Once finished, he invited the neighborhood over for a cookout. That gave him a chance to show off his handyman skills. He was telling all of us about how easy it was to install the solar panels. Given the step by step instructions that came as part of the kit, even his son could have done the job without much help.

You still may be wondering what a diy solar panel kit is. It is a kit with all the components you will need to use solar energy and create electricity to power appliances or lights in your house.

With enough solar panels, it is possible to power everything in your house that uses electric power. With one big exception, however, you will be doing it for a fraction of the cost of electricity. Once you recoup your investment you will be generating electricity for free.

As an example, let’s say you spend 2400 dollars each year on electricity to power your home. It will take around 3-5 years to see the savings but after that you will have some extra money to use somewhere else.

You will need to check for your area, but most states have incentives or rebates that will help you with the cost of the solar panels. If you qualify, you will receive your investment back sooner and really get the benefits of solar power for your home.

The sooner you get started with this project the quicker you can enjoy the benefits of free electricity. You will need to do some research first to estimate the materials you will need for construction of the panels. A great place to start is your local hardware store. If you have one of the national chain stores available, they may even sponsor some classes to help you get started even faster.

Take on the challenge, be the hero in your neighborhood, and go solar. There is plenty of information available for the DIY individual. Additionally, the prices are getting more and more affordable for solar panel kits. Just think, once the system is installed you won’t have to worry about your power bill rising. Plus you will be doing your part in making the earth a cleaner place to live simply by getting the benefits of solar power.

There are several different ways to use ocean waves to generate electricity but the process always involves combining natural (or artificial) waves with wave power devices to activate the electrical system.

Ocean Wave Power Generation Systems

Some of the techniques include placing generators on or below the ocean’s surface, using floating tubes to pump ocean water into a generator, or using fake wind, pools and air chambers to direct moving air into a turbine which activates a generator. An example of using wave generated wind-flow to drive the turbines is demonstrated in the following video:

Wave power has the potential to produce large amounts of electricity, but there are currently very few wave farms in the world. Wave power still appears to be in an experimental phase: the technology is proven to work, but the logistics of financing and setting up large-scale wave farms along major coastlines is not high up on the agenda for most nations, at least not yet. Additionally, there are difficulties with the actual conversion of wave energy into electricity. Although the potential for energy is there, harnessing wave power and putting it to use is not as simple as it is with wind and solar power. It’s also a challenge to design wave power devices that can withstand the constant crashing of the waves without getting damaged.

Wave power is only truly effective in coastal areas with enough wind to generate frequent, high-energy waves, such as parts of Scotland, Australia, Africa, Canada, and the United States. However, none of these locations currently have any wave farms large enough to generate a significant amount of electricity.

One of the more recent wave farms is the Aguçadoura Wave Farm, which opened in Portugal in 2008, but not to great success. After two months of operation, the wave farm came to a halt due to technical issues with the machinery and because of a lack of financing, the farm has yet to re-open.

There have been discussions about funding wave farms in Scotland (one of the earliest wave generators was built in Scotland decades ago) and Cornwall, England, but aside from these possible locations, there are still no other prospective commercial wave farms in the world. Currently, the wave farms that do exist are small, and are mostly used for desalination and pumping water.

Other Ocean-related Energy Systems

Similar to wave power is a system called “tidal power.” People sometimes confuse the two, and although they both use the movement of water to generate energy, they are not the same thing. Waves are caused by wind blowing across the water’s surface.

The tide, however, has nothing to do with the wind; it’s caused by the gravitational forces of the moon. As the moon rotates, the tide rises and falls because of the gravitational pulls. Although it’s easier to make predictions about the tide than the waves, the use of tidal power is still very minimal, mostly due to high expense and a lack of optimal places to implement it. The first tidal power station emerged in France in the 1960’s, and since then a handful of other tidal energy sites have sprung up in North America, Europe, and Asia. Tidal power mostly relies on the use of tidal barrages, dames, and turbines to generate energy.

