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October 14, 2009 – Sally Benson, director of the Global Climate and Energy Project, Pamela Matson, dean of the Stanford School of Earth Sciences, Lynn Orr, director of the Precourt Institute for Energy, Stephen Schneider, Stanford professor of Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies, James Sweeney, director of the Precourt Energy Efficiency Center, and Buzz Thompson, co-director of the Woods Institute for the Environment, discuss the interconnected aspects of future sustainable energy systems with a focus on the scales, tradeoffs, and co-benefits involved. Stanford University www.stanford.edu Woods Institute for the Environment http Stanford University Channel on YouTube: www.youtube.com
In this day and age, the two most important things, which need proper attention are the environment and the economy. This is due to the fact that the environment seems to be powerless already because of the high-level of pollution nowadays and the economy is on its critical condition by now because of the increasing inflation rate every year. Thus, you have to act now and do your duty as a responsible human being. You have to do something which will benefit both the environment and the economy. As a matter of fact, one of the very best ways, which you can consider to help the two most important things here on earth is to try building your own solar and wind power systems.
It is quite undeniable that solar energy and wind energy are a renewable types of energy. When you say renewable energy, it simply refers to a type of energy which naturally comes from the environment. Such type of energy can be easily replaced as well as beneficial not only the human race but also to the environment. Hence, building your own solar and wind power systems is a very good thing for you to consider in these days. You just have to be aware on how to get started.
The following are the ways which you can consider in building your own solar and wind power systems:
1. Purchase a DIY solar and wind power system kit. There are so many DIY solar and wind power system kits available in the world market today. You simply have to carefully choose a kit which can be very helpful on your part. In addition, you also have to purchase a kit which is not too expensive but irrefutably effective. In doing so, you can surely save yourself from any regrets in the long run.
2. Carefully read all the instructions. All of the DIY kits on how to build a solar or wind power system include instructions on how you can do such task without the help of any experts. You just have to carefully read all those instructions in order to be truly successful in building your own solar and wind power systems.
3. Be patient and take your time in building your own power system. Patience is absolutely a virtue. Thus, you have to make sure to be very patient in constructing your homemade power system. You have to instill into your mind that you cannot construct your own power system in just a snap of your finger. This only means that you have to exert much of your effort so that you can come up with a very effective power system at the end of the day.
Indeed, building your own solar and wind power systems is not just a simple child’s play. Hence, you really have to bear in mind all the aforementioned ways in building or constructing your own homemade power systems. In this way, you can be sure that you can successfully construct your power system sooner or later, save the dying environment and somehow save a certain amount of money for your own sake.
Ready to stop relying on an expensive energy source?
The energy crisis. No doubt you’ve seen your power increase several times recently, I know I have. I wanted to lower or eliminate my power bill, so I did some research into renewable energy solutions. I found there are three main types of renewable energy that I would look into taking advantage of: solar energy solutions, hydro energy solutions, and wind energy solutions.
The sun’s energy is the most abundant and easiest to collect energy source available. There are many large scale solar collectors being built all over the world, but it’s also very scalable so we can make home solar panels as well. This will not only cut down power bills but also help you contribute to a greener world.
Home solar energy systems have many advantages apart from being cost-effective and environment-friendly. They are low on maintenance and can provide a relatively quick ROI (return on investment) compared to other renewable solutions. They can pay for themselves and even turn a profit within several years.
Home wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form using wind turbines. Wind energy is plentiful, renewable, and clean, although the construction of wind farms is not always welcomed because of their looks.
If you want to get into renewable energy, solar power and wind power are the best options for the average home. A home solar power system will generate power all day, while the home wind power system will generate power whenever the wind is blowing. These systems compliment each other, making up for each others weaknesses.
I decided to go with a solar/wind solution. I called around my city to get some price quotes, but they were in the thousands! I went searching online for a cheaper solution and found quite a few DIY solutions. They show you how to build your own homemade solar panels and wind turbines.
I bought three of these products and thought I would share my experiences with the internet to save everyone else a lot of time and money. Some of the products had very sparse or overly-technical instructions, while some had very clear step-by-step directions.
