Archive for the ‘Articles’ Category
August 16th, 2011 | 
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Carbon Tax Collector
This is actually one of the first wide-ranging carbon pricing schemes being implemented, and will have some major economic ramifications for Australia. At a starting price of $23 per tonne of carbon, many businesses are being asked to get ready to pay many billions of dollars in tax.
Economic Reinvestment
The clever thing about the implementation is the way this tax is being redistributed. More than 50% of the tax takings actually goes back to the public to compensate for the inevitable price increases that will come with a carbon price. The rest goes to subsidize companies that will be worst hit by the carbon price – so-called trade exposed industries involved in things like mining and smelting.
Posted in Legislature, Renewable Energy | 
Tags: alternative energy, carbon, carbon footprint, carbon tax, politics, Renewable Energy, taxes | 
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Students Get “Schooled” on Renewable Energy Sources
Wind Power
Middle schoolers will be able to witness firsthand the benefits of being “green”. They also will be able to study energy data from the turbine as it works to do its job. Students will have the opportunity to learn more about renewable energy and ask questions as they apply to their learning environment. Motorists passing by the wind turbine will also be “schooled” as to how the system works. They are invited to ask questions and inquire about the proposed project at the City Council meeting.
Shawn Frayne invented an inexpensive non turbine wind generator called the wind belt. I have no specs other than what you see on the video. I imagine it's use on the roof of an electric car but obviously it can be used anywhere there is wind. The benefit is that it is very inexpensive to build as opposed to a standard turbine wind generator. The fan simulates the wind which moves the belt which moves the magnets through the coils to make electricity to power the clock and LEDs.
Posted in Articles, Wind |
Tags: Invention, power, turbines, Wind, wind belt, wind power |
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Cel shaded animation of how wind turbines make electricity out of the wind.
Smoldering biomass is not the only way to let loose its energy. Biomass can be transformed to other functional forms of energy like methane gas or transportation fuels like ethanol and biodiesel. Methane gas forms as the main component of natural gas. Stuffs like decomposing garbage, and agricultural and human waste, discharge methane gas also referred as ” biogas.” Crops like corn and sugar cane can be fermented to manufacture the transportation fuel, ethanol. Biodiesel, another transportation fuel, can be produced from surplus food products like vegetable oils and animal fats.
The most widespread variety of biomass is wood. For many centuries, people have burned wood for heating and cooking. Wood was the main resource of energy in the U.S. and the rest of the world till the mid-18th century. Biomass persists to be a chief resource of energy in the developing world. In United States, wood and waste offer only about 2 percent of the energy used today.
About 84 percent of the total wood and wood waste fuel used in the United States is consumed by the industry, electric power producers, and commercial businesses. The rest, mainly wood, is used in homes for heating and cooking.
Various industrialized plants in the wood and paper products industry make use of wood waste to manufacture their own steam and electricity. This saves these companies financially as they neither have to dispose off their waste nor they have to buy electricity.
Another resource of biomass is the daily waste or garbage. Rubbish that appear from plant or animal products is biomass. Food scraps, lawn clippings, and leaves are all examples of biomass junk. They can be a rich source of energy by either burning them in waste-to-energy plants, or by confining biogas. In the former, waste is burned to generate steam that can be used also to heat buildings and generate electricity as well.
Biomass can contaminate the air when it is burned, though not at the extent of fossil fuels. Burning biomass fuels does not manufacture pollutants like sulfur that lead to acid rain. When burnt, biomass discharges carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. But when biomass crops are developed, a nearly corresponding quantity of carbon dioxide is used up through photosynthesis.
Posted in Articles, Biofuel, Renewable Energy |
Tags: biofuel, biomass, energy, renewable |
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(April 16, 2008) Christina Archer, consulting assistant professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University, discusses the importance of win power in a clean and renewable future. The Energy Seminar meets weekly during the academic year. For a list of upcoming talks, visit the events page at the Woods Institute for the Environment website. Stanford University www.stanford.edu Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford: woods.stanford.edu Christina Archer www.stanford.edu Stanford University Channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com
Photovoltaic cells, an array of black squares that consist of a solar panel is getting progressively more efficient, while at the same time, less expensive. All thanks to the evolution of designs that allow them to increase the concentration of gathered sunlight at a point. Along with price, even the cell size is decreasing, making it not only cheaper to produce but also, at the same time, more productive. Today it costs around $4.00 to produce per watt hour of solar generated energy, while it cost nearly double that amount around 17 years ago.
Solar powered electricity gives out zero emission and is certainly safe for the atmosphere and environment as it uses only the sun as its driving force. Owing to rapid development it is now becoming a practical option to place solar panels on the roof tops and is even being used to heat peoples homes, produce electricity and heat water with considerable ease. For water heating, the photovoltaic cell works by encasing the water in the cells from where, on heating, pipes distribute it to various locations.
The ability of Photovoltaic cells to collect sufficient sun radiations even on stormy or cloudy days is increasing. One company, Uni-Solar has particularly developed an array of solar collection cells for use at home that, with a system of advanced technology, is able to store more energy at a time on sunlit days than other arrays and hence gives energy even on inclement days.
