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You would do better in saving money by buying a wind powered generator
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The cost of installation and purchasing enough pannel would be far more than Most people would want to invest

Here is one panel to make one 60 watt light bulb work in the day time
What about when it is dark outside
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Well hold you pocket book tight
Get a battery back up that the panels will charge up
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Here is one such panel to make just one light bulb light up
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If you think wind and solar are free, or even cost competitive, you have not done the most rudimentary homework.

Wind is typically 3x the cost of coal fired power. It is unreliable; when the wind does not blow, you have to have a conventional power plant to back it up. The average output is about 20% of the installed capacity, so you have to build 5x as many wind generators as you supposedly need. When the wind is less than about 30 knots, the wind farm puts out less than full power, so you have to run the backup power station to take up the difference; but then it is operating at part capacity, so its fuel consumption and emissions per KWH generated are higher. Wind farms are low-intensity, meaning that they take up a lot of land for a given power output. One state figured out that to meet the state’s ‘20% renewable’ energy mandate with wind power, they would have to cover 1/5 of the arable land in the state with windmills. The neighbors don’t like them and the noise, especially at night. Even with the tiny percentage of the US power consumption we now get from wind (a few percent), the wind farms are killing 440,000 birds a year, and no one knows how many bats. The wind farm at Altamont Pass, CA (east of Oakland) is killing endangered golden eagles at over twice the rate that the population can sustain.

Solar has similar problems, and is even more expensive.

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Super Solar System!

Power Planets!

Awesome Uranus! (just kidding)

Super-Model of the Stars

The Divine 9 (or if we’re not counting pluto anymore..)

The Great 8

The Sun and Pals

I don’t know.. Thats all my creative energy.. Lol

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Probably because of years of big oil propaganda. I know I look a conspiracy theory nut saying this, but just look at some of these answers. Its sad. If they worked better, we would be using them. We aren’t using them, therefore they must not be better?? Are you kidding me? Do you know how much money oil companies spend lobbying not to spend grants on renewable energy research, or other forms of energy in general? Car companies and other industries that rely on fossil fuels like coal, natural gas, etc… Do this as well. They make too much money as it is, of course they dont want change.

We could make a lot of progress on renewable energy sources and ways to package it/store it if our government (and corporations) cared at all about anything more than money. General it they constantly say it isn’t an issue, and that global warming is fake, and that there is no alternative. We are the US for Pete’s sake. If it doesnt exist yet, then we should be making it happen. But no. We are controlled by greedy fat bastards

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My next door neighbors are from there and recently returned.

There is no where safe in Haiti.

That is the UN at work.

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My friend. The UN does nothing. My neighbors went back for her moms funeral. They had to wait until the day of the funeral to tell friends and then the did it at night because otherwise they would have been robbed.

Your generator wouldn’t be there a day before it was stolen and sold.

The UN is there as a token to say they do something. The armed drug lords are better armed then they are. Children have been raped in front of the soldiers and they do nothing because that is not part of their mandate.

This is the UN that never is talked about. It’s a joke and a farce.

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Solar panels currently being manufactured, have a design life of 20+ years.

Home-size wind turbines have a wide range of design lives. The turbine life is influenced by conditions of use — high winds, ice on the blades, etc.

I would recommend that you purchase your home-scale wind turbine from a seller who offers a guarantee to repair or replace the unit if it fails under normal use. A 5-year or 10-year guarantee period would be ideal.

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A hand crank won’t provide very much power. Forget powering your TV or refrigerator.

You may be able to make something work with a 12V generator connected to a stationary bicycle. Use it to charge a battery which will power an inverter to operate your appliances. You’ll be spending plenty of time pedalling, so make sure you have very efficient appliances.

You could supplement battery charging with a small wind charger and photovoltiac panels.

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Many people are not using solar energy for their daily need, probably for 3 main reasons:

1. Lack of awareness
2. Cost of installation
3. Breaking off from the grid electricity or Integration to the grid electricity

Until lately, most people are not fully aware of the enormous energy that could be directly tapped from the Sun. It’s still costly to obtain the pvcs for collecting the sun rays to covert to energy and where most areas are connected by grid system, how does a standalone electricity generator blend.

You will find a lot more information in the following website:

www.environbusiness.com/AEEE/solar.html

Cheers

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This is a very important question!

