Thursday, October 22, 2009

Why Wind Energy Outshines other Alternative Fuels

By Dale Green

When it comes to energy, the wind has the advantage for having the abundance of it. Similar to other energy, wind is renewable, but different from the fossil fuels, wind will continue to be present without the threat of disappearing.

The era of gas shortages and the volatile fossil fuel prices will not soon be forgotten but with wind power, we have the option of not repeating this crisis. There will always be competition in the marketplace but there won't be any more shaky economies driving the prices of heating fuel higher or dramatically changing in price as OPEC decides not to release extra barrels of oil. We have lived in fear for too long and it's time to take control.

Wind power is already being operated in many places. In fact, the competition continues to grow. Fuel costs may be increasing but it will not be included in the equation costs because, the time when the wind power equipment is put in place, the costs of operation will stay on a steady line.

With wind energy, we can finally begin breathing easier, both from an economical and environmental point of view. This renewable form of energy does not contribute to smog, mercury contamination or particulate-related health issues. Asthma and respiratory problems may well be on the decrease when the particles in our air begin to diminish, leaving our atmosphere as it was 100 years ago.

A variety of applications available through wind power continue to grow. Powering homes, businesses and farms, wind can also provide energy to remote areas, pump water and power telecommunication sites. In just a few years, there will be no excuse for anyone in the world to be without needed power.

Unlike the conventional plants that use large amount of water to cool plants when generating their power from fossil and nuclear fuels, the wind turbine never needed fresh water in its operations. All this water can be used by people for better purposes.

The benefits of wind energy ia now experienced by people in the rural areas and urban areas. The power from the wind turbine is now being used in the urban areas at an affordable price. The good thing with the turbine is that the rotating turbines do not affect the crops and livestock in urban areas.

But for all of the reason listed above, public support ranks at the top of the list. People are tired of the games with everyday living expenses and want options that are simple, well defined and cost effective. Wind generation supplies this and much more. Maintenance will not be as high or nearly as complicated, it is a source of energy that does not have to relied upon by a worldwide cartel and national security will be much more controllable with everything being homegrown and kept at home. Wind power as we know it today is probably just the tip of the iceberg in what technology will come up with for wind tomorrow but one thing is for sure-wind energy is here to stay.

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Wind Generated Power Is Viable For You Now!

By Bart Forcey

In a time when energy dependency on foreign countries is straining domestic politics around the world, many countries are looking to offshore wind farms as a possibility. Great Britain and the United States are just two of those countries investing money and time into researching the option of using wind generated power to supplement their countries' power consumption.

Offshore wind farms are literally farms of large wind turbines lined in rows much like an agricultural fruit or nut farm. The turbines are placed in relatively shallow water close to shore to minimize costs and allow a connection with land power lines to deliver the energy. Onshore wind generating power farms already populate rural plains in the United States. California has had wind farms for over 30 years. The power generated by wind is an addition to other sources of power. Because wind on land is intermittent it is not ideal for complete power production.

The sea floor off the coast of the United Kingdom is ideal for its shallow depth. In the United States the most ideal spot for a massive wind farm would be off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts where there is a gradual slope of the ocean floor. The pacific coast of the United States would be a much costlier location due to the steep drop off and canyons in the ocean floor.

Offshore wind farms are attractive mainly because of the weather conditions produced by the ocean. Strong winds are regularly experienced, larger turbines can be installed and so more energy can be produced. On shore wind farms are also attractive for midland states like Montana and Kentucky where winds howl off the plains.

Wind power has the capacity to produce more than 100 billion kilowatt hours worldwide yearly. The main hindrance to this wind generated power technologies lies in the cost of the turbines. The rate at which the turbines pay themselves off however is faster than any other power producing mechanism.

Denmark has led the way in wind generated power and encouraged participation from countries like the U.S. and the U.K. There is great hope that wind generated power can create energy independence for developing nations Like Africa and Nicaragua.

Wind generated power projects are generally funded by governments and non governmental organizations world wide. Employment outlooks for this sector are increasing especially with the U.S. President Obama committing more funding to the industries of alternative energy production. The American Wind Energy Associate estimates that 4.8 jobs will be created for every 1 mega watt of wind power installed.

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Wednesday, October 21, 2009

The Technology of Indoor Solar Lighting

By Steve Schafer

How much do you know about solar lighting? Most people don't realize that it can be used both indoors and out. While many of us may not have considered using solar power to provide indoor lighting, it is becoming a growing trend world wide. It is a great way to save both money and energy.

Solar power has been being used, in one way or another since the 7th century BC, but the technology behind indoor solar lighting is still very young. Still, it is being used more and more often, especially in the United States to light small, remote structures such as in parks and natural reserve areas. Since these types of locations are very difficult and expensive to supply with conventional forms of lighting, they are perfect for this application. Indoor solar lighting is becoming more popular as more and more businesses in America are utilizing the technology as well.