Ocean Power: A Developing Resource

The main criticisms of wave power fall under the problems of finance and difficulty in effectively harnessing potential wave energy. Some people also complain how the wave energy devices are eyesores on what would otherwise be beautiful coastal areas. Additionally, these devices could potentially affect marine life or cause a bothersome amount of noise.

The evolving technology surrounding the wave power industry will likely continue to make improvements to address these concerns, and although it currently falls short of competing with wind and solar power, it’s possible that wave power will become more regularly used as technologies improve, the cost goes down and efficiency goes up.

The Benefits of Solar Energy

Photovoltaic solar panels are assembled special silicon or germanium coated cells, which convert sunlight into usable electricity. These panels can be grouped together in a solar panel array and installed around homes and businesses and are usually situated on the roof of a building.

Solar power heat concentrators, on the other hand, do not utilize photochemical panels, but work more like a magnifying glass just on a larger scale. The sunlight is reflected through mirrors and lenses and concentrated into a beam of solar-charged heat. This solar heat is beamed towards a specific target, such as a steam generator for a power plant where the heat produces electrical energy.

Sunlight-driven solar energy is being put to many different uses including:

1) increased agricultural productivity;
2) natural and hybrid solar lighting;
3) water distillation and desalinization;
4) solar-powered food cookers;
5) electric-powered vehicles and gadgets, and
6) heating water.

A Limited Use Energy Resource

Despite all the potential benefits of solar energy in many areas of our personal and industrial lives, solar power still provides less than 1% of all electricity here in the United States. California is by far the state at the forefront of solar energy usage and innovation. Though solar systems are slightly more common in Europe and China, they still represent a minor source of energy compared to the energy produced using fossil fuels.

Pros and Cons of Solar Energy

There are two main drawbacks to using solar power; mainly the relatively high cost as well as being an inconvenience to many. Since the electricity is generated via sunlight, solar panels (and the use of heat concentrators) are only effective during the day while the sun is out. This is inconvenient when homes or business need to use electricity at night to power their air-conditioning and heating systems; electrical appliances, or lights. In addition, if you compare solar systems to other sources of renewable energy, solar power tends to be one of the more expensive options often costing more to produce than wind or wave generated power.

Fortunately, costs have been gradually declining plus new technological advancements are constantly being made, making solar energy an attractive option when considering the future of renewable energy. This is particularly true in areas receiving 300 plus days of sunshine like the southwestern U.S.

Despite its apparent drawbacks, solar power is undeniably important in terms of utilizing a renewable resource in order to provide the electrical power we all need. The inconvenience of being out of electricity at night can be diminished with the installation of alternative energy systems (wind power or buy-back from the grid) when the Sun sets or on cloudy days.

Over time the cost issue will likely continue to diminish as the price of traditional energy sources rise and technical advancements lead to more efficient systems. Rest assured, fossil fuels will not last forever, and as we continue to deplete that resource, their prices will rise even faster. As long as people still want to enjoy the comforts of a modern lifestyle, transitioning to renewable energy sources is more than necessary and with all the benefits of solar energy it will be part of the solution.

Between the years 2004 and 2005, sales for hybrid cares increased by more than an astonishing 141 percent. Hybrid cars use gasoline and an engine, but also have an electric motor to provide extra power, significantly reducing the overall amount of gas consumption while improving mileage. With the success of hybrid cars, most major automotive companies have begun to jump on the bandwagon and contribute their own hybrid models and unique designs. However, although hybrid cars are a good step in the right direction, they are not the complete solution to the cost and environmental problems, because they still emit pollutants and and require the regular purchase of fuel.

Electric cars, although not widely used yet, have an answer for each of these problems. They use no gasoline and have absolutely no emissions. Their system is simple: an electric motor (instead of an engine) is connected to a controller, which is connected to a series of rechargeable batteries. These batteries do the work that gasoline would have done, and can be recharged with the same electricity that powers a home. Because they have no engine, electric cars are almost silent when they run, helping in a small way to reduce noise pollution. Having an electric car also means that there is also need to go to gas stations, pay for gas, or deal with engine repairs and the other usual problems that are common with regular cars. Electric cars don’t have these components, so there is never a need to repair them.

