What Are Renewable Energy Resources and How to Reduce Your Electricity Bills!

Renewable Energy refers to energy generated from natural resources which are replenished in the normal course. Solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy, etc as well as energy extracted from biomass and biofuels fall in this category. To develop environmental friendly methods in generating power is a brilliant renewable energy innovation from a renewable energy company. Producing renewable energy powered generators for unfaltering energy supply and cut down the cost of energy utilization. Harnessing renewable energy resources for a clean energy supports the environment as well as the future. Here are four of the best renewable energy innovations. We shall briefly look at the major renewable energy systems: Solar energy Wind energy Tidal (Wave) Power Biomass Solar Power as Renewable Energy Source The sun has a surface temperature of about 27 million deg. C. and emits radiations covering a wide range of frequencies in all directions. A part of the radiations fall on the earth as it goes round the sun. Allowing for the various losses of the radiation on way to the earth, on an average we receive about 800 W/m2 of solar power at the equator. Solar radiations include infrared frequencies which provide heat and also visible radiations which provide light. The solar energy, therefore, can be used in a very versatile manner. Photovoltaic cell-assemblies as arrays and panels are used in isolated homes and communities for providing electricity; they are also used in large power stations for utility supplies. Heat for industrial processes as well as for supplementing the large thermal power stations is provided by using the solar concentrators in large installations. This is a truly versatile renewable energy source which is inexhaustible and also totally nonpolluting. They come in all sizes to fit the needs of every household. When it first came out solar panels are so tiny it can only power a calculator. There are two types of solar panels, first is the solar thermal collector that heats waters for consumption or homes. A solar thermal collector is basically made of an insulator box and a black metal absorber. Natural convection takes place with solar thermal panels and is widely used in sunny European countries to cut down water heating costs. The other is the photovoltaic panel. These are solar

panels that are made of wafer based crystalline silicone cells or a thin- film based on cadmium telluride or silicone. It converts light energy, thus the name photovoltaic, into energy by photovoltaic effect. Solar panel reduces carbon emission in the atmosphere promoting cleaner energy. Wind Power as Renewable Energy Source One of the cheapest sources of renewable energy is the wind energy. Windmills have traditionally been used for pumping water (as exemplified by Holland) or for grinding grains. These windmills have taken on the modern role of providing electricity superbly. The three bladed windmills use turbines connected to generators for producing electricity; they are installed in the form of large windmill farms over large areas. Good wind sites are generally in remote locations often situated miles away from large load centers such as cities or industrial centers. In any case it would be difficult to install large banks of windmills within cities or near urban centers. Rotation of Earth, unevenness in heating of the atmosphere by the sun, and irregular surface of the Earth are the basic causes of creation of winds. This is another manifestation renewable energy of the sun available in a different form. Water as a renewable energy resource has been known to man since the late 600 AD. Windmills are used to grind up produce and draw water up water. Modern wind mills or properly known as wind turbines makes use of the wind to produce electricity. Wind turbines convert kinetic wind energy into mechanical energy then into electricity. There are two types of wind turbines, namely the horizontal axis wind turbine and the vertical axis wind turbine. Between the two, the horizontal axis wind turbine is more common than the other. Everybody can recognize a tall tower with horizontal axis blades are called wind turbines. Tidal Power as Renewable Energy Source Tides take place due to relative motion of the earth, the sun and the moon, and the gravitational forces of these planetary bodies on the waters in the oceans. A huge amount of water moves twice a day in and out of estuaries as tides and harnessing this amount of water could yield a great deal of energy. In the olden times tide mills had been in use in Europe as well as in USA. Tides are more predictable than wind energy and solar energy, and energy supply from tides would be reliable and plentiful. Tidal power generation has to be tied up with other large power systems because tidal power is available only when the tides move in or out, say for a maximum of ten hours a day. However there are large technological problems in converting the tidal flow into useful electrical power.

There are various countries actively involved in developing technologies for harnessing tidal power. It is generally widely acknowledged that tidal power has vast potential as renewable energy source for electricity generation in future. Tidal steam generators produce incredible amounts of energy due to the high density of water flowing from the ocean. Geographically speaking, this type of renewable energy is only available to countries that have access to the sea or coastal areas. It is considered as one of the best long term renewable energy resources in the world. Using tidal turbines rather than coals to run heavy machineries can reduce the output of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Biomass as Renewable Energy Source By photosynthesis chlorophyll in plants converts atmospheric carbon dioxide into carbohydrates. Biomass is like solar energy stored in the form of carbohydrates. You burn it and the solar heat is released. Biomass has been used from ancient times for obtaining heat. Who knew that there's a Do It Yourself version of this contraption. Now left over food and animal litter has more usage other than fertilizers. On a larger scale, biomass, being the most abundant of all can generate powers providing large farmlands and forests. A renewable energy company that utilizes biomass normally makes use of the biomass steam cycle to generate electricity. Other ways of utilizing biomass is by extracting biomass fuel from decaying materials. The modern technology can not only use biomass to produce electricity by burning it but can also convert it into biofuel which can be used in vehicles or convert it into combustible gases. Whichever route we take in using biomass, it is an unavoidable truth that we shall finally face the problem of releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. There are many plants which are suited to being used for generating electricity or for being converted into biofuels or for gasification. There is, however, a lot of work that needs to be done to avoid fertile land being switched from production of food to production of crops as biofuels or to avoid crops and their produce being used to produce biofuel instead of being used for human consumption. Want to know how to completely build and install your solar panel, this guide comes with complete pictures and diagrams to show you step-by-step what you need to do. Click Here for More Information