Most of the indoor solar lighting in industrial use today is a mixture of solar light tube and solar powered light technology. Combinations of solar powered lighting and light tube technology are being used in high security applications like prisons. Solar light tubes are perfectly suited for this application, due to their ability to transfer considerable amounts of light to the interior of the structure using a very small footprint. This "hybrid" lighting method of combining solar powered lights as a back up to these light tubes produces a solar lighting system that is extremely efficient and effective.

There are actually many uses for indoor solar lights; like lighting up your garage, shed or gazebo - not to mention the inside of your home. The fact that you don't need an electrical source is a big advantage. All you need is a direct source of sunlight. No worrying about light bulbs or power outages. Indoor solar light installation is usually fairly easy and requires little if any maintenance and upkeep.

Getting power to a remote structure like a shed or detached garage to run even a single light bulb can be more trouble (and expensive) than it is worth. No problem - just install some indoor solar lights for a cheap and easy solution. For the inside of your home, you can try solar track lights and solar skylights as well.

It is no wonder that that indoor solar lighting is becoming so popular, with all of the different options that are becoming available. Check out your local home improvement store and you will likely find plenty of styles of these eco-friendly lighting products. It is truly exciting to see how rapidly the science is developing with nanoparticle research and solar ink technology, making it cheaper and easier for everyone to go solar. The great thing about using indoor solar lights is that you get to save money and help the environment!

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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

DIY Wind Turbines as an Affordable Energy Alternative

By Arnold Thomas

The cost of maintaining your household can be staggering. One of the larger expenses for any home is of course the cost of electricity. Many people find themselves budgeting carefully for this expense and trying as hard as possible to conserve energy to keep pace with the increasing cost of energy.

It would be really great if some of the bills can be trimmed down to size, but many of the bills like cell phone bills, cable bills, internet bills, and other expenses require far too much sacrificing and while there are people that really do try to save as much as they can, they often find themselves discontented with their limitations.

One of the important utility bills that most people fail to lessen are the electric bills. Even if you spend additional time unplugging unused devices to save electricity or force yourself to switch of the lights when you don't need them, you can still get tired with the efforts that need to be done. It also becomes tough to follow if you live with other people who may not be as interested to conserve electricity.

The answer isn't necessarily to use less electricity, but to get it from clean, renewable alternative energy technologies. You can reduce the amount of power you buy from your local utility company and you may even be able to replace all of this electricity with power you can generate yourself!

Solar and wind are the most popular alternative energy technologies. You probably know the basics about solar power already. It's a great non-polluting energy source. Wind power is something you've probably not really considered for your home, thinking you'd need a huge wind farm in order to get the electrical power your home needs.

Actually all you need are small wind turbines that you place on your rooftop. You don't need to worry about figuring out where to get them because you can actually make them yourself if you have the necessary materials that you can acquire online or in the junkyard.

If you live in an area which tends to get strong, steady winds, you may be able to generate the bulk of your own electricity! The more turbines you have the more power you'll produce and the less you'll have to pay your utility company for each month.

Wind turbines generate electricity from the kinetic energy of the wind turning their rotors. Unlike solar panels, a wind turbine continues to generate power even at night, which can be stored and used as needed.

Wind turbines may not work for every homeowner, but even those with a rooftop to mount their turbines on in a densely populated urban area will find these turbines to produce a significant savings on their electricity bills. Wind power can be put into use at a low cost and with relative ease, allowing users to have access to all of the electrical energy they need, even on a tight budget.

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Thursday, October 15, 2009

If A Little Were To Come About To Grease, Then We Could All Start Having Some Actual Issues

By Jennifer McClelland

If a bit were to take place to grease, then we could all start having some authentic challenges

A interruption in the bring of oil could make happen grave problems for the United States economy. Slightly than an actual dependence on foreign oil, the supply of oil and the cost jump that would occur as a effect are in fact a national security crisis.

Keith Crane, a older economist at Rand claimed that a fall in the source of oil across the globe would create a rise in oil prices and appreciably influence the United States, no stuff how much or how small oil the United States imports.

The Rand learning looked at links among oil and national safety.

We have already seen what can happen if the price of oil goes up 100% from where it is immediately, to back over $4 a gallon; everything gets more expensive, not just oil. The problem with that is if something were to happen now, many wouldn't be able to afford anything. In a worst case situation, more individuals would go unemployed since they simply could not have enough money to even make it to work.

There were moderate risks included with the benefits from higher revenues to oil exporting countries such as Venezuela that can be viewed as rogue countries. Of course there is forever a risk linked when you?re talking about countries like Venezuela or Iran; the countries have a extended past performance of being outrageous and speedy in choice making. More money means that they can do more illogical things. Superior revenues to organizations such as Hezbollah would also reason quite a difficulty due to terrorist behavior.

