Wind Power Renewable Energy *

Wind Power Renewable Energy *

The facts about residential wind power
Is there a future for wind power?
Wind power advantages
The disadvantages of wind power
Dispelling 5 wind power myths

The main renewable energy resources that you know about are sunlight (solar energy) and wind energy and perhaps to a lesser extent tidal energy systems and geothermal energy systems. All of these are in some way or another connected to the sun, which is the ultimate life giver on this planet.

The Earth-Atmosphere system is in equilibrium such that heat radiation into space is equal to incoming solar radiation, the resulting level of energy within the Earth-Atmosphere system can roughly be described as the Earth's "climate." The hydrosphere (water) absorbs a major fraction of the incoming radiation. Most radiation is absorbed at low latitudes around the equator, but this energy is dissipated around the globe in the form of winds and ocean currents.

Wave motion may play a role in the process of transferring mechanical energy between the atmosphere and the ocean through wind stress. Solar energy is also responsible for the distribution of precipitation which is tapped by hydroelectric projects, and for the growth of plants used to create biofuels.

The IEA explains it like this:  "Renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly. In its various forms, it derives directly from the sun, or from heat generated deep within the earth. Included in the definition is electricity and heat generated from solar, wind, ocean, hydropower, biomass, geothermal resources, and biofuels and hydrogen derived from renewable resources."

* Let's first examine wind power as a source of green alternative energy.

A wind turbine needs air, lots of it. A modern wind turbine ranges from 600 KW to 5 MW of rated power, although for commercial use the output range is typically 1.5-3 MW.

Since wind speed is not constant, a wind farm's annual energy production is never as much as the sum of the generator nameplate ratings multiplied by the total hours in a year. The ratio of actual productivity in a year to this theoretical maximum is called the capacity factor. Typical capacity factors are 20-40%, with values at the upper end of the range in particularly favourable sites. For example, a 1 megawatt turbine with a capacity factor of 35% will not produce 8,760 megawatt-hours in a year, but only 0.35x24x365 = 3,066 MWh, averaging to 0.35 MW. Online data is available for some locations and the capacity factor can be calculated from the yearly output.

Globally, the long-term technical potential of wind energy is believed to be five times total current global energy production, or 40 times current electricity demand. This could require large amounts of land to be used for wind turbines, particularly in areas of higher wind resources. Offshore resources experience mean wind speeds of ~90% greater than that of land, so offshore resources could contribute substantially more energy. This number could also increase with higher altitude ground-based or airborne wind turbines.

Wind power is renewable and produces no greenhouse gases during operation, such as carbon dioxide and methane.

Wind Power Market

At the end of 2008, worldwide wind farm capacity was 120,791 megawatts (MW), representing an increase of 28.8 percent during the year, and wind power produced some 1.3% of global electricity consumption. Wind power accounts for approximately 19% of electricity use in Denmark, 9% in Spain and Portugal, and 6% in Germany and the Republic of Ireland. The United States is an important growth area and installed U.S. wind power capacity reached 25,170 MW at the end of 2008.

Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center, in Texas, is the world's largest wind farm at 735.5 MW capacity. It consists of 291 GE Energy 1.5 MW wind turbines and 130 Siemens 2.3 MW wind turbines. A proposed 4,000 MW facility, called the Pampa Wind Project, is to be located near Pampa, Texas.

In the UK, a licence to build the world's largest offshore windfarm, in the Thames estuary, has been granted. The London Array Windfarm, 20 km off Kent and Essex, should eventually consist of 341 turbines, occupying an area of 230 km². This is a £1.5 billion, 1,000 megawatt project, which will power one-third of London homes. The windfarm will produce an amount of energy that, if generated by conventional means, would result in 1.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year. It could also make up to 10% of the Government's 2010 renewables target.

Wind Farms

Wind power is one of the most environmentally friendly sources of renewable energy

A wind farm, when installed on agricultural land, has one of the lowest environmental impacts of all energy sources:

* It occupies less land area per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity generated than any other energy conversion system, apart from   rooftop solar energy, and is compatible with grazing and crops.
* It generates the energy used in its construction in just 3 months of operation, yet its operational lifetime is 20–25 years.
* Greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution produced by its construction are low and declining. There are no emissions or pollution produced by its operation.
* In substituting for base-load coal power, wind power produces a net decrease in greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, and a net increase in biodiversity.
* Modern wind turbines are almost silent and rotate so slowly (in terms of revolutions per minute) that they are rarely a hazard to birds.

Studies of birds and offshore wind farms in Europe have found that there are very few bird collisions. Several offshore wind sites in Europe have been in areas heavily used by seabirds. Improvements in wind turbine design, including a much slower rate of rotation of the blades and a smooth tower base instead of perchable lattice towers, have helped reduce bird mortality at wind farms around the world. However older smaller wind turbines may be hazardous to flying birds. Birds are severely impacted by fossil fuel energy; examples include birds dying from exposure to oil spills, habitat loss from acid rain and mountaintop removal coal mining, and mercury poisoning.

What is wind power and how does it work?
The facts about residential wind power
Is there a future for wind power?
Wind power advantages
The disadvantages of wind power
Dispelling 5 wind power myths

Incoming search terms:

• AirMov 750W Wind Turbine
• 5 megawatt power production water vs wind
• Wind power is renewable and produces no greenhouse gases during operation
• rotations per watt windpower system
• magnet neodymium generatoare eoliene wind
• iea Renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished
• clean energy air generators in london
• AirMov 750W Wind Turbine 12V/24V reviews
• AirMov 750W Land Wind Turbine 12V/24V
• Wind power is renewable and produces no greenhouse gases during operation such as carbon dioxide and methane

Solar Energy

What is Solar Power?

