Green Energy Sources You Didn't Know About!

Why is hydropower a green energy source?

It is because we are able to harness electrical power by converting water into electricity.

The use of hydroelectric power or even hydroelectricity dates back to Ancient Greece and China when they installed waterwheels in rapidly flowing rivers to turn millstones and other equipment. Years later, this was used in the New World which is now known as North America to power saws and other equipment.

But the hydroelectric plants of today still use the same basic principles as the historical waterwheel with some variations. The difference is that we use the force of the power to push the turbine which in turn powers a generator thus generating electricity.

To make sure that there is a steady flow of power being produced, a dam has to be built to retain the water. If there is a need for more power, the gates of the dam are opened so water can be released. During non-peak, the gates are closed. To ensure there is water at all times, some dams have a recovery and pumping systems to the water released can be used again.

There are issues with the use of hydroelectricity. Some claim that it poses a problem for fish and aquatic plants on both sides of the dam. Because the flow of water has been altered, the nutrient rich silt which helps crops grow could be affected which is exactly what happened when the Aswan Dam was completed in Egypt.

But there are ways to fix that and the bigger picture is that power produced from hydroelectric plants do not generate any emissions or waste which happens to be much better than operating a coal-fired power plant.

There is another way to generate hydropower and you get this form the sea. This is also known as wave power or wave energy which uses changes in the air levels of sealed chambers to power turbines. When a wave rises into the chamber, the rise water pushes the air out which then turns a generator.

Once the wave goes down, air flows into the turbine and back into the chamber through doors that will close.

These chambers remain afloat on the ocean and how much power it produces varies. A lot of these are used on the western coasts of Scotland, northern Canada, southern Africa, Australia, and the northwestern coasts of the United States. These systems are usually small and can power a warning buoy or a small light house.

There is also tidal energy. The difference with wave energy is that when the tide approaches, the water is trapped in reservoirs behind dams. When the tide drops, the water behind the dam is released thus producing power similar to a hydroelectric power plant.

This can only work if you have tides that are at least 16 feet and since there are only a few places in the planet that can do that.

Lastly, you have ocean thermal energy. Here, you get power based on the different temperatures in the water. For this to work, you need at least 38 degrees Fahrenheit difference between the warmer surface water and the colder deep ocean water. Still in the trial stage, it is used Japan and Hawaii.

Hydropower is a green energy source. It is safe to use and what is even better is that it is renewable.

Here are 10 "green" things you can do that won't crimp your style or your wallet:

1. Use recyclable cloth grocery bags instead of plastic - plastic bags take eons to degrade and can be harmful to wildlife. Cloth bags only cost you $1 and some grocery stores even give you a rebate every time you use them. Not only that but they fit more groceries, can be used over and over again for anything and are easier to carry!

2. Buy reusable coffee filters - you'll never run out!

3. Put your kitchen scraps in a compost pile - you'll have great organic fertilizer for your garden and be making good use of your scraps.

4. Use cloth kitchen towels instead of paper towels.

5. Buy used items - need a new sofa or TV? Try looking at your local consignment store or in the classifieds - you can get like new items for a fraction of the price and it keeps those items out of the landfill.

6. Don't print - do you really need to print that out? Think hard before you print stuff on your computer - you'll save a ton on ink and paper.

7. Get your news online - instead of getting a newspaper delivered to your house, just go online and read your local news. Almost every newspaper has webpage these days where you can get late breaking news.

8. Work from home - if your company allows it, try to work from home 1 or 2 days a week. You'll be producing less carbon emissions and saving on gas (plus you'll probably get a lot more done without your boss staring over your shoulder!)

9. Buy local - flying and trucking food all over the world creates a lot of pollution so if you have a local farmers market, try to support your local farmers and buy as much food as you can there. It will be healthier for you and the environment.

10. Turn down your water heater - most people have their water heater up too high - turn yours down to 120 degrees and make sure you but an insulating sweater around it. This will help it run more efficiently and save you on heating your water. For even more savings, insulate the pipes coming out of the water heater.

All cars are powered by gas. But with the volatility of crude oil prices and because it is not a renewable, something must be done before it is too late.

