Monthly Archives: October 2009
Solar Energy And Hydropower Energy Would You Say These Are Good Energy Resources?
Im doing a project for science on energy resources and i happened to chose solar and hydro power energy. I need some opinions about them.. Are these good energy sources..Tell me what you guys think.
Six Easy Steps to Estimate Cost of a Solar Power System
Solar power energy systems are not inexpensive. That said it’s important to compare them within context of other types of home improvement projects. Home buyers and realtors view a solar photovoltaic or solar hot water heating system as a significant value-added improvement ? similar to adding a deck or remodeling your kitchen. Plus unlike a deck or kitchen remodel, you also gain one-up on your power bills. Here are some foolproof ways to estimate the cost of a solar photovoltaic or solar thermal system and to figure out if a solar energy system makes sense for you. Six Easy Steps To Estimate Cost of a Solar Power System Solar power energy systems are not inexpensive. That said it’s important to compare them within context of other types of home improvement projects. Home buyers and realtors view a solar photovoltaic or solar hot water heating system as a significant value-added improvement ? similar to adding a deck or remodeling your kitchen. Plus unlike a deck or kitchen remodel, you also gain one-up on your power bills. Solar power systems often get an additional financial boost as well: many jurisdictions and utilities across the USA offer attractive financial incentives to drive down the upfront capital costs associated with a solar power system. Here are some foolproof ways to estimate the cost of a solar photovoltaic or solar thermal system and to figure out if a solar energy system makes sense for you. Let’s start with a home photovoltaic (PV) system. Step 1: Estimate your home’s electricity needs To get started, it’s good to have a sense of how much electricity you use. You’ll have a better point for comparison if you find out how many kilowatt hours (kWh) you use per day, per month, per year. Your utility bill should include that information. Of course, the utility bill will also display your costs and many utilities include a graph that displays how your monthly energy use/cost varies throughout the year. That helps you estimate where your highest energy use is and at what time of year. New Home Construction If you are constructing a new home, then you’ll need to estimate your demand based on the type of equipment you plan to install and your home’s square footage. The pross call this “your load”. To figure out your anticipated load, create a table to record the watt use for each appliance. Each appliance ? be it a water heater, electric light, computer, or refrigerator ? should have a nameplate that lists its power rating in watts. Or you can get the information from the manufacturer’s website. Some labels list amperage and voltage only; to obtain watts multiply the two together (amperage x voltage = watts). In another column, record the number of hours each appliance is expected to operate. Then multiple the watts and hours together to estimate watt-hours used per day. Since it’s hard to anticipate all electric loads (it may get tedious scouting out every toothbrush and mobile phone cell charger), you might want to add a multiplier of 1.5 to be safe. Step 2: Anticipate the future In 2005, average residential electricity rates across the USA ranged from about 6 to nearly 16 cents per kilowatt hour depending on where you lived. Average retail and commercial electricity rates have increased roughly 30% since 1999 and the upward trend will likely continue especially as costs for the coal and hydropower used to generate that electricity rise as well. So think about your home electricity needs and present and future cost in relation to one another. Step 3: How much sun do you get? The Florida Solar Energy Center has conducted a study to examine how a 2-kW photovoltaic system would perform if installed on a highly energy efficient home across the continental USA (http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/html/FSEC-PF-380-04/). The study accounted for all factors that impact a PV system’s performance such as the temperature effect on the photovoltaic cells, the amount of sun peak hours in various regions, and the efficiency of inverter to convert solar derived energy from DC to AC. As the study implies, solar photovoltaic systems work just about anywhere in the US. Even in the Northeast or in “rainy Seattle”, a pv system can pencil out if designed and installed properly. In New York or New Jersey, a one kilowatt system should produce about 1270 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, in Seattle, a one kilowatt system should produce about 1200 kilowatt hours per year. In the Southwest, of course, those ratios will be much greater. Solar contractors in your area can help determine the best size for your solar photovoltaic system. Step 4: Size your system In general, solar photovoltaic systems sized between 1 to 5 kilowatts are usually sufficient to meet the electricity needs of most homes. One advantage of grid-tied systems is that you can use solar PV to supplement or offset some of your electricity needs; therefore you can size your system to match your budget and always add to the system later if needed. Also as a side note, here’s a rule of thumb to remember to help you estimate the physical space your PV system might need: one square foot yields 10 watts. So in bright sunlight, a square foot of a conventional photovoltaic panel will produce 10 watts of power. A 1000 watt system, for example, may need 100 ? 