June 21st, 2009
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Douglas Taylor asked:
More and more people today are now looking for alternative ways of supplying power that they need in order to run appliances and equipment in their home. For some people because of where they live setting up a solar powered system is the ideal choice. In this article, we go through a number of factors that need to be taken into consideration if you are thinking about building a solar power system.
One of the first things that you should be doing in order to see if building a solar powered system is a viable option is to find out how much sunlight you get each day where you live. To do this you need to check out weather data for the area where you live or use a solar energy map, which you can easily find online.
The next thing that you need to do when considering building your own solar powered energy system is to calculate how much power it is you actually use. The easiest way of doing his by looking at the bills, you receive for your electricity company and then dividing the figures up so that they provide you an average of what you would use on a weekly basis. To work out what your weekly power consumption for your home is you take the total monthly figure off of your electricity bill and then divide this by 4.3.
Along with knowing how much sunlight, you are likely to get and how much power it is you will need to be able carry on running all appliances and equipment in your home there are other factors, which need to be taken into consideration. You need to make a decision on the kind of inverters you will be using, how many solar panels you will need and how many batteries you will need to store the energy in.
When it comes to selecting the inverters for your system, which is what converts the sunlight that has been collected by the solar panels in to AC power rather than DC power. All inverters will be rated according to their continuous and surge wattage. So the more power you are likely to use then the much higher these wattage ratings will need to be.
As for the batteries, you need ones that will be able to take continuous charges of electricity into them. Therefore, car batteries are not suitable simply because they are not designed to be able to collect and store large amounts of power at any time. The kind of batteries that you should be selecting to use when it comes to building your own solar powered system is say a marine or golf cart battery.
Of course, when it comes to someone actually choosing to build a solar powered system they must not forget about the solar panels. It is important that you carry out plenty of research on this item in order to ensure that you have the right ones for yours. As you will soon discover when looking for these panels there are a number of different sized panels to choose from. So take your time and look for those that will help to collect sufficient amounts of sunlight for your own particular requirements.
June 20th, 2009
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PXR5 asked:
Wind power is considered by many as an emerging technology, the truth of the matter is we have been using wind power for many hundreds of years to grind our corn and even for milking our cattle. With the dawn of the industrial revolution the use of wind to power machinery fell by the wayside as steam and eventually electricity grew in popularity.
Recent environmental concerns have made way for the return of wind power, and in its wake came a host of myths, mistruths and misunderstandings. This article aims to dispel some of the common myths of wind power.
Wind turbines are only efficient in high winds
This is a common misconception regarding wind turbines. Obviously the more wind there is the more electricity each wind turbine will generate, but even in a light breeze both large commercial wind turbines and the smaller residential wind turbines will generate an acceptable amount of electricity. As the wind speed changes, the angle of the turbines blades will adjust themselves accordingly to achieve maximum efficiency, regardless of wind speed.
Wind turbines are noisy
This may have been true in the past as many early wind turbines had no noise emission guidelines to adhere to. Also, wind turbine manufacturers and wind power companies didn’t really consider the impact a large scale wind farm would have on nearby residential areas. These early wind turbines are the source of the current ‘wind turbines are noisy’ myth. Over the last decade wind turbine technology had progressed considerably, rendering mechanical noise almost undetectable.
Wind farm planners have strict guidelines to adhere to in order to protect nearby residential areas from noise emissions. This doesn’t mean that wind farms are silent as there is an audible ‘swoosh’ as the turbines blades pass the tower; however this is only heard at a relatively close range.
Wind farms are not cost effective
Twenty to thirty years ago, wind farms and wind turbine technology was a victim of trial and error to a certain extent. Let us not confuse older, noisier and more costly wind farms with their modern counterparts. In the early 1980’s over 5000 wind turbines were put in place at the Tehachapi Pass in California. These days wind farms consist of fewer, larger wind turbines which have proved not only more cost effective but more attractive on the eye than the early wind farms which dotted the landscape with hundreds of smaller wind turbines.
Home wind turbines are a waste of time and money
The smaller home wind turbines are more often than not used in combination with an array of solar panels. The wind turbine will continue to charge the batteries through the night even in a light breeze meaning a steady trickle of electricity is potentially available 24 hours a day. Prices of home wind turbines vary depending on the output power and installation cost. A small residential wind turbine will reduce an average electricity bill by around 20-35%. Or to put it another way, a residential wind turbine would save around half a ton of CO2 each year.