Present were four policies recommended by the researchers to help with the global supply of oil if something were to happen. First, to impose a form of price control or rationing during a stock disturbance, then exploratory household oil fields that have been off-limits long ago, plateful develop green, alternative energy, and keeping the price of such forms of energy low when compared to the price of oil, and finally to impose an excise tax on oil that would help try to reduce the growth in insist for oil.

As I claimed, the last some time a barb in oil occurred, it was right previously the economy really went south (even though we were already strictly in a depression). Since then, oil prices have fallen radically, and while gas is back above $2 a gallon, it is still much easier to endure than gas above $4 a gallon.

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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Solar Power Home - Considering The Advantages And Disadvantages

By Ryse Edwards

Many families and individuals are interested in saving money; one of the best ways to do so is by having a solar power home. Solar power is a wonderful alternative against the continually rising costs of other types of fuel and energy. You can get the electricity you require and do some good for our environment. However, there are various pros and cons you need to consider when you choose to use solar energy.

Pros:

Solar power is a natural resource for creating energy you require as well as being earth friendly alternative. For instance, solar power does not cause air pollution to provide you with electricity. This is a wonderful advantage since you can help save the environment and still get what you need.

There is an unlimited supply of natural sun energy that will always be there for you. This means you do not have to fret over the same types of issues produced by using oil or gas as an energy source.

When you have a solar power home, your energy source is free to use. Therefore, you cut out the cost of high monthly bills for the use of electricity.

There is no maintenance costs associated with the use of a solar power home and your solar power system. Solar cells can last a lifetime without the costs of maintenance or replacement parts. This means you can eliminate the need to add in any maintenance costs each month from your budget.

Now that you understand the various advantages of having a solar power home, you should know the disadvantages as well.

Disadvantages:

The expense of converting your home to a solar power by installing the system is the biggest con. Do some research to find out the cost of converting your entire home with solar energy. There are of course, people working on cutting the costs of installation for solar power. You may even want to get a manual to teach you how to convert your home into a solar power home to reduce your costs.

Not being able to generate power for your solar power home while the sun is not out is another con. This means that you may not be able to use this power source, with no sun, such as at night, while it is raining and perhaps in some locations during winter.

These are not all of the advantages and disadvantages that you need to know, but they are the most important ones. You need to take time to research to decide for yourself if you want a solar power home. Solar power has its benefits, but also its drawbacks, so make your decision carefully.

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Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Wind Generators for Sale - Consumer Warning: Factors To Be Considered Before Buying

By Brad Byrum

There are many advertisements today offering wind generators for sale both in newspapers, magazines and online. However, before you make your purchase there are certain factors which one needs to take in to consideration beforehand. In this article we look at just what some of these things are.

Factor 1 - Quality

You should invest in a good quality wind generator if you don?t want to waste any time or money having it repaired due to the blades getting jammed or other common malfunctions. Therefore, look for those for sale that offer a 5 year warranty or more. This is also a good indicator that the manufacturers have confidence in what they are producing because they know they would not make a profit using sub standard equipment backed with a long warranty.

Factor 2 - Find out How Much Energy Is Needed For Powering Your Home on an Annual Basis

The first thing you must do to determine this is to contact your utility company and ask them to provide you with a summary of what your kilowatt usage is annually. This way you can then work out what size wind generator you will need in order to provide enough energy for your home usage each year.

Once you know the amount of energy needed to power your home then you can decide on the kind of generator you need. When possible look for those systems which allow energy to be stored using a direct DC supply. You'll also want to install an inverter to convert your stored DC energy into an AC supply for powering appliances in the home. You should avoid any generators which come with built-in inverters as these can become easily damaged and will cost quite a bit to replace.

Factor 3 - What Planning Permissions Do You Need?

In most cases if you intend to install a free standing wind generator then certain planning permissions will need to be obtained before you do. This means contacting your local planning authority as to what these are. However, you may discover that if you choose to install a small roof top model then such permission may not be needed.

Factor 4 - Have you Considered ALL Costs?

This is one of the most important things you need to take into consideration when thinking of buying one of the wind generators for sale. Yes, the price that the system is being offered at may look like a great deal, but you still need to factor in the cost of actually setting it up. Keep in mind, you may need to prepare the land on which the generator is to stand, which may require a concrete foundation to be laid beforehand. Then you need to take into consideration the other costs of wiring it up to your home. This includes ensuring that you are using the correct inverters to prevent your appliances from being damaged when using the energy generated by these systems.

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Monday, October 12, 2009

Residential Solar Power Is Becoming An Increasingly Popular Option for Homeowners

By Ileana Limon

Let's face it; solar power is becoming increasingly popular mostly because it can save you a considerable amount of money each month. However, there are numerous other reasons as well.