I am a big fan of Dr. Jack Edwards from the university of Colorado. In 1997 he wrote a paper titled “Crude Oil and Alternate Energy Production Forecasts for the 21st Century; The End of the Hydrocarbon Era” Jack was an optimist and formerly in charge of Shell’s Research Centre in Houston. I will read some of his key predictions on “Peak Oil”.
Conventional Light Oil – 2025 All Oil – 2035 All Natural Gas – 2035 All Coal – 2040. Conventional Oil Peaks at about 38 Billion Barrels per year globally and tails out at 9 Billion Barrels by 2100. All other energies from fossil fuels face the same basic fate by 2100 as a percentage of Peak (9/38=23.6%) by 2100. The reasons for the decline vary, some are supply based, some are economics based and some are environmental (coal). He estimates that at Peak Oil that Nuclear will be about 5 Billion Barrels Equivalent or roughly 6% of total supply (I believe the actual current figure is about 8%). He shows Nuclear expanding to about 15 Billion Barrels or roughly 16% of total supply by 2100. The interesting fact is that by 2100 we will HAVE to obtain 35 Billion Barrels or about 37% of Energy from Solar, wind and Geothermal. Currently we obtain less than 3% from these sources!
None of Jack’s thinking revolved around such things as “cap and trade” and its chilling effect on the supply curve!If NA is ever going to achieve the substitution of the fossil fuel supplies with the alternatives, we will require that ALL sources of fossil fuels be exploited fully. Otherwise we will neither have the energy nor the economy to reach a 12 fold increase in solar, wind or geothermal let alone the substitution of another 22% of the energy supplied by coal! Theadagee of “it takes money to make money” is true and can be stated as “it takes energy to make energy”.

The Nuclear Industry will be essential in meeting energy demand, however the rush to meet the lofty goals of substitution will require absolutely enormous quantities of Capital and has the potential to create a catastrophic environmental and security quagmire! I am most afraid if the fact that there are environmental approvals (Nuclear) pending in my country, that in my technical opinion, are a catastrophe waiting to happen! Nuclear has a vital role to play, however when these kinds of $$$ are involved, big corruption and big mistakes are also in abundance. When I was in University, I learned that the Geotechnical aspects of Nuclear site selection were paramount in the decision tree. In reality economics are paramount and the Geotechnical safety issues are out 10th out of the top 10 considerations. Politics is the #1 consideration.

I fear for the long term economy of North America. There are going to be very major changes on the horizon, however it is possible to accomplish energy security but at a huge cost. The biggest risks relate to the economic uncertainty that current geopolitical movements such as “global warming” are causing. While these uncertainties exist…Capital will do nothing! This will make the problem deeper and broader, and the economy will continue to suffer.

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Browse: Home / Clean Energy / Solar Panels In Cold Climates
Solar Panels In Cold Climates
By Anna on November 26, 2008

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to live in a hot climate in order to benefit from clean renewable energy sources such as solar power. In fact solar panels convert sunlight into electricity more effectively in colder temperatures…………………………..This phenomenon is due to the fact that the colder a material is, the better it will conduct electricity. Therefore, solar panels will produce less electricity in a hot climate than in a cold climate given that the amount of sunlight is equal. It is true that colder climates tend to have less sunlight than hotter climates, but the reduced availability of sunlight is offset by the increased efficiency of solar panels in colder temperature.

A good example of this principle in action is the Photovoltaic Solar Power Plant in Colorado, near Alamosa. It is home to one of the largest photovoltaic solar plants currently operating in the United States.

I hope the above is informative…

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Harbor freight has some solar panels for sale, they’re usually less than 50 bucks

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I understand your objective Richard, but would sincerely recommend that you re-consider how you should go about achieving it.

I don’t recommend 12v batteries for your project and certainly don’t recommend using anything less than first quality batteries – you can still find them at low prices.

A better storage solution is deep cycle 6volt batteries. The 6v batteries will do a much better job, last longer, allow a deeper discharge and a higher number of re-charge cycles.

You want your batteries to be the same size, type and age to work together best. I use 4- 6v batteries in my RV along with a single solar panel and can stay out in the desert for days without ever having to fire up my generator.

Here’s a link to a great article on the subject:

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Big Business is beginning to look at global warming through eyes blinded by dollar signs. Climate change is replacing tech and bio tech as the major investment theme of the future. Wall Street’s analysts are devising ways to cash in on weather.

Discussions have changed to talk of what a 1-degree rise each year in temperature would do to profits. Global warming is becoming a major market-moving force that represents a generational shift likely to influence how people invest for decades. The world’s biggest financial services firms are investing massive amounts of time and brainpower trying to pinpoint what stocks and sectors will benefit or be hurt by Global warming.

There are at least 74 companies in 18 countries that can profit from changing weather patterns. Global warming will change world economy. There is a company in California which manages the largest pension plan in America that has committed $800 M to invest in clean technology. At this time 90% of global warming is the result of human activity.

