Renewable energy is a green technology, friendly with no harm to the environment. Any effort or contribution for spreading the use of this safe technology will result in getting pure sustainable energy & saving our mother earth at the same time.

Renewable energy resources are naturally replenished in a relatively short period of time. They include biomass, hydropower, geothermal energy, wind energy, and solar energy. In 2005, about 6% of all energy consumed, and about 9% of total electricity production was from renewable energy sources. Alternative transportation fuels are fuels used for transportation other than gasoline or diesel. Some alternative transportation fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, are renewable while others, such as propane and natural gas, are non-renewable.

The United States currently relies heavily on coal, oil, and natural gas for its energy. Fossil fuels are nonrenewable, that is, they draw on finite resources that will eventually dwindle, becoming too expensive or too environmentally damaging to retrieve. In contrast, renewable energy resources—such as wind and solar energy—are constantly replenished and will never run out.

Solar

Most renewable energy comes either directly or indirectly from the sun. Sunlight, Solar energy technologies convert the sun’s light into usable electricity or heat. Solar energy systems can be divided into two major categories: photovoltaic and thermal. Photovoltaic cells produce electricity directly, while solar thermal systems produce heat for buildings, industrial processes or domestic hot water. Thermal systems can also generate electricity by operating heat engines or by producing steam to spin electric turbines. Solar energy systems have no fuel costs, so most of their cost comes from the original investment in the equipment. These are now also being used by many home and farm owners who simply build or buy their own very small solar panels and wind turbines which provide a constant supply of energy in their home or buildings. To try to make  solar panels and use renewable energy yourself with lowest cost  we recommend homemade energy.

Wind

The terms “wind energy” or “wind power” describe the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power. This mechanical power can be used for specific tasks (such as grinding grain or pumping water) or a generator can convert this mechanical power into electricity to power homes, businesses, schools, and the like. The sun’s heat drives the winds, whose energy is captured with turbines. These are now also being used by many home and farm owners who simply build or buy their own very small windmills and turbines which provide a constant supply of energy in their home or buildings as well.

Biomass

Along with the rain and snow, sunlight causes plants to grow. The organic matter that makes up those plants is known as biomass. Biomass can be used to produce electricity, transportation fuels, or chemicals. The use of biomass for any of these purposes is called biomass energy.

Hydrogen

Hydrogen also can be found in many organic compounds, as well as water. It’s the most abundant element on the Earth. But it doesn’t occur naturally as a gas. It’s always combined with other elements, such as with oxygen to make water. Once separated from another element, hydrogen can be burned as a fuel or converted into electricity.

Geothermal

Not all renewable energy resources come from the sun. Geothermal energy taps the Earth’s internal heat for a variety of uses, including electric power production, and the heating and cooling of buildings. And the energy of the ocean’s tides comes from the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun upon the Earth.

Ocean

The ocean can produce thermal energy from the sun’s heat and mechanical energy from the tides and waves.

Hydropower

Flowing water creates energy that can be captured and turned into electricity. This is called hydroelectric power or hydropower. For more information on renewable energy use and benefits please read the other articles by the same author on  Articlesbase, Ezinearticles or Goarticles etc..

Author

Ali Alsharafi

Related posts:

1. Best 5 Renewable Energy Innovations
2. Renewable Energy
3. Renewable Energy – Sources That Never Get Exhausted

It is possible to have a portfolio which profitably (that’s the key word, is it not?) invests in alternative energy funds. “Green” energy production is expected to be a multi-billion (in today’s dollars) industry by 2013.

The most recently developed wind-turbine technologies have brought us wind-produced energy which is more cost efficient as well as more widespread. More state-of-the-art wind energy technologies are typically more market competitive with conventional energy technologies. The newer wind-power technologies don’t even kill birds like in days of old! Wind energy production is a growing technology, and companies engaged in it would make up an excellent part of a growth or aggressive growth portfolio.