Wind farms kill birds
It is true that a considerable number of birds have flown into the blades of wind turbines and as a result have been injured or even killed. Saying that, it is also true that a large number of birds are killed each year as a result of flying into tall buildings or are hit by cars, trains, trucks and busses. It is an unfortunate fact that human impact on the environment does take its toll on wildlife to a certain extent; however, wind farms do not pose any considerable threat to birds or any other form of wildlife.
June 20th, 2009
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Stan Stomp asked:
The earth has blessed us with an abundance of green energy, all we need to do is tap into it. This site shares a few of the popular green energies like solar and wind power, what we failed to mention is hydro power, bio energy, geothermal, tidal or wave and hydrogen fuel cells. Green energy is defined in Wikipedia as “sources of energy that are considered to be environmentally friendly and non-polluting”. This is in true and rare form our new generation of energy. Fossil fuels in time will be exhausted or cost dearly to manufacture, not to mention the carbon foot print we have left for our children.
If you were to walk outside during the day and look around you would notice that green energy is all around us. Everywhere you look there is a source of untapped green energy. The most unique thing of all is it has always been there just patiently waiting for us to come to our senses. The sun shines every day, the wind blows frequently, the rivers flow all the time, the waves in the ocean crash on the shore like clockwork. None of these forces ever call in sick or just stop working, they are more constant than any other source of energy we have. They are not controlled by other countries and best of all they are free!
Green energy is the way of the future it is the only way we can save the earth for our future generations, it is the only way we can reverse the global warming. The government also sees a clear view of green energy you can view on their site here: http://www.eere.energy.gov/ they have it all broken down by programs. The government is also offering grants which can be viewed from the same page. Any way you look at it green energy is here to stay.
So if green energy is so good and it is here to stay then why are we not embracing our future? Well, all you have to do is look at the economy and the shrinking that has happen since October 2007. In a shrinking economy one does not spend large amounts of capital on an investment like green energy. That would probably be the biggest problem with green energy is the initial capital that has to be spent to buy and install the equipment. Over time the investment will pay for itself but, right now it is cheaper for us to use our 120 year old addiction to fossil energy. So how do we break the habit? The government is offering rebates on green energy you can read the form here: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5695.pdfup to 30% off! With that in mind it makes the pain of the expenditure just a little more inviting.
June 19th, 2009
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Julie Landry asked:
Wind power costs per kilowatt hour have decreased over the past two decades, though prices have fluctuated in the past three years. The Department of Energy estimates that prices may increase in the next year. Wind power generation has grown significantly since the price of oil has gone up and the extra added costs of pollution have become apparent. In the last two decades, wind power system designs have been developed, matured and have become a lot more practical than they were only a few years ago.
Wind power plants, or wind farms as they are sometimes called, are clusters of wind machines used to produce electricity. A wind farm usually has dozens of wind machines scattered over a large area. Wind power has good synergy with plug-in vehicles, which charge at night when the expected wind output is highest. Solar power goes best with air conditioning, which peaks alongside solar radiation. Wind power plants consume resources in manufacturing and construction. During manufacture of the wind turbine, steel, concrete, aluminum and other materials will have to be made and transported using energy intensive processes, generally using fossil energy sources.
Wind power was the most rapidly growing means of alternative electricity generation at the turn of the century, and world wind generation capacity more than quadrupled between 2000 and 2006. Wind power is produced by using wind generators to harness the kinetic energy of wind. It is gaining worldwide popularity as a large scale source of energy, although it still only provides less than one percent of global energy consumption. Wind power facilities can also degrade or destroy habitat, cause disturbance and displacement, and disrupt important ecological links. These impacts can be avoided or significantly reduced, however, with proper siting, operation and mitigation.
Wind power has not been quite as readily accepted for home power generation for several reasons. First of all, wind power has greater requirements for open space and access to wind for efficient operation. Wind power is coming of age however. In 2007, some 20,000 megawatts of wind were installed globally, enough to power 6 million homes. Wind powered generators will be harder to come across than normal fuel generators but there are many useful applications for them, including charging batteries and powering small appliances and tools. Many remote farms and electrical facilities have wind farms that are used to harness power in areas of high wind.
