Welcome Note

Do you love our Mother Earth? You should have an answer in your heart. How do you take care of our precious earth? Our mother earth is in peril. She is suffering now. Thus, we human must know how to make our earth healthier and cleaner. We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.

There are many energy sources today that are extremely limited in supply. Some of these sources include oil, natural gas, and coal. It is a matter of time before they will be exhausted.

Estimates are that they can only meet our energy demands for another fifty to seventy years. So in an effort to find alternative forms of energy, the world has turned to renewable energy sources as the solution. There are many advantages and disadvantages to this.

Renewable energy sources consist of solar, hydro, wind, geothermal, ocean and biomass. The most common advantage of each is that they are renewable and cannot be depleted. They are a clean energy, as they don’t pollute the air, and they don’t contribute to global warming or greenhouse effects. Since their sources are natural the cost of operations is reduced and they also require less maintenance on their plants. A common disadvantage to all is that it is difficult to produce the large quantities of electricity their counterpart the fossil fuels are able to. Since they are also new technologies, the cost of initiating them is high.

Solar energy makes use of the sun’s energy. It is advantageous because the systems can fit into existing buildings and it does not affect land use. But since the area of the collectors is large, more materials are required. Solar radiation is also controlled by geography. And it is limited to daytime hours and non-cloudy days.

Wind energy uses the power of the wind to produce electricity. Although it is the largest job producer, it is reliant on strong winds. Wind turbines are large and, although you can use the area under them for farming, many consider them unattractive looking. They are also very noisy to operate. In addition, they threaten the wild bird population.
Hydroelectric energy uses water to produce power. This is the most reliable of all the renewable energy sources. On the down side, it affects ecology and causes downstream problems. The decay of vegetation along the riverbed can cause the buildup of methane. Methane is a contributing gas to greenhouse effect. Dams can also alter the natural river flow and affect wildlife. Colder, oxygen poor water can be released into the river, killing fish. And the release of water from the dam can cause flooding.

Geothermal energy uses steam from the Earth’s ground to generate power. It uses smaller land areas than other power plants. They can run 24 hours per day, every day of the year. Disadvantages are that it is very site specific and, along with the heat from the Earth, it can also bring up toxic chemicals when obtaining the steam. Drilling geothermal reservoirs and finding them can be an expensive task.

Biomass electricity is produced through the energies from wood, agricultural and municipal waste. It helps save on landfill waste but transportation can be expensive and ecological diversity of land may be affected. In addition, its process needs to be made simpler.

Ocean energy is a clean and abundant energy form. It does, however, have high costs. Ocean thermal energy also requires close to a forty degree Fahrenheit difference in water temperature year round. In addition, construction and laying pipes can cause damage to the ecosystem.

There are many advantages to the use of renewable energy sources. There are also some disadvantages. The fact is energy demands will continue to increase. Through research and development, as well as, new technologies, the hope is many of the disadvantages of renewable sources of energy can be eliminated and we can successfully incorporate it into our power supplies.

There's so much pollution in the air now that if it weren't for our lungs there'd be no place to put it all. The earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. This we know. All things are connected, like the blood which unites one family. All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.

Touch the earth, love the earth, honor the earth, her plains, her valleys, her hills, and her seas; rest your spirit in her solitary places. Earth provides enough to satisfy everyone's need, but not enough to satisfy everyone's greed.

Love the Earth now. You can a make a difference.

Regards,

Kenx(Admin)

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What is the most promising renewable energy source?

The most promising source of renewable energy is definitely solar energy. This is primarily because the Sun is the most abundant source of renewable energy available on our planet. At this time solar energy, despite its huge popularity, still accounts for less than one percent of total global energy demand, which means that world is still far away from turning solar power into a dominant source of energy on our planet.

Fossil fuels will likely continue to rule the energy world, at least for the next 30-50 years, if not till the end of this century. Fossil fuels have tradition and proven technology, not to mention the powerful lobbies on their side. However, world has to also think about the climate change issue and this is where renewable energy sources such as solar have a huge edge over fossil fuels.

The prices of solar panels have been experiencing steady decline for the past couple of years, and this trend will also have to continue in years to come. Why? Because solar power technologies first need to achieve cost-competitiveness with fossil fuels before being implemented on much wider scale.

The intermittency of solar energy is also one of the issues that solar energy industry will have to solve as soon as possible. There have been many promising solar energy storage solutions that could do the trick for intermittency but science still has to find the adequate energy storage solution that would be commercially viable.

Solar panels also need to significantly improve their efficiency. The current average level of efficiency is less than 20%, which means that lot of potentially useful energy gets wasted in the form of heat. Scientists have done numerous researches with the goal of improving the efficiency of solar cells but so far the majority of proposed solutions have been connected with high costs.

Solar power technologies have only started developing and they will certainly take some time before fulfilling their enormous potential. Solar energy is currently having huge public support as well as large funds at its disposal which means that solar power industry has excellent foundations on which to build its future.

