Home > November, 2008
As with many Americans, I believe that I may have detected a
flaw in the Bush energy plan. It seems that oil resources are
vulnerable to weather that can shut down by a little bit of
rain. Well, okay, a lot of rain. And when you are dependent on
one source of energy, that source can be disrupted and prices go
up. By the way, could somebody tell me what doesn’t cause gas
prices to go up?
The fact of the matter is that if you bother to look around
you’d see that energy is - for all practical purposes -
unlimited. Energy blows in the wind and falls from the sky and
pops up from the ground, and beats down on you on a hot Summer
day. Everything that can burn is energy. The reason we can’t or
won’t use it is entirely cultural. We could be self-sufficient
in energy if we really wanted to. Think about this: If everybody
in our country, say, took all the money they spend on oil and
gas and built themselves a wind-mill and bought an electric car
there absolutely would be no energy shortage - ever.
“But, Ste-eve,” I hear you whining, “I don’t want to build a
windmill!”
Okay. I’ve got a solution for you polluters out there, too.
Here’s how it goes. I am a big fan of the Jon Stewart show. A
couple of times on his show he’s made the quip that he can’t
understand how people aren’t able to produce oil a lot more
cheaper since: “it’s only carbon.” He said that once to the
former New Jersey governor and then head of the EPA, who
chuckled merrily and then did not answer his question. I wrote
to him at an address I got off of the Internet and then got the
letter returned, so, I’ll tell you instead.
Thermal depolymerization, if I remember correctly, is the name
of the process. It was featured in Discover magazine in May 2003
and the name of the article was Anything into oil. This article
discussed how the process was being used to take biological
waste, in this case it was at a chicken farm where they took the
unusable parts of the chicken and turned them into oil.
The way it works is that the biological/carbon containing
material is put into the device, a vacuum is created, and the
water on the material is boiled away. As this happens, it frees
the bonds of the carbon containing material and it is turned
into oil. The vacuum is necessary so that the amount of energy
needed to cause the moisture to boil is greatly lessened. The
thing looks like a huge tangle of pipes and takes up a lot of
real estate, but it’s really basic and simple technology that’s
used in an innovative way.
The company, I believe, is called Changing World Technologies.
At present it costs them twelve dollars a barrel to turn animal
waste into oil - which is a nice profit with oil at fifty bucks
a barrel, however, it’s still a whole lot more expensive than
pumping the same amount, which costs the oil company three
dollars a barrel.
Discover magazine did an update on this company a few months
back. They were attempting to build a demonstration facility but
had a setback when their contractor produced faulty workmanship
(ie) pipes that needed a huge amount of re-welding.
It really was one of these things that sounds too good to be
true, turning garbage into oil. Well, you can look up the
article for yourself, or I suppose have an assistant of yours do
it for you.
Now, believe it or not: not all scientists accept that oil is,
in fact, a fossil fuel or a limited resource. There is an
alternate theory that oil is not composed of decayed biomass
that seeped down into deep pockets in the Earth but rather is a
result of geological processes within the planet and it bubbled
up into those same pockets. Time magazine had an article about a
scientist named Gold who proposed this and was also responsible
for some other unconventional theories that turned out to be
true. I forget what those theories were, maybe about comets. I
filed his away in my mind and then forgot about it - because
everyone kept saying oil was a fossil fuel and it seemed a
pretty safe bet that they weren’t all wrong. Although, I always
found it odd that oil which would have to be created by an
abundance of life is found underneath some of the world’s most
inhospitable areas. (Deserts, frozen wilderness, deep, deep
under the ocean).
Then NASA came back and said that the probe they had sent to one
of Saturn’s moons, Triton, had found seas of oil on the surface.
Triton, they estimated, had temperatures of below two hundred
and eighty degrees centigrade and a methane atmosphere. How did
that oil get there? Did Triton have a whole bunch of really cold
dinosaurs up there or was it maybe the result of geologic
processes that might be similar to Earth’s?
Okay. That’s something for you to think about. It’s an alternate
theory and I don’t necessarily believe it, but you’ve got to
admit that it’s pretty interesting
Those tough lashing waves that we see on the ocean surfaces are not just for surfing or playing water sports. It can also be used to generate electricity. As of today there are quite a few such plants available. So then, how exactly is electricity generated from the tidal forces of the oceans?
There are different ways of tapping this energy. One way is to capture the tides of the ocean and utilize it to produce mechanical motion; the other ways include capturing the forces of the high tides or low tides and sometimes capturing the temperature differences in different parts of the ocean.
