Go green » Green Energy

How to make a home more green energy efficient?

Wed, 12 May 2010 20:10:11 +0000

By: Melanie Hogeveen

With an increased stress on environmental friendly and energy efficient technologies making a home more green energy efficient has become easy as well as cost effective. So if you are thinking of some simple ways to save up on electricity bills you can bring in some smart changes to your home by making it more eco friendly and end up in saving up a considerable amount of money on the long run.

The term green energy basically refers to the usage of heating and cooling devices which use much less energy or renewable energy such as solar and wind which is environmental friendly as well as cost effective. Contrary to popular belief installing energy efficient devices in one’s home does not involve a huge investment as there are a numerous companies in the market offering green energy solutions for homes at highly competitive and bargain prices. The following section lists some convenient ways by which you can make your home more green energy efficient:

1. Install a solar water heater: Installing a solar water heater is a great way to turn your home more green energy efficient. While purchasing a solar water heater from the market can be expensive one can also build their own solar powered heaters at relatively low prices.

2. Put up photovoltaic solar panels: Using the sun’s renewable energy and converting it into electric power can be easily done by putting up photovoltaic solar panels on the rooftops of your home.

3. Opt for a domestic windmill: If you live in a windy area, installing a domestic windmill or a wind turbine is another great way to generate power through wind energy.

4. Switch to passive solar technology: If you are constructing a new home you can make it more green energy efficient by using bricks that are made of insulated materials, installing energy efficient doors and windows as well as deigning the home to allow the optimum passage of natural light into your rooms.

5. Build a compost pit in your garden: A great way to recycle your biodegradable kitchen waste and make your garden area more green and fertile is by building a compost pit.

Turning a home green energy efficient involves utilizing renewable energy such as sun, wind and water into power through innovative technologies which are easily accessible in today’s times for domestic use. So go ahead and do yourself and the environment a great favor by adopting a more eco – friendly lifestyle by turning your home more green energy efficient.

Melanie Hogeveen is an expert writer in varied fields and has been doing research on several topics for the past several years. She is renowned for her advices and tips to help people and environment. For more details please visit Green Energy.

Ways To Get The Most Used Alternative Energy Companies For A Greener Life

Wed, 12 May 2010 16:24:35 +0000

By: Sharron Elliott

In teh domain of alternative energy companies, there are several that cannot escape our notice. If you were to really think about it, there has been a gradual but sure conversion from traditional use of fossil fuels towards more overmuch alternative energy resources which would only try to welfare the world. Most of the alternative energy companies in this present day and age do try to make this a vision an absolute reality. However, since generations after generations have been socialized in to fossil fuels, the transition seems very hindered.

Some companies such as BP Global are certainly movers and shakers in the industry. But you must remember that being in the business of what these alternative energy companies are in is sure enough no easy task. There is so much work and impractical ideas that want to be crafted not to remark a great grade of investment too. Most alternative energy companies are now looking at a future fueled by alternative energy sources. Just as observed the fact that it is a alter is not holding matters any better.

Companies such as A123 and Vesta Wind Systems are just the hardly a of the alternative energy companies that making a difference. It also needs to be observed that there are enough and to a greater extent energy politics that are going on, which make passing certain policies a real hassle. But as we all know change is something that is good especially when the future of the Earth at large may depend upon it. So it is best to keep abreast of all new information and the various new energy sources we have. We are at this point employing quite a level of energy and it will not at any point lesson since the world population also is poised to increase every single year.

While there may be enough wrangling going on with subsequent governments and alternative energy companies it comes as no surprise that renewable sources of energy are very much in demand. Even though we may not at this point in time project the many uses they could be practiced for, there will be progressive opportunities given in the near future. After all, as we all know via history, when there is a certain want solutions do crop up thanks to the ingenuity of man.

Would you like to get more advice on alternative energy companies

You can find more information here: http://gogreenenergyforhome.com

What is Green Energy?

Wed, 12 May 2010 15:58:23 +0000

By: James Stewart

What is Green Energy – It’s all around us. We can see it, feel it, touch it and even consume it. Sounds a little bizarre right? Well, it’s quite true but what on earth is it?

Primarily, I’m talking about sun and wind – sources of clean, natural energy, more commonly known as green energy.