Temperatures around the globe could raise 2 to 12 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100. This will result in more intense heat waves, stronger tropical storms and a rise in sea levels that will swamp low-lying cities and farmland. When I was boating through rice fields in India last summer I wondered how these people would survive even a few inches rise in water. Most of the farmers live at sea level.

Corn will be used to create ethanol. If corn is used to provide even 10% of the nation’s automotive needs, it would use 35% of America’s corn crop. Since 25% of all food prices are affected by the cost of corn, we could face a corn vs. Food situation. Farm leftovers can be used to create cellulosic ethanol for fuel. Farm equipment companies should do well because farmers will be rethinking harvesting techniques. They will also retool their machines for the new fuels. Monsanto is working on creating more drought resistant crops.

Energy conversion devices and sun power are becoming buzz words. Windmills. Fuel cells. Solar panels. Several companies are developing types of clean solar panels with the hope of rivalling oil and coal, deemed “dirty” fuels. Eco technology is still too mature to make a lot of money. Solar will only create a tenth of the world’s energy. Technology that makes dirty energy sources like coal and oil cleaner. There will be more money made on the dirty stuff. Nuclear power generators are also on the rise. The new nuclear energy is much cleaner and produces no carbon.

Ethanol, hydrogen, clean diesel, bio diesel fuels hold promise for the future. Hybrid cars are the way of the future. The major car manufacturers are working on increased efficiency. Investing in hybrid vehicles and components and batteries etc will be good investments.

The insurance industry will change incredibly. So many energy and utility companies will all have to face different challenges due to the effects of weather. Suddenly they realize climate and profits are closely related. Investors will start to lean more toward green investments.

I also think security and protection companies might do well because the displacement of people and shortages could result in an increase in crime.

The world’s demand for energy is accelerating as China and India grow. Heavy construction and engineering companies that build power plants will do well. The smart ones will build ecologically sensitive plants will steal market share. They will find ways to make plants more efficient and cleaner. One technology, clean coal, puts devices in smokestacks that pull the carbon out of the exhaust and plow it back into the soil.

After Hurricane Katrina, folks are rethinking the option of coastal real estate. People will develop an aversion to locations on the water and severe-weather-prone areas. People will flee Florida for the Smokey Mountains for example. This covers Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina. This is already happening. Also the high insurance premiums for living near the water affect property values.

Small parts and components that go into everything from washers and dryers to fighter jets and elevators could play a gigantic factor in curbing energy use. We already have the technology to reduce the world’s power use by 30% overnight. About 11% of the savings could be achieved with efficient electric motors inside washing machines, conveyor belts and other motors that use half the energy of older technology. Another 11% could be saved in transportation using hybrids. The last 8% can be saved with energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs. Currently businesses that focus on energy efficiency are already becoming more profitable.

The wealthier nations are in better condition to deal with these things. It is the poorer nations that will have serious difficulties. Holland could just disappear. A great deal of landmass will also be lost, which will drive up the cost of real estate everywhere.

That is how America sees the future according to Global Warming. In its usual entrepreneurial way, Americans see the silver lining of this problem as an opportunity for positive change and innovative growth.

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Hi Nischal, i’m interested in Alternative Energy. Its not only Solar panels, it can also be wind generators, in India, Solar panels r being used to heat water, but not very efficiently, i’m keen on making small wind generators that will charge car batteries, n when there’s no wind, the batteries will run small appliances like lights n fans, for starters.
About running cars on spirit, first, the process of making spirit should be easy n non-toxic. N second, You need an adequate n constant supply of it to be sure You don’t get stuck when You r away from the spirit refill station.

Let me know if You r interested in doin more research on Alternative n Free Energy, i do have a few sites.
All the best.

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No. Air drag is one of the chief components in auto efficiency. What you describe would increase air drag.
As far as the solar part goes most cars have about 12 square feet of surface in the sun when the car is in the sun. 12 square feet can produce 900 watts. In four hours that would be 2700 Watt hours. A gallon of gasoline is about 37,000 Watt hours. What means is is that it is going to take over 100 days to produce the energy of one gallon of gasoline and everything has to be perfect.

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 good because it is a renewable resource, we can use it over and over again. Its does not damage the environment. However it can be costly and it can only work during the day.

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He doesn’t think that coal is any kind of solution, someone has totally mis quoted him to you. But to your question in the case of Hawaii, why not solar, wind and ocean current generators?

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You need an adult to proof-read this…
I saw some grammatical errors. You have good organization, but you need to make sure you have transitions between paragraphs!

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They already are, the Honda FCX and Toyota FCHV are both available for lease in some areas. The price for either car is probably prohibitively expensive which is why they’re only for lease, the fuel cell itself is very costly.

