24
October
2009
Would I have to change the current wiring in my home, or just hook up to the solar panels? How much are solar panels? How do you determine what kind, size panels do get?
Would doing this really cost me less than using my local electric company, or is this mainly used for "Going Green"?
A lot of it depends on where you live.
how large is your house.
how many sunny days you get a year.
and how large your utility bill is.
I found this website very informative, especially if you go down to where the questions and answers are.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/10/selling_solar_t.php
Posted: home solar panels
24
October
2009
The world today depends on fossil fuels to meet over 80 percent of its energy needs, a simple fact of the way the industrial world has grown up. But dependence brings with it major challenges: rising demand because of economic growth and new consumers; the global distribution of resources; growing concerns about environmental impacts of energy production and use; and the timescales associated with transforming how we produce, deliver and consume energy.
All this places the United States and the world at an energy crossroads.
Meeting the world’s hunger for energy without fundamentally altering the global climate, increasing geopolitical tensions or causing serious economic dislocation begs for, indeed requires, new technology solutions.
There is, however, no simple or single technology option: In the coming decades we will need a host of new technologies to diversify our fuel mix and control greenhouse gas emissions, and at the same time not hinder economic growth.
The challenge is large but there is also good reason for optimism-largely fueled by a range of new technologies. Some are ready for deployment. Others, though promising, may be a decade away. And some, while more uncertain and higher risk, could have far-reaching impact.
But this optimism must be tempered with realism. The scale of the energy industry is enormous. Therefore, so must be the scale at which these technologies operate if they are to have a major effect. Scale also translates into time.
Policies will have to be thought through and aligned. Also, since both markets and environmental challenges are global, international cooperation must be integral to effective solutions.
Of special urgency is the risk of climate change from global warming. Using atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations before the industrial age as the baseline, a “business as usual” energy supply trajectory would nearly double those concentrations by mid-century, locking in average temperature increases of several degrees along with the expectation of severely disruptive impacts on human health and the environment. Such concentrations are thought by most engaged scientists to be at the upper limits of prudence.
Scenarios that address these challenges successfully, in response to policies that price carbon dioxide emissions, call for major advances in three key areas-energy efficiency, transportation fuels that are not petroleum-based and widespread electricity generation that yields little or no carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Greatly enhanced energy efficiency provides both the best short-term opportunity for addressing the major energy challenges and an essential component of a long-term strategy-perhaps a 40 to 50 percent reduction in primary energy use compared to mid-century “business as usual” needs, without a major impact on GDP.
But how to get there? The technology pathways for efficiency involve buildings, vehicles and industrial processes. Two-thirds of U.S. electricity is used for residential and commercial buildings.
Improved lighting, HVAC, appliances, active energy management, cogeneration and energy-efficient design could dramatically reduce our power requirements. Also, new approaches such as passive ventilation and daylighting can both reduce energy use and improve comfort.
In addition, new designs for the coming “gigacities” can minimize both energy use and pollution. We can also achieve dramatic improvements in vehicle efficiency. Options include advanced engine design integrated with new approaches to fuel utilization, hybrids and plug-in hybrids, “lightweighting,” hydrogen and fuel cells, and others.
Hybrid technology appears ready in the next couple of decades, with further advances in battery technology, to deliver both very good overall efficiency and a considerable reduction in oil requirements. The second technology category includes technology options for alternative transportation fuels. This can include biofuels, conversion of coal or natural gas to liquid fuels, electricity and hydrogen.
Biofuels are currently receiving a great deal of attention, as they are renewable and strongly supported by the agricultural sector. Scientific and technological advances are needed to utilize agricultural and forest waste products and “designer” energy crops effectively and economically.
Such advances look quite promising over the next decade or two. Challenging issues also remain in the design of the appropriate infrastructure from field to fuel and of the regulatory structure for assuring fuel quality. And plug-in hybrids would lead to electricity
becoming a major transportation “fuel.”
For the third technology category-electricity production without significant carbon dioxide emissions-we have to think across a wide range of options: nuclear power; renewables, including wind, solar, geothermal and waves; and fossil-fuel use with carbon capture and geological storage.
Nuclear power provides about a sixth of the world’s electricity. Expansion will be based on evolutionary improvements of current technologies, such as passive safety systems and new construction techniques. More advanced technologies may include modular gas-cooled reactors for the midterm and possibly,for the long term, novel reactors and fuels that considerably mitigate waste management concerns.
Wind and solar renewables are expanding rapidly and demonstrating considerable cost reduction. Eventually, direct use of solar radiation appears the most promising energy option given the large amount of solar energy reaching the earth.
However, many scientific and technical advances are needed to realize massive deployment: new manufacturing techniques, new materials, new solar conversion processes and new storage technologies that enable use of a large-scale, intermittent energy supply.
