Alternative Wind Energy - a Cleaner Option

Continuously rising oil prices are noticeable to everyone. These price policies and other problems with oil producing and exporting countries are highlighting every day the need to end our dependence on fossil fuels and find alternative sources of energy instead. One of those options is alternative wind energy. Even if we were able to produce enough oil ourselves those resources are limited and quickly depleting. Experts have warned for some time that cheap oil is becoming increasingly scarce and therefore, oil prices will have to rise further. The only option available to us therefore, is to find cheaper, more affordable and economical types of energy. Alternative wind energy could be the solution to our problem.

Our current consumption of fossil fuels is creating vast problems for our health, our environment and our climate. While some scientists still insist that global warming was mainly a natural occurrence, the health risks and other environmental damages caused by pollution certainly are man made. But it is not just the oil that is causing problems. Coal, too, is problematic as an energy resource. This resource is also non-renewable, its' production through mining is hazardous and its' consumption is a large contributor to environmental pollution.

It is time that we explore other clean and renewable sources of energy that satisfy our electricity and energy needs without the negative side effects on our health and our environment. Clean forms of energy such as alternative wind energy and solar energy could satisfy our energy needs without destroying nature.

Especially those nations that have only reached industrialized standards over the last few decades need to accelerate the implementation of alternative sources of energy as they are currently emitting the largest amounts of harmful gasses. Nations, such as the United States and Japan together with many European countries are already leading the way in terms of research and implementation of renewable energy sources such as alternative wind energy and solar, geothermal and marine power. Developing nations such as India and China should learn from the experiences of the more developed nations in terms of what types of alternative energy technology to support and finance with government funds. Developed nations could actually boost their own economies by exporting knowledge and technology to countries like Brazil, China or India.

There are many different sources of energy available that all can play their role in replacing our dependence on fossil fuels, e.g. solar energy technology like photovoltaic cells, alternative wind energy, natural gas, hydroelectric power, biofuels from soybeans, hydrogen fuel cells to name just a few. With so many options and alternatives to our current oil dependency there is hope that our future really will be green.

About the Author

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3 Power Saving Energy Alternatives

Many of you I'm sure have already gripped the idea of eco products and services such as billing statements and bank statements offered paperless, eco friendly cars, solar panels, and naturally derived energy from our sun and earth. I express thanks to all of you that take advantage of these healthier and more efficient standards. For a lot of you it is hard to change your accustomed ways of living, for some it is inviting engaging. This article is being written to give you some insight of where our world is heading with renewable resources being obtainable to everyone. Below are three of the most popular routes chosen to achieve free energy that anyone can use to start an eco friendly lifestyle of their own.

envision your electric bill coming in the mail and saying you owe nothing. That would be pretty cool right? Well a lot of people are experiencing this phenomenon all over the world as more and more people are turning to alternative energy resources. for example if you positioned solar panels on your home you can possibly eliminate your electric bill, even receive credits from your utility company depending on your setup. Solar panels work by collecting energy from the sun on PV panels and is then converted into electricity. There is a newer generation of solar panels that is also made to heat water harnessing the suns energy. You may pay close to your electric bill in financing this project for a couple years but now your ahead of the game and by then others will be asking where you got them and how much they cost. several businesses, governments, military, and homeowners are taking more advantage of this fairly new means of free and eco friendly alternative to fossil fuel.

Another and even newer innovative technology used to generate electricity is referred to as geothermal energy. Now this is a notable eco friendly system. The process is quite uncomplicated to explain. Just above the earth's magma center there is an area that collects and retains water from rainfall, rivers, etc. This water is superheated by the magma underneath it. Wells are drilled five to ten thousand feet into the earth. Under its own pressure the water is piped up to the surface where the superheated water flows to a separator where the high pressure steam is rapidly vaporized and travels to a steam turbine. The steam power spins the turbine attached to a shaft that is linked directly to an electric generator. next the electricity goes to a transformer before it transfers through power lines and finally to your home. This is the process of a larger scale geothermal plant, homeowner models are somewhat simpler and provide heat, cooling, and hot water at about a 70% decrease in your bills. They use a heat pump and pipes in the ground filled with an eco friendly anti freeze. In the winter the heat from the ground is brought up to heat the house. In the summer, the heat is pumped into the ground and cool air is brought back up. This works because at about twenty meters below the earth ground temperatures remain nearly the same all year as surface temps vary.

