Solar Hot Water Bible: Do-It-Yourselfers & Contractors - Learn from the solar water heaters industry leader

Solar Panels

October 15, 2008

Solar Energy - the Supreme Substitute Energy At the Moment

If you're new here at Alternative Energy HQ, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed for all the latest updates on energy news. Thanks for visiting!


Lots of people actually already have basic understanding about solar energy. Discussing about solar energy will be near to talk about how the sun can supply substitute energy. In reality, many people have used the sun's power to heat air and water for various energy resources. Furthermore, many people shift to solar energy since it’s the cleanest and most viable form of renewable energy.

Solar energy holds the sun's rays by using photovoltaic cell that alters the energy into electricity in order to supply electrical energy. In actual fact, electricity can be converted to the type 120-volt alternating current even though the electricity produced is only 12-volt direct current.

Usually, power converter is used to wielding this energy by most household electrical appliances. In addition, the number appliances that operate on 120-vot direct current are mounting these days. They do work with solar energy even though most of them were designed for portable use by being plugged into a vehicles 12-volt outlet.

Homes or business can safe the costs of energy by using the solar energy. Since the present crop of solar cells, the grouping of photovoltaic cells that change the energy into electricity only operates at about 15-percent efficiency, so many of them are required that it’s expensive to install enough of them to give the power needs.

Return on Investment Provides Low-Cost Electricity

Even though the present high initial cost, once a facility has been changed to solar energy they can use far less power from the utility grid. The more power that is changed from the sun the less electricity is required, putting a significant dent in the electric bills. It is estimated that the initial charge of converting an usual home to solar energy will be recouped in about 15 to 18 years.

During that time, electric bills will be much lower and once the cost has been recovered, the payoff can be incredible with most of the components needed to activate a home on solar energy having a warranted life of 20 years. Nevertheless, not all appliances, such as electric heaters and those that use a large amount of power for operation, may still require more than the sun for their use.

Several houses that have switched to solar energy remain connected to the power grid. It generally happens for the times that the sun is not shining strong enough. The power grid is used to power the solar cells as well as to have sufficient electric to power some of the more energy-hungry devices in the house.

Solar energy will help to obtain alternative energy that last very long. To get more information, please explore this valuable site about solar energy

Permalink • Print • Comment
Ultimate Biodiesel Guide


October 11, 2008

Algae Biodiesel the Fuel of the Future


biodiesel32.jpg">biodiesel
Ron Subs asked:


Most American consumers have been hit hard by soaring gas prices, and many people from individuals to research firms are searching for an alternative fuel source that is renewable, economical, and environmentally friendly.

Biodiesel made from crops such as corn and soybeans is one such alternative that most people are aware of, but another option, algae biodiesel, is one of the newest and most promising fuel sources to date. One thing is for sure, if a solution to the ever increasing gas prices is not found soon millions of people will be unable to afford their daily commute.

Many people have put their hopes in biodiesel made from crops as the solution to oil dependency. However, there are problems with biodiesel made from crops namely the displacement of food and the amount of crops it takes to produce a gallon of oil. Using food crops such as soybeans and corn to produce oil takes away from the amount crops that could have been used for food.

Using food crops to make biodiesel is also not very economical, it takes an acre of soybeans to produce about 50 gallons of biodiesel and an acre of corn to produce only about 20 gallons of biodiesel. Compared to the 5,000 or more gallons of biodieseal produced from one acre of algae, food crops are underperforming.

The fuel consumption for cars, trucks, and other transportation in the US accounts for almost 70% of total oil consumption. While this is a huge chunk of our oil needs, it would take only about 15,000 square miles of algae farms to produce enough biodiesel to meet our transportation needs.

That would be one algae farm that measured 120 miles by 125 miles or 50 algae farms that were only 300 square miles each. With the space requirements feasible, algae bio diesel just may be the fuel of the future as it is economical, renewable, and will not displace food crops.

