MyGreenHealth

Power From The Sun

All the way from the past to the present modern world, fossil fuels played a very critical role in the American society and business. We are utilizing fossil fuels to warm our homes, run our cars, and generate our electricity. America’s hunger for fossil fuels is on the upswing significantly. Consequently, we are depleting our natural resources and gradually killing Mother Earth.

So we need alternative and it should be the green energy sources. Critics are pointing out that green energy sources are too difficult to generate. But we should understand that green energy technology is still in its infancy period. Presently, it is definitely harder to produce green energy compared to the traditional way of burning fossil fuels. However, there are now many different options when we talk about green energy. All we need to do is discover green energy sources that are feasible for each geographic area.

Available and viable green energy sources are solar, wind, wave, hydropower and geothermal. Note that these energy sources are not emitting harmful by-products or damage the environment and which are great turnarounds from fossil fuels.

Remember that coal frees carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. An individual coal producer will probably not cause visible damage but the problem is that there are more than 50,000 coal plants around the world and the figure is increasing.

Nuclear power seems a very option. Nuclear power could produce all our required energy. But nuclear power is also having some very dark problems. In producing energy, nuclear power creates waste called spent fuel rods. These rods have to go somewhere somehow. How many mountains or underground holes can we use with burying those spent fuel rods? And then there are nuclear accidents that nobody can guarantee will never happen again.

Green energy must be maintained. For instance, windmills are made up of mechanical parts subject to wear and tear and therefore must be replaced sometime. Corn to produce ethanol must be farmed. Biomass fuels calls for trash to be segregated and sorted. All of these options are far more attractive and economically feasible compared to fossil fuels. At the same time, green energy uses facilities that are economical to operate.

Above all, green sources got one big advantage which fossil fuels cannot contend with. Green energy is very much renewable. We could NEVER run out of green energy. Take for example the sun – its rays freely hit the earth for billions of years. Utilizing green energy sources has the great potential to wean America from dependence on fossil fuels.

While governments are only giving lip service on replacing fossil fuels and holding  global climate change summits or legislating laws and even telling us what to do to reduce the problems, the people needs viable alternatives. And alternatives should be green energy sources.

It is quite very easy to keep on talking on how alarmed we are on the environment. But all talks are nothing without doing anything concrete. It is time to demand that our energy should come from green and renewable sources. We the consumers are the king in the business world and once we are united in our voice all entities will listen.

The most viable alternative to fossil fuels is green energy. Of course, there are maintenance costs involved but green energy is renewable. We should already be walking the talk. We need action now!

It is now very much possible to produce home-made energy as technology on this area is already available in the market.

It is now time to decide whether we want to commit to a greener and harmonious planet or we carry on churning out toxins into our own environment.

We have the power – we got to choose well!

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Worldwide Renewable Energy

When we talk on renewable fuel development, Germany is the leading country on this very promising field.  In 2006, Germany a very ambitious power program at the staggering cost of more that $10 billion dollars for research and development of renewable fuel such as biogas, solar cells and wind turbines.

As a form of innovation, the country’s so called “feed laws” allow residents to link to the electrical grid by use of renewable energy and afterward sell back any excess energy generated based on retail prices.

With a very attractive incentive program, Germany pole-vaults into its current position as the top producer of renewable energy.   Current figure puts the capacity for renewable energy at around 10% against the total energy output.  Only in 2006, the whole country stepped up its solar energy program by installing around 100,000 units strategically placed in various localities.

Not to be left behind, in USA, BP Corporation founded an Energy Biosciences Institute or EBI which mandate is to extensively researched clean renewable energy particularly biofuels for the transport industry.  Spread for the next ten years, an investment of around US$50 million will be delivered each year.

The research institute is centered at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In partnership with BP, University of Illinois will be spearheading research and development of better biofuels plants as well as machineries in the production and processing of the crops.

At the same time, the University will also zero in on genetic engineering with the aim of creating more advanced and adept biofuel crops in the future. Moreover, EBI will be working with new innovations that have the potential to convert hydrocarbons into greener and cleaner fuels.

On the other hand, there is an ongoing battle between US Congress and the Geothermal Energy Association or GEA.  Just recently, GEA’s Executive Director Karl Gawell sent a memorandum to congress and Department of Energy advising them of the importance of holding congressional hearings on geothermal energy and some of its problems.

