Вы находитесь на странице: 1из 7

July 24th, 2010 Published by: tiyarli

How To Make Your Own


Green Energy Source
How To Make Your Own Green The process of converting used vegetable oil before it becomes
Energy Source a biofuel takes quite awhile and it must be heated the entire
Source: http://rev-u.com/green-energy-source/ time. This is done so the fuel we produce is pure and only when
how_to_make_your_own_green_energy_source.html this is achieved that we give it time to cool.

Wouldn’t it be great if we can produce our own green energy Just how much biofuel we make after all the work varies but
source? If we can do that, we don’t have to pay electrical bills you will have an idea of how much you have produced since
or gasoline anymore for our cars. While we can buy some of this is the one you see floating at the top. If there is still some
the equipment, the rest will have to be done on our own. glycerin present, filter it again. From there, you already have
your own backyard biofuel which you can use and even sell to
Take solar or wind energy for example. We already know how those who are just as concerned with the environment as you
to harness and make it. If you want to make one, do some are.
research online and then set up the system yourself.
By making our own green energy sources, we make ourselves
To have solar energy, you will need to buy an inverter, battery, less dependent on gasoline in its various forms to power our
charge controller, solar panels, some wires and support heater, home or car. Why don’t a lot of people do it? Well
structure. The only difference with wind energy is that you simply because they don’t have the time to make it and would
need a fan. Once you have everything you need, you can put rather rely on someone else to do it for them.
it all together.

If you are not skillful, you will be happy to know that some Advantages And
companies sell the entire system. By buying it from them and
having it installed by their experts, you are sure that there Disadvantages Of Using Green
won’t be any problems the moment you switch it on.
Energy Sources
Source: http://rev-u.com/green-energy-source/
There is one more thing you need before you can use one or the
advantages_and_disadvantages_of_using_green_energy_sources.html
two green energy sources. Before you buy the materials or the
system, make sure you have a flat area that is about a hundred What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Green
square feet or so because it occupies a lot of space. Energy Sources?

For those who don’t have the space or the budget to use Today, we are now aware of the effects of global warming.
these two energy sources, another option is to create your own Fortunately, it’s not too late and we can still change which is
biofuels. why many are pushing for green energy sources.

Biofuels are used in many countries and they get it from The advantage of using green energy sources is that it is clean
harvesting corn, sugar and other crops. Luckily, you don’t need so it does not emit anything harmful into the air which has an
a farm to produce it because you can also make your own using impact on the environment. It is also renewable which means
some recycled waste. we will never run out of it unlike oil which is expected to dry
up in a decade or so.
A good example of this is vegetable oil which we use for
cooking. To turn this into a biofuel, we first filter it by warming Although green energy facilities are expensive to build, it
up the liquid and then filtering this with a coffee filter. The requires less maintenance so you don’t have to shell out a lot
next step is to remove the water also by boiling it again at 100 of money to operate it.
degrees for a short period of time.
It can also bring economic benefits to certain areas even boost
We need to know the amount of lye present in the vegetable tourism.
oil and we do this by a process known as titration. When we
are done with that, we now mix sodium hydroxide to produce While these sound good, there are some who say that there are
sodium methoxide. advantages to using such technology.

1
July 24th, 2010 Published by: tiyarli
Liquid biofuel which is the one used in cars is a natural
While green energy sources can produce electricity, how much and renewable domestic fuel that can only be used for diesel
it can generate is not consistent. This is because we have no engines. This can be made from vegetable oils mostly soy and
control of the weather so if a certain area relies on solar energy corn. The nice thing about it is that it contains no petroleum,
and there is a weather disturbance, it will not be able to convert is nontoxic and biodegradable.
sunlight into electricity.
By fueling up with biofuel, you decrease the pollutants in the
Building these facilities also requires a lot of land so we may air because it does not emit anything. Right now, it is the
have to cut on farmland which is what many are concerned only fuel approved by the Environmental Protection Agency
about if more wind turbines are to be put up. (EPA), passed every Heath-Effects Test of the Clean Air Act
and meets the requirements of the California Air Resources
Another disadvantage is the fact that some of the green energy Board (CARB).
sources cannot be installed in certain areas of the planet. For
instance, wave energy can only be utilized if the waves coming One example of this is biodiesel which is made from alcohol
from the ocean reach at least 16 feet. The use geothermal like methanol and a chemical process that separates glycerine
energy can only be done in geologically unstable parts of the and methyl esters (biodiesel) from fats or vegetable oils. Aside
planet. from methanol, some countries have also experimented with
corn and sugarcane to create their own version of biofuel.
But if you look at such arguments, places that cannot use one
form of green energy source can be substituted for another. If Glycerine is a common products and this is used in making
wind turbines need more space, they can be installed near the toothpaste and soap. Since it is quite new, the process of
coast instead of putting these on land. A study shows that you converting it is quite expensive and right now, this is still much
can generate more electricity while these are in the ocean. more expensive per gallon compared to petroleum.