Right now, the hydrogen fuel cell is a poor idea for cars for the simple reason that it always requires more energy to separate it from whatever it’s bonded to than you can get back out by utilizing it. There are ways to make it more efficient but it’s still a losing proposition. As an energy storage medium it’s not efficient enough. Until we can use it in a fusion reactor it’s not likely to become our energy source whether it’s reformed from natural gas, made via electrolysis or by catalyzing metals. It’s just more efficient to use the energy directly instead of making the hydrogen and then either burning it or using it in a fuel cell.

Batteries or capacitors are better means of storing electricity and that electricity can be produced using a variety of renewable sources – with smart investment we could change to renewable power generation and electric cars within a few years.

I could be proven wrong of course, Honda is going ahead with it’s plans for the CVX and Toyota is doing the same. I do like the possibility of home charging and you can use the generator to power your home in the event of a power outage, as long as you continue to get natural gas supplied. But natural gas reformed into hydrogen isn’t terribly efficient and still relies on the fossil fuel model with associated problems.

If you use a high-efficiency method like QSI Nano claims to have developed and pair it with solar thermal tech then you may have a winner. This is even more true if the work by the Weizmann Institute proves practical, see http://www.greencarcongress.com/2009/04/weizmann-institute-scientists-demonstrate-novel-approach-for-splitting-water-into-hydrogen-and-oxyge.html#comments

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No but you should look into solar, I read awhile back that they were working on some type of generator for RV’s and they did come out with some green RV but the price was around $200.000………..

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Not only cars and calculators, they are used in a variety of fields. They are used in transportation signalling like light houses, aircraft warning lights and road traffic warning signals. Moreover in remote places where energy supply is unavailable, solar energy is used. It is also used in home appliances like solar cookers and solar water heaters. Solar cells are used in electricity supply. In addition solar batteries can also be used which could store power generated from the sun and discharge the power as needed(through an inverter).

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They’re called Amorphous silicon cells. They’re about 7% efficient.

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Not unless you can figure out a way to produce a semi-conductor at home. Basically a solar cell (photovoltaic cell) is a couple of layers of silicon P type and N type. Electrons become excited when light quanta penetrates into the P layer. The excited electrons move to the N type and (very oversimplified) create electricity.

I doubt you would have the facilities to create the materials at home.

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TV, lights and small appliances, yes. Washer, maybe. Dryer, not likely unless it’s gas – consider a clothesline. Electric range or oven, no. Hot tub, no unless it’s converted to a gas heater.

The raw panels are about $3-8 per watt. So for 6Kw figure about $18k for the panels. The charger/inverter and batteries, figure $2-3k more. Figure about $30k including the installation.

You might also consider a generator. The off-grid houses I’ve seen tend to have them, even if they have batteries too. Add $3k for that.

Do you have a creek? Consider small-scale hydro too.

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What a bunch of crap. It really shows how corrupt our legislators are when they’ll only support the bailout bill if there are some goodies for their own causes. I wonder how many of them actually thought it was a bad idea but decided it was a good way to get what they wanted.

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Solar energy can be produced from solar radiation. Sunlight travels through the upper parts of the earth’s atmosphere. Once this sunlight reaches the surface of the earth, it must be captured so it can be turned into an usable energy source. At the earth’s surface, it is called infrared radiation where it is captured through the aid of photovoltaic or solar cells.Once captured, the sunlight is absorbed into these photovoltaic/solar cells. These photovoltaic/solar cells are then used to convert the sun’s energy into electrical energy. These cells are non-mechanical devices that are made from silicon alloys. Most of the solar collectors resemble black, flat boxes that sit on building rooftops. In the most common design, pipes in the box carry liquids that transfer the heat from the box into the building. This heated liquid then heats the water in a tank or is passed through radiators to heat the air. Below are the common usage of Solar Energy:

Residential

The number of PV installations on buildings connected to the electricity grid has grown in recent years. Government subsidy programs (particularly in Germany and Japan) and green pricing policies of utilities or electricity service providers have stimulated demand. Demand is also driven by the desire of individuals or companies to obtain their electricity from a clean, non-polluting, renewable source. These consumers are usually willing to pay only a small premium for renewable energy. Increasingly, the incentive is an attractive financial return on the investment through the sale of solar electricity at premium feed-in tariff rates.

In solar systems connected to the electricity grid, the PV system supplies electricity to the building, and any daytime excess may be exported to the grid. Batteries are not required because the grid supplies any extra demand. However, to be independent of the grid supply, battery storage is needed to provide power at night.