Next to consider are solar cell, or photovoltaic cell, technologies. These are to be found implemented in pocket calculators, private property lights, US Coast Guard buoys, and other areas. More and more they find their way onto the roofs of housing and commercial buildings and building complexes. Cost is falling. Their energy efficiency (the ratio of the amount of work needed to cause their energy production versus the actual energy production) is steadily on the rise. As an example, the conversion efficiency of silicon cells has increased from a mere four percent in 1982 to over 20% for the latest technologies. Photovoltaic cells create absolute zero pollution as they are generating electrical power. However, photovoltaic cellls are not presently as cost effective as “utility produced” electricity. “PV” cells are not [capable at present for producing industrial-production amounts of electricity due to their present constraints on space. However, areas where photovoltaic cell arrays could be implemented are increasingly available. In sum, costs are going down while efficiency is rising for this alternative fuel technology.

Many alternative energy investment portfolio advisors are confident that alternative energies derived from currents, tidal movement, and temperature differentials are poised to become a new and predominant form of clean energy. The French are actually fairly advanced at hydro power generation, and numerous studies are being made in Scotland and the US along these sames lines. Some concerns center around the problems with the deterioration of metals in salt water, marine growth such as barnacles, and violent storms which have all been disruptions to energy production in the past. However, these problems for the most part seem to be cured through the use of different, better materials. Ocean-produced energy has a huge advantage because the timing of ocean currents and waves are well understood and reliable.

Investments in hydro-electric technology have grown in the last two decades. Hydro-electric power is clean; however, it’s also limited by geography. While already prominent as power generation, the large, older dams have had problems with disturbing marine life. Improvements have been made on those dams in order to protect marine life, but these improvements have been expensive. Consequently, more attention is now being paid to low-impact “run-of-the-river” hydro-power plants, which do not have these ecological problems.

The reality is, the energy future is green, and investors would do well to put their money out wisely, with that advice in their minds.

http://nash-engie.blogspot.com/2009/09/investments-in-alternative-energy.html

Related posts:

1. Sources of Alternative Energy
2. Wind Energy : An Effective And Cost Efficient Alternative Source
3. Wind Power as a Viable Solution to Meeting Alternative Energy Needs

What is a wind generator?

A wind generator is a machine that uses wind energy to produce electrical energy. It captures wind energy and converts it into mechanical energy that moves the blades of a motor to produce electrical energy. Wind generators help produce thousands of megawatts of electricity. They are also a very popular power solution for individual farms. They are ideal for large areas with good wind speed.

Setting up a home wind generator does not need professional help; individuals can easily set it up with the help of numerous guides available in the market. The components of a wind generator are also easily available in the market.

How does a wind generator differ from a windmill or wind turbine?

Wind generators have been in use for a long time in the form of windmills or wind turbines. Years ago, when electricity was not invented, wind turbines were used to pull boats and pump out water.

Even now, the terms, wind generator, windmill, and wind turbine are used to refer to the same device.

What are the advantages of using a wind generator?
The advantages of a wind generator are many. Let’s look at a few of them.

Environment-friendly: Wind generators prove to be environment-friendly in two ways:

• They do not emit harmful gases in the atmosphere nor do they leave any harmful residual component.

• They do not use any fuel to produce electricity, thereby helping the cause of the environment.

Power-saver: Wind generators are an alternative power solution. They do not use any non-renewable sources of energy, thus helping in times of energy crisis.

Economical: Though the initial cost of setting up a wind generator seems high, the cost of generating electricity in the long run becomes nil. So, you will be getting electricity absolutely free after a few years.

Independent option: Wind generators do away with the dependence on power plants and the government for electricity. With a wind generator in your land, you have your own power plant for life.

24/7 power: With wind generators, you can say bye to power outages forever. You will get continuous, uninterrupted power supply for your entire house and land.

Power storage: A wind generator also allows you to store power for use later. This feature makes it an amazingly lucrative power solution.