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The need to switch to renewable energy

Climate scientists have long warned us that global warming is accelerating due to the continuous rise of greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide into the earth’s atmosphere.

Unless quick action is taken to reduce or stop such emissions, global temperatures will continue to rise, resulting in irreversible damage to our natural habitat.

Josef-Fell ... ‘There’s a need to switch fast to renewable energy to mitigate the impact of rising fossil-fuel cost.’

Many governments are convinced of the urgency to develop strategies that could help alleviate global warming by incorporating climate protection strategies into their economic models.

Hans-Josef Fell, a German parliamentarian and spokesman for the country’s green energy policy, believes that the world economy needs to switch from a fossil-fuels based energy to renewable energy in order to achieve sustainability.

Fell was recently in Malaysia to give a speech at the inaugural Energy Expert Series organised by Malakoff Corp Bhd as part of the company’s community partnership programme.

“The price of fossil fuels (including coal, oil and natural gas) will continue to rise over the years, and these resources are fast depleting due to rising demand for them, and what’s more, these resources are not replenishable,” Fell explains.

“So, there’s a need to switch fast to renewable energy to mitigate the impact of rising fossil-fuel cost on the economy, as well as avert the negative implications of depleting mineral resources, on top of (reducing) carbon emission,” he adds.

The main appeal of renewable energy, which can be derived from naturally replenishable resources such as solar, wind, hydro, wave and geothermal heat, is that it does not cause pollution.

In Malaysia, this theme of sustainability has become increasingly important.

Take, for instance, the incorporation of green technology into the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry as well as the launch of the National Green Technology policy last year.

As it currently stands, however, electricity generation in Malaysia is still largely dependent on fossil fuels - coal, oil and natural gas account for around 85% of total electricity generation in the country, while renewable resources make up only around 1%.

According to Ahmad Hadri Haris – the renewable energy advisor to the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry, the target is to increase the usage of renewable energy to at least 9% of total electricity generation in Malaysia by 2020.

Hadri is also the chief technical advisor of the Malaysian Building Integrated Photovoltaic (MBIPV) project.

Towards this end, the Malaysian Renewable Energy Act, or RE Act, is currently being drafted by the ministry.

The bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament in October.

“The RE Act is the foundation of promoting renewable energy in the country,” Hadri explains.

But Fell emphasises that an RE Act should be more than just a policy.

“A detailed action plan is also needed,” he says.

The RE Act will incorporate all the critical factors that will ensure the success of the renewable energy sector in the country, according to Ahmad Hadri. These include guaranteed access to the power grid for private producers of renewable energy and high feed-in tariff rates to produce attractive returns on investment and a fixed tenure for those rates in order to provide certainty to investors.

The feed-in tariff rates and duration proposed to the Government vary according to the type of renewal resources.

For instance, wind would command a rate of 23 to 35 sen per kilowatt for 21 years, biomass 24 to 35 sen per kilowatt for 16 years and solar at RM1.25 to RM1.75 for 21 years.

The objective is to ensure a rate of return on investment in renewable energy of between 5% and 13%. It is understood that if the RE Act were to be passed by Parliament within this year, feed-in tariffs for renewable energy would be implemented by 2011.

Feed-in tariffs is a concept aimed at reducing long term cost barriers for the public to work alongside the Government to achieve energy security, mitigate climate change and energy autonomy, while spurring new economic activities.

“Renewable energy deserves much more focus, and there must be serious commitment by all parties, including consumers and individuals, to make our energy green,” says Malakoff chairman Tan Sri Abdul Halim Ali.

He adds that green policies are no longer just “feel good” concepts, but are real issues that we must embrace. “Promoting green energy is not only socially responsible, but it is also commercially and economically viable,” Abdul Halim reckons.

Based on projections by experts, Ahmad Hadri says the renewable energy sector could provide at least RM70bil worth of business revenue for the private sector, and could potentially generate tax revenue of at least RM1.76bil for the Government by 2020.

Another economic and social benefit arising from the renewable energy sector is job creation. Experts have estimated that at least 52,000 jobs could be created from the construction, operation and maintenance of renewable energy plants by 2020.

By The Star Online.

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Renewable energy needs a push

FAST-DEPLETING fossil fuels and rising greenhouse emissions have led to a race among nations to drive the agenda of renewable energy (RE).

In Malaysia, while the pursuit of renewable resources may pale in comparison to other major countries, there have been a few strides towards this end.

Just over the week, the country's largest renewable energy park by Cypark Resources Bhd was launched while a milestone is expected to be marked with the Renewable Energy Act expected to be passed soon. Public participation has also increased, especially following the near-nuclear disaster in Japan which has prompted the masses to urge the Government to relook its plans to introduce nuclear energy in Malaysia.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry's RE/Malaysia Building Integrated Photovoltaic Technology Application (MBIPV) national project team leader and chief technical adviser Ahmad Hadri Haris says the RE prospects are bright as Malaysia has resources it can readily tap, such as solar, biogass, biomass and hydro.