Nevertheless,the competitiveness of solar technology in significant markets with high electricity prices is improving rapidly.
Coal can also be a “carbon-free” energy source if most of the produced carbon dioxide is captured and stored geologically. With current technology, this is expensive, but there is much promising research on new ways of converting coal to energy and less expensive carbon dioxide capture.
A major governmentled effort is needed to resolve remaining uncertainties, both technical and regulatory, around long-term geological carbon dioxide storage at large scale. This array of promising technologies-some ready today, others with an excellent prognosis in a decade or so, and still others as higher-risk candidates for “home runs”-offers an optimistic view of our capacity to deal with our energy needs.
However, as already observed, this optimism must take into account other realities. First is the issue of scale. For many of these technologies, overcoming key scientific and technical barriers is only part of the story. If biofuels were, for example, to replace half of current U.S. gasoline use, we would need about a hundred thousand square miles of land.
This raises issues not only of land use, but also of water resources, ecological stewardship, etc. As another illustration of scale: If all of the carbon dioxide emitted by U.S. coal plants today were compressed to a liquid for geological storage, its annual volume would be about 50 percent more than a year’s worth of U.S. oil consumption.
These system challenges reflect the enormous scale of the energy enterprise. They will be met only through a complex interplay of multiple technologies, not some “silver bullet.”
Second, policies that are synergistic with societal objectives are essential. U.S. energy policy does not currently incorporate societal imperatives such as oil security or climate change risks into energy prices, as it does for a variety of pollutants.
Instead, we face a complex and somewhat idiosyncratic set of incentives and subsidies that advance introduction of “winning” technologies. Also transforming the multi-trillion dollar energy business, with its vast, durable, and rather expensive infrastructure, takes time-about a half century for significant change.
Finally, these key energy challenges are global in nature and will need far more international cooperation than has been evidenced. Climate change risks clearly have global implications and require global solutions.
However, the global nature of the oil market similarly means that increased demand and security concerns of any region ripple through the world’s economies.
Energy represents one of this century’s grandest challenges:global in scale, powering economic growth, reducing poverty in developing countries, threatening to the environment and to human health, risking geopolitical conflict. Technology is a necessary but not sufficient enabler for resolving these problems.
The right mix of sustained research, technology investments and policies will, however, empower the nation’s scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs to respond to these challenges. Getting that mix right will also present an opportunity for building a sustainable energy future for the 21st century and, considering the inherently long lead times, well beyond.
Daniel Yergin
http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/security-climate-and-technology-136874.html
Posted: solar power home
24
October
2009
With just a little bit of research, one can quickly determine that there is a strong and growing groundswell of interest in renewable energy. Leaving politics out of it, many people are simply interested in making their homes more energy efficient and thereby saving money on heating and cooling bills.
Renewable energy generally includes solar power, wind power, and biofuels. For all categories, there are ways to integrate them into your daily life and into your home to make yourself more energy efficient. These changes will certainly save you money over the long run–and in some case in the short term—but they will also help reduce the massive strain that is being placed on the planet in general.
There are a large number of companies, both large and small, that advertise their specific product or service that fits into the renewable energy industry. There are a great number of businesses that manufacture, install and repair all types of solar panels. Likewise, there are a corresponding number of businesses that sell, service and install systems designed to capture wind power. Still more companies are out there manufacturing and selling various forms of biofuels. Biofuels include bio diesel and ethanol. There are also a very few companies engaged in research and development of hydrogen furnaces which run on biomass, often barnyard waste. While all these companies are in business to make money, the combined effect of what they are selling and producing is a positive one for the environment. Renewable energy is an undeniable fact of life for us now, and we all have a form of social responsibility to do our part to advance it into the mainstream. Regardless if the motivation is purely financial—to either make or save money—the end result is the same; a reduction in the emissions and pollution produced by traditional fossil fuels, and a cleaner, more sustainable environment and economy.
Trends toward renewable energy are taking hold on a more widespread basis every day. One will hear more frequent mention of terms like “green construction” or “green companies”. These terms refer to building houses in an environmentally friendly manner, making as much use of renewable energy technology as possible and to businesses that have adopted an organized and serious policy to reducing their environmental impact through use of renewable energy.
Renewable energy has become such a popular subject, that it is seen as a constant theme in contemporary media, including major movies, TV programs and in music. The growing awareness and concern with environmental issues is fueling the fundamental shift toward being more environmentally conscious and toward using renewable energy whenever possible. There is still much pollution and waste in the world today, but there has never been such a high and growing level of awareness and motivation to change our fundamental lifestyles in order to save and cure our climate. Renewable energy is a fundamental piece of the puzzle for not only a healthy planet, but a healthy life as well.
