Renewable Energy Solutions

Solar energy is using radiant Energy from the Sun. Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity by photovoltaics or by thermoelectric converters, solar chimneys and solar ponds. [Picture shown to the right is a portable solar charger Found at Real Solar Goods, Click link below for this and other solar products.]
Solar energy and shading are important considerations in building design. Solar water heaters, heat swimming pools and provide domestic hot water. In agriculture, greenhouses expand growing seasons. Evaporation Ponds are used to harvest salt and clean waste streams of contaminants. Solar energy is the fastest growing form of energy production.
Solar distillation and disinfection techniques produce potable water for millions of people worldwide. Family-scale solar cookers and larger solar kitchens concentrate sunlight for cooking. Clotheslines are a common application of solar energy. A range of prototype solar vehicles provide ground, air and sea transportation.

General facts

• Solar Energy is better for the environment than traditional forms
  of energy.


• Solar energy has many uses such as electricity production and
  heating of water through photovoltaic cells and directly for drying
  clothes.


• Solar energy can also be used to heat swimming pools, power cars,
  for attic fans, calculators and other small appliances. It produces
  lighting for indoors or outdoors.


• You can even cook food with solar energy.


• Solar Energy is becoming more and more popular. The worldwide
  demand for Solar Energy is currently greater than supply.

Facts about Solar Energy usage:

• Solar Energy is measured in kilowatt-hour. 1 kilowatt = 1000
  watts.


• 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) = the amount of electricity required to
  burn a 100 watt light bulb for 10 hours.


• According to the US Department of Energy, an average American
  household used approximately 866-kilowatt hours per month in 1999
  costing them $70.68.


• About 30% of our total energy consumption is used to heat water.

Facts about Solar Energy systems:

• A home solar system is typically made up of solar panels, an
  inverter, a battery, a charge controller, wiring and support structure.
  


• A 1-kilowatt home solar system takes about 1-2 days to install
  and costs around US$10,000, but can vary greatly and does not take into
  account any incentives offered by the government.


• A 1-kilowatt home solar system consists of about 10-12 solar
  panels and requires about 100 square feet of installation area.


• A 1 kilowatt home solar system will generate approximately 1,600
  kilowatt hours per year in a sunny climate (receiving 5.5 hours of
  sunshine per day) and approximately 750 kilowatt hours per year in a
  cloudy climate (receiving 2.5 hours of sunshine per day).


• A 1-kilowatt home solar system will prevent approximately 170
  lbs. of coal from being burned, 300 lbs of CO2 from being released into
  the atmosphere and 105 gallons of water from being consumed each month!
  
  
  


• About 40 solar cells are usually combined into a solar panel and
  around 10-12 panels mounted in an array facing due North to receive
  maximum sunlight.


• The system usually comes with a 5-year warranty, although the
  solar panels are warranted for 20.


• Relying on the battery back up, a solar energy system can provide
  electricity 24x7, even on cloudy days and at night.


• Solar panels come in various colours.


• Solar energy can be collected and stored in batteries, reflected,
  insulated, absorbed and transmitted.

Sun related Facts about Solar Energy:

• Sunlight travels to the earth in approximately 8 minutes from
  93,000,000 miles away, at 186,282 miles per second.


• The sun is also the main source of non-renewable fossil fuels
  (coal, gas and petroleum), which began life as plants or animals whose
  energy came from the sun millions of year ago.


• Solar energy is responsible for weather patterns and ocean
  currents.


• Clouds, pollution and wind can prevent the sun's rays from
  reaching the earth.

Other Interesting Facts about Solar Energy:

• Da Vinci predicted a solar industrialization as far back as 1447.
  


• In one hour more sunlight falls on the earth than what is used
  by the entire population in one year.


• A world record was set in 1990 when a solar powered aircraft flew
  4060km across the USA, using no fuel.


• Fierce weather cost the world a record $130 Billion in the first
  eleven months of 1998- more money than was lost from weather related
  disasters from 1980 to 1990 ($82 Billion).