200 square feet of area, depending on the type of PV module used. Step 5: Know your rebates Many states and local jurisdictions offer rebates, tax credits and other types of incentives to homeowners for installing residential photovoltaic and solar domestic water systems. To view a comprehensive database of the incentives available for renewable energy visit http://www.dsireusa.org. At the Federal Level, you can take advantage of a 30% tax credit (of up to $2,000) for the purchase of a residential solar system at least until December 31, 2008. Step 6: Run the numbers Although the cost for a solar PV system will depend on the size of the system you intend to install, your electricity rate, the amount of kilowatt hours you expect to generate, and the state/local rebates/tax credits that may be available, the formulas for calculating the returns are pretty much the same. For those who appreciate having the formulas, use the ones listed below to do a quick ballpark estimate of how much a solar photovoltaic system might cost you. Retail Price for Solar Photovoltaic System + Building Permits – $2,000 Federal Tax Credit – State or Local Tax Credit or Rebate – Utility Rebate or Other Incentive = Net Investment Kilowatts of electricity generated from PV per year x Kilowatt hours used per year = Annual Kilowatt energy from the PV system Annual Kilowatt energy from the PV system x Current Residential Electricity Rate = Annual $$ Saved Yearly Excess PV Energy Produced x $$ credit applied per watt = Annual Value from Net Metering Of course, a more accurate assessment can be made by a pro. Work with a solar power contractor to size and price the right system for you. As is true with any major purchase, don’t hesitate to ask for several bids from different contractors. Many solar power providers will provide you with a comprehensive estimate. Helpful information to know includes: – Total cost to make the system operational (labor cost for design and installation and equipment costs) – Equipment (Make and Model) – Warranty info – Permit costs, if needed – Tax, where applicable – Federal tax credits – State or local jurisdiction tax credits or rebates – Utility rebates – Expected Renewable Energy Certificates or Net metering credits – Expected operation and maintenance costs – Projected savings Solar Thermal (also called Solar Hot Water) Solar thermal systems capture the sun’s energy to heat water and are one of the most cost-effective renewable energy systems. They are used to heat hot water tanks and/or a heating system. A solar pool heating system is another type of solar thermal system designed specifically to heat a pool or hot tub. Generally it’s worth investigating the economic viability of installing a solar hot water system if you have an electric water heater with utility rates of at least 5 cents per kilowatt hour and have tax credits or rebates available. (It may even be worth changing out a gas-powered water heater if your costs are at least $8/million BTU). The formulas for costing out a solar water heater system are similar to estimating the cost for installing solar PV system. Many solar energy professionals can help you determine what system might work best for you. Heating Your Swimming Pool with Solar Power Although few jurisdictions provide financial incentives for using solar energy to heat a swimming pool or hot tub, in general, using solar power to heat your pool is a “no-brainer” from a return on investment standpoint. The electricity used to heat a pool during the swimming season often amounts to the same amount of energy that homes-without-pools consume over a year. Combining a solar thermal system to generate heat for the pool with a solar thermal pool cover to retain the heat generated can further maximize efficiencies and extend your swimming season. Most installers recommend that a solar collector used to heat a pool is sized at roughly half the square footage of your pool surface area. Solar thermal panels typically last 10 ? 20 years and come with a 10-year warranty. How long it takes to break even on the cost of your solar power pool system depends on where you live. In California or other parts of the Southwest, you’ll break even in 1 to 3 years but places as “far north” as Canada, a solar pool heating system pencils out over a slightly longer period of time. Find more solar panel and solar power information at Cooler Planet.
Geothermal Energy Is Often The Great Hope Of Renewable Energy As It Can Be Continuously And Reliably Produced?
Geothermal energy is often the great hope of renewable energy as it can be continuously and reliably produced 24/7. While it it has the best potential, it is very limited geographically. The best geothermal resources are in Alaska and California, and the best potential resources are west of the Rockies. How do we overcome the geographic limitations of geothermal energy?