“However, renewable energy needs intervention to grow. It will get a push from the Renewable Energy Act. With the Act, interested parties can develop renewable energy in a safe and secured manner as the generation can be sold to Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) over a guaranteed period,” says Ahmad Hadri.

Essentially, the RE Act will enable individuals/investors to earn income by selling electricity generated from renewable resources at home to utility companies.

“We expect the second and third reading this month ... the Act will be enforced probably in May or June, so the feed-in-tariff (FiT) will also come on board then,” says an industry player.

Promoting renewables

Concurrently, the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (Seda) Bill, which is to institute the establishment of Seda Malaysia will also be tabled. Seda will be responsible to spearhead renewable energy development as well as to manage the FiT programme. A fund will also be established and administered by Seda. A 1% tariff hike could come about to cover cost associated with the FiT scheme when it comes into force.

Ahmad says it would be a very minimal impact given that 1% of a RM100 electricity bill would cost RM1. He says some 56% of the nation would not be impacted as they consume less than 200kwh a month.

Under the FiT, up to 30MW of electricity generated from four renewable sources, solar photovoltaic, biogas, biomass, and small hydro, are eligible to apply to connect its power generator to the national grid, and sell the power back to utility companies such as TNB, Syarikat Sesco Bhd and Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd.

What it means is that if you have a solar photovoltaic (PV) generator at home, you can apply to connect this generator to the grid, and get paid for selling the electricity to TNB over an agreed timeframe.

Ambitious targets

Malaysia plans to achieve 985MW or 5.5% share of renewable energy in the energy mix by 2015. Currently, renewable energy contributes less than 1% to the energy mix in Malaysia. By 2020, the target is for renewable energy to comprise 11% or 2,080MW of overall electricity generation in the country.

Currently, the country's energy demand is largely met by fossil fuels. OSK Research head Chris Eng says the passing of Renewable Energy Act would be “crucial” to achieve the Government's target: “I think key to driving the adoption of renewable energy at the end of the day would be the act.”

He says the target of 985MW by 2015 and 2GW energy to be sourced from renewable energy remains tough as currently the electricity generated from green energy is limited.

According to the Energy Commission chairman Tan Sri Ahmad Tajuddin Ali, renewable energy will be moved out from its portfolio to be managed under Seda once the Act is passed.

He says currently the country is producing some 500MW electricity from renewable energy but only 50MW is connected to the grid as other are used in-house such as the plantations sector.

Tajuddin says the FiT has to be ready in order to lower the hurdle in investing in renewable energy project or many project will not kick off as it is not viable economically.

MBIPV's Ahmad believes the target of achieving 11% of overall electricity generated by renewable energy by 2020 is achievable.

“Yes, because the target is very modest in comparison to what has been achieved in other countries (closest to us is Thailand).

International FiT expert and independent energy policy consultant and researcher at the Environmental Policy Research Centre of Freie Universitat, Berlin, David Jacobs believes the short-term target of 5.5% is definitely achieveable. He says, however, Malaysia should have a more ambitious long-term target.

“With Malaysia targeting to achieve 25% of total usage of renewable energy by 2050, other countries would be in the 60%-70% range by then.”

Hurdles aplenty

Among the challenges faced in this drive towards renewable energy is the lack of understanding as well as the current distortion that exists in power generation cost given the subsidy elements. In addition, others contend that while Malaysia may appear to be a solar-rich country, effective sunlight is low, curtailed by the fact that its skies are cloudy. As for wind turbines, others contend that the wind speed in the country is not strong enough.

Cypark director K.K. Siow does not agree with critics who say that cloud covers make it less attractive to invest in solar energy. He says the radiance is strong enough, explaining that 10MW produced in Pajam could supply power to some 40,000 to 50,000 people in the area.

Ahmad is confident these challenges can be overcome: “There are solutions for any problem. We just need to adopt the correct one for Malaysia ... a technology in Europe may not be suitable in Malaysia.

“For example, the thin-film solar technology is less accepted in Europe, but is proven to be better in Malaysia's cloudy climate. In Malaysia, we can generate 1.3 times more solar power output than Germany (the current No. 1 country in the solar market),” he says, adding that the same applies to wind. “Thus we just need to find the right technology for Malaysian climate.”

Whither electricity prices?

On the impact of the RE Act to end users, most observers contend it would likely be minimal and not as significant as say, if gas subsidy were to be removed or if coal prices continue to climb.

“The impact from Act is only 1% at the next tariff review. In any case, for this year, the Government has already allocated a fund to start the Act. In the mid to long term, as the country uses more than 50% of renewable energy in the mix, Malaysia can better control its energy imports and would be less affected to price volatility. Thus, we can become more energy independent,” Ahmad Hadri says.