Holiday or vacation homes without access to the electricity grid can use solar systems more cost-effectively than if the grid was extended to reach the location. Remote homes in sunny locations can obtain reliable electricity to meet basic needs with a simple system comprising of a PV panel, a rechargeable battery to store the energy captured during daylight hours, a regulator (or charge controller), and the necessary wiring and switches. Such systems are often called solar home systems (SHS).

Commercial

On an office building, roof areas can be covered with glass PV modules, which can be semi-transparent to provide shaded light. On a factory or warehouse, large roof areas are the best location for solar modules. If the roof is flat, then arrays can be mounted using techniques that do not breach the weatherproofed roof membrane. Also, skylights can be partially covered with PV.

The vertical walls of office buildings provide several opportunities for PV incorporation, as well as sunshades or balconies incorporating a PV system. Sunshades may have the PV system mounted externally to the building, or have PV cells specially mounted between glass sheets comprising the window.

Industrial

For many years, solar energy has been the power supply choice for industrial applications, especially where power is required at remote locations. Because solar systems are highly reliable and require little maintenance, they are ideal in distant or isolated places.

Solar energy is also frequently used for transportation signaling, such as offshore navigation buoys, lighthouses, aircraft warning light structures, and increasingly in road traffic warning signals. Solar is used to power environmental monitoring equipment and corrosion protection systems for pipelines, well-heads, bridges, and other structures. For larger electrical loads, it can be cost-effective to configure a hybrid power system that links the PV with a small diesel generator.

Remote Applications

Remote buildings, such as schools, community halls, and clinics, can benefit from solar energy. In developing regions, central power plants can provide electricity to homes via a local wired network, or act as a battery charging station where members of the community can bring batteries to be recharged.

PV systems can be used to pump water in remote areas as part of a portable water supply system. Specialized solar water pumps are designed for submersible use or to float on open water. Large-scale desalination plants can also be PV powered using an array of PV modules with battery storage.

PV systems are sometimes best configured with a small diesel generator in order to meet heavy power requirements in off-grid locations. With a small diesel generator, the PV system does not have to be sized to cope with the worst sunlight conditions during the year. The diesel generator can provide back-up power that is minimized during the sunniest part of the year by the PV system. This keeps fuel and maintenance costs low.

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Petrol? 🙂
You can’t use a fossil-fuel-burning generator in space because it would cost a huge amount to transport the fuel and the oxygen to burn it from earth. Also you would have to get rid of all the heat, which is not easy in a vacuum.

The ISS uses solar panels to provide all its electrical power. The panels are only illuminated half the time of course; when it is on the night side of earth they generate no electricity so the station runs off rechargeable battery packs during this time.
The total power available at any time is 110KW.

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Energy. Powerplants to fossil fuels to wood stoves to solar cookers?

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All you need to know is on this site
http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/
And also yea eating bugs which carry thousands of diseases and putting a lot of them in one bowl will get you sick or could possibly be fatal

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Yes, because at a high altitude, the sunlight would pass through a thinner atmosphere . This means that the atmosphere would scattered less energy away.

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Simple answer, you need a multi-input grid-tie inverter.
My dad has one on his DC solar array. It can accept between 50 and 270 volts DC which is good for solar because he can wire them in series to add the voltage rather than parallel adding amperage which requires larger wires… Etc.
There are permanent magnet alternators you can order online that will produce pure A/C with no voltage limitation so you can control the output voltage via rpm governance. You could set things up to produce 120v A/C and tie directly in. You still need a grid tie device to protect your equipment and the grid.

Now the issue you will come into with an alternator generator is no control mechanism to compensate for load. Electrical generation is directly proportional to torque. If you put a heavy load on the system, it will become harder to turn which could slow down your rpms and in turn lower your voltage.

For this reason, alternators are typically used to charge battery banks which connect to an inverter.
You could wire a lot of batteries in series to get a higher voltage capacity and just rectify the A/C before it hits the batteries. Then you get a buffer allowing your alternators to have a range of output voltage which will give leeway for rpm fluctuation. And since the batteries will be a predictable load you really should have no trouble maintaining a steady speed.

Now I am guessing that you must have your driving force figured out. Generally speaking there is a direct conversion of horsepower to watts. 1 hp of torque will produce about 750 watts of power at top efficiency.
Steady water flow in a well designed system can easily exceed 40 hp in a single turbine which could drive several alternators. Steam is another good alternate fuel source. Solar concentration is often used to produce heavy steam generation. The trick is tuning the focus to achieve about 550 degrees or so, to get saturated steam. The down side is you only produce when the sun is out. I have an idea for combining these two concepts together. Use heavy solar concentration to turn the lower water pool into steam to lift it back to the top, while also condensing it through a turbine at the top. It’s a question of, how much sunlight will it take to move enough water that you have a nightlong supply running back down?
Seems like a major undertaking. It’s quite difficult to direct sunlight from a large array at a low position. Much easier to target the top of a tower.
Anyways, finely polished metal is the best way to reflect the most energy. I’m interested in building a smaller closes loop system for potentially scaling up. I’m wondering how high I can get the water via steam, and how many turbine stages it can fall through… In theory I can heat that steam continuously for hundreds and even thousands of feet of rise. Rocky Mountains are a good place to try that…
This kind of system could be ideal for property where there is ground water available but no naturally flowing surface water. You could even incorporate a distillery and fish pond, irrigation, etc.