Pros and cons of solar energy
How Costly is a Solar Power System
Top 5 Reasons to Use Solar Power
Does solar power have a future?
Solar Energy News

What is Solar Power?

The sun is the focal point of our solar system, and provides heat and light to all the planets revolving around it in the form of radiation. The infra red heat rays of the sun are incident on the earth’s surface during the day time. There is a high potential in these incident rays. This potential is harnessed by man in the form of power called the solar power.

Solar power is being used by us in two different forms

1. thermal energy
2. solar electric energy

The thermal energy of the sun is directly used for heating purposes. The application of this can be seen in heating water of swimming pools, either directly during sunny days or indirectly using heat conducting fluids in pipes and transferring the heat to the water in the swimming pool during cloudy days. Thermal energy is also used directly in drying clothes, drying seeds and other food products to keep them from pest attack and improve their shelf life. We also use thermal power for plant growth. Direct heat is also used in cooking food, as in solar cookers. Here a series of heat absorbing black coloured panel is used to absorb rays falling on it. This is reflected on the cooking vessel by a mirror there by  maximising the effect of heat falling on it, solar water heaters also work in a similar fashion but do not have mirrors attached to them.

The energy got from the sun can also be used to produce electricity. This is called the solar electric energy. This energy is harness by using solar panels which in turn are connected to grids that carry the electricity. The electricity producing power of solar energy is called Photovoltis.

Solar electricity can be produced in three different ways.

1. Stand alone system – here panels are set up to absorb the incident solar radiation. This is then converted to electricity. The electricity is not being stored and is rather used directly without the help of a grid. Such systems are useful in situations like that of a lone forest guest house where difficulty may be faced in laying electricity lines. Here the cost of installing solar power panel might work out to be cheaper than laying power lines.

2. Grid connected system – such system is commonly used in houses for use in various small household electrical appliances. Here the produced energy is saved in a grid which can be used later. This helps in a continuous supply of power and can be reliable, and regular use is possible in such a system.

3. Back up system – in situations where the power grid may be unreliable a back up is used. The reason to use backup may be due to frequent power failures. In such conditions, most of the household appliances are connected to the backup system, if there is a power failure they take up energy from the solar batteries. This can also be used in community lighting and other larger power requirement can be fulfilled.

Pros and cons of solar energy
Pros and cons of solar energy

As all other energy sources solar energy also has its own pros and cons. The various pros of solar energy are as given below:

• Pollution free – The most important advantage is that it does not produce any harmful gases or effluents during power production. This is important in current context of growing importance of ozone layer depletion and global warming etc.
• Renewable source of energy – solar energy is the harnessing of energy received from the sun, thus it is renewable, and does not get over when used, unlike other fossil fuels which become lesser and lesser over time and becomes extinct completely.
• Energy can be harnessed in remote areas – The best feature of solar energy is that it can be harnessed in very remote areas, where every other form of energy production is risky or not possible at all. An example of this is the production of electricity in satellites.
• Does not require special area/place to install – Installation of solar panels does not require special or large areas, the panels can be installed in the roof tops of buildings.
• Free source to produce energy – Solar energy need not be bought, it is free of cost. The installation process is the only stage where money is spent.
• Dependence on fossil fuel is reduced – the emergence of solar energy has reduced the high dependence on the fossil fuels which is becoming very costly.
• Reduces health costs – increased use of solar energy reduces the cost spent on health indirectly because there is no emissions like carbon, sulphur di oxide, etc and also acid rains.
• Independent working – once installed the solar panels work on their own and do not require any manual operation.
• Low to no maintenance – maintenance cost of solar panels is meagre. Sometimes no maintenance is required.

Pros and cons of solar energy
How Costly is a Solar Power System
Top 5 Reasons to Use Solar Power
Does solar power have a future?
Solar Energy News

Incoming search terms:

• 5 cons of solar energy
• 5 different ways solar energy can be used
• how could solar energy be used in various forms to over they energy
• solar power community pros and cons
• solar power pros and cons
• Solar Power Pros cons point form
• solar powered electricity for guest house
• use of solar energy
• why is solar energy called as resource of future?
• solar energy called future

Pros and Cons of Solar Energy

As all other energy sources solar energy also has its own pros and cons.

The various pros of solar energy are as given below:

• Pollution free – The most important advantage is that it does not produce any harmful gases or effluents during power production. This is important in current context of growing importance of ozone layer depletion and global warming etc.

• Renewable source of energy – solar energy is the harnessing of energy received from the sun, thus it is renewable, and does not get over when used, unlike other fossil fuels which become lesser and lesser over time and becomes extinct completely.

• Energy can be harnessed in remote areas – The best feature of solar energy is that it can be harnessed in very remote areas, where every other form of energy production is risky or not possible at all. An example of this is the production of electricity in satellites.

• Does not require special area/place to install – Installation of solar panels does not require special or large areas, the panels can be installed in the roof tops of buildings.

• Free source to produce energy – Solar energy need not be bought, it is free of cost. The installation process is the only stage where money is spent.

• Dependence on fossil fuel is reduced – the emergence of solar energy has reduced the high dependence on the fossil fuels which is becoming very costly.

• Reduces health costs – increased use of solar energy reduces the cost spent on health indirectly because there is no emissions like carbon, sulphur di oxide, etc and also acid rains.

• Independent working – once installed the solar panels work on their own and do not require any manual operation.

• Low to no maintenance – maintenance cost of solar panels is meagre. Sometimes no maintenance is required.

The cons of solar energy are given below

• Initial cost – the cost of installing solar panels on houses is very high. It is sometimes of the tune of $10000 or above for good efficient cells. This makes it to be looked upon in a disadvantageous position when compared to coal and other conventional power production methods.