What You Should Know Green Energy
Green energy refers to the use of power that is not only more efficient than fossil fuel but that is friendly to the environment as well. Green energy is generally defined as energy sources that dont pollute and are renewable. There are several categories of green energy. They are anaerobic digestion, wind power, geothermal power, hydropower on a small scale, biomass power, solar power and wave power. Waste incineration can even be a source of green energy. Nuclear power plants claim that they produce green energy as well, though this source is fraught with controversy, as we all know. While nuclear energy may be sustainable, may be considered renewable and does not pollute the atmosphere while it is producing energy, its waste does pollute the biosphere as it is released. The transport, mining and phases before and after production of nuclear energy does produce and release carbon dioxide and similar destructive greenhouse gases. When we read of green energy, therefore, we rarely see nuclear power included. Those who support nuclear energy say that nuclear waste is not, in fact, released into our earths biosphere during its normal production cycle. They stress as well that the carbon dioxide that nuclear energy production releases is comparable, in terms of each kilowatt hour of electricity, to such sources of green energy as wind power. As an example of the green energy production the average wind turbine, such as the one in Reading England, can produce enough energy daily to be the only energy source for 1000 households. Many countries now offer household and commercial consumers to opt for total use of green energy. They do this one of two ways. Consumers can buy their electricity from a company that only uses renewable green energy technology, or they can buy from their general supplies such as the local utility company who then buys from green energy resources only as much of a supply as consumers pay for. The latter is generally a more cost – efficient way of supplying a home or office with green energy, as the supplier can reap the economic benefits of a mass purchase. Green energy generally costs more per kilowatt hour than standard fossil fuel energy. Consumers can also purchase green energy certificates, which are alternately referred to as green tags or green certificates. These are available in both Europe and the United States, and are the most convenient method for the average consumer to support green energy. More than 35 million European households and one million American households now buy these green energy certificates. While green energy is a great step in the direction of keeping our environment healthy and our air as pollutant free as possible, it must be noted that no matter what the energy, it will negatively impact the environment to some extent. Every energy source, green or otherwise, requires energy. The production of this energy will create pollution during its manufacture. Green energys impact is minimal, however. James Copper owns www.propertycareerskills.co.uk who offer energy training and assessment.
Solar Energy- Does Anyone Know Of A Diy Way To Make A Solar Collector And Transfer That Energy To Batteries?
I would like to learn about solar energy and how I can make some panels for my home, of course with in a reasonable budget. My goal is to be able to run a refrigerator and fan off of battery. Any ideas out there?
Home Wind Power Kits: How to Make Them WORK For You
Did You Know? Home Wind Power Kits Can Help You Save Money and Preserve Your Natural Environment Defining wind power and wind power kits How is wind, a variety of solar energy, generated? The answer may be attributed to several ecology-related reasons. Different parts of the earth have differences in air temperatures. This is because, the uneven nature of earth’s surface result in the sun heating up the earth by unequal amounts. This hot air, being lighter follows a convectional movement upwards. This creates a hollow in the lower parts of the atmosphere, which gets occupied by the cold air drifting in from nearby areas. Such movement of air is termed ‘wind’. These movements generate a type of motional, or kinetic, energy. Wind energy is obtained from this kinetic energy, which is converted by modern, sophisticated machines. The various equipments for tapping wind power and generating electricity are collectively termed ‘home wind power kits’. What are the advantages of home wind power kits? Concerns regarding the increasing rates of environmental pollution are being voiced all over the world. This pollution is often caused by the traditional fossil fuel energy sources. The prices of these sources are becoming too high as well. Hence, wind energy is gaining acceptance all over the world, and for different purposes as well. The existing modern, dynamic techniques are ideal for optimal harnessing of wind power, with help from the home wind power kits. The renewable nature of wind energy is a major benefit, as is the fact that no pollution is caused due to usage of wind energy. Regeneration of electricity systems is certainly possible by using these kits. Hence, the demand for the latter is on a high. People should, however, patiently learn and understand how these kits actually work. This, though, is a rather easy task. Drastic reduction in electricity charges is one of the primary attractive features of wind power. While wind energy kits can bring down electric bills by around fifty per cent on average, such reduction in the bills can even go up to even ninety per cent, provided the home wind power kit performs really well. Surplus generation of electricity is also possible, in case a house is located in a suitable place. These unutilized amounts can be sold to local owners of utility, in order to earn some cash. Convenience and ease of usage are common features of all wind turbines. All these turbines have two or three blades that are attached to a distinct rotor. The rotor then is connected to the principal shaft, which, in turn, helps to rotate the turbine. This entire process generates electricity. A height of around 100 feet (i.e., 30 meters) is generally recommended for setting up these wind turbines, since higher altitudes ensure continuous and unlimited wind flowing to the latter. Individuals can easily assemble the parts of a turbine on their own Alternatively they can take help from wind power workshops, books on this subject, and can also access online help. Working advantages and downsides of home wind power kits: All over the world, the prices of the traditional sources of power are escalating. In this scenario, wind energy offers a much more affordable source of energy. Hence, it is hardly surprising that people are using wind energy and home wind power kits, and that too for various purposes. The growing popularity of wind power kits can be attributed to their cost-effectiveness, power-saving characteristics, and their eco-friendly nature. These kits never produce any harmful greenhouse gases that might pollute the air and contribute to global pollution. Indeed, in the face of these substantial benefits, there are hardly any disadvantages of wind power systems. A few thousand dollars is initially required, for installing the home wind power kits. This figure looks rather high at the first glance. However, compared with the manifold long run benefits of these kits, as well as the potential adverse effects of other alternative energy sources, this price is actually a rather reasonable one. All possible queries regarding installation can be solved by consulting the users’ manual that accompanies these wind power kits. Technical help is offered by many of the dealers; installation procedures are explained too in many such related websites. With its relative cheapness in use, as well as the large number of benefits wind power promises, demand for the latter is growing by the day. Prior to setting up your home wind power kit, you should always refer to an instruction manual, so that you can know how to correctly set up the kit, and in which part of the house you should do so for the best results. You will also be able to know the source for free batteries and the ways to get the other components of the kit at reasonable prices. The way to wire the system as well as the necessary security precautions should is also included in the manual. After carefully going through all this in the manual, you can easily install your wind power kit and benefit from this. Jim Martin is a researcher, inventor, home energy consultant and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, “Earth 4 Electricity- Renewable Energy Made Easy”. To Learn More about Jim Martin
Solar Power Your Home Effortlessly
Alternative energy is a decision many home owners are making. These same home owners are either looking to reduce their utility bills or just wanting to make the earth a better place to live. Whatever the reason you have for using solar power, An important point is to remember that solar power will provide you with long term effects. One such effect is a savings to the home owner of up to 80% on their electric bill. How would you like to save 80% of your utility bill? Solar power for the home owner has become more practical over the years; It will make the value of your home appreciate, support the cause for a better, cleaner environment. Because solar power for homes is becoming more main stream the accessibility to solar power is also increasing. There are many ways to start your home off to becoming a solar powered house but first it’s important to understand what solar power is and how solar power will work for your home. Solar power has two main types: solar photovoltaic and solar thermal. Solar photovoltaic is the converting of sun light into electrical energy and solar thermal uses the sun lights infrared energy to heat liquids that will later release its own stored heat. Solar panels are the most used type of solar power for homes. This method is utilized when you see those black panels mounted on the roof of a solar powered home. One the biggest benefits of solar power for homes is that your home will now be free of the use of fuel which will drastically cut your monthly utilities bills. The fact is, Solar power is a never ending source and you will not have to worry about depleting the the sun. It is an unlimited source of solar power for your home. Not to mention that solar panels offer no moving parts so there is little to no maintenance required with solar power for homes. There is also the added benefit that most manufactures of solar panels include warranties with their products. Manufactures may have a warranty that is good for up to 25 years. Solar power for homes can be done simply and effortlessly and provide you and your family many years free from electricity bills and unwanted gas bills. With your unlimited supply of solar power you can choose to start off small and just convert your heating to solar power or you can decide to power your entire home with the unlimited supply of solar power. William Rigby is an advocate of using natural resources that do not hurt our environment. To learn how you can be a part of this movement go tohttp://www.windandsolarpowerforhomes.com
Are There Really Advantages and Disadvantages of Solar Energy?
Solar energy can be used to create electricity, central heating, heated water, cooking, and even for producing salt desalination. Solar energy comes from the suns rays. Solar energy is known to be very environmentally friendly. However, when the suns rays move into the earths atmosphere it is quite dilute. Although solar energy is known to be very environmentally favorable it does not only have advantages, but some disadvantages, as well. Lets hash out some of the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy. Why don’t we start with the main advantage of solar energy. Solar energy is clean. To develop electricity or heat with solar energy you need only the sun rays. There is no need for fossil fuel in conjunction with sun rays to produce electricity or heating. You simply need a solar energy collector or solar power panels in order to collect the suns solar energy. Solar energy is less expensive than traditional electric heating. That’s another prime reward of solar energy. Just by utilizing solar energy you can save a lot of money on heating. In return you will realize smaller electric bills and it also means that you dont have to maintain heaters or furnaces. If you live in a rural area where there are no power-lines solar energy can be your solution. There are rural areas where power companies have no means to access your home. Solar energy is a great alternative because it provides you with everything from heating water, a supply of electricity, and even cooking, and that pretty well covers all of the bases. Another great use of solar energy is for desalination in regions where fresh, potable water is scarce. Solar energy evaporates brine and leaves the salt crystals in the bottom of the basin. The water in turn condenses into