Simply by being aware of some of these reasons, you'll be able to understand why so many people are deciding to have solar power in their homes. Out of interest sake, here of some of the reasons why solar power has become so popular.

One: One of the reasons that residential solar power is a good idea for a lot of people is because once you get it installed, it is pretty much maintenance free. This means that the upkeep of your solar power will be very low.

Two: Solar panels are known for having a long life span, which means that you wont have to replace them all the time. This will save you money in the long run.

Three: Because modern day solar power panels are available in every conceivable size and shape, they can be fitted to your home irrespective of your house design.

Four: Solar power in recent years has seen great strides, which means that it is becoming more affordable for everyone. Gas and oil prices continue to rise, so more and more people are turning to residential solar power to help them save money.

Thanks to modern technology we now have the ability to convert the sun's energy into electrical power using solar power systems. When one considers that the sun can provide us with such an abundance of energy, it only stands to reason that solar energy is a more cost effective alternative to what we currently use.

These are not the only reasons why residential solar power is becoming more popular every day, but they are the most important ones. Now that you know why it is becoming popular, you need to know some important factors to take into consideration before you decide to use solar power for your home.

One: How much sunlight does your home get? This is important because if your home is always in shade, or it is cloudy and rainy all the time where you live, then solar power may not be your best choice.

Considering that the efficiency of a solar power depends almost entirely on how much sunlight the house receives, its vital that you take the weather into consideration.

Secondly, one also needs to take into consideration the local laws and by-laws due to the fact that solar power may not be allowed in certain areas. For this reason it's always a good idea to seek advice from neighbors or from your local authority with regards to installing solar power.

Now that you're aware of the main reasons why people choose solar power and also what factors you need to take into consideration, you'll be able to make an informed decision as to whether or not residential solar power is the right choice for you. Remember, while it may be ideal for some, is not the best choice for everyone.

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Saturday, October 10, 2009

Installing A Solar Power System: Do it Yourself or Hire Someone Do It For You?

By Monte James

When you want to start using solar power to get the electricity that you need, there are two ways that you can go about getting it installed in your home. You can do the installing yourself, or you can hire someone to do the work for you.

There are some different things that you need to consider before choosing how you are going to have your solar power system installed.

Perhaps the most important thing of all is the cost, in that you will need to consider the cost of having it done by contractors, compared to how much it will cost should you choose to do it yourself.

Of course, it only stands to reason that it will be more expensive should you choose to use contractors. In this respect, you need to try and determine exactly what the difference will be as far as cost is concerned, should you use contractors, rather than do it yourself.

Another important factor to take into consideration is whether or not you have enough time available to do the job yourself. While the installation certainly doesn't take very long, you will however need at least a few days.

Do you have this kind of time to devote to this project? If you dont, then your best bet would be to hire someone.

Before you install a solar power system in your home, you will need to learn how to do it. In other words, you will have to research and find instructions that tell you how, or get instructions from the company you get the system from.

While the points outlined above are certainly not the only things one needs to take into consideration, when deciding whether to hire someone for the job or to do it yourself, they are perhaps the most important things to consider.

Above all, you need to invest at least some time for research, in order to learn how to install a solar power system successfully, before you actually go ahead and decide to do it for yourself.

Dont rush your decision; instead, research and think about it carefully before you decide because believe it or not, but anyone can install their own system with a little help from research and instructions. It is not as hard as it seems.

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Friday, October 9, 2009

Photovoltaic Solar And Electromagnetic Induction Energy

By Dale Green

Our Earth has been very generous with all the renewable sources of energy in so many different forms. So many corners of the planet have been fortunate to have used renewable power when mechanical electricity, powered by petroleum wasn't readily available.

We must seek to develop, store and generate the earth's current form into usable power for our needs. Even though the wind, sun, and even the earth itself will never stop providing us the energy we desire. As our fossil fuel continues to be depleted, we seek with urgency to find a way to transition into alternative energy sources.

Considering the what it took during the last century to make fossil fuels into crude, it makes generating energy from alternative fuels look easy. And then when you think about what it took to further refine it into different types of gas, diesel, and even petroleum blends. The extensive process cost over millions of dollars.

It may be unfamiliar to all of us but this kind of transitioning energy is what the world needs today in order to preserve and protect the world from the worsening condition of global warming.

Solar electricity is a great renewable fuel, but very expensive. The biggest cost comes from buying all the needed equipment to transfer over to solar energy. The initial equipment alone will be a lot more expensive than our present power we generate mechanically. We need to learn to accept the price as we transition to the alternative energy. These changes are not to be expected to take place overnight. Although we do need to accept the changes, and the price it will cost to change.