• Time of production – energy is produced only when suns heat is available i.e., during the day, also during cloudy days the production of power is very low on nil during nights.

• Weather dependent – during rainy and winter seasons the production of power is very less. This creates problem in areas where the seasonal changes are pronounced, making the cost of installation a waste.

• Effect of pollution – in locations where the air is polluted power production is seen to be reduced because the efficiency of solar cell becomes less.

Incoming search terms:

• pros and cons of solar energy
• pros of solar energy

Green Business Ideas

1) Build wind / solar power systems for people

Make solar power and wind power at home. You can offer this service to other people, and help them reduce their electricity bill. The earth4energy guide teaches you how to make a power producing solar panels and reduce your electricity bill.  Here's the guide.

2) Weatherize Homes and Businesses

You Can Make $1000 a week providing a very helpful and necessary service by weatherizing people's homes. Here is the 'how-to' guide, and here is a green product supplier for you.

3) Broker carbon credits and help individuals/companies reduce their carbon footprint

This is the fastest-growing financial specialties market in the world according to the New York Times. You can learn how to do it here.

4) Install geothermal heat pumps

Geothermal heating and cooling technology provides exceptional performance. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agrees that a geothermal heat pump is the most energy-efficient, clean, and cost-effective space conditioning available. Learn how to install geothermal heat pumps here.

5) Recondition batteries

Start a business reconditioning Ni-Cd and NiMh batteries. Learn how here.

6) Build solar power water heaters

Solar hot water systems produce clean, non-polluting energy. A single hot water system can offset the equivalent of approximately 40% of the carbon dioxide emissions of a modern passenger car. They are safe for our environment, safe for plants, safe for animals and safe for all of us. Learn how to do this here.

7) Eco-Friendly house cleaning

Start a house cleaning service where you use eco-friendly cleaning products, and non-toxic housecleaning supplies.Here's a good article on some great eco-friendly house cleaning tips.

8) Brew biodiesel fuel

Watch this video how this process works.

9) Start a cell phone / PDA recycling business

Learn how to start a cell phone / pda recycling business here.

10) Start a paper recycling business

Some paper recyclers earn over $100,000 / year. Here's an article that explains more about this business opportunity.

11) Start a "Wet-Clean" Dry Cleaning Service

People are used to sending their clothes to dry cleaners, but most dry cleaning facilities are very harmful to the environment. People will drive out of their way to find an eco-friendly dry cleaning service. Here is an interesting study on this service.

12) Start an online business selling a green products

You can start an online business selling green products. By using a company like Doba, you don't need to carry your own inventory or ship out the products. Doba carries over 1 million brand name products from different wholesalers, who will drop ship for you. Doba has a 10 day free trial where you can check out their available products. You can learn more about here.

Incoming search terms:

• green business ideas
• green business opportunities
• green businesses to start
• how to start a green business
• business ideas renewable energy
• green business
• green buisness ideas
• start a green business
• start green business
• green business opportunity

Nuclear Power

Controversy Over Nuclear Power as a Renewable Energy Source

In 1983, physicist Bernard Cohen proposed that uranium is effectively inexhaustible, and could therefore be considered a renewable source of energy. He claimed that fast breeder reactors, fueled by uranium extracted from seawater, could supply energy at least as long as the sun's expected remaining lifespan of five billion years. Nuclear energy has also been referred to as "renewable" by the politicians George W. Bush, Charlie Crist, and David Sainsbury.

Inclusion under the "renewable energy" classification could render nuclear power projects eligible for Read more

Diversification Plus

Diversification

The U.S. electric power industry now relies on large, central power stations, including coal, natural gas, nuclear, and hydropower plants that together generate more than 95% of the nation’s electricity. Over the next few decades uses of renewable energy could help to diversify the nation’s bulk power supply. Already, appropriate renewable resources (which excludes large hydropower) produce 12% of northern California’s electricity.

Although most of today’s electricity comes from large, central-station power plants, new technologies offer a Read more

Incoming search terms:

• heat diversifier

Green Energy Trends

Trends With Renewable Energy

The renewable market will boom when cost efficiency attains parity with other competing energy sources. The following trends are a few examples by which the renewables market is being helped to attain critical mass so that it becomes competitive enough vs fossil fuels:

Other than market forces, renewable industry often needs government sponsorship to help generate enough momentum in the market. Many countries and states have implemented incentives — like government tax subsidies, partial copayment schemes and various rebates over purchase of renewables - to encourage consumers to shift to renewable energy sources. Government grants fund for research in renewable technology to make the production cheaper and generation more efficient.

Development of loan programs that stimulate renewable favoring market forces with attractive return rates, buffer initial deployment costs and entice consumers to consider and purchase renewable technology. A famous example is the Read more

Green Energy Market

Renewable energy

can be particularly suitable for developing countries. In rural and remote areas, transmission and distribution of energy generated from fossil fuels can be difficult and expensive. Producing renewable energy locally can offer a viable alternative.

Renewable energy projects in many developing countries have demonstrated that renewable energy can directly contribute to poverty alleviation by providing the energy needed for creating businesses and employment. Renewable energy technologies can also make indirect contributions to alleviating poverty by Read more

Incoming search terms:

• land constraints alternative energy
• pros and cons of technical constraint of renewable sources

Geothermal Energy

What is GeoThermal Energy
What is Good and Bad about Geothermal Energy?
Watch a video on the Geothermal process
Geothermal Energy-Is it costly?
Using geothermal energy for your home
Does geothermal energy have a future?

Geothermal energy is energy obtained by tapping the heat of the earth itself, usually from kilometers deep into the Earth's crust. It is expensive to build a power station but operating costs are low resulting in low energy costs for suitable sites. Ultimately, this energy derives from heat in the Earth's core.