While the weather is something we cannot control, it is not But if you look at what you pay for it, the returns are
everyday that there is a weather disturbance so this too shall huge because you get to do your share to preserve a cleaner
pass. If solar energy is being used and the sun is covered, the environment, an improvement in air quality and a reduction
emergency generators will be activated and use up the energy of cancer-causing agents.
that was stored.
A cheaper and primitive way to make bio-diesel is by collecting
The point is that there are ways around the arguments put by cooking oil and then processing it. This may not good your
certain individuals which discourage the use of green energy car’s engine so be careful if you decide to use it.
sources. In fact, research is ongoing to try and harness other
means to generate the power we need. If you are skeptic about biodiesels, studies have shown that
its performance on the road is just as good as petroleum in
A very good example of this is called ocean thermal energy. terms of power to efficiency, hauling and climbing. You can
Power is generated by harnessing the different temperatures use this in its pure form or blend with petroleum fuel. The
in the water. It is currently being used on a small scale both in most common mix in the market is 20/80 and is referred to
Japan and Hawaii. as “B20.” This means that 20% is biodiesel and the remainder
is 80%. Another version is the E85 which is fuel composed of
In the US, only 7% of green energy sources are used nationally. 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.
This was much higher 11 years ago and if we don’t have to
worry about the cost of oil or even reduce our dependency on The best part about using biodiesel is that you only have to
it, we have to invest more in this clean energy. make a few changes in your engine to be able to use it. Aside
from making the car run, it also helps clean the engine. If you
We can get it from green energy sources such as biomass, are concerned that this will void the warranty of your vehicle
biodiesel, geothermal, solar, water and the wind. These are should there be a problem, don’t worry because it doesn’t. In
things we have all around us and all it takes is for someone the US, B20 is the most common one available but there are
to harness it instead of relying on traditional non-renewable only a few gas stations that carry it.
means to produce energy.
When car’s first rolled out in the beginning of the 20th century,
Henry Ford planned to make these vehicles especially the
Biofuels Are A Green Energy Model T’s run using ethanol. Tests have even shown that these
Source may also run using peanut oil.
Source: http://rev-u.com/green-energy-source/
This never materialized because huge oil deposits were
biofuels_are_a_green_energy_source.html
discovered and diesel was cheap. It was only when our demand
Biofuels are also a green energy source. It has been around for for oil increased in the 1970’s, 1980’s, 1990’s and in the early
a very long time and lately, people are beginning to take notice. part of this year that people began to realize that to reduce our
demand for foreign oil that we should try using biodiesels and
other forms of alternative energy.
2
July 24th, 2010 Published by: tiyarli
But why use water? It is because hydrogen combustion is clean
Is it too late? Not yet because there is still time to use biofuels so it does not emit harmful gases into the atmosphere unlike
and others as green energy sources. cars that run on petrol or diesel that emit carbon monoxide.
Studies have shown that it also weighs less than hydrocarbon-
based fuels and burns faster than conventional gasoline.
Can You Use A Green Energy
Source Like Water To Power A So when can you expect to buy a car that uses water as a green
energy source? Hopefully in the next 10 to 20 years. It is really
Car up to the automakers because all we can do is wait until a better
Source: http://rev-u.com/green-energy-source/ and clear car hits the dealership.
can_you_use_a_green_energy_source_like_water_to_power_a_car.html
Right now, the best option we have are electric cars. Since its
Can You Use A Green Energy Source Like Water To Power A
introduction in 1999, more people are using it because they
Car?
don’t want to spend anymore for gasoline that could hit an all
For more than a century, we rely on oil to fuel our cars. But did
time high of more than $110 per barrel.
you know that the world’s oil is close to drying up because it is a
nonrenewable resource? Well that may not happen tomorrow
If water as a green energy source can be used to power a car,
or next year but we are getting closer because of the demand
why don’t we do the same for solar power which has been
in the world market. Why wait for that day when we can rely
around much longer?
on a green energy source like water to power our cars.