Wind power will probably succeed or fail based on the ability or inability of its proponents to focus on defining wind generation’s role as a practical alternative to conventional generation sources. Wind power is the best possible demonstration of the selfish, deluded nature of most non-professionals who try to engage in the energy debate. The technology is already pretty robust. Wind power, despite its recent advances, is still in a delicate position. It already produces around 1 percent of the country’s electricity.
June 18th, 2009
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d letro asked:
Frequently Asked Questions When Considering Using Wind Power for your Home
Due to the high cost of utility usage today coupled with the concerns of our environment by energy waste and pollution, many people around the world are taking a closer look into renewable energy solutions. One of the most popular topics on renewable energy solutions is wind power. Wind is an energy source that is free and constant and will never run out. Ways to harness this power for good use have been implemented down the time. With more efficient technology, one is able to harness all the free wind energy one would need and then some.
The #1 Question:
· How much does it cost? Is all the equipment of a windmill expensive?
With patience, one could pick up all materials needed and build one for less than $200.00. Some of the materials can even be found for free.
· How difficult is it to build?
Today? Not very difficult at all with all the homemade wind generator resources out there. Find a set of plans that are easy, step by step instructions. Make sure there are plenty of diagrams and pictures. And make sure you can understand it. Terminology in layman’s terms obviously is the best. With all the proper pieces, your wind generator can be built in less than a day.
· How much wind is needed?
Very light winds between 5-15 mph. There is a cut in range, when the blades are beginning to produce power and a survival range, the max wind speed it can handle before the blades “fly off the handle”
· How much space do I need?
Wind generators that are homemade take up a small footprint. Using an old homeowners radio tower or TV antenna, many times these items are unnoticeable being now immune to our eyes as part of the landscape. If you are storing electricity in batteries, you will need the space of a small trunk to more if your windmill is larger.
· How do I save money?
Obviously, the less power you have to buy from your local power company, the more you will save.
· Can I make money by going to a wind generator?
Yes, if you live in a location that offers to buy your excess power. This is called net metering. Check with your local power company to see if they offer incentives such as net metering, credits or rebate programs.
· Is it safe?
Energy in any form is inherently dangerous. Just as with any industry, there are hazards for those who work with wind energy, dealing with high winds, heights, and moving machinery such as the spinning of the wind turbine rotor. The damage caused by wind energy is evidenced everywhere. When wind kills, it is well known. Building your own wind generator is safe as long as you put safety 1st.
June 18th, 2009
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Dave Stilman asked:
Many households are considering of converting their home energy to be solar powered for the purpose of cutting down their electricity bills while saving our planet with this environmental friendly power source. But, not many are taking their action to make the real conversion to a solar-powered home because they are still doubt on the advantages of solar power that they can really get after the conversion while they do worry about the potential problems that may encountered after they make the conversion. Let briefly go through the advantages versus the disadvantages of solar power, so that you are cleared before you make your decision on whether to use solar-powered energy at home.
Advantages of Solar Power
Solar power is a renewable source generated from the sun, meaning that the solar energy source is never going to finish. So, we do not need to worry about we may jeopardy of the energy source if you over use it.
Solar power is environmental friendly energy source. Unlike oil, the use of solar energy will never causes green house effects or emits carcinogens into the air and causes the air pollution.
The sun is FREE. Unlike the traditional energy source which you need to pay more if you use more, there is not limit on how much you can use the energy generated from solar power, and you do not need to think of the electricity cost when you use a solar-powered energy generator, because the sun is FOC (Free of Charge).
Little maintenance cost on solar power system. Solar cells can last for a lifetime and because there are no moving parts, it needs very little maintenance. You do not really need to allocate significant budget for it maintenance cost.
Disadvantages of Solar Power
The key stopping factor that makes most of people who are interested to install solar power system is the total cost is expensive. A solar power system that provides enough energy to power an average sized home can cost anywhere from $6,000 to $20,000. Seeing the potential market demand on solar power system, the industries with continue research efforts are trying to reduce the material costs. Moreover, there are many simple-to-follow DIY instruction manuals had been made published to teach people how to build their own solar power system using cheap materials which can be found at local market.
The solar power can be generated without sunlight, which means the power cannot be created at night, during rain and winter season when sun is hiding behind the cloud. This had been one of key discouragement of using solar power as the alternative power solution.