You can dramatically decrease your power bill with a wind powerewableenergyforhome”>home solar system or home wind power system. Click here to see my reviews of solar power and wind power products and see which ones are the best value.
Reducing your Electric Bill with a Solar Panel System & Renewable Energy
Using a solar panel, wind turbine or other renewable energy system to produce electricity and reduce your electric bill can be a sound long-term investment. Depending on the type of technology, you can expect a full return on your investment within 3 to 18 years. With financial or tax rebates from your utility company or state and national government, the payback period on your investment can be cut in half.
However, the very first step to considering any renewable energy system must be how to make your home or business more energy efficient. Generally, the basic rule is that for every $1 you spend on making your location more energy efficient, you save $3 to $5 on the cost of the solar panel or wind turbine energy system. Let’s go over some basic ways you can make your home more energy efficient.
Making Your Home Energy Efficient
One of the easiest things that you can do to reduce your electrical consumption is change out your regular incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). CFLs use 65 to 75% less energy than a normal light bulb that produces the same amount of light. By replacing a normal 100 watt incandescent light bulb with a 32 watt CFL, you will save $60 to $80 in electricity costs over the lifetime of that bulb (10,000 hours). Now imagine how much you would save if you changed out all of your light bulbs to CFLs!
The technology for these bulbs has quickly evolved and improved in the last few years, while the cost has come down dramatically. You’ll find that there are CFLs that will now fit most light fixtures and lighting needs-there are even dimmable CFLs!. Head out to your local department or hardware store and buy CFLs for as many of your light fixtures as possible. The investment is well worth it.
Another alternative to traditional lights are tubular skylights . Tubular skylights look a little like shiny stove pipes that start with a transparent dome on top of the roof and come down into some room for day lighting. We frequently see customers using tubular skylights to bring daylight into hallways and closets. The light is, of course, entirely natural and in some installations can provide as much illumination as a 100-Watt incandescent light bulb.
Energy Star and EnergyGuide
One of the biggest consumers of electricity in most households is the refrigerator. In most households, refrigeration is the number one electricity consumer after any electricity-based heating or cooling systems. If your refrigerator is over 10 years old, chances are it’s electrically very inefficient. Consider replacing your current refrigerator with one that has a high Energy Star rating. Remember that just because a refrigerator may have earned the Energy Star label doesn’t mean it’s the most efficient model available-it only means that its efficiency exceeds the federally mandated efficiency standard by at least 15%. You can even do much of your investigation online at the Energy Star website. There you can search for the brand, type and size of refrigerator you want and sort by energy efficiency. When you shop in stores, consult the yellow EnergyGuide tags that are attached to all new refrigerators (and many other appliances). EnergyGuide is a different government program from Energy Star that offers information about annual energy consumption and shows you where each model lands in a comparison with similar models. For maximum energy savings, select the model that’s a leader in efficiency in its class.
Ghost Loads
Also known as “phantom loads”, ghost loads are the sneaky devices that constantly consume small amounts of electricity 24 hours a day-even when they’re not actually doing anything useful. While each device by itself may not consume much electricity, the combination of all of them within your household may easily consume the equivalent of two or three 60-Watt incandescent light bulbs left on all day and all night. Over the course of a single year this adds up to over 1 Megawatt-hour-in other words, enough electricity to power an entire energy-efficient house for 2 to 3 months!
What are these mysterious ghost loads? The most common examples are the “power brick” adapters, or power supplies, that charge or operate cell phones, laptop computers, cordless drills, answering machines, radios, inkjet printers, and many other household devices. They’re actually small transformers, turning AC electricity from the wall outlet into DC electricity for use by the device. While any one of these devices may only consume a small amount of power (e.g., 3-20 watts), a dozen or so of them, running simultaneously and continuously, consume a significant amount of electricity. What’s worse is that even when you’re not charging your cell phone or the battery for your cordless drill, that AC adapter may continue to consume power just because it’s plugged into the wall. Other well-disguised ghost loads are those devices which have the “instant on” feature, such as most modern television sets, VCRs, DVD players, many radios and even many computers. While all of these devices are supposedly turned off, they are actually consuming anywhere from 3 to 20 watts continuously-just to stay ready for you to use them.
