Ever wonder about electric wind power?
April 30, 2009 by Bart Forcey
Filed under Alternative Power
Wind can be an awesome force of nature, just ask anyone who has been in a tornado or powerful hurricane. We can harness this wind for the use of generating electricity for our world. When the sun shines it heats the earth, but since the earth is made of different materials and is of differing heights and valleys it heats unevenly, especially over land and water.
Daytime is when the air above the land heats up more quickly, and it heats the air over water more slowly. Warm air that is above the land expands and rises, and cooler air quickly comes in to fill the gaps, and this creates wind. In the evening, the winds reverse, because air cools more quickly over land than over water. This is why you have the differing temperatures of land near bodies of water.
Today as we look for new ways to power the earth, it is a natural thing to look at wind power. It has been used for many years to power simple machines of the past. Wind is another type of solar energy, which makes it a renewable energy source. In years past we used windmills, the wind machines of today are called turbines.
Just like the windmills, turbines also use blades to capture the wind and turn it into energy. If there is no wind, then the turbines will not turn, this means that you must have a back up source of energy. Turbines are more sophisticated than windmills and they can use even the slightest breeze to turn the blades.
Turbines today can use a horizontal or vertical axis, though most are made with a horizontal axis. They also come in many different sizes depending on what they are meant to supply energy for. If it is for a home or small office the turbines will be about 20 feet or more and can put out about 1000 kilowatts. The larger ones can put out as much as 5 megawatts, and these are used for commercial purposes. You might see wind farms which are made up of the larger turbines, and these supply a grid which can power a whole community.
You will find that most turbines used today have a horizontal axis. They have blades that are made much like airplane propellers are. A horizontal turbine will typically stand about as tall as a 20 story building and will generally have three blades which can span as much as 200 feet.
One major drawback of electric wind power is that the windmills used to generate power are massive and make a lot of noise. It can be used in remote places of the countryside as space and higher terrain is needed for it. Due to this reason it has a limited scope of use and not practical to install in densely populated areas.
How To Become Green And Save Money In 7 Easy Tips
April 30, 2009 by Gogreen
Filed under Green Tips
Nowadays when the world faces growing global warming, as more and more harmful greenhouse gases pour out into the atmosphere, more and more people are wondering how to become green and make it cost efficient too. The good news is that it’s very easy to do. In fact, done properly it’s hard not to save money while helping the planet recover. So, here’s how to become green (and save money) in 7 simple tips.
1. Lower your winter heating by at least one degree. If you can stand two or three degrees lower, then all the better. You will use less power and still feel comfortable. Then in summer, let the air conditioning cool the house a little less. That’s a great start in how to become green.
2. Set your washing machine to wash clothes in cold water. Modern cleaning powders don’t need hot water, and heating the water is what uses most of the energy that the washing machine uses.
3. Don’t use the dryer to dry your clothes! That’s not how to go green. It uses far too much energy and it’s expensive too. Hang your clothes out to dry. The air is great at drying clothes – your grandmother could have told you that.
4. Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs use one tenth of the energy that a standard bulb needs and they last 10 times longer. So, change your light bulbs. And if you want to know how to become green in a bigger way with lights, check out the new LED bulbs. They can be twice as efficient as the CFL bulbs.
5. Use less water. Check all faucets for leaks and fix any you find. Take shorter showers, don’t bath, and think about getting a new toilet cistern that will use less than two gallons of water per flush. Standard cistern use some three and a half gallons. Using less water uses less energy and saves you money!
6. Walk rather than drive for very short trips. Use a bicycle for moderate trips, and only use the car if you really have to. Gasoline is expensive and it pollutes the atmosphere. Save on burning it and you will save on your money too, as well as help the environment.
7. When you have to drive, keep your speed down to around 55 miles per hour if possible. Your car’s engine will be running at its most efficient at that speed burning the minimum amount of gas. Practice driving smoothly as well. Don’t accelerate fast from a standing start, and don’t brake hard. This is how to become green with your car, though using public transport, walking and cycling is even better.
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Making Wind Generators Affordable
April 30, 2009 by Arnold Thomas
Filed under Alternative Power
If you want to keep the electricity flowing into your home, you have to do the same thing as all of your neighbors do each month – write a check to the local utility company. Since you generally pay based on your electricity usage, this is one of those expenses which you have some control over.
Depending on the number of appliances and other electronics that you have in your house, your electric bills can easily exceed past your regular budgets putting a dent on your future plans and investments for other endeavors. It is always important to keep your bills to a minimum because electricity isn’t the only bill that you need to pay. You got the phone bills and other utilities that needs to be paid as well.
It’s always a good thing to conserve energy where you can – it can reduce your energy bills and of course it’s also good for the environment. However, there is only so much to be saved this way and if you live with people who don’t get it like you do, it can be difficult to make much headway with your conservation efforts.
One solution is to use alternative energy sources to reduce your energy costs. You’re probably already aware of solar energy and wind power, but what can you do if there are no nearby solar or wind energy providers to buy energy from?
