Life Without Sustainable Power

What happens when the oil prices and production costs get too high? What if our fossil fuel supply runs out? What will happen then? Actually, to fully appreciate sustainable power, these aren’t the only questions we should ask. Perhaps we should inquire: Where does 20% of our electricity supply come from? How are far off towns furnished with power? You see sustainable energy is not just for the future, it is here, it is now.

Life Without Sustainable Power

The Real Deal

The thing about sustainable energy is that it arouses debates from politicians, NGO’s, advocates and opponents all have certain grounds for saying that sustainable works or is a bad thing after all. Perhaps we should begin by defining what sustainable power is. When we say sustain it means to support, uphold, to keep from falling. So when we say sustainable power it means energy with unending resources. In the case of today sustainable energy means endless resources fro power supply without the harmful effects on the environment.

Its Not Sustainable It’s the Alternate

In all reality it is not sustainable energy that precipitates the conflict. It is the “alternate source” of energy that is the root of all things that create conflict. A lot of people argue that alternate energy resources are simply too new a resource fuelled by technology for it to be really said that it is indeed safe.

What is more, some authorized people on the matter of energy say that alternate energy resources are simply not powerful enough to cope with the demands of the world. No matter which way we argue alternate energy resources are part of sustainable power and sustainable power means we live the humans live on as a species; were not supposed to die or else it is useless for use to look for ways to improve ourselves. After all isn’t future the reason for our continued quest to be better and more environmentally aware?

Its Here, There, Everywhere

Alternate energy resources derived naturally have been employed as early as the time of the pharaohs.  Today alternate energy resources are scattered all around the world. From the richest countries to the third world nations. In northwester Europe wind farms are abundant. The Philippines, New Zealand, Kenya, Iceland, Germany, Canada, Turkey, Mexico, and even the states make use of geothermal plants to supply a portion of their electricity. Hydropower so popular in the US and in china are used to generate enough electricity to power small towns and help power the enormous electrical consumption of a city like Las Vegas.

Its Now and It Can’t Be Denied

If you think that earth is already polluted and in peril, then imagine what if thousands of years ago our ancestors all used fossil fuels and burned coals for every energy need they have? History says that with every development and discovery man makes, the earth gets polluted every day. So there must have been that one thing that slowed it down a bit.

 Remember the great smog of London where over 8,000 people died? Well that happened because they were experiencing unusually cold weather so they in turn consumed and lit up more coals, thereby fogging the air with smog. If alternate energy resources were never used we wouldn’t even be here today. So be thankful and be a supporter not only in words but in action as well.

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Benefits of Green Energy Sources

For a very long time, we have relied on fossil fuels. It provides heat to our homes, gas for our cars and electricity. Since we are now using it more than ever, there is a consequence. We are depleting our resources and slowly killing our planet. Fortunately, we can change our ways and then shift our attention to green energy sources.

But why green energy sources? Well because there are advantages to using them which we will never be able to get if we don’t change our ways. This is also even if some will argue that the problem with green energy is that it is sometimes difficult to generate the power we need. While that may be true, that is why there are other green energy sources  available and we just to know which ones are viable given the geographic location.

The various green energy sources such as solar, wind, wave, hydropower and geothermal do not produce anything harmful which may have a negative effect on the environment. This is the exact opposite of what you get when you continue to operate a coal or nuclear power plant.

Coal you have to remember releases carbon dioxide into the air. On its own, it may not cause that much damage but there are currently 50,000 coal plants around the world and that number is expected to grow.

Nuclear plants may not release anything harmful into the air. The issue is how we dispose of the spend rods and if another nuclear accident should occur. We remember Chernobyl and Three Mile Island. We have probably learned better ways to prevent another incident from happening. Through the years, a few minor accidents have occurred and although the leak was contained, just imagine if it wasn’t?

Green energy sources may not be maintenance free but at least it does not require that much to maintain them compared to conventional means. In the end, we save money because such facilities don’t cost that much to operate.

The next advantage of using green energy sources is that we will never run out of them. For centuries, the sun’s rays have reached so has the wind which is blown from the sea. By using it, we decrease our dependence on oil which is a nonrenewable resource.

