Using Biomass Power for Our Electric Needs

Electricity is a fundamental pillar to any modern society. Unfortunately, we need fuel to create electricity. This brings us to the subject of biomass as a new source of power.

Using Biomass Power for Our Electric Needs

Biomass is a term used to describe natural, biological materials that can be used as fuel to produce energy. Biomass is a broad term that includes many different types of fuels, from garbage to landfill gas to ethanol. The electricity biomass produces can be used to power many different things from industries to homes, and once properly researched and put into use, biomass will definitely cut down on the world's use of fossil fuels and other harmful sources of energy.

The most common types of biomass can be grouped into one of three categories. Wood (and related) products are things like lawn clippings, wood chips, leftover wood scraps from lumber production, dead trees and leaves. Garbage products are items within garbage that people generate that can be used to burn as fuel, or landfill gases, which are produced when garbage rots (methane). Ethanol and biodiesel are both fossil fuel replacements made from either corn or other crops (ethanol) or vegetable oil and animal fat (biodiesel). All of these can result in biomass fuel to produce electricity.

The landfill gas, also known as biogas or methane, is often collected by landfill owners or farmers to be used as fuel. The burning of this fuel can either power a generator for electricity or be used to heat property. The vegetation or wood related products can be pressed into pellets, and then used as fuel for heat and electricity generation. Ethanol and biodiesel are of even more interest in the world climate these days, as they are both used to power cars and other vehicles. Ethanol and biodiesel are much cleaner burning than fossil fuels, and less expensive to produce since they come from waste which is easy to find in our modern world. Both types of fuel are also biodegradable, making them safer for the environment. While neither fuel can be used in all types of cars at present, car manufacturers are working to make more vehicles that will run on these alternative fuels. Any of these approaches can be used as electricity biomass platforms.

While the idea of using electricity biomass as a power platform may seem far-fetched at present, the resources are already in place to use biomass as fuel. What needs to be done right now is more research on how to use these biomass fuels efficiently, and without the stigma of “burning garbage”. Other fuels at present are much more user-friendly and easy to store, as they are concentrated and in familiar formats.

Once we learn to concentrate biomass and make it easily usable, it will be a great alternative to any of the other energy sources available today with the possible exception of nano-solar technology. Electricity biomass as an energy platform is definite a concept coming into its own.

Why Use Biomass for Our Energy Needs

The last five years has seen a revolution in how governments, people and industry view energy. The positive aspects of biomass energy have come to the forefront in this discussion.

Why Use Biomass for Our Energy Needs: The Pros

The primary positive aspect of biomass is it is part of the biocycle of life. This means it isn’t toxic to the environment because it is more or less the environment. An additional benefit is the fact biomass almost always breaks down relatively quickly to its natural elements. This means a biomass fuel spill would be far less damaging than an oil spill, particularly in the long run.

The burning of biomass does kick out carbon dioxide among other gases. Carbon dioxide, of course, is a greenhouse gas. Proponents of biomass energy, however, argue that the gases produced are not really a problem because they are part of the current biocycle. By this, they are arguing that carbon dioxide is a natural element produced in nature and they are correct.

Fossil fuels, on the other hand, are outside of the natural biocycle in the world because they are buried in the ground, which effectively means they are not part of naturally occurring phases. As we dig and drill fossil fuels out of the ground, we are adding the harmful elements found in them to a system that cannot withstand the massive influx.

We already use many biomass fuels in our daily lives. The first cavemen used them to light fires for warmth, protection and cooking. Today, we use them to power our automobiles in the form of biodiesal and bioethanol. Whether you realize it or not, these two fuels have been going into our cars at gas stations since 1990 in parts of the country. The reason is they are used as additives in gasoline for the purpose of cutting harmful carbon dioxide emissions. In fact, federal law mandates their use in certain cities such as Los Angeles as well as in most government vehicles.

Carbon dioxide produced from vehicles makes up over a third of all the greenhouse gases produced in our country. Bioethanol made from corn cuts these emissions by over 20 percent compared to your basic gasoline. Biodiesel made from soybeans cuts emissions by as much as 80 percent. Any way you cut it, using biomass fuel is a step in the right direction.

An Overview of Biomass Energy

As fuel prices skyrocket, personal financial situations and entire economies are threatened. Biomass energy has been offered up as a possible solution.

An Overview of Biomass Energy

Energy can be produced in a number of ways. We can burn fossil fuels, use the sun's light for solar energy, use water for hydroelectric generators or even the heat of the Earth's core in geothermal energy. One often overlooked source of energy that belongs among all these others is biomass energy. Indeed, President Bush seems particular keen on the subject.

Biomass is biological (natural) material that was once living, or still is living, that can be used to produce energy. For example, lawn clippings, dead trees, unused crops, wood chips and other wood byproducts are all biomass. Even household trash can be considered biomass, as can “landfill gas”, produced when garbage decomposes in landfills.

Biomass energy is produced when these materials are burned as fuel to produce energy. Some biomass materials are burned to produce steam, which is then used with generators to produce energy and heat. Other biomass materials, such as landfill gas, ethanol (produced from corn and other leftover crops) and biodiesel (this fuel is made from leftover animal fats and vegetable oils) can be used to create biomass energy that can even power transportation vehicles.

