What is alternative energy and what are some examples?
Posted on October 27, 2009
Filed Under Alternative Energy | 3 Comments
I need a few examples of alternative energy and what it is.
Alternative energy is a term that refers to methods of generating energy that are not the usual method (i.e. fossil fuels). There are many forms of alternative energy, but, as energy is conserved, you have to ask yourself where the energy comes from (and the answer is always "the sun"). You should always be careful when you look at energy forms, because some of them just won’t work – like the idea of putting water in your gas tank that another user has suggested (thermodynamics shows that these ideas won’t work).
The sun undergoes nuclear reactions which result in the release of photons (beams of light that have energy associated with them). Alternative energy forms just capture the energy from the sun in different ways (actually, fossil fuels also got their energy from the sun a long time ago).
Here are a few alternative energy sources and how they relate to the sun:
Bio-fuels: We can grow plants (such as algae, corn, sugar cane) which collect the photons from the sun and use the energy in the photons to create sugars. We can harvest those sugars and and turn them into liquid fuels such as ethanol.
Solar Energy: This technology directly harnesses the energy of the sun by absorbing photons through photovoltaic solar cells and which create an electrical current when they absorb a photon. Additionally, you can use the energy of the sun to thermally heat an object, which is referred to as solar-thermal energy.
Wind Energy: When the photons from the sun hit the air in the atmosphere, that energy can cause the generation of wind. We can harvest the wind energy by using turbines which spin when the wind hits them. The spinning motion is used to turn a generator which produces electricity.
Hydro-electric: When the sun hits water, it can cause the water to turn into a gas and later that gas can result in rain. If the rain occurs at a high enough elevation and gets held behind a dam, the water now possesses a high potential energy due to the energy from the sun. That energy can be turned into electrical energy by converting the potential energy of the water into kinetic energy which is then used to turn a turbine in a hydroelectric dam.
FREE ENERGY Magnetic Home Alternative Energy Generator
Posted on October 27, 2009
Filed Under Alternative Energy | Leave a Comment
**A Must See Video** Watch this amazing video about how two Austrailian inventors created and developed a magnetic home generator that can produce free alternative home energy. http://www.freeenergygenerator.info
Duration : 0:4:17
FREE ENERGY Magnetic Home Alternative Energy Generator
Posted on October 27, 2009
Filed Under Alternative Energy | Leave a Comment
**A Must See Video** Watch this amazing video about how two Austrailian inventors created and developed a magnetic home generator that can produce free alternative home energy. http://www.freeenergygenerator.info
Duration : 0:4:17
What are the modes of conservation for sustainable development and what are the three R’s?
Posted on October 25, 2009
Filed Under Sustainable Development | 2 Comments
I need to write about two pages on "Modes of Conservation for Sustainable Development" for my CBSE Class X EVS Project. I have to include the 4 R’s but I don’t know what they are. Please provide me with the information on the topic as well as the three R’s. Also give me the URL links to the information if you can find them.
The three r’s are recycle, reuse, reduce electrical use. Sorry that’s all I Know.
How do you determine wind energy from a wind turbine?
Posted on October 25, 2009
Filed Under Wind Energy | 1 Comment
Also, how do you change kinetic energy in to wind energy also?
well the wind energy that a single turbine can change into electrical energy really depends on the internal workings
and i dont know of any direct conversion for kinetic energy into "wind energy" sorry
How to prevent solar power lights from getting stolen?
Posted on October 25, 2009
Filed Under Solar Power | 6 Comments
Although they haven’t been stolen YET, I expect my solar power lights to get stolen sooner or later. I was wondering if you know a good way to prevent them from getting stolen (other than moving them somewhere else or not putting them out at all)?. Oh, and i would not like to make a cement foundation for them or buy different ones -lol. Any help will be greatly appreciated 
oh, and please make the answers reasonable, don’t be crazy.
Drill a hole through the base of each one, just below ground level, and string a plastic-jacketed steel cable through them all; then bury the cable in a shallow trench between the lights.
what is green power Do you believe that we need to find alternate, environmentally friendly energy sources?
Posted on October 25, 2009
Filed Under Green Power | 1 Comment
How many possible “green power” options did you find in your research?
What were the options you found?
Are any of these options being used today?
Which, if any, do you feel are viable energy sources for the future? Why?
Which, if any, do you feel are not viable energy sources for the future? Why?
Green power usually refers to programs run by your utility. When you sign up the utility agrees to buy clean/renewable energy in the amount that you use. My utility gets it’s green power from a combo of wind, solar, hydro and geothermal. I pay a little more, but I like the idea of supporting the increase in clean energy.
alternative energy ??
Posted on October 25, 2009
Filed Under Alternative Energy | 2 Comments
What form of alternative energy should be developed to solve the energy problems that we face today and could possibly face in the future?
Thank You.
All forms of renewable/alternative energy come with their own list of pros and cons.
Windmills are great for producing energy in the plains states and coastal regions, but they are a hazard to birds.
Photovoltaic cells work well just about anywhere in the US. But if we used enough of them to provide a significant amount of our energy, we’d also be contributing to a warmer climate because of the heat being absorbed by the black surfaces of the solar panels.
Hydroelectric dams interfere with wildlife and increase the amount of water that is lost to evaporation.
One of the sources of energy that has the most promising future with regards to having minimal adverse impacts would be that derived from geothermal sources. However, geothermal energy isn’t as widely available as other sources of energy.
The answer might just be that we shouldn’t limit ourselves to any one single source of energy but rather to draw from a variety of sources.
20% renewable energy by 2020
Posted on October 25, 2009
Filed Under Alternative Energy | 25 Comments
Raising the share of renewable energy from 8.5% to 20% in the overall energy consumption is a necessary contribution to the global fight against climate change and towards better control over our energy dependence. The various uses of renewable energy are examined: electricity through wind and hydraulic energies; electricity or heat through geothermal and solar energies; electricity, heat, and biofuel coming from biomass. The EU is a world leader in the use and deployment of technologies that exploit renewable energy sources, providing over 350.000 jobs and an annual turn-over of € 30 billion.
Download: http://ec.europa.eu./avservices/video/video_prod_en.cfm?type=detail&prodid=4783&src=1
http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/greencatalogue/swf/
Duration : 0:3:54
20% renewable energy by 2020
Posted on October 25, 2009
Filed Under Alternative Energy | 25 Comments
Raising the share of renewable energy from 8.5% to 20% in the overall energy consumption is a necessary contribution to the global fight against climate change and towards better control over our energy dependence. The various uses of renewable energy are examined: electricity through wind and hydraulic energies; electricity or heat through geothermal and solar energies; electricity, heat, and biofuel coming from biomass. The EU is a world leader in the use and deployment of technologies that exploit renewable energy sources, providing over 350.000 jobs and an annual turn-over of € 30 billion.
Download: http://ec.europa.eu./avservices/video/video_prod_en.cfm?type=detail&prodid=4783&src=1
http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/greencatalogue/swf/
Duration : 0:3:54
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