cost of energy and it will only continue to get worse. Why not make your own natural energy?

Making your own natural energy is actually a lot simpler than it sounds. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on solar panels or wind generators. You can very easily make these renewable energy sources yourself for a fraction of the cost.

Renewable energy is the way of the future and is slowly catching on to the masses. You mine as well get a head start on the shift to natural energy rather than wait and pay the price. Right now it is possible to build your own natural energy source for roughly $50 if you know where to look for the best directions and resources. But who knows how much the price will increase for such valuable directions in just a years time.

Mark my word, the green energy industry is going to become a monster in the next six months. Are you ready for it? Act now and start saving hundreds of dollars every month with your new natural energy source rather than paying more and more on your energy bill every month. This industry is bound to catch on with big companies who will gladly charge you hundreds of dollars for there so called secret green energy techniques.

If you would like to get a head start on going green then visit the website below for more about the benefits of making your own natural energy.

http://www.squidoo.com/howtomakenaturalpower

Or if you would like to find out how you can create your own renewable energy source for less than 2% of what the competition is asking then check out the website below.

http://makenatural-power.info/

 

 

Save Cash by Making Your Own Natural Energy

Sunday, December 27th, 2009

How nice would it be to save hundreds of dollars every month on your energy bill? Sounds pretty nice right. Believe it or not you can start saving hundreds in only two days time. How? Making your own natural energy.

Rather than having to rely on your energy company for power, you can create your own for less than $50. The two most reliable ways of doing this is creating a solar panel and wind power generator. Although the task sounds pretty daunting, it really is quite simple.

While you can spend thousands of dollars on having a solar panel or wind power generator professionally installed, it is much cheaper to do it yourself. You will still see the same results as a professional unit, but you’ll be paying a whole lot less.

There are many different guides around the internet that claim to offer you the best directions for building your own renewable energy source, though few are reliable. The market of green and renewable energy is growing fast and many companies are trying to capitalize on the success of this market. This is why you need to act fast, and do research before investing in a green energy guide.

While it may be somewhat difficult to find a reliable green energy guide, the rewards are definitely worth it. Within a month you will be saving 80% on your energy bill and your green energy system will have already payed for itself. There is even a chance that you could be earning money from your energy company depending on how much energy your system is producing!The possibilities are endless!

Remember, this market is growing incredibly fast. This is why you need to act fast if you want to create your own natural energy source. You will be glad you did.

Want to save yourself hours of researching for the most reliable green energy guide? Click the link below for more information about a reliable guide to making your own natural power.

http://www.squidoo.com/howtomakenaturalpower

 

 

America is on an Energy Fad-diet

Saturday, December 26th, 2009

How many times have you heard that the secret to weight loss is diet and exercise together? How many people actually take that advice? Or, do we Americans tend to look for the quick-fix, the fad diet?

Welcome to America’s latest fad-diet: Bio-fuels. The main entree these days seems to be Ethanol, which we are producing in ever increasing quantities each year at the expense of our own food supply, and ironically, the environment itself. This heavily government-subsidized fuel requires a large amount of energy to produce: Its feedstock, corn requires fertilizers derived from hydrocarbons (fuels) to grow, then more fuel to harvest and process, and finally to deliver it to the point of consumption. The most pessimistic estimates of how much fuel is required to produce 1 gallon of ethanol exceed 1 gallon of fossil fuels. That means we are actually losing energy by switching to ethanol, resulting in larger imports of oil and natural gas from our close friends in the Middle East, not to mention the inflationary pressure this puts on food products, especially on our ubiquitous corn staple (refer to The Carnivore’s Dilemma which claims that close to 90% of America’s diet is in some way connected to corn and soy.) So why does this process continue? Think of some of the most powerful lobbies in America: Agriculture and Energy. They benefit tremendously from this situation at our, the taxpayer’s expense.

So how do we find balance? Americans keep on tweaking the supply side of the equation: Produce more fuel! Let’s look at the dieting aspect of this now: If we are still far away from producing bio-fuels or hydrogen economically and ecologically, then let’s try saving some energy instead! To paraphrase Ben Franklin: “A Kilowatt Saved is Truly a Kill-a-Watt Generated!” It is said that more efficient use of our current resources could make America self-sufficient in energy without forcing the alchemists to magically concoct a viable renewable fuel. This is one reason Maryland Green Power Co. scrapped its plans to build a biodiesel production facility in Baltimore last year.

Ouch – that means we have to go on a starvation diet, right? Hopefully not. The goal of my newsletter is to examine techniques for reducing our energy usage and still maintaining a comfortable way of life. My current topic concentrates on air conditioning, which is for most of us the largest summertime energy hog in our homes and offices. Yet, with the heat waves we have been experiencing every summer, who wants to turn up the thermostat by a few degrees? You might not have to.

Hence, our goal is to save money and to save energy without sacrificing comfort, or breaking the bank in the process. With fuel and electricity prices increasing at their current rates, we are being financially squeezed into a recession. However, investments in energy should be viewed as an investment much like stocks and bonds. For instance, if you were presented with a piece of equipment which would save enough in electricity costs to pay for itself in one year, would you consider it a good investment? You should – it’s returning 100% ROI annually, which is hard to find in the stock market. Consider that after it pays for itself, it is generating profit at the rate of 100% annually! The exciting part is that these types of opportunities are plentiful in the green energy industry.