Energy produced using waves: The kinetic energy produced using waves is tapped by setting suitable apparatus so as to utilize that energy. A contraption filled with air lets the high rising tidal wave in, which in turn pushes the air outside. This air while rushing out sets a turbine into a rotary motion can be used to generate electricity.
Tidal energy: Tides rising about on the surface of the oceans, which are caused by the gravitational forces of the sun and the moon, can also be tapped just as the way they do in a hydro electric plant. The rising tide is captured behind a dam like structure and is let out when there is a low tide, thereby functioning just like a hydroelectric plant.
Ocean thermal energy Conversion: Although it sounds way too scientific, the concept is a pretty old one and makes use of the temperature difference in the waters of the ocean. If you had observed while swimming, the water nearer to the ocean surface is warmer than the water that is deep inside. This temperature difference is enough to set a thermocouple into action, which can generate electricity.
Though it is quite a simple process to extract energy out of the oceans, its practicality is again limited to where the oceans are and are again subject to a little unreliability and high costs of operation visa vis average output in electricity generation.
Since oceans cover almost 75% of the earth’s surface, they could be thought of as a gigantic solar cell, if you will. With that kind of abundance, it is only a matter of harnessing the right way to deliver this energy to our everyday residential or commercial use.
While it is uncertain if it could be used for mainstream industrial purposes, it could nevertheless supply electric current to our homes one day.
Many people today are unaware of why and when you should use renewable energy sources in today’s world. The main reason for using natural energy is mainly down to the environment, and if you care to improve the quality of it. But with many viable energy sources out there, which one you choose can be a nightmare to decide upon.
Before you set off to purchase lets say, a couple of solar panels, you should take a look at the other technologies available to decide which is most appropriate for your environment. For example, solar panels may not be of much use near the poles, put a hefty, durable wind turbine would love to sit up there and spin round and round all day.
You don’t have to be a genius to discover that solar panels work best near the equator and reduce in efficiency, the further away you travel from the equator. So, if you live nearer the poles than the equator, you should choose a wind turbine right? Wrong!!!!
Wind turbines could be placed anywhere on our globe (where the land can support them) and still generate hardly any power whatsoever. It all depends on the surrounding environment, for instance, if you build a home wind turbine in your backyard, you could be very disappointed, unless you were the only house in the most common wind direction. What we mean by this is, if there are many houses surrounding your house, they will block most of the winds power and your turbine will probably just spin round at a very slow speed (assuming its windy), and this doesn’t generate the power you require.
However, if you live in the country and place a turbine in your backyard, you are more likely to generate a larger output of electricity. So the answer is buy one if you live in the countryside? Wrong again!!!
If there are large hills, forests or mountains nearby, these too can greatly reduce the winds power. Before purchasing a wind turbine you should definitely either do research yourself into the surrounding are, or hire a professional to do a survey. If your house is surrounded by other houses, dense tree plantations, hills, or mountains, (presuming they are blocking the path of the average wind direction), you should consider looking into solar cells or even a geothermal system to heat your home.
For more information on wind turbines, why not take a look here: http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com/wind_turbines.html
If you think solar power and solar batteries aren’t the wave of the future, you may be missing out on some exciting possibilities. America is just now starting to take action in the way of policy changes and R&D funding to move away from energy produced from fossil fuels. On August 21st 2006, Governor Schwarzenegger signed the solar power bill that aims to make California the biggest producer of solar energy in the world by 2018 through the installation of 1 million rooftop solar batteries on residential homes, office buildings schools and farms.
Homeowners who outfit their homes with solar batteries will not only benefit from lower energy use costs and higher home resale value, but under Schwarzenegger’s new law, they can sell excess power back to their utility company for a profit. Despite all of the evidence pointing to the positive aspects of power generated through solar batteries, including a commitment of $2.9 billion dollar commitment by the California Public Utilities Commission, many people still believe that solar batteries are ineffective for producing adequate power. In this article, we will explore the 3 most common misconceptions and facts surrounding home solar power and the solar battery.
Misconception #1 – I would need to live in a hot area of the country in order to benefit from a solar battery
There are two types of solar panels. One produces heat by absorbing heat from the sun. The other type, solar batteries, use Photovoltaic principles to turn the light from the sun into energy. These solar batteries are made of silicon which becomes electrically charged from the sunlight. The sun is always shining, even in the wintertime which means that solar batteries work year round-even when it doesn’t feel hot outside.