How can you decrease the consumption of energy by these parasitic loads? One of the simplest solutions is to simply plug these devices into a power strip which has an off/on switch. When you are done using the devices and shut them off normally, then just hit the off switch on the power strip. Many people make it part of their nightly routine to shut off these power strips just before they go to bed. For AC power adapters that you use at night, like for charging a cell phone, put those on a separate power strip that you turn off during the day when you take your phone with you. Simple solutions like these could reduce your ghost electric loads by as much as 80%. In real-dollars terms, this means saving upwards of $120 per year in electricity costs, depending on your local electric utility rates and how dedicated you are to reducing your ghost loads.
A Special Note for People Who are Planning to Live Off-grid
If you’re planning to use an off-grid solar panel, wind turbine or hydro electric system and plan to have a 12 or 24 volt battery bank, you will often be able to find devices and appliances that work directly with these DC voltages. The benefit to using the devices is that they will not need an AC power adapter which needlessly consumes electricity whether or not the device in use. After all, what an AC adapter plug does is convert normal AC household electricity to DC type of electricity to power the device, and it rarely does that conversion efficiently.
Energy Efficient Cooling
During the summer (and in warmer climates) air conditioning is frequently the largest consumer of electricity. An inexpensive way to reduce the demand on your air conditioner is to keep your attic cooler with a solar attic fan. Powered by a built-in solar panel, solar attic fans turn on when your attic warms up during the day. By venting the hot air out of your attic all day long, the floors below stay cooler and as a result your air conditioner runs significantly less.
Solar attic fans can be installed by good do-it-yourselfers or carpenters. They require no wiring. A hole needs to be cut in the roof, the attic fan is slipped in and the edges are sealed up well with roof caulking. The solar panel built into the fan unit is designed to last at least 25 years. A solar attic fan is another wise investment that pays for itself very quickly.
For people who live in zones that are relatively dry but hot, evaporative coolers (also known as swamp coolers) are a cost effective and energy efficient alternative to traditional air conditioners. Evaporative coolers use about 25% the energy an air conditioner would need. Unfortunately, most people live in climates that when it’s hot it is also relatively humid. In these conditions evaporative coolers won’t work effectively.
Another simple and green method for reducing your home’s air conditioning costs is to plant deciduous trees whose leaves will shade your home in the summer time and shed its leaves for more sunlight in the winter time. By shading your home it heats up less, and therefore requires less cooling by an air conditioner. Planting a tree in this scenario has double the environmental impact, you’re reducing greenhouse gases by both using less electricity and because the tree itself absorbs carbon dioxide.
Energy Efficiency and Household Appliances
Many other appliances throughout your household will have a newer and significantly more energy efficient version available. Here is a short list of other appliances you should consider replacing with higher efficiency versions: water heating tanks, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, dishwashers, telephones, VCRs and DVDs, ceiling fans, fax machines, computers and copiers. To see which brands and models have Energy Star certification and to figure which ones of those are the most efficient, visit Energy Star’s website: www.EnergyStar.gov. To find out how much power your appliances are really consuming, invest in an inexpensive power meter like the Kill-A-Watt meter.
For many households the biggest bill is the heating bill. Probably the quickest, least expensive and easiest way to reduce your heating bill is to buy a programmable thermostat. You can set these thermostats to turn off the heat automatically when you’re not home and turn it on just before you arrive. You will easily recoup your small investment in the new thermostat within one winter by running your heating system less. See your local hardware store or HVAC company for pricing and availability of different models.
Another basic step to reducing your home heating bill is sealing air leaks and adding insulation. According to Energy Star sealing air leaks and adding insulation can reduce your heating bill by as much as 10%. For homes with attics, one of the easiest and most effective places to put down insulation is in the attic. Visit your local home improvement store to find out how much insulation in different areas of the home is recommended for your region.