I can’t divulge my ultimate experiment that this ties to. I think I figured out a way to store energy even better than batteries and raised water tanks.

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It makes a big difference where you are located, what resources are available, if you are working with new construction or renovating old existing work.

In general, any path to energy independence is going to start with conservation. With heating and hot water this may mean point of use heaters, insulation, heating surfaces instead of the air (radiant heating costs less in operation) ventilation instead of air conditioning, earth tubes etc. Start to satisfy your existing 100% of current energy demands you may be able to achieve 20 to 30% with conservation techniques.

We feel warmer if surfaces are warmed than if only the air is warmed. It is more efficient as the surface temps can be 10 deg lower than we would normally heat the air. Radiant heating in floors and sometimes walls works well with both solar thermal panels and geothermal as a heat source.

In new construction a masonry stove (not cast iron) can be a very efficient use of wood. It may be lit once per day to a very high heat. The balance of the day and night the massive masonry structure radiates heat to the dwelling.

Geothermal, ground source heat pump applications are a kind of alternative form of heating conservation. It saves heating costs but still requires some energy. It does not yet supply more than it requires.

Solar thermal is 60 to 80% efficient vs photovoltaic which is only about 8 to 22% for the homeowner. There is some speculation that solar thermal plus a stirling generator may be several times cheaper than photovoltaic panels for producing electricity. ($1/ watt vs photovoltaic $5/watt.) Heat is also easier to store than electricity. So store heat to make electricity. Solar thermal comes in several designs for residences. In new designs it is in passive solar heating. For both new designs and retrofits a solar sun room may provide additional heat. Solar thermal systems can active or passive. Active systems have pumps. Solar thermal panels can be flat plate or vacuum tube collectors water based collectors or air collectors that have no liquids in them. Solar thermal energy can be used for heat, hot water, air conditioning and to generate electricity with a mid temp range stirling engine/generator.

It also would be possible in more rural settings to generate your own natural gas with a bio digester. It would however require massive amounts of bio fuel. However if the supply exists it is certainly a possibility.

While wind turbines are a possibility for electrical energy there is the duel problem of having power when you need it. First the wind must be blowing with sufficient strength and secondly there needs to be some type of energy strorage capacity. This storage shoud have deep cycle capacity. Heating water or a phase change material may be one option. Chemical storage may be another (hydrogen) Pumped hydro may be practical in some locations. There is some discussion of using compressed air for storage. This might give a byproduct of heat that could be used to some benefit. Otherwise we are left with batteries.

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Geothermal As A Green Energy Source
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Geothermal energy is energy obtained by tapping heat from the earth itself. This comes from magma and the radioactive decay of uranium, thorium, and potassium.

The downside to geothermal energy is the fact that it is expensive to build. On the other hand, because the earth’s crust continuously decays replenishing the heat, it is still a renewable source of energy.

There are three types of geothermal plants around. These are namely dry steam, flash, and binary.

Dry steam plants take steam out of fractures in the ground and use it to directly drive a turbine that spins a generator.

Flash plants take on water at temperatures over 200 °C, out of the ground, and allows it to boil as it rises to the surface then separates the steam phase in steam/water separators which runs the steam through a turbine to generate electricity.

Last, you have binary plants. Here, hot water flows through heat exchangers and that boiling organic fluid is what spins the turbine.

Once power is generated, the condensed steam and remaining geothermal fluid from all three types of plants are injected back into the hot rock to pick up more heat.

Geothermal plants are used operational in different parts of the globe. These are usually located in geologically unstable parts of the planet. You can see some in Chile, Iceland, New Zealand, United States, the Philippines and Italy. At home, two most prominent areas for this are in the Yellowstone basin and in northern California.

If you were to compare the amount of energy collected from geothermal to solar, you still get more from the sun. Despite that, people should still use it since solar energy cannot be harnessed when the clouds block the sun’s rays from reaching the solar panels.

Geothermal energy is a green energy source just like wind, hydropower and biofuel because it is a renewable. By maximizing its potential, we don’t have to worry about the price of oil in the world market when it hit more than $110 a barrel and is now under $40 in the world market.

