Renewable Energy Articles:
- Is wind and solar energy a viable option for
homeowners?
- Build Solar Panels for
Cheap!
- Build Wind Generators for
Cheap!
- Affordable Renewable Energy
- Off-grid Living with Renewable
Energy
- How electricity is produced
- Bio fuels - Are they good?
- Living off the grid
- How to reduce your electricity
bill
- Renewable energy solutions
- How to save power at home
- Solar power solutions
at home
- The future of electricity
- The world’s energy
crisis
- Wind power solutions at
home
1.
Is wind and solar energy a viable option for home owners?
The technology for using Renewable Energy as a way of generating
electricity isn't really a new concept, and believe it or not,
people have been generating their own electricity at home from
the time solar panels and windmills have been invented. It really
hasn't been until this new "Green Revolution" that solar
panels and wind turbines have gained popularity. More and more
cities are moving towards wind energy as a renewable resource
and so are individual homeowners.
Isn't generating my own electricity expensive?
Investing in your own wind energy turbine or solar panels is an
excellent way to go Green. Just about all of us have seen a neighbor’s
house with solar panels on the roof or even a wind turbine, but
to invest in one of these systems has always been expensive costing
between $30,000 and $80,000 depending on the size of the house
and electricity usage. You just about had to be “rich”
to participate in “free” energy. At that cost it would
take between 8 and 14 years to recover the initial investment.
There is a new wave of energy enthusiasts however, that are creating
their own wind and solar power that only takes a few months to
get a complete return of the original investment. All the materials
that you need, you can get at the local hardware store for less
than a couple hundred dollars, and can be assembled in an evening.
Why Buy a DIY Energy Guide?
Over the past couple of years, books on how to create and install
your own wind and solar power generators have flooded the online
DIY market. As the economy changes with more and more people trying
to save money these days, it makes sense to use a cheaper alternative
to paying high utility bills. The fact is, you can build your
own renewable energy system for $200 or less and reduce your electric
bill by 80%. If you can do that, it makes sense that it wouldn't
take much more, to completely eliminate your electricity bill
and get your power company to pay you!
I personally have always wanted to build one of these wind powered
energy generators but didn't know where to start with the building
process so I did some research on the internet. Here are just
some of the reasons why I wanted to set up my own wind and solar
energy system.
- Get off the Grid - You can have the freedom to build a home
anywhere without having to be "tethered" to the electrical
grid. If you are connected then all the electricity you produce
but do not consume can go into battery storage or sold to the
power company.
- Live Green - Energy from the Sun and Wind is clean and can
be used in such a way that will never harm the environment.
- Create a new source of income - When people see the system
you've set up on your own, chances are they're going to want
one and since your the Home Energy Expert, they're going to
want to buy one from you. I'm thinking of starting this up myself.
The parts are cheap enough that I can assemble these units and
sell them at a discount and still make a decent profit.
- Build portable electricity - your solar panels can be made
portable so you can take them camping. Free electricity available
everywhere you go.
- Building your own wind and solar generators can be fun and
educational - I've really enjoyed building my own wind generator.
I feel empowered knowing that I personally posess the technology
to create electricity anytime I want. There really is no limit
to the amount of FREE, Renewable Energy you can generate for
yourself and others.
- Save money on your power bill every month - That's a No Brainer
2.
Build Solar Panels for Cheap!
If you’ve ever thought about building your own solar panels,
you should know that it is not nearly as expensive or complicated
as you might think. In fact, you can build your own solar panel
in a weekend for less than $200 for materials, (most of which
you can get from your local hardware store). Imagine being able
to run your entire house on free, clean, renewable energy! Hundreds
of thousands of people generate their own electricity and so can
you.
It used to be that you would have to invest $30,000 to $50,000
to have a solar array installed in your home, but now you can
save thousands of dollars when you build and install your own
solar panels. You can recover the cost to build your own solar
panel in a few months depending on your electricity usage.
A solar power system consists of the following components:
- Solar Cells
- Charge Controller
- Deep Cycle Battery
- Power Inverter
While building you own solar panel is quite simple, you will
need a detailed set of blueprints in order to assemble it correctly.
