Bay Area Solar Group

Solar power & wind power are the two environmentally friendly choices that most people consider when thinking about trying to get started producing their own electricity at home. I think it’s a good idea to think about options before making such a decision and that’s why I am writing this article.

Solar power is also commonly known as solar energy. It is a method which harnesses the incredible power of the sun (which is 93,000,000 miles away from earth) to create electricity.

When most think about solar energy they think of solar panels. These are also known as solar cells and by their more technical name photovoltaic cells. These are devices which take light and turn it into electricity using something called the photoelectric effect.

While most people think of solar panels as a rather new invention, this is actually not the case at all. The first solar panels were created by a man named Charles Fritts way back in the 1880s and they’ve been used to power satellites since 1954!

The amount of sunlight that you receive where you live should obviously be a consideration when deciding whether solar power is the right choice for your “DIY” renewable energy source. If you live in an area where there are far more cloudy days than average (such as in Washington State) then it may not be advisable to go the solar route, perhaps a windmill may be more suited for you.

Wind power currently makes up very little of the world’s electricity production. Currently it only accounts for about 1% of the worldwide electricity produced. But although it’s usage is still quite low, it has been increasing rapidly over the last 8 years and most assume that it’s use will increase further in the future, particularly with new President Barack Obama taking office looking to take America’s economy in a more “green” direction.

Either wind power or solar power (or perhaps even both together) would be a good choice for most people who want to power their homes themselves. Both choices create environmentally friendly renewable energy that is great for the environment.

Again, like with solar power, you need to consider where you live before deciding if wind power is right for you. If you live in a place that is particularly windy then you should definitely consider it, on the other hand you may want to think twice if your area is more calm than most. Check weather websites online for comparisons if you are not sure.

Some people worry about their power going out when the sun goes down or when it the wind stops blowing and decide against going this route. But that’s really a nonsensical fear because these types of systems are equipped with batteries for storing excess energy created when it’s very sunny or very windy so that it can be used when it’s not so sunny (like during the night) or when it’s not s windy.

It may also be a better choice economically because with a renewable source of energy, a home owner will no longer have to send money to the electric company for the electric bill every month. In fact, many electric companies will actually buy any excess electricity created by DIY home based solar panels and windmills.

Imagine that having the electric company pay you instead of you paying them and saving the environment while you do it. That’s exactly the admirable position where many people using solar & wind power at home find themselves today.

Renewable energy is becoming more and more popular in many places around the world. Why? Because it does not harm the environment and it can help save a lot of money. There is also an infinite supply of green energy because it is all natural. But there is even a greater benefit of using renewable energy. You can actually make money from it.

If you build your own wind turbine or solar panel generator you can actually save money and make money. By building your own natural energy you will be able to power your home without having to pay the utility company. Now, this isn’t the most likely thing to happen but if you find the right guide and put forth effort it is definitely realistic.

In order to make money from your natural power system you will need to be producing more energy than your are using. This is rather difficult to do but worth it in the end. You will be saving hundreds of dollars every month by doing so.

At the very least you can use a wind turbine or solar power generator to power small appliances and minimize the cost of your energy bill. Even then, you will be saving plenty of money in the long run. And the best part about building your own natural power is that it can be very cheap as long as your have a reliable DIY green energy guide.

If you think you are interested in saving a ton of time and money then you should check out the guide below. Just click the link.

http://www.squidoo.com/howtomakenaturalpower

It appears as though the crusade to determine the best alternative energy sources are seriously being looked into by lots of countries including most American cities. One validation is the signing of the Kyoto Treaty. The primary purpose of the concerned group and individuals is to decrease the greenhouse gases and pollutants.

These renewable energy sources have demonstrated to be of great aid in cutting down the amount of toxins, which are by-products of the consumption of energy. These sources also preserve most of the natural resources that people use as resources of energy. For example, after a solar panel converts the sun’s rays into energy, the sun will still shine for someone else to use. What are the most popular sources of renewable energy? Here’s a list to give you some basic information:

1. Solar Energy – Harnessing the sun’s powerful energy is definitely not something new. Capturing the radiant light and heat from the sun has been practiced since ancient times. Since the rapid evolution of technology, we are now able to trap the sun’s rays into solar cells. Since the 1950’s solar cell technology has been advancing and has come quite a long way. The process turns the heat coming from the sun into electricity. Photovoltaic cells mounted on rooftops are used to heat water using the sun’s rays. The water goes into a storage tank where the power is stored, ready for use. But you don’t need all these scientific processes to be able to benefit from solar power. All you really have to do is open the windows and blinds on a nice sunny day to let the sunshine in.