If you think about it, many of us have taken these green energy sources for granted. If we do the  right thing now, future generations will not have to face the mess that we could have handled on our own years before.

In short, the power is in our hands. We have the technology and we know what to do with it. The only thing we need is to do is to put our money where our mouth is because despite the number of conferences on global warming and climate change, little has happened.

It is easy to talk about how concerned we are about the environment but you have to ask yourself when will more solar panels or wind turbines will be erected? When will the number of coal or nuclear power plants be reduced?

Green energy sources is the solution to the environmental, political and social problems of this lifetime. By spending more on these technologies, no country will have to depend on another or even a corporation for their power needs because they are self dependent and free.

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All biofuels are a water | friendly power source

Biofuels are also a green energy source. It has been around for a very long time and lately, people are beginning to take notice.

Liquid biofuel which is the one used in cars is a natural and renewable domestic fuel that can only be used for diesel engines. This can be made from vegetable oils mostly soy and corn. The nice thing about it is that it contains no petroleum, is nontoxic and biodegradable.

All biofuels are a water | friendly power source

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

One example of this is biodiesel which is made from alcohol like methanol and a chemical process that separates glycerine and methyl esters (biodiesel) from fats or vegetable oils. Aside from methanol, some countries have also experimented with corn and sugarcane to create their own version of biofuel.

Glycerine is a common products and this is used in making toothpaste and soap. Since it is quite new, the process of converting it is quite expensive and right now, this is still much more expensive per gallon compared to petroleum.

But if you look at what you pay for it, the returns are huge because you get to do your share to preserve a cleaner environment, an improvement in air quality and a reduction of cancer-causing agents.

A cheaper and primitive way to make bio-diesel is by collecting cooking oil and then processing it. This may not good your car’s engine so be careful if you decide to use it.

If you are skeptic about biodiesels, studies have shown that its performance on the road is just as good as petroleum in terms of power to efficiency, hauling and climbing. You can use this in its pure form or blend with petroleum fuel. The most common mix in the market is 20/80 and is referred to as "B20." This means that 20% is biodiesel and the remainder is 80%. Another version is the E85 which is fuel composed of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.

The best part about using biodiesel is that you only have to make a few changes in your engine to be able to use it. Aside from making the car run, it also helps clean the engine. If you are concerned that this will void the warranty of your vehicle should there be a problem, don’t worry because it doesn’t. In the US, B20 is the most common one available but there are only a few gas stations that carry it.

When car’s first rolled out in the beginning of the 20th century, Henry Ford planned to make these vehicles especially the Model T’s run using ethanol. Tests have even shown that these may also run using peanut oil.

This never materialized because huge oil deposits were discovered and diesel was cheap. It was only when our demand for oil increased in the 1970’s, 1980’s, 1990’s and in the early part of this year that people began to realize that to reduce our demand for foreign oil that we should try using biodiesels and other forms of alternative energy.

Is it too late? Not yet because there is still time to use biofuels and others as green energy sources.

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A Peek on How People View Home Energy

When you hear the phrase “home energy” what first comes to your mind? So you think you are alone in your view of what home energy is? Do you think that somehow, you need to know more and expand your views about home energy?

Well, here are some different views on home energy and a critique of them:

1) Expensive – This is the most agreed upon view of home energy today. People think that home energy and savings do not really go together. As people will tell you, living a comfortable life costs money, and not everyone has money.

People view home energy in terms of money. They ask themselves, how something which they cannot even see cost so much. This view on home energy is not helped by the fact that all over the news, you can see reports of the price of energy ever-increasing.

This view of home energy, however, can be put to rest when it is properly examined. As you may well know by now, it is true that oil prices are continuing to increase as deposits are diminishing. However, what most people fail to understand is that humanity always tries to find ways to bypass any problem. In this case, we have tried to develop the true potential of alternative energy. During the past few years, breakthroughs have been made in the field of alternative energy that would make energy virtually free.

2) Burden – People view home energy as a burden to be endured, an inevitable part of daily living. After all, they realize that they do need home energy to provide them with the conveniences of daily living.