Gawell is very clear on his position that as proven by different reputable studies on the matter, there is a need for continuing and even expanding geothermal research and development.  It is just amazing that there is no enough public awareness of this very essential issue. The development of renewable energy sources is very critical for the sustainability of the country’s economic clout.

For the information of all consumers, energy from geothermal is cheaper to produce compared to coal.  And this is readily available and very accessible by just drilling.  Taking advantage of the geothermal potential for power, a company named Ormat became the 3rd largest producer of energy and is generating business to the tune of more than a billion dollars.

The road towards renewable energy is getting brighter everyday! We, the consumers should be well-informed of the choices available and must use our purchasing power to demand cleaner and greener energy.

Capturing Solar Energy

Currently, there are already a lot of viable types of renewable energy as replacement in whole or partial for the traditional fossil fuels. When we say renewable energy, it usually refers to energy from such sources as geothermal heat, sunlight, tides, plants, rain and wind – and all are naturally renewable in nature. As of now, less than 10% of the world’s energy capacity is sourced from natural energy.

Wind power is considered to be the cleanest and the most proficient kind of renewable energy. Consequently, this is steadily gaining worldwide popularity. In Europe, there is a tremendous surge of wind power usage as many countries are investing money in constructing off shore wind farms. And it is nothing to wonder about as only a light breeze is the main requirement to generate this very efficient power.

Aside from companies and organizations investing in large-scale renewable energy production, some technologies behind renewable energy can also be adopted to small-scale grid and even that of residential use type. Just take a look at solar power. As the sun is available for half of the day, it can easily complement other energy sources. Buoyed by government subsidies and promotion, the cost of solar cells is steadily dropping which prompts businesses and individuals to take advantage of the free sun power.

An old renewable energy is coming from raging water which is hydropower. This is already very popular as this has been used for many decades with the use of dams. You might be familiar with Hoover Dam, the world’s largest hydropower. With water speedily flowing from a high spot to a low spot, it generates energy which is transformed into electricity. Hydropower is also possible even without using dams as long as there is a constant current or tide.

Courtesy of the recent oil crisis, biofuels like bioalcohol or bioethanol came into focus. This fuel is produced from the process of fermentation using corn, soy or sugarcane. In its pure form, it can then be used as a substitute to gasoline. Biodiesel can also be made from animal fat, vegetable oils and even recycled grease. Though these fuels can still produce emissions, they are considered as much cleaner and quite beneficial to the machine using.

Renewable energy is here to stay as we know that the conventional fossil fuels will soon be depleted and quite detrimental to our environment.

Collage Of Solar Energy

Solar energy is now getting popular as the associated cost with the technology is now gradually lowering down. In fact, the photovoltaic cells are now considered more function and design efficient and again getting affordable. You might have noticed that the size of the cells is diminishing while on the other hand the efficiency goes up. These are the factors that lead to cheaper and more productive photovoltaic cells.  Presently, the market price for solar- produced energy is $4.00 per watt hour. This is a very significant improvement because almost 20 years ago the price was at almost $8.

There is no question that solar power is a very environment friendly energy because it created zero emissions into the air and is in fact just utilize the power of the sun. Solar collection cells are now gradually getting more popular and practical for placing at rooftops of homes or buildings. It is a very viable and effective system for home heating, hot water generation and of course electricity generation. As for generating hot water, it works by getting the water encased in the cells where it is then heated and hurled back via the pipes.

Better and improved innovations make the photovoltaic cells to be more and more adept at gathering enough sun radiation – even on cloudy and story days. On the market, there are now already some progressive solar panel producers offering cells that work well even in rough days. They are using more advanced system which amasses extra energy at one time during bright days.

Another very promising and useful solar power system is PV System. How this PV system is used? PV System must be linked to the adjacent electrical network and in case there is a surplus of collected solar energy at a specific home, location, it is immediately pass on to the grid for distribution to other users. Using this system, the dependence of the grid to the traditional energy sources is lowered.  A connection to the PV system is able to lower your costs in comparison to a full-blown solar energy aside from pollution reduction benefits.  To take advantage of solar energy, there are now small towns or communities using centralized solar collection system.