But do these Eco-friendly cars have the same basic comforts and functions that a consumer would look for in a regular car? Fortunately, the answer is yes. In general, electric cars look and are handled just like regular cars, although a few of the new designs are streamlined for a more modern look. Either way, they are just as easy to drive as a regular car. The breaks function through a vacuum pump, and the gas gauge is replaced with a volt meter that displays the level of battery charge (full, half, empty, etc.) They also come installed with both air conditioning and a small electric water heater to warm the car in cold weather.

Since electric cars run purely on a charged battery, one of the main concerns consumers have is the idea of losing power while driving, or running out of power early in the day with no time to recharge. Most drivers only travel cover a distance of 30-40 miles in an average day, which is approximately the distance that the car battery will allow, making electric cars perfect for day-to-day use, but not optimal for road trips. Although early electric cars could only last 40-60 miles before needing to be charged again, there are new advancements that allow for a much longer battery charge, and thus, more uninterrupted driving time. The Tesla Roadster, for example, operates with a powerful network of rechargeable lithium ion batteries. These are the same batteries found in a laptop but on a much larger scale. This allows the car to drive for up to 250 miles on a single charge. (The average electric car with a non-lithium battery system charges up to about 100 miles worth of driving time.) While standard electric cars require up to 12 hours for a full charge, the Roadster can be charged in 9 hours, or even in just 3.5 hours if the consumer installs a recharging station in their garage with a 220-volt, 70-amp outlet. Standard electric car batteries last for three to four years, but because the Roadster has revolutionized their system, Roadster batteries last up to seven years before needing to be replaced.

Although the benefits of using electric cars are many, there are still a few concerns that prevent them from becoming even more mainstream. One is that although the cars themselves have no emissions, the electricity needed to charge up the car usually comes from household electricity, which usually comes from power plants that burn fossil fuels, causing pollution. Fortunately, the “fuel,” or source of energy to recharge the car can come from any source, including cleaner energy sources like biomass, wind or solar power.

Another concern is the cost of purchasing these Eco-friendly cars. Prices are still high when compared to regular cars, and most people aren’t willing to spend extra money to have an electric car, even if they’re concerned about the environment. However, more affordable options are becoming readily available, such as the Nissan LEAF. It costs about $32,000, but federal tax rebates bring the price down by thousands of dollars, for as low as $20,000-$25,000. Although electric cars themselves are more expensive, they have less maintenance costs. In fact, the Tesla Roadster works out to about $5 per 250 miles, a fraction of the gas cost that would be needed to cover the same distance in a regular car. Overall yearly operating expenses are estimated at $2,000 for an electric car, and $6,000 for a regular car, proving that electric cars can be just as economical as they are environmentally friendly.

Those farms of extremely large wind turbines can provide enough electricity to power a many homes and businesses, ranging in numbers from a few hundred to tens of thousands. Some of the largest commercial-sized turbines have rotor areas stretching some 390 feet across.  Very impressive!

But what if you are a home or small business owner? Is it possible to get a scaled-down version that will provide enough power for your own site?

And the simple answer … absolutely yes! As it turns out, there are quite a few domestic wind turbines on the market today! This is a great thing since it can help deal with rising oil prices and other fuel expenditures…

Pros and Cons of Wind Energy for the Home Owner

Modern technology is now providing a number of viable options for smaller domestic wind turbines suitable for a household or even small business. Fortunately you do not need one of those huge wind farm-sized turbines to fulfill for your household or small business needs.

Home-sized domestic wind turbines use blade rotor dimensions typically ranging between 8 and 25 feet in diameter. Depending on the unit you select as well as the nature of the wind field and average wind speeds, you might generate a few hundred watts to as much as 6 kilowatts of electricity.