Misconception #2 – Using a solar battery will not make that much of an impact on the environment
Unless you believe that reducing greenhouse gasses by 3 million tons for every 1 million homes equip with solar panels isn’t a big impact, this misconception is simply untrue. The removal of 3 million tons of greenhouse gasses is roughly the equivalent of eliminating the harmful greenhouse gas emissions of 1 million cars. Multiply this by the total number of homes and residences in the US, and the impact is critical move for a growing population.
Misconception #3- Solar batteries cost more than they save
While it is true that solar batteries do involve more upfront costs than simply plugging into the grid, it’s important to look at costs over the long term to get an accurate cost perspective. Solar batteries can continue to produce power steadily for 50 or more years. Once your batteries are installed and producing power, there are no more costs involved with taking energy from the grid. And while grid energy may be affordable now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be in the future. We have seen how quickly a limited supply and demand can impact the cost of gasoline.
What’s more, if the rest of the US follows California’s lead, excess electricity can be sold back to the energy for a profit. Solar batteries also open up new possibilities in home ownership; allowing people to build private getaways and vacation homes in remote, low land cost areas that are off the power grid. With the increased longevity and lower cost of today’s solar batteries, homeowners owe it to themselves to explore the possibilities of solar power and to rethink their paradigms about energy costs and homebuilding possibilities.
Renewable energy is really getting the attention it needs. Today fossil energy reserves are depleting and focus is shifting to others sources of energy that replace these traditional energy sources. The focus is on these energy sources and not without reason. It is environmentally friendly and an almost unlimited source of energy. International energy ministers and advocates together with different non-governmental organizations and environmentalists are joining efforts to promote utilization of this energy. All over the world governments are awarding grants and incentives for the development of renewable energy systems.
But what is it? How do we use it today and how can we use it better in the future? Will it solve our energy problems we experience today? What price do we have to pay to these new energy sources? All these questions and more are hot subjects that are discussed by many all over the world. Let’s start here with the simplest question and answer it for you.
What is Renewable Energy?
This energy source has been used in many ways, but it has been taking for granted many years now. We usually don’t stop and think about these daily little miracles happening all around us. For instance the sunlight does wonderful things us. Sunlight helps us to grow our plants, fruits and vegetables. You can dry your clothes outside in the sun and white clothes even become whiter with sun rays. Every one loves to have fun in the sun, Disney World and Universal studio’s are build on location where there is a lot of sunshine and not without reason. Simply lying on the beach in the sun is done by many of us. Sunlight keeps us happy and when deprived from it humans become depressed. But sunshine can be used otherwise as well. You can convert sunshine into electricity and use it to power you home and can even give you hot water and heat your pool. Converting sunshine into energy is one of the new sources of energy.
Not only sunshine is seen as one of new sources of energy. The water we use for recreational purposes like kayaking can be used otherwise. This flowing water can also be used to generate energy.
Wind can also be used and is already used by several countries. In England and Germany the wind generators are placed on the shore where there is plenty of wind. There are also smaller wind generators available for home owners that can be used in addition to the traditional grid system.
All these mentioned energy sources are free to use to every one. Sunlight is available during the day and wind is available day and night. Flowing water can be more difficult to make use of because it is not available for every one. The availability of these sources depends where you live. You have to make sure you use the source that is applicable for your personal situation and can even combine several sources together to make the most of it. Although the sources are free, the devices used to convert these energy sources into usable energy for our homes are not. But nearly for all budgets there is a solution.
How does it work?
The traditional fossil energy sources such as coal and oil produce energy by means of combustion or burning fossil fuels. These sources work by directly converting the energy into useful forms. Sunlight is directly converted into electricity which can be used instantly.
Why do we need it?
There are several reasons why we need alternatives for the traditional energy sources. The fossil fuels reserves are diminishing and the demand for energy is rising and will increase even more. The fossil energy sources will become harder to find and even more expensive. To fight these high prices we need alternatives that are in abundance and cheap. Precisely, what these sources are: cheap and in abundance.
The combustion in traditional energy sources results in emission of harmful gases in our atmosphere that causes drastic changes in our climate. These reasons also prompt different governments to prioritize the use of renewable energy to avoid energy shortage, economic, and environmental problems.
Thus, these energy sources can go a long way in helping us achieve a stable and reliable energy supply in the future. The energy sources will be available for all and will be cheaper than traditional energy sources. What is even more important is that we will live in a world that is a better place, for us today and for future generations to come.
http://www.greenpowerscience.com/
This video demonstrates the bounce technique for solar cooking.