If you build the solar panel at the roof of your home, it becomes part of the house. You may need to sell it together with your house if you decide to move to a new home. And you need to reinstall the solar power system at your new home.
Summary
You should clearly understand of both the advantages and the disadvantages of solar power system before you go ahead to convert your home to be solar-powered so that you can really benefited from the advantages of solar power while handling the disadvantages of solar power to minimize the impacts.
June 17th, 2009
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Munya Chinongoza asked:
There are several different wind power kits that you can choose from. One example is the budget kit and in the budget kit, you are provided with everything you need to generate your own electricity and help you with your energy needs. This system comes with 6 major parts.
The first part is called the turbine Rutland 503 which is ideal and has the ability to produce 60 watt which would power roughly 5 or 6 energy saving light bulbs. Luckily since the energy is stored in a battery you can later on use it with equipment that requires a higher amount of power.
Then you have the rigging which is 1m of steeling tubing. That is used to mount the turbine however it is up to you to mount it on a suitable location. Next you have the cable which is 10 meters you use this to run between the turbine and the regulator. The regulator is hrs503 which is specifically made for the turbine that is in this kit.
The fifth element in this kit is the battery. The battery that was chosen is an AGM 35 which is a maintenance free battery. Finally the last but definitely not least item is the inverter which is a Genius 150 watt the inverter must turn the DC current in to AC current that powers household appliances. They chose this to make sure that the battery does not deplete too quickly and what this means to you is that you can plug in appliances up to 150 watts.
Of course also provided to you are the instructions. There are a few other different home wind power kits that you can choose from like the mid range kit which for not that much more money, provides a great deal more electricity. However in the end it is up to you to choose the kid that will satisfy your electricity needs.
June 16th, 2009
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John Mowatt asked:
Electricity produced by wind turbines is green power in that it causes no environmental pollution. No greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change are produced either. Wind power generation can be on a large scale,which is the case with most commercial projects,or on a small scale as with home owner turbines.
Wind is the cheapest form of renewable energy without a doubt. Solar energy is also clean,green,power but is more expensive and limited in output. Solar panels are presently expensive in relation to the power they can produce. Nuclear energy supplies a lot of the power requirements in some countries,notably in Europe.
There is however much public opposition to building new nuclear power plants.
In the USA natural gas is the biggest form of new energy production. Wind power is the next in line. In 2008 wind turbines will produce about 1% of the United States power needs. Around 30% of new energy production installed in 2007 was wind power.
Many consumers now realise that green energy must be our highest priority in future,if we are to minimise climate change and it effects. The trend to building fossil fuel powered generating stations must be reversed.
Home owners and farmers can help with the transition to clean power by installing small wind turbines to supply all or part of their electricity needs. These turbines can be purchased from a number of manufacturers and can be installed as a rooftop wind turbine or on a small free standing tower.
Commercial wind turbines are quite expensive in relation to power output. A better solution for many is to build their own low cost wind turbine. A good turbine can be built from auto parts and a few odds and ends at very low cost. Plans and instructions are available for this project.
Any excess power production can be sold to the power utility in many areas thus reducing the cost even further. Power can also be stored in batteries for use when the wind is too light. Even a light breeze will however produce power.
The average home owner can easily build a small wind turbine or several of them to supply part or all of the power required. All that is needed is simple tools and some auto parts and wood. Several can be built for the cost of one commercial wind turbine.
Not a bad business also for anyone who wants to make them for resale. The demand for a low cost turbine is there and can only grow in years ahead.
Why not build your own wind power turbine now and produce your own free green electricity. You will be doing mother earth a favor by reducing atmospheric pollution. This is an idea whose time has come.
June 16th, 2009
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April Kerr asked:
Wind is another powerful energy like the sun light and water current that can be transformed into electric energy. This is what is called the wind power. The wind turbines are used to produce power from wind. Currently the power generated from wind fulfills about 1% of the total power requirement of the world. The windmills are positioned and they are connected to the electric grids to produce electrical energy from it.
You are free to generate ample energy from wind and there is no pollution related to this. This energy is absolutely eco-friendly and can be used for various commercial as well as domestic purposes. The oldest usage of the wind power is recorded for the sailors who used to avail this while sailing on the boats for long journeys. The first windmill of the world was built in Afghanistan. There are turbines with multiple blades which often generate huge wind power.