To further encourage more developments and players on solar energy, rich nations lead by Japan and USA are granting financial subsidies and significant tax breaks to interested organizations or entities. As the trend towards greener energy is rising, we expect that more and more companies and investors will be pouring their funds to be one of the first to exploit the commercial potential of solar energy.

Le the power of the sun powers us all!

We Need Free Energy

Is there really such an animal as “free energy?” This debate has been going on and researches have been initially conducted to determine the presence of free energy. By free energy it refers to the power that could be sourced out of our atmosphere which we all know is just all around us. It has limitless supply and the cost associated could be minimal. So scientists are working to verify its actual state and to draw up ways and means to extract the energy for potential human use. I could only imagine the possibilities of this source if only it is true and harvestable.

What would come out of your mind when reading the term “free energy device?” Most probably you will think on various ideas or concepts like tools for amassing and conveying energy from a source not yet traditionally utilized. As for me, I am hoping for an effective and efficient device which can collect our energy requirements at zero cost. Just like the magical concept of continuous motion machine. But then, it must be pointed out that a perpetual motion machine is really impossible – maybe at least for now barring new scientific discoveries in the future.

Having said that piece, we are still dreaming or at least wishing for a new technology that could effectively harness the energy just floating on the air. Yes, for now impossible but we don’t know the future possibilities. As science progresses, we know that new technologies replace old ones constantly and what was once impossible became possible. To illustrate this point, the power of atom for energy was impossible before 1940s. Traveling at a fast speed thru airplanes became possible only by the turn of the 20^th courtesy of the Wright Brothers.  So you see, the possibilities lies in the future.

Active proponents of “free” energy are pointing out to the tremendous presence of energy at the so-called Zero Point Field (ZPF).  ZPF is a quantum automatic state of substance for a definite system which is reached when the system is at the lowest probable energy position possible. This is the area or situation called the “ground state” of the system. The potential energy is called as Zero Point Energy (ZPE) – which is defined as “residual” energy. It might be your first time to hear these terms but these things was first expounded as an alternative form of energy in 1913 by Otto Stern and Albert Einstein. This is not really something new. In quantum physics, it is referred to as a “vacuum energy” it is believed to be the representation of the energy of the completely empty space.

According to Hal Puthof, this energy field lying inside the vacuum can be compared to the bubbles at the base of a raging waterfall. He likewise explained that the term ‘zero-point’ basically means that in case the entire universe were frozen down to absolute zero (a state where every thermal agitation effects are totally frozen),  this energy would still stay put. However, with all the projected potentials of this energy, physicists could not pinpoint out the possible implications with the use of this energy. As we all know, playing with nature could also mean playing with fire – it could produce burn blisters where they are not intended to.

Knowing the excited and profitable possibilities of this yet mysterious field, physicists are conducting and examining the details on the potential use of free energy. Certainly, if we can only “mine” this limitless reservoir of energy, then we are in for a new era of energy production. On the basis that this energy can be maneuvered, it opens the door for controlling this energy – as well as for inertia and gravity – which is assumed can yield towards engineering explanations.

The future needs new sources of power as we can not go ahead being overly dependent on the dwindling and politically charged fossil fuels. Scientists are now on the race to discover and develop greener and cheaper alternatives.

Let our future be lighted by that power!

Wind Power

Humanity’s overdependence on fossil fuels must come to an end. The race for greener and more sustainable alternative energy is on. With the help of modern technology, it is hoped that in the coming decades the energy market would be singing a different tune.

As one of the promising energy resources, wind power generation is now generating a lot of interest from different players and investors. Researches are continually developing more energy efficient and cost effective wind turbines. Taking advantage of the wind power, wind farms sprouted all over the country. In response to animal rights activists, new wind turbines are not endangering birds which is a problem with the older type of wind turbines.

The most popular alternative energy supply is actually the energy from the sun or solar energy. To harness the power of the sun, solar cells are being utilized to gather as well as focus the energy directly from the sun, and convert it into electricity or hot water. Just like wind power, solar energy is zero in the pollution scale.

Scientists are now also looking into ways on how to exploit ocean wave energy. It is recognized by the government and the energy sector that ocean wave holds huge power potential.  In France, an ocean wave generator is successfully doing business and other interested investors in Ireland and Scotland are also interested to further develop the technologies behind ocean wave energy. Hopefully, more and more investors will pour in their money for alternative energy generation.

