The presidents of Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador announced Friday Oct. 12th that new Ballenas-Maraciabo international pipeline will be extended across Colombia to create the first transoceanic pipeline on the continent. Speaking at the inauguration Friday, President Chavez said that plans were ready to connect the pipeline with Central America and the Andean countries of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.

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Alternative energy research has led to the development of state of the art [tag]alternative energy[/tag] sources for the home. One of the advantages of using alternative energy is that it is a renewable resource whereas our supply of coal and other fossil fuels is depleting. This advantage of renewable energy and alternative energies has many companies and people looking for different ways to power up.

Sometimes called renewable resources, alternative energy does not need fossil fuel or even the splitting of the atom to be produced. It is called renewable because the sources of it are constantly being produced. It does not cause the pollution that oil and gas cause. This kind of energy is not really new. What is new is that we now categorize these forms of energy as alternative energy.

The forms that alternative energy may take are fuel cells, geothermal energy, wind power, biomass, hydroelectric energy, solar energy and water energy such as wave and tidal energy.

*[tag]Fuel cells [/tag]as a type of alternative energy is usually associated with electric cars, or hybrid cars. Electrochemical devices produce power through a chemical reaction. The primary benefit of fuel cells technology is that power is produced without the production of harmful pollutants. They are still very expensive to produce, however.

*[tag]Geothermal energy[/tag] can be a powerful source of energy. It is ideal for small scale use to heat houses, businesses and small industry. On a larger scale, geothermal plants extract the heat from the earth and use it to create steam to power turbine engines.

*[tag]Wind turbines [/tag]produce energy using the same principal as windmills. Blades are moved by the wind, and a shaft attached to the blades rotate a generator that produces energy. This energy is stored in batteries. Wind is, of course required to run this type of alternative energy, so the more wind you have the better it will work. Sites where there is a lot of wind, such as open farmland are good for wind turbines, or other locations that cannot be reached by powerlines.

*Biomass is organic material that can be converted to fuel. There are many types, such as animal waste, crops and grains, wood and other byproducts from mills and forests as well as from aquatic plants. One type uses the matter to burn to produce steam power; another type transforms the matter into a gas or liquid.

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The cost for [tag]energy[/tag] takes up a big portion of the family budget. For this reason, many are looking for energy solutions and different alternative energy types. It is hoped that alternative energies will help lower the cost of energy and help prevent an energy crisis. In the meantime, there are several ways that you can cut back on your heating bill:

1. Identify which appliances consume much electricity and contribute the most in making the electric bill cost that much. You can save hundreds of dollars annually by enrolling in a home management load program that offers a $100 savings in a year on electric utility hour rate programs. This will help you lower your electric payments and will teach you on home energy conservation.

2. It is recommended that you have improved appliance efficiency. The heating system appliances are the ones that consume too much electricity. The refrigerator and the water heater consume that much energy as well. Make sure to check these items regularly to ensure their efficiency. A well-maintained appliance will sustain its performance and will give you its accurate use of electricity.

3. Always remember to give your furnace a tune up at least twice a year. You have to cover the water heater to insulate it and give your refrigerator coils a cleaning at least twice a year as well. You may also set a timer for the heater to have regular flow of electricity whenever it is in use. You may call your utility service to check if there is a low rate offered during any specific time of the day.

4. You may also save money by lowering your heating bills. You may set your thermostat down 3 degrees to make you save 3 percent on your bills. You may even save more by not using it while you are at work or you can even turn it lower during nighttime when you are asleep. This can help you conserve electricity and save more money.

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The price that Wall Street futures investors pay for a barrel of crude oil has shot up to near $90. That means you can expect to pay even more for your next purchase of Heating Oil.

The items listed below are in priority order for action to reduce the amount of oil you use.