One of the notable developments in the industry is the opening of a 26ha renewable energy park in Pajam, Nilai by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak. Cypark invested RM94.29mil to build the park with national grid connection on a remediated landfill.

Comprising a 2MW biogas plant and a 8MW solar power facility, the RE Park is expected to generate RM12.16mil in gross national income in 2020.

The RE Park involves the integration of three potential resources available at the landfills such as solar, landfill gas and waste into a scalable renewable energy project generating up to 10MW of power in the Pajam landfill.

Cypark group chief executive officer Daud Ahmad says Pajam landfill is one of the 17 landfills that the Government has mandated to close down. Cypark will replicate ways of unlocking the economic value of the land for the remaining 16 landfill sites and it has also proposed to do the same for another 32 landfills.

“With the additional 32 landfills and the existing 17 landfills, producing 100MW is not an issue,” he says.

In Cypark case, it uses land (landfills) of no economic value which could not be use for any activity for the next 20 to 30 years. It is basically transforming a tract of land of negative value. “It is a 100% beneficial from an economic point of view to convert negative-value land to a fully-utilised land to produce electricity,” Daud says.

OSK's Eng says the current projects are “not particularly lucrative” given the 21 sen per kWh tarriff for all renewable energy projects but this could change.

“While the final tariff rates may still change, based on information published on May 5, 2010, the FiT for solar power generators ranges from RM1.25 to RM1.75 per kWh while that for biogas is from 28 sen-35 sen per kWh.

“This would make it much more lucrative to run a solar power and biomass or biogas power plant. Indeed, TNB has announced its own RE plants including a joint venture with Felda Global for a RM120mil fresh fruits bunches biomass plant and feasibility studies for its RM60mil solar power plant,” Eng says.

By The Star Online.

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Renewable energy a growth sector for Malaysia

THE renewable energy sector is fast gaining ground as a new growth area for many countries worldwide with the vast potential it presents environmentally and economically.

Renewable energy plays a major role in meeting a country’s energy needs, enabling businesses to reap energy cost savings and revenue while combating global warming.

On the homefront, renewable energy is seen as a growth sector that will help propel the country into a high-income economy.

The sector, however, is still relatively undeveloped in the country as reflected in the low achievement of renewable energy targets under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).

According to PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services associate director (sustainability and climate change) Mark Wong, the 9MP targeted the production of 350MW of grid-connected electricity from renewable sources, translating into 1.8% of electricity mix.

“However, only 53MW was achieved by the end of 2009, or 15% of the targeted capacity,” he said.

The 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP) re-emphasised the use of renewable energy to meet Malaysia’s growing energy demands, in particular hydro power for electricity generation and blending of biofuels for transport sector.

Two of the steps taken by the Government to help boost development in renewable energy sector is the plan to implement a feed-in tariff programme later this year and the mandatory blending of biofuels for transport sector in 2011.

Wong said renewable energy was expected to contribute about 6% of the country’s electricity production mix in the next five years and about 11% by 2020.

“Renewable energy is often perceived to be a green initiative that is something nice to do. What needs to be understood is that there is a strong business case for renewable energy sector in the long term,” he said.

Renewable energy advisor to the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry, Ahmad Hadri Haris, had said in a report that based on projections by experts, the sector could provide at least RM70bil worth of revenue for the private sector and potentially generate tax revenue of at least RM1.76bil for the Government by 2020.

Another economic and social benefit arising from the sector is job creation. Experts have estimated that at least 52,000 jobs could be created from the construction, operation and maintenance of renewable energy plants in the country by 2020.

ACCA Global head of sustainability and corporate social responsibility Henning Drager said there was a strong recognition that the dependence on fossil fuels needed to be curtailed. This is based on the Government’s support of renewables as reflected in the National Renewable Energy Policy and Action Plan.

“Communities, industries, businesses and households need a reliable energy supply to prosper.

“Ramping up the renewable energy generation percentage is crucial if Malaysia is serious about reducing fossil fuels’ contribution to climate change, addressing energy security issues around importing oil and coal from unstable global regions, and the creation of skilled and unskilled jobs in the domestic renewables sector.”

Latest projections by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development is that renewable energy, especially solar power, could play a large role in Malaysia’s future energy generation. This is because the country is blessed with over 250 days of sunshine a year, thus providing great potential to meet the energy needs of businesses and communities.

Amsterdam-based international expert on corporate responsibility and sustainable development, Paul Hohnen, concurred.

He said the country’s challenges in the long term included the transition from its reliance on finite supplies of oil and gas to renewable sources such as solar power and also to ensure maximum diversity and sustainability of its ecosystems.

“At the end of the day, the sun is Malaysia’s greatest renewable asset. It sustainably powers forests and farms, as well as tourism. But there is still much untapped potential and this is where much of the growth potential is.

