At Home Renewable Energy

Resources On Renewable Energy

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:51:00 +0000

Links On Global Warming
We Can Solve It
A nonpartisan, nonprofit organization to create the political will to solve the climate crisis founded by former VP and Nobel Prize winner Al Gore.
Climate Change Information
Environmental Protection Agency's site on information related to climate change and global warming.
Early Warning Signs
World map of warning signs of the effects of global warming. See what is happening all around the world because of this crisis.

Solar Resources
Builder's Guide to Going Solar
Explains the benefits of making homes solar ready
Making Cents out Of Solar
Provides basic information about solar technology and the benefits to home owners and builders
Planning for PV
Discusses the cost of photovoltaic technology and provides a ballpark cost estimator
Solar Success Stories
Success stories from builders who have integrated solar into their building plans.

The Effects Of Global Warming

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 15:27:00 +0000

Although many in the political arena still deny the existence of global warming, and talk about climate change like it is something that will not affect this world until far in the future, the truth is that the effects are already being seen.

Monster hurricanes like Katrina in 2005, and Ike this week, show that our planet is reacting to the damage that has been done. There are other early warning signs you can see on the climate hot map. This site is updated often with changes as they occur.

We all must begin to do our part to reduce and, if possible, reverse the effects of global warming. As Senator Barack Obama said, "all across the world, in every kind of environment and region known to man, increasingly dangerous weather patterns and devastating storms are abruptly putting an end to the long-running debate over whether or not climate change is real. Not only is it real, it's here, and it's effects are giving rise to a frighteningly new global phenomenon: the man-made natural disaster."

Biofuels

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:00:00 +0000

Biofuels are defined as solid, liquid, or gas fuel which is derived from recently dead biological materials, such as plants. They can be produced from any biological carbon source, but are most commonly derived from photosynthetic plants.

There are two common methods for the production of biofuels:

Using plants with high sugar content - such as sugar cane, sugar beets, sweet sorghum, and corn - which have been put through a fermentation process using yeast, to produce ethanol.
Using plants with high vegetable oil content - such as oil palm, soybean, algae, and jatropha. The oils from these plants can be heated and used directly in a diesel engine, or used to produce biodiesel.

These fuels have been shown, in contrast to traditional fuels produced via petroleum, to be carbon neutral and thus reduce emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Thoughts on Renewable Energy

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:28:00 +0000

Let us develop the resources of our land, call forth its powers, build up its institutions, promote all it's great interest, and see whether we also, in our day and generation, may not perform something worthy to be remembered. - Daniel Webster

Generations that have come before us have brought our climate to the breaking point. Scientists from all over have been warning for years of the disastrous consequences of global warming, and yet our government has not been listening. Even now, John McCain still continues to talk about how we need more drilling to solve the energy crisis, instead of facing the problem at hand. It is ultimately the responsibility of individuals all over this nation to make the changes that must happen, both at home and in our government.

To waste, to destroy our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought, by right, hand down to them amplified and developed. - Theodore Roosevelt

Allowing our government to continue to ignore this issue is simply wrong. We, as citizens, must force them to listen. For those who continue to talk about drilling for more oil, without acknowledging that this will not fix any of the problems we currently face, should be voted out of office in November, period. If they do not acknowledge that global warming is a real threat, if they do not acknowledge that renewable energy must be implemented nationwide immediately, then one of two things is going on, either they are just that stupid, or they have been bought and paid for by the oil companies. In either scenario, they will not effectively represent any citizen once they get to Washington.

The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only legitimate object of good government. - Thomas Jefferson

Our government seems to have forgotten this ideal since the days of our founding. The first object of our current government seems to be increasing the profit margins of the oil companies and defense contractors, not protecting our citizens. As you decide who you will cast your vote for in November, keep in mind what the big issues that drive those candidates are. Will they make this country a better place for your children? Will they put our government on a track to deal with issues of the 21st century, such as global warming, or will they stick to the same tired playbook - taking money from lobbyists and corporations to keep the status quo, regardless of the damage it may do to our nation and the world?

Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future. - John F. Kennedy

Reducing Your Power Consumption - The First Step Toward Using Renewables

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:11:00 +0000

Ok, so you've decided you want to start powering your home with renewable energy. The first step to making this a reality is to make your home as efficient as you can. There are some simple things you can do to accomplish this such as switching out your old light bulbs for energy efficient ones, replacing old windows with new triple paned windows to reduce air leakage, or, if you need to buy any new appliances, making sure they are Energystar certified - which means they consume considerably less energy than the older models they replaced.