In the last few years, the use of solar air heating systems has become more popular. Mounted on an exterior, southern-facing wall or on the roof, solar air heating collectors can reduce a home’s or business’ annual heating costs by as much as 30%. Costing far less than a new conventional heating system, solar air heating systems usually pay for themselves in 3-6 years. They’ll typically last for 18 to 35 years and require minimal maintenance. Working in conjunction with your existing heating system, the solar air heating system simply reduces your heating demand whenever you have even partial sunlight.
There are two basic flavors of solar air heating systems. There are ones that heat up fresh outdoor air and blow it into your home or business. The there are ones that take the air from inside your building boosts up the temperature by another 50 to 90 degrees fahrenheit and blows it back in (known as recirculating air solar heating systems). Newer homes and buildings which tend to be tightly sealed and have stale winter air will benefit doubly from the fresh air solar heaters. Older homes tend to be inherently draftier and experience full air exchanges with the outdoors a few times a day. These homes will benefit more from the solar air heating systems that recirculate the indoor air and boost it up in temperature. Typically, one 4×8 foot solar air collector is recommended per 750 to 1000 square feet of home space.
Water Heating Efficiency
More efficient models of domestic hot water heaters have also become available in the last several years. If you have an old hot water heater, chances are that it was not designed with efficiency in mind. Again, check out Energy Star’s website to find out which boilers are the most efficient.
Another good alternative to the traditional hot water heating tanks are instantaneous hot water heaters. These systems heat the water only when its being used. Normal water heating systems used in much of North America maintain a large tank of hot water to be used only a few times a day. To keep the water hot and ready at a moment’s notice these traditional hot water heating tanks consume energy throughout the entire day, whether you need it or not. Instantaneous water heaters only consume energy the moment you need the hot water, saving the typical household 30 to 50% of the cost of hot water heating. You can find instantaneous water heaters that use natural gas, propane and electricity from a variety of manufacturers.
Solar Water Heating Provides You the Best Return on Your Investment
The energy (natural gas, propane, electricity, etc) needed for hot water heating can be reduced by 60 to 90% by using a solar water heating system to pre-heat water before it enters your existing traditional water heater. Remarkably effective and efficient, even in northern climates, solar water heating technologies have matured significantly in the past 30 years. Designed to easily last 30 years or more with minimum maintenance, typically solar water heating system will pay for itself in its first 3-7 years of use. Solar water heating systems heat your home’s water with collectors that are usually placed on the roof of the home. The hot water produced is stored in an insulated tank until your home is ready to use it. Your traditional hot water will only kick on to heat up the water when the water temperature is not quite high enough. Solar water heating systems can be installed by advanced do-it-yourselfers, but it is recommended that a licensed plumber or installer review or do the more complicawind powerng.
Energy Efficiency – Your First Step Towards Clean Energy and Energy Independence
The first step before purchasing a solar electric or wind power system to meet your electricity needs is to intelligently reduce those needs. Most homes can inexpensively reduce their electricity demands by 20 to 30% without ever having to make any adjustments in the lifestyles of the occupants. We provided you with many energy saving tips in this article, such as:
Replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones. Upgrading your older appliances with EnergyStar star ones that have a very low annual energy consumption rating. Minimize the many hidden phantom (ghost) loads in your house. Insulate your home well for colder seasons. Creatively use vegetation to keep your home cool in the summer and maximize sunshine entering the house in the winter. Use solar heating technologies (not to be confused with solar electric technologies) to cost effectively reduce how much your traditional air or water heating systems have to work.
There are literally hundreds of other little tricks and smart tweaks you can make to your home that will further reduce your electrical demands. Consider picking up a copy of the book ’10-Minute Energy-Saving Secrets – 250 Easy Ways to Save Big Bucks Year Round’ by Jerri Farris to learn of many of the other quick and easy ways to reduce your home’s consumption of energy.
Power bills have been increasing for a long time but it has now got to the stage where power is playing a major factor in the household budget. The increasing cost of power in conjunction with the environmental problems created by burning fossil fuels, is encouraging more people to think green and look at the possibility of building their own renewable power source.