Three types of power plants are used to generate power from geothermal energy: dry steam, flash, and binary. Dry steam plants take steam out of fractures in the ground and use it to directly drive a turbine that spins a generator. Flash plants take hot water, usually at temperatures over 200 °C, out of the ground, and allows it to boil as it rises to the surface then separates the steam phase in steam/water separators and then runs the steam through a turbine. In binary plants, the hot water flows through heat exchangers, boiling an organic fluid that spins the turbine.  The condensed steam and remaining geothermal fluid from all three types of plants are injected back into the hot rock to pick up more heat.

The geothermal energy from the core of the Earth is closer to the surface in some areas than in others. Where hot underground steam or water can be tapped and brought to the surface it may be used to generate electricity. Such geothermal power sources exist in certain geologically unstable parts of the world such as Chile, Iceland, New Zealand, United States, the Philippines and Italy. The two most prominent areas for this in the United States are in the Yellowstone basin and in northern California. Iceland produced 170 MW geothermal power and heated 86% of all houses in the year 2000 through geothermal energy. Some 8000 MW of capacity is operational in total.

There is also the potential to generate geothermal energy from hot dry rocks. Holes at least 3 km deep are drilled into the earth. Some of these holes pump water into the earth, while other holes pump hot water out. The heat resource consists of hot underground radiogenic granite rocks, which heat up when there is enough sediment between the rock and the earths surface. Several companies in Australia are exploring this technology.

Geothermal Energy Prospects

The Geysers, is a geothermal power field located 72 miles (116 km) north of San Francisco, California. It is the largest geothermal development in the world outputting over 750 MW.

By the end of 2005 worldwide use of geothermal energy for electricity had reached 9.3 GWs, with an additional 28 GW used directly for heating. If heat recovered by ground source heat pumps is included, the non-electric use of geothermal energy is estimated at more than 100 GWt (gigawatts of thermal power) and is used commercially in over 70 countries. During 2005 contracts were placed for an additional 0.5 GW of capacity in the United States, while there were also plants under construction in 11 other countries.

Incoming search terms:

• videos of geothermal energy being drilled out of the ground

What Is Biomass?

Using Biomass At Home
The Pros and Cons of using Biomass
Video on Biomass Technologies

Is Bioethanol all it’s cracked up to be?
4 Reasons why you should use biodiesel
Fuel from Cooking Oil, Are you Serious?

What is Biomass?

Human beings began the use of biomass for energy when our ancestors have learned about fire and how to use it particularly in cooking food.  Biomass is any natural thing that has been grown or has lived, excluding fossil fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas and many more.  Biomass can be in the form of wood, straw, biological wastes, waste paper, organic wastes from food processing, livestock farming and so many others.  Biomass can be utilized to produce energy.  These can be burned, agitated and absorbed to provide energy.  All of these contain solar energy which combined into their carbon chemistry while they were still living.  And that energy can be liberated for human beings’ use without adding up to the carbon dioxide burden (global warming problem) on our planet as long as we continuously plant, breed, and grow sources of biological mass or biomass.

Moreover, biomass can be grown as a crop for fuel use.   If it has to be grown, it needs to be able to grow fast with little watering or fertilizer requirement and it has to be of high calorific value.  However, it is not a wise idea to rely from these sources to produce biomass for fuel use because most lands are used for food productions. An increase in biomass production will mean decrease in food production. There has to be some other sources where we can obtain biological mass.   Biomass can come in the form of biological wastes.  Since the whole world produces so many wastes which we even finding it hard to properly dispose off, why not use it for fuel use to make it useful.

Nowadays, people are being trained to separate their wastes into biodegradable and non-biodegradable.  Biomass can be segregated at source by the public by disseminating information through several mediums such as advertisements in televisions, announcements in newspapers and the like.  Garbage collections have now a separate collection for biological wastes, including food wastes.  Food wastes have the highest heat produce when burnt or digested, and they comprise between 15% and 25% of all household (domestic) waste by weight.

Unlike using fossil fuels to produce energy, biomass is a much less harmful to mankind and to our precious earth. Even if biomass fuels are readily available, people all over the world are hesitant to use it especially that most of it came from the biological wastes of the whole world.  They feel that it is not safe for mankind and the earth. They may have adverse effects on our environment but if we will compare it with massive use of fossil fuels, the adverse effects of using biomass fuel are much less than that of using fossil fuels.

Incoming search terms:

• biomass pros
• biomass as fuel for cooking
• pros of biomass
• what is biomass video
• what is biomass for
• what is biomass
• what are the cons problem of using biomass
• Pros and Cons on using biomass
• mankind biomass
• home biomass use

Hydro Water Power

What is hydropower?
5 reasons why we should use hydropower
The Problems with Hydropower
Is Hydropower Viable?

Wave Power
Challenges faced with wave power
Advantages of wave power
Wave power technology
Is wave power cost effective?

Tidal Power
Benefits of tidal power generation
Producing electricity Using Tidal power
The main disadvantages of tidal power

Hydro Water Power

Energy in water (in the form of kinetic energy, temperature differences or salinity gradients) can be harnessed and used. Since water is about 800 times denser than air, even a slow flowing stream of water, or moderate sea swell, can yield considerable amounts of energy.

There are many forms of water energy:

Hydroelectric energy is a term usually reserved for large-scale hydroelectric dams. Examples are the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington State and the Akosombo Dam in Ghana. Micro hydro systems are hydroelectric power installations that typically produce up to 100 kW of power. They are often used in water rich areas as a Remote Area Power Supply (RAPS).

There are many of these installations around the world, including several delivering around 50 kW in the Solomon Islands. Damless hydro systems derive kinetic energy from rivers and oceans without using a dam. Ocean energy describes all the technologies to harness energy from the ocean and the sea.

