Wind Energy Voice

Solar power & wind power are the two environmentally friendly choices that most people consider when thinking about trying to get started producing their own electricity at home. I think it’s a good idea to think about options before making such a decision and that’s why I am writing this article.

Solar power is also commonly known as solar energy. It is a method which harnesses the incredible power of the sun (which is 93,000,000 miles away from earth) to create electricity.

When most think about solar energy they think of solar panels. These are also known as solar cells and by their more technical name photovoltaic cells. These are devices which take light and turn it into electricity using something called the photoelectric effect.

While most people think of solar panels as a rather new invention, this is actually not the case at all. The first solar panels were created by a man named Charles Fritts way back in the 1880s and they’ve been used to power satellites since 1954!

The amount of sunlight that you receive where you live should obviously be a consideration when deciding whether solar power is the right choice for your “DIY” renewable energy source. If you live in an area where there are far more cloudy days than average (such as in Washington State) then it may not be advisable to go the solar route, perhaps a windmill may be more suited for you.

Wind power currently makes up very little of the world’s electricity production. Currently it only accounts for about 1% of the worldwide electricity produced. But although it’s usage is still quite low, it has been increasing rapidly over the last 8 years and most assume that it’s use will increase further in the future, particularly with new President Barack Obama taking office looking to take America’s economy in a more “green” direction.

Either wind power or solar power (or perhaps even both together) would be a good choice for most people who want to power their homes themselves. Both choices create environmentally friendly renewable energy that is great for the environment.

Again, like with solar power, you need to consider where you live before deciding if wind power is right for you. If you live in a place that is particularly windy then you should definitely consider it, on the other hand you may want to think twice if your area is more calm than most. Check weather websites online for comparisons if you are not sure.

Some people worry about their power going out when the sun goes down or when it the wind stops blowing and decide against going this route. But that’s really a nonsensical fear because these types of systems are equipped with batteries for storing excess energy created when it’s very sunny or very windy so that it can be used when it’s not so sunny (like during the night) or when it’s not s windy.

It may also be a better choice economically because with a renewable source of energy, a home owner will no longer have to send money to the electric company for the electric bill every month. In fact, many electric companies will actually buy any excess electricity created by DIY home based solar panels and windmills.

Imagine that having the electric company pay you instead of you paying them and saving the environment while you do it. That’s exactly the admirable position where many people using solar & wind power at home find themselves today.

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We have 2 Evergreen Solar panels 180 watts each, Tristar 60Amp Controller, 2, 400 watt Air-x wind generators, about 8 marine deep cycle batteries from walmart now. A 250A DC breakerbox from Midnight Solar, Xantrex DR-2412 2400Watt Inverter, and a Reliance transfer switch. So far the system has cost about $6000 with everything overbuilt to be upgradeable with more solar panels as soon as we get some more funding! More videos soon lots has changed since winter has set in.

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Renewable energy is a phrase often used when discussing problems of energy and climate change. It is often cited as a replacement for the environmentally damaging and expensive fossil fuels that we currently rely on.

But what are renewable energy’s and can they really provide us with all the power we need to run our homes, cars and businesses?

Types of renewable energy

The term renewable energy simply refers to energy that is produced in nature that is unlimited or replenishes itself. There are primarily four types of renewable energy used at the moment:

Solar
Wave
Wind
Kinetic

Solar Power

Solar power is perhaps the most commonly used form of renewable energy. The sun’s power has been harnessed by mankind since early civilisation and storing solar power is a technology that has been around for decades.

There is a major problem of solar powe4r of course: it is only available during the day and is reliant on clouds and the weather. In the northern hemisphere it is doubtful that solar power will ever be able to provide much of our home energy use but it can still be harnessed for a whole host of uses.

Solar powered devices have come along way from the small digital watches and calculators you may remember from childhood. Solar power can now be used to power a whole host of devices.

Solar powered chargers can recharge nearly any type of device that takes batteries. From MP3 players to mobile phones; PDA’s to solar laptop chargers, solar powered chargers allow most of these devices to be recharged completely free, and eco-friendly.

