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November 29, 2010

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?

November 23, 2010

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.

November 15, 2010

Earth Energy Alternative Green Energy

Earth Energy is a guide that teaches how to build a homemade solar panel and wind turbine at a very low cost. It also claims to reduce 80%-100% of your electric bill. However, is it true? Did the guide really people in achieving their goal? Well let me share you something about the guide.

The Contents of the guide consists of - How to prepare Building A Green Energy Source How does the Solar And Wind Power Work A Detailed Instruction mentioning How To Build Your Own Solar Panel or wind turbine Colorful images to guide You Along The Way Pin Point Accurate directions and important steps How To Obtain components For Free The site claim that you can build your own Solar or wind system for less than 0.Well, after going through the guide, one main benefit you get is knowing how to get a 0 battery free.

If you can follow the instruction properly, you can reduce costs by 90%.The site also claims of saving up to 80% electricity. Quickly, let me mention the return on investments on taking the product Earth Energy.This windmill kit will cost you around 0, which is really nothing when compared to the average energy bill that you get every month. This windmill will be generating you the power or electricity for at least the next 3 to 5 years, possibly saving you lots of dollars in your energy bill.

Also, the solar panels can be easily constructed with a budget around 0, which is very cheap compared to those professional installs. Also even if you have a professionally installed device, then you may have to wait for years before you get back the money. Make sure to discuss with family member about the importance of saving electricity. You can reward them a treat if their participation has led to savings.

Suggest them some tips like switching of the lights when they are not present there and attending a call in another room or having dinner at the dining table. Make sure to switch off all the appliances even if you are sure to be back in five minutes. Yes, that will help a lot. Every drop of water makes an ocean. We may prefer to switch off the television set or turn off the fan, but not the tubelight.We need light at the time of night but see that the usage is required in all the rooms or not.

Taking care of such these small precautions will surely leads us to savings in the long run by reducing the bills of the power demon. One should plan to invest smartly on power. Replace all the incandescent bulbs present in the house with compact fluorescent light or those CFL bulbs. These bulbs consume less electricity as they consume less power. Most of us assume on the fact that the rise in electricity bill is due to the vast number of electrical items present at home. But the truth is that the electricity bill is not directly connected or affected due to the number of gadgets, but by the way one uses them.

Take a step forward to avoid using those typical items regularly that consumes lot of power -
• The washing machine should be used only when there is a bucket full of clothes.
• The geyser should not be kept on for maximum amount of time.
• The air-conditioner should be kept at minimum high or low temperature.
• Take note to switch off the computer monitor when not in use.

It consumes maximum power and it just takes a second to switch it again. Lastly we suggest that for reducing the electricity bill by taking benefit of reading the energy saving guide like Earth Energy that has some of the best solutions to generate energy at home and providing free electricity to some of your home appliances.

In this way we can save power that is facing a huge shortage because of the large demand in the global countries. Try to reduce the requirement of those electrical wires and sockets for home and use the renewable energy extracted from natural resources like wind, sun, tides at a lesser price but having a long term returns. (alternative energy,alternative green energy,cheap electricity,electric free standing,electromagnetic energy,energy of magnetic)

Energy Alternative

When we say alternative energy, it means any source of usable and exploitable energy which is deliberately researched and calculated to replace the ordinary fuel sources. Today, there are many different sources of energy readily available for consumption; it is just a matter of time when the energy alternative will be fully utilized in every home.

Wood is considered as the most basic source of energy. In early times, it is used as a means to make trains run or just simply cooking. Nowadays, since wood is becoming scarce and limited, people are finding ways to alleviate or lessen the needs for wood energy. One energy alternative for wood is coal. Coal is an effective source of energy as it replaces everything that wood energy can provide. Coal is quite accessible, all one has to do is to create a coal mine, and surely, coal will be found.

Petroleum is another energy alternative. Petroleum replaces the use of whale oil back in the 19th century. During that time, whale oils are commonly used for lubrication and fuel for lamps. Now, petroleum is widely used because is it is cheaper than whale oil.
Petroleum, as stated, is an alternative to whale oils. But now, petroleum is becoming limited, as such, another energy alternative was discovered to replace petroleum, and that is goal gasification. Coal gasification simply means coal turned into a gas. 

