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You don’t find renewable resources. They are right out there in front of us. The problem is converting these resources into electrical energy. The technology isn’t there yet for efficient and economical use of renewable resources, such as solar, wind, geothermal, tidal etc. Work is underway in the Bay of Fundy to create turbines to harness the tidal energy in the area. The amount of energy they create right now is about enough to power 100 000 homes, which isn’t very much. Iceland is blessed with geothermal energy and they do have a lot of infrastructure in this area. The current volcano in Iceland is evidence of the amount of geothermal energy they have. I would imagine that Hawaii could get all of its energy from geothermal if the political will was there. Wind turbines are popping up all over in Europe and accounting for a healthy percentage of their total power. Wind turbines are gaining popularity in North America. The problem with these renewable resources is they are not always reliable, ie: the sun only shines for half the day and winds are not always blowing in the area where a wind turbine may be built. Renewable resources are also much more expensive. Your hydro bill would be much higher if all the electricity you got came from renewables and not from fossil fuels. Nuclear power is somewhere in the middle; being somewhat renewable, clean if taken proper care of and cheep once the nuclear generators are built. New technology has made it nearly impossible for a meltdown as has happened in the past and up to 90% of spent nuclear fuel can be recycled to be used again.

Wood is a resource in the middle. It is both renewable and non-renewable. It takes decades to grow new trees which is a short time compared to millions of years for fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas. We have already reached peak oil, which means we have found and drilled more than half of the oil on the planet. With economies such as China and India getting into the style of life that we enjoy in the west, the burden on oil resources is even greater. This is why the price of gas for your car and home heating fuels has climbed so high over the past few years. As we run out of places to drill for oil we begin to get it from places that we would never have thought of drilling just a few decades ago, such as off shore, the Arctic and the Alberta Tar Sands. As we continue to go into these regions for our oil, there will be more news stories as the one unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico right now. We have plenty of coal and even more dirty coal, but if you think that pollution is bad now, it is nothing compared to a planet run on coal. And you can’t run your car on coal.

What we need is a huge infusion of money into the nuclear program. These reactors can be used to create hydrogen for cars and other things that need to run on a combustible fuel. Canada has lots of Uranium in the ground, just waiting to be mined and turned into nuclear fuel. Of course we will have to keep this out of the hands of rogue nations and terrorists.

Bottom line, if you want to have the lifestyle that we all enjoy, you will have to pay for it one way or another.

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If I were President of the United States of America, I would care of the environment by:

1. Replacing/supplanting the Environmental Protection Agency with a new Department of the Environment.

2. I would grant tax deductions to all businesses and industries, large and small, so they could write off the cost of: remodeling their facilities (with environmentally friendly materials and to be energy efficient), new energy efficient equipment and vehicles, and R&D in environmental improvements to their business or industry.

3. I would have developed new environmentally-sound ways of extracting natural resources so that mining, logging, and fishing are possible without damaging ecology, or at least without damaging it permanently. Government and private collaboration, tax breaks, and loans would help, as well as massive research and development.

4. Ban common unrecyclable materials and disposable products, or tax it highly.

5. Begin a National Program for the design and construction of “Stirling” solar arrays, “Stirling” ground power generators, horizontal-blade wind farms at sea and on land, advanced nuclear energy stations, clean-coal retrofitting of existing coal energy stations with new, high-efficiency generators, and technology for existing nuclear and coal energy stations to use exhaust that would contribute to thermal pollution, and for research with the European Union on how to re-process nuclear waste into fuel again. Research carbon-nanotubes, superconducting materials, piezoelectric wires, and wireless electricity for increased efficiency in energy transmission.

6. Re-commit the U.S.A to the ITER project, and to additional Fusion energy research.

7. Begin a National Program for the construction of many new Materials Reclamation Facilities across the nation, and for the establishment of materials science labs and cooperation with the private sector to invent new materials to replace non-recyclable ones, and to learn how make all materials recyclable.

8. Institute National Trash Separation Laws, and retrofit all waste management facilities with artificial composters so that organic waste can be turned into compost and fertilizer and shipped to American agricultural regions so that wasted food can be returned to the environment and the nutrients can be recycled.

9. Institute a National Transportation Energy Transition Program, with investments and government aid for a Domestic Oil Industry, so that oil can be produced from domestic oil sources, oil shale in the Midwest regions, and coal. That oil should also be mixed with ethanol produced via the Ethanol Program (see below).

10. Help “Big Oil” find ways to make oil refineries less environmentally damaging, and build new advanced ones to increase capacity.

11. Institute an Agricultural Program that gives farms aid by giving them permission to grow sugarcane and corn for use in ethanol production, making ethanol a form of subsidy that benefits other sectors of the economy and environment. Also, controlling the amount of corn each farm or agribusiness can use for ethanol can help reduce the environmental impact of growing sugarcane and corn for fuel usage, and also cushions the market by reducing the impact on prices if food is used for fuel instead of food consumption.

12. Begin cooperation with the various U.S. Airlines for new technologies for aircraft propulsion, and for the introduction of new more environmentally friendly fuels.

13. Institute a National Fund to allow all levels of government to replace their vehicles with fuel-efficient, hybrid, and flex-fuel vehicles manufactured by U.S. Auto industry.