You can use alternative energy sources to power your home all by yourself; you don’t need a utility company or your own power plant. There are smaller-scale technologies which allow you to supply your home with energy through wind power or solar energy. The only question is which of these alternative energies is best for your needs; and which fits best into your budget?
Solar energy is clean and renewable and can provide a reliable source of power for your home. However, getting a solar energy system in place can be very expensive. Solar panels are pricy and if you want to power your home with solar power, you’ll need quite a few panels for this.
Wind power, by contrast can be gotten up and running for a low cost. You can even make your own wind turbines using cheap and widely available parts. You can find everything you need online or at your friendly neighborhood junkyard for a low cost. All you need is some rotors, a structure to support them and a generator to handle converting the wind energy into electricity.
It’s cheap and incredibly easy to build a wind turbine, so you can build as many as your home needs or you have the space to set up on your rooftop or elsewhere on your property. The more turbines you have, the more you’ll save on your energy bills; you may be able to meet all of your home’s energy needs and possibly even sell your surplus energy to your local utility company! Imagine receiving a check instead of a bill each month!
If you live in a rural area with little to block the wind, you’ll be able to generate more electricity from your wind power system. You should get your turbines as high up as possible; your rooftop should work well. While you’ll usually get the best results in a less densely populated area, even those in the largest cities can and do use wind power to keep their electric bills down. If you have a roof, you can do this!
Fuel Pellets And Production Information
April 29, 2009 by Gogreen
Filed under Alternative Power
Wood has been used to heat our homes for hundreds and thousands of years, it is a traditional as it can get in terms of home heating fuels. Today log stoves and boilers are quite rare, as many people have opted for oil and gas systems. The simple reasons for this change is the lifestyle changes that can be achieved by moving on to oil and gas is very appealing to most people. The levels of maintenance required for a gas or oil system is very low compared to log systems. Global Warming, climate change and price rises mean the days of oil and gas systems are numbered. There is however a compromise to oil and gas systems in the form of a pellet stoves or boilers. Pellet systems use wood pellets to provide the heat required. The pellet stove or boiler contains a hopper and feed auger. The auger into the burn chamber, to achieve the desired heat value, feeds the pellets.
Pellets are simply a compressed form of the original raw material. The raw material is compressed into a small cylinder shape. A good quality pellet will have a smooth surface, with a shine. Under horizontal pressure a quality pellet should break cleanly, with very little dust created. A noticeable snap notice should be heard from the pellet breaking apart. As stated pellets are simply the raw material, whether it is wood, grass or straw compressed into a small cylinder. Material compression takes place in a pellet mill. The material is compressed between a set of rollers and a die in the pellet mill. The diameter of the pellet is dictated by the diameter of the hole in the die. The most common size of pellet for use in stoves and boilers is either 6mm or 8mm, with 6mm pellets used in stoves and 8mm pellets used in boilers. The size of pellet the burner can use, depends on the size of the auger, with stoves generally having smaller augers, they use smaller pellets. Pellets can be made in large diameters, for example animal feed pellets are usually 10-12mm. Past 30mm pellets are regarded as briquettes, and briquettes are not as ideal for automatic feed systems, using augers for example. Creating larger diameter pellets requires less energy, therefore the larger the diameter of pellet the stove or boiler can take, then generally cheaper the fuel. All different types of raw materials can be upgraded into pellets, to be used as fuel, or for animal feed and bedding among other uses. By processing the material into pellets, with regards to fuel makes it far more efficient during burning.
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Canadian Tourism Organisation Shamed For Fake Footage
April 29, 2009 by Gogreen
Filed under Green Holidays
The video was included in a package commissioned by the tourist board in Alberta to help promote and boast visitor numbers. It was intended to show the best features of the Alberta province in Canada and increase levels of canada holidays in the region. However, when a Canadian man called Peter Bailey saw the film and tried to track down the location to do a bit of sailing, it soon dawned on him that he would have a problem. His initial thoughts were that the beach was on the edge of one of Canada’s vast lakes but a North Sea coast in England turned out to be nearer the truth. armed with the knowledge that Alverta was a landlocked region and wad a good 350 miles from any seas, Bailey sent his findings of the the relevant people.
When Peter approached the Northumberland Tourist Board they instantly saw the funny side of the matter. ” we think its rather funny – Canada trying to sell its landlocked provinces as coastal resorts” stated Sheelagh Caygill. A large proportion of the people of Northumberland were said the be honoured rather than being put out. commenting that they are flattered that Canada consider the area good enough for their film.
Bailey also took his findings to officials in Ottawa and they took more of a defensive stance. It was used only to “symbolise the fact Albertans are a worldly people” argued a spokesman.Tom Olson who looks after media relations for the Prime Minister suggested “There’s no attempt to mislead here. The images were utilised because they represented the tone and mood that we were after.”
Spokesman have stated that although the English part of the film will remain, there is now a footer note included that credits the UK tourist board. The situation has left a number of senior officials slight red-faced but they it will not be occurring in future. Among other promotional sets that Canada has recently released include one detailing alaskan cruises so there will surely be people keeping an keen eye out for passing flamingos in the footage
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Create Solar Energy, Decrease Electric Bill And Save Energy!