Alcohol is another form of energy alternative. Before alcohol, many people way back then used fossil fuels to run almost everything. However, due to scarcity and limited accessibility of fossil fuels, the use thereof had become very expensive. Since 1917, alcohol had been used as an energy alternative to fossil fuel and become a new trend in providing fuel to many establishments. The good thing about alcohol is that one can just build an ethanol plant in order to obtain this kind of energy alternative.

There are also these zero carbon alternatives. In countries where change of climate is an issue, and thus, making it difficult to store and restore energy, hydrogen and biomass combustion is often used. It is derived from natural gas and does not present any available alternatives because they are not commonly used world wide.
In some countries, they treat natural gas as an alternative source of energy. It is an effective energy alternative as opposed to petroleum. Potential sources of natural gas include decomposition of waste in landfills, agricultural waste materials, unusable parts of plants or manure, and many more.

In this age of technology and advancement, most countries resort to hydro and geothermal plants in order to produce energy. This is commonly called as renewable energy. Other examples include solar energy, energy coming from wind mills or the ocean. These sources of energy are the best alternative to the commonly used coal, petroleum, or fossil fuels. They are called renewable because they produce energy without wasting or combusting anything. Renewable energy is one of the sources of alternative energy that is being utilized and improved today because of its unlimited source and easy accessibility.

November 6, 2010

Source of Energy from Cow dung

Biogas is primarily methane that is generated from an anaerobic digestion of organic wastes by microorganisms. It is a relatively simple and economical method to produce a fuel from waste.
While technically biogas can be produced from any type of organic material, most times, biogas is produced from organic waste. This waste could comprise agricultural and crop waste, human waste and animal waste (cow dung for instance). With a calorific value of about 5000 KCal / m3, biogas is an excellent fuel for heating purposes as well as for generating electricity.

It is estimated that India can produce power of about 17,000 MW using biogas. This is over 10% of the total electricity installed capacity in India.

The advantages of biogas-based energy generation are as follows:
1. It is based on renewable sources
2. It can provide distributed energy generation, thereby providing much-needed energy for remote locations and villages.
3. In many cases, it provides a beneficial way of disposing organic waste

Biogas in households and communities
Biogas production has been quite dominant in India at household and community levels (especially in rural areas) than on large scales. In villages especially, thousands of small biogas plants use the cattle waste (especially cow dung) and provide biogas used for home heating and cooking. It is estimated that over 2 million such biogas plants have been installed all over India.
Such use of biogas systems in agrarian communities can increase agricultural productivity. This is because producing heat using biogas is more efficient than producing it using combustion, and hence more agricultural and animal waste can be returned to the land by farmers as organic fertilizer. Moreover, the slurry that is returned after methanogenesis is superior in terms of its nutrient content and can be used as a soil conditioner and plant nutrient (fertilizer).

Biogas for electricity production
The use of biogas for electricity generation in India is more recent, but this trend is accelerating. In many cities across India, sewage treatment centers and organic waste treatment plants (those treating organic municipal solid waste, for instance) already use anaerobic digesters to generate biogas and electricity. Some of the industries that generate significant amounts of solid or liquid organic waste also have installed digesters and gas engines for electricity production. Many of these require sizable investments, but it is estimated that they have a good return on investment as the main feedstock that they use is essentially free.

Biogas in the Indian industry
Use of digesters at industrial complexes (to treat the waste generated at the factory) is also increasing. For the factories and businesses concerned, this is an excellent avenue to dispose of waste in a cost effective manner while at the same time generate heat and/or electricity. Industries that have an especially high potential for using anaerobic digestion include cattle and poultry industry, sugar, breweries, pulp and paper, leather, and the fruits & vegetables industry. As pointed out earlier, some of these industries are already producing electricity from biogas, and this trend is likely to grow further in future.
Many Indian industries, in their quest for becoming more environment conscious, are turning to biogas one of their energy sources. In Sep 2009, for instance, PepsiCo India, a division of PepsiCo installed a biogas plant at its Pune-based Frito-Lay manufacturing unit. It's the first plant within Frito-Lay's global operations to use biogas. Companies such as Sintex Industries have introduced novel biogas digesters for the small users of this renewable energy resource.