To date, the main disadvantage of using this source is that it is limited. You cannot use it obviously on nighttime and during days when it is raining or even on cloudy days. This has been acted upon through solar power stations. But these are too expensive so there aren’t too many of these stations around the globe.

2. Wind Energy – Another ancient source of power, wind energy has been harnessed by sailors, farmers and architects for many years, even documented as far back as 5,000 years ago. The energy coming from the wind supercharges the blades of the wind turbines. As this happens, electricity is produced through the use of an electrical generator. In the old days, windmills were created so that mechanical machinery could perform physical labor. This includes the pumping of water and crushing of grains that were essential in planting and farming.

Now there are large scale wind farms that produce electrical currents. The end products are then distributed to national electrical grids and small turbines owned by individuals to distribute electricity to far flung areas and homes. There are many advantages of this kind of power. The main one, of course, is that this doesn’t produce any by-products that can be harmful to the environment. And we will never run out of this source of renewable energy. One of the main disadvantages of wind power is that it’s never a constant speed or direction, so wind turbines have to be able to move with the direction of the wind.

3. Geothermal – Geothermal energy is energy obtained by tapping heat from the earth itself. Holes are drilled in certain regions, and the magma and radioactive decay that can be found underneath produce steam. This steam is purified and used to drive turbines. These turbines then become the power source for electric generators.

The downside to geothermal energy is the fact that it is expensive to build, and to ensure that no harmful by-products are going to be produced in the process, geothermal plants must be created accordingly. On the other hand, because the earth’s crust continuously decays replenishing the heat, it is still a renewable source of energy.

4. Hydroelectricity – The use of hydroelectric power or even hydroelectricity dates back to Ancient Greece and China where they installed waterwheels in rapidly flowing rivers to turn millstones and other equipment. Hydroelectric plants today still use the same basic principles as the historical waterwheel, but with some variations. The difference is that we use the force of the water to push the turbine which in turn powers a generator thus generating electricity. The idea here is to make use of the kinetic energy of water. To make sure that there is a steady flow of power being produced, a dam has to be built to retain the water. If there is a need for more power, the gates of the dam are opened so water can be released.

There are issues with the use of hydroelectricity. Some claim that it poses a problem for fish and aquatic plants on both sides of the dam. Because the flow of water has been altered, the nutrient rich silt which helps crops grow could be affected.

5. Bio-Fuels – Bio-fuels are also a green energy source. They have been around for a very long time however just lately, people are beginning to take notice.During photosynthesis, plants grow and produce biomass. Also known as bio matter, biomass can be used directly as fuel or to produce bio-fuels. Agriculturally produced biomass fuels, such as bio-diesel, ethanol can be burned in internal combustion engines or boilers. Typically bio-fuel is burned to release its stored chemical energy. Liquid bio-fuel which is the one used in cars is a natural and renewable domestic fuel that can only be used for diesel engines. This can be made from vegetable oils mostly soy and corn. In fact diesel engines were originally created to run on vegetable oil! The nice thing about bio-fuels is that they contains no petroleum, and they are nontoxic and biodegradable.

By fueling up with bio-fuel, you decrease the pollutants in the air because it does not emit anything. Right now, it is the only fuel approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), passed every Heath-Effects Test of the Clean Air Act and meets the requirements of the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

Just by reading through the available alternative energy sources, you will be amazed at how nature works wonders. It is our responsibility to care for the environment around us and keep it clean for generations ahead of us.

Have you noticed your energy bill getting more and more expensive every month? I sure have. Sometimes I almost feel hopeless when it comes to paying my bills on time. My energy bill just keeps on getting more and more expensive each month! But you know what, I found a great way to cope with the rising costs of energy. I’ve created my own source of energy, and I’m willing to tell you how I did it in just 3 easy steps!

1) Researching Renewable Energy

The first thing that I did was research ways to create my own source of renewable energy. Just like you I was eager to learn about the possibilities of making my own energy and saving some money on my electric bill. What I found was that I had two options when it came to making my own renewable energy. I would either have to build a wind turbine or solar energy generator. Both of these energy sources have something in common. They are forms of green energy. This means that they are cheap, renewable, and clean.

I’m going to be honest with you. After discovering that I was going to have to make my own wind turbine or solar panel I was extremely intimidated. I thought to myself, “How in the world am I going to be able to make my own green energy source?”. And this led me to the second step…

2) Do You Have Directions?