If you want to help the world and fight the current energy crisis, invest in a wind generator.

Related posts:

1. Guide on Residential Wind Turbine
2. Frequently Asked Questions When Considering Using Wind Power for Your Home
3. Get Your Hand on The Best Power Generator

Wind Power as a Viable Solution to Meeting Alternative Energy Needs

Although it is much less expensive to initially get hooked into the local electric company’s grid than it is to set up and hook into wind turbines, in the long run one saves money by utilizing the wind for one’s energy needs—while also becoming more independent. Not receiving an electric bill while enjoying the advantages of the modern electrically-driven lifestyle is a wondrous feeling.

Electric bills and fuel bills are rising steadily—but the cost of wind turbine energy is zero, and the cost of installing and hooking up a turbine is steadily coming down as demand rises and more commercial success is realized by various companies producing the turbines and researching technologies to make them ever more efficient.

In addition, people are moving away from the traditional electric grids and the fossil fuels for personal reasons including desire for greater independence, the desire to live remotely or rurally without having to “go primitive”, political concerns such as fears of terrorist strikes on oil fields or power grids, or concerns about the environment. Again, this motivation to get away from the traditional energy sources is the same one that causes people to seek the power of the wind for their energy, giving more business opportunities to profit from wind turbine production and maintenance, which drives their costs down for the consumers.

In nearly thirty states at the time of this writing, homeowners who remain on the grid but who still choose to use wind energy (or other alternative forms) are eligible for rebates or tax breaks from the state governments that end up paying for as much as 50% of their total “green” energy systems’ costs.

In addition, there are 35 states at the time of this writing where these homeowners are allowed to sell their excess energy back to the power company under what are called “net metering laws”. The rates that they are being paid by the local power companies for this energy are standard retail rates—in other words, the homeowners are actually profiting from their own energy production.

Some federal lawmakers are pushing to get the federal government to mandate these tax breaks and other wind power incentives in all 50 states. Japan and Germany already have national incentive programs in place. However, “A lot of this is handled regionally by state law. There wouldn’t really be a role for the federal government,” the Energy Department’s Craig Stevens says. And as might be imagined, there are power companies who feel that it’s unfair that they should have to pay retail rates to private individuals.

“We should [only have to] pay you the wholesale rate for … your electricity,” according to Bruce Bowen, Pacific Gas & Electric’s director of regulatory policy. However, the companies seem to be more worried about losing short term profits than about the benefits, especially in the long run, of the increased use of wind turbines or wind farms. Head of the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies of California V. John White points out, “It’s quality power that strengthens the grid.”

To Discover how You Can Power Your Home With Alternative Energy Click Here

To Learn how You Can Convert Your Vehicle to Run on Water Click Here

For Information on How To Build Your Own Electric Car Click Here

Related posts:

1. Who Else Wants To Know About Alternative Energy
2. Wind Energy : An Effective And Cost Efficient Alternative Source
3. Why choose wind energy?

Most of the time when you hear people talking about solar power homes or using wind energy, they are pitching the whole “save the planet” angle. Well, for me the reason I have started converting to renewable energy is to save money. One of the easiest ways I see to do this is put a little bit of elbow grease into setting up my own power system and stop paying the electric company so much. See how easy it is to onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” rel=”external nofollow” target=”_blank” href=”http://www.howtomakeawindturbine.org/eza/index.html” title=”make your own solar power”>make your own solar power.

Saving the planet is a nice extra bonus, I suppose.

The truth is that you can learn to harness the power of the sun and wind to create your own energy. In some cases this results in the power company paying you each month. More on that in a few, though.

Let’s review what you can do to take part in this growing trend of renewable energy sources at home.

The first thing you should do is get to know and understand the lingo that is used when talking about solar energy. Learn about the parts of a wind generator or solar panel. This will help you if you choose to negotiate installation and so forth.