14. Institute a National Interstate Public Transportation System, to create a Interstate High-Speed Rail and Maglev Rail System, and also to create Intra-state systems of Public Transport, including buses, advanced rail, and also advanced maglev cargo rail systems.

15. Increased fuel efficiency standards, with R&D tax write-offs for automotive manufactures so that the cost of these new vehicles does not rise and hurt consumers.

16. Mandate a National Repair Program to completely restore, update, and expand the National Transportation Infrastructure.

17. Mandate a National Decentralized Solar Energy Program, to install advanced, highly-efficient, U.S.-manufactured solar panels on the top of all homes, businesses, warehouses, stores, and skyscrapers across the U.S.

18. Mandate a National Environmental Restoration Program for the restoration of natural ecology damaged by human activity, both on land, and along the coast, and at sea.

19. Institute National water conservation laws in conjunction with the restoration, and expansion of water management infrastructure, and the building of numerous Desalination Facilities for the production of water fit for human consumption and use.

20. Begin an International Program between all existing Space Agencies, for the establishment of a single, massive advanced Planetary Environmental Monitoring Satellite Network, that can examine and monitor global weather and atmospheric conditions and atmospheric chemical pollution.

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There are two general types of hybrid cars. There is the parallel hybrid like the prius that intends to have an electric motor assist the gasoline engine. Then there is a series hybrid that is intended to have an engine operate a generator that will drive an electric motor directly or through a storage device like batteries. The Volt is to be a series hybrid. These types are sometimes further divided up based upon how much the electric motor is used into a “mild” hybrid or a “strong” hybrid. And then once again if the batteries can be charged by plugging in the vehicle or not.

The electric vehicle stands alone in requiring a plug (or to have batteries swapped.) Here is a chart of the relative efficiencies of the resulting drive trains (vehicles): http://serieshybrid.com/FreedomFormula/images/Drivetrain_Comparison.pdf

An extensive list of hybrid cars with some site references where you may find costs can be found in my answer here: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100304052536AAMz5Az&r=w#OMxkB1PfWUqLu47tW6Qs where the “best answer” makes a point that hybrid vehicles would not exist except that the battery with the best cost/energy density/ weight ratio was excluded from electric cars by patent rights formerly held by the Chevron Oil Company.

It becomes clear that all hybrids may be an “answer” to the electric car and not to petrol cars. They are also not created equal. The diversity further marginalizes the electric vehicle. But your question is about a comparison with electric and petrol vehicles. Here is an analysis of petrol vehicles and HFC electric vehicle some of the issues remain the same for any electric vehicle: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Au.878ONFUxFyvFFXW1C39Lty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20100218140636AAir1Q7&show=7#profile-info-TolABusEaa Issues reviewed are Tank to wheel efficiency of around 15% vs above 90% for the electric vehicle, sources and the nature of pollution and the relative costs. There is a cautionary note that scope of the concerns will make a significant difference in some of the values.

From the efficiency chart and from the battery history most hybrid cars we see today are about twice as good as their gasoline counterparts while electric cars and plug in series hybrid vehicles are up to 5 times more fuel efficient. The hybrid as a “solution” to allowing the best batteries in purely electric suggests strongly that parallel hybrids are a political delay in adopting series hybrids and purely electric cars. That is arose as a policy from a lawsuit settlement by an oil company suggests strongly that hybrids exist to preserve oil company markets for its products.

Unlike electric trains or solar vehicles most vehicles today are dependent upon energy storage. The the potential in a tank of gasoline is greater than what currently or likely will exist in battery storage in the near future. The opposite relationship exists with the means to convert that energy to motion. The electrical motor is far more efficient than the gasoline engine ever can be. Fueling times for a petrol vehicle are relatively short but require attention. Fueling times for electric vehicles are long and can be done without attention. Fueling petrol is from containers in the ground or elsewhere. This creates portability while increasing the risk of pollution. Electricity is clean, but requires more coordinated infrastructure. Fuel is private sector while electrical energy supplies often started out in the public sector or use public rights of way. Fuel is a technology that has been expanded and exploited for 100 years while battery electric is only with opposition enjoying a resurgence.

Hybrid cars extend the range over the more efficient platform of a battery electric vehicle. They pay for this with:
pollution is higher than electric vehicles but lower than petrol vehicles
mileage reduction from an electric vehicle but somewhat higher than petrol vehicles
more complex than an electric vehicle or a petrol vehicle
higher maintenance cost than an electric or petrol vehicle.
Does not free us from foreign oil or give us a viable option to a petrochemical transportation monopoly.

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A recent issue in the journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, shows that as the proportion of renewable energy penetrating the electricity grid grows, the reduction of CO2 emissions drops sharply.
By the time wind power (and, by analogy, solar) reaches about 20 percent of the grid, the savings in CO2 emissions are negligible, of the order of a few percent.

The result seems counter-intuitive – surely the more renewable energy, the greater the reduction of CO2 emissions, and less threat of global warming. But the reason for this finding can be found on the miles per gallon sticker on the windows of new cars. The mileage for highway driving is always greater than that for city – stop and go – driving.
When we touch the brake pedal, we change the engine speed. The lower mileage for city driving means less efficiency from the gasoline, and more pollution per mile driven.
In the same way, when back-up electricity (mostly natural gas power plants) – when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine- is ramped up and down, there are more CO2 emissions compared to when the back-up is running full blast. Result – much of the emissions savings from using wind power or solar is lost.
Dr. Inhaber found results from Colorado, Texas, Germany, Ireland, Estonia and other countries bolstering his argument. If we are to reduce CO2 emissions, we will have to find an alternative to the programs advocated by many governments.