There are also 3 other sources of Green Energy in use today and these are in the form of tidal energy (water), biofuel and geothermal. However, the more common forms of green energy resources are solar and wind.

Solar energy is very basically the conversion of sunlight into electricity. Solar cells convert sunlight directly into electricity and are used to power almost anything ranging from small calculators and watches, right up to huge satellites which orbit the earth. All TV and communications satellites are powered by solar energy using solar technology.

Wind energy is simply the conversion of wind energy into electricity. This is achieved by using a wind turbine. Wind Turbines are a great resource of natural green energy and are often used in conjunction with solar panels or as an alternative to solar energy. The benefits and uses of Wind energy are such that wind is actually the fastest growing energy source worldwide.

These energy sources are generally natural, renewable and endless sources of energy used to generate thousands of hours worth of electricity and power for numerous uses all across the world. These forms of energy are much cleaner forms of energy since they cause far less pollution than the traditional burning of fossil fuels by emitting no carbon or other greenhouse gas emissions.

They create less pollution and in turn are much more environmentally friendly forms of energy.

On a very basic level, the electricity we currently use in our homes is mostly generated at a power station. This is basically done by using large electromechanical generators which are driven by heat engines fueled by burning fossil fuels such as natural gas or coal. This method pollutes the earth by emitting carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions into the earths atmosphere.

We all easily make a big difference at home. By installing solar panels or a wind turbine, you can harness the power of nature and provide your home with an almost limitless supply of clean, green energy.

I hope you enjoyed this very brief insight into green energy and what constitutes being a green energy source.

It’s a sad fact that we are all guilty of contributing one way or another to the polluting of our own planet. However, this need not be the case with so many free, renewable and Green Energy Resources available to us and we can start to do our bit right at home.

We should all consider Making a Difference by doing our bit for the planet to ensure it’s long term sustainability for generations to follow.

Solar Wind Power – Exclusive Benefits of Solar Wind Power At Home

Wed, 12 May 2010 15:27:18 +0000

By: James Stewart

It’s commonly known that solar wind power is rapidly becoming one of the most popular ways of generating free, renewable energy at home and it’s easy to understand why. Breaking free of the electric companies with their over inflated energy prices is just one reason and having more cash is another. However, with the ever increasing popularity of the solar wind power market, here’s why you should be on board right now.

The demand for home made, renewable energy has never been higher. Energy costs are simply soaring and we, the consumers, are the ones who are ultimately paying for it.

Global leaders have agreed to make a determined effort across the world to cut down on the harmful toxic emissions produced during conventional electricity production. These toxins and emissions are quite literally killing our planet and it’s nearly all for one thing – the production of electricity!

It is therefore easy to see why the solar wind power market is becoming a rapidly expanding one. More and more people are understanding and realizing the huge benefit of turning to alternative, green energy sources to provide power to their homes.

It is strongly believed that many house builders in countries all over the world will increasingly turn to green energy methods for ways to provide electricity in newly built homes and offices. Many countries already utilize green energy sources as common practice. You only have to look at homes and businesses in countries like Spain, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus that have lots of sunshine all year round. Almost always, new homes are fitted with solar panel arrays which provide hot water and generate endless hours of electricity.

Let’s be clear on this – you do not need to live in hot sunny countries such as these to benefit from solar wind power. Solar power for the home can be utilized almost anywhere in the world – provided that you live in a habitual environment of course! However, the increasing popularity of solar wind power will eventually lead to one thing – expense. How much is an unknown quantity but you can be sure that it won’t come cheap, nothing ever does!

For this reason, you should be one step ahead and start to think about building your own solar wind power for your home right now. If you enlist the help of the professionals, you could easily be looking at 1000’s of dollars to have solar panels made and installed for you. However, what if I told you that you can easily make a solar roof panel right from the comfort of your home which will generate hundreds of hour’s worth of electricity for your home or office for under $250! This is actually possible and many people across the world are doing this right now.

Homemade Solar Wind Power is easy to make and costs a fraction of the price that professional builders and installers would charge you. You do not need these guys – they really are easy to make and will provide hundreds of hours worth of free, renewable, clean energy for your home.