The last electric powerhouse to mention, mostly used in larger scale but has been adopted over the years for home use as smaller more practical models are made available. This would be the wind turbine. A wind turbine, most commonly installed on the top of a post collects kinetic energy from wind speeds normally above 7 mph. The blades turn a shaft which turns an electric generator. These home turbines start at around $3,000 for a small basic 1000 watt system to thousands depending on how much power you would need. Modern systems also require no batteries as older models did, now they just feed directly into your home current.

In conclusion I hope that these examples have opened your mind a little more of where our future is heading and the role eco friendly power will play on a daily basis for all our energy needs. All of these are indeed investments that will pay for themselves in a couple years. So why is it that every homeowner is not taking advantage of these energy alternatives? I believe it is simply because not enough people are informed enough to make a change, nor realize how satisfying it can be to the environment and your bills. Also changing the ways you think and achieve every day tasks. We can envision what it would be like to stop doing something your used to doing your whole life and do something completely different. It's a large step but we must start setting examples and taking advantage of these breakthrough ways to harness free energy. We all love free things, and mother nature just happens to be more than generous to give them to us.

If you have any other questions or comments please feel free to visit http:www.greencandlesonline.com

About the Author

I am equal owner of Sweeter Soy Scents Soy Candles and want to let people know about other eco friendly alternatives available to them.

Biomass Energy

Utilization of biomass as an alternative energy source has attracted people to promote its use. This is caused by a decline in fossil energy reserves. This is a dangerous point for energy security in the last decade.

To avoid future energy crises, they began to increase use of renewable energy sources such as biomass. More than that, the use of fossil fuels increases the concentration of sulfur and greenhouse gases in nature.

Governments in various countries around the world have adopted policies favorable to the use of biomass as an energy alternative. So that industry players will get a subsidy from the government.

Biomass can be used as energy with a wide variation. Utilization of biomass produces electricity, heat for industrial facilities, home heating and fuels vehicle.
Conversion of biomass for energy is called bio-energy. This conversion can be achieved with some solutions that thermochemical and biochemical technologies. 

Thermochemical process is divided into three technology solutions are combustion, gasification and pyrolysis.
To understand the meaning of each Technology solution, we can learn from the final product On combustion, have the final product steam, process heat and electricity energy. Each has its own type of function. Steam can be used to drive steam engines, while the heat can be used for processing in the chemical industries.

The final products of electric can be used more flexibly. This product of gasification is the steam, the process of heat, electrical energy and methane gas fuel and hydrogen. Methane and hydrogen can be used as a fuel cell system. This system is increasingly popular as the technology of the future.

Pyrolysis technology solutions, has the final product is charcoal, coal and bio-gas fuel. Charcoal and bio-coal can be an analogy as coal but more environmentally friendly. This is because emissions from the production of bio-coal and charcoal lower than coal. Biochemical process produces anaerobic digestion the technology solution. This technology has the final product of ethanol, water for irrigation, compost and biogas.

Wind Energy

Wind is basically air that is moving through the landscape. The uneven temperatures of the earth's surface are what cause air to move, thus becoming wind. Before knowing how is wind energy used, you must first understand how wind is generated. Due to the various types of surface of the earth, specifically land and water, the sun's heat is absorbed at a much different rate, where water heats up or cools down much longer compared to land because of their varying physical characteristics. This fact is what causes air to move, thus creating wind energy.

The best circumstance for the creation of wind is areas where land meets water, which is why the beach always seems so windy. Because the air above land heats up more quickly compared to the air above water, the hot air above land expands and becomes denser and slowly rises, while the heavier and denser cool air above water moves toward the land to take the place of the rising hot air, consequently producing wind. In a similar manner, the atmospheric winds that surround the earth are generated because the land close to the equator is heated more quickly by the sun's energy compared to the land in the South and North Pole area.

Now that we know how wind is created, let us focus on how is wind energy used. In recent history, as well as today, people have been using wind energy to generate electricity to power barns, mills, water pumps, and recently, homes and other electronic devices. Wind is considered a good renewable source of energy because it will continue to blow for as long as the sun keeps on shining and the temperature of the earth continues to vary. With today's almost uncontrollable rise of conventional energy prices, people are trying to find innovative ways to lessen the cost of electricity; and wind energy is a very viable alternative.