Ok, so at this point I had come to realize that I was going to have to build my own natural energy source. So what did I do? Well, I did a little more tedious research. I did what everybody does these days, I asked Google. After hours of searching for phrases like “how to make your own energy” and “how to build a wind turbine” I was left very irritable and discouraged. I found that manually researching something like this was not only tedious but also unreliable.

That is until I came across a little hidden gem…

3) The All Powerful Guide

Truth be told I did waste many hours researching only to be left with garbage. But I did gain a very valuable tool that helped me successfully build my own green energy source. I came a across a DIY homemade natural power guide. In it I found every single piece of information that I needed to build my own natural power system. It was filled to the brim with detailed diagrams, pictures, schematics, secret tips, you name it. It was all there.

And guess what? I was able to build my own natural power system in just two days. Want to know how much it cost me? The total cost of everything was less than $200! This isn’t cheap but it sure beats paying $20,000 for a professionally installed green energy source. The best part is that I payed off the initial costs within a month, and am now saving hundreds of dollars every month.

You CAN make your own green energy source. All you need is the right resources. If you believe in yourself and you believe in saving money on your energy bill every month, then I highly recommend you click the link below. You will learn about the specific DIY green energy guide that I used. Why spend dozens of hours on tedious research when all you need is right in front of you?

Make Your Own Renewable Energy. Click The Link Below.

http://www.squidoo.com/howtomakenaturalpower

With the rising energy costs and effects of global warming so prevalent today, many people are wondering if there is truth to the concept of renewable energy technology. There also appears to be confusion between alternative energy technology and renewable energy technology. Alternative energy encompasses all renewable energy sources, but includes things like nuclear power and energy from municipal waste. These are carbonaceous examples. Renewable energy technology focuses on energy that is replaced as it is being used, such as solar energy and wind energy.

With that clear, are there truly benefits on a home or small business level to renewable solar technology? Absolutely. Truthfully, by utilizing renewable energy technology on a home level you can save yourself thousands of dollars each year. Renewable energy technology has gained popularity in recent years and it has become increasingly easy to meet your home’s energy needs with just a little handyman work. With the information available about renewable energy technology, it is possible to build renewable energy products, such as a windmill or solar panel, on your own. Do-it-yourselfers are saving huge amounts of pocket change by building and installing these systems themselves. If you have the money to invest in a commercial professionally installed system, in general these are more efficient, however, savings can still be realized, and at a much faster rate, by researching and building your own renewable energy systems.

Renewable energy technology is advancing with each day. Solar electrical systems have advanced from giant roof panels to thin layers of film that are twice as conductive and work with less sunlight. There are now solar powered charges for cell phones, batteries and other small household items. Windmills have been made more aerodynamic for greater action and electricity generation. Renewable energy technology can even be seen along today’s highways as small solar/wind operation stations powering signs and lights.

Many homeowners today are looking into integrating green energy sources for developing more energy efficient homes and businesses. A green energy source is power generated through renewable resources, such as the sun, wind and water. The other benefit of green energy sources is their low contribution to global warming, pollution and other environmental issues.

The most popular of green energy sources is the sun. Energy captured from the sun is called solar energy. Of the green energy sources, solar energy is the most popular because it offers multiple options for use. It is possible to harness electrical energy from the sun using solar panels consisting of photovoltaic cells that convert energy from the sun into electricity you can use in your home or business. There are also solar hot water collectors that use the heat of the sun to produce hot water. These solar green energy sources are readily available and increasing in popularity as most homes and businesses can have them mounted on their roof and they can take advantage of lowered utility costs.

The most efficient of green energy sources is wind. Wind has been used to power water pumps for centuries, but has grown in popularity as a way to supplement home and business electricity needs. Wind is the safest and cleanest of the green energy sources as it produces no pollutants and does not contribute to global warming. Wind energy is harnessed by erecting a turbine that spins in the breeze generating electricity. Unlike the sun, which can be found almost anywhere, in order to utilize wind as a green energy source, you must live in an area where wind is readily available.

Water is also a viable participant of green energy sources. Water is less widely used as a green energy source for homes, as not all homes have an available stream to produce the needed electricity. The Amish have used water to power entire shops using conveyer belt systems, so it is an old practice, but it is still being used successfully today. As with solar and wind energy, energy harnessed from moving water is almost completely pollutant free and is generated from a renewable resource.

Critical Factors for Achieving Commercial Breakeven in Renewable Energy
(Abhishek Uppal)
There are a number of key sensitivities that affect the point at which renewable technologies hit the commercial breakeven points. In their research, analysts have pointed out how four sensitivities are particularly important:

The regulatory framework
Regulation is important for low carbon technologies. These technologies can be expensive and costs need to be brought down the learning curve. There are a variety of policy levers that can be employed to do this – with the rate of learning tied to how effective policy is in encouraging the development and deployment of the technology.

