Showing posts with label Green Energy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Green Energy. Show all posts

Sunday 24 October 2021

Green Energy and The Way of the Future


You may have heard a lot about green energy the past year or so. Whether you’ve jumped on the green energy bandwagon or not, it is definitely not a trend. Green energy is the way of the future. Let’s take a look at exactly what green energy is, why it’s important and how you can use it to improve your life and your environment.

 

What is Green Energy?

 

Green energy is energy that produces little if no by products that harm the environment. For example, fossil fuels like oil are expensive to mine, destructive to the environment during the actual drilling process and produce many toxic by-products. These very same by products have been directly contributing to greenhouse gases and global warming not to mention polluting our waterways and air. 

 

Green energy, like solar, wind, and geothermal do not cause destruction to the environment either during their harvesting stage or as a by-product. When you use solar cells for example to store and create energy, you’re using energy directly from the sun. There’s no by product create and no waste. 

 

Benefits of Green Energy 

 

The benefits of green energy are vast. Initially you may think about two primary environmental benefits. They include no waste or pollution from the energy sources or emissions. Eliminating harmful emissions would drastically improve our planet’s outlook and virtually eliminate global warming caused by greenhouse gasses. 

 

Additionally, green energy means no more destruction of the earth as we harvest fossil fuels. No more oil spills, digging in the midst of our pristine wilderness and destroying our natural resources. 

 

However, beyond the immediate and apparent environmental benefits, in the long run green energy is significantly more cost effective. Imagine if your entire home ran on energy from the sun?  How much a month would that save you in heating your home and in your electric bill?  

 

Over the course of a year you’d save a thousand dollars or more, right?  What about over the course of ten years?  Yes, initially it will cost to transfer your energy source from fossil fuels to green energy sources, but that initial expense is usually paid for within a few years. 

 

Green energy is infinitely sustainable and economically sound. That’s why it is the wave of the future.

 

How to Use Green Energy

 

The good news is that green energy can be utilized in smaller increments. You don’t have to change your entire home over to sustainable fuel sources in one fell swoop. You can add a few solar panels, use passive solar, and support sustainable practices. Some energy companies even offer a membership where you can specify a certain amount of your energy come from wind or solar. This depends on where you live but check it out. Finally, you can support businesses that use green energy. 

 

It may take a while to spread throughout the world, however green energy is more than a passing phase, it is the wave of the future.



Energy-Efficient Roofs: Things to Consider


Energy-efficient roofs are a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, keep your home cool and save energy all at once. If your roof is getting to the point where it needs to be maintained anyway, getting energy-efficient roofing could turn out to be a lucrative investment.

 

Here are a few things to consider when you're getting energy-efficient roofs.

 

Rebates and Tax Cuts

 

At the moment, PG&E is offering a $200 rebate for every 1,000 square foot of energy-efficient roof installations. Various states also offer tax breaks. 

 

You may also qualify for the Energy Efficient Tax Breaks with energy-efficient roofing.

 

The tax incentives vary from state to state. If you're on a different utility provider, talk to them about potential rebates. These can go a long way towards offsetting the cost of the roofing.

 

The Different Types of Energy: Efficient Roofs

 

There are a few different common types of energy-efficient roofs.

 

First you have metal roofing. These metal roofs are reflective and will divert the sun's rays from your house, effectively cooling your home without taking up any energy.

 

They're also extremely durable and can survive even in harsh weather conditions.

 

Next you have clay tiling. Clay tiles aren't as reflective as metal, but a special coating can be added to increase their heat reflecting capabilities.

 

Often times clay tiles can be made in a sustainable manner to help reduce your environmental footprint even further.

 

Finally you have membranes. Membrane installation is much easier than the other types and can even be done without a contractor. Unfortunately, the material is much more expensive than other types.

 

Membranes are often used on commercial buildings rather than residential buildings.

 

The Process of Getting Energy: Efficient Roofs

 

The best way to get top-notch energy-efficient roofs at a good price is to talk to several contractors before making your decision.

 

Get at least three different bids for the job before you make your pick. Make sure you talk to the contractor about what roof type will work best for your house.

 

Do you get the sense that this contractor is really knowledgeable about their craft? Remember, doing a roof is a big project. Only hire someone that you really feel you can trust.

 

Try to negotiate a per-job rate rather than a per-hour rate. Per-hour projects almost always go over budget.

 

Energy-Efficient Roofs: Wrap Up

 

In summary, getting energy-efficient roofs can be a great way to help conserve energy and save money. There is a significant upfront investment, but it'll more than pay for itself in the long run. This is especially true if your roofing needs to be replaced anyway. If you're getting a new roof, seriously consider making the extra investment to help your planet and conserve energy.



DIY Solar Panels: Overview of the Buying & Construction Process


Building and installing your own solar panel can help you save a lot of money on electricity, without extravagant upfront costs. Getting a solar panel installed professionally will usually cost you five figures. Doing it yourself, however, can cost just a few hundred.

 

Here's an overview of how the buying and construction process works.

 

Buying the Solar Cells

 

There are a few ways you can buy solar cells. You can buy them as part of a group, in which case you'll be able to buy from a wholesaler directly. Though this is perhaps the cheapest way to do it, it's much more difficult to organize.

 

The easiest way to buy solar cells is to use eBay. eBay has several sellers providing solar cells, which means the competition keeps the price down to inexpensive levels.

 

Constructing the Solar Panel

 

A solar panel is basically a series of solar cells joined together. The electricity generated from the cells flows together until there's enough electricity generated for actual use.

 

To construct the panel, you need a wooden container of some sort to put the cells in. You need wire cutters, strippers and soldering equipment.

