saving energy Archive

A Few Sound Thoughts on Getting Started With Alternative Energy

By
Sandi Feris
Published: January 10, 2011Posted in: Green EnergyTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

If you were to ask people who are switching from buying power off the grid, to generating their own green power, by far the biggest reason they will generally give is price. Now of course environmentally speaking, it’s the right thing to do, but the fact of the matter, is that it’s now less costly “in the long run” to buy the equipment to generate renewable power then it is to simply buy power from a local source.

You read that right. Rising crude oil costs, more intensive regulations on coal production and usage and even stricter regulations governing hydro-electric projects have combined put an end to the age of cheap power. At the same time, research, and development projects in the residential alternative energy arena have yielded better products at a lower cost.

Hence; people are taking a closer look at and getting more serious about pulling the plug on their local power source, and having their own green renewable energy systems put into place on their homes. Even so, as you go through the planning stages there is a short list of items that need to be tended to to insure the overall cost effectiveness, and performance of your system.

The first item on your agenda should be a comprehensive energy use audit of your residence and most likely that would also include things like extra insulation in your attic, new seals on door, and windows, additional attic vents etc. You see, while a home green energy system does offer a new level of energy independence, it also brings with it some new use limitations.

As an example, if you end up relying totally on a solar power system, you’ll need to realize that the sun goes down at night and you won’t have optimal exposure every day of the year. Then again if you base your power generation off of a wind driven system you will have days when the wind itself isn’t blowing like you would prefer.

The fact is that even if you could produce an unlimited surplus of power, you would definitely want to direct what ever that is back into the power grid to offset the cost of your system. You need to come to terms with the fact that you will no longer be an energy consumer in the way that you used to be and that means that you need to readjust how you view, and use power in your home.

Another thing to think about is your roof, if in fact you plan on mounting your system up on top of your home. This is all too often an aspect that far too many homeowners fail to take into account but you may want to consider having a new roof installed along with your solar panel system, for a few good reasons.

For instance if you install your solar panels along with a new roof, it gives you the option of using what’s referred to as a “flush mount” system. It’s far less prone to leaks. Also mounting any system into an existing roof using “patched in” brackets is just asking for leaks further down the road. Why not consider a 25 year roof to go with your 25 year solar system?

Looking to find the best deal on renewable energy jobs, then visit www.123gogreen.co.uk to find the best advice on alternative energy jobs for you.

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An Overview Of Renewable Energy For The Home

By
Obie Sumun
Published: November 20, 2010Posted in: GeneralTags: , , , , , , , , , ,

When industry first released the news that it was possible to convert sunlight into electricity, it gave mankind hope for the day when there would be no such thing as an electric bill. As research and development continued to improve the process it has made it possible for homeowners to generate their own electricity without paying a monthly bill. There are two methods for solving this issue for renewable energy for the home.

The hand-held calculator was one of the first devices which ran off of solar power, and from a few little solar cells it only required any source of available light to operate it. This was the first hope humans had that there could be a day when all electrical needs would be small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

Solar panels convert light into power by means of the photovoltaic process, and was first put into practical use during the early days of space travel. Satellites and space capsules needed electricity to run on board tests and from those beginning days solar power has become a reality in the homes of many people across the world.

There are complete solar power systems available which can deliver more than enough electricity to power an entire home, with excess power to sell to the local utility companies. This possibility is helping homeowners make the decision to convert to alternative power sources, and added assistance programs from governmental agencies is making the change even more affordable.

Restaurants, laundromats and even major department store chains have converted to solar power as a means of increasing their profits by lowering their electric bills by using solar power systems. And, with continued developments and improvements in the types of materials used to produce the photovoltaic process, there are panels which can use any reflected amount of light to create and store electrical power.

Depending on where you live, another alternative power source is the wind. If your location is free of mountains and other wind blocking obstacles, you can install a windmill to produce enough power to operate your household needs. Because of the ground clutter, a wind generator plant could need a tower of as much as 120 feet high. This could be possible in rural areas, but not allowed in suburban locations.

Renewable energy for the home is already possible through solar and wind power for millions of people throughout the world, and there is no reason to believe that industry will abandon these efforts for affordable alternatives for generating electrical power. It is very possible for you to have your own electrical power plant, right there at your own home.

If you think you could be eligible for a solar panel rebate visit our site and download our free Energy Efficiency Advice report.

categories: solar power,wind power,renewable energy,alternative energy,home and garden,saving energy,ecology,green issues,DIY,home improvement

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Green Living And Saving Energy

By
Isaiah Isaacson
Published: May 13, 2010Posted in: Green EnergyTags: , , , ,

Some people misunderstand that the term “go green” means taking vegetable food materials or gardening in home yards. But they are not sole points of green living. It means to align your life to the nature and save natural resources. Pay attention to all species of life surrounding you and make a good path for them to flourish their lives. Give up any unnatural activities that may harm our beautiful earth and your surroundings. Take significant steps to save energy resources and spend energy very carefully.