Ultimately, the changes you need to make to create an energy efficient home are going to depend on many factors - the age of your home, where you live, even which direction the front of your home faces and how thick the fabric your drapes are made of is. Calculating this for even one home seems to be a monumental task. Luckily, there are some websites set up to make this easier on everyone.

The best one I have found is the Home Energy Saver. This simple to use calcualtor asks you about 15 questions about your home. Once you have answered all the questions, based on your information and your zip code (you can include your address for more specific information if you want, but it is not required), they calcualte several things, including:

what you annually pay for power now
what upgrades are needed to make your home the most efficient
the estimated cost of all upgrades - both the total and individually broken down
how much energy each of the upgrades will save
how much money each of the upgrades will save you on your power bill - again both the total savings and each individual upgrade broken down
how much CO2 you are currently emitting into the atmosphere

This is a great tool to get specifics for what you need to personally do to your home.

For more general information on energy saving tips, a good site is Energystar. Here you can get room by room tips on things you can do to save energy, or just click the button at the bottom to download all of the tips they suggest.

An average home can save roughly $600 per year on current energy costs without any addition of renewable energy sources to your power supply. Even if you are planning to switch over to renewables, it is a good idea to make your home the most efficient you can first, as each solar panel or wind turbine you add is going to cost you something and you will need to limit your consumption of power to make switching to renewables work for the long term.

Wind Energy

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:49:00 +0000

Currently, 5% of the energy produced in the United States comes from wind energy. Wind available for converting to energy is influenced by a number of factors, including terrain - the lay of the land, atmospheric conditions, nearness to water - especially large bodies of water, and the height of the building. For example, skyscrapers and other high rise buildings have a much higher potential for using wind energy than normal one or two story houses.

The wind is harvested by windmills which use turbines to convert the wind energy into electricity. You can use this simple technology to help power your own home. Depending on where you live, the potential for getting a lot of energy this way varies. For those of you in the midwest, on the coast, or in the mountains, the potential energy production is relatively high. Outside those areas, the potential for wind energy is lower, but still can be used to produce smaller amounts of energy.

Ideally, for most areas of the United States, powering your home with renewable energy should include a combination of wind and solar power. There are some links on this page which provide resources for you to get started powering your home with renewable energy at a fraction of the cost of the commercially produced products.

Solar Energy

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 04:53:00 +0000

Solar energy can be converted to power in many forms, however, the most common for use in the home is the use of photovoltaic cells. These cells use different semi-conducting materials, silicone being the most common, which converts light from the sun into electric energy. These cells are linked together into solar panels which can be mounted on the roof of your home, or in a more sophisticated setup, on a tracking device which will rotate the panel in relation to the sun to maximize the energy recieved. When several solar panels are linked together, they are known as a solar array.

All regions in the United States have ample capacity for solar power. However, due partially to the cost of most standard solar panels, only 1% of US electric power currently comes from solar energy.

There are some sites which have designs for do-it-yourself solar panels posted for free online. Many of these free designs have been shown to work, although care must be taken in assembling them as some designs are flawed and will allow moisture to leak in, ruining the panel. Some sites which require a nominal payment, however, have proven to have a better track record and are much less likely to encounter the moisture leakage problem.

The Importance of Renewable Energy At Home

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:50:00 +0000

In these times, with the very real threat of global warming and climate change looming over us, it is imperative that we begin to look into sources of energy that will not only provide us with the ability to live in this technological age, but will do so without causing more harm to our environment. There are many forms of renewable energy, ranging from solar and wind, to hydroelectric and geothermal. Here in the United States, solar and wind energy are the most practical and accessible forms for the average home.

For those who live near a relatively large body of water (lakes, oceans, etc.) or in the mountains or the midwest, wind power is a viable option for powering your home. Solar power is a good option for anyone within the continental United States. The U.S. Department of Energy has mapped potential for both of these energy sources. You can look at the maps for wind and for solar and determine what your best options are based upon your location.

The large power companies and other corporations within the energy sector have proven over the years that they are unwilling to make the changes necessary within the traditional model of electricity production to combat global warming (I think because they haven't figured out a way to charge us for the wind and the sun yet!!). As such, it is up to us - the everyday people who are using the power - to begin making the changes that need to be made.

Changing your main source of power from the line running into your home from the power company to solar panels and/or a wind turbine generator can significantly reduce and even eliminate your power bill. There are even some people who have made this transition and are now getting paid every month by the power company for the excess energy their home generates.

In future posts, I will try to provide inexpensive resources for making this change on an individual level - family by family, house by house. I have provided a few links on this page to get you started.

To waste, to destroy, our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase it's usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought, by right, hand down to them amplified and developed. - President Theodore Roosevelt