Edited to add comment to Beowolf

This is a peer reviewed paper in a mainstream scientific journal, what the IPCC call the gold standard in science

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You can Build your Own Solar Energy Systems, It is not that hard…. For DIY go too….

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I would not use a UV lamp over bleach. If you have to buy a light brush to help break up the mold. I would also use a mask to prevent yourself from getting a fungi infection of some kind.

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If your goal is to save money, it will be hard to do that with solar electricity. You can come out ahead under some circumstances, but powering a refrigerator and a fan is an unlikely one. However, if your goal is to learn about this kind of setup, you could get a kit from (say) Harbor Freight for a few hundred dollars, which will (barely) charge a car battery over a period of a couple weeks. The energy you collect could power a fan for several hours.

I came accross a new, proven and tested home made wind power system and solar power system which eliminates our electricity bills. It was written by a Renewable energy enthusiasts Michael Harvey the diy called Earth4energy. You can get your copy to save energy and help environment while eliminating your power bills. Get it from here:

http://how-to-build-cheap-solar-energy.blogspot.com/

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Solar energy is energy from the sun.

There are many forms of energy.
– Plants use photosysthesis to convert solar energy into chemical energy.
– Solar cells convert solar energy into electricity.
– Evaporated and condensed water, thermals, and winds convert solar energy to mechanical energy.
– Copper flashing, like most things sitting out in the sun, convert solar energy to heat.

So, its solar energy until it is absorbed by the copper, then it is thermal energy (heat).

Edit: I know 2 ways to convert thermal energy to electrical. First is a thermoelectric generator. These tend to be costly, delicate, and have low efficiency. Check out the links below the article, especially the HZ-14 one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_effect

2nd way is to use an engine or turbine. Concentrating sunlight with mirrors onto a small boiler creates high pressure steam. It is used in a turbine to make electricity. Some experimental units have actually been deployed by utility companies in sunny areas. While they depend on government subsidies, with enough emprovement, the technologies may stand on their own. You can also use solar energy to heat air or other working fluid inside an engine to convert the thermal energy to mechanical motion that drives an electrical generator. The most efficient such engine is called a carnot engine, which is unfortunately impractical to make economically.

Finally, things like windmills and waterpower actually convert solar to mechanical power, which is then used to drive generators. These are actually variations of the 2nd point.

BTW, if you’re asking how to make a simple solar cell from copper, see link: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Apf5WS6KKGtoGDDSwRyFbIsAxgt.;_ylv=3?qid=20080520203652AAT6UzD

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So you want a project for undergraduate school. I assume this is a research project as opposed to an engineering assignment.

It would be interesting to do some overall research to frame your efforts. For example:

Worldwide, how much energy is consumed per year in 2007 in the form of fossil fuels in nonrenewable resources: gas, oil, and coal? “In 2004, the worldwide power consumption of the human race was 15 TW (= 1.5 x 1013 W) with 86.5% from burning fossil fuels.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_energy_resources_and_consumption

How does the Western lifestyle effect fossil fuel consumption?

Given the maximum energy potential of these fossil fuel sources how efficient is our use? For example, some gas engines are very inefficient in converting gas to enegy? (also some home heating furnaces are very efficient.)

What is the breakdown in categories of energy use: transportation, manufacturing, farming, heating, air conditioning, household and business consumption of electricity, and so on?

If we were able to replace conventional braking systems with regenerative brakes that salvage 20% of a vehicles momentum energy, how much energy would we save per year?

What are practical forms of renewable energy? Wind; Tidal; Solar to Steam; Temperature differential in oceans, different depths of earth; or at different altitudes on land; Solar Electric panels; Geothermal; River Dam; bio fuels; Solar furnaces (cooking, heating, thermal storage); and so on?

What is the cost of each practical approach? What’s the initial investment? What’s the ongoing cost? If the cost of a killowatt- hour of electricity goes to $0.80, what technologies become cost effective?

Are we running out of fossil fuels? (Check out “Peak Oil”)

How can governments encourage renewable energy? (Check out what Germany has done with the solar cell energy price supports.)

Fossil fuels have been the cheapest form of energy, but that’s likely to change in the next decade. What would it take to replace all of our enegy dependence on fossil fuels with different technologies?

Before you invest a lot of time with a particular technology, I’d make sure that the renewable energy solution is efficient and can scale up relative to other alternatives. For example, collecting heaps of manure to manufacture gas may not be competitive with more efficient alternatives. The manure may also be more valuable as a fertilizer (since fossil fuels for chemical fertilizers may eventually be in short supply).

Wind Generators, Hydroelectric, Electric Solar Panels, Solar to Steam, Bio Fuels, and Geothermal have all proven to be cost effective in many places. It would be an interesting question to determine what the fixed capital investment and the ongoing costs of each approach will be when the cost per killowatt hour of electricity increases by multiples of the current costs. What percentage of each technology will be used as the cost of energy increases?

