Alternative Energy

Although it is much less expensive to initially get hooked into the local electric company’s grid than it is to set up and hook into wind turbines, in the long run one saves money by utilizing the wind for one’s energy needs—while also becoming more independent. Not receiving an electric bill while enjoying the advantages of the modern electrically-driven lifestyle is a wondrous feeling.

Electric bills and fuel bills are rising steadily - but the cost of wind turbine energy is zero, and the cost of installing and hooking up a turbine is steadily coming down as demand rises and more commercial success is realized by various companies producing the turbines and researching technologies to make them ever more efficient. In addition, people are moving away from the traditional electric grids and the fossil fuels for personal reasons including desire for greater independence, the desire to live remotely or rurally without having to “go primitive”, political concerns such as fears of terrorist strikes on oil fields or power grids, or concerns about the environment. Again, this motivation to get away from the traditional energy sources is the same one that causes people to seek the power of the wind for their energy, giving more business opportunities to profit from wind turbine production and maintenance, which drives their costs down for the consumers. In nearly thirty states at the time of this writing, homeowners who remain on the grid but who still choose to use wind energy (or other alternative forms) are eligible for rebates or tax breaks from the state governments that end up paying for as much as 50% of their total “green” energy systems’ costs. In addition, there are 35 states at the time of this writing where these homeowners are allowed to sell their excess energy back to the power company under what are called “net metering laws”. The rates that they are being paid by the local power companies for this energy are standard retail rates—in other words, the homeowners are actually profiting from their own energy production.

Some federal lawmakers are pushing to get the federal government to mandate these tax breaks and other wind power incentives in all 50 states. Japan and Germany already have national incentive programs in place. However, “A lot of this is handled regionally by state law. There wouldn’t really be a role for the federal government,” the Energy Department’s Craig Stevens says. And as might be imagined, there are power companies who feel that it’s unfair that they should have to pay retail rates to private individuals. “We should [only have to] pay you the wholesale rate for … your electricity,” according to Bruce Bowen, Pacific Gas & Electric’s director of regulatory policy. However, the companies seem to be more worried about losing short term profits than about the benefits, especially in the long run, of the increased use of wind turbines or wind farms. Head of the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies of California V. John White points out, “It’s quality power that strengthens the grid.”

Wind power is taking the energy generated from the wind and using it in more productive ways.  Wind turbines are a machine that can transform the kinetic energy found in wind and convert it into mechanical energy. Mechanical energy works with kinetic energy to balance into the mechanical system. When the mechanical energy is converted into electricity it can be called a wind turbine.

There are two different types of wind turbines; Horizontal axis and Vertical axis.  The most common of these two are the horizontal axis. Horizontal axis features the main rotor shaft and generator at the top of the turbine.  The horizontal axis is pointed into the wind. Most of these horizontal axis have a gearbox that allows the blades to turn quicker to generate more electricity.  The tower is what provides turbulence.  The turbine can be pointed somewhat upward and stand well above the blades.  The blades are made of durable material capable of withstanding high winds.

When you see these turbines in the field you may think that they are no longer helpful but there are several people who believe in using them still. Horizontal axis wind turbines can either turn upward or downward.  If they choose to turn the blades upward, they don’t hold good together for longer periods of time.  They begin to crack and breakdown in high winds.  When the blades are downward facing they stay in line with the wind longer and they can outlast through the high winds without breaking.  Because they are so durable it keeps the cost down as well.

Types of Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines

Windmills Consists of four or more blades, usually short, and can wooden blades. These were used to grind grain.  As the winds picked up it would rotate a mechanism inside allowing it to run the grain through a mill crushing it.

Rural Windmills was originally from Australia but later moved over to the USA.  Farmers found that this type of windmill was good to pump water and electricity to the barns and fields. This windmill had several blades and can still be seen today in fields.  They were constructed of metal usually in order to carry electricity for lights or maybe a radio.

Modern Turbines are what we have now standing in fields.  They feature three blades that are pointed at the ends. The reason for their unusual shape is because they have been proven to exceed wind velocity up to 6 times more, allowing for high efficiency and reliability.

The advantages of this type of wind turbine include stability, tallness, bendable, durable and strong.  The disadvantages my include cannot operate well close to the ground,  hard to transport over sea, difficult to install, not in big demand, there are concerns with how they affect radar, structural damage done with storms and wear.

There are good points and bad points to owning these types of turbines. They have been proven to work and you can have one or thirty one out in your field.  They do help to generate electricity and other great things that we would normally have to go without.