One of the really cool side benefits of operating your own turbine; it can prevent as much as 9 pounds of carbon from being emitted by the generation from coal-fired plants to fulfill your electric needs. And of course that means lower amounts of greenhouse gases invading our atmosphere, which is already becoming more stressed as the years roll on…

Some Techy-type Stuff!

As mentioned above, one factor you need to investigate is the average wind speed and overall nature of the wind field on your lot. The domestic wind turbine you use needs wind speeds of approximately 10 miles an hour to start efficiently generating electric power.

A few of the newer, more advanced turbine models being manufactured today can actually begin generating electricity at wind velocities as low as 5 mph. These models are perfect for home or small business where winds are light and variable.

If interested, here are a few links to info on domestic wind turbines and wind power you might find helpful:

National Geographic: Wind Power Profile

USDOE: Wind Turbine Video

USDOE: Small Wind Electric Systems Guide (2010)

Most wind turbines today are engineered to last about 20 years or so, but like all mechanical devices will need some maintenance over the operational lifetime of the unit. Since these turbines use moving components to generate electric power, they will have to be replaced periodically as friction wears then down via consistent rotation of the turbine blades.

Are you a DIY type of person and want to build your own turbine?

There are dozens free plans to follow as well as a number of inexpensive kits for domestic wind turbines with all the parts you will need on the market today. Just be sure to check the validity of the vendor and be sure you are dealing with a reputable one before investing any money to start your own home turbine project!

s well as a number of inexpensive kits for domestic wind turbines with all the parts you will needon the market today. Just be sure to check the validity of the vendor and be sure you are dealing with a reputable one before investing any money to start your own home turbine project!

By making an informed decision to focus more on using green energy solutions as opposed to conventional fuel resources, we can lower both our carbon emissions as well as other environmental pollutants. Over the last few years, one solution to advance our move to more green energy solutions is occurring through the increased use of electricity generated from utilities operating wind farms.

Advantages of Using Renewable Energy: Wind Power

Generating electricity using wind turbines is a growing technology becoming more readily available both for the large scale utility wind farms as well as through the growing use of domestic wind turbines for the homeowner. In both cases, construction of the wind turbines has minimal environmental pollution and significantly reduces pollution we release to the environment.

Like anything else in life, pros and cons of wind energy exist and are sometimes misunderstood. It should be obvious that there are distinct benefits to harnessing an ever-present natural process like the wind to generate electricity since it is both free and blows frequently in many regions of the World.

In many areas of the mid-western United States, wind farm projects have been increasing in both number and scope since the turn of century. Rockport, Missouri is touted as being America’s first “wind powered” town and it became reliant on its four turbine wind farm a few years back as more and more wind farm projects arise in northern Missouri. In addition to the larger scale wind energy projects, a growing homes using domestic wind turbines to help offset their energy demand from the commercial power grid.

Beyond the incentive of rising oil prices, advances in wind turbine technology such as greater generation efficiency, minimizing ambient noise levels, lowering impact to flying animals and increasing overall visual aesthetics have greatly  in the deployment and acceptance of wind farm projects. Though cost used to be one of the main deterrents of wind power projects, advancements on the technological side combined with governmental incentive programs is another factor helping grow wind power expansion.

On the “Con” side of the wind power assessment, the main issue pertains to other natural conditions; those times when the wind doesn’t blow or when wind speeds are so high, they exceed the operational parameters for the turbines.

Fortunately all large-scale and most domestic wind turbine projects are not constructed completely “off-grid” but are still linked to the regional electric grid. This enables the owner of the wind turbine or turbines to provide electricity to the grid when too much is generated and re-purchase it from the grid when turbine generation is inadequate to fulfill needs.

If you stop and consider the different pros and cons of wind energy, along with our need for new green energy solutions, we believe it is definitely time to make as much as electricity as possible where and when the wind blows…

Nice work Lee  … Thanks!

Isn’t amazing how quickly things can change.  Just one short year ago, fuel prices were soaring and the emphasis on alternative energy was in the stratosphere along with them.