While biomass energy should be used as frequently as possible, as the biomass fuels are readily available, this type of energy is often overlooked. Biomass energy only accounts for about three percent of the energy used yearly in the United States. Some people feel that using biomass for energy is not safe for the environment, or that they do not want a “garbage” burning power plant in their area. In fact, biomass energy is actually very safe for the environment – the only byproduct is carbon dioxide, which comes from the burning of any fuel. This greenhouse gas does have some harmful properties, but not near as many as the pollutants that are released with the burning of fossil fuels.

In order to see just what biomass energy can do for our world, society needs to become more open to the use of biomass as an energy source. Using discarded and waste products can help to reduce the amount of trash going into our landfills, as well as cut down on our need to use fossil fuels. This, in turn, will not only help the environment but also the world's economy. Biomass energy is an under-utilized energy source that needs to be fully researched and used in the years to come.

Hydro Energy for the Home

Can I really use hydro energy to power my home?

There are really very few people who would be able to take advantage of hydropower in their homes. A small stream simply isn’t going to be big enough to power even a micro hydro energy system but if you happen to be one of the very lucky few who have a reasonable size stream or waterway of any sort running through your land then hydro power is an excellent form of power and you should consider looking into it. It has one big advantage over any other sort of renewable energy you may be considering for your home. It will create power 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The wind may stop blowing and the sun might stop shining but the water will always keep flowing. You can get hold of micro hydro turbines that will work with as little as 2 feet of water drop but still may provide you with enough power for the whole year.

Cover all your bases with wind and solar.

Combining this with a turbine and solar energy and you could probably power your neighbor’s houses too. Get a grid tie system which will enable you to buy energy from the grid and sell it back to the grid as well; you could be making a small profit as well as becoming completely energy self sufficient and doing your bit to beat global warming.

Finding a hydropower solution for your home.

There are fewer companies that deal with selling and fitting hydropower units simply because there is much less demand for it, but shop around you will be able to find one eventually. Find solar and wind energy companies and ask them if they do micro hydro generators as well; even if they don’t supply them themselves they may be able to put you in touch with a company who does. Calculate the drop you could get from the water as well as the average water flow so you can give them your measurements and they will be able to tell you what system is required and if it’s a viable solution, and if you find the right company they will probably come out and work that out for you.

Canyon Industries.

Canyon Industries Inc are manufacturers of micro hydro generators and are worth considering if you are serious about hydropower. You can visit their site at www.canyonindustriesinc.com and contact them for further information as well as for guidance on your waterflow.

Hydropower as a Clean Energy Platform

With carbon fuels under supply stress, hydropower presents one functional clean energy alternative. Here is an overview of hydropower and its practical application in modern society.

There are many different types of alternative energy available today. From solar panels to wind turbines to geothermal energy sources, the renewable energy field is exploding. Nations throughout the world are also coming up with their own ways of reducing usage of polluting and traditional energy sources, with clean hydro energy being a popular solution. Using water as an energy source has been around for ages. With the addition of modern technology, it has become a more efficient and useful resource for generating power for a hungry world.

Hydropower generates about 20 percent of the electricity generated in the world, making it the most widely used alternative energy source on Earth. In the United States, hydropower accounts for about 10 percent of the total electricity produced, which means the US produces the second highest amount of hydropower in the world after Canada. Norway, however, has both countries beat. Although it does not produce as much hydropower as it is a much smaller country, 99 percent of the electricity in the country is produced via clean hydro energy production. Another contender in the world’s best usage of hydropower contest is New Zealand, which produces 75 percent of the electricity in the country via clean hydro energy. Countries such as Brazil and Egypt are also heavily reliant on hydropower.

In the United States, 28 million homes are powered by electricity generated by hydropower. Unfortunately, only 2,400 of the 80,000 water dams in the country are being used to produce electricity. This is a rather alarming fact. If more of the dams were put to use creating power, we would be far less reliant on expensive, polluting, non-renewable carbon fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. One can surmise that the process of converting the dams to hydropower production would be expensive, but the rising price of oil may soon make it a viable option.

Hydropower is a major player in the energy game. Frankly, it should be used even more where possible. Currently, the energy produced via hydropower production replaces the use of 22 billion gallons of oil each year. That is a significant number, but more may be about to come.

Although not a form of traditional hydropower, many are now looking to produce electricity from the oceans. Much like traditional dam turbines, companies and nations are now investigating if it is possible to put turbines in the ocean that are turned via moving currents and tides. The idea is fairly new, so a practical application is unlikely in the very near future. Nonetheless, if the process can be worked out, the energy worries will be greatly alleviated given the massive amount of energy in the ocean.

Compared to carbon fuels, hydropower is a very attractive way to meet our energy demands. Counties such as Norway and New Zealand prove it can be done with the proper planning.

An Introduction to Hydro Energy

What is hydro energy?

Fossil fuel reserves have become seriously depleted but conversely our energy use is increasing year on year, our fossil fuel use is now far from being sustainable. Fossil fuels are also responsible for global warming because of the carbon dioxide that is produced with the use of coal power stations and other fossil fuel power stations. In order to stop a further decline in the environment and to replace non-renewable energy many different alternative power sources are being researched and implemented. One such renewable energy source is hydro energy and involves using water to turn turbines, which in turn generates electricity creating hydro energy. The theory is very similar to that of wind energy but instead of the wind turning the sails we use flowing water.