There are certain steps that you must take in order for the solar
panel to work properly.
If you are interested in building your own solar panel, there
are several, well written guidebooks that offer excellent instructions
accompanied with color photographs, diagrams, and even some with
video. When you build your own solar panel, you can eliminate
your entire electricity bill plus help save the earth’s
natural resources for generations to come. Not only will you saving
a lot of money, but also contributing to the well-being of the
planet.
3.
Build Wind Generators for Cheap!
Commercial wind turbines can cost anywhere between $6,000 and
$20,000 professionally installed. A commercial unit should be
able to provide half of what an average home consumes in electricity.
You can purchase your own materials from your local hardware store
and create your own wind turbine for less than $200 in parts.
Although a home-made wind power generator will not put out as
much as a commercially built unit the cost difference is substantial.
To create more electricity, just build another wind turbine. Imagine
being able to run your entire house on free, clean, renewable
energy! Hundreds of thousands of people generate their own electricity
and so can you.
While building you own wind power generator is quite simple, you
will need a detailed set of blueprints in order to assemble it
correctly.
If you are interested in building your own wind turbine, there
are several, well written guidebooks that offer excellent instructions
accompanied with color photographs, diagrams, and even some with
video. They also have suppliers that you can order parts (if they
aren’t available where you live). When you build your wind
turbine, you can eliminate your entire electricity bill plus help
save the earth’s natural resources for generations to come.
Not only will you saving a lot of money, but also contributing
to the well-being of the planet.
4.
Affordable Renewable Energy
Sun and Wind Energy have become a very popular way of powering
homes these days. Consider the weather conditions in your area.
If you live where there is plenty of wind, then installing a wind
turbine system may be a profitable option. Likewise, if you live
where there is plenty of sun, installing solar panels may be right
for you. For others, both systems might work. Fortunately, most
people can successfully use solar panels for a large portion of
the year with successful results. Solar panels can be expensive,
though, especially if you want to run solely on solar power for
most of the year.
Make You Own Solar Panels
With solar panels costing thousands of dollars for each home they
are installed in, a good alternative is to make your own solar
panels. You can build solar panels for a fraction of the cost
of commercial systems, and then hook the system into your home’s
main energy supply to help offset your energy costs.
If you have no idea about what you need to make your own solar
panels, or how to assemble them, one of the easiest ways to get
started is to learn directly from a professional who has already
done it. There are dozens of inventors and energy enthusiasts
devoted to helping people make renewable energy for a minimal
cost. They outline their processes with great detail so that even
beginners can make their own solar energy systems with little
trouble.
Buying Low Cost Solar Panels
You can also begin to make renewable energy with low-cost solar
panels, which is an excellent option if you simply don’t
have time to look for the materials that you will need to make
your own. You can find high quality solar panels for under $1000
(depending on power output), which are ready to be installed in
a power system. When you make renewable energy, the most important
part of your system will be the converters and batteries.
The converters are the part of your renewable energy system that
actually turns your solar power into energy that is useable for
your home. The batteries will help store the solar energy that
has already been converted for later use, which is important if
you want to use solar energy as your main source of power.
While one low cost solar panel may not be enough to power your
whole home, you can easily add more. When you use renewable energy,
there is no end to the amount of power you can generate.
5.
Off-grid Living with Renewable Energy
Wind and solar power are the most popular and viable options for
generating off-grid power. Whether you choose to use just one
of the options or a combination of the two, you can easily become
independent of your utility company which gives you the freedom
to build and live anywhere and also help the environment.
Solar Energy
Solar energy is perhaps the most popular form of renewable energy
in the world, simply because it is easier to have a dependable
supply of power when you use the Sun. There are very few places
where solar power would fail to provide all of the energy you
need for off the grid living, as long as you have enough solar
panels to support your home.
You can use one of the commercial systems that are installed by
a professional company, or you can build your own solar power
system. The main difference between these two options, besides
the amount of work involved for you, is the cost. A commercial
solar power system can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000,
making this an option that may not be right for your personal
needs.