Marine current power, similar to tidal stream power, uses the kinetic energy of marine currents. Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) uses the temperature difference between the warmer surface of the ocean and the colder lower recesses. To this end, it employs a cyclic heat engine. OTEC has not been field-tested on a large scale. Tidal power captures energy from the tides. Two different principles for generating energy from the tides are used at the moment -  1. Tidal motion in the vertical direction - Tides come in, raise water levels in a basin, and tides roll out. Around low tide, the water in the basin is discharged through a turbine, exploiting the stored potential energy. Tidal motion in the horizontal direction - or tidal stream power. Using tidal stream generators, like wind turbines but then in a tidal stream. Due to the high density of water, about eight-hundred times the density of air, tidal currents can have a lot of kinetic energy. Several commercial prototypes have been build, and more are in development. Wave power uses the energy in waves. Wave power machines usually take the form of floating or neutrally buoyant structures which move relative to one another or to a fixed point. Wave power has now reached commercialization. Osmotic power or salinity gradient power, is the energy retrieved from the difference in the salt concentration between seawater and river water. Reverse electrodialysis (PRO) is in the research and testing phase. Vortex power is generated by placing obstacles in rivers in order to cause the formation of vortices which can then be tapped for energy.  Deep lake water cooling, although not technically an energy generation method, can save a lot of energy in summer. It uses submerged pipes as a heat sink for climate control systems. Lake-bottom water is a year-round local constant of about 4 °C.

Wave Farms Expansion

Portugal now has the world's first commercial wave farm, the Agucadoura Wave Park, officially opened in September 2008. The farm uses three Pelamis P-750 machines generating 2.25 MW.Initial costs are put at €8.5 million. A second phase of the project is now planned to increase the installed capacity to 21MW using a further 25 Pelamis machines.

Funding for a wave farm in Scotland was announced in February, 2007 by the Scottish Government, at a cost of over 4 million pounds, as part of a £13 million funding packages for ocean power in Scotland. The farm will be the world's largest with a capacity of 3MW generated by four Pelamis machines.

Hydroelectric Dams

The major advantage of hydroelectric systems is the elimination of the cost of fuel. Other advantages include longer life than fuel-fired generation, low operating costs, and the provision of facilities for water sports. Operation of pumped-storage plants improves the daily load factor of the generation system. Overall, hydroelectric power can be far less expensive than electricity generated from fossil fuels or nuclear energy, and areas with abundant hydroelectric power attract industry.

However, there are several major disadvantages of hydroelectric systems. These include: dislocation of people living where the reservoirs are planned, release of significant amounts of carbon dioxide at construction and flooding of the reservoir, disruption of aquatic ecosystems and birdlife, adverse impacts on the river environment, potential risks of sabotage and terrorism, and in rare cases catastrophic failure of the dam wall.

Hydroelectric power is now more difficult to site in developed nations because most major sites within these nations are either already being exploited or may be unavailable for other reasons such as environmental considerations.

Incoming search terms:

• is hydro water energy cost effective
• major obstacles to commercialize of mini hydro
• why should we use hydroelectric energy
• seawater mini-hydro
• sink uses hydropower
• stream of water kinetic energy
• tidal current micro hydro
• uses of hydropower
• video generating electricity with water from stream
• reasons to use water power

Green Alternative Energy & Renewable Energy Resources

Green Alternative Energy & Renewable Energy Resources

What is green alternative energy?

Renewable energy is just that, an energy source that can be used over and over again, energy generated from natural resources from the world around us.

You are likely familiar with most of the renewable green energy resources, as these in recent years have enjoyed a sustained growth as we seek to find more power from natural energy resources in an effort to move on from the constant use of fossil fuels, which damage our global ecosystems.

The most common green alternative energy / natural energy resources are sunlight (solar), wind, rain, tides and geothermal heating. According to recent figures '06 approximately 18 percent of worldwide final energy was provided by natural energy renewables, around 13% of this natural energy came from biomass fuels (wood and natural matter). The next largest supply of natural alternative green energy came from Read more

Fuel From Cooking Oil, Are You Serious?!

Yes really, more than and beyond the definition of the word ‘serious’. Used cooking oil from your everyday frying of chicken, fries and pork can now be used as fuel for your cars through recycling. These are called Biodiesel and it has started a revolution as an alternative to expensive fossil or mineral oil.

The first known and recorded use of vegetable oil as fuel in an engine was a demonstration of a diesel engine built by the Otto Company and was designed to burn mineral oil, which was then run on pure peanut oil at the 1900 World's Fair. After several years of research, Rudolf Diesel, inventor of the diesel engine, investigated using vegetable oil to fuel the engines he designed.

He presented this idea in 1912 to the British Institute of Mechanical Engineers and successfully cited a number of efforts in this area and he envisioned that though regular cooking oil or vegetable oil sources may seem insignificant back then, the fact that such oils would perhaps have the same importance as natural mineral oils and the tar products in due course of time.

From then on, numerous groups had started an obsession on the research into cooking oil as a diesel substitute. The use of vegetable oil in the mainstream had enjoyed its success during the early 1980s at the height of the spiraling prices and shortages of petroleum and other mineral oil.

How is it made to work with automobiles? Inventors and developers would say it simply as recycling the oil and applying the same concept in refining petroleum oil. They commonly joke as if it’s just like making coffee. The mixture is just simple: a used cooking oil of typically vegetable or coconut sources, a methanol and a catalyst which is composed of potassium and sodium.

