Created by: Masters Degree Online

alt="" title="Ecologia_01" width="600" height="316" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3627" />

Created by: Marketing Degree

Image via Wikipedia

When Did We Start Using Renewable Energy Sources?

It is said that we started to use renewable energy when our ancestors learned how to produce fire using wood. Other than burning wood, they have at their disposal the other natural resources for their energy needs. Sources like water, sun, wind and geothermal heat were already being taken advantage of.

The sun being the most fascinating source had caught the attention of people from the ancient time, that is why, the Pantheon of Rome has the oculus on top. Besides that, the sun had been the dominant source of lighting during that time until the early 18th century when kerosene lamps were invented.

The wind’s energy was used during the times when the expeditions started. This source was used to power and propel ships. Meanwhile geothermal power in water was used for heating purposes. So contrary to the notion that renewable energy only started after global warming, these energy sources are the only energy source known to man before fossil fuels were introduced in the 18th century.

The Different Renewable Energy Resources

As the ozone layer is thinning out, individuals and government bodies started to research alternative energy resources and how to distribute them so as to replace the nonrenewable ones that is predominantly used today.

Wind Energy. This source had been around for many decades now, however, it had not been used so much because the wind turbines cannot be built on small lands, thus, there was an issue of looking for suitable locations for these turbines. However in 2010, according to Global Wind Energy Council there was a growth of 22.5% in wind capacity. This shows promising results as this means that a lot chose this renewable source despite the fact that coal and natural gas sources are much cheaper.

Water Energy. Hydro power has been a source of electric power in many countries for a number of years now. Water energy has several forms: waves, tidal and hydroelectric. Wave energy is derived from buoys in the sea. The buoys use the up and down motion of the waves to compress the air in and out a cylinder that powers the turbine. There are hundreds of global companies using this to generate electricity. Meanwhile, tidal power converts the energy of tides to electricity. This energy source, though, is still not widely used because the materials to make a system to get tidal power is very expensive. Lastly, hydroelectric energies are coming from dams. This is widely used in Asia, particularly in China which is the largest producer of hydroelectric power.

Biomass. This renewable energy source comes from biological materials. Woods, hydrogen gas, plants and other living organisms are used to generate this energy. However, biomass is commonly plant matter that is grown to produce heat which means that it may include living biomass as live plants can also produce electricity.

Geothermal Energy. The Earth’s core is continuously producing heat, that’s why there are volcanoes and geysers. And with human intelligence, this heat form became a generator of electricity and energy. There are three types of energy production from this geothermal source: flash steam plants, dry steam plants and binary power cycles. All three transfer heat from liquid or water to the power turbines.

Solar Energy. The value of the sun in producing earth-friendly energy is still unsurpassed. This form of energy uses photovoltaic systems in order to convert sun’s light to energy that powers homes in a lot of countries. Before, the system that is being used was so expensive but as the demand for green energy rises, many solar power corporation started creating affordable and efficient solar panels to bring the energy source to more homes and industries.

China remains undisputed in the renewable energy sector as most of these sources can be found there. India is slowly following suit in terms of producing solar energy because of its location which receives about 300 days of sunlight. The Americas is not far behind, with renewable energy companies left and right, researching and engineering developments in the industry.

Kinds of Renewable Energy Systems

To convert the renewable sources to energy, systems were made and currently being developed. These systems are undergoing continuous improvement for efficiency and affordability. These systems also have location requirements that must be met in order to be used to its maximum capacity, thus, further studies are being done to make sure that most locations will have access to green energies.

Advocates or companies advocating renewable energy developed wave farms to make use of water energy. A wave farm is a group or groups of machine in one place that is used as generators of wave electricity. In line with making sure that people can switch to Earth-friendly sources, financing firms and government bodies are lending more funds to produce this system. In the United Kingdon (UK) for example, it was announced in 2007 by the Scottish Executive that it will release budget to fund the building of a wave farm in Scotland. In the United States currently one company, the Grays Harbor Ocean Energy Company has applied for permits from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to get energy from the waves of the waters of Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, California and Rhode Island. According to Wikipedia, this will be the largest renewable energy project in the country with a budget of $28 billion.

Another renewable energy system is the wind turbine generator. Building one requires a large parcel of land because one turbine alone can stand at 120 feet. This system or device converts kinetic energy from the wind to electrical energy. There are different kinds of turbine designs which produce the same effect; the difference lies mainly on the capacity to generate energy. Two major designs are the vertical-axis wind turbines and the horizontal-axis wind turbines.

The most common type of renewable energy system which can be found in a home or in a community is the solar power system. This is divided into two kinds: the photovoltaics which directly capture sunlight; and the concentrated solar power system which uses lens and mirrors to focus the large area of sunlight and make it a beam that produces the electricity. This may be the renewable energy system that requires a more affordable investment from homeowners. There are also companies offering do-it-yourself (DIY) solar panel kits which most people use to power their small appliances. Portable systems are also available and is widely used by those who like outdoor activities.