If you choose to build your own solar power system, the amount
you save is dependant on your sources for materials but you should
be able to get everything you need for 1 200w panel for less than
$100. In addition to your solar panels, you will need a converter
and batteries to store the energy in until it is used. There are
resources where you can get deep-cycle batteries for very cheap
or even free.
Wind Energy
Wind energy is not as popular as solar energy, but it is a great
addition to your off the grid living plans. Wind energy can be
unreliable, except in regions that are mostly wide, open plains.
To harness the energy of the wind, you will need a basic wind
turbine and a converter to turn the energy into a useable form
for your home.
More than one wind turbine can be used anytime you need more power.
One may be enough if you just want to supplement your solar power
source or a traditional source of electricity. Once you have your
first turbine going, you will be able to more accurately decide
how many you will need for off the grid living using wind energy.
Combination Systems
Using a combination of wind and solar energy may be your best
option for using renewable energy as the sole source of power
for your home. Beginning with a few solar panels and a wind turbine
is an excellent start for off grid living, especially if you are
on a budget and don’t have the money to install a large
wind power system or solar array on your property all at once.
A combination system is a good idea if you aren’t sure what
is going to work best in your climate. Once you have an idea of
how much power each of your systems are producing, then you can
make a choice about which system you want to add to for long term
use.
6.
How electricity is produced
Electrical energy was one of man’s greatest discoveries.
It has helped build new civilizations. The large amount of electricity
produced has its source in fossil fuels, nuclear fission, water,
and wind. This article will explore the different methods of electricity
production.
Electricity is churned out by enormous turbines. These turbines
need a support to be moved. There are various ways of moving these
turbines:
By burning fossil fuels: Electricity is produced when the blades
of a turbine are moved by enormous amounts of vapour. This vapour
is generated by heating a lot of water in huge furnaces. The water
is heated by burning fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and natural
gas. This method releases enormous amounts of carbon dioxide in
the air, thus severely polluting our atmosphere. It is important
to turn to alternate methods of electricity production for long-term
benefits.
By water: You must have heard how dams are constructed to produce
electricity. A popular method to produce electricity, a water
dams serves two purposes: restricting water bodies and producing
electricity. Water dams use the river water to move turbines,
helping them produce electricity. Electricity generated this way
helps control air pollution; however, this method of electricity
production adversely affects the ecosystem in the water bodies.
Water accounts for 90 percent of the world’s electricity
generated through renewable resources.
By wind: Electricity is produced when wind energy is converted
to electrical energy. Wind mills or wind turbines are used to
churn up enormous amounts of wind energy which is then converted
into electrical energy.
The latest in wind energy advancement tells us that wind energy
is helping create portable cell phone chargers.
By nuclear fission: Yes, nuclear fission does not only make atom
bombs, but also helps produce electricity. Nuclear fission causes
a chain reaction where the element Uranium is bombarded by neutrons
causing it to split. Every time a Uranium nucleus is split, more
neutrons are released, causing more splits in the already split
Uranium nuclei. The resultant chain reaction generates a lot of
heat which is used to heat water the vapour of which eventually
moves turbines to create electricity.
By bio-waste: With technological advancements, electricity is
also being produced by bio-waste. Bio-gas is a typical way of
generating electricity in rural areas in countries like India.
In fact, a new technology evolved in the state of Bihar in India
that uses human waste to generate electricity.
7.
Bio fuels - Are they good?
As the term suggests, bio-fuels are fuels that are formed when
biological matter decomposes. The bio-fuels are mostly derived
from plants. Bio-fuels exist in all the three states of matter:
solid, liquid, and gas.
Difference between bio-fuels and fossil fuels
Bio-fuels are different from fossil fuels in the following ways:
- Fossil fuels take a million years to build whereas bio-fuels
can be made extremely fast, in a matter of days.
- Fossil fuels generate huge amounts of pollution. Bio-fuels
are comparatively safer.
- Bio-fuels are renewable sources of energy unlike fossil fuels.
Different types of bio-fuels
Bio-fuels have been categorized into four types: first generation,
second generation, third generation, and fourth generation.
The first generation bio-fuels are derived from vegetable fats,
starch, and sugar, which are in turn derived from food-crops.
The first generation fuels are also derived from animal fats.