 

All you need to do is wire the cells together to create a panel. You might also want to install a diode to make sure that energy doesn't flow from the battery back into the panel when sunlight isn't hitting the panel.

 

Inverters and Batteries

 

Energy generated from a solar panel comes in the form of direct current (DC) power. However, in order for your home electronics to be able to use the power, you need the energy to be in alternating current (AC).

 

Also, unless you plan on immediately using the energy generated by your solar panel in your home, you'll probably want a battery so you can store the energy.

 

Inverters and batteries can cost quite a bit of money. Again, eBay can come in handy when acquiring low-cost or second-hand supplies.

 

Passing Inspections

 

The final step to installing your solar panel is passing inspections.

 

While it's possible to create a solar panel and run it without passing inspections, you're leaving a lot on the table.

 

First of all, you can't qualify for the many tax incentives that come with owning a solar panel if you don't pass an inspection.

 

You also can't wire your solar panel to the grid without passing inspection. If you get permission to attach your panel to the grid, you can "sell" energy to the grid and actually have your electric meter flow backwards while your panels produce energy that you aren't using.

 

That's a basic overview of the entire buying and construction process. Building your own solar panels takes a lot of dedication, but the process can be immensely fun and save you a lot of money at the end of the day.



Different Types of Green Energy


If the human race is to survive, we're eventually going to have to switch over to completely renewable energy. At the moment, most of our energy comes from natural gases, coal and oil based energy sources. These energy sources are both dirty and unsustainable.

 

What other alternatives do we have? These are the five main different types of green energy.

 

Hydropower

 

Hydropower is currently the largest producer of green energy, accounting for over 70% of our renewable energy production.

 

The way it works is that special installations are placed underwater, where strong currents of water will push through a mechanical instrument known as a penstock.

 

This "push" is then converted into electricity and fed into the energy grid.

 

Solar PV

 

Solar energy is another common type of green energy. There are two main types of solar power: solar power for homes and solar power plants.

 

Though solar PV has gotten a lot of press in recent years, there are a lot of problems still. 

 

First of all, though the production of energy is more green than oil, the process of creating the materials solar PV is made of is quite toxic.

 

Also, to make your money back from the savings of a solar panel may take as long as ten to twenty years.

 

Wind Power

 

Wind energy is a stellar renewable source of power. The key to wind power is to place these energy generators in high altitude, high wind velocity locations.

 

The return on wind power is quite substantial. The only downside is that aesthetically they block the view from just about any angle because of their size.

 

That said, wind power is more cost-efficient than solar and easier to construct than hydropower.

 

Geothermal

 

Geothermal energy isn't applicable everywhere, but when it is the amount of energy generated can be very substantial.

 

Geothermal works by tapping into the earth's intrinsic heat. It turns that heat energy into power and uses that as electricity.

 

In order to use geothermal, a high-heat underground spot must be identified.

 

Biomass

 

Biomass is primarily the conversion of manufacturing by-products into electricity. 

 

These by-products can include wood chips and fragments, leftover sugar, animal manure and anything else that's burnable.

 

Biomass can also include materials produced specifically for the production of energy (e.g. corn ethanol).

 

The biomass is burned and the heat energy is turned into electricity. Biomass is a great way of disposing of products that might otherwise become waste; but is unlikely to become a primary producer of our world's energy needs.

 

These are our primary sources of renewable energy. Of course, there are many other fringe sources of energy that are being researched all the time. 

 

However, in order for a renewable energy to truly make sense, it needs to be both scalable and financially sustainable for investors. For the time being, the five listed above are the main sources of renewable energy.



Choosing and Installing Energy-Efficient Doors


Selecting and installing an energy efficient door can help you reduce your electric bill, as well as keep your rooms at a more comfortable temperature without having to turn on the AC or the heater.

 

Some door improvements cost a lot of money. For example, if you decided to completely replace your door, that's going to be a heavy investment. Other improvements, such as weatherstripping, are easy and inexpensive.

 

Here's what you need to know about installing energy-efficient doors.

 

What Kind of Door Should You Choose?

 

There are primarily three types of doors you can choose from: wood, steel and fiberglass.

 

However, if you want to conserve the maximum amount of energy possible, the best kind of door you can choose is a steel door that's wrapped in wood. 

 

This kind of door will give you the great look that a wooden door does, while giving you maximum insulating power.

 

Weatherstripping: Even More Important Than the Door

 

Even more important than the door are the areas around the door. 

 

Most heat in the door area doesn't escape from passing through the door. Instead, it escapes through the gaps under the door or the seams on the side of the door.

 

As a rule of thumb, if you can slide a piece of paper anywhere from inside the house to the outside of the house with the door closed, you have a serious air and energy leak.

 

Weatherstripping is the process of sealing up these gaps to make sure no heat or coolness escapes to the outside. You do this by sealing the bottom of the door and the seams along the door.

 

Weatherstripping costs much, much less than buying a new door and can have a much bigger effect. You can even do it yourself by going down to Home Depot and buying the weatherstripping supplies you need.

 

Understanding R Value

 

One final thing to understand about door energy conservation is "R Value."

 

Your R Value is how heat resistant the glass on your door is. If you have a door panel, glass doors or even just decorative glass on your door, a lot of heat can escape through that glass.

 

The higher the R Value, the less heat escapes. When you're buying your door, make sure you take your R value into account.

 

If everything else in your house is designed to conserve heat but your door has a low R value, you might want to consider getting the glass replaced.

 

Choosing, installing and leak-proofing your door can take several weeks. Remember that all the effort you put into it will pay off in energy saving in the future. You'll also be helping reduce your environmental footprint by using less energy.