April 29, 2009 by Gogreen
Filed under Alternative Power
With the demand for electricity increasing we can all expect to see our electricity prices increase, if we aren’t already. Not only will the creation of solar power lower electric bills, it will also clean up our environment.
I know, one person won’t make a big difference. But the reality is, millions will. If everyone who thought they wouldn’t make a difference stood up and started to at least try, we would create a better environment for ourselves and many generations to come.
Creating solar power has many benefits one of the most rewarding is seeing your electric bill drastically decrease. True, there can be a huge upfront cost but in the end you will be saving far more than spent.
The sun generates more than 10,000 times the amount of energy consumed by the world. We have so much energy that literally sits untapped. Untapped energy that is essentially free for our taking! Technology has made so many advances and has made solar power affordable for all of us.
How can you take advantage of the solar energy that surrounds us? There are two increasingly common ways.
The most popular solution for residential customers is solar energy kits. By investing in solar energy kits you will see your electric bill drastically decrease. This is the most environmentally friendly route to take, and they are becoming more cost effective.
The second alternative, which is less popular but highly affective.. Wind power. Now many might not think of this as solar energy, but the fact is you create renewable energy by using a natural resource which is plentiful.. The wind!
Everyone is becoming more and more aware of our environment as we think about the green house effect, and as we think of the polar bears whose natural habitat is disappearing every second of every day. Now, we can either sit and continue this destructive path or we can chose alternatives and hopefully clean up the environment in the process.
Do we want to continue to abuse the world we live in and leave it in a horrible condition for our children and our children’s children? Or do we want to start making better, healthier choices for us all? Lets all stop making excuses, even if we can’t afford this technology, we can all start making small changes.
We can turn off lights, unplug appliances, wash clothes in the evening, and change our air conditioner filters. All of theses items will lower electricity consumption which will directly lower electric bills.
If each person started to make small changes, the world would be a much nicer place to live. Not only for us, but for animals and future generations. Lets stop making excuses and start making changes.
Learn more about how you can conserve energy with Solar energy kits! Start saving energy and lower electric bills today!
Lets all leave positive impacts on this earth!
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Ways to Reduce Your Energy Bill
April 29, 2009 by Amanda J Smith
Filed under Alternative Power
With costs rising and uncertainty about the economy plaguing everyone, it is important to manage successfully from wherever possible. One of the easiest places to reduce expenses is in your house. By ensuring that you are not wasting money on water, electricity, heating, or unnecessary groceries, you can save tons of money every month.
One of the easiest things to cut down expenses on is electricity. Cutting your energy bill is going to save you thousands of pounds every year. Here are some things you can do in this regard:
- Inspection: Get a technician to examine your ventilation, heating, and air-conditioning to make sure it is operating efficiently. Sometimes a simple filter replacement is all that is needed to reduce consumption.
- Energy Star Guidelines: When buying air conditioners, look at Energy Star Guidelines to make certain you are getting one that is appropriate for your requirements. Getting one that is excessively big will only cost you more, and therefore take more energy to function.
- Cleaning: By ascertaining that your gear is kept clean and has appropriate upholding regularly, you can save money. Remember to clean the air filters on your air conditioner monthly.
- Thermostat programming: you can shun needless utilisation and save some finances by adjusting your thermostat setting with timer so that your air conditioning or heating shuts down when you are at employment.
- Seal your home: You can save on heating and cooling overheads by ascertaining that your dwelling is appropriately sealed and hot or cooled air is not leaking through small spaces within doors and windows.
- Light bulbs: Make certain you employ glowing bulbs because they can save you 25% on power, and even make less heat.
- Close the blinds: Keeping your window blinds down in the hot season will lessen the heat that enters your dwelling.
- Fans: Using fans can decrease the temperature by some degrees. Just remember to switch them off when you aren’t in the room because fans don’t cool the home, rather they just make you feel cooler when you are below them.
- Unplug gadgets: Make certain your microwave, cell phone charger, and other power consuming appliances are not plugged in when not being employed. The major waste of electricity is when people leave these appliances plugged in – even when on standby – because they employ electricity and make heat in that condition also.
- Energy Providers: You can also look for various energy providers in your area to see if you can choose cheapest possible. Some energy providers allow customers to choose a plan that costs them less rates for off-peak usage. Finally, you can pay a flat rate per kilowatt used every month. Make sure you talk to your energy provider about the options available to you.
By following these tips, you can decrease your energy use in no time, and can therefore decrease the amount you spend on power each month. Also, you are also helping the environment by using fewer resources.
Doing Your Part For The Planet With Wind Power
April 29, 2009 by Arnold Thompson
Filed under Alternative Power
More of us than ever are concerned with both protecting the environment and our wallets. People used to think that using alternative energies would simply be too costly to ever be practical, but with the rising costs of energy, many are starting to change their position.