A brief history of hydropower.

The first ever water power station was in Godalming, England in 1881 introducing hydropower as a source of electricity. Previously water turbines had only been used for pumping and irrigation but that has changed significantly now. While some countries have yet to hydro power stations that are efficient and make any significant difference to their energy usage, New Zealand among other countries produce over 70% of its energy from hydro power stations.

Dams.

Dams are built in order to create a man made waterfall; as the water falls it rotates a turbine thus converting the kinetic energy into a usable mechanical energy. This is then turned into electrical energy through the use of a generator. The amount of electricity is determined by how far the water falls and the average water flow; some dams provide enough power for up to 10,000 people so it really is an effective form of creating energy for our homes.

It’s highly unlikely that you have a good enough source of running water running through your land that you could feasibly build a dam and add a generator and a turbine but even a small dam in a reasonable river can provide a good amount of energy for local residents. A dam with a 10 foot drop and average water flow of 500 cubic feet per second produces enough power to give approximately 3,000,000kwh per annum; almost enough power for 1000 residents.

The downfall of dams.

Like many sources of green energy, hydro energy has its downfalls; although there is only really one downfall for hydro energy. The major obstacle to building dams and creating hydropower is people. Local residents don’t want dams erected in the middle of their local beauty spot so unless the opinions of these people can be turned hydropower won’t be as popular as wind energy or solar energy.

Hydropower As A Major Player In The Energy Game

Hydropower has been a slumbering giant in the energy game. Since the 1960s, its use has actually gone down compared to other energy sources. This is beginning to change.

Hydropower As A Major Player In The Energy Game

Hydropower is the massive production of electricity through the conversion of kinetic energy in water into electricity. This is typically undertaken in the form of a dam on a river. Water is held back by the dam and then fed in a controlled manner through it. On its way, the water spins turbines that crank generators and produce electricity. Famous projects include Hoover Dam in the United States, Nasser Dam in Egypt and the new Three Gorges Dam in China.

The primary question with hydropower is why we do not use it more. In some countries, such as Norway, it is the primary source of energy production. It is popular because it is a clean energy platform that produces no emissions, pollution, heat or fuel consumption. As long as the river runs, the hydropower plant should function. In places like Africa, this has not always been a sure thing.

Compared to other energy platforms, hydropower is very efficient. Energy conversion rates are in the 80 to 90 percent range. The plants also have a long life as you can see with any dam, and maintenance costs are relatively low. Cost of energy production, thus, is lower or on par with other energy platforms including oil.

While hydropower seems like a slam dunk option as an energy platform, there are a few definite negatives. The initial cost of building a hydropower dam can be very large. Hundreds of millions of dollars can be required. Larger projects such as the Three Gorges dam run into the billions. These figures are staggering for smaller countries and even give pause to most first world ones. With the rising costs of fossil fuels, however, this is becoming less of an issue each and every day.

The other area that causes concern with hydropower dams is the environmental and human impact. Damming a river is no easy task and the impact is massive. To effectively work, a hydropower dam will reduce the flow of water to such an extent that tens if not hundreds of miles of land behind it will be submerged. In the case of the Three Gorges Dam, this led to the removal of entire cities, monasteries and massive changes to the landscape. There is no disputing this negative issue, but localized changes seem minor compared to the global impact of fossil fuel use.

There is not much glamour to hydropower, but it does represent one of the cleanest and efficient energy platforms available to us.

The Benefits Of Using Renewable Energy Over Fossil Fuels & Nuclear Power

Work is a force applied over a distance. Let us further define energy as a shifting back and forth, but never truly changing one thing: it's constancy.

The first law of thermodynamics: energy is conserved. Thermodynamics is the study of the movement of heat. This law instructs us that although the kind of energy in a given system can change, the total amount can't. Energy is able to travel seamlessly through systems, yet it never changes its structure or shape.

I find this concept enlightening, because you wouldn't normally think of energy as such a fluid movement. It seems more. I found it fascinating that all forms of energy are interchangeable. It makes one think about the potential of newer energy as well.

All objects hold some internal energy. That is, the kinetic energy of moving atoms. Conduction is discussed as the transfer of heat through collisions of electrons and atoms. Leaders at the University of Irvine that are studying the effect of aging, and specifically how the breakdown of DNA over time, effects aging.

The group at the University of Irvine has made a fruit fly live twice as long by their experiments. As they stated, it may only be a bit more time before scientists discover a way to reverse or slow down aging, if they can discover the cause.

Thermal conductivity, the study of how energy transfer occurs, sounds very interesting. Radiation, or the movement of infrared energy and light traveling across a room, until they absorb, are also important to the second law of thermodynamics as well, because it makes one think about the process of how atoms and energy move from place to place.

The concepts of electricity and magnetism can be explained very differently from how Sir Isaac Newton explained gravitational pulls. One learns that lightning is a result of electrical charges, which come about from the transfer of electrons. That makes one think about what is going on to cause the lightning bolt, rather than just running from them!

It's also important to note that objects with like charges experience a "get away from me" stance, while objects with opposite charges attract each other. We know that every Magnet has a north and south pole and those magnets exert forces on each other, and always contain two poles.

A compass will point at the earth's "dipole" magnetic field. Dipole is the magnetic field that arises from the two poles of a magnet. In the previous example of the earth, that would be the north and south poles. That's a long distance to carry forces!