Energy is the lifeblood which makes civilization today possible. It is through technology that we have reached the level of progress we are in today. Energy fuels technology, and people are sometimes hesitant to question the cost of their home energy.

However, home energy need not be such a burden. Nowadays, more and more people are turning to different house designs and different materials in order to make efficient use of home energy. This means that viewing home energy as a burden can be a thing of the past.

There are also more and more houses able to support their energy needs through alternative means. By making use of alternative energy sources, people will not view home energy as a burden; but rather, will see it for its benefits.

3) Electricity – When you ask most people about how they view home energy, most would answer you that home energy was what appeared on their electric bills. However, Energy is so much more than electricity. You see, energy does much more than run your appliances. Home energy also involves heat energy, which is used to control the temperature of your house.

This means that not only electricity is involved in home energy, gas and oil is also involved. When you are talking about the costs of home energy, you are not just talking about the cost of keeping your appliances up and running, you are also talking about the little conveniences that you have to pay for.

That’s why it is so important to make use of energy-efficient house designs. These types of houses can efficiently make use of your home energy to make sure you stay as comfortable as possible.

Some home energy systems are actually so efficient that homes can be kept warm in winter and cool in summer even without a temperature control system. Isn’t that just amazing? Did you know that temperature control (air conditioning, heating and the like) accounts for the biggest part of your home energy expenses? By making use of an energy-efficient design for a house, you can actually get your heating and cooling for free!

If you take another look at these three views on home energy, you will notice that people do not really see home energy as a benefit. However much progress we have made, people will always find something to complain about. After all, dissatisfaction is a normal part of human nature. However, you need to remember that despite the fact that you have to pay for it, you should always view home energy as a very helpful and necessary resource.

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What Do Home Energy Magazines Contain?

Electricity is a very important part of our lives and our home. We consume energy all through the day and most especially at night. Our home utilizes energy in order to keep you warm on cold winter days and to keep you cool during summer. You make use of energy to give you light whenever you need to. You also use it when you’re in need of hot water. All your home electronics and appliances need electricity in order to run.

When electricity comes into play, almost all the things that you do, even the little ones, do matter. Since most of us are energy users, we all need to know how to utilize the energy in our home more efficiently for us to save not just money but also electricity.

There are some things that can help you learn how to make use of home energy excellently. Among them are home energy magazines.

Home energy magazines are usually used by the government and other concerned individuals in their campaigns on making every home energy-efficient. Most of these magazines contain easy and very useful tips on how to make your energy consumption lower and accordingly lessen your electric bill. They also incorporate energy saving information and they present lots of energy-wise schemes that can cut back unnecessary use of energy. Hence, energy magazines can help in keeping your hard-earned bucks from walking out your door.

Articles in most home energy magazines come as simple as turning off home appliances and lights when they aren’t needed or keeping the filters of your air conditioning and heating system always clean. Here are some of the home energy tips and energy saving information that you can find in some home energy magazines:

· Home Lighting

1. Whenever possible, utilize natural lights.
2. Turn the lights off when they are not in use
3. Employ compact fluorescent lamp as an alternative to incandescent bulbs.
4. Clean bulbs often.
5. Utilize lamps that give direct illumination over beds and work stations.

· Refrigerator

1. Allow your refrigerator to breathe by giving it more space.
2. Be sure that the condenser coils are clean
3. Clean it with a broom or vacuum cleaner at least twice a year.
4. Inspect the door gaskets and make sure that its doors are tightly sealed.
5. Defrost it regularly.
6. Purchase energy efficient refrigerators.
7. Choose the unit with the highest Energy Efficient Factor

· Cooking

1. Plan ahead of time and prepare all the ingredients before you cook.
2. Before cooking, it is advisable to thaw first all the frozen foods thoroughly.
3. Be sure to have your pans and pots covered.
4. When cooking in electric stoves, utilize flat-bottomed pans and pots.
5. Switch the electric stove off in the last minute of cooking.