Alternative energy is more often than not a phrase used to describe anything other than fossil fuels-and most of these alternative energy solutions fall into the category of renewable energy. Renewable energy is important to us for two reasons. First, it helps save the environment from future harm caused by fossil fuels and the greenhouse effect. Renewable forms of energy are typically safe for the earth, making them a much cleaner option. Second, renewable energy sources are exactly what their name implies-renewable. Therefore, these sources of energy will not run out or become scarce and expensive, as fossil fuels eventually will. As renewable energy technology is researched and becomes more cost-effective, we may see a switch to these forms of energy from fossil fuels by all the major energy companies in the world.

There are many different types of renewable energy, including solar, wind, water, geothermal, biomass, and tidal. Each has great benefits when it comes to protecting the environment, because no harmful byproducts are produced. Solar energy refers to power from the sun. We see this in everyday life as solar covers are placed on swimming pools to help then gather and retain heat. We can even feel the effects of the sun’s energy-wear a black shirt on a sunny day and you will soon be overheated. Solar power takes this heat and turns it into useful energy, which we can use to heat our homes and power other electronic devices. Wind energy is one of the oldest forms of alternative energy, along with water power, Windmills and waterwheels were used as early as the middle ages to produce energy, and are still being used in many countries today in refined forms. By converting their power to useful electricity by using generators, windmills and waterwheels, although ancient technologies are still very useful. Geothermal energy taps into the heat from the earth, by using geological hotspots such as volcanic sites, to produce energy. Biomass is also a very earth-like way of producing heat. This form of renewable energy refers to the use of once living organisms to produce heat and other forms of energy. Tidal energy works by harnessing the power of the ocean’s tides and currents, in much of the same way energy is gathered from waterwheels and windmills. The ocean can also be used for it’s heated surface temperatures and cool deep water temperatures to convert heat energy into useful electricity.

Overall, the only drawback to using renewable energies in place of fossil fuels is the current cost. However, as these technologies are further researched, cost of production is sure to go down, making these forms of energy production more efficient. Solar, wind, water, geothermal, biomass, and tidal energies are just a few of the renewable alternative energies being studied today. Critics agree-fossil fuels will not last forever, and so, it is time to begin looking for healthier and less expensive means of producing energy to run the world.

Now, it is quite possible to make your house safe, warm, quite and very comfortable, on one hand; whereas saving money on the second hand. You might be wondering how this is possible. Yes, this is possible by making energy efficient renovations giving you additional benefits. Energy-efficient homes are considered as healthy homes. There are some old homes with serious problems on your health. They have cracks and gaps allowing the pollen and germs to reside inside, the cold floorings makes you feel uncomfortable and the chilly rooms cause sniffling, dry and itchy skin due to uncontrolled ventilation in the winter.

These areas of trouble can be replaced by using energy efficient renovations to enjoy your home in a perfect way. By using energy efficient renovations in your house, you will be benefited from the following:

* You can experience relaxation and a feeling of comfort because now your home cool in summer and warm in winter.
* The resale value of your property can be increased by these energy efficient renovations.
* You can enjoy better health by eliminating the different health problems like drafts, chills and pollen and pollutants.
* There is no need for scrubbing the doors and windows hard with a brush. The airborne dust and dirt will be kept away from your house and thus maintaining your home will become an easy and a simple task.
* You can save considerable amount of energy and money to live comfortably. Thereby, lowering the energy costs by using less energy.
* You are also desirable for the cash sent to you directly by the government

A home renovated with energy efficiency has a greater impact on the way you feel it. It improves the quality of your work space. Every house has their particular needs for saving energy. You van take advice from experts to make the energy efficient renovation for your house. No doubt, that upgrading this energy efficient equipment may be costly, but you can offset it by reducing its operating costs. Sometimes, you may need to hire a contractor for making the necessary changes in your mechanical systems.

We already know that the use of electricity, gas and coal are all resources that we may eventually run out of.  These are the non-renewable resources that we rely heavily on today.  We use these non-renewable resources to do many things, including supplying us with power, heating our homes, businesses and schools and more. When we use all the non-renewable resources up and there are no more to gather, then what? How will we go without the convenience that we are so accustomed to? It’s nice to flip a switch to get power and it is even better when the latest technology allows us to press a button to do all the things that women and men had to work for hours to accomplish.  We are fortunate to live in a world with so many modern gadgets.  Unfortunately when we lose it we may be so accustomed to the modern perks that we will not know what to do when we don’t have them any longer.