• Researchers from the Worldwatch Institute and Munich Re blame
  deforestation and climate change from Earth warming for much of the
  loss. The previous one-year record was $90 Billion in 1996. Source -
  Associated Press, November 28,1998.


• About 2 billion people in the world are currently without
  electricity.


• Accounting for only 5 percent of the world's population,
  Americans consume 26 percent of the world's energy.


• Electric ovens consume the most amount of electricity, followed
  by microwaves and central air conditioning.


• Third world countries with an abundance of sunlight and a
  population currently without electricity, represents the fastest
  growing market for solar energy, with the largest domestic market being
  the utilities sector.


• Shell Oil predicts that 50% of the world's energy will come from
  renewable sources by 2040.

Info
From Facts about Solar Energy.com

Teach Yourself Solar
Power

Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form, such as electricity, using wind turbines. Wind energy is plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, and clean.
Most wind power is generated in the form of electricity. Large scale wind farms are connected to electrical grids. Individual turbines can provide electricity to isolated locations. In windmills, wind energy is used directly as mechanical energy for pumping water or grinding grain.
In December 2003, General Electric installed the world's largest offshore wind turbines in Ireland, and plans are being made for more such installations on the west coast, including the possible use of floating turbines.
In recent years, the United States has added more wind energy to its grid than any other country; U.S. wind power capacity grew by 45% to 16.8 gigawatts in 2007.
Texas has become the largest wind energy producing state, surpassing California. In 2007, the state expects to add 2 gigawatts to its existing capacity of approximately 4.5 gigawatts. Iowa and Minnesota are expected to each produce 1 gigawatt by late-2007. Wind power generation in the U.S. was up 31.8% in February, 2007 from February, 2006
According to the American Wind Energy Association, wind will generate enough electricity in 2008 to power just over 1% (4.5 million households) of total electricity in U.S., up from less than 0.1% in 1999. U.S. Department of Energy studies have concluded wind harvested in just three of the fifty U.S. states could provide enough electricity to power the entire nation, and that offshore wind farms could do the same job.

Free Energy Options
- Wind & Solar Power - Renewable Energy.

Renewable Energy
Solutions

Hot New Renewable
Energy Product.

The Personal Power
Course.

Hydro electricity is a form of hydropower, and is the most widely used form of renewable energy. It produces no waste, and does not produce carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. The major advantage of hydroelectricity is elimination of the cost of fuel. The cost of operating a hydroelectric plant is nearly immune to increases in the cost of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas or coal.Although large hydroelectric installations generate most of the world's hydroelectricity, small hydro schemes are particularly popular in China, which has over 50% of world small hydro capacity. Most hydroelectric power comes from the potential energy of dammed water driving a water turbine and generator. A water turbine is a rotary engine that takes energy from moving water. Water turbines were developed in the nineteenth century and were widely used for industrial power prior to electrical grids. Now they are mostly used for electric power generation. They harness a clean and renewable energy source.

By Tom Doggett

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday Feb 9 2009 pushed for more investment in solar and wind energy, saying the country that can make renewable energy sources price-competitive with traditional fossil fuels will become the economic superpower of the future. Obama, speaking at a townhall meeting in Elkhart, Indiana, said renewable energy companies needed tax breaks and loan guarantees to provide incentives for firms to manufacture and customers to purchase solar and wind energy.
Obama acknowledged that while the cost of producing electricity by wind and solar has declined, it is still cheaper to generate power from plants fueled by coal or natural gas. However, Obama said he wanted the government to invest every year in new technologies to drive down renewable energy costs over the long term.
"The country that figures out how to make cheaper energy that's also clean, that country is going to win the economic competition of the future," he said.
The roughly $800 billion stimulus package pending in Congress to revive the American economy includes billions of dollars in tax breaks and other financial incentives to boost the use of renewable energy. They are intended to ensure solar and wind energy companies have steady business. Obama called on Congress to require U.S. utilities to generate a certain amount of their electricity supplies, such as 15 to 20 percent, from renewable energy sources. He said that, once such a benchmark is set, then renewable energy companies can "count on a pretty solid market that they're going to be able to sell their energy to." The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee was scheduled to hold a hearing on Tuesday on draft legislation that would set a national renewable energy standard. Under the bill, the amount of the U.S. electricity supply coming from renewable energy resources would gradually increase to 4 percent by 2012, 8 percent by 2015, 12 percent by 2018, 16 percent by 2020 and 20 percent by 2039. Obama also pledged to double U.S. renewable energy production within the next three years.