There has never been a better time to get ahead and build your own solar wind power generator so why not get started today and reap the benefits from solar wind power energy.

If you decide to build your own Solar Wind Power, you will have a satisfying and rewarding experience provided you follow instructions which have been written by the experts.

Instructions should be well structured, clear and organized and you should have access to help if you should need it.

I have reviewed the best guide available on the market today which is the clear leader in the alternative home energy market. This quality guide is available with FREE bonuses ready for you to Take Advantage Now…

The Truth About Green Energy !

Wed, 12 May 2010 14:52:07 +0000

By: Jeff Bergquist

For years now, the same plead to go Green is in the air. Push, push, push, it seems never ending. Hollywood is going Green, the President is going Green, and the people are following their lead. Many businesses nowadays are using Lean principles, efficiencies, recycling, keen on environmental issues with Hazmat and the list goes on and on. What’s all this mean for the blue collar citizens who wish to go Green ? Money. Lots of money. For what ? Literally, it costs several dollars per watt of electricity produced. Watts & Volts & Amps, Oh my. Don’t expect high rates of return on any Green Energy System, just a slow steady one.

Let’s start with a few simple facts. Solar power is fueled by the Sun & UV rays, right ? Sure. The wattage produced is a different story. Say we have a 75 watt Solar panel. 75 watts is enough power to supply about 3 efficient 100 watt light bulbs. Most efficient bulbs run about 25% or less wattage than the true blue bulb. When the Sun is out, everything is bright and the bulbs are gleeming with life. Wait a minute, where did the Sun go ? Tricky clouds jumped in front of my Sun and the bulbs went out. Why ? The panel is still producing energy. Just not enough to meet the demand of the 3 bulbs. From here we use batteries to store the power in. Deep-Cycle batteries to be exact. At $80 bucks per battery, we’re getting expensive already. The average battery bank is around 5-10 batteries. 10 x 80 = $800.00. Yikes !

We don’t need to start at this level of cost, rather, begin at about a $800.00 budget and work our way down. For instance, we have the 75 watt Solar Panel mentioned above. $200.00 to make one. Costs another $500 to order one. Let’s stick with the home built Solar Panel for now. Wiring comes next at about $50.00. A charge controller is very important. $100.00. Deep-Cycle batteries, say 1 of them @ 120 amp hours. $80.00. Next, we have the Inverter to change over D/C current to A/C current to run simple things that do not involve complex circuitry like TV’s & DVD players, Computers. $200.00 for 2000 watts capacity. DO NOT RUN MSW (MODIFIED SINE WAVE) INVERTERS FOR COMPLEX CIRCUITRY, OVER TIME IT WILL RUIN IT ! Pure Sine Wave only for circuitry. Grand total is $630.00. Installation is easy for a true handy person, otherwise set some extra money asside for an installer. Should only take a few hours to install. Nothing hefty or expensive. Most of the items involved here cost much less than stated, however an overbudget is usually the best solution to put smiles on our clients faces. A small system like this would be perfect to run that small string of lights mentioned earlier.

Just a note to all you savy tax payers: 30% of this is a 1 to 1 tax credit on your 1040 schedule 5695 form for 2009. A 1 to 1 tax credit means just that. For every dollar you pay the Fed, you get it back at tax time. For example: $630 x .30 = $189.00 TAX CREDIT. What does it cost to build now ? $441.00. Not bad. Even better yet, have a professional business install it for you. Tax Rebate from your state is another 30% off of the top. Check your states Rebate program first before calculating at the DSIRE web page, otherwise, another $189 is taken off the $441 = $252. Perfect. What happens now ? That string of lights should be on a separate circuit from your power companies and is no longer being charged electricity rates. Savings, depending on your area could range from .05 cents per day to .25 cents a day. Multiply that by 30 = $4.50 per month savings average. Most electric bills average around $100.00. So 4.5% is being saved per month, thus about 56 months to pay off $252 dollars @ $4.50 per month plus you’re not being charged for this anymore.

Save the planet ? You bet ! Think of all the greenhouse gasses saved and the carbon footprint. And to top that off, consider the fossil fuel we are saving. If I use this power to hook up a hybrid car, what am I saving now ? That makes us literally breathe easier. So next time you’re interested or curious about Green Energy, consider this:

Don’t think of the CASH,

Think of the CAUSE !