The said mixture of three (cooking oil, methanol and catalyst) doesn’t require heating from expensive pumping stations and can be made easily, even at home provided one has the proper knowledge, tools and storage. A generally accepted mixture of 100 liters of cooking oil (costs around $0.50 per liter) plus 20 liters of methanol (usually at $1) plus one kilo of catalyst (costs around $3.5) can create 100 liters of biodiesel as well as an excess of 20 liters of glycerin (which can be used as main ingredient for everyday bath and laundry soap).

What’s more surprising is that it was tested in an unmodified older Mercedes Benz and ran for hundreds of miles during a 2006 University of Idaho invention exhibit.

Today, countries like Russia, Azerbaizan, India, Bulgaria, Paraguay and the Philippines have implemented extensive development of used cooking oil or vegetable oil to power up vehicles as well as other machineries. Major automobile manufacturers like Honda, Toyota, Ford and General Motors have slowly introduced newly designed automobile engines that support the use of Biodiesel fuel especially with the rising prices of petroleum and the collapse of the US and other European economy.

4 Reasons Why You Should Use Biodiesel

Instead of filling up your car, truck or heavy machinery like tractors with regular diesel, consider a more “green” alternative that will also be nicer on your wallet. Biodiesel is an alternative to regular, fossil fuel based diesel and there are many advantages to using it. There are 4 main reasons that you should use biodiesel and if you know and understand them, then there is no chance that you will opt to use something else ever again unless it is absolutely necessary or no other choice is available.

The best reason to use biodiesel is that it is a renewable source of energy, unlike fossil fuels. Biodiesel is made with organic bases and therefore can be grown is the amounts necessary to supply the diesel vehicles on the road. The best crops for the production of biodiesel include rapeseed or coleseed, peanuts, soybeans, sunflowers and or oil palms. Other plants that have high natural vegetable oil content can also be used and the possibilities are practically endless since research is constantly developing better biodiesel from resources that are readily available in abundance.

Another good reason to use biodiesel is that also burns cleaner in a combustion engine than fossil fuel based diesel. This has immense advantages both for now and in the long term. Cleaner burning means less destructive emissions coming from diesel engines and that in turn leads to a reduction in greenhouse gases. There is also a reduction in pollution and if all diesel powered vehicles run on biodiesel there will be a noticeable improvement in the air you breathe. A little known fact is that biodiesel is the only alternative fuel source that has ever passed all the requirements of the American Clean Air Act.

Using biodiesel instead of fossil fuel based diesel will also probably leave you with more money in your wallet after a trip to the gas station. This is because as a general rule, biodiesel costs less than regular diesel. This is not only a real alternative for your car, truck or tractor, but it can also be used for home heating. People that heat their homes with oil burners will know that the “oil” in the tank is just diesel and that can be replaced with biodiesel without many problems. The savings can be great and who doesn’t want to save money.

Last but not least, biodiesel also has a better biodegradation rate than regular diesel and that means that it is less toxic and more quickly and completely be degraded. Since it is also more easily burned a car’s engine and all the parts will suffer less wear and tear than if regular fossil fuel based diesel was used. This means for the driver that the vehicle will need less maintenance, repairs and can be driven longer.

Incoming search terms:

• reasons why people should run biodiesel in a diesel truck / car
• why should people use biodiesel
• should bio-diesel be used instead of fossil fuels
• should you people not use biodiesel
• three reasons why you should use biofuels
• what can you use bio fuel for
• what can you use biodiesel for
• why should i use bio
• Why should people use Biofuel ?
• Why should people use biofuel?

Is Bioethanol All It’s Cracked Up to Be?

Bioethanol fuel is supposed to be the great alternative to fossil fuel bases gas and diesel. Many are praising its benefits and talk about all the good properties it has. This is true, but before making something out to be so wonderful it is also important to look at the other side of things and then compare them both. Only by weighing both the pros and cons will you be able to determine if bioethanol is all that it’s cracked up to be.

The biggest advantage to bioethanol is that it is made with resources that are renewable. This means that the supply is never-ending and once used more of the same resources can be harvested. This is so easy to do because biotethanol is made from recently dead biological materials or in other words, plants. There are tow kinds of crop types that are suitable for processing into ethyl alcohol which is nothing other than ethanol. It is referred to as bioethanol because it is based on biological materials and is a cleaner source of energy.

The crops that can be used as sources of bioethanol are all easy to grow inexpensive to buy and cultivate and are readily available in almost every country because of the diversity of plants that can be used for this purpose. The crops have to have high amounts of starch, sugar or vegetable oil. Commonly used plants are rapeseeds, peanuts, sugar cane, sugar beet, sweet sorghum, jatropha, oil palm, soybeans and corn. More recently plants with cellulose have shown promising results and bioethanol has already been made with switchgrass, but this is still in the testing phase.

Greenhouse gases and environmental pollution are other big problems linked to the use of fossil fuel gas and diesel used in vehicles or heating systems. Here bioethanol also has a big benefit. It reduces the amount of damaging greenhouse gases that the vehicle emissions contain. There is also less pollution and bioethanol fuels also degrade quickly and completely. This means that if it ends up on the land or water it will completely degrade and leave behind no traces that could ruin an ecosystem, something that has often happened if fossil fuel based gas or diesel spills or leaks out.

An engine that uses bioethanol actually needs around fifty percent more of the fuel than a standard fossil fuel combusting engine. This is first seen as a negative aspect, but once again bioethanol prevails. Even though more is burned, the bioethanol engines have increased power and get more distance for the amount which means they are more fuel efficient. Basically, a larger tank is required for bioethanol fuel but you will still get more mileage per gallon and will waste less energy overall.

Incoming search terms:

• wildcat herbal incense
• where to buy bioethanol in Singapore
• bioethanol and its important
• what determines the bioethanol price
• papaya bioethano;
• can I buy bio ethanol in Singapore
• bioethanol price singapore
• bioethanol polution
• bio ethanol types
• bio ethanol pros and cons

Is Wave Power Cost Effective?

