Residential Solar And Wind Power Articles and Resources

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Resolved Question: Maui -small wind turbines and Solar power in residential areas.?

Has anyone seen this on Maui? We plan to move there and want to reduce our dependence on the grid. The wind speed of the Hawaiian islands is approx. 10% higher than the avg. on the mainland. Any feedback is appreciated. more

Resolved Question: My essay on the environmental impacts of tourism in the Caribbean :D?

I study Tourism in school :) Tell me what you think :) I need to tweek __________________________________________________________ Tourism in the Caribbean has grown rapidly since 1978, when families from all over the world enjoy traveling to the beautiful, tranquil Caribbean islands for a warm, fun holiday. Many Caribbean islands experienced a boom in tourism ‘by accident’ meaning that many Caribbean countries were not prepared for a rapid increase in food, water, electricity and land consumption. Tourism in the Caribbean had began to damage local ecosystems, the increased demand for electricity, seafood and water had caused prices for these resources to reach record high levels of price. The countries of Antigua, St. Kitts, Barbuda, St. Nevis and Barbados have been listed as “water scarce” due to the large consumptions due mainly to tourist resorts, which use approximately five to ten times more water than the Caribbean’s residential areas. Tourism has also caused a large increase in pollution, hotels in Jamaica and The Bahamas have recently been fined by Uebersax due to producing ‘high fecal pollution’ and now, as a result of this, the countries are being encouraged to discourage tourism for a short while until pollution levels decrease. ‘Power tourism’ in the Caribbean has caused hotel groups to have a higher authority than councils and environmental organizations in some Caribbean countries. For example, Urban Development Corporation wished to build a new 500 rooms complex in Negril, Jamaica, and although several organizations including the local Chamber of Commerce and the Negril Coral Reef Preservation Society wished to delay the construction; until the local sewage plant was upgraded, and the marine area was protected and given park status, work went ahead promptly ignoring these organizations concerns. Caribbean countries are now finding ways to help preserve there environments. Barbados now has began using a ‘reverse osmosis’ technique which produces freshwater from seawater which ultimately should drop the demand on wells and natural coral freshwater resources. Other countries are now using solar, wind, and biomass energy to reduce their there levels of imported oils from abroad ‘Caribbean Action For Sustainable Tourism’ has created a plan of action for the tourism industry which contains ten important areas, waste minimization, energy efficiency, conservation and management, management of fresh water resources, waste water management, hazardous substances transport, land-use planning and management, design for sustainable tourism. It is the organizations hope that this plan will be applied to all resorts in the Caribbean and will help preserve the delicate ecosystem that has been destroyed by tourists. Tourism in the Caribbean has also affected, and destroyed wildlife. Mainly due to new creatures being introduced to the countries and competing for food and habitat. Jamaica has the largest number of endangered animals in the Caribbean at 254, in 1872 Indian mongoose where imported to Jamaica to help control the number of rats in local sugarcane fields, the mongoose is now accountable for the extinction of five species. Soon after the mongoose’s arrival to Jamaica, it spread to other Caribbean islands and has also affected and endangered the wildlife in these countries. A major part of the Caribbean tourism industry is through cruise ships. Cruise ships leave large amounts of pollution in the Caribbean ecosystem every year, ships also dump large amounts a waste, sometimes illegally, into the Caribbean Sea to which has damaging effects to coral reefs and marine wildlife. The Caribbean had made several lawsuits towards cruise lines for ‘illegal, environmentally unsafe actions’, for example, Princess Cruises was fined millions of dollars in the 1990’s when passengers videotaped ‘plastic garbage bags being dumped into the sea’ and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines was fined $27 million when a Coast Guard took videotapes of oil pouring out of a Sovereign of the Seas ship in Puerto Rico. Cruise ship pollution is now currently being monitored and regulated by the MARPOL to ensure all waste is disposed of properly; thereby protecting the local environment. more

Voting Question: geothermal grid tie generator?

Why not a? geothermal electric grid tie generator? hi i got a idea for a geothermal device that would generate electric power and grid tie (feed the energy grid) the juice back into the grid. is anybody outthere interested in developing a device like that? if you think about solar wind those alternative fuels are weather dependent, but a geothermal device has always the same avarage output and is over 24 hours more productive than either wind or solar. But not a powerplant size geothermal unit a residential unit you can put in your backyard like an air conditioner with either pipes buried 6 feet below forming a grid covering your hole backyard. or pipes sunk into a lake similar to this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PULLXM41oj4&feature=PlayList&p=5C5190BA426EFA37&playnext=1&index=32 more

Resolved Question: Two Alternative Power Questions...?

1. Can a wind generator be put on a residential roof? Meaning, would it be against city codes to do so? 2. Do solar panels have to be made in sets of 32, or can you string as many as you like together? more

Resolved Question: What are best wind and solar powered generators?

This would be for a residential area and need to comply to fire and other safety regulations. I want to generate electric power for home and electric vehicles. more

Resolved Question: What is the best energy source for residential use Solar or Wind Power?

Resolved Question: What degree would deal with renewable energy?

What type of degree would focus on the design and implication of both wind and solar power terminals in both commercial and residential settings? Assuming one exists of course. more

Resolved Question: Are we ever going to see incentives, in Canada, for applications of residental renewable energy usage?

A push towards a cleaner environment is forcing the government to implement the usage of renewable energy technology. So far the monetary incentives are present for mass production. If residential incentive was available, I would retrofit my home with solar/wind power and tie into the grid. more

Resolved Question: Are we ever going to see incentives, in Canada, for applications of residental renewable energy usage?

Resolved Question: U.S. Nuclear power - more pros and some cons?

Location to residential areas: They could be built on the same location to replace conventional coal and oil power plants. Nuclear plants don't not pollute the local air. Terrorist attack: Unlikely- they were designed during the cold war to withstand nuclear missile attacks. Nuclear waste disposal: U.S. has plenty of unpopulated areas for this. Not the greatest solution, but better than having Florida underwater in a few hundred years due to global warming. Electromagnetic radiation: no more that current elctric power plants. Solar and wind energy are not feasable since neither would provide suffieceint power to heat your home and drive your car. With Nulcear both would go electric. more

Resolved Question: Anybody knows the price for a solar - PV and Thermal - system and the price of a micro wind power system?

I'm doing a research regarding the installation of a fuel cell inside a house and I want to compare the price of this system with a PV and thermal solar system and also the price of a micro wind power to use in residential buildings. Prices would be suitable in installed KW or KWh of energy...source? Thanks more

Resolved Question: Anybody out there using a solar heated stirling engine to generate residential electricity?

I am a general contractor in Texas, I am currently designing a environmentally friendly home for myself and young family to live in. I am viewing my options on electricity generation, i.e PV with battery and invertor, bio diesel generators, solar powered stirling engine, possibly offsetting solar power with wind. I have a design for a trombe wall which will help cool the house in the summer and heat it in the winter. Solar powered H2O heaters are a no brainer, My brother in the UK has one and has an abundant amount of hot H20. The cooling system will probably encompass geo-thermal energy, again a lot of systems available, unfortunately for the masses these systems are more expensive than traditional energy sucking compressors and heat exchangers. Hopefully by the time I invest in renewable energy for my home the government will offer more than a $2000.00 TAX credit toward the investment.If so please forward me details. more