But that is not the only thing we should be concerned about. We should also do our best to protect the environment given that coal fired and nuclear power plants produce harmful gases and radioactive waste that may cause to people and the surrounding areas.

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Why Is Hydropower A Green Energy Source?

Why is hydropower a green energy source? It is because we are able to harness electrical power by converting water into electricity.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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My answer is : Hydro and Geothermal

admin answers:

Hey Sanusi, always good to hear someone is interested in this. We have a home that is completely powered by the wind and sun. It’s been 10 years now since we started, and we have made plenty of mistakes. My suggestion is you start small, something on the order of a hobby sized system, and learn from it first. You really only need a few things. First is the solar panel of course. A good starter size is something in the 50 to 75 watt range. That way it is large enough to take advantage of the critical size for the best price to power ratio, but not so large it has to be delivered on a truck. That size panel in the US should cost about 200 to 400 dollars. Next is a battery. The best bang for your money is in a pair of golf cart batteries. You need two because they are 6 volts each, and the panel and most DC appliances are 12 volt. If you manage to buy a panel with diodes built into the back, then all you need after that is a wire to connect the panel to the battery. A diode is an electrical check valve, it allows power to flow in one direction, but not in the other. This is necessary so the panel can feed into the battery in the daytime, but the battery will not feed back into the panel at night.

Many solar systems use a charge controller, but here is a good rule of thumb. If the maximum amp rating on the panel is less than 2% of the amp hour rating on the batteries, then you don’t need a charge controller, the panel will never overcharge the battery. Golf cart batteries are typically 220 amp hour, and a 75 watt panel will only have an amp rating of 4 amps. The most important thing is you connect the panel to the battery correctly, positive to positive, and so on, then you can leave it hooked up all the time. We have a similar arrangement at our place we put in first, and it is still working today 10 years later. In fact, it was featured in an article in Home Power Magazine once, you can look them up online and use their search engine to find, “Starting Small.”

I would suggest doing a little reading, then shopping for parts and trying your hand at growing your own electrons, it’s fun and rewarding, and when you are done, you will have a small backup 12 volt power source. Good luck, and take care, Rudydooo

admin answers:

They are portable road ‘matrix’ signs with self contained power packs – usually solar panels & battery -or for more long term use , a diesel generator. They have a radio link to the area police traffic office so they can be updated as necessary to inform of delays or diversions ahead

admin answers:

As far as the person who said that solar lights are only good for accent lights, I am assuming they have never bothered to buy quality fixtures. With solar, you get what you pay for.

Solar shed lights would be great, or solar panels that you could use to charge radios, etc. Solar sheds lights are easy to install and use and they are bright, last for 3-4 hours continuously on one charge. You mount the solar panels on the roof or a sunny side of the barn. Then, you drill holes to connect the solar panels to the solar lights inside. Good shed lights come with materials that seal the area where the cord connects through the wall or roof. See below for a few options that are well worth the money.

There are also portable solar lamps that you can move indoors after they charge. And yes, we sell them but we also use them quite efficiently. Feel free to call us and we’ll try to work out a deal for you. Rechargeable lights are also good, but you would have to bring them with you each time you hang out.

admin answers:

Hey Chris, Homer is correct in that the device you speak of does not extract free energy from thin air. It has been called the Tesla Coil, Tesla Generator, and lately the Tesla Unlimited Energy Device. The device is a receiver. What Tesla was trying to get at was that energy can be pumped into both the earth and the atmosphere, transmitted over long distances and picked back up at the receiver to be used for whatever purposes were desired. This free energy has to be produced and put into the atmosphere first, purportedly by a power company. It isn’t free, but the problem is it can be pirated at any location with the use of another Tesla Coil, which means less of it is now available for the receiving coil that may have been originally built to receive the energy in the first place. It’s like a bank using a high power cannon to blast dollar bills into the air that are carried on the wind until someone on a tall hill reaches up and grabs them as they drift by. It isn’t free money, it’s the banks, and they’re going to want someone to pay for it. The dollar bills do not occur naturally as a result of atmospheric movement, they have to be put there first, same as Teslas free energy.

Well in the end, we do transmit energy over long distances, with the use of a wire, and then anyone willing to pay for some of it can hook their wire to the long wire with a meter to keep track of how much they are using so the electric company can pay their bills too. You don’t have to get your power from them however, we don’t. Our home generates its power from the wind and sun, now that is free energy. While solar photovoltiac panels have only been around 50 years or so, wind power dates back to the 3rd century, even before Tesla showed up with his building sized lightning producing hairbrush. You don’t have to be a physicist to make a wind turbine or a solar panel work either, we put ours in ourselves 10 years ago and it still works fine today.