What we have to rely on in the future is renewable resources. These resources are all resources that offer us an abundant supply and will never run out. They recharge and allow us to enjoy them again and again.  The renewable resources consist of Solar, Wind, Biomass, Hydrogen, Geothermal, Ocean, and Hydropower We need all of these and right now we have access to each one of them.  What do they do and how do they help us with solar power? Let’s find out.

Solar refers to the solar energy that we get everyday either directly or indirectly from the sun. Solar energy can be used for several things, such as heating, electricity to home, schools, businesses, or buildings, heating water, cooling and ventilation.

Wind helps the suns heat down to earth. When the wind combines with the heat of the sun, it causes evaporation.  When the water turns into precipitation it produces energy that can then be captured by hydropower.

Hydropower takes energy from flowing water and captures it turning it into electricity. Hydropower is very complicated and requires a great deal of technology in order to successfully accumulate energy from water.

Biomass is an organic matter that can help to make up the plants. It can be used for the production of electricity, transport fuels or chemicals.

Hydrogen is the most abundant element found on earth, usually with other elements. If hydrogen is found alone it can be burned or converted into electricity.

Geothermal looks toward the inner parts of the earth for heat and can be used for power, heating, and cooling.

Ocean produces thermal energy using the heat from the sun. It can also use mechanical energy for the tides and waves.

As you can see the renewable resources are all around us.  We know what they do and how we can use them.  There are so many benefits to using renewable resources. If we don’t use them now we may not have a choice later. The knowledge we learn from today will help us use the energy more wisely.

There is no doubt that the earth’s climate is constantly changing.  Some people feel that it is part of the normal cycle of events on this planet.  Yet, most scientists agree that there are drastic changes occurring that are due to unnatural global warming.

The weather is getting decidedly warmer.  For the most part, the United States has already warmed up some.  In some places, the average rise in temperature is around four degrees Fahrenheit.  However, all the states show some degree of warming.

The first and second warmest years on record were 1998 and 2006, respectively.  In fact, every year from the first to the second warmest years, ranked within the warmest 25 years in the US.  In 2006, the annual average temperature was 55 degrees Fahrenheit.  Recent warm years point to a climate change being brought on by global warming.

Climate changes due to global warming can be seen in the prevalence of drought.  Years are becoming drier in recent decades due to global warming.  This is caused by the heat that is building up around the earth’s surface.  Excessive evaporation intensifies drought even more during the spring and fall.

Global warming has upped the level of drought.  A major drought in the US lasted from 1999-2002.  There were only two other droughts in the last forty years that were so widespread and devastating.  Crops were damaged or would not grow at all, thus shortening the food supply.

There have been more and more frequent droughts in the West in recent years.  The last 30 years in particular have seen numerous droughts.  These droughts have spawned wildfires that set new records in 2006 for number of fires and of acres burned.  Further proof of global warming is seen in these destructive wildfires.

While the overall effect of global warming is heat followed by drought, there are still storms.  Since global warming energizes the atmosphere, these storms will be different.  When all is going well, a gentle rain will soak into the earth gradually, causing no more than a minor inconvenience to people.

Because of global warming, storms are becoming more destructive.  While there have certainly been droughts, rainfall totals have risen in the past century.  This surprising fact is due to the fact that when the rain comes, it comes in rapid downpours.  The sky opens up and dumps water on the earth very quickly in many cases.  This is followed by dry periods.

The number of times it rains in a year has increased during the last 50 years due to global warming.  What is more, global warming is causing storms to intensify.  Storms which would have been ordinary thunderstorms in the past are morphing into raging tempests.  Hurricanes have been rated higher in recent years as global warming affects their intensity.

Global warming is responsible for many climate changes.  Often, people cause the increase in global warming that precipitates these changes.  If people could make it a common goal to cut down on activities that promote global warming, the earth would be a much more stable environment.

A pretty backyard can only go so far. Many experts have proven that efficient landscaping that takes into consideration energy needs, may well save a family more then 30% of their usual heat or cooling costs - either in the winter or summer. These savings could tangibly translate to almost $250 worth of savings in a year.

So how does one make an energy efficient yard? There are various things that can be considered in both existing and soon-to-be-developed landscapes.

Keep the Sun Out

One of the key considerations in landscaping includes the various weather conditions that prevail in the area. This means taking into consideration where the sun shines and what path the sunlight takes. A house’s walls and foundations, when hit directly by the sun, will absorb almost 90% of the sun’s heat, thereby increasing the burden on the air-conditioning or cooling system to keep the house cool.