Biogas, bio-diesel, and vegetable oil are some examples of this
type of bio-fuels.
The second generation of bio-fuels is mainly derived from waste
biomass, thus making it a more balanced option compared to the
first-generation bio-fuels. Different kinds of alcohols and diesel
generated from wood fall into the category of second generation
bio-fuels.
The third generation comprises of bio-fuels derived from algae.
Algae are farmed on large scales for creating these bio-fuels.
The algae fuels are extremely environment-friendly as they can
easily decompose into the soil without harming it.
The bio-fuels in the fourth generation are derived by a method
in which micro-organisms are raised to work with carbon dioxide
to generate fuel.
Advantages of bio-fuels
Bio-fuels prove advantageous in the following ways:
- Bio-fuels lessen the burden on gradually-vanishing fossil
fuels.
- Bio-fuels are environment-friendly. They help reduce carbon
emissions into the atmosphere.
- Bio-fuels, especially, bio-diesel prove to be very cost-effective
for consumers.
Disadvantages of bio-fuels
Bio-fuels are not bereft of criticism. Though beneficial for the
environment, bio-fuels have its disadvantages, paradoxically in
the environmental purview.
Bio-fuels have received criticism for many reasons, a couple of
which are stated below:
- Economists have long debated on the usefulness of first generation
bio-fuels when compared to the lack of food they cause. Generating
fuel from food crops makes food crops unworthy of human consumption.
Some people believe that being a higher priority than fuel,
food should not be farmed for making fuels but for human consumption.
- Making bio-fuels require acres of farming land, thus encroaching
upon the natural habitat of plants and animals.
8.
Living off the grid
The shortage of power, the rapid consumption of non-renewable
energy, the ever-increasing demand for power supply, the daily
warnings about our environment are enough signs to tell us that
it’s time we do something. So, what can we do? For starters,
how about living off the grid? If I have startled you with that
proposition, let me tell you that living off the grid not only
helps the environment and helps save power; it also cuts down
our electricity bill substantially. Now, that’s a tangible
benefit apart from all the good you will do to the world. Trust
me, you will feel good doing this.
Let us first study the advantages of living off the grid.
- Reduced dependability on exhausting resources: Who wants
to depend on public utilities all the time? Living off the grid
helps you rely only on your resources and not the ones supplied
by governments or corporations. How often have you cursed when
faced with a power outage in the midst of some important work
or a party? Wouldn’t you like to take charge of such factors
affecting you life? With alternate power solutions, you can.
- Freedom of usage of naturally available resources: How would
you feel when you don’t have to pay for the power you
use? Wouldn’t it be delightful to use as much power as
you want without worrying about the electricity meter? You can
make use of the abundant power available in the nature to light
up your home and make your food. The solar power solutions and
the wind power solutions are the answers to your power quest
(well, literally!).
- Reduced power costs, helping save your money: How would you
feel if the electricity bills stop coming in your letter box?
The alternate power solutions give you a return on investment
very soon, thus making the power supply to your home eventually
free!
- Making way for a healthier environment: Don’t you bless
the people who planted trees years ago not expecting them to
miraculously grow? They planted those trees for the future generations.
Make the future of your future generations secure by giving
them a greener, healthier world. Cut down on the usage of non-renewable
sources of energy. Try to use water minimally. There is not
much drinking water left for the next generations.
If you are thinking it is not very feasible to live off the grid,
look for alternate power solutions and you will be surprised to
learn that they are not only cost-effective but also extremely
feasible.
9.
How to reduce your electricity bill
If you have been bogged by the enormous electricity bills you
have been getting, it is time to take some concrete steps. You
can reduce your electricity bills by following very simple steps.
This article will list some simple, easy-to-do things to reduce
your electricity bill.
Limited use: Start with the room you are sitting in. If you were
to take a call in another room or join your family at the dining
table, would you just step out of your room without any concern
for the electrical appliances in the room? If you would, stop
right there, and look around. Switch off all the appliances even
if you would be back in five minutes. Yes, even that will help.
Every drop of water constitutes to the ocean.