Water can power a car? If you think that’s impossible, well it


is already here but this is not yet being made on a commercial
Geothermal As A Green
scale. Energy Source
Source: http://rev-u.com/green-energy-source/
The German automobile BMW has produced the world’s first geothermal_as_a_green_energy_source.html
ever hydrogen powered car. While only 100 of these units were We have the technology to do a lot of things and one of these is
produced, you can already imagine if more of these vehicles to tap the earth’s energy. This is exactly what we do when we
are on the road. decide to use geothermal which happens to be a green energy
source.
The initial model namely the BMW Hydrogen 7 uses the body
of the 760i model. Once you pop the hood, you will notice that Geothermal energy is energy obtained by tapping heat from
the engine is different since it uses gas and hydrogen. the earth itself. This comes from magma and the radioactive
decay of uranium, thorium, and potassium.
This just means we have not yet totally abandoned are
dependence on gas. Given more time and money, the current The downside to geothermal energy is the fact that it is
4.7 miles per gallon it can travel using water alone could hit expensive to build. On the other hand, because the earth’s
double digits in the future. crust continuously decays replenishing the heat, it is still a
renewable source of energy.
The biggest challenge to using water as a green energy source
as opposed to oil in vehicles is the engine. While there are cars There are three types of geothermal plants around. These are
around like the Prius which runs on electricity and gas thanks namely dry steam, flash, and binary.
to fuel cell technology, the hydrogen combustion is less than
10 years old so you could say we are only seeing the tip of the Dry steam plants take steam out of fractures in the ground and
iceberg. use it to directly drive a turbine that spins a generator.
To prevent the water from evaporating, this has to be stored Flash plants take on water at temperatures over 200 °C, out of
in a large, 30-gallon, bi-layered and highly insulated tank so the ground, and allows it to boil as it rises to the surface then
this does not evaporate into compressed gas. Another safety separates the steam phase in steam/water separators which
mechanism is the valves which are designed to open should runs the steam through a turbine to generate electricity.
the pressure within the tank exceed 5 bars.
Last, you have binary plants. Here, hot water flows through
With the success of the BMW H7, the company came out with a heat exchangers and that boiling organic fluid is what spins
new car that is also partly powered by water known as the H2R. the turbine.
While we cannot yet put our garden hose into the fuselage to
fill it up, this vehicle uses liquid nitrogen as a fuel. Once power is generated, the condensed steam and remaining
geothermal fluid from all three types of plants are injected
Tests on this vehicle have shown it can achieve 285hp and back into the hot rock to pick up more heat.
reach a top cruising speed of 185.5 miles per hour. It can also
accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour under 6 seconds. Geothermal plants are used operational in different parts of
the globe. These are usually located in geologically unstable
3
July 24th, 2010 Published by: tiyarli
parts of the planet. You can see some in Chile, Iceland, New
Zealand, United States, the Philippines and Italy. At home, two If you are looking for branded parts, check out either Siemens
most prominent areas for this are in the Yellowstone basin and or ASE Americas that sell terrestrial grade cells and the
in northern California. space grade cells. The lower end model which can produce a
significant amount of power is the terrestrial grade version.
Aside from digging deep into the earth, there are some who
believe we can generate power from hot dry rocks. You have Proper wiring must be done to make sure that if one of the
to dig 3 kilometers deep are drilled into the earth first to find panels is not working, your vehicle will still move. If you are
these hot underground radiogenic granite rocks. Right now, worried that the voltage of the solar array should match the
some Australia companies are exploring this technology. system voltage of your motor, you should not to worry because
it will still run.
If you were to compare the amount of energy collected from
geothermal to solar, you still get more from the sun. Despite We mentioned earlier that the battery is also important
that, people should still use it since solar energy cannot be because this is where the solar energy will be stored. Your
harnessed when the clouds block the sun’s rays from reaching options for this are lead acid, lithium-ion or nickel-cadmium.
the solar panels. Just how many you need to buy will depend on your motor’s
voltage.
Geothermal energy is a green energy source just like wind,
hydropower and biofuel because it is a renewable. By When you finally have these two components, these will now
maximizing its potential, we don’t have to worry about the have to be connected to the motor. So you know how much
price of oil in the world market when it hit more than $110 a juice is left in your batteries, you will also need to install
barrel and is now under $40 in the world market. instrumentation similar to the heads up display console on
regular cars which tells you your speed, mileage and gas.