Usually, the best way to keep the sun out is to plant deciduous, dense, and broad trees to the south or west of the house, where their foliage can provide shade against the rays of the hot summer sun. Keeping the sun out can reduce temperatures to up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

These deciduous trees lose their foliage over the winter and will give you access more of the sun’s heat in the winter when your home’s walls and foundations need the heat.

Break the Wind

One of the primary contributors to lowering home temperatures is the wind that blows through the house. Especially in the winter, this wind is particularly sinister as the wind chill is much colder than the normal atmospheric temperature in the area.

Plants that serve as effective windbreaks include evergreens or trees in general. In fact, even fences placed in strategic locations can serve as windbreaks.

Keep the Heat or Cool In

One of the primary culprits in the wasting of energy is the heat or cool that escapes through the home’s roof, windows and doors. It is imperative to find a way to keep heat or cool air inside the home.

The best way to achieve this is by planting shrubbery around the home’s foundations. This creates a dead air barrier, keeping the heat and cool inside the home where it matters. Experts have suggested widening the distance between the shrubbery and the house’s walls in order to increase this area for dead air.

In landscaping your yard or garden, it is important to maximize the benefits by using an aesthetically pleasing landscape. After all, energy efficiency in the area will effectively save energy and money in the long run.

The planet was once protected with ancient forests; it has been a shelter to almost 50% of all the animals and plants confined in lands. Also, the worldwide population depends on them for survival. The most diverse ecological units exist in these forests, and they serve essential help to our planet especially in matters regulating the climate. This is the very reason why deforestation and climate changes go hand in hand. Where deforestation is, climate alteration always follows.

Unfortunately, the forests that should be the world’s shield to the growing global warming are now under threat; almost 80% of the vast land areas all over the earth have been wiped out. Everything went by in a matter of 30 years, and the foundation is due to human doings such as destructive logging and agricultural land transformations. The fact that deforestation is the second cause to climate change should alert every human being in order to put to a stop to anything that may interrupt our normal ecosystem. If no moves would be done, further retaliation of nature would surely come to pass.

Major Carbon Storehouses

It is increasingly clear that our ancient forests play a crucial role in the regulation of world climate through carbon storage and water recycle back into the atmosphere. It is a fact that the green areas of the earth are regulators of climate, and destruction of that area means contributing to a climate change. Eighteen percent of all carbon emissions come from deforestation. Instead of the forest protecting us from disastrous effects, man made phenomenon make them our source of devastation instead.

Full grown forests are the greatest keepers of carbon dioxide. Other “keepers” include: the earth soil, the plant life, and the smallest and biggest trees. Some popular forests such that of Congo represent one of the planet’s enormous carbon sources on land, and destruction of it may cause more greenhouse gas to get trapped in the atmosphere.

The carbon is emitted from the green life through logging, burning and rotting. If these illegal activities happen frequently and continuously in all parts of the world, then the levels of carbon trapped in our environment is exceedingly augmented. Climate changes happen abruptly and changes in the world environment would slowly take place.

Deforestation and Its Effect On Climate Change

When deforestation is made, climate changes begin to progress over a period of time. The gradual modification in climate show insignificant numbers, but it affects the earth in great ways. The following are some examples of global changes after massive deforestation: temperature of global surface has increased to 1°F, precipitation events happen around the world and in extreme cases, snow capped mountains have decreased in cover, sea levels have risen, and thawing of permafrost has slowly been happening over the years.

It is said that in a matter of 50 decades, the world may be in an irreversible state already. If things could be prevented now, then it is highly suggested that every human take part in preserving the world.

Controlling Climate Changes

If deforestation and climate changes go together, then unbinding them would be the first step to problem solving. Deforestation and other causes of climate alteration should initially be stopped so that further effects cannot take place. However, the only key to ending deforestation is through mankind.

If no human effort is exerted, then all else will be impossible to do.

The pursuit of ‘green’ buildings that will preserve the environment may possibly veer off in an unpredictable direction that will change the face of America’s housing. Contradictory though it may sound, concrete is raising its ugly head as an attractive and ‘green’ alternative for residential housing.

Although concrete has been used in European homes for over fifty years, it has not been in any way popular in U.S.A. If the thought of gray concrete homes in small town America is abhorrent to you - think again.

One of the European countries that make the largest proportion of concrete houses is France. Yes, that includes those cute little homes in the villages of Provence that people drive for miles to see! Underneath the sunny yellow paint on the exterior ’stone’ finish and the brilliant blue shutters framing the tiny windows - is blah gray concrete.