Another thing to take care of here is what you perceive as an
electronic appliance. Would you switch off the television set,
turn off the fan, but not the light bulb? Yes, you need light,
but not now when you are leaving the room. Taking care of these
small things will go a long way in reducing the dreaded huge electricity
bills.
Smart investments: Make some smart power investments by replacing
your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs.
These bulbs are a great power-saving investment.
Buy the Power Save gadget. The gadget helps monitor the power
supply to your house and uses the minimum that is needed.
Home appliance usage: Most of us complain that the electricity
bill touches the sky because of the number of electrical appliances
they have at home. However, the electricity bill is not directly
proportional to the number of gadgets you use but the way you
use them. Let’s see how you can avoid the typical power-wasters.
- Use the washing machine only when there is a full load of
clothes.
- Keep the geyser on for the minimal amount of time.
- Keep the air-conditioner at the minimum low or high temperature,
just enough to keep you off the heat or the cold outside.
- Switch off the computer monitor even when you take a one-minute
break. It takes just a second to switch on the monitor again!
Yeah, you have to stick to this way of life for saving power
at home and for the world.
Remember, reducing your electricity bill is equivalent to saving
power, thus helping the world save power for its future generations.
10.
Renewable energy solutions
With the world slowly moving to the much-dreaded energy crisis,
it is important that we reduce our dependency on non-renewable
sources of energy. Non-renewable sources being renewable are about
to get extinct. Renewable energy solutions refer to those energy
solutions that can keep churning energy without exhausting the
resources. Three types of energy solutions fall into the category
of renewable energy solutions: solar energy solutions, hydro energy
solutions, and wind energy solutions.
Solar energy solutions: The sun’s energy is the most abundant
energy available on earth. Make use of this free energy. You can
employ solar power solutions at home. This will not only cut down
power bills but also help you contribute to a greener world. Solar
power solutions comprise of solar cookers, solar heating systems,
solar lighting systems, solar dryers etc.
The sun has always been a source of heat energy and light energy.
With the advancement of technology, the sun’s energy can
be used to create other forms of energy.
The solar energy systems have many advantages apart from being
cost-effective and environment-friendly. They are low on maintenance
thus saving your time and effort. Also, solar systems give you
a return on investment very soon, thus making the systems free
after some time. Cooking with solar energy is also considered
extremely healthy. Families have started employing solar energy
as a power solution at their homes.
Hydro energy solutions: The hydro energy or water energy is an
effective renewable energy. One can convert the hydro energy into
electrical energy to run vehicles and various electrical appliances.
Hydro energy is typically generated on a large scale. It has been
estimated that 90 percent of the electrical energy produced by
renewable resources is produced solely by hydro power. Dams are
built to help generate electricity by tapping the water power.
There have been some concerns about using this energy because
it is supposed to adversely affect the water-borne flora and fauna.
Wind energy solutions: Windmills were in existence even in the
years before the birth of Christ. They helped tow boats and pump
water. Eventually, post-industrialization, they became a source
for generating electricity.
Windmills and wind turbines have never been passé. Wind
energy can help generate tonnes of megawatts of electricity. When
employed at individual estates, it can help do away with conventional
power sources. An excellent renewable source of energy, the wind
energy will go a long way in promising a good future to generations
to come.
11.
How to save power at home
We all learned about the renewable and non-renewable sources
of energy in school. However, we never paid much attention to
the rapid consumption of the non-renewable sources of energy until
recently. The world is faced with severe energy crisis now and
none of us remain unaffected anymore. Should we leave everything
to the governments, or can we do something to save power? The
answer is simple: we can.
Let us look at how you can save power at home.
- Computer: More often than not, we do not
switch off our monitors even after we have shut down our computers.
Keep the monitor and the computer switched off when you are
not using them. Start practicing this even when at work. You
will help save some more power for the world.
- Light bulbs: You must have seen compact fluorescent
light (CFL) bulbs being advertised all the time. You must have
even used them at times. As a power-saving measure, start using
the CFL light bulbs as much as you can. If you are thinking
they are more expensive than the regular bulbs, the benefits
of the CFL bulbs will prove much more cost-effective in the
long turn by the amount of power they will save.
- Air Conditioner: Set the temperature at the
minimum or maximum best you are comfortable with, depending
on the season. Try not to set it at too high or too low temperatures.