That brings us to wavelengths, amplitude, and frequency. Science has discovered that ocean waves are transverse waves that move perpendicular to the direction of the waves. James Clark Maxwell discovered that electromagnetic radiation could travel through a vacuum at the speed of light. Before this, scientists must have really wondered how that happened.

Gamma rays are the highest energies in the spectrum, and they are used to treat tumors and other medical needs in hospitals. The rays cause the bad tissues to die, allowing the human to live on his/her excellent tissues. It really makes one think about what happens as light moves.

Knowing all of the above, how can we better make use of earth's energy? The answer is renewable energy. This type of energy use taps into natural cycles such as the movement of the wind and water, the heat and light of the sun, heat in the ground, and the carbohydrates in plants. These are all natural energy sources that can supply our needs in a sustainable way.

Current levels of renewable energy use represent only a tiny fraction of what could be developed in the United States. Since electricity generation is a leading cause of carbon dioxide emissions, something needs to be done soon.

Renewable energy will also help alleviate our polluted air, water, increase plant and animal life, and help deter global warming. It's tough though, because fossil fuels and nuclear energy are tough to compete with due to their widespread usage and politics.

Still though, I encourage you, write your congressman. Let them know that you are for renewable energy and you can even get petitions going in your area to see this come to pass. Over time, renewable energy sources could replace nuclear generation altogether. Furthermore, because renewable energy is homegrown, it can increase our energy security as a nation and create a ton of jobs as well.

Renewable Energy - An Introduction

If you think that we will run out of energy if fossil fuel is depleted, you need to read this article.

Fossil fuel is non-renewable energy, that means it will run out a day in future no matter how much it is under our earth's crust. But nowadays we still heavily rely on fossil fuel as our major energy source. We use fossil fuel ( petrol, natural gas, coal ) to generate energy, for transportation and making many daily-use product ( plastic bag, nylon, PVC and etc. ). Can you imagine what will happen when the fossil fuel is exhausted?

We cannot drive to work; cannot watch tv, listen to music, cook, online, light up our house at night and etc. This is because we won't be supplied electricity if no more fossil fuel on earth! ( how to generate electricity as our power plant is based on fossil fuel to operate? ). Maybe you think that such a day will not exist, but let me tell you: "Petroleum and natural gas will run out in less than 50 years time and coal will run out in 100 years time".

After talking about fossil fuel and what will happen if we are running out of fuel ( so-called energy crisis ), let us go straightly into our topic today, the renewable energy. Normally, renewable energy sources like wind power, tidal power and hydropower is used to generate electricity.

Firstly, let us talk about wind power. You may see array of wind turbine lying on a wide area. Wind turbine is huge and is built very high from the ground so that it can convert energy of wind to useful type of energy effectively. How it works? Wind is the moving of air that carries a lot of energy. Wind turbine is a machine that can convert the energy of moving air into rotational kinetic energy of wind turbine and hence generate electricity.

Like wind power, hydropower use the same theory as wind power but hydropower convert the energy of moving water into electricity. But tidal power is a bit complicated compare to hydopower although both of them convert energy of moving water to electrical energy. A reservoir is built at the seaside that have very high tide height ( >5m ), a valve is used to control the water flowing in or out of the reservoir hence is used to generate electricity.

The most usable type of renewable energy is solar power. All of the renewable energy mentioned above can only be used to generate electricity. Solar power is different from the others, it can be used to heat up our home, water and even can be used to cook! And definitely, it can be used to generate electricity by using PV cell. PV cell is a flat panel that uses photoelectric effect to generate electricity.

All of the above renewable energy are clean, bring no pollution and global warming. There are more advantages using renewable energy than non-renewable energy. Therefore more research and development ( R & D ) should be carry out to maximise the usage and efficiency of renewable energy. Also, may renewable energy can fully replace fossil-fuel as soon as possible so that several environmental issues ( global warming, pollution...) can be solved.

I hope that people on this planet will care our mother nature more. So i put articles on how to solve environmental issues and in the same time sustainable develop to promote environmental protection.

Solar Energy And Wind Energy - Viable And Compatible Sources of Renewable Energy

The inevitable consequence of fossil fuels is that they are finite and will run out eventually. At the moment resources like oil and gas are at premium rates. Whether this is being driven by market forces or these resources are genuinely becoming scarce is debatable. What isn't debatable is that governments and the general population are beginning to feel the pinch of these prices and are looking for alternatives. Solar power and wind energy have been popular ways to create energy for many centuries but have been largely ignored by governments and utilities companies because they were reliant on the elements which, in a word, were unreliable. However for individual properties in the right environments they are useful. They have the added advantage that they are renewable and do not give off greenhouse gases that harm the environment. This article will look at some of the issues around solar power and wind energy.

Solar and wind power are quite straightforward in how they work. Solar power derives its energy from the sun, either passively through direct heating or actively through photovoltaic cells that convert photons to electricity.

Wind energy is derived from the air that is converted to mechanical energy, in the shape of a turbine, that can then be used directly or to create electricity.

Advantages of Solar and Wind Power

There are quite a few advantages to solar and wind power. The energy is free after installation and the equipment requires minimal maintenance. Both methods are pollution-free with no greenhouse gases emitted.