David J Hughes
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/renewable-energy-lesson-1-introduction-to-renewable-energy-754982.html
Posted: solar panels
24
October
2009
Traditional rules of supply and demand in the real estate market are likely to see Monte Carlo’s property prices rise further in the short and medium term, according to a Monaco property company.
One bedroom apartments in the Principality are already at the million Euro level and the lack of properties coming to the market and the absence of new builds could make today’s prices seem like a bargain in five years time.
‘Three years ago there were six hundred properties on the market’, claim the company, ‘Now there are two hundred. Coupled with increased demand, especially from the UK, prices have been rising and could go quite a bit further if current trends continue.’
Visitors to Monaco and Monte Carlo are often surprised at the lack of apartments for sale as they can see new buildings under construction.
‘The apartment buildings under construction are for local Monaco people’, they explain, ‘Rather than for the open market where anyone can buy a property. The situation is unlikely to improve in the short and medium term but the number of buyers is rising - and consequently so are the prices. Monaco now has the highest priced property in Europe.’
Other reasons for the shortage of property in Monaco include that residents are holding on to their apartments longer, enjoying the tax free status Monaco affords, and as the owners see their property rising in value holding on to it as an investment.
To maintain residency in Monaco, residents need to live in the Principality for six months a year. Winter time often sees a lot of apartments mothballed with the owners wintering in the Caribbean.
The Monte Carlo Economy
With property prices in Monaco the highest in Europe and one bedroom apartments after closing costs starting at around a million Euros, longer term the shortage of property will be helped by a new island being built off Monte Carlo.
It’s thought unlikely that the new island to be built off Monaco will reduce prices much overall though, despite the increase in the number of property units available as Monaco property is always in demand.
It is believe that most new apartments will be sold to investors off plan well in advance of any building work starting.
‘The problem with property in Monaco is not the lack of buyers’, they say, ‘but more the lack of good properties for buyers to choose from. Hopefully the new island will address that. Everyone in Monaco is aware of how important the environment is thanks to Prince Albert’s initiatives in pushing it up the political agenda, and any new developments will be low rise. With the good weather in Monaco expect to see plenty of solar panels on the roofs to make the buildings energy efficient’.
It is possible that the new island will be incorporated into future Monaco Grand Prix, which could give more overtaking opportunities.
During his first year Prince Albert has successfully made the people of Monaco aware of global warming and taken steps to combat it, and for his second year and beyond he is likely to be campaigning just as hard at home and abroad on the issue he believes in so much.
Roger Munns
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/monte-carlo-prices-top-european-league-140326.html
Posted: home solar panels
22
October
2009
In this article we will cover some easy and simple things you can do to save energy and help reduce your monthly energy bill. Think Green!
Green Investments:
A good place to start is with your light bulbs. If you’re still using incandescent bulbs, you should switch to compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs or regular fluorescent bulbs. Many cities in the United States have an exchange program, where your city will replace your incandescent bulbs with CFL bulbs -at no cost.
Green Power Save gadget:
This handy gadget will help to monitor the supply of power to your home and regulate the usage. It will use the minimum needed to supply all your power needs.
Green Usage:
The first thing you need to do is become aware of the extra energy your using. When you go to another room, be sure to turn of the lights. Even if you are gone for only a few minutes, this will help to get yourself trained to continually turn off unneeded appliances.
Your Green Perception:
What do you perceive as an electronic appliance? Would you turn off a TV or a
radio, but not the reading lamp? These small and simple tasks will help in a huge
way to reduce your energy usage.
Green Appliance Usage:
If we start thinking green when it comes to using our major home appliances, we can eliminate the myth that the more gadgets we have, the higher our power bills will be. Some of the typical high energy usage appliances include:
Washer and Dryer- Try do laundry only when you have full loads, and if possible, try switching to a gas dryer.
Water Heater- Set the water heater to be on the minimum amount of time, and if possible, switch to a tankless water heater.
You might think that purchasing these new appliances defeats the purpose of saving money on your energy bill. However, you will find, most of the time, that you will get an energy credit on your taxes for making this purchase, and saving energy in the long term.
Heater & Air Conditioner- By setting these appliances to only the minimum amount required to be comfortable, you can greatly reduce the energy they use.
Computer- By turning off your computer monitor when you take a break can make a huge difference. It only takes a second to turn it back on… think of it as a light bulb.
You must stick to this energy saving lifestyle to reduce your energy bills and help save the world. We need to stop thinking about ourselves, and think of the next generations to come!
Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill.
Get our complete guide at Earth4Energy
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http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/9-green-tips-on-how-to-cut-your-high-energy-bill-751657.html
Posted: solar power home