Future prospects for biogas in India
With the Indian government keen on utilizing renewable resources for energy production, it is likely that there will be a greater thrust and higher incentives for concepts such as biogas production from waste. An increasing awareness among the public regarding sustainable use of resources will only enhance the production and use of biogas. It can hence be expected that biogas will have a significant growth in India at all levels of usage (household, municipality and industry) for both heat generation and electricity production.
It is also possible to earn carbon credits for biogas-based power or heat generation in India. For instance, in Apr 2008, Andhyodaya, a non-government agency working in the field of promoting water management and non-conventional energy and social development distributed the first installment of the biogas carbon credit to farmers in the state of Kerala. Andhyodaya had helped construct 15,000 biogas plants in the state and earned carbon credits. This trend is likely to grow further.
Both the central and the state governments in India have recognized the significance of biomass-based energy in the context of development of the rural population. It is also heartening to note that steps are already being taken in this regard. For instance, in Feb 2010, the Haryana Government has formulated a Rs. 85 crore project for setting up 50,000 family size biogas plants to harness the potential of generating biogas for cooking and (remnants as) organic manure in the fields.
More such investments and efforts are on the horizon.
In sum, India has significant potential for generating heat and electricity from waste in the form of biogas. While only a portion of the potential has been tapped, it is likely that more investments in this direction could accelerate exploitation of this source in future.

November 5, 2010

Solar Power Generation

More and more people are getting into the hype of solar power generation. But what exactly is this method of generating electricity? Here are some interesting aspects of this green alternative energy source facts about it to help you assess on whether or not you will consider it as an alternative power source for your home or business establishment.

Solar power generation is unlimited - since the source is the sun, there is also no limit on how often you must harvest energy from it. Consequently in this case, the amount of energy which can be transformed into electricity is also considerable enormous. This is also not only applicable in areas where sunlight is relatively fair but can also be applied in other areas even when clouds seem to be congregated all the time.

Pollution free - there is no emissions that will be created in the harvest as well as conversion of energy harnessed from the sun. With the only problem arising from the disposal of solar panels, which may happen only after 20 years after being used up, the whole process of energy extraction is virtually clean.

Flexibility of harvest - there is no minimum required amount of energy that should be initially harvested just to fuel your energy needs. As long as you would like to generate more energy even beyond what you really need is quite possible. Excess can be stored and sold to the power companies.
The amount of energy to be generated will also depend largely on the capacity of the panels and how many panels one is going to use. So whether you simply place the panels on your rooftop or have them conveniently stationed on your lawn will simply be all up to your preference.
You may also increase the number of panels that you expose if you want to increase the energy that you want to generate. In general, however, panels are not 100 percent capable of converting all the energy that was collected. This might perhaps pose a problem to some people especially those who cannot afford to buy more panels since these are relatively expensive. However, you can buy do it yourself solar panels for solar power generation, which is something more and more people are doing.

November 4, 2010

Solar Stove

Solar oven or solar cooker is a cooking device that uses sunlight as an energy source. Because this type of stove do not use conventional fuel and operating costs low, humanitarian organizations are promoting their use worldwide to help slow deforestation and desertification, caused by the use of wood as fuel for cooking.

Solar cookers can be used outdoors, especially in situations where minimal fuel consumption or fire risk becomes an important consideration.

There are different types of solar cookers. Everything uses heat and light from the sun to cook food. Some basic principles of solar cookers are as follows:

1. Concentration of sunlight. Some devices, usually a mirror or similar material metal that reflects light, is used to concentrate the sun's light and heat toward the cooking area is small, making the energy more concentrated and more potentially generate enough heat to cook.
2. Convert light into heat. The interior of the solar cookers and pans, of any material from the black, can increase the effectiveness of turning light into heat. A black pan will absorb almost all sunlight and convert it into heat, substantially improving the effectiveness of the cooker. The better ability to deliver hot pot, the faster the stove and oven work.
3. Trapping heat. Efforts to isolate the air inside the cooker from the air outside will be important. Use of hard and transparent material such as plastic bags or cover the pan made of glass allow light to enter into a saucepan. After the light is absorbed and turned into heat, plastic bag or cover made of glass will trap the heat in it such as the greenhouse effect. This allows the stove to reach the same temperature as cold and windy day as when the day sunny and hot.