In terms of solar power, little maintenance is needed for the solar panels. A wind turbine does not interfere with the land around it so this can be used for animals to graze or planting of crops. In other words, the land is not totally wasted with the wind power turbines.

Disadvantages of Solar Power and Wind Energy

Both of these forms of energy creation are reliant on the elements, however further research, especially in solar technology, is making these systems more efficient. Japan and Germany lead the way in solar research and these countries are not noted for long periods of sunshine throughout the year.

Wind power can be quite noisy because of the spinning of the turbine blades. Depending on how big the turbine is, some people may think that the structure is unsightly and ruins the landscape.

With both solar and wind power, a lot of turbines and reflectors are needed to make a significant energy impact for an area. And with solar power, the cells that capture the energy produce DC power which must then be converted to AC power.

With solar power, solar heat and electricity cannot be produced at night or when there is no direct sunlight, so complementary power sources must be used as a contingency. Many people that live off the grid utilize solar power, wind energy and a generator as their energy sources. The generator is the ultimate back up but the solar and wind power can be combined to produce all the households needs provided the house is insulated adequately.

Solar power and wind energy are the way to go in remote areas like farms or countries with under developed utility infrastructures. However it may not be too far away in the towns and cities. This is especially the case of solar panels, that are fairly unobtrusive and have many incentives and rebates to use them.

In recent years the cost of solar power systems have become very affordable and there are a number of incentives to use solar power. Find out about Solar Power Tax Rebates And Residential Solar Power Grants at http://www.solarpowerappliances.com/ The site has features on home solar water heating systems and outdoor garden lighting. Adrian Whittle writes about using solar power and appliances that can utilize renewable energy sources.

How Does Wind Power Work?

Wind energy is an environmentally inert, clean, and inexhaustible source of electric power that, as it turns out, is really just another form of solar energy. The sun creates wind by its uneven heating of the planet’s atmosphere. It’s moderated by the earth’s rotation and irregularities in its surface. The planet’s terrain, water bodies, and vegetation then affect the wind flow patterns. With the invention of wind turbines, we can now harness the wind’s energy and use it instead of purchasing electricity from the utility companies that are derived from non-renewable sources.

The easiest way to understand how wind turbines work is to think of a fan operating in reverse – rather than electricity spinning the blades and thus generating wind, the wind spins the blades, thereby generating electricity.

Breaking it down to it’s simplest components, a wind turbine operates as follows:
-the wind turns
-the bladesthe blades spin a shaft
-the shaft connects to a generator
-the generator produces electricity.

To expand on that simplification, the turbine’s blades are connected to a hub that’s mounted atop a turning shaft which runs into a gear transmission box that increases the turning speed which, in turn, is connected to a high speed shaft that cranks the generator. If the wind speeds get too high, a brake is deployed to slow the blades down and prevent damage being done to the system.


There are two basic types of wind turbine:horizontal axis wind turbines: the kind most commonly in use today and the focus of U.S.Department of Energy research on wind power, these come in two varieties:
- 2-blade horizontal axis turbines spin downwind
- 3-blade horizontal axis turbines spin upwind vertical axis wind turbines

The size of a wind turbine will influence its power generating capacity, with the smaller windmills that produce under 50 kilowatts being the type most commonly used to power water pumps, telecom dishes, and homes.

In an innovative advancement known as hybrid wind systems, these smaller turbines are also being used in combination with solar (photovoltaic) systems, rechargeable deep-cycle batteries, and diesel generators to provide storable, on-demand power in more remote, off-the-grid places.

In most residential situations, a wind turbine is used as a supplemental source of power in combination with local, on-the-grid, utility power. There is something called a cut-in speed (7-10 miles per hour), below which the wind turbine will cease to provide an output, and the utility grid provides the structure’s power. Above the cut-in speed, the wind turbine kicks in and the grid power supply is proportionately reduced (depending on the structure’s energy draw at the given moment).

If the output produced by the wind turbine exceeds the draw from the structure (and/or storage devices, like batteries), the excess power is then sold back to the pubic utility company. Use of wind energy can reduce a residence’s energy costs by, on average, 50-90%, though these numbers are influenced by a variety of factors and, as such, can fluctuate greatly.

In a typical residence that uses under 10,000 kilowatt hours per year of electric power, a 5-15 kilowatt wind turbine should more than suffice. This type of system can run anywhere from $6,000-$22,000 to install, depending on a variety of factors, including: its size, your intended application, and any service contracts entered into with the manufacturer.

Being that certain situations (such as in the city) make personal wind power use an unviable option, a general rule of thumb is to consider installing your own wind power system if and only if you pay at least 10 cents per kilowatt hour and your location’s average wind speeds exceed 10 miles per hour.

The larger wind turbines have capacities upwards of 50 kilowatts, running these days into the several-megawatt range. These windmills, known as utility scale turbines, can be grouped together and connected to central lines for transmitting and distributing in bulk to the local utility grids that, in turn, sell that power to homes and businesses across the land. These are called wind power plants or wind farms.

Home Solar Power System An Effective Source of Alternative Energy

Home solar power systems offer a great way to use an alternative energy source. They provide clean, renewable energy with very little maintenance needed after the initial installation. With a home solar power system, you can significantly lower your utility bill or even receive a credit. Depending on the area you live in, you may even be eligible for a rebate from 20 to even 75% of the cost of a home solar power system.