Local electricity price
There is significant geographic variation in electricity price due to differences in fuel prices and in conventional power production methods. There are also variations between peak power and off-peak power prices, which is important to consider when evaluating the competitiveness of renewable technologies.

Solar:
If capital costs of solar PV could be lowered to the region of $2,500/KW and natural gas stays above the $8/MMBtu mark, solar PV could be competitive with traditional peak power. The US has variable electricity prices that will result in different regions exhibiting different electric grid parity bands as peak retail rates in some regions have already gone above $150/MWh. Citigroup notes that, as a whole, rising electricity prices in the US are likely to drive demand for solar PV installations. High electricity prices in markets such as Spain and Italy in Europe have supported growth in solar in these countries.

Wind:
At current gas prices, wind is cost competitive with conventional gas in regions such as the UK and California. Despite supply chain issues, which we discuss below, onshore wind is an established form of power generation that can respond profitably, and is ready to be scaled up within favourably high gas price economies.

Natural resources
The theoretical resources available for the exploitation of solar PV power and wind power are far larger than any practical means for development. Nevertheless some regions exhibit particularly favourable conditions, which help to explain why geographic growth pockets have emerged.

Solar:
Electric grid parity without carbon pricing or subsidies is dependent on location as a result of variation in insulation (solar intensity). Areas such as Southern Europe and California benefit from above average hours of sunlight and some island economies such as Hawaii have already achieved electric grid parity without carbon pricing or subsidies for solar PV, in part because of high sun resources and in part due to high fossil fuel costs. The potential for developing countries, such as India, to utilize the natural resource of the sun is high, but barriers of connectivity to electric power grids will need to be overcome.

Wind:
Wind power is driven by the nature of the resource. A doubling of wind speed means about an eight-fold gain in electricity production. The UK is the best region in Europe for wind power owing to high wind speeds. Similarly, the Midwest US is rich in wind energy resources. Research and development in technology may enable wind power at higher elevations, offering more wind extraction.

Supply chain bottlenecks
Material supply chain bottlenecks may potentially delay the competitiveness of both solar and wind.

Solar:
Severe shortages of silicon have plagued the solar PV market for the past two years and thus, the cost of supplying the modules required for solar PV has remained high. The market is currently in tight supply, a state that is expected to ease up in 2009/2010. When the silicon bottleneck does eventually clear, costs will decline as a result and the overall cost of solar PV is likely to come down the curve, moving the technology closer to commercial breakeven without carbon pricing or incentives. Goldman Sachs notes that going forward there will be cheaper silicon prices due to significant production capacity coming online, which will move solar PV towards electric grid parity without carbon pricing or subsidies. Lehman believes that the availability of polysilicon will remain a bottleneck until 2010 as a result of greater capacity expansion plans from cell manufacturers than poly suppliers.

Wind:
Strong regulatory incentives, pockets of high wind resources, the push from high conventional fossil fuel prices and continued improvements in wind technology and performance have enabled wind to reach electric grid parity without carbon pricing or subsidies in some geographies. However, there are a few potential bumps in the market that could delay broad electric grid parity without carbon pricing or subsidies. The turbine market is currently in tight supply, and steel prices that are integral to turbine manufacture have increased significantly. Major capacity investments in manufacturing are needed to ease this lag in supply. In addition there are challenges of skills shortages in the sector. Both drawbacks are inherently the result of strong demand in the sector and consequently, as long as they can be overcome, the wind industry should be positioned to grow rapidly.

Beyond breakeven: The special case of biofuels: A renewable that is actually reducing the costs of conventional energy
While biofuels have suffered a lot of criticism for being unsustainable, causing deforestation, harming indigenous people and being net carbon emitters, we believe that there are good biofuels out there. We consider 2nd and 3rd generation biofuels, along with a limited number of 1st generation biofuels (sugarcane ethanol and jatropha-based biodiesel) to be worthy parts of the climate change investment universe.

Biofuels compete in the road transport fuel market rather than the electric power market. However, their special story deserves attention as a sign of what may be coming down the road.