Use Green Energy !

It’s FREE, It’s FUN,

It’s the way NATURE intended it to be !

FREE yourself from the greedy hands of those Utilities !

Using Compressed Natural Gas as a Fuel Source for Vehicles

Wed, 12 May 2010 14:42:44 +0000

By: K. S. Jackson
With the rise in oil prices and the scarcity of oil and gas, alternative fuels must be found to power our vehicles, and our society. One alternative that is plentiful in the United States is compressed natural gas. Compressed natural gas, or CNG, has been available for use as a fuel for vehicles worldwide for several decades. With the ever increasing cost to produce gasoline and its limited supply, CNG is becoming more and more attractive as an alternative fuel for use in many types of vehicles.

CNG is a fossil fuel along with diesel, propane, oil and gasoline. Compressed natural gas is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of an accident or spill. CNG does, however, produce greenhouse gases, but because it is lighter than air, it tends to disperse quicker when it is released. CNG vehicles show an average reduction in ozone-forming emissions of 80 percent compared to gasoline vehicles.

Many companies have begun to look at compressed natural gas as a fuel source for fleet vehicles, and some consumers are requesting that carmakers consider CNG as an alternative fuel source. Widespread use of compressed natural gas is still years away.

Compressed natural gas consists mostly of methane and is drawn from gas wells or in conjunction with crude oil production. CNG vehicles store the gas in high pressure cylinders at 3,000 to 3,600 psi. Since the gas has no odor, an odorant is added for safety reasons.

How is the use of CNG better than gasoline? Some of the reasons are listed below:

1. The emissions given by CNG are lower than for gasoline engines–carbon monoxide is lower by 90 to 97%, carbon dioxide is lower by 25%, nitrogen oxide is lower by 35 to 60%, ozone production is lowered by 80% and nonmethane hydrocarbons are lower by 50 to 75% than gasoline.

2. There are fewer toxic and carcinogen pollutants emitted than for gasoline

3. There are no evaporative emissions in dedicated CNG engines compared to gasoline or bifuel engines

4. The octane rating for CNG is higher than for gasoline, which provides greater overall engine efficiency for the CNG vehicle.

5. The CNG market is more stable than gasoline because it costs 15% to 40% less to produce CNG.

6. Since the United States has extensive natural gas reserves across the country( in approximately 46 states), the homeowner with natural gas service could possibly fill their cylinders at home with a home refueling appliance.

Although CNG is more commonly used in Europe and South America, the United States has plenty of capacity to take advantage of CNG’s availabilty and benefits for its population. With the threat of gasoline going up in price at the slightest hint of increase in demand, Compressed Natural Gas is a good alternative to look at for today’s vehicles.

K. S. Jackson is a former power plant engineer with an interest in alternative energy and fuels. See http;//ksj1010.wordpress.com/ for further information.

Residential Wind Turbines – What you need to know to build your own

Wed, 12 May 2010 14:37:08 +0000

By: Jon Patrick

al Wind Power – your own personal power source – can provide 40-100% of your homes energy requirements, but to buy them ‘off the shelf’ can be prohibitively expensive. Energy usage in the US and Canada continues to increase, while increasing environmental regulations and cost contribute to slowing construction for new power plants. Further, every new powerplant and it’s source of fuel is a dramatic environmental impact on our planet. There has been an increasing call for decentralized power production – personal Residential power sources like wind and solar, but these can be prohibitively expensive to buy. One option? Build your own Residential Wind Turbine! But what do you need to know before you dive in? It can be expensive, or really cheap! Buying all the parts retail can cost more than just buying a complete unit; however, if you know where to look and what to look for, you can build your own for approximately $100 It can be complex, or laid out step-by-step! – few of us are electrical engineers ready to figure out the intricacies needed to build our own Residential Wind Turbine and wire it properly into the house. We need a guide to tell us and point out the pitfalls You need exceptional electrical and ‘build it’ skill? – NO! Basic tools, a workspace, and a extra-large helping of initiative are all that’s required! Almost anyone with the desire can build their own Residential Wind Turbine, if they have someone to guide and instruct them. One final warning, there are a lot of ‘guides’ out there created by corporations to sell their products and pieces, or by people with no experience copying others systems and hoping to cash-in on the growing interest. Look out for these, and find one created by those who do the work and have successfully lived ‘off the grid’ for years. You’ll get noticably better results.