1. Stop drafts – at windows, doors and the fireplace.

2. Insulate the attic – Make sure you have enough insulation to give you at least R-49 protection for your money.

3. Have your furnace cleaned and tuned up by a professional. Oil furnaces are very rugged and will burn oil and put out heat even when they are running at poor efficiency. A dirty, out of tune oil furnace can operate with a combustion efficiency as low as 60%. Just by cleaning and tuning the combustion efficiency can be brought up to 75% or more. That is a 25 cents on the dollar improvement in oil use. The furnace pro will also be doing a safety check to insure that a faulty furnace will not cause fire or carbon monoxide poisoning

4. Back down your thermostat at every opportunity. Especially at night and when no one is home.

5. Make sure your house walls are well insulated including basement walls.

6. Change or wash your furnace filter every month during the heating season. A blocked air filter drastically reduces airflow and increases the amount of time your furnace has to run to keep the house warm. This is a do it yourself job. Have the furnace pro show you how when he visits.

7. Be ready to switch to electric heat. As the price of oil goes up, at some point it will be less expensive to heat with electric power using space heaters. I suggest you buy a few electric space heaters when you can find them at bargain prices so you will be ready. As example, Oil at $3.09 a gallon is equal to electric power at 8 cents a kilowatt-hour for heating use. If you live where the price electricity is moderate, you may want to use space heaters to supplement your oil heat. Using an electric space heater to keep your bedroom warm and let the rest of the house go cold overnight will save on your total heating bill. My wife uses an electric space heater in the bathroom during her morning shower and that is good because it puts heat just where it is needed, for a short time.

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Since Al Gore’s documentary film “An Inconvenient Truth” hit the world’s consciousness, local governments and citizen groups have become more vocal in demanding alternative renewable energy sources. One highly viable source certainly in parts of the United States is solar power. One state taking a stand for it’s citizens to have the opportunity to do their part is Arizona. In June of 2007, Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, ruled in favor of new requirements that would force the public utilities and their customers to get at least 15 percent of their power from renewable energy sources by the year 2025.

The approval means that the Arizona Corporation Commission can demand that these new measures be met by utility companies it regulates. This includes the following pubic utilities Tucson Electric Power and Arizona Public Service Company (APS). Salt River Project (SRP) is controlled by the Arizona state legislature. Utility companies will start investing more in renewable energy sources. Customers will be charged more to participate in the new guidelines imposed. Additional charges to the consumer will be 35 cents per month on their utility bill. One energy expert said that adding this surcharge to the utility bill is the best way to ramp up Arizona’s renewable energy program.

Democratic Governor Janet Napolitano joined the Governors of California, Oregon, New Mexico, Utah, and Washington in an alignment to create market based programs to make utilities and their customers curb their carbon emissions by 15 percent from 2005 levels. In September, six Green bills took effect after state legislators approve them and Governor Napolitano signed them into law.

[tag]Solar energy[/tag] for residential home just got a boost with the passing of Arizona State Bill SB 1254 passed the House and the Senate in Arizona at the end of September 2007. The new law will make it illegal for a home owners association to stop a home owner from putting solar panels on their property. The bill, was sponsored by Paradise Valley Republican Barbara Leff. She said that HOA’s can put reasonable restrictions on how the solar panels can be arranged on the rooftops as long as it won’t raise the cost of the installation or reduce the panels’ efficiency. The new law is very clear that an association shall not prohibit the installation or use of a solar energy device. An association may however adopt reasonable rules regarding the placement of solar panels if those rules do not prevent the installation, impair the functioning or efficiency of a device or restrict its use or adversely affect the cost or efficiency of the device.

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Although many people are going to great lengths to conserve energy and recycle their trash at home, the same people are not always as “green-conscious” in the workplace. Businesses are one of the biggest sources of trash, and energy waste.

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The 21st century has given us a plethora of new and fun gadgets. It has also tripled our need for batteries and its impact on our wallets. What if you could recharge those batteries for free? On the go? Wherever you happen to be?

Battery Impact

The chemicals in our batteries are less toxic than they were ten years ago, but the very nature of batteries is chemical. Discarded battery chemicals leach into our groundwater and soil when they’re buried and into the air when incinerated. Imagine the dozens of batteries one person uses and multiply that by millions? How about billions? Yikes!