Making biodiesel from algae is a complicated process, but it is not harder than making it from other sources such as crops or waste oil and it is even possible for consumers to make their own algae biodiesel at home. In fact, making biodiesel from algae is actually easier than from other sources such as waste oil because it does not require the level of filtering or titrating. It is possible that once consumers learn how to make algae bio diesel for themselves that they can in fact become responsible for their own energy needs and stop depending on large energy companies.

This fact has the potential to lower energy prices simply because the big energy companies would not be the only place to get gasoline and heating oil. It is becoming more and more common for individuals to make their own fuel form waste oil but as it become harder to get waste oil form commercial sources many more people will begin to turn to algae as the fuel source of choice.

Although algae biodiesel has been touted as the fuel of the future by many, one thing is for sure, if we do not find alternatives to cut our dependence on gasoline and crude oil, we will continue to struggle as gas prices rise.



Create a video blog

Energy Tags: ,

Permalink • Print • Comment

October 10, 2008

We Are Going Solar! Step by step


solar citySo we have advocated for solar for years but in all honesty we did not have the money to build and pay for a larger solar panel system on our house. We have used and worked with small solar panels to charge batteries and the like but the whole concept of replacing some or all of our electric draw from the utility had not been feasible.

But now due to a flexible and home owner friendly arrangement we have decide to go for it and install a solar electric system on the roof of our house in California. There is no shortage of sunshine in our location, the roof is unobstructed by shade, it faces south, and now best of all Solar City has come out with a plan for getting homeowners into a solar system for little or no money down.

Solar City is running a new program called solar lease. Here is a bit of the blurb from their site that describes it:

At SolarCity we believe clean solar energy should be affordable. That's why we created SolarLease, a way for homeowners to economically capture clean energy from the sun. * Low Initial Payment You can afford to go solar now without the high upfront cost. * Save on Your Monthly Energy Bills With a SolarLease, you pay as you go, instead of all at once. Monthly lease payments are usually lower than what you are currently paying the utility company. So you can save money every month! Not only that, but this savings can grow over time as utility rates continue to increase. That's because utility rates have historically increased over 5% every year. With a SolarLease, you can lock in lower electricity rates for the term of your lease.

We have submitted the application for the lease and been accepted. Next step is to meet and begin the planning. We plan to document this whole process in both photo and video so we can show you how it is done and let you decide if you want to go solar too! Watch for it here or sign up for our free ebook over there on the left nav bar and you will be auto notified of new posts. <———–

Energy Tags: hybrid+cars" rel="tag">hybrid cars,

Permalink • Print • Comment

Make Your Own Windmill - Reduce Your Electricity Bill!


Earth4energy is a guide that explains how to reduce the cost of your electricity and switch to an environmental way of using energy. We, all hear the talk about the Presidential Candidates promise to concentrate on producing energy. Of course,there are different alternative energy options, which include biofuel, electricity windmill, solar energy and renewable energy. No matter, which one you choose, you will be able to save on your gas and electric bill.

solar Energy Blog

This instruction guide makes an attempt to show you how to build your own residential windmills or some call it electricity windmills. With the step by step instructions, the guide promises to help you to eliminate or reduce your electric bill.

More on Make Your Own Windmill - Reduce Your Electricity Bill!

Permalink • Print • Comment

October 9, 2008

Used Vegetable Oil for Biodiesel Production?


biodiesel27.jpg">biodiesel

<

div>Lee Wilson asked:


There is a lot of talk going on about by diesel production. But I'm quite sure that most people have no idea what the process involves. Simply put biodiesel production takes a product such as vegetable oil, just normal everyday vegetable oil, and turns it into a combustible product. How this is done, requires a little more technical talk and understanding. So here we go. To produce biodiesel requires a process in which the lipid transesterification converts a base oil in two esters or biodiesel.

In the production of biodiesel these products may be used:

energyhq.com/faq/used-vegetable-oil-for-biodiesel-production" class="more" class="more-link">More on Used Vegetable Oil for Biodiesel Production?

Energy Tags: solar+power" rel="tag">solar power,

Permalink • Print • Comment