How To Save Money By Making Your House Energy Efficient
Posted on 2009 under solar power residential | 1 Comment22 Oct
Modern day energy conservation is imperative. The shortage of power, the rapid consumption of non-renewable energy, the ever-increasing demand for power supply, and the daily warnings about our environment are enough signs to tell us that it’s time we do something.
So, what can we do? For starters, how about living off the grid? If I have startled you with that proposition, let me tell you that living off the grid not only helps the environment and helps save power; it also cuts down or eliminates your electricity bill. Now, those are tangible benefits that will make you feel good about your role on this earth as well as the savings to the family budget.
Residential solar power systems are growing in recognition across the US and all over the world. The reason for this rise in DIY-how to make your own energy is uncomplicated, you stand to save a lot of money while saving the environment.
Another proactive step you can take today to make use of renewable energy is to begin your own wind powered energy project and build wind power turbines to produce electricity yourself.
There are kits for building wind power turbines available, which can be costly, but with the right wind energy information it’s possible to make your own wind powered electricity. If your handy around tools, then building your own unit is the better way to go, but if not, buying a kit is an option if not as affordable. It is relatively easy and cheap to build wind power turbines in your own backyard.
Considering these advantages, it seems only natural that we would all undertake a DIY wind and/or residential solar power systems project.
Renewable energy resources are obtainable annually, unlike non-renewable energy resources which will ultimately be all used up. A easy contrast is a coal mine and a forest. Although the forest could be used up, if it is managed correctly it represents a nonstop supply of energy, vs the coal mine which once it has been used up is dead.
The majority of earth’s available energy resources are renewable energy resources. Renewable energy resources account for more than 93 percent of total U.S. energy reserves. Annual renewable energy resources were multiplied times thirty years for contrast with non-renewable energy resources. In other words, if all non-renewable energy resources were fully used up in 30 years, they would merely account for 7 percent of available resources each year, if all obtainable renewable resources were developed.
In 2004, renewable energy supplied roughly 7% of the world’s energy consumption. The renewables area has been increasing significantly since the last years of the 20th century, and in 2005 the entire new investment was projected to have been 38 billion US dollars. Germany and China show the way with investments of about 7 billion US dollars each, followed by the United States, Spain, Japan, and India. This resulted in an additional 35 GW (gigawatt is equal to one billion watts) of power throughout the year.
Solar power info:
Renewable energy sources are even bigger than the traditional fossil fuels and in theory can without difficulty supply the world’s energy requirements. 89 PW (petawatt is equal to one quadrillion watts) of solar power falls on the planet’s surface.
While it is not possible to take all, or even most, of this energy, acquiring less than 0.02% would be sufficient to satisfy the existing energy requirements. Barriers to further solar production include the prohibitive price of producing photovoltaic cells and dependence on weather conditions to generate electricity.
Also, solar energy does not make electricity at night, which is a specific problem in high northern and southern latitude countries; energy demand is highest in winter, whereas availability of solar energy is lowest. This could be conquered by purchasing power from countries closer to the equator during winter months.
Globally, enrgy production is the fastest rising supply of energy, seeing an yearly average expansion of 35% over the past few years. Japan, Europe, China, U.S. and India are the major growing investors in photovoltaic energy. Advances in technology and economies of scale, together with mandate for solutions to global warming, have led solar power to turn out to be the most probable candidate to replace nuclear and fossil fuels.
The available solar energy resources are 120,000 TW (terawatt is equal to one trillion watts). Less than 0.02% of these accessible resources are sufficient to totally take the place of fossil fuels and nuclear power as our source of energy.
Assuming that our rate of usage in 2005 remains stable, we will run out of conventional oil in 40 years, and coal in 154 yrs. In principle neither will in reality be depleted, as natural constraints will make production to fall off as the remaining reserves dwindle.
In 2007 grid-connected solar electricity was the fastest increasing power source, with installations of all solar cells increasing by 83% in 2009 to bring the total installed capacity to 15 GW.
Virtually half of the growth was in Germany, now the world’s leading consumer of solar electricity (followed by Japan). Solar cell production improved by 50% in 2007, to 3,800 MW (megawatt is equal to one million watts), and has been doubling every two years.
The world’s most powerful solar power plant is the 20 MW Beneixama photovoltaic power plant in Spain, although a 116 MW plant is under construction in southern Portugal, one of the sunniest places in Europe. The biggest photovoltaic installation in North America is the 18 MW Nellis Solar Power Plant.
Wind energy information:
The obtainable wind energy estimates range from 300 TW to 870 TW. Using the lower estimate, just 5% of the obtainable wind power would provide the current worldwide energy needs. The majority of this wind energy is accessible over the open ocean. The oceans cover 71% of the earth and wind tends to blow stronger across open water since there are less obstructions.
According to the Global Wind Energy Council, the installed capability of wind power improved by 27% from the end of 2006 to the end of 2007 to total 94.1 GW, with over half the growth in the United States, Spain and China.
Doubling of capability took about three years. The total installed power is roughly three times that of the real average power produced as the estimated capability represents maximum output; actual capacity is generally from 25-40% of the estimated capacity.
Information for taking steps to go off the grid:
Photovoltaic energy is not accessible at night, making energy storage an crucial matter in order to give the uninterrupted availability of energy. Both wind energy and solar energy are sporadic power sources, meaning that all available output must be taken when it is obtainable and either stored for when it is needed, or transported, over transmission lines, to where it is needed.
Wind energy and solar power can be balancing, in regions that encounter more wind in the winter and more sun in the summer, but on days with no sun and no wind the deficit needs to be overcome in some manner.
Solar and wind solar systems that are completely disconnected from the electrical grid have traditionally utilized rechargeable batteries to store excess electricity. With systems that are still connected to the electrical grid, surplus electricity can be sent to the transmission grid.
Grid metering programs give these grid-tied systems a credit for the electricity they deliver to the grid. This credit offsets electricity provided from the grid when the solar and/or wind power system cannot meet demand, actually using the grid as a storage mechanism. Credits are in general rolled over month to month and any left over credit is refunded yearly.
Eliminate your usage of non-renewable energy and help give the future generations a greener, healthier place.
If you are thinking it is not very practical to take steps to go off the grid, look for a DIY wind and home solar power systems guide. For more information check out this Residential Solar Power – Build Home Renewable Energy blog.
Mail this postPopularity: 10% [?]
by Blake, on October 23 2009 @ 1:29 am
In today’s’ recession driven economy, most people are looking for ways to save money. The modern household is searching every nook and cranny of their already strained budget to find hidden dollars and cents that can be eliminated without too much stress.