A home solar power system typically consists of a few photovoltaic panels mounted on your home's rooftop. These panels need to be mounted on an area of the rooftop that receives a lot of direct sunlight throughout the day. The southern facing area is usually preferred spot for the panels and your solar power system dealer should include installation in the package you buy. The photovoltaic panels take in sunlight and convert it into DC power. The power then goes through an inverter to convert it to AC power for use in your home. Extra power is stored in batteries for later use such as night time and cloudy days.

There are many different reasons to use a home solar power system. If you build a house in a remote area, solar power might be your only option until a utility grid reaches it. You might want to have an emergency power supply if you live in an area that is prone to power outages or brownouts. Many people like the fact that they are contributing to a healthier environment with their pollution free solar power.

There are many subsidies and rebates available to you if you decide to use a home solar power system. California will give you a 40% rebate on your total installation purchase and many other states offer a similar incentive program. You also receive credit to your utility account if you generate more power than you use throughout the day. This is called net metering and most utility providers offer this program for home solar power system users. If they don't, they will send you a rebate check once a month for your extra generated power.

When choosing your home solar power system, you will want to check around with various dealers to see what types of panels are available to you. Some panels generate more power than others so you want to make sure you are getting the best deal available. Many solar dealers will offer you great package deals with panels, inverters, and batteries with a very comprehensive maintenance plan. You will usually be able to trade in your old batteries for a discount on new ones when the need arises.

Learn How To Make Solar Power Work For You

There has never been a better time than now to take advantage of the numerous benefits of solar power. Many states have made solar power affordable, cost effective, providing a 10% return on investment and in many cases solar power will pay for itself almost instantly.
The utilization of solar power has never offered more benefits than now. Not only can the installation of solar power pay for itself almost instantly, but given the current world political climate and the threat of terrorist actions to disrupt cheap oil supplies make it very prudent.
Many states offer a 10% return on investments to encourage its use. The simple fact is that installing a solar electric system in your home is now cost effective for the first time. And you'll sleep better at night knowing that you have now become part of the energy solution as world oil supplies continue to dwindle.

In the state of California the cost of solar power in 1978 was well over $300 per watt. Today, with incentives offered by the state, that price has now dropped to less than $6 per watt- a staggering 98% reduction in cost of solar energy.
In addition to the reduction in cost of installing a solar power system, your home's value increases $20 for every $1 reduction in annual utility bills- this according to the National Appraisal Institute. Therefore, installing a solar power system in your home costing $16,000 would increase you home's value by $17,520. That's a net gain of $1520 the day you install the system.

On April 25, 1950 Bell Laboratories introduced the first silicon solar cell. Bell called its invention "The first successful device (solar cell) to convert useful amounts of the sun's energy directly into electricity." The NY Times heralded it as "The beginning of a New Era, leading eventually to the realization of one of mankind's most cherished dreams-The harnessing of the almost limitless energy of the sun for uses of civilization."
99% of the world's energy comes from sunlight or solar energy. Everyday enough free sunlight energy falls on the Earth to supply our energy needs for 4-5 years at our present rate of consumption. At the equator, the Sun provides 1000 Watts per square meter on the Earth's surface.

The amount of solar energy we take today in no way diminishes the amount we can take tomorrow or any time in the future.

Learn about the numerous benefits of utilizing clean, renewable Solar Energy at http://www.solarenergyassociation.com/ You will sleep better at night knowing that you are part of the solution - not part of the problem.

How Does Solar Power Work?

The basics of solar power.

Solar power is probably the cleanest, most viable form of renewable energy available and it can be used in several forms to help power your house. Many gardens now use solar lights or solar garden water features. The availability and wide use of solar power in gardens shows exactly how versatile it is as a source of energy. The technology and the systems are becoming smaller, more compact and better looking than when they were first created and used. Early examples of solar power systems can be seen in California where, in the 1980s, enough solar power panels

were installed to power over 10 million homes.

How do photovoltaic tiles work?

Simply put photovoltaic tiles and other forms of solar energy work by converting some of the energy in sunlight into a clean form of electricity that can be used in our houses. The PV cells consist of a positive and a negative slice of silicon placed under a thin slice of glass. As the protons of the sunlight beat down onto the PV cell they knock the neutrons off the silicon. The negatively charged free neutrons are attracted to the silicon but are trapped by the magnetic field that is formed from the opposing fields. Small wires on the silicon catch these neutrons and when connected in a circuit an electric current is formed.
This reaction gives Direct Current electricity though, and it must be passed through an inverter to be converted into an Alternating Current used in our homes to power any electrical items. Some of the power is lost in this part of the process as the inverter is only around 95% efficient but this is a much greater efficiency than was once available.
The nature of the PV cell means there is little or no maintenance required and there are no moving parts; this means that a typical PV cell can last up to 40 years with no work besides an annual clean.

How can I use them to power my house?

There are several ways to use solar power around the house and not just for powering. You can use it to heat your hot water, heat your pool or even your central heating or if you have plenty of roof space and a reasonable amount of sun you can get a grid tie system; a grid tie system means that not only can you power your entire house but during those times when you create an excess of electricity you can sell it back to the grid. An efficiently solar powered home will be able to reasonably create between 75 and 100% of their own power and because of the grid tie system this means you may not have to pay for electricity ever again.