Wave Power

Around the coastline, there are many-wave energy products that are converting the power of the sea into electricity. Wave energy is incredibly difficult though and is while the UK is an island and has the advantage of large amounts of coastline, wave energy is not available to all nations.

Wind Energy

Perhaps the most useful for generating energy for our homes but wind energy does come with its disadvantages. Windmills, that convert the wind’s power into electricity, are very large and are unpopular features on the landscape. They are also limited to the amount of energy they can produce – and of course when there is no wind there is no energy production.

And while we are a long way off from being able to power the entire nation with wind energy we can provide some, lifting some of the burden from the CO2 emitting power stawind power

There are also some wind energy products available for home use. Wind powered lights are available for the garden. Rather than just turn wind power into light for electricity, wind powered garden lights store the energy created by the wind in a battery, allowing you to use the light when needed – even when there is no wind.

Induction Torch – Kinetic energy, by shaking the torch generates power

You can also find wind powered chargers. These hand held wind generators allow you to store wind energy and then recharge devices like mobile phones from it. These have the advantage over solar powered chargers in that they can recharge devices over-night, so devices can be recharged when you are asleep – ready to use in the day.

Kinetic Energy

Another form of renewable energy is kinetic energy. This is taking the wasted energy from mechanisms and using it to make electricity. A good example of this is the latest type of hybrid cars. These cars make use of the kinetic energy generated when a car brakes and converts it into electricity that the vehicle can use as an additional power source.

And all sorts of kinetic energy devices are available. Many of which use human power to generate and store energy. Wind-up radios are a good example as are torches that work by being shook.

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The use of Solar and wind power is becoming more and more common, and in demand. As we move forward, we are learning it is not just about humanity we need to take care of, but also nature and our environment. As you read this article, you will discover more about solar and wind power.

As you read this article, you will discover these points about solar and wind power:

* What is solar and wind power?

* Benefits of solar and wind power

* Solar and wind power – which is best?

* What is solar and wind power?

Our everyday actions are only capable of happening because of one thing – energy. Energy which is also referred to as power is essential. Not only is energy essential to make our bodies function, it is essential to make our planet function, and also to make your car go!

Our use of energy for our appliances and making our car function has generally been based on fossil fuels. The problem is that these fuels emit waste into our environment. The solution is alternative energy sources, and here solar power and wind power can become that source.

First, the term solar power is used to describe the number of methods which include the harnessing of energy from our Sun. Wind power uses the power of the wind to transform energy into a more usable energy such as electricity.

Solar power can be used for a number of different purposes. Solar energy can be converted into electricity, with the aid of solar power panels or it can be used directly to heat water.

* Benefits of solar and wind power

There are many benefits of using the energy of the Sun or the wind. The Sun emits a vast abundant stream of life giving energy to the Earth. In one hour, the power from the Sun hitting Earth is enough to power all our electric needs for an entire year!

This is renewable energy, and it doesn’t leave any waste products. Also solar and wind power systems will last a long time. So, each year of use, you will find that you actually go into a profit!

With solar and wind power, not only is no waste produced, it also has the added benefit of not having to burn as much fossil fuels. This can really make a positive difference to our environment.

* Solar and wind power – which is best?

The question now comes, which is best – solar power or wind power? The answer will have to come from you! You see, both options are great; however, it depends on your needs and environment.

For example, living in a very sunny and hot country could result in you going for a solar heating system or entire solar energy for your home electricity needs. Being in a colder country could mean it is better to go for wind power.

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We have 2 Evergreen Solar panels 180 watts each, Tristar 60Amp Controller, 2, 400 watt Air-x wind generators, about 8 marine deep cycle batteries from walmart now. A 250A DC breakerbox from Midnight Solar, Xantrex DR-2412 2400Watt Inverter, and a Reliance transfer switch. So far the system has cost about $6000 with everything overbuilt to be upgradeable with more solar panels as soon as we get some more funding! More videos soon lots has changed since winter has set in.