Energy is the base of every living, it is essential for all the productive action on earth. The very important fact about it is, energy can neither be created or nor be destroyed but only transformation is possible. So never waste energy because its scarcity will lead to collapse of humanity. Reduce the consumption of energy and the same time reduces the production of waste, if you are very keen in this two, you can be a nice contributor to a sustainable environment.

Water is the crucial agent to make our life easy and it is the best known fuel that contributes lots of energy to all animals and plants. Many are careless and tend forget to keep water taps closed. Thus, once they opened them they taps may stay partially opened in many occasions. So, make sure that no single drop of water comes out from taps after the usage. People show much interest to bath under showers wasting lots of water. You should not waste water for any reasons. If you find wastage of water is high while bathing under the shower, go for a quality bath in your bathing room.

Everyone says that they are concerned with energy use and to switch off the lights when not in use but in most situations we are too lazy to move to the light switch and turn them off. Electricity is one of the most highly used forms of energy; we can not reproduce electricity once it is converted to light energy. And your electricity bills may hike if you are not paying enough attention to switch off the lights.

We tend to leave our computers on all the time. Why can’t you shut down your system if you are not busy working with them? You can configure system to shut down automatically if you are not touching keyboards for a long time. Windows and MacOS have options to put your computer on “Hibernate” mode in order that you can resume to your opened pages you opened before when you switched off the power button.

You should not waste a single drop of gasoline. Crude oil and its byproducts are very costly, valuable energy sources and they are not recyclable. Turn off engines if you are not driving the car, you are wasting fuel by leaving your car standing and releasing emissions that harm the atmosphere.

Learn more about diy green living. Stop by Isaiah Isaacson’s site where you can find out all about green cheap gas alternative and what it can do for you.

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Save Energy and Money with These 5 Tips and Wind Power

By
Tony Tedbos
Published: March 9, 2010Posted in: GeneralTags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In today’s economy, making ends meet is tough. Many are unemployed and those who still have a job are worried about becoming unemployed. So, many are trying to cut costs to try to make ends meet, one place to cut those costs, is on our electric bill, these cuts can last year round. Here are 5 tips you can use to save on your power bill year round with or without the use of wind power.

1. Whether you live in a mild climate and use your furnace more than the a/c or in a hot climate and use the a/c more than the furnace, it is important to have your a/c and furnace serviced once a year. Having the units serviced yearly can keep them running efficiently, saving money, and can keep them in good running condition prolonging their life, again, saving you money on a repair bill. On top of having your units serviced regularly, change the filter once a month, more frequently in dusty environments. A dirty filter, even if it is only partially dirty will make both the a/c and furnace work hard, wasting energy and money.

2. Consider replacing your manual thermostat with a programmable one. There are many who try to save energy and money by turning the thermostat way down in the winter when they leave the house, or way up in the summer, and this fine as long you do not go to extremes. Turning the temperature way up or way down will cause the furnace or a/c to run excessively to bring the temperature back to a comfortable level. Changing the thermostat manually works good if you don’t forget to do it, which is why I suggested replacing the old manual one with a programmable one, set it and forget it until the seasons change, this way you gain maximum benefits and savings.

3. The following can be done in a matter of hours with a few inexpensive things you will need to pick up at your local hardware store. You will need a few tubes of caulking (how many will depend on how many exterior doors and windows you have) and some foam gaskets that are used to seal outdoor outlets and switches. (again how many will depend on how many outlets and switches you have located on exterior walls) Once you have these items start by caulking around all exterior doors and windows to seal air leaks then, remove all the covers on switches and outlets that are located on exterior walls, place a gasket over the switch or outlet, replace the cover, and trim the excess off with a utility knife. The more air leaks you seal the more you will save.

4. If you have a wood burning fireplace and use it frequently in the winter to cut down on the power bill that is a great way to save. However, and this is more of a precautionary tip than savings tip, there are dangers you should know about, like the fact that if you use the fireplace a lot, you will get a creosote build up that is very flammable. If you do not have the chimney cleaned yearly, you run the risk of chimney fires. Another thing to watch for, is the screen and cap on the top of the chimney, if either is damaged or missing get it fixed as soon as possible. Birds sit on chimneys for warmth and it is not uncommon for them to become overcome by the fumes causing them to fall into the chimney, and that can cause smoke and fumes to back up into the house.

5. This one will save you the most money. A windmill to produce your own power can cut your utility bill by at least 60%. That right 60% or more and with today’s technology they can be constructed to fit on the roof and built for three hundred dollars or less. All that is required is a minimum of eleven mph winds, which can be found in just about any state you live in. Plus the windier it is, the more power the windmill will produce, the more you will save.

With power costs rising every day and threat of losing your job, it becomes more important to use wind power to reduce your utility bill. Click here to discover affordable ways to use renewable energy sources.

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