For more more information about solar power please visit http://www.solar-power-energy.info

Solar Energy Advantages Disadvantages

Many of us know that solar energy is a good thing, but few really understand why. Therefore, I compiled a comprehensive list of solar energy advantages and disadvantages that will enable you to make an educated decision whether on not Solar Power is right for YOU.

Solar Energy Advantages

1. Saves you money

-After the initial investment has been recovered, the energy from the sun is practically FREE.

-The recovery/ payback period for this investment can be very short depending on how much electricity your household uses.

-Financial incentives are available form the government that will reduce your cost.

-If your system produce more energy than you use, your utility company can buy it from you, building up a credit on your account! This is called net metering.

-It will save you money on your electricity bill if you have one at all.

-Solar energy does not require any fuel.

-It's not affected by the supply and demand of fuel and is therefore not subjected to the ever-increasing price of gasoline.

-The savings are immediate and for many years to come.

-The use of solar energy indirectly reduces health costs.

2. Environmentally friendly

-Solar Energy is clean, renewable (unlike gas, oil and coal) and sustainable, helping to protect our environment.

-It does not pollute our air by releasing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide or mercury into the atmosphere like many traditional forms of electrical generations does.

-Therefore Solar Energy does not contribute to global warming, acid rain or smog.

-It actively contributes to the decrease of harmful green house gas emissions.

-It's generated where it is needed.

-By not using any fuel, Solar Energy does not contribute to the cost and problems of the recovery and transportation of fuel or the storage of radioactive waste.

3. Independent/ semi-independent

-Solar Energy can be utilized to offset utility-supplied energy consumption. It does not only reduce your electricity bill, but will also continue to supply your home/ business with electricity in the event of a power outage.

-A Solar Energy system can operate entirely independent, not requiring a connection to a power or gas grid at all. Systems can therefore be installed in remote locations (like holiday log cabins), making it more practical and cost-effective than the supply of utility electricity to a new site.

-The use of Solar Energy reduces our dependence on foreign and/or centralized sources of energy, influenced by natural disasters or international events and so contributes to a sustainable future.

-Solar Energy supports local job and wealth creation, fuelling local economies.

4. Low/ no maintenance

-Solar Energy systems are virtually maintenance free and will last for decades.

-Once installed, there are no recurring costs.

-They operate silently, have no moving parts, do not release offensive smells and do not require you to add any fuel.

-More solar panels can easily be added in the future when your family's needs grow.

Solar Energy Disadvantages

-The initial cost is the main disadvantage of installing a solar energy system, largely because of the high cost of the semi-conducting materials used in building one.

-The cost of solar energy is also high compared to non-renewable utility-supplied electricity. As energy shortages are becoming more common, solar energy is becoming more price-competitive.

-Solar panels require quite a large area for installation to achieve a good level of efficiency.
The efficiency of the system also relies on the location of the sun, although this problem can be overcome with the installation of certain components.

-The production of solar energy is influenced by the presence of clouds or pollution in the air.

-Similarly, no solar energy will be produced during nighttime although a battery backup system and/or net metering will solve this problem. See www.dsireusa.org for details on how net metering allows you to save electricity and money.

-As far as solar powered cars go - their slower speed might not appeal to everyone caught up in today's rat race.

Facts About Solar Energy

You have likely been told many times different facts about solar energy. Of course, it is hard to know which facts about solar energy are actually “facts” and which are more like opinions.
This article is going to relay to you some of the top facts about solar energy. It will delve into not just positive facts about solar energy, but negative ones, as well. Are you ready? Here we go:
Facts about solar energy (in no particular order):
· Solar energy is a renewable resource (it may go away at night, but we will always have it.)
· Solar energy will not pollute our air with carbon dioxide and other harmful greenhouse gases and bad emissions.
· Solar energy can be used to heat water, dry clothes, heat swimming pools, power attic fans, power small appliances, produce light for both indoors and outdoors, and even to power cars, among other things.
· In 1990, a aircraft powered solely by the sun crossed the United States.
· Solar energy products can be very expensive. The initial cost is, perhaps, the main disadvantage of solar energy.
· You need a relatively large area to install solar panels if you want a good level of efficiency.
· Depending where you live (Arizona vs. Alaska, around many shady trees or in the desert, etc.), you will get different results with solar energy systems.
· Of course, once you install the products, they can be very inexpensive to run. In fact, energy from the sun is free.
· If you have a really good solar energy system, one that produces even more energy than you use, your utility company can buy it from you.
· When you use solar energy, you are making you and your home independent. You do not need to depend on foreign or other sources of energy which can raise their costs quickly.
· To run a solar energy system, you do not even need to connect to a gas or power grid.
· Solar energy cannot be produced at night or if there is a lot of pollution in the air or clouds over the sun.
· Of course, realize that you can have a battery backup system with your solar energy system that will take care of the problems that could arise when the sun does not rise, so to speak.
· You can install solar energy in remote locations.
· If there is a power outage, you can still have electricity!
· As your energy needs grow, you can add more solar panels
· Solar panels operate silently.
· Solar powered cars are not yet up to par with other cars. They have a much slower speed.
· Solar energy systems require very little maintenance and will last for a long time.
· Technology for solar energy is constantly improving.
Those are just a few facts about solar energy. I hope that they were helpful!