The PV system is, actually, one more solar power system that is available in the market today. The PV system, on connection to an electrical grid, can transfer to it any excess solar energy collected at a particular residence, thereby allowing other residences to share this. This also lowers the grids dependence on hydroelectricity for electricity production. A few advantages among others, of adopting the PV system is that it keeps costs down as opposed to a full-fledged solar panel, while it simultaneously reduces pollution as well as pressure on the grid system. Certain towns and suburban communities are adopting the centralized solar collection arrays.
Even some big corporations are seriously considering the use of solar power (clearly indicating that solar energy, as an economically viable alternative, has arrived). While Google is installing a 1.6-megawatt plant for solar power generation, at the top of their corporate headquarters, wall mart have made it clear that they want to put in a 100-megawatt system.
Government subsidies are being provided by nations such as Germany, Japan, Switzerland and United States in the form of tax breaks to individuals and companies who use solar power for heat generation or power supply. It is predicted that the number of private investors who will see value in and want to invest in the ” green” technology will increase with advance in technology and increase in demand for storage of solar collection material.
Posted in Energy Conservation |
Tags: Astounding, Breakthrough, cells, Collection, energy, PHOTOVOLTAIC, Storage, Technological |
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The world relies heavily on natural resources like coal and gas. Coal is a form of biomass that has been compressed over millennia to produce a non-renewable fossil fuel. We use these fossil fuels for generating power, heating our homes and businesses, manufacturing of goods and transportation. We are very accustomed to the conveniences provided by modern technology and we are indeed very fortunate to live in this world. However, we must consider the fact that the natural resources making this possible will not last forever. We have to make a lifestyle change and look towards renewable energy resources to take care of our needs.
Renewable energy includes solar energy, wind power, hydro power, tidal power, geothermal energy, biomass and wave power. These are some of the resources which are available in abundance as they are naturally replenished.
1. Solar energy, obtained from the sun, is being used for industrial as well as domestic purposes. It can be used for cooking heating, cooling and ventilation, among other things. Most sources of renewable energy are directly or indirectly powered by the sun. The heat of the sun is dissipated around the globe in the form of winds and ocean currents.
2. Wind farms installed on large plain tracts of agricultural land utilize the air flows. The airflows can be used to run wind turbines to generate electricity which in turn can be used to power our homes and businesses. There is no pollution due to the operation of wind farms and thus it proves to be an eco-friendly way to produce this energy.
3. Hydo power can be obtained from the water bodies like oceans and rivers. Energy from flowing rivers can be captured to generate electricity. So also, mechanical energy from tides and ocean waves can be used to generate electricity. The thermal energy produced by oceans using the sun’s heat is another renewable source of energy.
4. Geothermal energy is energy obtained by harvesting the heat from the Earth’s core. This energy is obtained by building power stations at places where it is available closer to the Earth’s surface. Dry steam plants take steam out of fractures and fissures in the Earth’s crust and use it to drive a turbine that spins a generator to produce electricity.
5. Biomass is a solid material obtained from living organisms like plants and animals. Biofuels like ethanol and biogas obtained from biomass are being increasingly used in the transportation industry as an alternative fuel.
Renewable energy sources are generally sustainable as they cannot run out and their environmental impacts are generally not as harsh as those of fossil fuels. Although it is expensive to build huge plants to harness this energy, in the long run it may prove to be an eco-friendly way to use renewable energy. Biomass and geothermal energy will require wise management if they are to be used in a sustainable manner. All of the other renewable resources, are replenished quite easily by nature.
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.
In this article we will cover some easy and simple things you can do to save energy and help reduce your monthly energy bill. Think Green!
Green Investments:
A good place to start is with your light bulbs. If you’re still using incandescent bulbs, you should switch to compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs or regular fluorescent bulbs. Many cities in the United States have an exchange program, where your city will replace your incandescent bulbs with CFL bulbs -at no cost.
Green Power Save gadget:
This handy gadget will help to monitor the supply of power to your home and regulate the usage. It will use the minimum needed to supply all your power needs.
Green Usage:
The first thing you need to do is become aware of the extra energy your using. When you go to another room, be sure to turn of the lights. Even if you are gone for only a few minutes, this will help to get yourself trained to continually turn off unneeded appliances.
Your Green Perception:
What do you perceive as an electronic appliance? Would you turn off a TV or a
radio, but not the reading lamp? These small and simple tasks will help in a huge
way to reduce your energy usage.
Green Appliance Usage:
If we start thinking green when it comes to using our major home appliances, we can eliminate the myth that the more gadgets we have, the higher our power bills will be. Some of the typical high energy usage appliances include:
Washer and Dryer- Try do laundry only when you have full loads, and if possible, try switching to a gas dryer.
Water Heater- Set the water heater to be on the minimum amount of time, and if possible, switch to a tankless water heater.
You might think that purchasing these new appliances defeats the purpose of saving money on your energy bill. However, you will find, most of the time, that you will get an energy credit on your taxes for making this purchase, and saving energy in the long term.
Heater & Air Conditioner- By setting these appliances to only the minimum amount required to be comfortable, you can greatly reduce the energy they use.
Computer- By turning off your computer monitor when you take a break can make a huge difference. It only takes a second to turn it back on… think of it as a light bulb.
You must stick to this energy saving lifestyle to reduce your energy bills and help save the world. We need to stop thinking about ourselves, and think of the next generations to come!
Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill.
Get our complete guide at Earth4Energy
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