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Archive for the ‘Green Fuels’ Category

Most power plants in the United States and all over world are using fossil fuels to operate and generate electricity. Fossil fuel has been used as an energy source as long as man has learned to generate power. Fossil fuel has been around for ages and when man started using this energy sources no one though about the consequences. Fossil fuels will run out and there will be a shortage of it in near future. This shortage in fossil fuel will have its affect on our daily live and various industries. Today we see some of these affects already, fossil fuel prizes are raising and electricity is becoming more expensive. Although fossil fuels are more scares, to need for fossil fuels will still be here and will not decrease in near future. To solve this shortage of fossil fuels we will need to look for other possibilities for our energy demand.

Fortunately, alternative energy sources are growing in interest. For instance, locations with high water falls are experimenting on building a hydro-electric power plant, which turns out to be successful. Other locations with high wind speed make use of a power wind mills that can convert wind power into electricity. Also thermal and tidal powers are good alternatives.

Solar energy is also one of the energy sources that is gaining in interest. Solar energy has steadily been growing. Today solar energy is widely used in the US and the advantages are numerous. Our solar energy source, the sun, its life span is estimated to be another 4.5 billion years. It is fair to say that this energy source is almost endless.

Rate of Energy from the Sun

The sun’s radiation reaches a certain unit of area in space in the region of the Earth’s orbit and is estimated to be at 1,400 watts per square meter. Out of this, photovoltaic cells (also known as solar cells) can capture 19 to 56 watts per square meter (for 15% efficiency) or an equivalent of 0.45 to 1.35 kilowatt per hour (kWh) in an annual day and night average.

Therefore, if there would be more area that will be covered by several solar panels, these panels can produce slightly more energy in the form of electricity than what is currently available from oil, gas, and other sources of energy combined (assuming 8% solar cell efficiency).

Conversion of Solar Energy

There are two ways of conversion of solar energy. First is the direct solar energy which involves only one conversion into a usable form. For instance:

* Sunlight hits the solar cell, converting it into electricity. * Sunlight hits the absorber surface of a solar thermal collector, converting into thermal energy which can be used to heat homes during cold season.

The second is the indirect solar energy which involves more than one conversion to reach a usable form. For instance:

* Plants use photosynthesis to transform solar energy to chemical energy, which can be burned later as fuel to generate electricity (also known as bio-fuel technology). * Hydroelectric dams and wind turbines are indirectly supplied by solar energy through its interaction with the Earth’s atmosphere.

Pros and Cons of Solar Energy

Just like any other types of energy resources, solar energy has its ins and outs.

Pros:
* Pollution-free. * Solar facilities can be run with little extra input or maintenance. * It is abundant. As mentioned earlier, most of the inhabited areas here on Earth can be reached by sunlight.

Cons:
* Although it is abundant, non-tropical locations can receive little sunlight. Thus, power that will be produced in these locations is a minimum.
* Only during daytime thus not available during night time.
* Photovoltaic cell technologies generate direct current (DC) power which needs to be converted to alternating current (AC) power used in distribution grids.

Once massive development of the use of solar energy is materialized, expect that every household or industry in the world will now be powered by solar energy. It is not just a dream, it will be a dream come true.

About the Author

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Solar energy is definitely the future trend of energy. Nowadays, many households have converted their home to be powered by solar power system to take advantage of free and renewable energy from the sun. There are both advantages and disadvantages of using solar power. But, if you can benefit from its advantages and overcome its disadvantages, solar energy is a good alternative for existing fossil fuel energy.

Four Advantages of Solar Energy

1. Cut-down electrical bill
The key reason that most households convert their power source to solar energy is to cut down their electrical bill because the electrical usage generated from the sun is free. By converting as many home appliances as possible to use solar energy, you can save a significant lump-sum of money uses to pay for your typical electrical bill. It is the best option to reduce utilities expenses.

2. It is a renewable energy source
Typical electricity is generated from fossil fuel that will run out one day. Solar energy is a good alternative to replace fossil fuel as the major energy source because solar power is renewable at absolutely no cost to supply energy infinitely.

3. Environment friendly
The world pollution is getting worse. Any effort that can reduce the pollution to the environment helps to save the earth. Solar panels are able to harness the energy from the sun and convert it to electricity. Therefore, the use of solar panels is environment friendly. Therefore, solar energy that is harmless to the environment will be the major energy source for future starting today.

4. Low / no maintenance needed
Once you have installed the solar power system, it can last twenty to thirty years without major maintenance needed. You may need to do system check once a year, just to make sure everything is performing as it should. Since it requires very minimum maintenance cost, your cost should be minimal.

About the Author

Renewable energy from the sun is very cost effective energy sources, but the installation can be expensive, unless you do-it-yourself. Visit Dave Stilman at http://www.wind-solar-power.info to find the best renewable energy guide with step-by-step guide to build a solar power system yourself at a minimum cost.

Global warming is a big issue that we usually hear and see on TV and newspaper. It keeps on echoing in my brain. The main culprit to be blamed for such a not so distant catastrophe in the future is us and our abusive attitudes towards nature.

The major factor of course is the ramapant and wasteful use of energy. It is always claimed that powerplants, factories and cars are the biggest contributor of greenhouse gases that cause global warming.

But we are not too late. We still have time to save the planet and even more reverse the effects of global warming. All we need is to use alternative source of energy that is renewable and doesn’t emit greenhouse gases.

Technologies are available and plans had been laid for the roadmap towards independence from fossil fuels. Renewable energy has potential to meet a greater portion of our energy demand although further development has been hampered by several factors such as economics, technology and political support.

Governments are already rolling out budgets for renewable and alternative energy resources projects that would lead us to a brighter, fresher cleaner future.

We all know how important it is to find and use alternative energy for our homes. The cost of the fossil fuels that power our world has skyrocketed in the last few years and it is time we look toward other sources for this power. And if we learn to build a solar panel or two we can take the brunt of the electricity monkey off our backs.

Not only is it easy to learn to build a solar panel, but the cost for the supplies is relatively inexpensive. Best of all, if you choose the right methods to convert your home it can be done for very little cost to you. It can cost less than two hundred dollars to complete one solar panel. And from just one solar panel you can power a majority of the electrical appliances found in your home.

The market is wide open right now for do-it-yourselfers. There are several products you can get on the internet that will enable you to learn to build a solar panel. I have reviewed several of these products and have evaluated them on many points.

A package that teaches you how to build solar panels and convert your home to solar power is an excellent way to reduce and even get rid of that monthly power bill. In fact, if you do it right you’ll most likely generate more energy than you use, and the power company will have to pay you for the power you feed back into the grid.

About the Author

Roger Phelps is an environmental engineer who helps large companies convert to alternative energy. He also has worked with homeowners who helped him evaluate many different do-it-yourself home energy conversion products that are on the market today. He has narrowed down the five best packages that will allow the average diy-er to complete the conversion most easily and with the least amount of money.

Hydrogen Powered Cars Can Solve Global Warming | Scienceray

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