Actually, electricity can be generated just the same way it was generated by the British scientist, Michael Faraday during the 1800s. Changing the energy into electrical energy can be done by using either one of the seven available methods. But the one method mostly used by mechanics is the electromagnetic induction. Although the process is still the same, it will take training and knowledge before the energy is completely transformed into renewed fuels for electricity.

Although moving at a quick speed, photovoltaic technology has very high costs. Photovoltaic solar panels cost much more than it is to mechanically generate power. With great hope, within the next few years, the market will turn the situation around and make solar power more feasible than petroleum.

Learning new methods or techniques to develop this energy into renewable fuels is possible. Students of this generation are being taught in school to be aware of the depleting condition of the mother earth because of the global warming. Perhaps some of them would be trained to help in the development of new methods and equipments to be used for transitioning the energy from the sun, the wind, and the earth into alternative energy that are not harmful to the environment. This will make a great improvement for the planet we all live in.

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Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Using The Sun's Energy In A Stirling New Way

By Michael Edwards

During the process of researching an article about green products on photovoltaic cell systems (solar panels), I came across another way to convert the sun's light into electricity. So let's take a look at another type of solar energy system.

The Stirling engine was originally invented and patented as an air engine by Robert Stirling in 1816. It may have been designed as a replacement for the steam engine, because the steam engines used in factories would explode frequently, causing many injuries and fatalities. These days, because of the cost of fuel and the environmental problems with coal, many new designs are incorporating the Stirling engine in solar power systems.

The Stirling engine has many different designs, some more efficient than others. Some designs use the two cylinder Alpha design, some the Beta single cylinder design and some the Gamma design (a variation of the beta for use in multiple cylinder applications). The beta Sterling design has a single chamber with two pistons and uses a highly efficient regenerator gas as the thermal conductor.

To operate the Stirling engine only an external heat source is required, which could be anything from solar heat to the heat produced by decaying plants. In one model, the heat from a human hand powers a small version of the Stirling engine!

The Stirling cycle is pretty simple. When a heat source is applied to the large end, it causes the air to expand which moves a piston. A flywheel is used to maintain movement between cycles and add a convenient place to tap the power from the engine. What is so amazing about this design is that the design is very scalable. Engines have been produced that are as small as your hand to a large as a car but the concepts remain the same.

The reason the Stirling engine works so well for a solar application is that heat from the sun can easily be concentrated to heat the hot chamber. A parabolic mirror much like that seen with the roof mounted satellite dishes is used to gather and focus the sunlight. With the sunlight focused onto the hot chamber of the engine, the temperature raises and the engine starts running. Connect the output shaft to a generator, and electricity is the product.

The engine and support equipment is contained in a package small enough to be suspended from the end of a metal arm, much like the design of satellite TV systems but on a much larger scale. Some systems are producing 25K watts of power and have been installed and operational for a couple of years.

I will compare the different solar technologies in a later article. For now, I need to lay a foundational understanding of each of the green products used to produce power so a comparison can be made.

Michael

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Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Earth4Energy Testimonial, What I Truly Think After Purchasing This Best Selling Info Product

By Sanra Phillips

"Earth4Energy": An Overview

"Earth 4Energy" teaches people how to build solar panels and wind generators in a comprehensive handbook. "Earth4 Energy" comes with well written instructions and a video that makes it very easy to follow. The parts for the systems are also very easy to find and affordable. $300 and parts found at your local hardware store can produce both systems. As well as being easy to use the systems also significantly cut down the monthly energy bills. People can breakaway from their electricity companies by using these simple systems.

"Earth4Energy" Review

For quite some time, I've really been thinking of what I can do to save the planet. Making sure the world isn't in a worse condition then when I was born is a very big concern for me personally. I don't want to condemn my children with my inaction. That's why id decided to give "Earth 4Energy" a go.

Overview

"Earth 4 Energy" was created by Michael Harvey. Harvey has worked with renewable energy field for 15 years. "Earth4 Energy" is a do it yourself kit and it was designed to teach people how to start using renewable energy in their own homes.

Our Review of Earth4Energy

I was a little nervous when I first started with "Earth 4 Energy". I'm not known for my skills when it comes to building things, so there was no telling what was going to happen.

But I was soon convinced that I had no need to worry. I started off watching the video, and I could tell I was going to be able to do this. The video took me through everything step by step. It looked so easy I was amazed. You wouldn't think building solar panels and wind generators was easy, would you?

I was ready to get out to the shops as soon as the video was over. But I was a little concerned about how much it would cost. But again I found that there was no reason to be afraid. My local hardware store only cost me about $300. With that amount I was able to get everything I needed for both the solar panels and the wind generator.

Even though I could have just settled for doing one of them I decided to try both the wind and the solar. I wanted to give the planet all the effort I could and for that price it seemed silly not to.