Given that solar energy, a green energy source is used to power a community, you can also do this on a small scale by using the same principles to build your own car.

But what do you need to make this work? A lot of things but the two most important are the solar array and the batteries.

The solar array is vital because this is what's used to collect the sun's rays and then converts this into electrical energy. There are two types to choose from in the market namely the prefabricated type and the individual kind which you set up yourself.

If you are looking for branded parts, check out either Siemens or ASE Americas that sell terrestrial grade cells and the space grade cells. The lower end model which can produce a significant amount of power is the terrestrial grade version.

Proper wiring must be done to make sure that if one of the panels is not working, your vehicle will still move. If you are worried that the voltage of the solar array should match the system voltage of your motor, you should not to worry because it will still run.

We mentioned earlier that the battery is also important because this is where the solar energy will be stored. Your options for this are lead acid, lithium-ion or nickel-cadmium. Just how many you need to buy will depend on your motor's voltage.

When you finally have these two components, these will now have to be connected to the motor. So you know how much juice is left in your batteries, you will also need to install instrumentation similar to the heads up display console on regular cars which tells you your speed, mileage and gas.

Don't forget to put a steering wheel, suspension, brakes, tires and hubs. You may not be able to make a car that have the same features as like what you see done by one of the three US automakers but just enough to be able to drive it from one place to the next.

The only cars that use solar energy so far are the ones only used in races especially the one held in Australia from travels from the northern part of the country all the way to the south. If this has helped people realize that renewable energy is really the key to the future, the big automakers should try tapping this technology instead of relying of still relying on gasoline.

But apart from solar energy as a green energy source, biodiesel is another alternative. This is a combination of alcohol like methanol and a chemical process that separates glycerine and methyl esters (biodiesel) from fats or vegetable oils. This can also be done using corn and sugarcane.

Although these are not renewable, these are still considered as a green energy sources because it is cleaner than conventional gasoline. This means you do not release harmful chemicals such as carbon monoxide into the air which causes damage to the environment. So if you can't build a solar powered car, consider a different fuel alternative.

Is it only a trend that people are all of a sudden fond of looking for alternative energy sources? And what's with the going green projects being endorsed by high profile personalities and celebrities around the globe?

Do businesses gain anything positive in the process of being responsible and in utilizing other kinds of energy resource?

Whether this is just a trend or not, this is good news and one step towards energy conservation. This is exactly what the world needs now more than ever. To open your eyes to such advent, here are some realities that are happening due to such good cause.

1. Businesses and industries that have started going along with the going green trend have also realized how much savings they can gather in the process. Instead of allotting a very big sum in the electricity bills, they can either resort to their own ways of conserving such or they can also utilize renewable sources for such needs.

In the process, they can gain higher amount that they can use for other purposes in their businesses. They can use the money for advertising and promotions. They can use it to expand on their businesses. They can also use it to add the number of their employees or increase their wages.

Who doesn't need the additional savings that one can gain with such advent? At these times when times are hard and the value of money keeps on decreasing, this is one good way to make sure that you do not run out of financial resources.

2. If businesses will opt for such good causes, their consumers will regard them highly. This will create a positive feedback that can increase their sales and revenues. Being identified as a company that is environmentally friendly, people will look up not only with the management but this will encourage them to patronize your products and services as well.

3. There are renewable sources of energy that can be utilized by businesses that will require them to shell out a lot of money first and foremost.

For example, if you want to utilize the sun's rays to its fullest capabilities, you must first buy or build the kind of panels that can store the energy and convert such into electricity.

Although not everybody can afford to invest on such venture, if you can do and have the financial capability, it is recommended that you think about this real hard. The amount of money that you will be spending in the process will all be worth it in the end.

You may not be able to recuperate from the spending at first. But on the long run, you will be assured that you will get the amount that you have spent in this kind of investment.

4. The savings can also come in the form of tax rebates. This is being offered in various states. There are tax incentives and energy rebates being given to those who choose to use renewable resources when it comes to energy use. It is also allowed in some places that such companies sell the excess energy that they can get in the process to the utility companies.

So are you already aware of the abovementioned benefits of using alternative energy sources? What are you waiting for? Improve your business and gain recognition from your clients and prospective ones by utilizing its every potential.

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