Making your own solar panels or a wind turbine is very tempting but how feasible is it? Can a self build solar panel or home made wind turbine really result in a real difference to a normal household power bill? Or are they just fanciful dreams and marketing hype?
There are several variables that affect the answers to these questions. The impact will be a product of where your house is located and how far you wish to go with your home power system.
One of the main factors that impacts the output of home made solar panels will be the exposure that your house has to the sun. It is obvious that a log cabin deep in the depth of a forest is not going to get much benefit from a solar panel! So check the travel of the sun over your house, how many hours of direct sun does your house get? The encouraging news is that most homes should not have any trouble in gathering enough solar power to create electricity from a home made solar panel.
The same logic is true when considering a home made wind turbine; you will need wind to turn it! In most locations the wind cannot be trusted as the only source of power–it simply fills in the gaps left by solar power quite nicely. Luckily when the sun stops shining the wind tends to blow.
The amount of power that can be produced from a DIY power set up will depend upon the size and nature of the devices being used.
Solar panels which produce electricity are also known as ‘photovoltaic cells’ or ‘solar pv modules’ The amount of power that you can expect to achieve from a solar panel is worked out from the surface size and weight and typically will range between 5 and 50 watts, although multiple cells can easily be linked together. Any excess power that is generated can be stored in batteries for use at a later time.
The amount of electricity that comes from a home built wind turbine is derived from the square of the blade diameter (double the diameter and you get 4 times the power) and the cube of the wind speed (double the wind speed and you get 8 times the power). Although you can’t choose the wind speed, you can define the blade diameter. Normal domestic wind turbines will have a diameter of around 6-8 feet and a typical domestic electrical system would be capable of outputting 1 – 6 kilowatts with a wind speed of about 6-10miles per hour.
A home renewable energy set up consisting of a home made wind turbine and solar panel is not only achievable but very practical. With a bit of investigation it is possible to find descriptions for building DIY wind turbines and solar panels and these do not demand any great degree of skill or unusual tools. In fact, all of the elements are easily obtained from local sources and the whole construction stage shouldn’t take more than a few days.
Can a DIY home power system save you money, yes it certainly can. Either you can power electric items in your house directly from the free renewable power, or if you are able to connect your home built power system to the power grid then you can offer your electricity to your power company.
Home power generation is not only a reality; it is an easy way to reduce your power bills. Who knows, maybe all homes will have a renewable energy source in the future.
www.HomePowerAdvisor.com Learn a secret the power companies don’t want you to know. Become a power producer instead of just a consumer. Save money on power and help the environment. Learn about home solar systems.
Orion Energy Systems (Nasdaq: OESX) President and CEO Neal Verfuerth on Monday participated in a panel discussion at the White House addressing innovation and clean energy. Following the panel, President Barack Obama addressed the media, panelists and those attending the discussion — including venture capitalists, scientists and entrepreneurs — touting clean energy, energy efficiency and his proposed budget that includes $150 billion over 10 years for clean energy and energy efficiency.
If you are looking for a cheaper way to produce power and reduce the amount of money being spend on your monthly power utility then you need to look into how to make wind power.
Using a wind turbine system can reduce your power bill by up to 90% and create a safe clean living space where you reside. All you need to do is make sure you live in a place where there is plenty of wind (preferably 10mile per hour of wind speed) and make sure the wind supply is consistent.
Making wind power is easier than most people think and before tackling how to make wind power electricity you need to understand how it works. In easy terms the more wind the more power is produced. Wind turbine systems used by homes have rotors. As the wind turn the rotors clockwise the kinetic and motion energy is created and converted by the turbine itself into usable electricity for the home.
If the winds are regularly fast then you won’t have to rely on the local power grid for electricity and become self sufficient. However it is handy to be still connected to the national grid so if the wind dies down you can go back to the normal power grid.
A good rule of thumb is when the wind speed goes less than 10 kms per hour then that is a time to switch back to the local power grid.
So if you decide this is for you then you need to get a guide that can show you how to make wind power step by step and gives you a complete overview on how to do it.