Renewable Energy Credits Information and CREBS

Renewable Energy Credits or RECs, commonly known as Green Tag and can be called Tradable Energy Certificates are non-material commodities in the US that are created for electricity placed on the grid per 1 Megawatt-hour or 1000 kWh. It gives buyers flexibility in purchasing renewable energy power in different geographical areas. It also allows application to green characteristics to the electricity used at the location of choice. These grants are given to promote support to green power development and protect the environment, as well. This commodity has two markets in America, namely compliance and voluntary markets.

Compliance markets are those states that are required by the government to get electricity from renewable sources. Presently, there are 29 states that are under this market; an example of this market is the state of California which is required by law to get 33% energy from renewable sources by 2020. The Canadian market and UK market are also implementing this incentive program.

Meanwhile, voluntary markets are places where residential consumers choose whether to buy from renewable energy sources or not. The downside of being part of this market is that their credit can only be sold to voluntary buyers at a lower market price than that of compliance market. Other things that affect the price of the certificate depends on the condition of the source, what year was it built, the supply and demand and the type of energy creation.

The Clean Renewable Energy Bonds or CREBS is given in accordance with the Energy Tax Incentive Act of 2005 which authorized tax credit bonds in the amount of $800,000,000 to be used to fund certain projects of qualified applicants. It was further strengthened by a guide called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009 that explained the qualifications and opportunities tied to this tax bond.

There are strict requirements and standards to meet to be eligible for this tax bond. Basically, the first things that you need to check is if your project is one of the “qualified energy generation facility” in their list. The qualified facilities mentioned in the act are wind facilities, open-loop biomass facilities, closed loop biomass facilities, geothermal or solar energy facilities, landfill gas facilities, small irrigation facilities, refined coal production facilities, hydropower facilities and trash combustion facilities.

Useful Information from Renewable Energy World

There are a lot of resource articles online that talk about renewable energy. Some focus on alternatives for energy and some highlight energy companies. There is one that is notably the best website and it offers all information from directories of magazine article, analysis on stock market investment related to renewable energy, current news, careers in the sustainable energy industry, industry related pictures, renewable energy policies, management tips, technology solutions and information and reviews about different products and services offered by different companies in the business. This is the renewableenergyworld.com.

Different groups of people will be interested in this website because of the vast topics that can be found there. If you are an entrepreneur interested in investing or trading in a renewable energy company to add to your portfolio, this is also the best website to visit. They publish information on cost of penny stocks of energy companies. Industries selling services for renewable energy companies can also be seen as well as a detailed explanation of what they offer. For job hunters, they also give out information on related jobs as well as statistics and salary information in this business. The content of the website also gives further understanding on what are the advantages and disadvantages of different energy technologies. Students doing research for their Science class projects are sure to find at least a page in the site full of new information and facts that they can use.

Renewable Energy World does not stop at providing education through their website; they also have paper magazines distributed in North America. The brand also holds the Renewable Energy World Conference & Expo in America, Europe, Asia and India. This event is a fair that gathers marketing professionals, government agencies, sales people, renewable energy publicly traded companies’ representatives, industry consultants and consultancy firms, investments professionals and even students. This event raises interests for the industry and urges finance and investments companies to consider putting their trust on its future by funding businesses and developers that deal with renewable energy. Besides that, it also offers consulting sessions and training courses as well as discusses standard procedures in operating a renewable energy company by conducting a forum on their conferences.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory – What They Do

NREL or the National Renewable Energy Laboratory by definition is the nation’s premier lab for energy efficiency research and development of renewable energy and fuels. According to the office’s website, their mission and strategy are focused on advancing the US Department of Energy’s and the people’s warrants for alternative energy source.

To fulfill its mission of transferring innovations and knowledge about renewable energy resources, they hold different projects. Examples of programs that they are doing are the Wind for Schools Project, Tribal Energy Program and Wind Powering America. They also help in the World Renewable Energy Congress held every year in Colorado as well as in other conferences off-shore and they collaborate with other agencies of other countries, such as Bengal’s West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency. In their website, you can also find a lot of useful information about energy efficiency, alternative fuel, current investment banking related to renewable energy, composite data products, Distributed Energy Testing and Certification, Clean Energy Investors Directory and even compact duct systems. People interested in these can check out Powerpoint presentations (ppt) to use as references for their reports or projects. All these information can be found on their website all in an effort to publicly declare the advantages of using renewable energy.

All About Renewable Energy Jobs and Education

In this season, when almost all of the jobs are taken and people cannot really choose a career that will make their bank books fat, job seekers must consider looking at unconventional places to find work. Ask yourself, what types of job are needed and what jobs could still be able to sustain you in the future? The answer is renewable energy related jobs.