One of the best things you can do is learn how to construct a solar panel properly. If you live in the right area, learning how to make a wind turbine should be a priority as well. Contrary to what you think, these are projects you can complete in a day or two.

Figure out just how much energy you require on a daily basis to operate your comfortably. By determining this you have an idea of how big of a system you need and this will keep you from spending too much money on unnecessary panels.

Look for pictures and videos of completed solar projects that do-it-yourself enthusiasts of completed on around.

Consult government weather websites to find out if wind energy is a possibility for you. Combining solar and wind energy can save you even more money. This also provides you a backup should you go through an extended time without sun or lower than average wind speeds.

Building your own solar or wind power system is a project that typical do-it-yourselfer can complete within a few days. The trick is having competent step-by-step instructions that walk you through the process. You can find several of these guides available on the Internet. The best are ones that do have plans and videos that detail both solar and wind power systems.

Related posts:

1. Start Using the Renewable Energy Wind Can Produce to Power Your Home
2. Solar Power and Wind Power Systems Reviewed
3. Making Money With Renewable Energy

Green living entails using green technologies to produce green energy. Green technologies imply harnessing the eco-friendly natural resources like solar and wind power to produce energy in order conserve the earth and its environment.

Solar energy is one of the major sources of renewable energy. It involves using the power of Sun to generate energy. Solar energy is an ideal replacement for perishable energy resources like coal and petroleum that are being used for decades. The need for replacing the traditional energy resources arises because of the dwindling stocks of such energy and their harmful impact on earth’s eco-system. Major part of solar energy is absorbed by the water bodies like oceans and rivers and other processes like photosynthesis on the earth. Solar energy is utilized to produce water cycles, food and life sustaining atmosphere that is essential to support life on earth. Solar energy is now being utilized on daily basis to produce different forms of energy. Solar panels are used to convert the power from sun into electrical energy, which is then used to run different electrical appliances in the homes and the workplaces throughout the world. Solar panels are also used to convert the solar power into heat energy, which is then utilized to heat the water in the water heating systems like boilers and geysers. Solar cookers are used to convert the solar power into heat energy, which is then used for cooking and heating foods. Solar cookers are also utilized for heating and boiling water, pasteurization of milk and drying food items. The temperature generated by these cookers can range anywhere between 90 to 150 degrees celsius.

Wind energy is another clean and renewable source of energy that involves harnessing the power of wind. Large numbers of wind turbines are built throughout the world in order to capture the kinetic energy of wind, which is then converted to electrical energy to power industrial units and large residential areas. The latest technology called vertical axis wind turbines that just require to be pointed towards the wind’s direction in order to generate electricity for homes is gaining in popularity across the world. Home based wind energy system includes a wind turbine and generator that are mounted on top of the tower and the associated controls and equipments that are located in separate cabin. There are three wind energy systems that can be used for generating electricity for home. First is Off-Grid or Stand Alone system. This system is installed when your home is not connected to the grid. You will only use the electricity generated by the Off-Grid system. Second is Grid-Tied or On Grid system that comes with battery back up. With this system, you can use the power supplied by grid as well as electricity generated through the wind energy system. With battery back up you can store the energy and use it in case of a power outage. Third is Grid-Tied or On Grid system without battery back up. This works the same way as the second system except you can’t use it during the power outage as there is no back up system installed.

Solar energy and wind energy are the two clean and renewable sources of green energy that is essential for green living.

Related posts:

1. The Two Most Popular Green Energy Sources
2. Renewable energy sources
3. Getting Green to Help Mother Earth, Solar Energy Facts

Alternative energy, whether it is used to replace fuels such as coal, or to reduce our reliance on petroleum based fuels; alternative energy is one of the most important issues facing society today.
The two most common types of alternative energy are:
* Wind power
* Solar power

Both of these alternative energy sources are harnessed from natural resources, and as such are completely free. Only the equipment and technology cost money, and over time as we advance the costs should be reduced.