Setting the air conditioner at reasonable temperatures helps
save a lot of energy.
- Washing Machines: Do you use your washing
machine as often as you want? Do you use your washing machine
even when there are not enough clothes to wash? Minimize the
number of washes by washing full load of clothes every time.
- Television: Take off the power plug of your
television set when not using it. This may not sound a big deal
but this tiny step will help save power.
- Geysers: Keep the geyser thermostat at the
minimum heat. You do not need to heat the water at a very high
temperature or for too long.
- Refrigerator: Bring hot food to room temperatures
before putting it into the refrigerator. You can also save power
by taking cold or frozen food out of the refrigerator much before
the mealtime, thereby saving power in heating it.
- Car: For an air-conditioner equipped car,
pull up the windows of your car before switching on the air-conditioner.
12.
Solar power solutions at home
With energy sources depleting at a rate faster than they are
being built, it is only wise that we use the abundant energy available
for free – the solar energy. Apart from the easy availability,
solar energy helps control environmental pollution. Most of us
shy away from installing solar power solutions at home thinking
them to be expensive and cumbersome. You will, however, be surprised
to know how easy it is to employ these power solutions. Moreover,
these will help cut down your power bills. Finally, you will be
delighted to know tat you are doing your bit to save power for
the future generations.
This article will explore the various solar power options available
for home use.
Solar cooker: A solar cooker is a cooking utensil that uses absolutely
no fuel for cooking. You can cook food for up to five people in
the small box. If you are thinking that using a solar cooker will
reduce your chances of spreading up a varied platter on the dining
table, you will be surprised to know that you can not only boil
food items in the cooker but also roast and bake! The only limitation
with the solar cooker is the time it takes to cook. However, given
the free source of energy it uses, this is a great option for
cutting down those sky-rocketing bills and saving some power.
Solar home lighting: A solar home lighting system converts solar
energy into electrical energy for your home. This is done via
cells that are charged with solar energy. So, in the night, if
you wonder how the lights are on in the house, it is because of
the solar energy stored in the solar cells. You can install the
solar home lighting system in your house and not worry about the
electricity bills anymore.
Solar heating system: Installing a solar heating system in your
home helps cutting down your electricity bill along with saving
the world’s quickly-exhausting power. If you are worried
that a solar heating system will turn your sweet home into a gadget
house or that it will be an expensive investment, your concerns
are misplaced. Companies providing solar power solutions for homes
make it a point to install aesthetically-pleasing heating systems
in your house. As per as expenditure is concerned, investing in
a solar heating system is wise because you get a return on your
investment within 3-4 years, giving you absolutely free service
after that.
13.
The future of electricity
When the future of electricity is discussed, quite a number of
thoughts come into mind. Let’s look at a few of such ideas.
- Electricity will be wireless!
Wouldn’t it be delightful to see no wires in the house
even with an uninterrupted supply of electricity? Will the future
see wireless supply of electricity? Apparently, it will, according
to industry experts. Last year, a team at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology conducted a wireless electricity experiment
successfully. This dream has never been far-fetched, and with
the success of wireless electricity experiments, this dream
will soon come true. So, it is not very far that we will see
electrical appliances charging themselves off air!
- Consumers will have complete control!
Industry experts believe that in future, your power supply will
not be dependent on the electricity department but on you. You
will have complete control on how you want the power supply
to reach your place. You may not be required to pay the mandatory
amount when you are vacationing around the world, shutting off
the house. Experts see a variety of control options for consumers
in the future. Now, whether this future is in the next ten years,
or twenty, or a fifty years is not known, but what is known
is that the future will see the consumers in control of what
they use.
- Electrical energy will be clean!
Do you know that the remains of electricity production emit
enormous amounts of carbon dioxide in the air? The future of
electricity is perceived as green and clean. Given the concern
for the environment, the electricity in future will make use
of renewable sources of energy, leading to a clean environment.
Currently, electricity is produced mostly by consuming fuels
that are on the verge of being extinct.
- All things will be electric!