For example, using a company’s existing emergency power generators to shave peak demand surcharges off your energy bill, or contracting with your local energy supplier to be “on-call” on an interruptible electricity plan frequently pays for itself in months, not years! However, most of us do not own emergency generators, nor do we consume enough power for the utility company to be interested in giving us generous monetary incentives to disconnect from the power grid temporarily. We residential and small business customers have to content ourselves with small investments in energy efficiency such as the Enigin ACES unit, which can pay for itself in about a year of operation on an average size central air conditioner.

Specifically, a device such as an Enigin ACES is an intelligent version of what the utility company already wants you to do. Some of us have contracted with BG&E for installation of their air conditioner cut-off switch, which cycles your AC compressor on and off to reduce energy usage during hot days, typically periods of extreme peak power consumption, in order to prevent power shortages which contribute to rolling brown or black-outs. Baltimore Gas & Electric offers a small incentive for this operation, but I removed the device because I felt it decreased the cooling ability of my air conditioner unit and I was uncomfortable. However, MGPC ACES is a microprocessor controlled device, which learns the operational profile of your air conditioner over time, reducing over-cooling of the coils, leaving your air optimally cooled. It’s operation can be compared to a person riding his bike uphill. When the rider reaches the top, it is desirable to coast on the plateau as long as speed is maintained. An air conditioner without this kind of control will keep on pumping out the same power even on the plateau. The ACES Air Conditioner Efficiency System lets your air conditioner’s compressor enjoy its free ride.

In summary, opinions on green energy are separated into two extreme poles: Those who believe government should subsidize any environmental project or technology even if it loses money, and those who, in reaction to the first group, claim that the energy crisis and global warming were thought up by some mysterious group seeking to profit from scare-mongering and we should maintain our status quo. These two groups confuse the rest of us into inaction.

I’m hoping that our new generation of small green-energy companies will be the evangelists who tell you to relax, enjoy the ride, and take a deep breath of CLEAN, fresh air, because you can make a difference without making a sacrifice!

5 Reasons Why Solar Power is not the Answer

Saturday, December 26th, 2009

In spite of the obvious importance of solar energy for our future energy reserves, and the huge amount of energy, that the sun provide us for free, I want’ to emphasize some of the draw-backs of solar energy, with the current technology, and share some of my worries about the problem that using solar energy still have.
I intend to drip some cool water on the entire hot “solar power” lobby, not to abolish it, but to speed them up, and causing them to think again about the problems.
Availability
Although solar energy is a great source of energy, it is still can be unavailable and unreliable some time. we need to remember that on our spherical earth, receiving different amount of light during the day and throughout the year, making it hard to retain constant energy supply. moreover, our current devices require a huge surfaces of panels in order to collect a small amount of energy, making it unachievable.
Price
solar energy, in our current situation is very expensive. Yes, sun is for free, but the current technology is very expensive, and in terms of surface needed relative to the production of electricity with fossil fuel, it is still very expensive. So prices have to be dramatically reduced , before it will become a good energy resource.
Efficiency
As I already said, our current technology is extremely inefficient. There are two main ways to produce electricity form solar energy: photovoltaic cells – which produce electricity directly from the sun, but are very inefficient and expensive, and heating fluids using the sun (like solar boiler), to drive turbines that produce energy. these two methods are still very ineffective, energetically speaking. There must be other ways to produce electricity efficiently from solar power.
Possible effect on the environment
Although it might sound strange, solar energy in its current form can be harmful to the environment. First, the materials used for the production of the panels, and the methods of production are very unfriendly to the environment. Second, these large surfaces, consume a huge space, and increasing the use of solar power will cost in many space wasted on solar panels. Third, increasing the reflecting surface of earth might cause a phenomenon of reflecting the sun light out, causing global cooling (this is not a joke!). Global cooling, looks good in first glance, might be horrific in the future. messing with earth climate was never a good idea. Not mention the effect that such a phenomenon might have on plants and photosynthesis, which are the basis for life.
effect on technology
Finally, since the current situation of solar energy in insufficiency and economically problematic, I think that the time to promote solar energy has not arrived yet, most of the concentration should be in increasing the investment in research and development, so the future generation will benefit from a good solar energy solutions.

Why You Should Go Green Right Now

Saturday, December 26th, 2009

The price of energy is rising at an exponential rate. What can we do about this? Well, we can start by going green. Making your own natural energy is the way to go, and is bound to explode within the next year or so. Here are three reasons why you should go green right now.

1. Green Money

Making your own natural energy is one of the best ways to save money especially now that the economy isn’t doing so hot. Energy bills are rising every month making it harder and harder for millions to get by. By making your own natural power you can save up to 80% on your energy bill every single month. You can even earn money from a renewable energy source if it is producing enough energy. This means that your energy company will be paying you rather than you paying them!

2. Everlasting Environment

Fossil fuels and other finite forms of energy are slowly killing our planet every single day. Renewable energy sources are healthy and just as effective as fossil fuels but do not harm the environment at all. By creating a natural energy source you will be on your way to helping out the environment. As people we need to do our part to protect planet earth and creating a green energy source is one of the best ways to do it!

3. It’s Cheap…For Now

The most important reason why you should go green right now is because this market is bound to explode. This means that in a few months it will be very difficult to find the resources you need for a reasonable price. At this very moment it is possible to find a very reliable guide to making your own energy source for around $50, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this price increases by 10x within the next year. The resources are there and the prices are dirt cheap. Will you go green when the time is ripe, or when the prices begin to soar?

If you would like to learn more about a reliable renewable energy guide then click the link below. Your natural energy source will pay for itself within a month, and you will be saving more money than ever!

http://www.squidoo.com/howtomakenaturalpower