When it comes to wind direction, a wind vane, otherwise known as weather vane, is utilized to show the direction of the wind. Wind vanes, or weather vanes, point toward the source of the wind and not to where it is headed. A north wind, for example, refers to the wind coming from the north not towards it. This is a common misconception. Wind speed, on the other hand, is measured by using an anemometer or a wind gauge. It is essential to measure wind speeds, especially during hurricanes, or if you wish to install a wind turbine for your home, you need to know the average wind speed in your area. There is a particular type of anemometer that has three arms that spins on top of a shaft as the wind blows. These arms have cups on each end responsible for catching the wind. The harder the wind blows, the faster the shaft spins, which calculates the spins per minute and then converts it into kilometers per hour (km/h) or miles per hour (mp/h).

A long time ago, the ancient Egyptians have already learned to harness the wind's energy to maneuver their ships in the Nile River. As technology advanced, people started using wind energy to grind wheat, corn, and other types of grains using windmills. Now, an increasing number of individuals are using wind energy to generate electricity to power homes and other electronic devices. We can only imagine what other uses of wind energy we can come up with in the future. You asked, how is wind energy used? Now that you know some of its uses, why not make one for yourself?

Hot Water Demand Systems save Time, Water, Energy, and Money

We all know that we should be conserving water for a wide variety of reasons.  In some areas there are droughts occurring, in some areas water is just scarce to begin with.  Demand type hot water systems are an excellent way to save water.

Saving energy, conserving water, and reducing green house gases

One reason; for every gallon of water you use, you are using energy as well.  Water typically has to be pumped from the source to your home, and often it needs to be treated as well using even more energy.  The energy used to pump the water and treat the water needs to be generated, and that typically releases green house gases into the atmosphere.

Most of us are familiar with the common water conservation methods, low-flow toilets, low flow shower heads, low flow fixtures and strategies such as using landscaping that doesn’t require much water.  All of these methods require some sort of sacrifice by the user.

Add convenience without spending a fortune

Now there is a way to conserve large amounts of water, and it does not require sacrifice on the part of the user.  It’s actually a convenience for the user.  The concept behind this new conservation method is actually not new, but in recent years it’s been through some revolutionary changes that make it inexpensive and easy to implement.

The method as you may have surmised is the circulation of the hot water.  The old hot water circulating systems of the past were expensive, and very wasteful of energy.  The advantages were nearly instant hot water.  With instant hot water you don’t have to run gallons of water down the drain while you wait for the hot water to arrive.  This can save a typical family of four over 10,000 gallons per year.

Hot water demand  systems are energy efficient

Not only do you conserve water, but you are provided the convenience of fast hot water. The good news is that the old hot water circulating systems have evolved into today’s hot water demand systems.  Hot water demand systems are much less expensive than their older counter parts, and are easy to install.  They are also extremely energy efficient. Hot water demand systems use less than .00 a year in electricity, and can actually save water heating energy as well.

There are several brands of hot water demand systems, including the Chilipepper CP6000, the Metlund D’MAND system, and Taco pump that markets a D’MAND system nearly identical to the Metlund system. These systems consist of an electronically controlled pump that connects to the hot and cold water lines under the fixture.  When you desire hot water at your fixture, you press a button that turns on the pump. When hot water reaches the pump, it shuts off, and hot water is only 2 or 3 seconds away.

Fast hot water for more than one fixture

Depending on your plumbing layout these units can often supply quick hot water to more than one sink, and sometimes all of your sinks.  You can easily find out how a demand system will work for your plumbing layout. When your pipes are all cold, like the first thing in the morning, just pick the location you think is the furthest from the water heater and turn on the hot water until it gets hot.

Now the hot water line is full of hot water just as though a demand system had been activated.  Go to the next closest sink and see if you get hot water a lot faster.  By letting the pipes cool off, you can try different locations for the demand system and determine the best place for it.  If need be you can use more than one pump in a house.

Metlund and Chilipepper Sales

Metlund offers 3 models that range in price from less than 0 to about 0.  The larger Metlund models can be used with tankless water heaters. Chilipepper CP6000 has a suggested retail price of 9.99, and is much more powerful than the Metlund and Taco systems and will therefore work with any kind of water heater including any tankless model.

Both systems are easy to install and both have code approvals.  Both systems save you the same amount of water, both have a life expectancy of about 15 years, and both systems have warranties.  The Chilipepper CP6000 also offers a 30 day unconditional money back guarantee.

Get a rebate

In some areas the local water companies offer rebates for the installation of these systems, some reaching 0.00.  In those areas it’s inexcusable not to install one of these water saving devices.

So now you know… for less than 0 you can get your hot water faster, stop running water down the drain, save a ton of water each year, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  If you have a septic system you substantially reduce the amount of waste water your system has to handle each day.

Be green, practice water conservation, save money, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by installing one of these water conservation systems right away.