This summer it’s a completely different story.

Though thoughts of alternative energy systems haven’t completely diminished, it has definitely started to drift off to the sidelines.

Why?

First of all … The Economy ….

When people are suddenly being pressured with increasing costs, lay-offs or threats of lay-offs, stagnating salaries and so forth, it is difficult to be as enthusiastic about a topic like alternative energy.  Add in the fact that financing for alternative energy programs ran into the same funding issues as everything else, many projects were pushed to the back burner for the moment.

Then couple the fall in oil prices (> $120/barrel in ’08 to <$70/barrel in ’09) and lower prices at the pump thus easing the financial burden on summer travelers and it is easy to see why most people are starting to slip into complacency about our energy situation.

Now I am not saying we have completely forgotten about our energy situation but there are definitely more pressing things on our minds at the moment.  The one thing we can not afford to do is become completely complacent with foreign oil since the root of the problem (our dependence on it contributes to the financial burden on our economy) is still very much alive.

I became even more concerned today when I came across a news story posted on the Associated Press (AP) website about a significant oil discovery off the coast of Brazil.

The AP reported oil exploration companies had found a field believed to contain up to 8 billion barrels of oil in a region where the total recoverable oil estimates range up to 100 billion barrels.

Those are awfully big numbers aren’t they!

Perhaps or maybe they are just a little deceptive ….

First of all, the 100 billion barrel figure is the high-end estimate and there could be substantially less recoverable oil present given the location (deep water and difficult drilling conditions).  Secondly, let’s consider the quantity of oil present with the current daily global use of oil (85,897,000 barrels/day).

100,000,000,000 barrels/85,897,000 barrels/day = 1,164 DAYS

1,164 days/365 days/year = ~3.2 YEARS

Although the numbers may appear impressive (and in some respects they are), the high-end estimates only adds a few years into the global oil reserve.  If it turns out recoverable oil is more towards the low end of the range (50 billion barrels) it would only add 1.6 years into the global oil reserves.  Oh and one other thing, Brazil is a foreign country and therefore that is foreign oil as well!

Just remember, even though the economic burden imposed by petro-fuel costs have been somewhat alleviated from the recent past and there are claims by many people associated with the petroleum industry of huge finds to keep us going, the numbers just don’t add up!

Support viable alternative energy projects when ever you have the chance!

After last summer’s dramatic price swing in the cost of crude oil and refined products, America and the rest of the World’s interest in alternative energy options swung almost as dramatically.  Although the interest in alternative energy decreased during the last quarter of 2008 and earlier this year (mainly related to the economic woes across the globe), we are fortunate it did not die off completely.  Perhaps the reality of fossil fuel limitations (both natural and imposed by the producers) has finally sunk in so alternative energy projects can continue development and ultimately implementation.

I came across a news report today summarizing a report of substantial progress by diesel engine manufacturers in drastically reducing the emission of particulates, CO and NOx compounds over the last half decade.  This change was in response to new diesel engine emission standards set by the U. S. EPA that went into effect in 2007.  It was reported that most manufacturers had not only met but greatly reduced emissions below the standards.

Just think …. diesel engines not puffing out plumes of black, sooty, smelly smokes each time they drive down the road (or at least far less of it) …. COOL!

If the diesel engine companies can continue to further reduce emissions and alternative energy companies can develop a non-petroleum source of diesel (like aquatic algae a.k.a. pond scum fuel), we may be on the way to seeing a significant change in how we power our transportation needs!

Regretfully it’s not quite as easy as that since the biodiesel from algae (pond scum fuel) is in the latter stages of R&D. A few of those companies claim they could be producing substantial quantities of biodiesel within a three to five year period with continued support and resources.  It seems to me this is an area of upcoming alternative energy development deserving attention and support …

Here are the links to a few sites with additional information:

Advanced Collaborative Emissions Study (Diesel Engines)

Biodiesel from Algae (Pond Scum) by Valcent/Vertigro

University of New Hampshire Biodiesel Group