Truly though, even if you have to spend a little bit of money getting something such as a wind generator set in place, you will save so much money on your electric bill that it will truly pay for itself over time. There are even a lot of programs out there that could possibly help reimburse you for the expenses you incurred from the installation of such generators.
We’re all interested in preserving our environment, so there are plenty of programs in place to encourage people to start using wind power. You’ll save money over time by installing a wind generator too. You’ll save on energy costs, as well as being able to sell power which you don’t use to your local utility company.
Electricity suppliers are required to buy the extra energy generated by consumers who use wind generators and other alternative energy sources who produce more than they can use. You’ll be doing your part by powering your home with clean energy and by selling the excess to your local utility; you’re also supplying clean renewable energy to other households in your area!
You can even make a little bit of money by using wind power, so everyone wins here. Wind generators are easy to install as well. You can find instructions which take you step by step through the process on installation, so there’s no need to worry. It’s easy enough for anyone to do and if you’re installing your generators in your roof, you should be able to generate enough energy to meet your home’s energy needs.
What about a back up plan? If you live somewhere where they can be times of very little wind, you can fall back on the utility company. Simply do not disconnect your hook up to the electric company just in case you ever need to fall back on them. This will ensure that you are never left without the electricity you need to run your home in a safe and pleasurable way.
This does not mean that you are not truly making a difference though. Every day that you are able to run your home off of wind power, that is one day you are not using the energy produced by the electric company. Of course, the large the wind turbine you install, the more wind you will be able to capture and turn into usable energy within your home.
This does not mean that you have to go with the largest that is out there though if that is not something you can afford at this time. Over time, you can add more and more generators, or larger ones, and you will be able to see that you are bringing in much more renewable energy.
Anyone Can Build A Wind Generator
April 28, 2009 by Arnold Thompson
Filed under Alternative Power
It’s easy to think of the electricity we use as something which is beyond our ability to supply for ourselves. The utility company has resources and expertise we don’t, we figure and even when it comes to installing alternative energy systems, most of us think of this as a difficult and complex task. However, you can install a wind generator by yourself without paying a fortune for a contractor.
If this were not a job that the average person could do, then the best thing to do would be to hire a professional. But since this is something that truly is easy enough to install and get running on your own, there is no need for service technicians or general contractors.
You can get books and magazines which tell you how to install a wind generator, but there are also plenty of different guides available online which take you through the process step by step and make this a simple thing to do. When you install your own wind generator, you’ll also save money; and isn’t that the point?
Before you begin, it’s a good idea to look into how you can get tax breaks and other incentives which will defray the cost of your wind generator. Many cities and states have programs in place which reimburse homeowners for part of the cost involved in installing wind generators and other alternative energy technologies.
These programs are meant to encourage the adoption of these alternative energy technologies to preserve the environment. The upfront costs are still up to you to cover; but these programs will allow you to recoup some of your investment in a wind generator.
Also remember that if you are able to generate more renewable energy with your wind generator then you use, you can sell it back to the power plants for them to make use of. Of course, you cannot expect to get rich from such an adventure but that is not why anyone gets involved with generating electric through wind power.
The best thing about using wind power is being able to meet your own energy needs using a source which doesn’t produce pollution and doesn’t use limited resources. This helps your home to be self sustaining. In some cases, it may be possible to make your home off-grid, meaning that you do not rely on any outside sources for your energy needs. It’s a great goal to aim for.
Wind power lets you save money, save the environment and doing something great for yourself – reducing your reliance on others to meet your energy needs. This is a great feeling.
A Wind Power Intro
April 28, 2009 by Arnold Thompson
Filed under Alternative Power
We all know how important it is to preserve our environment and conserve natural resources. This has led to an unprecedented level of interest in using wind power and other types of alternative energy. However, a lot of people really aren’t sure how wind power actually works. In fact, it’s actually rather simple. The kinetic energy of the wind is converted into electrical energy through the motion of wind turbines.
Right now, it is sad to say but only 1.5% of the world’s electricity use comes from wind power but luckily that percentage is increasing with each passing year.
The more people know about the danger posed by continuing to produce electricity by conventional means and the benefits of wind power, the more people are interested in making the transition. There are some countries which have made great advances in the use of this alternative energy technology; Denmark already uses wind power to meet 20% of its electrical energy needs.
Spain and Portugal use wind power for about 11% of their electricity supply; and Ireland and Germany get about 7% of their electricity this way. Wind power has been known for many centuries for a variety of purposes, but it is only fairly recently that this old technology has been repurposed towards generating electricity.
Even though a lot of people would complain about the look of the wind farms, calling them unsightly, there are many benefits that should be considered before passing up the idea simply because the wind farms do not look pretty. Wind power is renewable, plentiful, clean, widely distributed, and it does not produce as much greenhouse gas emissions then the other routes that are taken to produce electricity.
Wind power can produce the electricity we need to power our homes and businesses, but there may be even more than this that wind power can do for us. There has even been a car developed which can run on wind power! The technology isn’t quite ready for the consumer market yet, but it shows a lot of promise.