Strategy heating a thing by using solar energy becomes less effective if only using one of the principles mentioned above. In general, a solar cooker using at least two ways, or even three basic principles of solar cookers to produce temperatures sufficient for cooking.

Apart from the need for sunlight and needs to place the solar cooker in the right position before use, the stove is not much different from the conventional stove. However, one disadvantage is that solar cookers are generally cook food on a hot day, when people tend to be reluctant to eat hot food. However, the use of thick pot that delivers heat slowly (such as pots of cast iron / cast) can reduce heat loss rate and by combining with the use of thermal insulation, stove to keep warm the food until the evening.

Closing stove can usually be opened to place the pot into it. Box cookers generally have one or more reflective than aluminum foil material or other reflective material to reflect more light into the interior of the box. Cooking pot and the inside bottom of the cooker should be dark colored or black. Inner walls of the stove should be able to reflect light to reduce heat loss and direct reflected light toward the pot and stove, dark basic, direct contact with the pan.

Solar energy


Solar power is an outstanding green energy source because it is replenishable, and it does not lead to any damage to the environment. By making use of solar cells, sunshine is converted into electricity which can be used in our houses.
Basically, there are three different ways we can work with solar energy for our benefit. The different sorts are passive, active, and by harnessing solar power by using photovoltaic or pv cells.
Any time we use passive solar energy, no energy is converted at all. Passive solar energy uses the architectural construction of a building to obtain the highest gain from sunshine.
This kind of method may also be used in homes. Studies have found that for minimal expense, this can decrease the heating requirements by as much as 80%. You won't need to use the heating system nearly as much as you would otherwise. As a people, we would not consume anywhere near the amount of energy that we do now, if we all used a passive solar approach. Non-renewable energy sources are used to produce the majority of our electricity.
The next process, which is called active solar energy, is the most basic way of changing sunlight into heat. It is possesses its own limits, as it basically works while producing hot water. If you have a hot water heating system, this can be a big benefit.
The third, and the best method for generating electricity is to use solar cells. This will make it possible for us to have the power we need to have by making our own electricity. The electricity could be used to power an entire home or even an office building. The size of the solar system will decide on the amount of energy changed into electricity. This is done with the use of solar cells, which convert sunlight into electricity. Large quantities of solar cells are used to create the solar panels that harness the sunshine. Homes and office buildings can frequently be observed with solar panels built on the top of them.
The only limitation to this environmentally friendly energy source is the fact that it can only generate electricity if the weather is good and the sun is out. It cannot collect and convert power on overcast or rainy days. With no large battery bank, conventional electricity will need to be turned on until the weather eventually improves.
One of the more interesting uses of solar energy has been when solar driven cars were constructed as experiments. The same as buildings, they are limited by the size of the battery bank built into the automobile. Solar panels also produce electricity for the satellites revolving about the earth. With the use of solar energy, a few companies are totally free from electrical power grids. It does not make a difference where solar panels are situated, as long as they get plenty of sunlight. They will also work well all year long, as long as the sun is shining.
The larger the quantity of solar cells utilized in your panels will definitely result in a more substantial amount of electricity that you can generate. If sufficient in size, this could possibly get your home through quite a few days of cloudiness. If your battery bank is big enough, you might never have to resort to using conventional electricity.
Solar energy is not the only source of natural energy which could be considered. Throughout the decades, we have learned to make use of other replenishable resources. Other commonly used green energy sources are wind energy, geothermal energy, hydroelectricity and bio-fuels. These are all safe for the natural environment. We could reduce our need for non-renewable energy resources, like coal and oil, if more people used green energy for our own power.
As a country, we will need to compel our political figures to make new laws to encourage the use of the different forms of replenishable power. Even though you hear a good deal of talk by our politicians relating to their concern for the environment, almost no has been done about the issue, and it continues to be largely all talk. To save planet Earth, this has to change.
America is not even one of the top ten countries that are increasing their use of replenishable energy resources. Two countries which have heightened their solar practices are Germany and Japan. The world leader in the use and generation of solar panels is Germany. Spain, France, Italy and South Korea are keeping with their example.. It is apparent that America can improve also, and not be found lacking. All of us need to quit debating about it, and really start taking steps to rid ourselves from our need to depend on fossil fuels.