But that is not the only thing we should be concerned about.
We should also do our best to protect the environment given Don’t forget to put a steering wheel, suspension, brakes, tires
that coal fired and nuclea r power plants produce harmful and hubs. You may not be able to make a car that have the
gases and radioactive waste that may cause to people and the same features as like what you see done by one of the three
surrounding areas. US automakers but just enough to be able to drive it from one
place to the next.
Everyone knows that our planet has changed due to global
warming. We learned our lessons from Chernobyl and Three The only cars that use solar energy so far are the ones only used
Mile Island but this does not mean it may not happen again. in races especially the one held in Australia from travels from
the northern part of the country all the way to the south. If this
For us to do our share to protect the environment now and for has helped people realize that renewable energy is really the
generations to come, we have to promote alternative energy key to the future, the big automakers should try tapping this
and geothermal as a green energy source is just one of many technology instead of relying of still relying on gasoline.
that is currently available.
But apart from solar energy as a green energy source, biodiesel
is another alternative. This is a combination of alcohol like
You Can Build Your Car methanol and a chemical process that separates glycerine and
Powered By Solar, A Green methyl esters (biodiesel) from fats or vegetable oils. This can
also be done using corn and sugarcane.
Energy Source
Source: http://rev-u.com/green-energy-source/ Although these are not renewable, these are still considered as
you_can_build_your_car_powered_by_solar_a_green_energy_source.html a green energy sources because it is cleaner than conventional
gasoline. This means you do not release harmful chemicals
All cars are powered by gas. But with the volatility of crude
such as carbon monoxide into the air which causes damage
oil prices and because it is not a renewable, something must
to the environment. So if you can’t build a solar powered car,
be done before it is too late. Given that solar energy, a green
consider a different fuel alternative.
energy source is used to power a community, you can also do
this on a small scale by using the same principles to build your
own car. Why Is Hydropower A Green
But what do you need to make this work? A lot of things but Energy Source
the two most important are the solar array and the batteries. Source: http://rev-u.com/green-energy-source/
why_is_hydropower_a_green_energy_source.html
The solar array is vital because this is what’s used to collect Why Is Hydropower A Green Energy Source?
the sun’s rays and then converts this into electrical energy.
There are two types to choose from in the market namely the Why is hydropower a green energy source? It is because we
prefabricated type and the individual kind which you set up are able to harness electrical power by converting water into
yourself. electricity.
4
July 24th, 2010 Published by: tiyarli
between the warmer surface water and the colder deep ocean
The use of hydroelectric power or even hydroelectricity water. Still in the trial stage, it is used Japan and Hawaii.
dates back to Ancient Greece and China when they installed
waterwheels in rapidly flowing rivers to turn millstones and Hydropower is a green energy source. It is safe to use and what
other equipment. Years later, this was used in the New World is even better is that it is renewable.
which is now known as North America to power saws and other
equipment.
Benefits Of Green Energy
But the hydroelectric plants of today still use the same basic
principles as the historical waterwheel with some variations.
Sources
Source: http://rev-u.com/green-energy-source/
The difference is that we use the force of the power to push
benefits_of_green_energy_sources.html
the turbine which in turn powers a generator thus generating
electricity. For a very long time, we have relied on fossil fuels. It provides
heat to our homes, gas for our cars and electricity. Since we
To make sure that there is a steady flow of power being are now using it more than ever, there is a consequence.
produced, a dam has to be built to retain the water. If there is a We are depleting our resources and slowly killing our planet.
need for more power, the gates of the dam are opened so water Fortunately, we can change our ways and then shift our
can be released. During non-peak, the gates are closed. To attention to green energy sources.
ensure there is water at all times, some dams have a recovery
and pumping systems to the water released can be used again. But why green energy sources? Well because there are
advantages to using them which we will never be able to get if
There are issues with the use of hydroelectricity. Some claim we don’t change our ways. This is also even if some will argue
that it poses a problem for fish and aquatic plants on both that the problem with green energy is that it is sometimes
sides of the dam. Because the flow of water has been altered, difficult to generate the power we need. While that may be
the nutrient rich silt which helps crops grow could be affected true, that is why there are other green energy sources available
which is exactly what happened when the Aswan Dam was and we just to know which ones are viable given the geographic
completed in Egypt. location.