(Editing by Walter Bagley)

Energy Conservation Facts
Free and Low Cost Recommendations

• Replace standard incandescent light bulbs with compact
  fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and save 75% of lighting
  costs.


• Unplug electronics, battery chargers and other equipment
  when not in use. Taken together, these small items can use as
  much power as your refrigerator.


• Take steps to cut water use such as installing faucet
  aerators, low-flow showerheads, and low-flush toilets. As much
  as 19% of California electricity is used to pump, transport and treat
  water.


• A 5° higher setting on your air conditioning
  thermostat will save about 10% on cooling costs.
  


• Always buy ENERGY STAR qualified appliances and equipment
  - they're up to 40% more efficient. Find rebates and
  incentives in your area using our rebate
  finder.


• Turn your water heater down to 120° or the "Normal"
  setting when home, and to the lowest setting when away. Water
  heating accounts for about 13% of home energy costs.


• Reduce air conditioning costs by using fans,
  keeping windows and doors shut and closing shades during the day.


• Turn off unnecessary lighting and use task or
  desktop lamps with CFLs instead of overhead lights.


• Enable "power management" on all computers and
  make sure to turn them off at night. A laptop computer uses up to 90%
  less energy than bigger desktop models.


• When possible, wash clothes in cold water.
  About 90% of the energy use in a clothes washer goes to water heating.


• Run your dishwasher and clothes washer only when fully
  loaded. Fewer loads reduce energy and water use.


• Make sure your dryer's outside vent is clear and clean
  the lint filter after every load. When shopping for a new
  dryer look for one with a moisture sensor that automatically shuts off
  when clothes are dry.


• Test for air leaks by holding a lit incense stick next to
  windows, doors, electrical boxes, plumbing fixtures, electrical
  outlets, ceiling fixtures, attic hatches and other locations where
  there is a possible air path to the outside. If the smoke stream
  travels horizontally, you have located an air leak that may need
  caulking, sealing or weather stripping.

Good
Investment Recommendations

• Install an ENERGY STAR programmable thermostat away from natural
  cool and hot spots. An ENERGY STAR thermostat can save as much as $115
  per year, provide more flexibility than standard models


• Seal your home's envelope - walls, floor, ceiling and roof - to
  save up to 10% on your annual energy bill:
  
  
  
  • Add weather stripping around windows and doors to reduce
    drafts.
  
  
  • Use caulking to seal around ducts, plumbing and any other
    openings in walls, floors and ceilings to reduce air leakage. Begin in
    the attic, a common place for warm air to escape.
  
  
  • Seal larger gaps that cannot be covered with caulk with
    expanding foam.
  
  
  
  


• After air sealing, determine the current level of insulation. In
  the attic, measure the depth of existing insulation using a ruler. If
  there is less than R-22 (7 inches of fiber glass or rock wool or 6
  inches of cellulose) you could probably benefit by adding more. Most
  U.S. homes should have between R-22 and R-49 insulation in the attic.
  Insulating ceilings, walls, attics, floors, crawl spaces and basements
  to recommended standards can reduce heating and cooling costs by 5% to
  25%.