I was able to build my own little power station. I was also about to learn a lot more then just facts about wind and solar panels. "Earth4 Energy" gave me tips on how to find free batteries to store energy and how to build a renewable energy generator. With the information I was given, I now have full protection, even when there is a power outage.

I have been talking a lot about the environmentally friendly aspects of "Earth 4Energy". But here is my dirty little secret. As great as I feel about these being eco friendly, I feel even better about the savings I've been seeing on my electric bill.

Helping top save the planet, I knew, would make me feel good, but saving money make sit even better. I don't even owe a thing some months. That is a great feeling.

The Bottom Line

"Earth 4Energy" is an affordable and effective product. I'm, saving money while helping the environment.

Using "Earth4 Energy" got me the best of both worlds. My conscious is lighter and I'm saving money left, right and centre. Can you imagine something better then that?

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Building Wind Power Generators To Power Your Home

By David Sullivan

Traditional energy sources are on their way out. Fossil fuel costs are shooting up because we are running low on them, so we need to prepare for the future. We need to change the way we think about how we get our energy and how much we are using to change our lifestyles into sustainable lifestyles.

There are some people who have already started thinking this way. New scientific breakthroughs in renewable energy are allowing us to create sustainable energy at lower and lower costs.

With the right plans, even homeowners who currently don't know a thing about producing their own energy can make energy by installing their own renewable energy sources, like wind power generators.

Homebuilt wind turbines can make as much power to reduce the average household's power bill by 60-70%. The right advice can show you how many people make their wind power generators for as little as $200 US.

They can be built with basic tools and parts from a local hardware store. You can estimate the amount of power a generator creates using the following formula:

Power(Watts) = (Wind Speed)^3 * (Blade Diameter)^2 * 0.00478

The speed of the wind is cubed, so it makes the most difference in your power output. For example, if you have a good average wind speed of 10mph and an 8 foot blade diameter, then:

W = (10*10*10) * (8*8) * 0.00478 = 305 watts/hour - x 24 hours and you can calculate 7.3 kWh generated per day by a wind power generator.

On average, an American home might use 14-20 kWh per day. If you start conserving your power, you might use much less depending on the size of your home. Even with little wind speed in your area, you should be able to build a wind turbine that can significantly reduce your power bill for as little as $200. Wind power generators are cost-effective, to be sure.

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Cut Electricity Consumption

By Steve Brodie

Each and every month we face the daunting time when the electricity bill comes flying into our letterbox. Reducing the utilities bill is a serious measure that we have at our finger tips. Well share some tips and tricks on how to do just that.

Firstly, a family discussion about electricity saving is a must if there are others sharing the house with you. You could reward them with treats or outings (or ask them what rewards they would like) if their participation leads to savings. Make helpful suggestions like shutting off the light when they are not using the room, and give tips on how to keep the room warm while saving energy at the same time by keeping the curtains drawn. Also, remind them that each and every drop adds up to an ocean and that it may not seem a lot now, but turning off all the appliances not only at their switch but at the wall as well, ends up in savings!

If you are smart about power consumption youll end up with more money in your pocket each month. Another way to save is by using fluorescent lighting or CFL bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs.A big decrease in power is needed with these bulbs therefore a lot less energy is used.

Buying a gadget from the hardware store that monitors the whole house power usage can give you control over electricity expenditure.

Most of us assume our rise in electricity bills are due primarily by the amount of electrical appliances we have in our homes these days. The truth of the matter is that its the way we use our gadgets that cause our bills to be so high, rather than the amount of them we have in the home.

The next best move is using those daily appliances that consume lots of power as least as possible. The washing machine should only be used when there is a bucket full of clothes ready to be washed. Use minimum high or low temperatures for the air conditioner. Make a note to switch off the computer monitor when youre not using it. It consumes maximum power and it only takes a second to switch it on again.

In order to really cut electricity consumption costs have a look at the guide on our site. It has got some of the best ideas on how to create your energy in the home and genuinely get energy for free for your appliances.

Renewable energy taken from wind, sun and the tides generates a whole lot of cash for us and at a much less cost to our environment. Imagine the feeling of never opening up the mail box to a power bill ever again!

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Sunday, October 4, 2009

Cheap Wind Power Generators To Power Your Whole Home

By David Sullivan

Are you looking to get off the grid and stop depending on your power company for electricity? There is another way. The cheapest way right now is wind energy, and the best way to get it into your house is to do it yourself! You can save thousands of dollars.

You can build your own wind power generator for your home. The ideal situation is an area that is 20ft higher than the nearest obstacle or building, and about 250-400 feet away. The average wind speed in North America is about 9-10m/s, which is great for using wind power.

Wind power generators an excellent alternative energy source. Because they can generate 1000 watts of power versus 100 watt for the average solar panel, they are a higher output system and cost less per Watt.