Higher capital cost and higher ongoing costs of different technologies can be justified when energy costs increase. When we exhaust most opportunities for wind power, then perhaps solar cells may prove to be financially viable. It would be interesting to see the combinations of technologies that will become viable as we run out of nonrenewable energy sources.

What would it take to replace all of the fossil fuels used in the world with proven technologies?

Another question is how do we move all of this energy around? Fossil fuels pack a lot of energy in a small space.

What is the efficiency and cost of a fuel cell?

Brazil has been doing some interesting things with alternative fuels for vehicles. However, battery power looks like a very practical alternative.

Good luck!!

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Turbines of various types drive the generators that produce most of the electric power used in all parts of the world.

Coal is used to generate electricity by first burning the coal to heat a boiler that produces steam. The steam is used to drive a turbine which drives a generator to produce electricity. Oil, natural gas and bio gas are used to generate electricity using a turbine in the same way, but they can also be used to generate electricity using an internal combustion engine or by driving a turbine directly, using the heated gaseous products of their combustion,

Nuclear reactors produce heat to generate electricity using a steam turbine.

Hydroelectric power is usually generated by turbines that are driven by the force of water flowing from a higher elevation to a lower elevation through a water turbine.

The machines that generate electricity using the force of the wind are called wind turbines.

Solar energy can be concentrated and directed with mirrors to heat water to drive steam turbines.

“A turbine is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work. … A working fluid contains potential energy (pressure head) and kinetic energy (velocity head). The fluid may be compressible or incompressible. Several physical principles are employed by turbines to collect this energy.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbine

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4 ceiling fans 400 watts. 7 CFL lights 150 watts. 2 motor pumps 746 watts. One TV 150 watts. Total 1446 watts. 3000 watt gasoline powered generators sell for about $320 USA including tax if you can find a sale. Smaller may cost more and likely cannot supply the starting surge for the pumps. If you need to start both pumps simultaneously, you need 5500 watts or a bit more which will cost about $530, perhaps as much as $1000. 2 kw = 2000 watts likely won’t start either pump even with everything else turned off.
Possibly 3000 watts won’t start the second pump if the first one is running. If you have pump starting problems a possible solution is a 2000 watt (or there abouts) grid tie inverter powered by a battery which you trickle charge from the generator possibly supplemented by a PV solar panel and/or small wind turbine. With the generator running the inverter will think it is connected to the grid, and phase lock with your generator. That will give you 2000 + 3000 = 5000 watts. If you cut the power to one or both pumps, you can turn off the inverter to improve the life expectancy of the battery. Grid tie inverters have an input voltage range, such as 24 to 52 volts, The lower number should be the battery voltage as the actual battery voltage is about 10% more than the battery rated voltage = two 12 volt batteries in series supply about 27 volts to your inverter.
Possibly sme of that is not correct and you should buy about a 2500 watt inverter (not grid tie) with a 5000 watt surge rating. You will need two 6 volt 250 amphour batteries to power it to 5000 watts, and an 800 watt (or there abouts) generator, to charge the batteries when the voltage drops below 6.5 volts on either battery. That may happen frequently unless your wind turbine and/or PV solar panels are rated 1000 watts or more. What is an st generator? Neil

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I’m a permaculture farmer, on a 40 acre farm. We are slowly moving our entire farm to becoming off grid. So far the water and the heat are off grid. Next is the power.

We’ll be using both wind and solar, because on days the sun doesn’t shine, it’s usually windy. If you go with a grid tied solar system as another person suggested, it will save you more than 1/2 the cost. However when the grid power goes down, so does yours. If you have no batteries and no inverter, you have no power.

I really like the solar systems that Costco has been offering for sale. The nice thing about them is you can start small, and ad more as your budget allows. For your batteries, you want to look at marine batteries (for boats), or golf cart batteries. This next part is really important, so pay attention; BATTERIES GIVE OFF TOXIC GAS, AND MUST BE VENTED TO THE OUTSIDE! So no batteries in your house. Plan on building your batteries a protective box OUTSIDE. Also realize that you should not talk to ANYONE about your batteries and off grid home. Why? Because it’s valuable, and has immediate resale value for those who steal and turn items in for scrap and recycling. You could come home and find your entire system, including the valuable and expensive batteries gone.

Since the batteries have to be vented to the outside, theft is a real possibility. What do you plan to run, in terms of appliances? A laptop takes little power. A desk top computer is a power hog. A refrigerator from an RV can be run off propane, and will use no electricity. CFL or LED lights take very little power. You can install a gas powered stove, so again you need no power for it. We are going to use an on demand water heater, so no power needed for the water. We are currently building a 600 sg ft house, with propane powered fridge, stove, and water heater. The actual power needs of the house are very minimal. We’ll be heating with a wood stove.

You might actually find you don’t need 2000 watts if you choose the right appliances. Of course if you go for full electric everything, you’ll need a lot more than 2000 watts. If you live someplace where you have to run A/C you’ll probably need more than 2000 watts. In our climate, a ceiling fan is more than sufficient.

So sit down, plan your house, and what your ACTUAL electrical appliances will be. Go to YouTube, there are lots of great videos on there about people living in little solar powered houses.