• Install fireplace inserts or wood stoves into an existing
  fireplace. The inserts are equipped with glass or metal doors, outside
  combustion air vents and heat circulation blowers. Fireplace inserts
  dramatically improve fireplace efficiency by blowing heat from the fire
  into the room and limiting the amount of heat and conditioned air lost
  up the chimney. Fireplace inserts are recommended for fireplaces that
  are regularly used. Before installing a fireplace insert, be sure to
  check the manufacturer's safety specifications and make sure the
  fireplace insert is compatible with the existing chimney or vent flue.


• Replace heating equipment more than 15 years old with new ENERGY
  STAR qualified models. Equipment must be sized and installed properly.
  
  
  
  • Old furnaces cost more to operate per year than new, ENERGY
    STAR qualified models that are 15% more efficient than standard models.
    
  
  
  • An ENERGY STAR qualified geothermal heat pump is 30% more
    efficient than comparable new equipment and can save you as much as
    $200 annually. A qualified electric heat pump is 20% more efficient and
    can save you about $130 annually.
  
  
  • An ENERGY STAR qualified boiler uses features like electric
    ignition and new combustion technologies that extract more heat from
    the same amount of fuel, to be 10% more efficient than a new, standard
    model.
  
  
  
  


• Install high efficiency windows, which are 40% more efficient
  than standard windows. Consider replacing single-pane windows with
  double-pane windows that are gas-filled with high performance glass
  (e.g., low emissivity or "low-e" glass). ENERGY STAR windows may help
  reduce your heating and cooling costs by up to 15%. The windows must be
  sized and installed properly.

U.S. Government Green Building
Efforts

A number of efforts are being undertaken by the U.S.
Government to demonstrate green building technologies, to increase the
practice of green building, and to make information on green building
more readily available. The following links provide more information on
these efforts. 

Rebuild America is a Department of Energy program that focuses on energy-efficiency solutions as community solutions. Rebuild America partners with communities from small towns to large metropolitan areas, to help them access technologies, services and tools that help make buildings more efficient.

Million Solar Roofs
Initiative calls for the Department of Energy to lead an
effort to place one million solar energy systems on the roofs of
buildings and homes across the U.S. by the year 2010. 

Energy Savers,
a consumer-oriented website from the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy, offers consumers information on ways to save
energy at home, as well as ways to use renewable energy to provide
power, hot water, and heating and cooling.

.Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)  researches and develops technologies for efficient building
systems, including heating, cooling, and refrigerating equipment;
roofs, walls, and foundations; insulating materials; technology
transfer; retrofit of existing structures; and evaluation and analysis
of efficiency programs. 

Energy
Star, sponsored by EPA and DOE, aims to reduce energy
consumption in buildings. Both homes and commercial buildings may
qualify as Energy Star buildings, based on the energy savings they
offer. The Energy Star website offers a registry of labelled homes and
other buildings, as well as products and equipment that are certified
by Energy Star to save energy. Energy Star and the National Association
of Counties are cooperating in a special Courthouse
Campaign to promote efficient county buildings.

Solar
Decathlon is U.S. Department of Energy's student competition to
design and operate the most attractive and effective solar-powered
house. The next competition is slated for 2005, and 20 university teams
have been named to compete.

Energy
Efficient Rehab Advisor, an online tool developed by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development, describes HUD's guidelines
for conducting energy efficient housing rehabilitation. Users enter
project information to receive energy efficiency recommendations.

EPA offers a Green
Buildings website that acts as a portal to EPA information on
various facets of green building, and reports on the efforts of each
EPA region to green its own office buildings.

The National
Park Service Sustainable Design Initiative aims to develop,
promote, and implement the broader concepts of sustainable practices in
all aspects of the National Park Service. Under this initiative, a
guidebook titled Guiding Principles of Sustainable Design
(available on-line by clicking above hotlink) was produced, which
articulates principles to be used in the design and management of
tourist facilities that emphasize environmental sensitivity in
construction, the use of non-toxic materials, resource conservation,
recycling, and integration of visitors with natural and cultural
settings. Sustainability principles have been developed for several
topics, including building design, site design, and energy management.