“If Malaysia can achieve this transition, it will create firm foundations not only for domestic solar power industries but also industries based on plant genetic diversity (such as medicines), and sustainable crops for fuel, food, fibre and fertilisation,” he said.

Drager said significant upfront investment would be required to increase the contribution of renewables based on a thorough assessment of their respective generation potential.

“Addressing any structural, political and cultural barriers to redirecting government subsidies towards this sector will be a key element for future success,” he added.

Drager said a detailed renewables job creation programme would need to be worked out by the Government to match the skills based on the renewables ambition.

“The programme should also address Malaysia’s high-income model because the highly-skilled labour required, including engineers, electricians and project managers, will be able to demand salary premiums and create aspirations around joining Malaysia’s renewables drive.”

Concrete measures and frameworks needed to be worked out across stakeholder groups and these include low and no interest loans, longer return-on-investment timelines, tax incentives and ambitious renewables targets, he said.

By The Star Online.

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Where Do Electronics Go When They Die?

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10 Ways to Keep Cool at Home Without Air-Cond

Save energy during hot day. It’s easy to keep your house cool without air conditioning. Employing a few basic environmentally friendly principals will help keep you cool and will help you save money.

1. Hot Air Out, Cool Air In

The most basic thing you can do to keep your house cooler without air conditioning is to keep as much sunlight out as possible and let cooler air in at night. During the day, keep windows, drapes, blinds or shades closed, especially on the southern and western sides of your home. If you have a porch, you can put up large plastic or bamboo shades to cut down on sunlight.

2. Windows

Use white or light colored window dressings to reflect light. You can also apply reflective slicks to windows to further cut down on light. At night, leave cabinets open as well, as they will store heat.

3. Be a Fan of the Fan

Moving air is cooler air. At night, place fans in windows to bring more cool air in. Ceiling fans can also make a big difference. In terms of cooling, even a one-mile-per-hour breeze will make you feel three to four degrees cooler. In terms of energy savings, if you run a ceiling fan full-blast for 12 hours, you will only spend about $10 a month in electricity. Ceiling fans have two settings, one to pull air up, and the other to push air down. Make sure your ceiling fan is blowing down.

4. Turn Your Fan into an Air Conditioner

Another easy way to cool your home without air conditioning is to place a bowl of ice or a frozen milk jug in front of one or more fans.

5. What’s hot in your home?

It’s one thing to keep hot air and sunlight out; it’s another to identify the appliances in your home that generate heat. If you aren’t at home during the day, it is easier to simply shut off as many electric appliances as possible. If you spend more of your day at home, try to use heat-generating appliances only during the coolest part of the day.

6. Electronics

Keeping your electronics on a power strip provides a quick way to “power-down” before leaving for the day.

7. Light Bulbs

Change incandescent bulbs for cooler fluorescent bulbs. Turn off lights when not in use.

8. Humidity

Humidity makes a room hotter. Do laundry early or late in the day. Take showers or baths during the cooler times of day. If your bathroom, laundry room or kitchen has vents, use them. Invest in a dehumidifier if you live in a humid climate.

9. Insulate Your Attic

A well-insulated attic, especially when an attic ventilating fan is used, is one of the best ways to keep heat out of your home.

10. Landscaping

As you plan out landscaping for your home, be mindful of having deciduous trees, trellises and shrubbery on the southern and western portions of your home. Don’t place heat-absorbing rocks, cement or asphalt too close to the house.

With a small amount of planning, you are on your way to a cooler and more enjoyable hot day!

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10 Tips to Save Energy & Money in Your Home

A whopping 46 percent of home energy use is, umm, energy loss! In other words, no productive energy use at all! Here are simple ways of reversing this, mostly by changes of habit.

1. Each degree you turn down the heat saves 3 percent of heating costs, while each degree you raise the temperature of your air conditioner saves 3-4 percent of cooling costs. By changing the temperature by 2 degrees all year, you can save about 2,000 pounds of C02 a year.

2. Cook with a slow cooker or a toaster oven (or even a solar oven!) to reduce electrical use from kitchen appliances. For a meal that requires one hour to cook in an electric oven, and which uses 2.7 pounds of C02, a crockpot uses 0.9 pounds of C02 for seven hours, a toaster oven takes 1.3 pounds of C02 for 50 minutes, and a microwave only 0.5 pounds of C02 for 15 minutes of cooking. A solar cooker requires NO C02!

3. Switch to a laptop instead of using a desktop computer and cut three-quarters off your electrical use. Turn off the laptop at the end of the day.

4. Switch to cold water washing and save 80 percent on energy used for laundry and save an estimated $60 a year. Hang dry your clothes instead of using the dryer and save 700 pounds of C02 a year.

5. Plug anything that can be powered by a remote control or that has a power cube transformer (little black box) into a power strip, and turn it off, and/or unplug, when not in use. (Power cubes are 60-80 percent inefficient.)