This super car starts with the help of a battery that is solar charged but it later gets its energy to run from circulating air. So since there are so many reasons for taking advantage of wind power, it is hard to see why anyone would not agree to such changes. After all, wind power could change the way we run errands and use electricity in our homes. Our planet will be saved and we will not have to suffer much for it.
Of course, those who live near the wind farms may think otherwise. There are complaints that the wind farms bring with them a lot of noise that can disturb the local residents. Then again, there are those who state that these wind farms produce less noise then a herd of sheep.
Whether wind farms or regular farms are noisier is a matter of debate. However, it is hoped that adopting this alternative energy will be done in the interests of society and protecting the environment, rather than on the basis of what the neighbors will think.
How Much Electricity Can You Generate Using Wind Power?
April 27, 2009 by Arnold Thompson
Filed under Alternative Power
You don’t need to be told how important it is to start moving away from using fossil fuels to produce electricity and start using alternative energy sources which do not produce pollution and are renewable. If all of us started to demand these technologies be used by our utility companies, then all of us – and our planet could start to breathe a little easier.
It’s imperative that our generation make the change and start to use renewable green energy sources and ingrain the importance of using these clean energy sources on the younger generation. One of these technologies with great potential is wind power. However, before we discuss how much energy you can produce with a wind turbine, let’s examine how wind power works.
One thing which people worry about in connection to the use of power is failing to understand how the technology works. They may fear that in the absence of a steady wind, the turbines used will not generate power. However, it takes only the lightest breeze to produce electricity. The kinetic energy of the wind is converted into electricity and can be used to meet the energy needs of homes and businesses.
A wind generator will work best when installed on the roof of the building, as this allows it to catch more wind energy. However, it may be a good idea to have a backup supply of electrical power, so you may not want to call your local utility to disconnect just yet.
If you’re not able to get enough wind power to handle your usage, this will provide you with a failsafe system to meet your electricity needs. When there is a lot of wind to use (for instance, anytime that there are winds of more than 7 mph), then you may even be able to sell the unused energy you generate to your local utility company.
You can generate enough electricity from a wind generator to supply your home with the electricity it needs; and at those times when you need more than your wind power system is generating, you can use your local electric company’s supply. Any surplus can be sold to your utility company and if you have batteries to store it, can be used another time.
Your wind generators are an investment in your energy independence which will pay for themselves and then some. Being able to sell your unneeded electrical power to your utility company is just one more way that this investment pays off. How much electricity can you produce with your wind generator? It all depends on the size of your generator and how windy of a region you happen to live in.
A 10-kw wind generator can bring in about 10,000 kWh each year when placed in a location that produces about twelve mile per hour winds on average. This is enough energy to power one standard sized household. A 5-MW wind turbine can produce 15 million kWh or more each year. This is enough to send enough power to 1,4000 homes.
Benefits of Having Your Own Wind Turbine for your Home
April 27, 2009 by Arnold Thomas
Filed under Alternative Power
Most probably, a majority of your home in your neighborhood and using the same paid energy source as you. This is either because they know how to conserve energy or budget their resources to afford it or simply because they have no other energy sources to turn to. But the truth is, there are several alternative energy sources that you can tap to without depending on any company to give it to you.
One of the popular energy sources that some households actually use is solar energy. Solar energy is a great renewable energy alternative that can save you lots of money on electricity during the daytime. Of course for it to work, you need the sun’s energy and you won’t be getting any of that during the night time. Solar panels can also be quite expensive to get and the cheaper ones need a lot of work to make them functional.
Wind power is a viable alternative to solar energy which is far cheaper to implement. If you can set up several turbines and live in an area with constant winds, you may be able to generate enough power to take care of all of the electricity needs of your home. Even if this isn’t a possibility, a single wind turbine can still save you a noticeable portion of your monthly electricity bill.
Wind turbines are a relatively simple thing; the rotors are turned by the wind and this kinetic energy is converted to electricity which can be used immediately or stored on special batteries. Having your own wind turbines at your home is something which can be very beneficial.
Unlike solar panels, it’s easy to build your own wind turbines. You’ll just need rotors, a structure to mount them on and a generator to transform the kinetic energy of the wind into electricity. You may also need a transformer and batteries depending on your particular setup. All of these parts are readily available and inexpensive. Tutorials, schematics and other instructions can be found online which will walk you through the process.
You can get all of the parts online or even at your local junkyard among other sources. It’s possible you already have some of the supplies you’ll need just lying around! You can get creative with your wind turbine building and repurpose some parts which are gathering dust around your home.
If you are living in rural or away from urban areas, you get even greater advantages since you can have windy days any time of the day and windy days will always give you a sufficient supply of energy that can be used now or later. It also matches the potential of solar energy since it doesn’t produce anything harmful to the environment making it very environment friendly.
Wind turbines are really essential to have around if you plan on welcoming wind power to your home. They are quite easy to build once you get the hang of it so you can always make more if you need additional electricity. The amount of savings you can have are extremely high and do add up.
Free Energy Options Guide: Is It all that?