The spinning energy in the blades is converted to electricity by a DC motor. It uses a powerful magnet to induce charge in wire. You can buy one for $50-$200 or so, depending on the size of your turbine.

Another component of a wind power generator is the tower. You can either buy one or make one from scratch or recycle a tower. Old TV towers work great for this. You will also need a manual to work from to give you engineering plans to build the turbine correctly.

Many people have bought guides and made their own 500 watt turbines from scratch using PVC piping, a DC motor, TV tower recycled and a grid connector unit. This can be done in less than a week and for less than $300. On the other hand the same turbine might cost $1500 or $2500 commercially.

The concept of wind power has been around for the long time but hasn't much been implemented. It is fairly easy to build one yourself, and you'll find that they work fantastically for your own home.

If you have a bit of land or a rooftop to place it on, some PVC, a DC motor and something to make a tower out of, you can put together a wind power generator with basic tools quite easily.

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Buying The Right Home Wind Turbine Isn't Easy

By Kathy Nelson

Wind Turbines more often than not do not deliver their maximum rated output. Why ? Simply because surface and near-surface winds are commonly neither strong nor consistent enough to rotate the propellers at their "best RPM range" all of the time. Moving the turbine to higher elevations sometimes increases the average current output since wind strength generally increases at higher elevations/altitudes even though wind directions still remain variable.

The same wind supply inconsistency makes wind power unsuitable as a fixed, demand-driven source of energy unlike coal- or diesel-burning power plants that can simply be turned on or off depending on consumer requirements. This situation should change, when, if superconducting charge (or current) storage devices become widely available. Very large-capacity battery banks, or very efficient batteries, or super capacitors will also be designed for the purpose of storing vast quantities of power.

Small wind turbine generators have been available in the US since the 1920s. The Jacobs Wind Electric Company consistently sold 1- to 3-kW wind turbines to farmers in North America and around the world till the US rural electrification grid came fully online in the late 1940s, thus reducing the demand for independent energy supplies.

Because wind turbines are based on old technology they are incredibly reliable and pretty easy to keep running for anyone who is even a reasonably good mechanic. Even making your own unit won't require to many expensive tools.

A Jacobs wind turbine unit was fitted at the South Pole by members of Richard Byrd's Antarctic expedition in 1933. Jacobs wind turbines are still available for sale in the US today. Wind turbines could be viable alternative sources of energy for household or commercial end-users. Denmark currently sources about 20% of its national electrical energy supply from offshore wind farms.

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Wind and Solar Power Energy Solutions

By Mike Sullivan

With the world's ever-increasing demand of power being more than its supply, it is about time that we take concrete steps to save power. Apart from being conscious about the usage of power and water at home, one can employ pollution-free and cost-effective power solutions at our homes. Solar power solutions and wind power solutions are two of the most efficient that can replace or help the conventional power solutions employed at our homes.

Solar and wind solutions will help you eliminate your power bill and help the environment. They will also save you from power outages.

Wind power works best when the following is true:

- You have a house or farmhouse spread over a big area. Typically, wind power solutions are employed in areas that spread over an acre.

- The average wind speed at your house is 11 mph. If your house has very little wind speed, there is no energy for your wind power generator to harness.

- Your house needs an uninterrupted power supply. This is true for most houses, of course. With wind power, you can always have power on hand just by charging batteries you'll keep on your property.

A typical wind power system comprises of a tower and wind blades to churn out wind energy. The length of the wind tower varies depending on the location of your house. You may need a longer tower if you are in low-wind zone; you can work with a shorter tower if you live by the beach.

Using a wind generator, this wind energy can be converted into useful electrical energy to be employed at home for running various electrical appliances. You can even store the power generated for later use, making wind generators more efficient than convention power systems. You can also go without storage if you are connected to a grid, and while your wind generator is spinning you'll also see your power meter spin backwards.

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Saturday, October 3, 2009

Enjoy the Benefits of Having a Solar Power House

By Alice Walker

Did you know that having a solar power house has many important benefits for you and your family? More people are starting to realize this every day and that is why so many people are choosing to install solar power systems in their homes.

By becoming aware of the numerous advantages of solar power, you'll soon discover why solar power may very well be an ideal choice with regards to your own electricity needs.

Of course, one of the most significant benefits of a solar power house can be seen in the phenomenal savings to be had in terms of electric bills. In fact, by using solar power it is possible to reduce your monthly electricity bill by as much as 80 percent.

Additionally, over and above the money you save on your electric bill, if your solar power system generates more power than you actually use, you can in turn sell that power to the electric company. In fact, the electric company is compelled by law to buy it from you.

Yet another huge benefit of a solar power home is that it is less damaging to the environment and to the planet in general. As more and more people are focusing on going green, converting your house to solar power means you'll be doing your share towards preserving the world we live in.