Moreover, home energy magazines also contain home safety information or tips on how to avoid accidents involving electricity. We all know that vigilance and a bit of care really go a long way, so in order to stay away from electrical catastrophes, take time to read home energy magazines and look for few reminders.

There are also sections in some magazines that can help you come up with home energy conservation plan. They usually include various approaches and step by step methods in developing such plan. What’s more advantageous is that, with a magazine or printed guide or instructions, you can go through the list over and over again. This way, you can find out which pace is done already and which is not. You also have the chance to review the list and compare it to your home’s present condition.

Aside from the printed ones which can be bought on the bookstores or newsstands, there are also home energy magazines online. The good news is, some of these online magazines are available for free. But mostly, online home energy magazines offer only premium content for a price. These online magazines are usually customized to cater the reader’s tastes and preferences. This is very possible because it is way easy for the publishers and editors of online magazines to make three of four dissimilar versions of their item to fit the preferences of different readerships.

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What You Should Know About Home Energy Rating System

 Energy conservation is one of the considerations that homeowners are taking into account when they are buying furnishings for their homes. From heating systems to washers, owners would like everything to be energy efficient.

 What You Should Know About Home Energy Rating System

This is the reason why there are a lot of products out in the market these days that have with them seals that show how energy effective and efficient these things are. Buyers who are conscious of what they want for their homes always look for this seal. And why not? If it means that they could save on electricity bills, then they would gladly go for it.

But the issue here is not only about the furniture that runs on electricity. The main issue is really about the energy that houses are consuming. There was a time when people cannot control their consumption because they have no means of measuring or estimating energy. The result? Soaring electric bills consumption that could have been prevented if owners only know how to.

With the technology of today, this problem has been eliminated. There is now home energy rating systems that people can have. This is the answer that everyone is waiting for to counter his or her energy efficiency and high bill problems.

If you compare this system to something that you can relate with easily, it would be like that of the meter you have in your car that calculates how many mileage you have used the car for.

In place of the meter, there would be a person visiting your place. That person will conduct an inspection of your place and will survey how much energy you are using by looking at everything from appliances to window positioning and airflow.

It can be noted that the inspector is not just any person. This is someone that has extreme knowledge about houses and energy use. Once he had thoroughly inspected your home, that will be the time when he can point out suggestions or proposals to make your home more energy efficient.

Since electricity is one of the highest paying in all the bills that is acquired in every home, it is normal that owners would rather opt to have inspectors checking out their homes rather than pay the bills that seem to be escalating month after month.

Persons that are considered expert in this system can even point out the furniture that you can and you cannot do without. They would be glad to help you sort out what you have in your home and suggest new things that might help you lower your bills.

This is not all. The data that are gathered from homes are then put into a file that the energy department of the location have. Once all the information has been compiled, the house will be given a rating based on the specified standards of what they consider energy efficient and what is not. Now, why would that be important to the homeowner?

Simple. The rating on how energy efficient and how energy inefficient a house is will reflect on the mortgage that the owners are paying. Mortgages are important to be considered by homeowners because those are also expenses that they need to pay continuously. Owners do not want to be buried deep into mortgages just because their homes are not considered an efficient one.

Another problem that could arise is when homeowners decide to sell their property. It seems that every buyer is now aware or has been taught well about choosing homes that are energy efficient. This is one of the queries they ask real estate brokers and agents. They need to be assured that the property that they are about to buy will be worth it as far as electricity bills go.

Not so many people are aware of the fact that energy efficiency is a factor that affects the market value of their home. If only they have known, they would have probably went out of their way having that needed inspection and making the most of what inspectors have to say.

So the next time you have that home energy rating given, you might want to give it some thought and take note of the suggestions that the department will be giving you. It will only be for your own good and the good of the persons that you will be giving or selling your property to. And to think that you could have paid less or have gotten a higher selling price if you have known the aforementioned facts.

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You Can Build Your Car Powered by Solar [Green Energy Source]

All cars are powered by gas. But with the volatility of crude oil prices and because it is not a renewable, something must be done before it is too late. Given that solar energy, a green energy source is used to power a community, you can also do this on a small scale by using the same principles to build your own car.