April 26, 2009 by Tim McDonald
Filed under Alternative Power
Summary
Free Energy Options claims to provide step-by-step, easy to follow instructions to making your own wind or solar power at home. Our experience says otherwise – our solar panels are not even half finished, and we are still waiting for a reply from customer support.
The Positives:
1: Money-back guarantee
We were never quite able to finish the solar panel, and customer support was useless, so we requested our money back. It is a good thing that ClickBank handled all transactions, so we were able to get our money back without any hassle, even 60 days after the purchase!
The Negatives:
1: Not for beginners
Free Energy Options is definitely not a guide for beginners. The solar power plans were lacking crucial details – so much so that was almost impossible to build a working system with the plans. The wind plans were complete, but assumed the reader had some technical know-how.
2: No customer support
When we were battling to complete our solar panel system, we tried to get assistance from customer support. But 3 weeks later, we have had no response. It seems the owner, Alan Hopkins, decided to take an early retirement, and forget about helping out his customers.
Conclusion
Alan Hopkins’ Free Energy Options eBook promised to be a step-by-step, easy to follow guide, even for a technical beginner. But it was not. The instructions were so poor we requested a refund. In our opinion, Alan Hopkins does not really exist, even though his picture happens to be on the product.
We would only recommend this guide for people that like a challenge. However, rather save yourself the headache and get a guide like Earth4Energy or Home Made Energy – for about the same price – that actually delivers what it promises.
Is Homemade Energy A Scam?
April 26, 2009 by Tim McDonald
Filed under Alternative Power
Homemade Energy is guide that supposedly teaches you how to make your own solar and wind power. Written by Bill Ford – a scientist, researcher, inventor and energy consultant – the guide claims that even someone with limited technical know-how can build the systems. But does it really work? And how does it compare to Earth4Energy?
What we liked about it:
1 – We had fun:
Since the instructions for the wind turbine were so well laid out, everything went smoothly, and we really enjoyed putting the windmill together. The end result looks so professional as well!
2 – Cheapest option
The Homemade Energy Guide was the most affordable guide out on the market. Yes, it was a measly $2 cheaper than it’s rival, Earth4Energy, but us homeowners love to save every penny we can.
3 – Even a housewife could follow the plans:
It was very apparent to us that Bill Ford wanted to produce a guide that anyone could follow, since it was so easy to understand. Thought we did have a small problem with the diagrams, we still ended up with a working wind turbine.
What we did not like about it:
1 – Lacks features
At only around 43 pages long, this guide lacks that extra information and detail. Perhaps you could argue that it is to the point, however, when compared to Earth4Energy, we would rather spend that extra $2 to get that additional info.
2 – Becoming a little outdated:
We’re not sure about other users, but we occasionally struggled to follow the solar power plans easily. The diagrams did not quite flow with the instructions and we had to contact support numerous times for assistance when building the solar panels. Although they were very helpful, they never decided to pass on that knowledge to everyone by updating their guide with the additional solar panel information. Bill Ford offers free lifetime updates, but what good is that if he never revises his guide?
Verdict:
Home Made Energy is a guide for beginners that are willing to learn as they go along. The instructions and advice are sound, which is crucial any diy guide. However, Bill needs to keep up with his rival, Earth4Energy, and add more value to the guide, such as providing videos and maintenance instructions, which we – as customers – so desperately need.
Building And Making A Solar Panel – Reduce Your Bills And Help The Environment Now
April 25, 2009 by Gogreen
Filed under Alternative Power
If you´d like to cut your electricity bills in an environmentally friendly manner then you should start considering the advantages of solar power. Building and making a solar panel is a great way to save money and help the environment.
You see, renewable energy is all around us. The wind, the sun and the movement of rivers and the sea. Yet we use so little of it, choosing instead to continue using traditional electricity. There are two big problems with this.
Firstly, it is very expensive and getting more so as natural resources dwindle and our need for electricity grows higher and higher. You’ll have noticed this at least once every month when you receive your electricity bill. .
Secondly, the environment is paying a high price. Our pollutants are destroying the very air we breath and the ozone layer that protects us from the suns harmful rays. The land too is destroyed as we look for the remaining sources of valuable oil gas and coal.
So how about solar power?
Now paying to have solar panels installed is still, regrettably, pretty expensive. It’ll take you roughly 10 years to pay off your initial investment. But how about making a solar panel? They are simple to make. Probably a lot easy than you imagined. The parts are simple to find. And the really great news is that it is very inexpensive. It’s many times cheaper to make your own solar panels from scratch than to buy them ready made.
If this is your first time making a solar panel then you probably want to start off small. How about something roughly 20 inches by 20 inches? With a good set of instructions you can make one of these in a weekend without breaking the bank. You can then run something like a TV or computer off it.
But “I’m no rocket scientist” I hear you say. Well you don’t need to be. All you really have to do is follow some good step by step instructions. There´s some wiring, some soldering, a bit of carpentry but that’s it. Nothing taxing at all. And most of the parts come straight from your local hardware store.
I myself made my first one roughly three years ago. And I’m really not particularly handy round the house. So there’s no doubt that if I can do it, you can too. You can be producing your own environmentally friendly electricity and saving money. It’s lots of fun too!