The idea of an alternative method of a renewable energy source is the constant debate of world leaders to date. Facing damaging consequences to the earth’s normal atmospheric status, the drive to develop a cleaner more infinite form of energy is the most widely discussed issue.

While understanding the mechanisms of wave power technology, this discussion toys with the question of if wave power is cost effective. Some world economist believe no cost should be spared to preserve the earth’s vitality while others feel a more economical approached should be measured when determining the method of renewable power.

So at what cost should the world spare to make this energy concept a reality? Energy conservationists ponder this hindering question on a daily basis and the world’s economy is the deciding factor to technological advancements and keeps the development of certain renewable energy projects at bay.

There are 4 main components to which decide the economies ability to withstand a large cost for the betterment of a greater good. In other words will the cost to reproduce water power generators out weigh the overall good that will come from its production?

World economist work on financial structures to help calculate this formula and weigh in the four components to reach an overall cost efficiency for a specific project; such as the global cost for wave generator construction, the overhead for operation, the cost to perform routine maintenance and repair on faulty or damaged generators and the ability to provide wave generated power at a low enough rate to the consumer which is competitive but will not under seed the cost to operate.

The cost to construct wave generators can reach well in the hundreds of billions of dollars; from the cost of materials to the architectural designing as well as the man power to build these operational facilities thus generating an even greater strain on an already over drawn economy.

Furthermore the cost to effectively operate these wave generators with the appropriate man power and/or automated systems to monitor the daily functions, can also reach astronomical figures. These two factors combined with an agreeable rate of service, makes the determination of whether wave power will be cost effective.

Because the development of this new age renewable power source is still evolving at a slow rate, placing its potential for public consumption years behind solar and wind powered devices, it may take years before wave power energy resources will become fully developed and operational for use by the entire world.

Until technology can catch up the concept of wave powered energy, the question of “Is wave power cost effective still remains the on going topic for renewable energy sources and currently unanswered.

Incoming search terms:

• wave power cost
• cost of wave power
• the cost of wave power
• how effective is wave power
• is wave energy cost effective
• wave power costs
• what is the cost of wave power?
• wave power and cost
• wave energy generator cost \
• wave energy cost effectivenesss

Wave Power Technology

In order to understand wave power technology, you must first understand the power it requires to produce a single wave. To put it simply, waves are the combination of airstream’s and solar influences that produce an effect on the oceans surface. This effect propels the oceans current to make the water surface actively buckle causing a wave. Waves travel at a rate per kilometer and increases during seasonal transitions. Typically wave rates are at their highest during the winter, particularly during storms.

Scientists have revealed methods of harnessing the power of waves to generate a renewable source of electrical energy. The methods of capturing this power is through wave powered generators. There are three forms of wave power generators Air columns, Hinge or Axis rafts and Hydraulic Devices. These main types of generators can either be shoreline based or free floating and each have their own uniquely designed source of producing and infinite amount of electrical power. All three forms are more commonly employed in the South western regions where the wave potentials are greater.

Air columns also referred to as oscillating water systems are shoreline based generators which are partially submerge under the oceans surface. This generator uses empty shafts to compress or decompress air flow. This air flow is produced by the surge of water under the tubes, which cause air to become trapped within the air columns and thereby causing the trapped air to propel turbines which in turn generates electricity.

Hinge or Axis rafts also known as buoyant mooring devices are more commonly designed as free floating anchored generators. This electrical generating system relies on the resistance and surrender concept, in which a portion of the generator is allowed to move with the flow of waves while the anchored portion of the generator must remain still. The effects of the two operating systems cause friction and thereby creating electrical currents.

A hydraulic or gyroscopic system is found primarily under the waters surface and performs at a deeper depth than the other generators. Although this system functions much like the resistance and surrender concept; it principal role is based upon more resistance that uses the movement of the waves to set in motion fluid within the hydraulic pumps to make electricity.

Although these systems my sound simple, the mechanisms of production for these generators are currently up for debate. While the concept of wave power technology can produce an unlimited supply of renewable energy, the problem for mass production is the cost forecast for future development in a variety of ocean and wave conditions. While the devices currently in use have proven the probability of the systems endurance to harsh ocean conditions, the prediction to produce wave generators has become increasingly difficult since their economical goal is to maintain a low overhead, maintenance and operational cost as well as not to effect the consuming population financially, which will one day rely on its electricity producing capabilities.

Advantages of Wave Power

According to the House of Legislation reports comprise from studies conducted by the Department of Business and Economic Development. These reports reveal a short list of advantages to wave power as a form of a renewable energy source.

The consensus is the general however widely agreed upon globally that wave power energy is the latest technique in energy conservation, and Wave Energy conversion systems or WECS have become the newest introduction to renewable power sources. While studies are still confined to specific regions of the globe; predominately areas where the wave potentials are much higher, the development of this power is still underway and has not reach its marketable prospective.

World leaders agree the need for a more economical structured renewable system is greatly desired yet fact still remains the cons currently out weigh the pro’s for wave power technology.

The abundance of wave power is without question one of the highest levels of infinite renewable sources. For over 200 years scientist have worked on innovative mechanisms to exploit the power of the ocean for the development of continual sources of energy. For that reason the implications for the potential of WECS as a source of renewable natural energy are immense. Not to mention the cost per wattage can be greatly reduced through the commercial use of the WECS and converters.

Scientist are optimistic that once the full scope and development plans are under way, electricity could cost penny’s on the dollar, approximating an average cost of lower than .05 cent per watt usage.