UFOTV.com has an interesting video on this Tesla Unlimited Free Energy, how anyone can build a receivier and extract energy from the atmosphere for free. They are also publishers of videos and MP3 downloads on such proven scientific endeavors as, “Inside the Alien Mind,” and, “Unknown UFO’s today.” If that’s the source of your research, check and see if you can finish their latest MP3 download before the next ship lands in the desert. I found it interesting that this Tesla device can be built with common substances and ordinary tools by anyone handy, while at the same time claiming the notes on its construction were somehow mysteriously absconded with. If we don’t have the notes, how do we know what the thing is made out of?

If you want to learn more about Tesla energy transmission, check out Wikipedia, or physicsforums.com, they have a pretty good discussion on the system and how it actually works. If you want free energy instead, check out solar and wind at some of the sources below, we did years ago, it’s how we got to where we are today. Good luck Chris, and take care, Rudydoo

admin answers:

Hey Cat, Gatorbait has a good resource listed there, AWEA, or American Wind Energy Association. To cut to the chase, most modern turbines today never make it past 25% efficiency, regardless of how hard the wind is blowing or what their design speed is.

First, the highest efficiency that can be attained by any wind conversion technology was discovered by Albert Betz, it is called the Betz Limit, which is 59%. Once you begin extracting this level of energy out of the wind, the direction of the wind is altered nearly 90 degrees and moved outward, which destroys its ability to push the blade around on the next pass. You can read about it at the link below, there is a fair amount a calculus involved. A really well designed blade operating at its ideal wind and rpm speed today might reach the upper 30’s, or maybe low 40’s, but this says nothing for the efficiency of the generator or gearbox. There is also the fact that a small amount of power is used operating the controls of the machine, like unfeathering blades, turning the unit into the wind (this is done with a motor on the large utility sized machines instead of a tail), and the fact that some of these controls operate when the wind is not blowing, waiting for the moment it does.

To boil it down, on a good day, you might see 25% from a good turbine overall. That might not sound like much, but consider some of our mainstay techology efficiencies today: Incadescent light bulb 4%, gasoline car, 24%, solar electric, or photovoltiac, panels, 13%. There is plenty of energy in a passing column of air to make electricity from one large turbine to run an entire village, and once you build and install one of these devices, you never have to feed it again. This is why all the power companies are busy putting them up, they make so much more sense than coal or natural gas once you get just a few years down the road. The fact that they operate cleaner is exciting, but is really a side note to why companies are spending so much money on them today. I’ll list some sources and links below for you to check out.

One word of caution, in the 11 or so years we’ve been powering our home with the wind and sun and teaching renewable energy seminars at the local schools, I’ve found that there are 3 things in vast supply in the area, sun, wind, and missinformation. It is amazing to me how many people will weigh in on a topic like this never having laid a hand on a turbine our a panel. Stick with the sources below, and rely on your own research and intuition instead of asking hacks like us online for advice on renewable energy, you’ll be better informed in the end. Take care Cat Man, Rudydoo

From a Wikipedia Article:
The aerodynamics of a horizontal-axis wind turbine are not straightforward. The air flow at the blades is not the same as the airflow far away from the turbine. The very nature of the way in which energy is extracted from the air also causes air to be deflected by the turbine. In addition the aerodynamics of a wind turbine at the rotor surface exhibit phenomena that are rarely seen in other aerodynamic fields.

In 1919 the physicist Albert Betz showed that for a hypothetical ideal wind-energy extraction machine, the fundamental laws of conservation of mass and energy allowed no more than 16/27 (59.3%) of the kinetic energy of the wind to be captured. This Betz’ law limit can be approached by modern turbine designs which may reach 70 to 80% of this theoretical limit.

admin answers:

The most reasonable solution is to ration oil via price. Eliminate the cartels like OPEC which are manipulating the price of oil for their own profit plans. Let oil go to those who want to buy it and let the price determine who wants it the most. Let the capitalist market determine its allocation… This is a new concept since the oil market is currently controlled. Anyway, alternatives will become more available and appealing.

Second, eliminate government energy plans and laws. Much of the lack of innovation in the energy creation and distribution markets is because government has insisted on preconceived ideas of what is acceptable and what is not. This has stifled much need innovation and options. These energy laws are known to have a material impact on the forms of energy distribution. LG

admin answers:

The answer is non-trivial. The cell will convert photons beyond its band-gap into electric current but it will not convert all the energy of the photon. Indeed the shorter the wavelength, the less of the energy will be converted and the lower the efficiency at that wavelength. And then you have to keep in mind that shorter wavelengths can not penetrate the material as well as long wavelengths and there is a loss of quantum efficiency in the blue.