~Garnet
Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years

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The big expense is the cost of setting up. Solar power is not particularly efficient at the moment so you have a lot of infrastructure that you have to put in. Australia has just started funding a solar project recently

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20645117-28737,00.html
http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/international/news/20061025p2g00m0in017000c.html

These are a few articles on it. The other costs are the drawbacks. You have to store the power because power usually peaks at night time and solar power peaks during the day. So you have the cost of energy storage on top of the plant costs. To be totally honest with you I don’t think anybody has a very accurate idea yet on how much it will cost to produce solar power. It is an older technology but it has not until recently been investigated on the scale that people are looking producing today. So there are costs of unforseen problems that will have to be factored in. These costs should drop over time as solar power becomes more common but the initial outlay may be substantial.

Anyway I wish I had more to say, Good luck with your research project.

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Tax incentives for solar companies. It all boils down to money.

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New Delhi, India [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] The State Level Renewable Energy Park, set up at Khandagiri foothills, Bhubaneswar, India, covers three acres with demonstrations of new working systems such as solar cooking, lighting, drying, water heating, gasifier, wind generator, biodiesel power, solar energy drier and models of small hydro power, wave energy, geothermal energy. An accompanying media center and conference hall/auditorium on solar passive architecture concept has been constructed to screen films and organize meetings/conferences. Funding came from Indian Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, which also provides funds for remote village electrification and village energy security projects.

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It’s true that solar energy plants (both direct absorption and reflection generator) need… Solar energy. I’ve never been to the UK myself, but solar might not be an effective alternative. However, wind and wave would be an excellent choice. In fact, I believe that there are large wind farms and wave grids off of the east coast of Scotland.

In developing countries of Africa and even the more developed country of India, the problem with renewable/sustainable energy is the same one that people here in the USA complain about, which is why it isn’t yet being implemented on a large scale. Reason being, it is a very cheap source of energy – however, each one of the sustainable energy capture mechanisms (geothermal, wind, wave, solar) requires a fairly high initial up-front cost to actually build and implement. Once it’s built, it costs almost nothing, but it is a large initial pay-out. For developing countries, it’s “better” to just burn coal and oil (not many natural gas resources like we have, in general), because it allows their economy a better chance to grow.

Also, they’re not bound by the Kyoto Protocols to reduce their emissions (speaking specifically of China and India in this case), even though they have signed on to them as a promise. Their “developing nation” status exempts them, so that they can use the cheap fossil fuels.

Which is incidentally why the US has not signed on, and will not ratify, the Protocol. We’re competing against Indian and China in a very hot trade war, and being bound by the Protocols would be like getting in to a marathon with them, but shooting ourselves in the foot before the starting gun is fired.

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What is a wind energy?

A method of harvesting energy from the natural phenomena of wind.

Why wind energy eco-friendly? Add the word “relatively”. It isn’t completely eco-friendly.

It is considered eco-friendly solely due to the fact that you don’t need to pollute continuously to operate your devices.

IT isn’t necessarily eco-friendly, because to build the devices requires the technology, the research and development, the resources for building, the complicated rectifier and inverter and charge controller systems.

IT just looks like it is eco-friendly….because common people don’t necessarily do the full cost-benefit analysis.

What are wind turbines? How were they invented? Who invented them?
The same thing as the classical windmill blades…just a modern re-design.

– Is wind energy more efficient than other alternative resources?
Only by the means that it is just a turbine and a generator and hasn’t anything to really cause an inefficiency…of course, the availability of wind resources makes it not necessarily as feasible.

Ok,….I am tired of answering.

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Technically it can snow anywhere, but in the Earths current climate snow in the tropics is highly unlikely unless you are at some altitude, it probably snows above Tuvalu regularly and if it had mountains like Hawaii, you might see that, but it doesn’t. In fact Tuvalu has an average height of just a few meters.
Http://www.wayfaring.info/2009/12/03/tuvalu-islands/

The power generator on the main island is pictured at the bottom of page 5 of this
http://www.e8.org/upload/File/tuvalu_solar_power_project_final.pdf
Note the low and high tide images, some deniers would have us believe these people are lying about what is happening, clearly they are not.

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It kinda depends on the destination of the energy. For homes, Nuclear is still a long, long way from being ideal – what do we do with the waste which will remain toxic for the next 250 000 years? It may not produce greenhouse gases, but what it does produce is being conveniently forgotten….

Wind and solar have a lot going for them…there are other things too like Hydroelectric power generation – my home state of Tasmania (in Australia) is almost completely reliant on non-greenhouse-gas-producing Hydro power.

As far as cars go…there’s biodiesel, hydrogen fuel cells and water….YES, Water….There’s been a thing called a “Brown’s Gas Generator” around for a long time….a simple way of “cracking” the hydrogen component from oxygen in water….

One of the main things we as a species need to do is consume less of everything – energy included!!! We need to make a radical shift in our lifestyles and thinking patterns as we are not living within our means at the moment!

If you like, email me with anything more you’d like to know!

Hope this goes a little way towards helping!

Love and Light,

Jarrah

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Electric cars are getting better when it comes to mileage per hour of recharging. But they still require energy, namely electric energy. Which begs the question “what do you think is the best idea for alternative production of electricity?” Maybe solar generation will be made more efficient over the next decade if both business and government invest enough in the technology.

Hybrids are a good stepping stone. It’s still some gasoline, but at least you get superb mileage and consume less petro.