6. Turn off the lights when you aren’t using them and reduce your direct lighting energy use by 45 percent. Stop using heat-producing halogen lamps (they can also be fire hazards). Install occupancy or motion sensors on outdoor lights.

7. Switch to compact fluorescent from regular incandescent bulbs and use 60 percent less energy per bulb and save 300 pounds of C02 a year.

8. Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket and save 1,000 pounds of C02 a year. Insulate your hot water pipes.

9. Use public transportation whenever possible, carpool, shop locally, and ideally switch to a hybrid or energy-efficient car (if you haven’t already).

10. Keep your tires inflated to improve gas mileage by 3 percent. Every gallon you save also saves 20 pounds of C02 emissions.

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Solar Energy in the future

As the number of people longing for a cleaner environment grows, so does the solar industry.

Solar cells are becoming increasingly cost-effective as more distributors enter the market and new technologies continue to offer more choice and new products.

We might even see the end of the combustion age in our lifetime.

Cars might soon be powered by new fuel cells that create electricity through chemical reaction.

Screen-printed solar cells are expected to drive prices down even more.

Roofing shingles are capturing the sun's rays and turning them into electricity!

Solar panels are being mounted to the sides of houses when roof space is not an option.

Pools are being heated with solar energy for a fraction of the price of conventional heaters.

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About Solar Energy

Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available renewable energy on earth. Only a minuscule fraction of the available solar energy is used.

Solar powered electrical generation relies on heat engines and photovoltaics. Solar energy's uses are limited only by human ingenuity. A partial list of solar applications includes space heating and cooling through solar architecture, potable water via distillation and disinfection, daylighting, solar hot water, solar cooking, and high temperature process heat for industrial purposes.To harvest the solar energy, the most common way is to use solar panels.

Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on the way they capture, convert and distribute solar energy. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors to harness the energy. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air.

Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP) or to split water and create hydrogen fuel using techniques of artificial photosynthesis. Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaics convert light into electric current using the photoelectric effect.

Commercial concentrated solar power plants were first developed in the 1980s, and the 354 MW SEGS CSP installation is the largest solar power plant in the world and is located in the Mojave Desert of California. Other large CSP plants include the Solnova Solar Power Station (150 MW) and the Andasol solar power station (100 MW), both in Spain. The 97 MW Sarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant in Canada, is the world’s largest photovoltaic plant.

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History of Solar Energy

1838

Edmund Becquerel observed and published findings about the nature of materials to turn light into energy. They were considered interesting, but were not pursued.

1860 - 1881

Auguste Mouchout was the first man to patent a design for a motor running on solar energy. Receiving funds from the French monarch, he designed a device that turned solar energy into mechanical steam power and soon operated the first steam engine. He later connected the steam engine to a refrigeration device, illustrating that the sun’s rays can be utilised to make ice! He was awarded a medal for this.

His groundbreaking research was cut short though. The French renegotiated a cheaper deal with England for the supply of coal and improved their transportation system for the delivery thereof. Mouchout’s work towards finding an alternative was no longer considered a priority and he no longer received any funding from the monarch.

1873

Willoughby Smith, a Brit, experimented with the use of selenium solar cells after discovering it’s sensitivity to light while testing material for underwater telegraph cables.

1876 - 1878

William Adams, wrote the first book about Solar Energy called: A Substitute for Fuel in Tropical Countries. Him and his student Richard Day, experimented with the use of mirrors and was able to power a 2.5 horsepower steam engine. Much bigger than the Mouchout's 0.5 horsepowered steam engine. His design, know as the Power Tower concept, is still in use today.

1883

Charles Fritz turned the sun's rays into electricity. His solar cell had a conversion rate of only 1-2%.Another big milestone for solar energy history!

1885 - 1889

Charles Tellier, a Frenchman who is seen as the father of refrigeration, experimented with a non-concentrating/ non-reflecting solar motor. He installed the first solar energy system for heating household water on top of his very own roof. However, his desire to pursue his refrigeration interests led to his abandonment of solar energy experiments.

1868 - 1888

John Ericsson, an American immigrant from Sweden wrote these powerful words: "A couple of thousand years dropped in the ocean of time will completely exhaust the coal fields of Europe, unless, in the meantime, the heat of the sun be employed." He dismissed Mouchout's work and also developed a solar powered steam engine, very similar in design to Mouchout's.

Solar Energy history continues into the 20th century...

1892 - 1905

Aubrey Eneas formed the first Solar Energy company - The Solar Motor Co. They sold the first Solar Energy system to Dr. A.J. Chandler of Mesa, Ariz for $2,160. It was destroyed less than a week later by a windstorm. They sold a second one to John May, but that one too, was destroyed by a hailstorm shortly afterwards. This led to the company's downfall.

1904

Henry Willsie recognised the need to store generated power and built 2 huge plants in California. He was the first to successfully use power at night after generating it during the day. Even so, he was not able to make a sale and his company too folded.