Solar Energy - The Alternative Source of Energy

The fact is that the cost of energy keeps rising, and alone is forcing people to look the other direction for cheaper alternatives to energy. Solar energy has been one of the alternatives that people have found to have cheaper energy. Solar energy offers one more than one advantage, but it also has its limitations.

Solar energy is controlling the sun to create energy. The sun is a renewable source of energy. It is available to everybody around the world, and through research people have found a way to capture the energy of the sun and put it to use.

To use solar energy, one has to find a way to capture energy. This is where solar panels come in. Solar panels collect the energy of the sun. That energy that is collected may be converted to power or it may be stored and used later.

If you are collecting the sun's energy, it is important that you have a storage unit. The reason being is that the sun is not around on rainy days to produce energy for those that require and depend on it. At night and also on cloudy days, the sun and also its power are not always available. In order to have an effective and efficient energy unit it is important that there is a way that the energy that it collects is stored and not used immediately, but may be used later.

There will definitely be times that you will require a backup source. One needs to have constant energy supplied by the sun if they are dependent on it. Again, it is important to have an energy unit that is able to collect and store energy. This will require when the sun is available but is not strong enough to produce the required amount of energy that is needed by those that depend on it.

A known reason why people use solar energy is to provide heat. The transformation that involves heating is little energy, and this means it is a perfect way to use solar energy. A common use for the energy is for cooling. However, using solar energy for this can be expensive. This method involves phases and changes that consumes the energy and then cools it down.

Another reason people are using solar energy is that it can be converted into electricity. There are many countries that suffer from blackouts, and instead of using a generator they have turned to solar energy. Solar energy can power any electrical device just like electricity.

Photovoltaic cells converts solar energy to electricity. Photovoltaic cells are able to generate 32.3% electricity, and this generation rate is better than the generation of ordinary electricity. The thing is that the technology that is available to allow the generation rate of an average photovoltaic cell is 15%, and this makes its efficiency quite low compared to the way electricity is generated normally.

Technology will improve and the use of solar energy and being used for electricity will be a real idea. Solar energy will soon be playing a major part in the generation of electricity.

Ten ways how to save energy

1. Lighting & Light Bulbs -Install low energy light bulbs in rooms you use regularly – they last up to 15 times longer than a normal light bulb and provide the same lighting for a quarter of the running cost. Turn off the lights when you leave a room for a long period and don't use several light bulbs where one will do the job. Teach all family members to turn off lights when leaving a room.


2. TV, Hi-Fi & Radio-Turn off the TV or video and hi-fi rather than leaving it on standby. Always use the television's on/off switch. Leaving the television on standby wastes energy.


3. Cooking- Microwave ovens reduce cooking time by 15% to 20% and save energy. When boiling vegetables, use just enough water to keep them covered. Use a jug kettle that has a water level gauge to ensure you only heat the amount of water you need. Cover saucepans with lids whenever possible to reduce the cooking time.


4. Home -Laundry & DishwashersSave electricity by using old-fashioned clothesline for clothes drying. Avoid drying clothes on radiators as it lowers the room temperature, making your boiler work harder. Shut off dishwasher for dry cycle. Let your dishes "air dry". Don't use dishwasher or laundry equipment until you have a full load.


5. Fridges & Fridge Freezers -Make sure your refrigerator and freezer door seals are airtight. Let hot foods cool before placing them in the refrigerator. Defrost refrigerator regularly - when about 1/4 inch of ice has formed. Place your refrigerator in the coolest part of the kitchen - away from cookers, heaters and out of direct sunlight.


6. Heating-Turn off electric water heater when going away for vacations or weekends. Turn your heating down rather than opening a window to reduce the room temperature. Never cover radiators with curtains or furniture as this reduces their efficiency and wastes valuable heat. When going on long holidays, remember to switch your water heating off.


7. Work Tools -Use hand tools in your workshop instead of power tools.


8. Appliances -When shopping for new appliances, ask about energy-efficient models. Buy appliances on the basis of cost plus operating costs, not price alone. Limit the use of appliances that use over 1,000 watts. Keep appliances clean and in good working order. They'll use less energy.


9. Bills- Check all energy bills closely. Errors can be costly.


10. Insulation & Air conditioning-Insulating your attic will save on operating air conditioning (also heating). If your walls are suitable, cavity wall insulation will substantially reduce heat loss. Keep air conditioning condenser shaded from sun or on north side of house. Turn off air conditioning when no one is home.

Let's save energy

It is unfortunate that more people do not save energy and it is unfortunate that they do not think about turning off lights in the house that they are not using or turning off the air conditioner when they leave the house for long periods of time. Americans are lucky in that our energy does not cost as much as many other countries due to the economies of scale. But wasting energy makes no sense at all and is much smarter to save your money by conserving energy.
If people saved more energy we would not have big spikes in costs due to supply and demand issues. The rolling blackouts in California are completely unnecessary and it is truly unfortunate that people will not conserve when it is the most important. So many people complain about global warming and our atmosphere being polluted from power plants. Yet what I find very ironic is that the people who complain the most live in states like California and they also use twice as much energy as they do in other states in their households.
Perhaps I see this as a little bit hypocritical and that if they really cared about the environment and the power plants burning coal then why don't they conserve energy so less coal has to be burned to create energy? In the future with clean coal technologies this will not be as big an issue with the pollution of the atmosphere. Nevertheless, it still makes sense to conserve energy, why would anyone waste energy?