More so than any other renewable, the economic influence of ethanol has been felt in the conventional energy markets. Research from Iowa State University indicates that blending ethanol with gasoline has kept fuel prices $0.29-$0.40 lower than they otherwise would have been in the US; McKinsey analysis indicates additional upside for blending up to E10, with the potential to decrease retail gasoline prices by $0.43-$0.65. Biofuels in the US are now “beyond breakeven.” We recognise that the sustainability of much of the ethanol for sale in the US is debatable. This is problematic, and will need to be addressed. However, economically, US ethanol has reached the final goal of renewables – becoming lower-cost alternatives to fossil fuels, unlocking cheaper energy costs and a wave of low-carbon prosperity.

The reason that ethanol is having this material impact on the price of retail gasoline in the US is that blending permits the replacement of expensive gasoline imports with a lower-cost substitute.

Biofuels have demonstrated their potential to reduce the cost of energy – and we see a promising future for them, as long as they are produced with respect to the highest standards of sustainability. This may mean that tariff regimes need to be eased to allow increased imports from tropical climates that are naturally disposed to produce biofuels, such as Africa and Brazil.

In any case, the story of ethanol’s impact on US gasoline prices may become more familiar in other energy markets going forward – ethanol may be the very first of a number of renewable technologies that unlock a low-carbon revolution, where consumers pay less to consume clean, renewable fuels.

If you are interested to reduce your hefty electricity bills, renewable wind power is the best alternate solution for your home. There are systems that convert the wind power to electricity and which can be utilized by the electrical or electronic appliances at our home.

Although we might get wind in some seasons of the year, however at high altitudes or near sea shores, we generally get enough wind that can generate electricity throughout the year. There are tools through which we can measure wind speed and particularly if the wind speed is above five to seven miles per hour or more, we can generate electricity from the renewable wind power available to us.

Renewable wind power is available everywhere and therefore this is one of the cheapest sources of energy. We can install portable renewable wind power generators in our backyard or in our lawn and can start generating electricity from it. If you install renewable wind power generators and start producing electricity for your homes, you can save up to 80 percent of your monthly electricity bills monthly.

Although there are good ready made renewable wind power generators available in the market but you will need to spend a few thousands dollars for buying those ready made equipments, however you can fabricate these your own with the help of detailed instructions provided to you through a guide. The cost of raw materials required for making a renewable wind power is below $200 and therefore you can save thousands of dollars on fabrication and installation alone and at the same time has huge potential of saving thousands of dollars on your electricity bills annually.

In an effort to reduce energy usage across the country, the federal government has begun offering tax incentives for homeowners who purchase and put into use methods and means of creating and utilizing renewable energy.

Green Business Start-Up?

With much of the attention now on the state of the economy and efforts to begin a new era of opportunities in the renewable energy sectors, now may be the time to look at launching a career in the field of renewable energy.

There are opportunies to become solar and wind technicians all across the country and many of the certification and training programs are available online. The

Today, much emphasis is being placed on renewable energy, living green, and the environment, Never before has there been such a strong and growing grass roots movement toward renewable and sustainable energy and environmental responsibility. In truth, this movement is to a significant extent motivated by financial concerns of people who are desperate to cut utility bills by finding ways to conserve energy. However, the end result is the same; much more interest in and progress toward bringing renewable and sustainable energy technology such as wind power into the mainstream.

Wind power is a concept that, like solar power, has been around for a long time and sparsely used. In the last five years, this has changed dramatically. In the Midwest, one can see many examples of eclectic cooperatives purchasing land or at least leasing rights to construct huge farms of wind generators to augment their electricity generating capabilities and to bring down the cost of electricity to their customers. While this is a great development from an environmental aspect, the average customer sometimes does not see a great reduction in their monthly electric bill.

Wind power for the average private residence is possible. While technically possible to go off the grid with wind power, this is not as reliable or advisable compared to solar power. However, residential wind power generators do make sense in that they can significantly reduce one’s electric bill. Unlike the massive towers with gigantic propellers, that one sees the electric cooperatives using, residential wind generators are compact, relatively small and usually unobtrusive.

These residential wind generators can be free standing with their own tower, usually 20 to 30 feet tall, or they can be mounted on a tower which is in turn mounted on the roof of the house. The residential wind generator does face some challenges that solar power does not. The configuration of a wind generator generally requires that the propeller be at least 20 or 30 feet off the ground, especially in a dense residential area. Depending on the neighborhood, some will run into zoning restrictions that might prevent them from having a tall tower on or around their house. However this is the exception rather than the rule. Most homeowners will be able to install their wind generator with a minimum of trouble and expense.

Most wind generators are relatively affordable and can be paid for in the first two years with the savings in the monthly electric bill that they make possible. People are usually surprised by how little wind is necessary to generate a significant amount of wind power. This will vary according to region, but most places will have sufficient wind to generate at least some wind power every day.