another basin where it is now potable. While all of the above-mentioned is very useful, solar energy does have some disadvantages. These disadvantages also need to be talked over to paint a complete picture. The main disadvantage of solar energy is that its dilute. Which means that you need to have a bunch of solar collectors installed around your house. Solar energy may be very cheap but the solar collectors are relatively expensive and require regular upkeep in order to work properly and efficiently. If you decide to go with solar energy you will need to calculat your return on invested capital in order to know if the investment makes sense. One big disadvantage is that you need the suns rays to make use of solar energy. If you are situated in a part of the world where there is not much sun light then you could have a bit of a problem. In other parts of the world, the suns rays are almost always covered in clouds making solar energy collectors less efficient. You should first know if the sunshine in your area is abundant for the most part of the year. Of course if you live in desert areas like in Arizona or New Mexico the sun produces a lot of sunshine for the majority of the year and is ideal for solar energy collecting. Finally the sun only shines during the day. Therefore if you need electricity or hot water during the nighttime, like many of us do, it can be a problem. You will need a backup system like the local electric company or you will need to store the electric for later use. There are battery systems available, that can store electric for later use. Solar energy is very clean and an substitute to conventional heating and electrical systems. this is true it is also good to mention the disadvantages of solar energy. If you are thinking about applying solar energy you should read this first to make a informed decision. The advantages of renewable energy definitely outweigh any disadvantages. If you?re like me, and sick and tired of paying electric bills, that just keep doing through the roof, visit us at www.energymoneysavings.com I am a jack of all trades, as they say! I have re-built or repaired everything that has to do with my home from plumbing to electrical. I just love to make things work. It’s always been my passion. I stared at a young age.. My father owned an appliance service company, so I had a good teacher. He taught me to install compressors, when I was fourteen.
Top 5 Green Energy Companies From 2008
Thousands of organizations and businesses are going the extra mile and spending the extra dollar to buy utility-scale energy from renewable resources. So much so that the United States E.P.A. (Environmental Protection Agency) compiles a quarterly list of the top green power companies from their Green Power Partnership program which came out in July 2008. Some businesses take diminutive steps towards a green campaign, but these companies are proving their allegiance to a greener environment by voluntarily spending millions of dollars on clean energy. Intel purchased 1.3 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in January 2008. This compensates for 47 percent of the companies overall energy use.PepsiCo purchased 1.1 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in 2007, the equivalent of powering 90,000 homes for an entire year. This accounts for 100 percent of their annual energy use. PepsiCo was named Green Power Partner of the Year in 2007 by the E.P.A.U.S. Air Force has already purchasd 9 million kilowatt hours of electricity this year as of July 2008. They have invested in a number of biogas, biomass, geothermal, solar and wind energy providers.Wells Fargo has purchased 5.5 million kilowatt hours of electricity from wind energy providers thus far in 2008. They are also a Green Power Partner of the Year in 2007. More than green energy, Wells Fargo has made a number of other commitments to their green campaign including LEED certifying their buildings and offering online account statements.Whole Foods Market, the past two years has purchased enough green energy to compensate for 100 percent of their energy use, totalling to over 5 million kilowatt hours annually. The company is also investing in multiple other efforts to reduce their carbon footprint on the environment. Other organizations ranking high on the E.P.A.’s list are Starbucks, Johnson & Johnson and the University of Pennsylvania. Nick Tart is the editor of four main sites for Worldwide Marketing Solutions. One of which is Great Earth News. GreatEarthNews.com is ‘The Good News Site’ that provides information and tips to help you better the world. If you enjoyed reading this article, please check out The Good News Site!.
Solar Energy – Basic Principles
This article will describe how solar energy is created and cover some of its basic principles. Solar energy is created by light and heat which is emitted by the sun, in the form of electromagnetic radiation. With today’s technology, we are able to capture this radiation and turn it into usable forms of solar energy – such as heating or electricity. Although one could go into technical dissertations on the subject of electromagnetic radiation, how it is converted into solar energy, and the exact qualities of its electromagnetic rays, this is not something the average person needs or wants to know. But in order to be able to benefit from the use of solar energy, there are a few facts you should know. Knowing these facts can assist you to make a sound decisions, when looking at the use of solar power as a clean energy source for your home, RV, or whatever the case may be. Available Solar Resource The technical feasibility and economical viability of using solar energy depends on the amount of available sunlight (solar radiation) in the area where you intend to place solar heaters or solar panels. This is sometimes referred to as the available solar resource. Every part of Earth is provided with sunlight during at least one part of the year. (I say “part of the year” as the north and south polar caps are each in total darkness for a few months of the year.) The amount of sunlight available is one factor to take into account when considering using solar energy. There are a few other factors, however, which need to be looked at when determining the viability of solar energy in any given location. These are as follows: Geographic location Time of day Season Local landscape Local weather Because the Earth is round, the sun hits its surface at different angles, at different locations on the globe. This ranges from 0