Hydrogen is a rather stupid idea since it is not only dangerously explosive, but takes more energy to initially produce than it releases when burned. I’m not saying there is no role for hydrogen fuel, just that it can never be a major energy staple.

I think biofuel, especially cellulose ethanol, is the most practical long-term solution to our fuel energy issues. Critics will insist that ethanol doesn’t work, that its production consumes more oil energy than the bio energy we get out of it. But that is only because we use mediocre biofuel crops (such as corn) and we produce it by more primitive means.

Brazil, which uses the “old production” method still gets a strong net energy gain on its sugarcane ethanol, mainly because sugarcane is a better crop for producing “old” ethanol than corn. But the “new” way of producing alcohol from fiber rather than sugar could increase gallons-per-acre yield more than twofold from Brazil’s sugarcane and make ethanol a truly feasible fuel. In temperate climates with distinct winter seasons, switchgrass and hempstalk would be excellent “new” ethanol crops since sugarcane isn’t hardy and the new method produces far more fuel anyway.

Even with alternative fuel we still have to cut down on the total miles that society drives by encouraging more carpooling, mass transit, and opportunities to work/shop closer to home.

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Consider using solar lighting which can be cost effective introduction to solar power. Kits are available with solar panel, regulator, lights, battery, switches and cable. Other DC devices can be run from the battery.
I have used solar panels to maintain charge in batteries for standby generators.
Solar power can be connected to a grid feed inverter to save on power bills or earn money.
Consider what free electricity from the sun for 30 years is worth.

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Making wind power

Wind energy is readily available but wind power is not. Unfortunately, the wind power system has not reached the status of becoming a regular power system. However, the good news is that the concept is picking up.

Why is wind power important?
Wind power makes sense in these times when the demand far exceeds the supply. The convention ways of producing electricity make use of the non-renewable fuels, not only making such resources scarce but also affecting the environment negatively. The power generated by wind proves beneficial in the following ways:

• Free source of energy – The wind power makes use of wind energy which is absolutely free, thus saving the non-renewable sources of energy for longer.

• No environmental hazards – The generation of wind power is extremely environment-friendly. It does not emit harmful gases nor does it have any other environment-damaging impact.

• Cost-effective – Using a free energy makes wind turbines extremely cost-effective. Moreover, there remains no worry of sky-rocketing electricity bills.

• 24/7 uninterrupted supply – The wind power ensures that you never have power outages in your house and farm.

• Self-dependent source – Making use of wind power makes you independent. You no longer depend on the government and its agencies for power.

How can we make power from the wind?
A wind turbine is employed to make use of the abundant wind energy. A wind turbine converts wind energy into mechanical energy for mechanical work. Such a wind turbine is generally referred to as a windmill. A wind generator is a wind turbine that further converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy.

A wind turbine typically consists of blades, a tower, a shaft, a base, and a generator. The blades of the wind turbine rotate in the wind to generate mechanical energy. The two pre-requisites for installing a wind turbine are a large area of at least one acre and an average wind speed of 11 miles per hour.

What are the uses of wind power?
The uses of wind power are many. Let’s look at some of the popular ones:
• Running all possible electrical and electronic appliances
• Pumping out water
• Grinding grains and stones

By employing a wind turbine at your home or farm, you definitely make the world a better place. The wind power is a green solution to the power crisis. It does not harm the environment in any way. Moreover, it does not make use of any fuel, thus promising a future of no power-crisis.

admin answers:

“Only solar power is the guaranteed clean,affordable ,low prices alternative option.”

Clean? How are they manufactured?
Affordable? Why don’t we all have them?
Placed above the clouds? Hmmmm…..would this increase the cost? Does it get dark above the clouds at night?

Keep thinking!

Check your facts, Mr. 357. Listen to “Dark Side of the Moon” by Pink Floyd. Especially the very end.

admin answers:

You have to drill pretty deep.

admin answers:

Hire an electrician. You should not be doing this yourself if you have to ask y/a how. Check the building codes. Find out what the electric company allows, will they buy surplus power, etc.

admin answers:

Some recycling bins and a lot of green paint.

admin answers:

I live on a farm in Piedmont NC, and use a solar photovoltaic array to provide the most critical electrical needs for my house. I use a Trace inverter/charger of 2,500 watts per leg to produce 120/240 volt 60 Hz power identical to what comes from the overhead pole line.

This particular inverter is designed to work with a 24 volt battery array; the batteries I use are actually 12 volt batteries, wired in series-parallel to provide 24 volts, 5600 amp-hours.

This system provides enough power to run all the lights, the refrigerator, this laptop and one other computer, music system. Two circulating fans, microwave oven, and the circulating pumps for a hot-water heat system embedded in the concrete floor slab.

The fans, pumps, and refrigerator are special energy-efficient models specially designed for solar electric systems.

This system was very expensive to build, and it will take 20 years at the present electric rates to pay for itself. It is very likely that electric costs will go ‘way up, which will shorten the payback time. The main benefit for me is the sense of independence and flexibility.

I don’t try to run air conditioners, shop tools, kitchen appliances, or a washer and dryer off the solar plant. I run these when I have to, and pay the bill. In the kitchen I have a gas range and a wood fired cookstove with a hot water tank.

Thus I have several optional ways of providing for most needs. The Trace inverter/charger automatically charges the batteries from the utility lines if the batteries get low, and the utility power is off, it will automatically start the backup generator and charge the batteries off that. I would have to have five (5) consecutive days of dark clouds and rain to make that happen.