Rechargeable batteries are becoming more popular, and not, ironically, because they are better for the environment. They are easier on the pocketbook. And with just about everything needing batteries (and accounts) to operate, from toys to phones, PDAs, MP3s, GPS devices, laptops, and all the portable conveniences of this century, something has to give in our budgets.

Solar Chargers

Solar powered battery chargers have hit the market in a flurry. A search term on the rise, solar power is practical and easier to implement. You can recharge indefinitely for no cost at all!

From simple little panels you can store in your bag or purse and pull out when needed, to panels that are already a part of a backpack, you can literally charge up wherever you are. Even when you’re at home, rather than plugging in, just give it a bit of window and you can recharge without plugs and power strips. The backpacks and bags are ingenious because they are so portable and they keep your toys safe, secure, and handy. They charge while you walk and talk and go about your day. When you’re on top of the mountain and notice your GPS or cell phone is dying, you can recharge immediately.

There are backpacks and fanny packs and cute little packs making your solar charger practical, accessible, and inconspicuous. From campsites to campus, you’ll never be worried about your batteries going dead on you again.

Free Power

There are so many advantages to using [tag-tec]solar power[/tag-tec], once you start using it, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try it sooner. Along with the convenience of the bags and backpacks, the variety of uses and sizes grows as rapidly as the toys do. Most solar chargers come equipped with plug kits which adapt to your specific devices.

And the toys are endless it seems. How many plugs do you need and how much is it costing you to keep all your toys juiced? If you leave your chargers plugged in all the time, or overnight, what’s the grand total of your usage? How about the cost of replacing batteries? The final costs for these depends on the individual, but you can bet it’s more than what a good solar charger will cost. Plus, once the initial cost of your solar purchase – which isn’t much – has been completed, the power is absolutely free.

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The United States is desperately in need of new plants. Every nuclear power plant in the United States is rapidly approaching its end of life. While there are many solutions to this problem, the most obvious solution is to build more nuclear plants. Nuclear power is a proven resource. The United States has an ample supply of uranium. Nuclear power does not create any carbon-based pollution which supposedly contributes to the green house effect.

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Save your electricity bill from climbing uphill. Want to know some great ways to save on electricity? Here’s how!

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LUSAKA, Zambia – It is not that Jacob Male minds irrigating the 11 acres of land he plows just east of Lusaka, Zambia’s resources. It is irrigating his 11 acres in the flat of night that angers him. Force failures are shared in Lusaka and greatly of southern Africa.

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These are my personal deduction on how to overcome the exorbitant high price of gas or petrol. Gas prices are sky high wherever you stay on this planet and we need to do something about this. If everyone plays their individual part, the prices will fall.

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electric commuter vehicle on this page, but all of the text is in Chinese. Thankfully, the China Post has some information on the four-wheeled, one-person enclosed EV on this page. From there, we learn that the vehicle, unveiled today …

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If you’re at all familiar with the 100+ year history of the electric car, then the fact that there are women in the photo above should not surprise you one whit. If you need a refresher, check out this post on women and electric cars and …

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I know if I saw affordable, good looking, four door sedans driving around the streets of China for under $30000, for a whole year while it went through testing in America, I might start to look into the electric car grey market. …

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We’ve bringing exciting news – in the most recent cases, from the Tokyo Motor Show preview series – about major automakers that are bringing out all-electric concepts. Last week, for example, we learned about the very practical Subaru …

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US-China Electric Car Joint Venture to Hold Meetings at ZAP in California.

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Tesla’s Big Idea was to start with an electric car that appeals to the id, not the superego. From the start, Mr. Eberhard says he wanted a car that could outrun a Porsche in a 0-60 trial, and would go 250 miles on a charge. …

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Water will be impacted by the growth of the bio-fuels industry. This article is a commentary on the recent Federal bio-fuels report.

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Call him geeky, but Greenbang loves this kind of thing: Time has put together a guide to the development of the electric car, including little gems like the CitiCar pictured here. Did you know, for example, that an electric buggy of …

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A tiny, one-seater electric car with a 30-mile range that is actually pretty zippy (70+ mph). It would be a practical choice for many people who have short commutes and who normally do so all alone in a car [...]

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