[Green Energy Source]

But what do you need to make this work? A lot of things but the two most important are the solar array and the batteries.


The solar array is vital because this is what’s used to collect the sun’s rays and then converts this into electrical energy. There are two types to choose from in the market namely the prefabricated type and the individual kind which you set up yourself.

If you are looking for branded parts, check out either Siemens or ASE Americas that sell terrestrial grade cells and the space grade cells. The lower end model which can produce a significant amount of power is the terrestrial grade version.

Proper wiring must be done to make sure that if one of the panels is not working, your vehicle will still move. If you are worried that the voltage of the solar array should match the system voltage of your motor, you should not to worry because it will still run.

We mentioned earlier that the battery is also important because this is where the solar energy will be stored. Your options for this are lead acid, lithium-ion or nickel-cadmium. Just how many you need to buy will depend on your motor’s voltage. 

When you finally have these two components, these will now have to be connected to the motor. So you know how much juice is left in your batteries, you will also need to install instrumentation similar to the heads up display console on regular cars which tells you your speed, mileage and gas.

Don’t forget to put a steering wheel, suspension, brakes, tires and hubs. You may not be able to make a car that have the same features as like what you see done by one of the three US automakers but just enough to be able to drive it from one place to the next.

The only cars that use solar energy so far are the ones only used in races especially the one held in Australia from travels from the northern part of the country all the way to the south. If this has helped people realize that renewable energy is really the key to the future, the big automakers should try tapping this technology instead of relying of still relying on gasoline.

But apart from solar energy as a green energy source, biodiesel is another alternative. This is a combination of alcohol like methanol and a chemical process that separates glycerine and methyl esters (biodiesel) from fats or vegetable oils. This can also be done using corn and sugarcane.

Although these are not renewable, these are still considered as a green energy sources because it is cleaner than conventional gasoline. This means you do not release harmful chemicals such as carbon monoxide into the air which causes damage to the environment. So if you can’t build a solar powered car, consider a different fuel alternative.

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Concentrating Solar Power Systems

If you have ever seen a field with several mirrors pointing toward the sun you may be looking at a solar power system. These systems work to concentrate the sunlight to one area and use the heat to heat up the liquid that flows along the pipes.  This system is called Parabolic-trough system.  This type of system heats oil that is flowing through the pipe.  The oil is hot and that is why it is used to boil water to power a steam generator which in turns powers electricity.

Concentrating Solar Power Systems

The reason that this system works so well is because the U-shaped mirrors attracts and collects the suns heat which is then transferred onto the receiver.  The receiver absorbs the heat and transfers into fluid which helps to power the engine.  The heat causes the fluid to swell up against the piston and that produces mechanical power.  This type of power can be used to run things like generators or even an alternator that will produce electricity. This system works great when because it uses molten salt that flows through the receiver.  When the salt heats up it can generate electricity through the steam generator.  The salt holds in the heat for several days before it has to be converted into electricity.  Because this system uses so many panels it is mainly used for industrial solar power where acres of land can be donated to the Parabolic Trough.  There can be enough power in the network that can create energy for several days or more.  Because this system is so large that it allows the heat that it saves to be transferred days later.

Through this project and other solar power projects we can understand fully how solar power works. When we see how much solar power is conserved using these U shaped mirrors we can also understand how much energy is lost.  Using concentrating solar power systems are beneficial to the businesses that use them because they won't have so much time down when the power fails.  Machinery is their only major concern and as long as their machines are taken care of there should be no problems. Industrial type of solar power can attract and trap a lot of heat from the sun during the day, especially using mirrors that will reflect the sunlight.  It also helps to have this type of solar power out in an open field free of trees and vegetation that may grow around and at some point crowd the solar light out.

Scientist are continuously studying this theory as businesses use it to power their machinery.  Steam power was what was used from the beginning with solar power and is still what most systems depend on to service their production needs.  In the future, fields may eventually be full of mirrors that somewhat point up to the sky in hopes of generating enough sunlight to heat the world.  Until then we will use the traditional methods of heating water, heating our homes and powering our electricity.

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