The United States produces 6 billion metric tons of CO2 annually. Yes that is Billion! Forty percent of carbon dioxide (CO2) generated in the US comes from the generation of electricity. We are certainly not the only offender, but we are one of, if not the largest, contributor to the greenhouse gas problem.
The accumulation of greenhouse gasses is causing the earth to warm, reducing the size of ice deposits in the Arctic, Antarctica, and Greenland. This has already caused severe problems for small Pacific Island nations and threatens costal areas all over the world. The reduction of CO2 emissions is critical and needs to start with the production of electricity.
The Advantages of Green Energy seem obvious:
- Green energy is clean and can slow the effects of global warming by reducing CO2 emissions.
- Green energy is renewable unlike the natural gas and coal that are our primary sources now.
- It requires less maintenance than conventional equipment. Although the initial investment may be high, the long term savings would be significant.
- It can provide economic benefits to certain areas. For example, the leasing of land for wind farms could provide economic relief to many rural areas.
There are a few disadvantages that critics can point to.
- we have no control over the weather. The wind must blow and the sun must shine to use wind and solar technologies.
- The type of green energy used is to some degree determined by the
geographic location, particularly for energies such as hydrothermal or geothermal.
- Some have even objected on aesthetic grounds, objecting to the site of a wind farm off shore for instance.
It seems to me that the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages.
According to the Dept of Energy, if we increase the percentage of
electricity produced by wind to 20% by 2030, we can reduce CO2 emissions of the electric sector by 25%. This is equivalent to taking an estimated 140 million vehicles off of the road.
We don't really have a choice. If we don't take action now, there will come a time when it will be too late.
CLICK HERE for some really good information on how to construct and install your own green energy system.
Susan Ozmore
Showing posts with label renewable energy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label renewable energy. Show all posts
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Improve Your Home With A Residential Wind Turbine
What if I said you could cut your electric bill by 50 to 90 percent? Well, you can by installing a small, residential wind turbine on your property.
Improve Your Home With A Residential Wind Turbine
When you combine the cost of fossil fuels with the pollution and climate problems they create, it can all get a bit overwhelming. It is easy to find oneself wondering where to start when dealing with these problems. Given the state of fear attitude portrayed in most media, this is hardly a surprise. Surprisingly, the answers are fairly simple if you wade through the hype.
Wind power is a renewable energy source with a lot going for it. It produces electricity by converting the inherent energy in wind through a generator in a wind turbine. It produces no pollutants of any sort and will be available to us for as long as wind exists, to wit, a very long time. Given this fact, you are probably wondering if you are supposed to build a bunch of turbines in your yard. Nope!
As a conscientious person, you can do your part for the environment while saving some serious money on your utility bill. Residential wind turbines are the answer. Often given the nickname "small wind", these turbines are designed to work on a per home basis. Given the right conditions, a residential turbine can produce all of the electricity you need and more. In fact, the generator will be hooked up to the utility grid and you can actually sell power to the utility if you produce more than you need.
Now, the word turbine can be a bit intimidating. When I think of a turbine, I picture something large and loud. In the case of small wind, this is not the case. The machinery makes a bit of noisy, but nothing substantial. Although sizes vary, your little power producer will be roughly three to five feet wide from the tip of one propeller to the other.
The one area where residential wind power may be a problem involves height. To make electricity, your turbine needs to get 10 miles an hour of wind. This may sound like a lot, but it often is not if you go 20 or 30 feet up in the air. To this end, you can do a search for small wind information to find out the statistics for your area.
Assuming wind power makes sense for your home, you should be able to greatly reduce or outright eliminate your electricity bill.
Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com. Visit us to read more articles on wind power.
For more information click here
Improve Your Home With A Residential Wind Turbine
When you combine the cost of fossil fuels with the pollution and climate problems they create, it can all get a bit overwhelming. It is easy to find oneself wondering where to start when dealing with these problems. Given the state of fear attitude portrayed in most media, this is hardly a surprise. Surprisingly, the answers are fairly simple if you wade through the hype.
Wind power is a renewable energy source with a lot going for it. It produces electricity by converting the inherent energy in wind through a generator in a wind turbine. It produces no pollutants of any sort and will be available to us for as long as wind exists, to wit, a very long time. Given this fact, you are probably wondering if you are supposed to build a bunch of turbines in your yard. Nope!
As a conscientious person, you can do your part for the environment while saving some serious money on your utility bill. Residential wind turbines are the answer. Often given the nickname "small wind", these turbines are designed to work on a per home basis. Given the right conditions, a residential turbine can produce all of the electricity you need and more. In fact, the generator will be hooked up to the utility grid and you can actually sell power to the utility if you produce more than you need.
Now, the word turbine can be a bit intimidating. When I think of a turbine, I picture something large and loud. In the case of small wind, this is not the case. The machinery makes a bit of noisy, but nothing substantial. Although sizes vary, your little power producer will be roughly three to five feet wide from the tip of one propeller to the other.
The one area where residential wind power may be a problem involves height. To make electricity, your turbine needs to get 10 miles an hour of wind. This may sound like a lot, but it often is not if you go 20 or 30 feet up in the air. To this end, you can do a search for small wind information to find out the statistics for your area.
Assuming wind power makes sense for your home, you should be able to greatly reduce or outright eliminate your electricity bill.
Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com. Visit us to read more articles on wind power.
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