OK, we have already seen electric cars and electric shavers,
what else will the future see? May be, electric shoes! Combs,
toothbrushes, watches, glasses, even clothes may become electrical
gadgets. If these sound far-fetched ideas, visit the futuristic
shops at Akihabara in Japan for a glimpse of the future.
- There will be no outages!
More than anything, consumers look forward to seeing a future
with absolutely no power outages. Alternate power solutions
promise to take us into a future that has no power interruptions.
With increased dependency on power for everything, consumers
need to have an uninterrupted supply of power.
14.
The world’s energy crisis
The world is gradually marching towards a severe energy crisis,
what with an ever-increasing demand of energy overstepping its
supply. We have always known that the energy we use everyday is
not unlimited, yet we take it for granted. Oil, gas, power, even
water has limited availability. Yet, we have not taken enough
precautions to deal with a possible energy crisis. When I say
‘we’, I am not referring to the governments but to
all of us, the common people.
Oil and gas have already become too expensive, and with each
passing day, they are moving towards being extinct. Some ignorant
people think that energy crisis is a myth. They fail to see the
big picture. There have been three major energy crises so far
– the 1973 oil crisis, the 1979 energy crisis, and the 1990
oil-price hike, apart from several regional crisis.
Prices have been rapidly increasing for the last five years,
thanks to the ever-increasing demand and the increasing shortage
of energy resources.
How soon will it be all gone?
Are the cynics right in saying that we are making a mountain of
a molehill, or is the energy crisis for real? Picture this: We
have already exhausted 50 percent of the available oil. At the
current rate of consumption, the rest of the oil will finish in
32 years! Imagine if the rate of consumption increases! We all
know it is bound to increase. So, even the present generation
will face an acute energy crisis in the later years, let alone
future generations.
What are we doing about it?
Are we equipped to face the impending energy crisis? What can
you and I do to tackle it? For starters, we need to understand
the importance of energy in our lives and stop taking it for granted.
We have to minimize the use of oil, gas, electricity, or any other
fuel. We cannot afford to waste any available energy. It is also
important to spread awareness about limited availability of energy
resources. Simple things like joining a car pool, switching off
car engines at traffic lights, and minimizing the use of gas and
oil in everyday activities will help a long way in crisis-readiness.
What are the alternate energy options?
As a responsible world citizen, start looking for alternate energy
solutions like solar energy and wind energy. Employing these alternate
power solutions is extremely feasible and cost-effective. You
will not only cut down your power bills but also contribute to
a better future of the world.
15.
Wind power solutions at home
With the world’s ever-increasing demand of power being
more than its supply, it is about time that we take concrete steps
to save power. Apart from being conscious about the usage of power
and water at home, one can employ pollution-free and cost-effective
power solutions at our homes. Solar power solutions and wind power
solutions are the two of the most efficient solutions that can
replace the conventional power solutions employed at our homes.
These solutions can help you combat power outages, reduce your
electricity bills, and also help the environment.
This article will explore the cost-effective wind power solution
that you can employ at home.
Wind power solutions work best when the following conditions
are met:
- You have a house or farmhouse spread over a big area. Typically,
wind power solutions are employed in areas that spread over
an acre.
- The average wind speed in your area is around 11 miles per
hour. If you stay in a place that has little wind flow, your
system will not work. Consult an expert before installing the
wind power solution at home.
- You need to draw water from external sources. You can install
a wind power system even when you do not need to draw water
from outside. However, if you need to draw water from outside
on a regular basis, a wind power system offers the best solution.
- Your house needs a lot of uninterrupted power supply. Combating
those power outages is easy with the pollution-free wind power
systems. You need no longer worry about a break in your work
because of a power uncertainty.
A typical wind power system comprises of a tower and five blades
to churn out wind energy. The length of the wind tower varies
depending on the location of your house. You may need a longer
tower if you are in low-wind zone; you can work with a shorter
tower if you live by the beach. Using a wind generator, this wind
energy can be converted into useful electrical energy to be employed
at home for running various electrical appliances. You can even
store the power generated for later use, making wind generators
more efficient than convention power systems.
If you are confused with the wind power jargon, here’s
a piece of information for you. The terms, wind mills, wind turbines,
and wind generators are used to refer to the same machine.
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