You can find out all about how to do this on the internet. Most states have some kind of Alternate Energy information center that will provide you information related to local sources and requirements. Also, you can search for “solar electric system” on the internet and find tons of sites selling the components and sources of information.

Good luck!

admin answers:

Yes you could switch to a huge generator. The cost of operation would be more than the 10 cents per kilowatt the electric company charges. Check your local laws. You may be able to build a windmill. Any unused electricity is sold back to the electric company at their rates of 10 cents per kilowatt. You can also look into solar cells.

Both of these methods have high start up costs. Be sure and find out from the companies what they consider the time to be to start seeing results.

In the mean time there are many things you can do first. Reinsulate your attack to 12 inches of blow in insulation. Insulate your floor if you are on a crawl space. Caulk every where you can think of. Install double or triple plan vynal windows. Put electrical heat reducing fans on your attick. Get an electronic thermistat. And program it to different tempertures duing the day and night. Shut vents and doors in rooms you do not use. See in you can get foam insulation for your walls. By doing most of this you should lower your energy costs by 30% or more.

admin answers:

At 60 degrees latitude (north or south), and averaged over a year, the solar energy level is about 50% to 55% of the level at the equator. That’s not counting the effects of clouds.

A lot of the thermal energy at high latitudes comes in on wind and water movement; I guess you could say that is also a very indirect solar energy.

admin answers:

First, its all a guess but the sun will continue to shine for about another 2-4 billion years. So for all practical purposes, its eternal.
Solar energy depends on sunshine, one disadvantage is cloudy, overcast, rainy, snow etc. Days. No sunshine, no real energy. Another difficulty is converting solar energy, solar panels generate direct current (DC) and this has to be converted to AC current to run appliances, etc. In your house. In order to store solar energy, batteries are required, so the DC current from the solar panels can charge the batteries, and then the DC current must be converted to AC.
Solar panels are not cheap but the price is coming down. They also don’t last forever and can be damaged by hail, etc.
The good news is, solar energy is clean, not pollution except for the manufacture of the panels and for the moment, sunshine is still free.

admin answers:

Hi M A,

I’ll share with you some material provided by Dan Martin which I found very handy and very interesting:

“The one EV car I currently have (have 2 vehicles that run on hydrogen also) I converted from a vw bug and is free to charge. As I live completely off the grid all my electricity comes from solar panels and 2 wind generators, which I also built.

However I did charge up at Costco in Carlsbad California (I actually only drove up there to fill up) if I remember right it was around $2.00

Not sure if you’re interesting in doing it yourself, but I’d be willing to walk you step by step threw the conversion. I’ve converted 3 of my own cars (a datsun truck, ford ban, and a vw bug) and a few for neighbors. I’ve also converted cars to run on hydrogen, ethanol and biodiesel, by far EV is the easiest.

If you’re interested here’s what it would entitle…

– The engine compartment is first cleaned out of any gasoline components.
– Electric components are then installed in exchange.
– A battery bank is built and incorporated.
– Existing starter and driving systems are connected.
– Turn the key, step on the gas pedal sending more energy to the electric motor, & thus more power to the drive system, which in return creates more speed, more acceleration.
– The system has normal automotive top speeds and acceleration, typical to the vehicle your modifying. If your top speed was 85 mph and your acceleration was 1 mile per min, then this will be what your left with after the conversion.

The methods are extremely simple, making the process possible for anyone, everyone, ANYWHERE.

Typical tools, hardware & supplies are used, making access to parts available for all.

Electric Conversions can be easily accomplished in ANY model vehicle, even tractors, Generators, types of machinery, etc.

Project lengths range from 1 day to 1 month.
If you’re interested I wrote a guide on it which is available at www agua-luna com

My last EV conversion ran me about $1400. Everything is available online. I have a how to do it yourself guide available at www agua-luna com that will walk you step by step through the process. If you have ANY questions feel free to contact me through the site. Here’s a list of what you’d need…

Advanced DC Motor
The motor is an 8″ Advanced DC series-wound motor. It weighs 107 pounds and is rated at 68 peak horsepower. These motors are available in several sizes.

Adaptor plate
The adaptor plate mates the motor to the transmission. It is constructed of 1/2 inch aluminum and is pre-drilled with bolt hole patterns for both the motor and transmission. An aluminum spacer is also used for proper spacing between the shafts of the transmission and motor. Adaptor plates are available for many cars.

DC Motor Controller
The controller regulates current going to the motor. It is a solid-state device that uses a pulse width modulator (PWM) that sends short bursts of current to the motor at a rate of 15 kHz. Controllers are available from both Curtis and DCP.

Potbox (Potentiometer)
The potbox is a 5K ohm throttle between the controller and the accelerator, similar to the way a sewing machine pedal works. The potbox’s lever arm is attached to the existing accelerator cable.

Main Contactor
An electric relay that serves the same purpose as the ignition switch in a gas car. When the key is turned to the start position, the contactor closes the circuit to allow current to flow to the controller.

Circuit Breaker
A safety device that shuts down power for servicing or during an emergency. The circuit breaker is installed under the hood and can be switched both off and on from the drivers seat with an extension or cable.