You can find detailed step-by-step instructions at http://www.easysolarpanels.info . Start small until you get used to it, but I’m pretty sure that once you’ve made your first one you’ll want to make many more! I know I did.
Grab helpful points of view about traffic to website – welcome to your personal guide.
Steps to Building a DIY Wind Turbine
April 25, 2009 by David Sullivan
Filed under Alternative Power
Sometimes, conserving electricity can be quite difficult especially if you really need to use the various devices in your home. But the only downside of ignoring the problem is the increased electricity bills that can further affect your budgeting of other needs.
There’s probably only a limited amount you can do to conserve the electricity usage in your home – but there is something you can do to dramatically reduce your energy bills. Using alternative energy to replace part or all of the energy you currently buy from your utility company can save you a lot of money. Solar energy works well, but is very expensive to start up due to the cost of solar panels. However, you can buy the equipment you need to get your home using wind power at a low cost and you can even build your own wind turbines!
Like other DIY projects, building a DIY wind turbine is quite simple and if you have the necessary materials, you can just create a working one in just a few seconds. As long as you live in a rural area or a non-urban spot, you should have great savings with the wind turbine. You can even go as far as making multiple wind turbines to generate even more renewable power.
First you need to understand the three main components of a wind turbine. A wind turbine has rotors, an electrical generator for powering up the device, and the structural support to keep the device protected. The better the quality of your components, the more effective your wind turbine will be.
You can often find these (or equivalent) parts at a scrapyard. These parts are also available online at various websites, on eBay and at local retailers. You can usually find these parts at a relatively low price if you shop around.
If you’ve ever built any kind of machinery before, building a wind turbine will be nothing new to you. It’s a pretty simple project and even if machinery isn’t really your cup of tea, keep in mind that this project is going to save you quite a bit of money over time. It can be fun to make your own wind turbine and the rewards of finishing this project are well worth the small amount of effort involved.
You can find plenty of guides online which will help you to build your own wind turbine step by step. Some of these guides are freely available, but others will come at a small cost. It’s well worth your time to do a little research on any site which is trying to sell you a guide. A well written guide from a legitimate site is worth paying for, but do make sure that the site offering the guide is a reputable one before you buy from them.
There are some free sources as well including online videos that better demonstrate the ways in constructing a wind turbine that really works. Once you found a few guides and understood them all, you can get creative and build your own custom designs which you can use or sell to others that want wind power.
A clean and renewable energy source, wind power can save you a lot of money on your utility bills and many well built wind turbines may even be able to give your home all of the electricity it needs!
Sinking Boats – 5 Tips For Survival
April 25, 2009 by Gogreen
Filed under Green Holidays
Boats sink. Granted, it thankfully happens a lot less these days but they do still happen all around the world, even on five star cruises. It worth getting an understanding of how to survive a sinking, as there is a much greater chance of this happening than say being involved in a plane crash. Here are five key points that are worth learning
Life jacket. If you do one thing to help save your life, make sure it is wearing a life jacket. more people owe their lives to this piece of equipment than any other water safety item. The two main reasons are that on a sinking ship when you are very disorientated, a life jacket will always pull you towards the surface. Secondly, no one can swim for ever and so once your energy is depleted a life jacket will stop you from going under
Stay calm. Most ship sinking survivors claim that staying calm was the reason they stayed alive. When you are in a state of panic you make hasty decisions and burn up much need energy. Boats no not just sink in minutes. Most of the time they take a good few hours so spend a little time calming yourself down and thinking through your actions carefully
Stay high.When you know that a boat is heading towards to bottom, being below the deck is not where you want to be. There are a lot more hazards below deck and you can easily get trapped in rooms or pockets of water. make your way up to the deck of the ship and do not move from there
Swim away from ship. There are have been tests that disprove the theory that a sinking ship will pull you down with it. However, there is no way anyone can replicate the scenario of large ship going down and survives of such events have claimed this does happen. If you’re not the type to risk it, swim around fifty to sixty metres from the boat when it is sinking to ensure your safety
Stick together. Once in the water, if not in a lifeboat, make sure you huddle together in a group. This will help keep everyone warm, will deter any predators as they rarely attack big objects and will help you to be spotted be passing ships or rescue parties.
If you’re looking for very safe cruises go for river cruise or for a cruise agent with high saftey records look at Peter Deilmann Cruise Company
Read realistic hints in the topic of Free Traffic System – your personal guide.
Home Wind Turbine Design Explained
April 25, 2009 by Tim McDonald
Filed under Alternative Power
When one thinks of a home wind turbine, what most probably comes to mind is a gigantic tower with jumbo-jet sized spinning blades. But, with everyone becoming more aware of conserving energy, the technology has advanced so much that it is now possible to have your own small-scale wind turbine at home. Even better is the opportunity for us to make our own, without having to rely on the professionals.
So, how does a home wind turbine make power?