Residential Production of Wind Power
The price of electricity is increasing tremendously in today’s world and this is the reason why many people are taking interest in setting up the wind power system at their homes. In case of producing the wind power at home, you need to place a wind turbine at the top of a high tower or building so that the kinetic energy formed by the wind gets transformed into electric energy to fulfill the needs of the domestic house hold.
The wind power produced like this runs through the cables and wires in your house. But often the quantity of the energy produced by the wind power is more than the requirement of the houses. This is the reason why there are many utility companies which offer you to buy the electricity back when they are not required by you.
The wind turbine used for the domestic wind power production is smaller than the commercial ones but they are sufficiently effective. Moreover this is going to cut down the electricity bills significantly.
Benefits of Wind Power
The most important and significant benefit of using wind power is that this reduces the level of pollution remarkably. The wind turbines work on the simple principles of transformation of energy and this is the reason why there is no way the environment will get polluted because of this.
The statistics show that usage of wind power will cut down the pollutant level up to 1.2 metric tons. Some of the people used to feel that the production of wind power for the residential purpose will not be a beneficial one.
But in realty this is quite easy and produces more power than you actually need. So if you wish to get rid of those fat electric bills then the wind power is the best option.
June 15th, 2009
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William Michaels asked:
While the technology for using wind power has been with us for thousands of years, the use of this alternative power source for the generation of electricity has never really gone mainstream. Coal and natural gas-fired power plants are efficient and convenient, but they use fossil fuels, and these fuels are definitely finite resources. Wind power is as limitless as the sun and wind.
Wind Power is Coming Around.
Wind is not a common source of energy today but soaring coal, oil and natural gas costs and the negative eco-effects of these conventional fuels have ignited a new interest in alternative renewable energy sources. Along with solar power panels and collectors, windmills can now be seen blossoming in fields across the country and are proving to be a viable source of energy as long as there is a constant enough supply of quality wind.
Are Alternative Energy Sources Reliable?
A wind power generator, as the name implies, is technology that makes electrical energy from air currents. As people who live in windy areas of the U.S. know, wind energy is abundant - and free. But is it reliable enough to provide a constant source of electricity - similar to a modern fossil-fueled power plant? The simple answer - no. Harnessing wind energy can be a great addition to an alternative power generation plan (usually paired with solar), but you should always have an alternative (public utilities) as a back-up for those rare times when there is no wind or sun. Of course, before you consider installing a wind power generator, research is in order to determine if the location for the windmill will get enough wind to make the investment worthwhile.
Physics Is Your Friend.
A wind power generator operates by the theory of Conservation of Energy, or more specifically, kinetic energy. Kinetic energy of the wind or airflow impinges upon the rotor blades of the windmill, then is turned into mechanical energy as the generator is spun. This mechanical energy is converted into electrical power by the generator, to be used immediately, or stored in batteries or capacitors. In the early history of wind power, this rotational energy was used to grind grain and pump water.
Wind Power as a Supplement.
As was mentioned above, it may be totally impractical to live off-grid with alternative energy as the sole sources of power for your home, although there are those who do live completely off-grid. To live completely off-grid, you must be extremely efficient with energy use (and storage), and alway be aware of reserves and future needs. For most alternative energy users, wind power is used in conjunction with other sources of electrical power - solar and grid. During good times, many generate excess power and can sell this excess power back to their utility companies.
Location, Location, Location.
There are a few criteria for placing a windmill on your property. Ideally, your home will sit on a good-sized lot in a relatively roomy rural or near-rural development. The tower height that supports the generator can be critical, and research should be done to determine local building codes. Newer and better technology is coming on-line every day that permits installation of power-generating windmills in ever-smaller locations - always do your research and make sure you’re getting the system for your environment.
Technology Here Now.
Making electrical power from the wind is not a new science, rather it is an continually evolving technology based on actual needs. There’s plenty of information - books and other materials - available now on the topics of alternative power generation. Many new sources of do-it-yourself guides have sprung up lately, and some are of good quality.. With this in mind, always do your research carefully and completely before you commit to any particular system. Then, as you watch the blades of your own wind power generator spin, the satisfaction of knowing you did this yourself (with a little help) can be realized.
I’ve looked at some of the more popular plans on how to build your own windmill. What did I learn? Read this review and save yourself a lot of wasted time and money.