Meaning of wind energy: Its sources; Nature of the main wind energy conversion systems
Several factors related to the environment can combine to transform solar energy into wind. The surface of the planet earth is, by nature, not uniform. These uneven earth terrains can only be unequally warmed up by the sun. As a natural consequence, some places on the planet remain cooler than certain other areas. The air in the warm regions weighs less due to lower density levels. Hence, it begins to move up. The void hence created gets soon taken up by the colder, denser air that rushes in from the local areas. This type of motion in air produces a type of kinetic energy (or motional energy). Wind energy can be acquired by properly processing this kinetic energy by completely updated machines. Wind energy turbines and wind mills are the two wind energy conversion systems that are most commonly in use.
The different wind energy conversion systems
Mechanical energy or electrical power can be obtained from properly treating wind energy, by the wind energy generators, according to the specific requirements. Two such generators have been named above. Electricity is obtained from wind energy by using wind turbines. Wind mills can process wind resources to generate mechanical energy. Which one of the two conversion systems is more efficient, or can cut down costs more can be deduced from an in-depth study of these systems.
The way of working of wind turbines is rather easy. A normal wind turbine generally has two to three blades. These blades are put up to a rotor, which is then implanted on to a main shaft. The shaft, in turn, is attached to an electric generator. When the latter starts to move, electric power starts to get produced. Wind turbines that are supposed to generated electricity are usually put up on raised sites that are about 30 meters (or, 100 feet) raised from the ground level. A desirable quantity of electricity can be obtained from these turbines, since the latter get less roiling winds (with greater velocities) at those sites. The number of blades of a windmill is, on the other hand, the most crucial determinant of the efficiency of the latter devices. The ability to produce outputs also varies with the speed at which wind blows in an area. Tjaskers, wind pumps are some of the types of windmills (differentiated on the basis of their functions). Tjaskers are used to pump up water from places which need a smaller head. On the same token, wind pumps are those wind mills that are used in wells or drainage areas for pumping out water. The water thus obtained can be used by human beings. The cattle can also drink this water. A comparative study of the couple of wind energy conversion systems mentioned above is often required to find their efficiency and relative cost levels.
Pros and cons of using wind energy conversion systems
The popularity of wind energy system is currently on a consistent upward trend. The fact that, it uses a free source of fuel – the wind, which is also easily renewable, is a significant cause of this growing popularity. Nor do these systems, unlike their fossil fuel plant predecessors, emit environmentally damaging greenhouse gases that can pollute the atmosphere. Hence, the risks of acid rains or damage of the layers of the layers of the atmosphere (by the greenhouse gases) disappear when these wind energy conversion systems are used. These systems generally are put up on ranches in rural areas, for the best performance. The supply of wind is abundant as well, with no chances of exhaustion as long as the sun remains present. Economic practicality is another advantage of these wind energy units, since farmers can continue earning a steady flow of income from the land they take on lease for setting up these energy units. The wind power units take up only a tiny section of this land, making such income generation possible all round the year.
Despite there are manifold benefits of these wind energy systems, the latter has a notable downside too. Wind flow is an involuntary phenomenon which can be rather irregular, not reaching the required places within the scheduled time. Also, these wind energy units should ideally be built at sites located far away from posh areas. Thus, the places that actually need the electricity from these plants might not get it.
However, this disadvantage has not come in the way of the wind energy plants becoming increasingly popular all over the world. Indeed the present day world needs an energy source that can sustain the atmosphere and can be renewed.
It is simply impossible to remain unaware of the innumerable benefits of wind energy conversion systems. It is recommended that you set up such a system at your home, after learning about them from a manual. Such a manual would have detailed stepwise instructions on the installation of the system, the wiring patterns used, the places where cheap components, along with free batteries, can be found, and the necessary safeguards. You will also get to know which part of the home would be ideal for installing the system. Once correctly installed, these wind energy conversion systems give off multifarious financial and ecological benefits.
Jim Martin is a researcher, inventor, home energy consultant and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, “Earth 4 Electricity- Renewable Energy Made Easy”. To Learn More about Jim Martin
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