1906 - 1914

Frank Shuman's company, Sun Power Co, built the largest and most cost-effective solar energy system covering 10,000 square feet plus. Although it produced a lot of steam it did not produce enough pressure. Together with E.P. Haines he then formed Sun Power Co. Ltd. They built an irrigation plant just outside of Cairo, but unfortunately it was destroyed during the Great War.

1954

Calvin Fuller, Gerald Pearson and Daryl Chaplin of Bell Laboratories accidentally discovered the use of silicon as a semi-conductor, which led to the construction of a solar panel with an efficiency rate of 6%.

1956

The first commercial solar cell was made available to the public at a very expensive $300 per watt. It was now being used in radios and toys.

1950s - 1960s

Space programs employed solar technologies. In 1958 the Vanguard I was launched. The first satellite that used solar energy to generate electricity.

1970

The Energy Crisis ! (OPEC oil embargo). A bit of solar energy history we are all familiar with. Suddenly it became important to find an alternative form of energy as we realised just how reliant we really are on non-renewable, finite resources like coal, oil and gas for our existence.

Solar energy history was made as the price of solar cells dropped dramatically to about $20 per watt.

1980 - 1991

A Los Angeles based company called Luz Co. produced 95% of the world's solar-based electricity. They were forced to shut their doors after investors withdrew from the project as the price of non-renewable fossil fuels declined and the future of state and federal incentives were not likely.

The chairman of the board said it best: "The failure of the world's largest solar electric company was not due to technological or business judgment failures but rather to failures of government regulatory bodies to recognize the economic and environmental benefits of solar thermal generating plants."

Solar energy history played a big part in the way society evolved and will continue to do so --

Today

There is a renewed focus as more and more people see the advantages of solar energy and as it becomes more and more affordable.

Governments across the world offer financial assistance.

Solar electric systems are now used to power many homes, businesses, holiday cottages, even villages in Africa.

We see solar cells powering anything from household appliances to cars.

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Disadvantages of Hydropower

Ecosystem damage and loss of land

Large reservoirs required for the operation of hydroelectric power stations result in submersion of extensive areas upstream of the dams, destroying biologically rich and productive lowland and riverine valley forests, marshland and grasslands. The loss of land is often exacerbated by the fact that reservoirs cause habitat fragmentation of surrounding areas.

Hydroelectric projects can be disruptive to surrounding aquatic ecosystems both upstream and downstream of the plant site. For instance, studies have shown that dams along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America have reduced salmon populations by preventing access to spawning grounds upstream, even though most dams in salmon habitat have fish ladders installed. Salmon spawn are also harmed on their migration to sea when they must pass through turbines. This has led to some areas transporting smolt downstream by barge during parts of the year. In some cases dams, such as the Marmot Dam, have been demolished due to the high impact on fish. Turbine and power-plant designs that are easier on aquatic life are an active area of research. Mitigation measures such as fish ladders may be required at new projects or as a condition of re-licensing of existing projects.

Generation of hydroelectric power changes the downstream river environment. Water exiting a turbine usually contains very little suspended sediment, which can lead to scouring of river beds and loss of riverbanks. Since turbine gates are often opened intermittently, rapid or even daily fluctuations in river flow are observed. For example, in the Grand Canyon, the daily cyclic flow variation caused by Glen Canyon Dam was found to be contributing to erosion of sand bars. Dissolved oxygen content of the water may change from pre-construction conditions. Depending on the location, water exiting from turbines is typically much warmer than the pre-dam water, which can change aquatic faunal populations, including endangered species, and prevent natural freezing processes from occurring. Some hydroelectric projects also use canals to divert a river at a shallower gradient to increase the head of the scheme. In some cases, the entire river may be diverted leaving a dry riverbed. Examples include the Tekapo and Pukaki Rivers in New Zealand.

Siltation

When water flows it has the ability to transport particles heavier than itself downstream. This has a negative effect on dams and subsequently their power stations, particularly those on rivers or within catchment areas with high siltation. Siltation can fill a reservoir and reduce its capacity to control floods along with causing additional horizontal pressure on the upstream portion of the dam. Eventually, some reservoirs can become completely full of sediment and useless or over-top during a flood and fail. See Risks to the Glen Canyon Dam for a specific example.

Flow shortage

Changes in the amount of river flow will correlate with the amount of energy produced by a dam. Lower river flows because of drought, climate change or upstream dams and diversions will reduce the amount of live storage in a reservoir therefore reducing the amount of water that can be used for hydroelectricity. The result of diminished river flow can be power shortages in areas that depend heavily on hydroelectric power.

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Advantages of Hydropower

Economics

The major advantage of hydroelectricity is elimination of the cost of fuel. The cost of operating a hydroelectric plant is nearly immune to increases in the cost of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas or coal, and no imports are needed.

Hydroelectric plants have long economic lives, with some plants still in service after 50–100 years. Operating labor cost is also usually low, as plants are automated and have few personnel on site during normal operation.