Duration : 0:8:22
Read more »
When planning your new house, an energy efficient green house floor plan would be an excellent alternative to a traditional stick built home. One improtant thing to consider is the orientation of your home on the property. One way to gain energy savings is to situate the house toward the northwest and use fewer openings and heavier walls on that side.
The house should open up to the southeast in order to take advantage of solar heat. Use louvers to block harsh summer sun angles and also allow weak angled winter warmth. With a southeast orientation, the slope of the main roof should face southwest with solar panels placed on that side.
Another way to save money is in the configuration and construction of the house. Heavy mass should be used on the north or northwest side in a green house floor plan to block the winter cold. It also is an efficient way to run plumbing and HVAC. The roof may be designed to collect rainwater in large barrels or cisterns which will cut down on city water costs.
The interior of a green house floor plan should be open and spacious to allow for natural airflow from open windows and stragically placed panels. This type of design cuts down on the need for air conditioning by making use of wind currents to bring fresh air into the home. Pick out the most energy efficient doors and window you can afford since they will provide an excellent return on you investment in lower energy bills month after month.
The true beauty of a green house floor plan is the ability to live “off the grid” with only a few extra features. A combination of features such as rain water collection,gray water reuse, solar panels and wind power with battery back up will afford a better lifestyle that is also easier on Mother Nature. With careful design and planning you can make your new home easier on the environment with a green house floor plan.
U.S. wind power is growing at a breath-taking pace. In a breakfast panel, representatives from top wind turbine manufacturers including GE Energy, Gamesa, Siemens and Vestas, discussed U.S. wind energy's future outlook. Here's what they had to say.
Duration : 4 min 24 sec
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Technorati Tags: wind
If you think solar power and solar batteries aren’t the wave of the future, you may be missing out on some exciting possibilities. America is just now starting to take action in the way of policy changes and R&D funding to move away from energy produced from fossil fuels. On August 21st 2006, Governor Schwarzenegger signed the solar power bill that aims to make California the biggest producer of solar energy in the world by 2018 through the installation of 1 million rooftop solar batteries on residential homes, office buildings schools and farms.
Homeowners who outfit their homes with solar batteries will not only benefit from lower energy use costs and higher home resale value, but under Schwarzenegger’s new law, they can sell excess power back to their utility company for a profit. Despite all of the evidence pointing to the positive aspects of power generated through solar batteries, including a commitment of $2.9 billion dollar commitment by the California Public Utilities Commission, many people still believe that solar batteries are ineffective for producing adequate power. In this article, we will explore the 3 most common misconceptions and facts surrounding home solar power and the solar battery.
Misconception #1 – I would need to live in a hot area of the country in order to benefit from a solar battery
There are two types of solar panels. One produces heat by absorbing heat from the sun. The other type, solar batteries, use Photovoltaic principles to turn the light from the sun into energy. These solar batteries are made of silicon which becomes electrically charged from the sunlight. The sun is always shining, even in the wintertime which means that solar batteries work year round-even when it doesn’t feel hot outside.
Misconception #2 – Using a solar battery will not make that much of an impact on the environment
Unless you believe that reducing greenhouse gasses by 3 million tons for every 1 million homes equip with solar panels isn’t a big impact, this misconception is simply untrue. The removal of 3 million tons of greenhouse gasses is roughly the equivalent of eliminating the harmful greenhouse gas emissions of 1 million cars. Multiply this by the total number of homes and residences in the US, and the impact is critical move for a growing population.
Misconception #3- Solar batteries cost more than they save
While it is true that solar batteries do involve more upfront costs than simply plugging into the grid, it’s important to look at costs over the long term to get an accurate cost perspective. Solar batteries can continue to produce power steadily for 50 or more years. Once your batteries are installed and producing power, there are no more costs involved with taking energy from the grid. And while grid energy may be affordable now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be in the future. We have seen how quickly a limited supply and demand can impact the cost of gasoline.
What’s more, if the rest of the US follows California’s lead, excess electricity can be sold back to the energy for a profit. Solar batteries also open up new possibilities in home ownership; allowing people to build private getaways and vacation homes in remote, low land cost areas that are off the power grid. With the increased longevity and lower cost of today’s solar batteries, homeowners owe it to themselves to explore the possibilities of solar power and to rethink their paradigms about energy costs and homebuilding possibilities.
my group has to make a wind generator for tech ed and we’re at 192 right now but in order to beat the record we have to get at least 254. any tips to make it go faster?
Make it into a ducted fan.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ducted_fan