Main Fuse
The main fuse protect the system from high voltage spikes. A fuse should be installed at each battery box or group of batteries.

Shunt
A shunt is placed in series within the wiring as a means to connect meters. Shunts are available in different sizes for both high and low power configurations.

Charger interlock
A relay that keeps the circuit open so nobody will inadvertantly drive off with the charge cord plugged into the car.

DC/DC Converter
The DC/DC converter is similar in function to a gas car’s alternator. It charges the 12 volt accessory battery by chopping voltage from the main battery pack down to 13.5 volts.

If you interested I offer several DIY alternative guides to walk you step by step threw EV conversion process at agua-luna com or

www agua-luna com
Hope this helped, feel free to contact me personally if you have any questions if you’d like assistance in making your first self sufficient steps, I’m willing to walk you step by step threw the process. I’ve written several how-to DIY guides available at www agua-luna com on the subject. I also offer online and on-site workshops, seminars and internships to help others help the environment.”

admin answers:

The one EV car I currently have (have 2 vehicles that run on hydrogen also) I converted from a vw bug and is free to charge. As I live completely off the grid all my electricity comes from solar panels and 2 wind generators, which I also built.

However I did charge up at Costco in Carlsbad California (I actually only drove up there to fill up) if I remember right it was around $2.00

Not sure if you’re interesting in doing it yourself, but I’d be willing to walk you step by step threw the conversion. I’ve converted 3 of my own cars (a datsun truck, ford ban, and a vw bug) and a few for neighbors. I’ve also converted cars to run on hydrogen, ethanol and biodiesel, by far EV is the easiest.

If you’re interested here’s what it would entitle…

– The engine compartment is first cleaned out of any gasoline components.
– Electric components are then installed in exchange.
– A battery bank is built and incorporated.
– Existing starter and driving systems are connected.
– Turn the key, step on the gas pedal sending more energy to the electric motor, & thus more power to the drive system, which in return creates more speed, more acceleration.
– The system has normal automotive top speeds and acceleration, typical to the vehicle your modifying. If your top speed was 85 mph and your acceleration was 1 mile per min, then this will be what your left with after the conversion.

The methods are extremely simple, making the process possible for anyone, everyone, ANYWHERE.

Typical tools, hardware & supplies are used, making access to parts available for all.

Electric Conversions can be easily accomplished in ANY model vehicle, even tractors, Generators, types of machinery, etc.

Project lengths range from 1 day to 1 month.
If you’re interested I wrote a guide on it which is available at www agua-luna com

My last EV conversion ran me about $1400. Everything is available online. I have a how to do it yourself guide available at www agua-luna com that will walk you step by step through the process. If you have ANY questions feel free to contact me through the site. Here’s a list of what you’d need…

Advanced DC Motor
The motor is an 8″ Advanced DC series-wound motor. It weighs 107 pounds and is rated at 68 peak horsepower. These motors are available in several sizes.

Adaptor plate
The adaptor plate mates the motor to the transmission. It is constructed of 1/2 inch aluminum and is pre-drilled with bolt hole patterns for both the motor and transmission. An aluminum spacer is also used for proper spacing between the shafts of the transmission and motor. Adaptor plates are available for many cars.

DC Motor Controller
The controller regulates current going to the motor. It is a solid-state device that uses a pulse width modulator (PWM) that sends short bursts of current to the motor at a rate of 15 kHz. Controllers are available from both Curtis and DCP.

Potbox (Potentiometer)
The potbox is a 5K ohm throttle between the controller and the accelerator, similar to the way a sewing machine pedal works. The potbox’s lever arm is attached to the existing accelerator cable.

Main Contactor
An electric relay that serves the same purpose as the ignition switch in a gas car. When the key is turned to the start position, the contactor closes the circuit to allow current to flow to the controller.

Circuit Breaker
A safety device that shuts down power for servicing or during an emergency. The circuit breaker is installed under the hood and can be switched both off and on from the drivers seat with an extension or cable.

Main Fuse
The main fuse protect the system from high voltage spikes. A fuse should be installed at each battery box or group of batteries.

Shunt
A shunt is placed in series within the wiring as a means to connect meters. Shunts are available in different sizes for both high and low power configurations.

Charger interlock
A relay that keeps the circuit open so nobody will inadvertantly drive off with the charge cord plugged into the car.

DC/DC Converter
The DC/DC converter is similar in function to a gas car’s alternator. It charges the 12 volt accessory battery by chopping voltage from the main battery pack down to 13.5 volts.

If you interested I offer several DIY alternative guides to walk you step by step threw EV conversion process at agua-luna com or

www agua-luna com
Hope this helped, feel free to contact me personally if you have any questions if you’d like assistance in making your first self sufficient steps, I’m willing to walk you step by step threw the process. I’ve written several how-to DIY guides available at www agua-luna com on the subject. I also offer online and on-site workshops, seminars and internships to help others help the environment.

Dan Martin
Alterative Energy / Sustainable Consultant, Living 100% on Alternative & Author of How One Simple Yet Incredibly Powerful Resource Is Transforming The Lives of Regular People From All Over The World… Instantly Elevating Their Income & Lowering Their Debt, While Saving The Environment by Using FREE ENERGY… All With Just One Click of A Mouse…For more info Visit:

www AGUA-LUNA com
Stop Global Warming!!!