Where a dam serves multiple purposes, a hydroelectric plant may be added with relatively low construction cost, providing a useful revenue stream to offset the costs of dam operation. It has been calculated that the sale of electricity from the Three Gorges Dam will cover the construction costs after 5 to 8 years of full generation.

CO2 emissions

Since hydroelectric dams do not burn fossil fuels, they do not directly produce carbon dioxide. While some carbon dioxide is produced during manufacture and construction of the project, this is a tiny fraction of the operating emissions of equivalent fossil-fuel electricity generation. One measurement of greenhouse gas related another externality comparison between energy sources can be found in the ExternE project by the Paul Scherrer Institut and the University of Stuttgart which was funded by the European Commission. According to that study, hydroelectricity produces the least amount of greenhouse gases and externality of any energy source. Coming in second place was wind, third was nuclear energy, and fourth was solar photovoltaic. The extremely positive greenhouse gas impact of hydroelectricity is found especially in temperate climates. The above study was for local energy in Europe; presumably similar conditions prevail in North America and Northern Asia, which all see a regular, natural freeze/thaw cycle (with associated seasonal plant decay and regrowth).

Other uses of the reservoir

Reservoirs created by hydroelectric schemes often provide facilities for water sports, and become tourist attractions themselves. In some countries, aquaculture in reservoirs is common. Multi-use dams installed for irrigation support agriculture with a relatively constant water supply. Large hydro dams can control floods, which would otherwise affect people living downstream of the project.

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About Hydropower

Hydropower, hydraulic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of moving water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Prior to the development of electric power, hydropower was used for irrigation, and operation of various machines, such as watermills, textile machines, sawmills, dock cranes, and domestic lifts.

Another method used a trompe to produce compressed air from falling water, which could then be used to power other machinery at a distance from the water.

In hydrology, hydropower is manifested in the force of the water on the riverbed and banks of a river. It is particularly powerful when the river is in flood. The force of the water results in the removal of sediment and other materials from the riverbed and banks of the river, causing erosion and other alterations.

Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy. Once a hydroelectric complex is constructed, the project produces no direct waste, and has a considerably lower output level of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) than fossil fuel powered energy plants. Worldwide, an installed capacity of 777 GWe supplied 2998 TWh of hydroelectricity in 2006. This was approximately 20% of the world's electricity, and accounted for about 88% of electricity from renewable sources.

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History of Hydropower

Early uses of waterpower date back to Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, where irrigation has been used since the 6th millennium BC and water clocks had been used since the early 2nd millennium BC. Other early examples of water power include the Qanat system in ancient Persia and the Turpan water system in ancient China.

Waterwheels and mills

Hydropower has been used for hundreds of years. In India, water wheels and watermills were built; in Imperial Rome, water powered mills produced flour from grain, and were also used for sawing timber and stone; in China, watermills were widely used since the Han Dynasty. The power of a wave of water released from a tank was used for extraction of metal ores in a method known as hushing. The method was first used at the Dolaucothi gold mine in Wales from 75 AD onwards, but had been developed in Spain at such mines as Las Medulas. Hushing was also widely used in Britain in the Medieval and later periods to extract lead and tin ores. It later evolved into hydraulic mining when used during the California gold rush.

In China and the rest of the Far East, hydraulically operated "pot wheel" pumps raised water into irrigation canals. At the beginning of the Industrial revolution in Britain, water was the main source of power for new inventions such as Richard Arkwright's water frame. Although the use of water power gave way to steam power in many of the larger mills and factories, it was still used during the 18th and 19th centuries for many smaller operations, such as driving the bellows in small blast furnaces (e.g. the Dyfi Furnace) and gristmills, such as those built at Saint Anthony Falls, which uses the 50-foot (15 m) drop in the Mississippi River.

In the 1830s, at the peak of the canal-building era, hydropower was used to transport barge traffic up and down steep hills using inclined plane railroads.

Hydraulic power pipes

Hydraulic power networks also existed, using pipes carrying pressurized liquid to transmit mechanical power from a power source, such as a pump, to end users. These were extensive in Victorian cities in the United Kingdom. A hydraulic power network was also in use in Geneva, Switzerland. The world famous Jet d'Eau was originally the only over pressure valve of this network.

Compressed air hydro

Where there is a plentiful head of water it can be made to generate compressed air directly without moving parts. A falling column of water is mixed with air bubbles generated through turbulence at the inlet. This is allowed to fall down a shaft into a subterranean chamber where the air separates from the water. The weight of falling water compresses the air in the top of the chamber. A submerged outlet from the chamber allows water to flow to the surface at a lower height than the intake. An outlet in the roof of the chamber supplies the compressed air to the surface. A facility on this principal was built on the Montreal River at Ragged Shutes near Cobalt, Ontario in 1910 and supplied 5,000 horsepower to nearby mines.

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