But there are ways to fix that and the bigger picture is that The various green energy sources such as solar, wind, wave,
power produced from hydroelectric plants do not generate any hydropower and geothermal do not produce anything harmful
emissions or waste which happens to be much better than which may have a negative effect on the environment. This
operating a coal-fired power plant. is the exact opposite of what you get when you continue to
operate a coal or nuclear power plant.
There is another way to generate hydropower and you get this
form the sea. This is also known as wave power or wave energy Coal you have to remember releases carbon dioxide into the
which uses changes in the air levels of sealed chambers to air. On its own, it may not cause that much damage but there
power turbines. When a wave rises into the chamber, the rise are currently 50,000 coal plants around the world and that
water pushes the air out which then turns a generator. number is expected to grow.

Once the wave goes down, air flows into the turbine and back Nuclear plants may not release anything harmful into the air.
into the chamber through doors that will close. The issue is how we dispose of the spend rods and if another
nuclear accident should occur. We remember Chernobyl and
These chambers remain afloat on the ocean and how much Three Mile Island. We have probably learned better ways to
power it produces varies. A lot of these are used on the prevent another incident from happening. Through the years,
western coasts of Scotland, northern Canada, southern Africa, a few minor accidents have occurred and although the leak was
Australia, and the northwestern coasts of the United States. contained, just imagine if it wasn’t?
These systems are usually small and can power a warning buoy
or a small light house. Green energy sources may not be maintenance free but at least
it does not require that much to maintain them compared to
There is also tidal energy. The difference with wave energy conventional means. In the end, we save money because such
is that when the tide approaches, the water is trapped in facilities don’t cost that much to operate.
reservoirs behind dams. When the tide drops, the water
behind the dam is released thus producing power similar to a The next advantage of using green energy sources is that we
hydroelectric power plant. will never run out of them. For centuries, the sun’s rays have
reached so has the wind which is blown from the sea. By using
This can only work if you have tides that are at least 16 feet and it, we decrease our dependence on oil which is a nonrenewable
since there are only a few places in the planet that can do that. resource.

Lastly, you have ocean thermal energy. Here, you get power If you think about it, many of us have taken these green
based on the different temperatures in the water. For this energy sources for granted. If we do the right thing now, future
to work, you need at least 38 degrees Fahrenheit difference
5
July 24th, 2010 Published by: tiyarli
generations will not have to face the mess that we could have technology. It is readily available unlike the other two which is
handled on our own years before. totally dependent on the weather.

In short, the power is in our hands. We have the technology Another is the fact that you can even use organic waste to
and we know what to do with it. The only thing we need is to product electricity. No other green energy source can do that
do is to put our money where our mouth is because despite the and by using this extensively, any government can save money
number of conferences on global warming and climate change, because you don’t have to spend money to dispose of the waste
little has happened. and you will no longer depend on foreign oil that much to
power your plants.
It is easy to talk about how concerned we are about the
environment but you have to ask yourself when will more solar The downside to biomass is that because you have to burn
panels or wind turbines will be erected? When will the number waste and other organic materials to product power, you add
of coal or nuclear power plants be reduced? to the pollution which is already in the atmosphere. But this
can be offset of course by planting more crops which we know
Green energy sources is the solution to the environmental, helps reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
political and social problems of this lifetime. By spending
more on these technologies, no country will have to depend on You will also have to shell out a lot of money initially for
another or even a corporation for their power needs because the costs of labor, the transport of these fuels and how these
they are self dependent and free. should be stored.