What’s more, inside the cool cottages where the interior walls are painted cream and edged with dark woodwork for relief is also blah gray concrete! So what’s the problem?

Change is always resisted by the majority, but concrete is gaining ground in developments around USA. This is because concrete has re-invented itself into the environmentally acceptable AAC. It is also known as E-Crete, but AAC - short for Autoclaved Aerated Concrete - can produce a home that is fireproof and whose construction is 80% air!

Buildings made from AAC will not rust, decompose, warp or rot and this makes them very low maintenance. Concrete does not offer the type of environment that encourages little critters such as termites; it also cannot be chewed through by mice etc, which are two more points in its favor.

Concrete walls do not give off toxic gasses and neither will home owners experience ‘cold spots’ in their rooms. This can be attributed to the unique design of the blocks which means that an AAC home comes with its own insulation against both the summer heat and the winter cold.

AAC offers better acoustics than a normal wooden home, in that it reduces the traveling of mechanical noises, decreases the penetrating ability of outside noises and does away with the echoing sound of an empty room. Or, in a nutshell, it is a quieter life inside!

For those who are interested in the environmental ethics of it all - AAC is made from adding a naturally occurring expansion agent to natural cement and sand which produces air bubbles within - rather like making concrete bread! It means all the trees can stay in the forest.

The Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Products Association (AACPA) boast that a minute amount of energy is needed to produce this organic product and the process of manufacturing produces no pollutants, by-products or toxic waste.

Hey! Move over log cabins and watch out America - it sounds too good to be ignored!

PorchLight Real Estate Group combines local market knowledge with cutting edge marketing skills. For more information on Denver CO real estate or to do a search for Cherry Hills Village homes, visit us online at PorchLightGroup.com.

With the recent introduction of Plug n Play Solar Chargers into the market, the use of solar power has come within the reach of just about anyone. You no longer have to be a tech savvy “do-it-yourself-er” in order to harness solar power.

What exactly is a plug-n-play solar charger? In its simplicity, it’s usually a solar panel combined with a battery pack, sold as a unit, which is capable of collecting solar energy and storing it in a battery. That’s all there is to it.

The feature that makes this type of set-up so useful is that you can use it to power or recharge your electrical devices, laptops, power tools, radios or even TVs, from the battery pack. The solar power and battery pack are sold together - so you don’t have to worry about compatibility, cables, watts, voltages, or anything like that. And you don’t have to wonder whether the setup will work or not.

By using the battery pack, instead of trying to power your equipment directly from a solar panel, you ensure that you have a steady flow of power or electricity flowing into your equipment. Even on a sunny day there can always be some clouds. When they move in front of the sun it there would be a decrease of solar energy being picked up by the panels, which would momentarily reduce the amount of electricity being produced by your solar charger. But if your equipment is connected to a battery pack (which is in turn connected to a solar panel) the battery would take up the momentary slack in solar energy.

There are other advantages to using a plug-n-play solar charger kit, besides its steady flow of electricity. Because of the fact that the solar panels charge the battery pack, you will be able to make use of solar energy at any time, night or day, regardless of weather conditions or available sunlight. You simply ensure that the solar charger is charging during daylight hours, and then charge your laptop, cell-phone, iPod (or whatever you need to charge) at night while you are sleeping.

A little known fact I will throw in is that many people think solar chargers and solar panels only work in hot climates. Not true. Solar panels collect solar energy far more efficiently when they are cold. Thus, they actually operate more efficiently in colder temperatures. This fact makes them perfectly suitable for just about any climate. All you need is daylight.

There are some factors you have to take into account with such a solar charger setup:

1. Whether or not the battery pack is capable of powering the device you want to power

2. How long it takes for the solar panel to fully charge your battery pack.

Once you know that, you can decide whether you have found the right solar charger setup for you or not.

There are now a wide variety of ready-to-go, plug-n-play solar charger systems and do-it-yourself packages available, to suit anyone’s needs. They are used for small portable power units,cell phones, camera batteries, iPods, and laptops, etc. They are also used for larger systems which give remote or emergency power for AC and DC appliances such as radios, small TVs, cabin lighting and much, much more.

Plug-n-play devices and do-it-yourself kits are a great way to get started using solar energy at an affordable price. They bypass the need for advanced knowledge in electronics, and keep things simple.

This article is written by Anna Stone. At Solar Chargers and Portable Solar Power you can find further information on different types of solar chargers and solar battery chargers.

You can also find more information on how solar power works at How Solar Energy Works.

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