Archive for June, 2009

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Renewable Alternative energy Sources – A replacement for Oil

Thursday, June 11th, 2009

The modern world has several energy requirements. These energy requirements are met by oil. Oil in the form of kerosene, gasoline and diesel runs the modern world. In addition to meeting the energy needs, oil can also be put to a number of uses in all its forms. Oil in the form of gasoline and diesel can be used for running vehicles and thus hep in transportation of goods. In the form of kerosene, oil can be used in kitchens for preparing food and for heating water. Oil also finds use in a number of industries in the modern world. Oil is an important part of the petrochemical industry. It is also used in manufacturing industry for manufacturing medicines, paints and many other products. Oil is popularly used because it is easy to transport, readily available, safe and versatile. However, oil is a finite resource that will exhaust one day. In the times to come, no oil reserves will be found in the world. As a result we need to look for alternative energy sources that can meet the energy requirements.

Renewable alternative energy sources will always be available for use on the earth.  The alternative energy resources will be the ones that will be used in place of oil in the future. The use of alternative energy sources will result in substantial growth and will also help to overcome the energy crisis.

It will take us years to get used to the idea of using alternative energy resources. This change will also require a lot of time but once done, the benefits will be enormous.

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Wind Energy Increases in Popularity

Sunday, June 7th, 2009

Wind Energy

Wind energy is the harnessing of natural power and converting it into electrical energy through the medium of wind turbines. To date only 1.5% of the world’s electrical utilization is generated through wind energy. But some countries have managed to exploit wind energy with remarkable results. 19% of electrical power generated in Denmark for instance, is from wind energy. Wind energy being renewable, is the preferred choice of many environmentalists as it is plentiful, renewable, and entails no greenhouse gas emissions.

Traditionally, wind energy has been harnessed for centuries. The old-fashioned sailing boat that has been in existence from the dawn of history is arguably the oldest example. Wind energy was the sole source of motivation of sailing ships till perhaps a hundred odd years ago. History reveals that as far back as a 17th century BC, wind energy was harnessed for irrigation projects in the Babylonian empire. The Sinhalese exploited wind energy from monsoon winds as far back as 300 BC to power their furnaces. In Europe, especially the Netherlands, when energy in the form of windmills has been used to number purposes such as grinding corn for instance. Many are still in existence today. In the United States, the water pumping windmill was the single most important factor that allowed the expansion of farming in North America.

The drawback in wind energy is that it is inconsistent being dependent on winds which are times when the seasonal or may not be adequate to drive the turbines to the requisites speeds. Extensive work is being conducted from the ability to store the power generated by wind energy.

Wind energy penetration which is the percentage of power generated by wind to total generation is progressively increasing especially in geographical areas that are largely suit to it.

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Alternative Solar Power Sources

Friday, June 5th, 2009

This planet that we inhabit has plenty of sources at our disposal. For instance, wind power comes from the sun. Some areas receive a lot of sunlight while others do not.

Wind is an alternative power source that gets harnessed to make electricity, so there will always be electricity. If you have ever seen windmills, you can see that they are used to harness energy. Windmills store energy for later use.

Solar power is another energy source that comes from sunlight. Just a fraction of solar power is needed to meet the world’s energy demand. New techniques are being developed to capture this power. Costs for this type of resource have decreased. The only negative impact is the increasing demand for alternative power sources.

Biomass is also an energy source. It is plant material that comes from trees and grasses. Biomass is stored energy used for fuel and heat. There is enough biomass to go around since we have so much open space.

Nuclear power plants are a term we have all heard. It seems to be the answer to problems of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The costs for this energy source outweigh the benefits because exposure of uranium can cause severe health issues.

The oldest energy source comes from flowing water. Water can be used for mechanical power through hydropower plants which provide electricity. These plants use dams to convert the energy.

So, we as a nation have figured out how to use our land’s resources to create other alternative power sources. A lot of technology is put into tapping into other ways to harness energy sources and to put them to good use. People need to become self-aware of how to help the environment.

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Alternative Power Sources

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

Alternative power sources are primarily defined by their renewable status and the lack of carbon emissions involved in the production of alternative power sources. I’m sure everyone by now is familiar with the workings and advantages of solar energy, wind power, hydropower, geothermal power and biofuels. All these fields are growing at an outstanding rate but the Biofuels field has lately been hit by existing global situations and is showing a downward trend.

It began with the 2008 food crisis which sparked global debates about the rationality of using farmland to power transportation instead of feeding hungry mouths. The present decline in petrodiesel prices is contributing to the impact by resulting in substitutes like soy-based fuel becoming more expensive than conventional fuel. And, the global economic situation has been further adding to the woes by hitting alternative power companies considered to be the main players in this industry and causing numerous layoffs. That still doesn’t bring us to the end of the list. The fact that the burning of biomass also results in greenhouse gases is soon becoming the foundation on which arguments against biofuels are being built.

In a bid to draw attention to and garner support for its cause, California based, SRS Biodiesel issued a press release on the 5th of March 2009, titled “The Biodiesel Industry Is Struggling And We Need Your Help!” The press release goes on to succinctly highlight the benefits of biofuels and urges the media to help by devoting more space and attention to it. The statement ends with an invitation to a day-long openhouse at its premises scheduled for the 20th of March when it offers to provide tours and answer questions about the various aspects of alternative power sources.

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Alternative Power Resources

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

Sunlight, water, wind and earth are four the main alternative power resources available to mankind. For decades we’ve been unable to commercially apply these resources to our transportation industry. We’ve been solely relying on fossil fuels that have been playing a major role in polluting our planet. But the future doesn’t look bleak. Many different alternative power companies and individuals have been trying to solve this issue; here are some of the latest inventions.

1. Hydrogen-Burning Hypersonic Airplane: We all know about the gas- guzzling, pollution causing airplanes that are in use today. Now, though, the answer to a faster and greener way of travelling may well be in the form of this stupendous invention. Reaction Engine has developed a concept hypersonic jet named A2. It can hold 300 passengers and travels at a lightning speed of Mach 5 or 3400 mph. Yes, you read that one right, it is 3400 mph! It does not use any gasoline, it’s hydrogen-powered and only produces water vapor and a little nitrous oxide as exhaust. These airplanes have no windows because of the heat generated allows only the use of space shuttle grade windows which would catapult alternative power costs.

2. Air car: No, it is not a fancy name for a car, but an apt one for a car that runs on AIR! Guy Negre a French inventor has recently developed this concept car. In just three minutes the car fills up with compressed air — a greener option compared to filling up car tanks with gasoline and charging electricity run automobiles. The inventor has assured consumers that this concept car will be made available to the masses within one year. What’s more, unlike most concept cars which can only be afforded by the rich, this air car will be available for as little as $5000.

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