With solar power being a natural source of energy you'll no longer be responsible for causing pollution.

With fossil fuels and other forms of non-renewable resources inevitably heading towards depletion, people are becoming increasingly aware of the fact that solar power is the way of the future. The undeniable truth is that we all need to start looking for other ways to power our homes, because those resources which we've been exploiting until now are currently vanishing before our eyes.

At last mankind is waking up to the fact that unless we start making use of natural resources on a larger scale than we currently do, we will soon have no other resources left.

Did you know that when you have a solar power house, you will get a break at tax time? Many people dont realize this, but Congress has passed a legislation that gives tax breaks to anyone that is using solar power for their homes. This is a way for them to start encouraging everyone to think green and help the environment.

A solar power house means also that you will have a reliable and durable source of energy for a long time in the future. When you use solar power, you will find that you dont have to replace anything for a lot of years. You will also find that there is very little maintenance involved in maintaining it.

While it's fair to say that the benefits of a solar power home which have been discussed in this article are probably the most important benefits, they certainly aren't the only ones. In fact, if you do a bit of research you'll soon discover that there are many other benefits, and that's exactly why more and more people are opting for solar power. There is simply no question about it that solar power is the power of the future.

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Now is the Time for Roof Wind Turbines

By Luke Webber

The world is potentially at the point of being self sustainable. We have the technology to develop energy to power houses with sustainable resources such as solar and wind but the cost of these products are still what is holding us back. One such product which is making leaps and bounds is the roof wind turbine. These have been on the market for quite a while but with recent developments they are much more affordable and efficient.

Previous roof wind turbine models were overly bulky, not highly efficient and quite limited in their operating conditions. The period of time to pay back these models in regards to the money you would save using them was extremely long due to their cost to buy and install. Taking into consideration their maintenance costs this pushed the return period even further back. The newer roof wind turbine models can usually be installed by a good electrician and a far less costly.

Wind turbines are a booming industry. Who really wouldn't want to be independent from the Grid. It makes sense in so many ways. The roof wind turbine market only makes up a small share of this market but it is growing in leaps and bounds as people wish to take the renewable option to save money and help the planet.

In terms of the pay back period of the latest roof wind turbine devices you are looking at about 5 years compared to up to 20 years for ones you would have bought 4 years ago.

If you buy a small scale wind turbine system before December 2016 you will receive a 30 percent rebate from the government. This applies to wind turbine units with capacity under 100 kilowatts.

The traditional wind turbine required a tower for it to be attached too. This presented two initial problems for those wishing to install one on their home in a suburban residential area. One it is very costly to put up a tower that is strong enough to hold such a device and two council approval is hard to get for such a tower which is quite often an eyesore. Modern roof wind turbines take away the need for a tower since, as their name suggests, they attach directly to the roof.

The greatest advance in wind turbine technology has been the replacement of a gear and gearbox system. These systems required a wind of 7-8mph just to start the gears turning, obviously reducing efficiency. Almost a 25% reduction resulting from the initial power required as well as the loss of energy in the gear box. To replace the gear system modern engineers have used hubs and bearings and instead of a gear box magnets are used to generate electricity. New systems also boast greater wind acceptance scope as well as turbine blades which can easily be taken off and replaced in the event of damage.

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Thursday, October 1, 2009

How To Start With Residential Wind Power

By David Sullivan

Looking to reduce your power bill or start living without buying power from the power company? A great way to do it is to invest in residential wind power.

So why don't you and your neighbors go out and buy some turbines? Because commercial ones can retail for exorbitant prices - $2000 to $6000, even. They are still worth the money because they last for a long time and in a year or two they have paid for themselves, but there is an alternative.

If you have the right plans you can build your own, in fact. And it's not complicated, and it's not expensive. you can do it for around $150-$300 depending on the amount of power you want to produce.

What will you need to make your own residential wind power?

You will need a set of well engineered plans, a work area, simple tools and four to six days.

The components of a wind generator:

Four main parts in a generator are the blades and hub, the body with a DC motor, the tail and the tower. The blades will be the toughest part to build of the whole machine. They are still fairly easy with a good guide to move you along.

The motor converts the rotation of the blades to electricity. It is the most expensive part. Your manual will tell you how to install it best and what size you'll need and all the other technical details about this part.

For the body it is best to use double walled stainless steel like that from a chimney pipe or wood stove. It is very cheap and easy to get and will last a long time.

The tail is very simple but usually essential to make sure your turbine is pointed in the right direction. Make it sturdy so it can withstand storm winds.

You can buy or build your own tower. The best thing to do is find an old TV tower and recycle it for you wind generator tower. Many people will even pay you to take them down and get them out of their way.

Now that you know some of the basics, you can see that it's not that complicated or expensive to have your own residential wind power system to run your household. All you need now are the plans to get started.

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