A home wind turbine produces power by moving a small turbine. This turbine is attached to a hub, where 3 or 5 blades are fixed, which in turn is placed at the top a tall tower. To keep the blades spinning, a guidance system or tail is attached to the hub, to keep it facing the wind.
The generator is basically an electric motor. As the coils in the motor spin past the magnets, an electric current is produced. The power produced is stored in batteries, which are connected to an inverter to change the direct current to alternating current, which can then be used to power your home. The advancement of motor efficiency, is the reason wind turbines have become so popular for home use.
The tower’s main purpose is to hold the blades high up in the sky, to catch those stronger winds. It windy areas, it can be slightly shorter, and in calmer regions, the tower will be taller.
Over time the blades have improved drastically as researchers developed lighter, stronger, more efficient blades, with the capability of turning even in the lightest breeze. Back in the day, wind turbines had five blades, and looked similar to windmill water pumps, but recently they have moved to three blades, taking the form of over-sized airplane rotors. Like the tower, the blades vary in size, according to your wind conditions and energy requirements.
What I have been describing so far is the average horizontal wind turbine. But you also get a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT), with large water-wheel type blades that spin on a vertical axis. The VAWT is not ideal for residential homeowners or small business since the blades spin close to the ground and are not capable of catching the stronger, high-altitude winds. Another concern is the amount of bird and bat fatalities caused by these large, blades that are difficult to see when spinning at full throttle.
Before going out and installing a wind turbine, it is best to ask yourself the following questions:
The area of your property
Home wind turbines tend to work better in open areas expanding over an acre, where few nearby buildings can deflect the wind.
What is the average wind speed?
The recommended wind speed should be at least eleven miles per hour, but if that isn’t the case then you may have to use a taller tower and larger blades to catch higher altitude winds.
What else can I use the wind turbine for?
The more uses you can think of for your wind power, the more attractive it will be to get one. Windmills have been used for centuries to pump water through irrigation systems, and farmers still use them today.
Do you rely on an uninterrupted power supply?
This is why so many people want to get a small wind turbine in the first place – to keep the house powered during blackouts, and prevent economic losses. Although the wind turbine may not power the house all the time, it’s stored power can be used in emergencies, when the utilities are just not enough.
Those are the keys to figuring out how much energy you need it to make, how tall the tower needs to be, and ideal sized blades, and the potential costs and benefits of buying a home wind turbine.
The great thing about technology is that it is always improving. So much so that motors have become smaller, efficient and cheap enough for us to attach a few small turbines right on the roof, and produce the same power as a larger turbine on a tall tower.
Though expert installations can be anything up to $100,000, it is possible to learn how to make your own home wind turbine for a small fraction of the cost. What’s more is America and other countries offer tax rebates to energy efficient homeowners, so not only will you save on utility bills, but also pay less tax.
Renewable Alternative Energy Renewable Energy Production
April 24, 2009 by markus highland
Filed under Alternative Power
Hydropower, as you may acceptance from the name, refers to the use of admit to after-effects power. It is one of the oldest and best about acclimated renewable action sources, adequate accustomed aback the paddle alembic was invented in the 1800s and accounts for about 3/4 of the US renewable action use today. Before of electric adeptness was broadly available, hydropower was acclimated to adeptness mills, bolt machines and for irrigation.
Technically, hydropower works in a agnate way to wind power. The ability of the movement of baptize is acclimatized usually through a aqueduct which contains blades that are pushed by the water. The spinning of the blades is what produces the electricity. Sometimes this ability can be acclimatized in what is alleged a “run of the river” arrangement area the force of a river accepted is used. Other times a blazon of accumulator arrangement is activated area the baptize is dammed up in a backlog and again appear back electricity is needed. The Hoover dam is an archetype of this blazon of system.
As connected as we acquire admit abounding on earth, hydropower is renewable. It is additionally generated with no adulteration accessories and no pollution. However, some environmentalists do not accept it to be the best anterior of adeptness because harnessing this adeptness does affect a change in the ambiance which changes the acclimatized habitats of creatures that animate in and about the admit in these areas. For example, creating a corruption like the Hoover corruption disrupts the acclimatized breeze of the river abashing ancestry breadth and accepting in the way of fish, like salmon, that allegation to bath upstream.
Along with rivers, the ocean can be acclimated to after-effects hydropower. Collapsed power, collapsed allure adeptness and angishore adeptness are all examples of appliance this renewable resource. Collapsed adeptness can be acclimated in areas that acquire a abounding collapsed abuttals breadth the acceptance and attainable tides changeabout turbines to accomplish electricity. This technology has actually been acclimated in France aback the 1960s.
Tidal stream power is similar to tidal power however it uses the energy from the continuous currents in the water. This new technology is still being researched but does show quite a bit of promise.
It is alarm that harnessing the adeptness of after-effects from the ocean can absolutely crop added activity than burst power. This too, is a new technology which uses accessories which either float on top of the after-effects or are affronted by the displacement of air by the waves. While this technology has yet to be proven, it additionally shows promise.
There is no doubt, hydropower is one of the renewable action sources we should be adorable into in the future. Its clean, renewable and abundant!