Jon Patrick
If you found the above interesting, please check out my blog at: http://www.squidoo.com/Residential_Wind_Power for more information on how to live off the grid!

Nv Gives $1Million To Reno For Solar

Wed, 12 May 2010 14:27:20 +0000

By: Elysia Niemi

According to AP reports, NV Energy just gave the city of Reno, Nevada, a $1-million incentive payment to be used for installing solar panels at the Reno Events Center, and for paying off the cost of panels installed earlier this year at the city’s Parking Gallery garage.

NV Energy, an offshoot of a merger between Nevada Power, Sierra Pacific Power and Sierra Pacific Resources, serves northern Nevada and northwestern California – in towns like Tahoe, Portola and Quincy – providing electricity to 2.4 million ratepayers. The company also provides natural gas to the Reno-Sparks area.

The $1-million incentive, hand-delivered to Reno Mayor Bob Cashell on the evening of Dec. 15, will be used to install solar photovoltaic panels to reduce the city’s annual electricity use by about 420,000 kilowatt-hours, or the equivalent of sequestering 302 metric tons of carbon dioxide by removing 57.7 cars from the road or planting 7,734 trees.

It will also reduce utility charges by about $55,000 per year, which seems like a distinct loss to the utility until one considers peak demand and the fact that the area served by NV Energy is growing by leaps and bounds. Not to mention that the Nevada legislature has already mandated that utilities get 12 percent of their energy from renewables by the end of 2009, 15 percent by 2013, and 20 percent by 2015.

Up to 2008, Nevada Power and Sierra Pacific Power both missed their mandates, but that situation turned around rapidly, with NV Energy getting the required 9 percent by the beginning of 2009. And this year looks to be a repeat, with NV Energy siting, or completing, 35 renewable projects, most from solar energy.

In fact, NV Energy is currently delivering a very small environmental footprint, buying solar energy from eight local plants, including the 64-megawatt Nevada Solar One and the 14-megawatt plant near Nellis Air Force Base – both of which provide enough electricity to power about 70,000 homes. This represents a huge solar gain for NV Energy, with only SCE (Southern California Edison) and PG&E (Pacific Gas & Electric) buying more.

The check was cut through NV Energy’s SolarGenerations program, which provides incentives for solar, wind and hydro generation, and essentially requires that selected customers join NV Energy’s net metering program, hire an approved installer, and install systems with 20-year guarantees (7 years for inverters). The net metering program offers $2.30 per watt, up to 1 megawatt in size, or about $7,900 for a 3-kilowatt system, maxing our at $11,500 for residential installations and $69,000 for businesses.

The NV Energy SolarGenerations program will begin accepting applications for 2010-2011 in early 2010.

Cooler Planet is a leading solar resource for connecting consumers and commercial entities with local solar Installers. Cooler Planet’s solar panel resources and solar energy page contains articles and tools to help with your solar project.

Largest Solar Installation In Texas

Wed, 12 May 2010 13:52:43 +0000

By: Elysia Niemi

eptember, the City of Houston agreed to buy all the solar power from a proposed NRG $40-million solar plant on a 25-year power purchase agreement, or PPA.

The deal called for NRG to foot the bill for the plant, and the city to pay for the power at a rate of 8.2 cents per kilowatt-hour for the first year. What this meant, in real-world terms, was that NRG would supplant some of the solar output with power from other plants, giving the city an effective rate of 8.2 cents, though the agreement overall calls for Houston to pay 19.8 cents per kilowatt-hour.

If built, the 10-megawatt solar plant would have been the biggest in the state, providing up to 1.5 percent of the city’s electrical needs at a locked-in price on 90 percent of production – a fixed rate that would have served the city well if Reliant Energy raised its rates due to rising costs of oil, gas or coal. Reliant Energy’s generation mix is 39.8 percent, followed by natural gas at 23 percent and coal at 22.5 percent – the former two prices likely to rise as the recession eases and tension over Middle East oil prices and production rises.