Biomass uses renewable natural resources which is why it is


Is Biomass A Green Energy considered a green energy source. This means that we have an
Source endless supply of it around just like the power of the sun or
the wind which flows from the ocean. The challenge is to find
Source: http://rev-u.com/green-energy-source/
suitable land that has a sufficient water supply so these will be
is_biomass_a_green_energy_source.html
able to grow.
Is Biomass A Green Energy Source?
This means that in areas where water is not that abundant, you
Is biomass a green energy source? According to experts, yes it cannot rely on biomass technology to generate power. When
is. In fact, it is one of the three main areas of bioenergy. that happens, you use other means and one good example
given the right geographical location is wave energy which is
But what is bioenergy? Well, it is a process by which organic the process of generating power from the water.
material such as animal waste, plants and wood are used
to generate electricity, produce heat and also aid in the There is a way to generate power without causing harm to the
production of biofuels. environment. We have the technology and the green energy
sources. We just need to muster the willingness to make it
In the case of biomass, hot air or water is generated to happen.
produce electricity. This is done through direct combustion
and is considered the simplest and most common method of
generating energy from biomass. Solar Energy Is A Form Of
Aside from generating electricity, biomass can be used for hot Green Energy Source
Source: http://rev-u.com/green-energy-source/
air production so you can keep a place warm. For this to work,
solar_energy_is_a_form_of_green_energy_source.html
biomass has to be combusted in a furnace where it heats either
water or air. Speaking of water, this enables you to have warm Solar energy is a green energy source because it is a renewable
water so you can take a shower. In short, biomass in itself can and it does not cause any harm to the environment. This is
also be used in a small scale as a heating system. achieved by converting the sun’s rays into electricity with the
help of solar cells.
Since you can generate electricity and heat, some people have
been able to combine the two which is known as combined heat There are three basic approaches how we can use this form
and power or CHP. Something that many consider to be good of green energy source namely passive, active and by using
as you use one energy source for two purposes. photovoltaic cells.

If you are able to compare the amount of electricity generated When we refer to passive solar energy, nothing is converted.
between biomass and let’s say solar energy, you will notice that What happens is the building’s design helps avoid heat loss
biomass produces more because the energy in plants is already and gets the most out of day lighting.
captured and stored.
Such a technique can also be used in homes because studies
You don’t have to collect it first which is what happens have shown that this can reduce the heating requirements by
with solar or even wind energy since this is manufactured as much as 80% with minimal cost. This means you don’t have
to turn on the air condition or heater that often and if everyone
6
July 24th, 2010 Published by: tiyarli
does that, we don’t consume that much electricity which we get
from non-renewable resources.

The second approach which is active solar energy is the first


way of converting sunlight into heat. You should know that
there are certain limits to this one and all it can do is make sure
you have hot water.

The third approach is the big scale version and it can power
an office or an entire home. This is done with the help of solar
cells that convert sunlight into electricity. The smallest ones
around can be seen in calculators and watches with large ones
planted over huge acres of land.

The only limitation to this green energy source is the fact that it
can only generate power when the weather is good and the sun
is out. Should it rain, then nothing is collected and converted.
When this happens, the auxiliary system is turned on until the
weather improves.

Despite that, scientists and students themselves have made


solar powered cars. NASA or the National Aeronautical Space
Administration has sent satellites into space that are powered
by solar panels. A fully functional airport can function on its
own thanks to solar power even if it is situated in the middle
of the frozen desert.

So people can see the awesome power of solar energy, did


you know a kilowatt of solar energy can produce 5.5 hours
of electricity per day. If you have more solar cells in place,
naturally you will be able to produce enough power to last
several days.

Solar energy is just one form of green energy source around.


Through the years, we have learned to tap other resources
and these examples include wind power, geothermal energy,
hydroelectricity and biogas. These are all safe and by using
these more often, we don’t need to depend on oil which is a
nonrenewable resource.

To make this happen, we have to persuade our law


makers to promote the use of such resources. Although you
hear speeches left and right about their concern for the
environment, it is all talk and not that much action. It is
something that has to change.

Two countries that have increased solar usage happen to be


Germany and Japan. Spain, France, Italy and South Korea are
next in the list and where is the United States? Well, one thing
is for certain and that it is not in the top 10 despite the fact that
it is an industrialized nation.

Вам также может понравиться