With the introduction to wave power energy the development of an assortment of wave power systems is considered an advantage to the commercial usage of the WECS. These electrical converters have the potential to generate electricity in a variety of ways, from compression and decompression methods to include friction emission as well as hydraulically powered forms will soon open the gate way for a more cost effective mechanisms for future public use.

Since WECS or wave power generators have the diversity of sustaining either a on or off shore location, this enhances the probability of the success of wave power energy. Furthermore the free floating and submersible version that are anchored to the oceans floor can provide greater electrical emission and the potential to capture this energy is improved.

Although the WECS is under great scrutiny for the multiple disadvantages as well as the uncompleted stages of development, legislator’s and economist alike will soon to come to an agreement, which will enable commercial development and usage of this energy source. Couple with the understanding that having a variety of renewable energy sources much like Solar and conventional wind powered mechanisms, the advantages of wave power potential will eventually out-weigh the disadvantages.

Incoming search terms:

• advantages of wave power
• wave power advantages and disadvantages
• advantages of wave energy
• wave power advantages
• what are the advantages of wave power
• advantages and disadvantages of wave power
• advantages wave power
• wave power advantage
• advantages of wave
• ADVANTAges for wave

Challenges Faced With Wave Power

The wave power industry is truly a remarkable source of infinite renewable power. And while its concept is driven by the tremendous advantages of its technology, the WECS industry must confront a number of relevant challenges. The challenges that confront wave power must first be addressed and solutions provided in order to make available a more competent mechanism. These tasks must be accomplished before wave power technology will be recognized as an effective source of renewable energy.

Many of the challenges surrounding wave powered energy focuses on the cost to develop and facilitate global resources. The primary goal is to construct a system which will reduce the cost of development and increase the availability at the lowest amount feasible. Additional factors such as the efficiently of the electrical converter system to include the levels of improvement coupled with mapping ideal location to facilitate wave powered generators has become additional issues that need to be addressed in efforts to combat the challenges the wave power systems will face.

The primary focus which surrounds the economical factors as it relate to the cost in the development of wave power generators is the biggest challenge this system faces. Understanding the materials needed to supply power, requires a system which is cost effective and will be the first challenge WECS will have to surmount. Once an effective cost can be agreed-upon the global construction of wave powered electrical converters can be strategically placed throughout ocean locations.

But before construction can begin, legislators and other Ecological specialist must categorize prime locations for the electro-converters. Since prime marine locations are determined by the highest velocity of wave production, facility determination will have to include provisions for marine locations that do not meet the wave production requirements. This issue will hinder production in areas of low wave production and may cost more to administer electrical services in these specific regions. Plus developers will have to manage systematic problems as they relate to connecting to pre-established utilities grids.

To effectively procure viable wave powered locations, scientist must conduct studies to determine the long term effect cause on oceanic life forms and the development of the oceans ecosystem. There are few studies that direct attention to these specific effects and/or if any effects will be present through the usage of a wave power system. Not to mention studies must also show how these water generators will withstand the variances in ocean conditions throughout seasonal transitions.

Because the development of WECS is so new, very little research has been conducted along with minimal viable case studied information gather over a period of time, therefore it is hard to determine just how effective WECS will be for future commercial use. Wave power energy will go through a variety of transitions and face hurdles before it is deemed a global renewable source of energy.

Incoming search terms:

• challenges of wave power
• short and long term effects of wave power
• technical challenges in wave power energy

The Main Disadvantages of Tidal Power

In the modern world, we have seen a shift from traditional method of generating power to a more contemporary one.  And the one that is the center of attention these days is the tidal power.  Favorite amongst the scientist, this energy source is really making its presence felt in the world of energy source and power generation.  No doubt, it comes with a lot of advantages but distance drums always sound well and this is also the case with the tidal power, as with advantages it also has a lot of disadvantages.

The following are some of the disadvantages of tidal power that should be looked upon with utmost care.

• Tidal power is not all cost effective as it seems to be in the first place compared to natural gas and coal plants generating power. More so, the power stations in turn also add up to the carbon content of the atmosphere as fossil fuel is needed to run these power stations. Besides, wild life is displaced from their regular habitat.

• Tidal power cannot be generated inland and can be used where there is appropriate wave motion or tidal flow. It can only produce electricity when there is a tidal surge, not every time.

• Barrage system of tidal power generation requires a lot of maintenance and salt resistant parts. These barrages disrupt fish migration and at the same time kill some of them while they try to pass through the turbine frames. Besides, they disrupt the movement of ships through channels on which barrage is built.

• Tidal power is limited, as the tide never slows down or speeds up and at the same time occurs in cycles of 6 hours. Besides, tidal power is also dependent on fetch distance and hardly any suitable fetch distance is available and wherever available, the cost rises to almost 1.2 billion in setting up the facility.

• Technology is yet not developed fully and hence construction of efficient, cheap and strong conversion device is a bit problematic.

• Location is also one of the major problems as appropriate tides are not found everywhere. More so, tides are dispersing energy sources, lopsided and irregular in size, durability and distance.

Fossil fuels can be produced anywhere, but as mentioned above tidal power is locale specific and needs to be transformed to something different to be transported.

The above points are quite a testimonial to the fact that, there are a number of disadvantages to tidal power. No doubt, until and unless some techniques are developed to get rid of all the problems and cost factors associated with it, it may not be as cost effective to make it viable as a usable source of energy. However, the time is not far when the technologies would be developed and we would be able to come up with a better answer and solutions to all the problems.

Incoming search terms:

• disadvantages of tidal energy
• disadvantages of tidal power
• tidal energy disadvantages
• problems with tidal power
• tidal power disadvantages
• advantages of tidal energy
• problem with tidal power
• problems of tidal power
• tidal power problems
• disadvantage of tide

Next Page »