The plant would have been constructed on 70 acres of NRG land near Highway 249 and Beltway 8, a move which New Jersey-based NRG felt would help keep land costs and transmission upgrades to a minimum.

It was that or two new nuclear plants with 2,700 megawatts of capacity at a cost of $10 billion, though comparing the two is like comparing apples to oranges, and the price of the nuclear plants has since gone up, to $17 billion. This is not taking into account ongoing fuel costs (solar has none) or the cost and difficulty of storing or disposing of spent nuclear fuel. Not to mention the low maintenance costs of solar as opposed to keeping a nuke plant operational given all the NRC mandates.

In spite of that, the nuclear plants – an expansion of the South Texas Project via two new Westinghouse PWR units – looks to be the winning bid, even though residents are alarmed by the Project’s less-than-stellar safety record, which resulted, in 1993, with the units being taken offline to resolve failures in the feedwater pumps – a repair outage that lasted more than a year.

Surprisingly, Houston City fathers have backed out of the deal. According to a city spokesman, the city doesn’t like to commit future (taxpayer-generated) funds without some sort of oversight and approval, and future elected leaders may be reluctant to get behind an agreement put in place by a former administration, so the city has an escape clause: long-term agreements must be re-approved yearly.

As a result, the solar plant scheduled for operation in the summer of 2010 has been pushed to a back burner, with both the city and NRG agreeing that the project is dead in the water unless the impasse can be bridged.

Not likely, says city spokesman Frank Michel, and NRG agrees, saying it can’t spend the $40 million without some kind of long-term deal in place.

The switch is being heartily opposed by the Texas branch of the Sierra Club, and by clean energy advocates everywhere, who see the abandonment of solar energy in favor of nuclear power as a failure to consider long-term environmental consequences in favor of immediate energy gratification.

The worst part of the deal is the official closing of Yucca Mountain as a spent fuel storage depot, with no alternative waiting in the wings. Where does NRG plan to store the spent fuel?

Renewable Energy and You

Wed, 12 May 2010 11:51:14 +0000

By: Adam Singleton

The topic of renewable energy has been widely discussed in recent years. Indeed, as fossil fuel supplies continue to dwindle and high energy prices are maintained, people are realising the advantages of finding alternative sources of energy. Not only that, but in light of the detrimental effects of burning fossil fuels – coal, oil and natural gas – there are increasing efforts to explore more environmentally-friendly options.

Currently, there’s a worrying amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) being released into the world’s atmosphere. This, say many scientists, is significantly contributing to climate change and global warming. In order to protect the earth from further damage, therefore, people are looking for new, greener sources of electricity and gas, as well as ways to reduce overall energy consumption.

According to research, more than 40 percent of the UK’s man-made CO2 emissions come from the energy people use in their homes and for travel. As a result, there are many new initiatives aimed at encouraging people to personally embrace greener technology and to limit the amount of energy they use in their properties.

Generally speaking, there are two main types of renewable energy available that can be used at home: solar and wind. Solar power, which converts the sun’s natural energy into electricity and heat, is the most popular form of renewable energy and can be relatively easily installed in domestic properties. Not only does it provide people with environmentally-friendly, or green energy, but it also helps to save on bills.

Wind power is also an established form of green power and again can be employed in the home. Basically channelling the power of the wind through the use of mini wind turbines, electricity is generated, which is then fed into the property’s electricity supply. Producing energy in this way is great for the environment and it’s even possible to sell back any excess energy to the power companies: this is also true for surplus solar energy.

If it’s too expensive to install such equipment, it’s always possible to switch to a green energy plan or tariff. There are various options available, such as an energy match, whereby power companies will match each normal unit of electricity used in the home by feeding a unit of renewable energy into the National Power Grid. They may also fund renewable energy projects.

Additionally, there’s a lot that people can do at home, both to conserve energy and to save money. For example, if everyone in Britain with gas or oil central heating installed a condensing boiler with heating controls, it would be possible to save up to 6.7 million tonnes of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere annually.

With a bit of thought, everyone can help in the fight against climate change. Embracing renewable energy is a great way to start, as is reducing the amount of gas and electricity being used in the home. And, thinking about this issue now will not only help the environment, but also make a difference to utility bills.

Adam Singleton writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.