Technorati Tags: energy, grid, Part1, renewable, Setup, solar, wind

The two main methods of creating Renewable energy for homes today include wind powered generators and solar panels, assembled on the house’s roof. Using the same technology commercial wind powered power plants use, a home wind generator can produce enough electricity to not only sustain that household’s electrical consumption but contribute to the national power grid. You can choose whether he wishes to remain off the grid , meaning he is totally self sufficient, or keep connected to the national power grid and thus get electricity from the national grid if needed and offload excessive power to it when it exists, by the power company for producing electricity. Home wind generators popularity is growing immensely these days mostly because of the international green trend, as well as the rising awareness to sustainable living and, not less of a factor, the financial crisis drives people to search for new ways to minimize their household bills. Solar panels are considered an expensive method and a home wind generator cost can be as low as 200$. Wind generator plans are available for purchase on the web, mostly as an online book with pictures and step by step instructions – which makes the job considerably easier. Another important factor to note is that wind generator plans can be easily followed even by less technical people, and from my own experience prove to be a fun family project – both educational and practical. After all the fun, you might be able to actually make money from your home wind generator using home wind generators, and contribute to a greener, healthier earth. When choosing which wind generator plans to use it is important to pay attention to several aspects. For instance, not all plans have simple to follow instructions. It is important to select a blueprint that has easy to follow steps, specifically detailed parts and step by step videos. Another important issue is support from the plan writer, as not all wind generator plans allow this. Before taking out on the project, it is best that you calculate the necessary power output for your own home and wind currents in your area. You can do this easily by summing up your Kilowatt/Hour consumption in the last 12 months, and then divide it by 365 to get your average value for a single day. Averagely, a regular household uses about 900-1000 kw. An adequate wind generator plan will detail every needed part in order to assemble your own power generating wind generator. A really good wind generator plan will also have video tutorials – look these up for a much easier setup. All the necessary parts are usually readily available in any hardware depot. Another point worth making is that the DIY(Do it yourself) wind generator approach can also save you thousands of dollars since buying a wind generator from a wind generators company can be extremely expensive. In order to sum things up, a good wind generator plan is the key to a an effective wind turbine and saving a ton of money.

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Earth4Energy is a guide on how to build homemade power systems, including a DIwind powerwer system, a DIY wind power system, and making your own bio diesel. This in depth Earth4Energy Review takes you through the membership system showing you the products you get when you sign up. Also read a full review at www.renewable-energy-expert.com

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If you are interested to reduce your hefty electricity bills, renewable wind power is the best alternate solution for your home. There are systems that convert the wind power to electricity and which can be utilized by the electrical or electronic appliances at our home.

Although we might get wind in some seasons of the year, however at high altitudes or near sea shores, we generally get enough wind that can generate electricity throughout the year. There are tools through which we can measure wind speed and particularly if the wind speed is above five to seven miles per hour or more, we can generate electricity from the renewable wind power available to us.

Renewable wind power is available everywhere and therefore this is one of the cheapest sources of energy. We can install portable renewable wind power generators in our backyard or in our lawn and can start generating electricity from it. If you install renewable wind power generators and start producing electricity for your homes, you can save up to 80 percent of your monthly electricity bills monthly.

Although there are good ready made renewable wind power generators available in the market but you will need to spend a few thousands dollars for buying those ready made equipments, however you can fabricate these your own with the help of detailed instructions provided to you through a guide. The cost of raw materials required for making a renewable wind power is below $200 and therefore you can save thousands of dollars on fabrication and installation alone and at the same time has huge potential of saving thousands of dollars on your electricity bills annually.

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Congress is considering legislation that would ensure that the US gets a growing percentage of its electricity wind powerable sources like wind power. This policy would create the first long-term commitment to renewable energy in America and would enable the growth of a new manufacturing base in the US, creating hundreds of thousands of high-quality American jobs. Go to PowerOfWind.com to tell Congress that you support a national renewable electricity standard.

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Biopact has this story: scientists of the University of Kassel in Germany prove that the entire country can be powered by renewables only. They connected biogas, wind and solar power in a distributed way and show it can deliver both baseloads and peakloads. Check more at: biopact.com

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