A perennial favorite, hydroelectric power has been utilized for decades already and this is known as cleaner energy compared to a grid. But then, because hydropower will only be possible with the presence of huge amount of water, it is essentially limited both in scope and applicability. To remedy this situation, some groups are encouraging small hydroelectric generators which usually supplied power to specific and exclusive local communities.

Next in line is geothermal energy. Geothermal is considered as abundant because it lies below the surface of the earth. The energy is created through the heating of water by earth’s extremely searing molten core. The cycle goes this way: the water is converted into steam and steam can be exploited and utilized to drive turbine engines on and this finally generates electricity. With geothermal’s great potential, studies and research are now underway to optimally develop it for the greater good.

Looking for more, interest on the so-called waste gas energies is winding up. This is actually referring to methane gas – which is in a very unique position to turn around the customary energy-pollution bond through the creation of energy from waster materials. The technology behind harnessing methane gas is very much applicable in garbage dumps. Methane gas can be use for fuel cells and in standard gasoline generators.

A politically charged and highly debated energy source, ethanol is a gasoline replacement and is a by-product of wheat, sugarcane, grapes, strawberries, corn, and even wood chips and wood cellulose. With the looming food crisis and the government subsidy to this sector, it is not a wonder why ethanol is at the center of many political debates.

For green-minded fellows, biodiesel energy is for you. Biodiesel are manufactured from plants’ oil.  So far, identified sources of biodiesel are soybean, rapeseed, coconut and sunflower oils. Biodiesel is cleaner than the regular diesel fuel. With a big potential market here and abroad, investors are now finding their place in this sector to hopefully cash in when the right time comes.

Atomic energy or nuclear energy is now widely used by many industrialized nations. Using nuclear fission, the energy derived is cheaper and efficient compared to the traditional power generation. The only big concern though is the disposal of the radioactive waste product.

As a person concerned with the connection between a healthy ecology and a healthy individual, it is my prevent wish that eventually we will find more alternative and greener energy sources.

Wind Turbines

The search for green and renewable energy is projected to be a trend that will last for many generations to come. Driven by economic forces and geopolitical realities, alternative and renewable energy is the future the nation is heading into. Right now, some homes are run by alternative energy sources such as wind turbines and solar collection cells to hydrogen fuel cells and biomass gases. I personally believe that this green movement will persist into the 21st century and even beyond.

We all know that we must stabilize our energy supplies and as much as possible become more energy independent – meaning not heavily dependent on fossil fuels sourced from wobbly and antagonistic countries. On the individual level, there is a need to get “off the grid” and gradually shift our overreliance huge oil producers. These big corporations are in control of the people as far as heating our homes is concerned.

According to a senior analyst with CarbonFree, the expansion of distributed generation would inevitably result into the reshuffle of the retail electricity market as well as the infrastructures for generation, transmission and distribution. Seeing this future, power businesses have to spread their interest to minimize lost revenues. The analyst is pointing to the conclusions by different studies and research done by their group. CarbonFree has been watching eagerly the increasing shift trend toward alternative energy by homes in developed countries.

The trend is encouraged by government subsidies as well as assistance from alternative energy research and development, the high oil cost, ecological concern, and need to be energy independent. Using the current energy prices level as assumption, CarbonFree concludes that we will see the eventual rise of micro-generation – getting a part or all of a home’s energy requirements thru alternative energy applications like solar panels or wind turbines. If this will come true, then we will see a major revolution on the energy sector.

Not to be left behind,  energy firms are already jumping into the water as they want to position themselves with this multi-billion dollar paradigm shift. They are taking advantage to leverage micro-generation as part of their strategies of opening up new sources of profit generation. For instance, some electricity companies are now funding research and development for better geothermal energy facilities. Geothermal energy production is a very profitable wave of the future.

Solar water heating technology is another very proficient technology – an expensive investment that really pays off.  The disadvantage is that it is not yet cost-effective for big corporations to apply.

Wind turbines hold some potential for reducing home electricity costs. However, just like the solar water heating technology, this could be expensive to install. It is hoped that makers of these devices would soon find ways to bring their prices down.

In conclusion, there is no debate that the future of energy production is shifting towards greener and renewable resources. Hopefully, this trend would be good for our environment as well as our pockets.

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