It is these free sources of alternative energy that we should be pursuing with the most fervency, so that, eventually, energy can be available to all regardless of income. Below we will take a look at these two most common sources of alternative energy.

Wind Power

Wind power, while a free source of alternative energy, would be the most costly type of renewable energy to power our nation. This is largely in part to the fact that we must first place wind turbines across the country, in enough numbers to provide electricity to communities nationwide, even in areas where the wind velocity is not as strong. The cost of building enough of these turbines to harness the wind’s alternative energy would be staggering.

Also these wind turbines are very unsightly and would ruin very beautiful and scenic parts of the country. It should also be noted that they only produce power 1/8 of the time that they are running. That is not very efficient, but we are on the right track, things just need improvement.

Another problem I see with wind turbines is the amount of profit many companies stand to make for putting them in. Individuals are making millions off of this and that is just not right when our well-being is at stake.

However, if you’re interested in using wind power as your own source of alternative energy, it is a viable option. Many farms and rural communities use these wind turbines to power themselves. In smaller numbers, the cost of building the turbines pays for itself relatively quickly. But wind energy is only one form of alternative energy. Next, we will look at using solar power as an alternative power source.

Solar Power

Solar power is alternative energy derived from the power of the sun. Solar energy is also completely free, except for the cost of installing the equipment necessary to convert the sun’s rays into usable electricity. This equipment is becoming less and less expensive every day. Solar power generally ends up paying for itself within the first few years.

The equipment needed to use solar power as an alternative energy source for your home can be bought at virtually any home improvement store, and can usually be installed in just a few hours. If you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself, there are a great number of contractors available who can install your solar panels and generators for you.

Regardless of which type of alternative energy you choose to use in your own home, the fact remains that we must find a renewable source of energy soon, or be at risk of losing the few natural resources we have left to burn. Contact your Congressman today, and ask what is being done to find a good source of alternative energy; and what you can do to help.

Related posts:

1. Sources of Alternative Energy
2. Wind Energy : An Effective And Cost Efficient Alternative Source
3. Wind Power as a Viable Solution to Meeting Alternative Energy Needs

With the world’s ever increasing demand of power being more than it’s supply, it is about time that 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 energy electricity 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 energy electricity solution that you can employ at home.

Wind energy electricity 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 exteral 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.

Related posts:

1. Wind generator
2. Frequently Asked Questions When Considering Using Wind Power for Your Home
3. The REAL Cost Of Wind Energy

Many people today have realized the dream of being completely off the grid by combining wind and solar energy. Small sized affordable wind generators are available today for the home user, and they are being combined with photovoltaic cells for power generation. It’s obvious that fossil fuel energy costs are going to keep on rising making it harder to afford getting power from the grid. The time is more than ripe for solar wind energy to be one of the solutions to rising energy costs, and to take us off of fossil fuel energy dependence.

Wind Turbines

Wind turbines are actually very simple machines. They consist of 3 parts: rotor blades, a shaft, and a generator. The rotor blades act like a propeller that turns the shaft when the wind flows through them. The shaft then turns the generator and a current is generated. About eighty-five percent of all off-grid systems use solar wind energy.

The new micro as well as mini wind turbines are very popular with sailors, and are now starting to be more popular with home owners in Europe and the UK. Mini turbines are very cost effective and will only cost about $1,500 to $2,500. They are perfect for generating electricity if you live off the grid in remote rural areas. It’s satisfying to think about having solar wind energy provide for all your energy needs and also knowing that you never have to depend on utility companies.

Photovoltaic Cells

The typical home solar power system consists mainly of these:

a)Photovoltaic Panels

b)Charge Controller Module

c)Batteries (optional)

d)Inverter

Photovoltaic panels convert sunlight into an electric current. The type of current generated by a photovoltaic panel array is DC or direct current. For this current to be usable in most common households, it has to be converted into AC or alternating current. That’s where the inverter comes in. It’s job is to convert DC into AC current.

Solar wind energy systems are also called hybrid energy systems because the use a combination of solar and wind power to generate electricity. The wind turbines are mostly used during the winter months (in the northern hemisphere) when the sun’s vertical rays are mostly directed toward the southern hemisphere, and days tend to be short and cloudy. During summer months, photovoltaic cells would supplement greatly along with the wind turbine.

By using hybrid solar wind energy systems, a homeowner has the option of using or omitting batteries for storage. Homeowners also have the choice of being “Grid-Tied” or “Net Metered”. This means that your solar wind energy system has the ability to provide electricity not only for your house, but the power company as well. This way, if your solar wind energy system generated more energy than was used, the energy can be sold back to the power company. When you’re selling energy back to the company, your power meter runs backward. The “net metered” system therefore is highly recommended. The grid also works as your “battery backup” when your hybrid solar wind energy system doesn’t provide for your power demands.

Net-metered systems are also recommended because they are easier to install, cost less, and offer better performance.

Related posts:

1. Wind Energy : An Effective And Cost Efficient Alternative Source
2. Why choose wind energy?
3. Generating Wind Energy

The report facilitates market analysis and forecasting of future wind energy industry trends. It helps identifying growth segments and opportunities in the energy industry. The news and deals portfolio provided in the report helps an investor to gauge the global wind energy market and accordingly direct their investment.

Of the available renewable energy sources, wind is the most established commercial generating technology with highly effective and reliable equipment and machinery. It has observed tremendous growth, with the total installed capacity augmenting from 23,900 MW in 2001 to over 121,013 MW in 2008, reflecting an annual growth rate of 26% for the 2001-08 period.

Annual Wind Energy Installations to be Impacted by the Financial Crisis

The current financial crisis is severely affecting the growth of wind energy globally. The global wind energy industry is witnessing many cancellations of turbine orders, freezing up and sale of wind farms, and difficulties in securing financial aid for new projects. The worldwide annual wind energy installations will trickle down by more than 15% in the years 2009 and 2010, as against the growth rate of 35% in the new installed capacity of 2008. This will further result in a dip in the demand for wind turbines.

Increasing Mergers and Acquisitions to be the Outcome of Financial Crisis

Wind farms are capital-heavy projects with significant up-front investment that can be financed only by large utilities and investment groups. The critical short-term challenge faced by most wind power developers is financing, particularly for under development projects. The economic downturn, resulting in the failure of some of the world’s largest investment banks, has led to an increase in the cost of capital for wind energy projects. Against this backdrop, only a few large wind power companies will be in a position to pursue their project development plans. Shortage of financial resources with smaller players would give an opportunity to the big giants to takeover or form alliances with such companies, thereby increasing the level of consolidation in the wind energy industry.

Strong Growth Prospects of the Offshore Wind Energy Market

The offshore wind energy market is attracting investors in the wind segment. The global offshore cumulative wind energy installed capacity has increased from 86 MW in 2001 to 1,475 MW in 2008. Most of this capacity is predominantly concentrated in the European region. Currently, there are nearly 5 GW of new offshore wind energy projects in the development phases in Europe. The US has also planned to develop over 2,320 MW of offshore wind power projects, while China has 520 MW of offshore capacity under construction or in planning. Increasing focus on the offshore wind energy sector is principally because of the greater power generation potential at such locations. Offshore sites are also suitable for wind power generation because there is no space constraint. Additionally, offshore wind projects offer multi-fold advantages i.e. large wind turbines can be installed at the offshore sites because of the greater wind speed, thereby enabling it to generate more units of power.

Related posts:

1. Bharatbook : Impact of Financial Crisis on Wind Energy Installations Globally – Analysis and Forecast
2. International interest in the Spanish photovoltaic market
3. 11,615 MW of installed wind power