With the government prodding private companies and institutions to support and develop renewable energy source and product, it is no surprise that in the near future, jobs in this industry will be available left and right. In fact even today, related jobs are already plenty, the only thing is there are not enough people who could fit these jobs. The only solution in this issue is to get proper education and experience.

Presently, there are already colleges and universities offering college credits and some even offer MSc in Renewable Energy Technology. Some of the colleges that offer credits are Austin Community College (Texas), Boise State College, University of Colorado – Boulder, University of Florida, University of Houston, Northwestern Michigan College, Oregon Institue Technology, St. Francis University,Pennsylvania College of Technology, Prairie State College, Green Mountain College (Vermont), Lake Washington Technical College, Virginia Tech (VA) and Golden West College. Internationally, Glasgow University in the UK also offers certificate in renewable energy.

For those interested in getting a Masters in Science in Renewable Energy, you can check Ohio’s University of Dayton and University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. These schools may even offer you a scholarship grant according to their websites.

Studying again may not be an inviting idea as it will take time and possibly nights spent burning the midnight oil. However, investing time and effort into this further study can help you reap the benefits once you graduate and follow a career path that leads into the future. You may also try applying at companies even without such diploma or certificate, just bring along your experience and confidence and, who knows, you may land that high paying job that can lift you out of an impending bankruptcy.

According to Simply Hired’s website, a renewable energy loan consultant has an average salary of $49,000; a controller and installer can earn as much as $76,000; a purchase manager earns about $62,000; and people who work in laboratories as Sr. Project managers can earn as high as $92,000. These are not bad figures, right?

Some companies that are well-known globally and are supporting renewable energy advocates are Aventine Renewable Energy Inc., California Center For Sustainable Energy in San Diego, Exergy, Google, Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems, Renewable Energy Holdings, EIA Energy Kids, Keystone Renewable Energy LLC, Seawind Renewable Energy Corporation, Sol Systems, Southwest Windpower and USDA or US Department Agriculture. These companies may be able to give you jobs in which you can experience working on sustainable and alternative energy sources as they strongly support renewable energy programs and their products and services are also focused on this industry. Submitting your resume to any one of them will not hurt.

Renewable Energy vs Non Renewable Energy

According to an article by Professor John Twidell, renewable energy can be defined as “energy supplied from the natural and persistent flows of energy in the immediate environment”. If we keep this in consideration, we can answer how is renewable better than non-renewable energy.

Since renewable energy is already coming from the environment, it does not mean harm whereas non-renewable sources pollute since those are artificial and unknown to our atmosphere. Aside from that, the other pros of renewable energy are cheaper prices, Earth-friendliness and the credits you get from the government because of supporting their policy on using renewable sources of energy. Non-renewable energy sources on the other hand, such as nuclear energy hurts the environment, because the nuclear breeder reactors may release chemicals into the atmosphere. Coals, as well, cause too much air pollution not to mention that they are much more expensive than ‘recycling’ energy from renewable sources.

Today, as the ozone layer is thinning and the atmosphere is becoming even more polluted, choosing clean and green energy to help salvage our planet’s health is becoming a must. To help save the environment, everyone, the government, companies and individuals should be thinking of changing their electricity source. Renewable energy sources are the most feasible and Earth-friendly choice. In Al Gore’s ‘Repower America’ he said something that we need to do, make renewable energy the dominant source of energy and not an alternative.

Image via Wikipedia

What is Solar Energy?

Solar energy, by definition, is an alternative energy source which uses the bright light of the sun and converts it to electricity. It is much the same with wind and water energy source but the only difference is where and how it gathers the power. Due to technology and science, it has become easier for companies and houses to acquire this source of energy that is why more and more businesses and homeowners are using this to lower their utility bills. It is known to be capable of powering almost every house appliance like, stove, air conditioning system, refrigerator and even heating systems. In this day and age, cars can also be powered by solar energy, although much research and experiments are still needed to make it available publicly.

Before, installation of solar energy systems are expensive, however, as the 21st century entered, it became cheaper as more companies build solar panels, thus, more people choose this as a source of electric power. Aside from its cost-efficiency, solar energy is also very viable and since it is renewable, it is easily available.

Solar Energy Facts, Events, Timeline and History

The first solar energy application was in 1958 when solar energy used to power the Vanguard I Satellite. With the help of the solar cells, the satellite was able to continue with its transmission even after a year that its chemical battery died. The success of its use brought forth other satellites from the Soviet and America to use it. In the 1960s, the photovoltaic cells became the main power source for them.

The oil crisis of 1973 caused companies to produce more PV cells and this also became the reason behind the decrease of the price of solar cells and other solar-powered kits. Then in the 1990s, the popularity of this technology slowly shifted to Japan and Europe as the Japanese government increased funding to produce more materials and to create a metering method.

After 2007, Spain became the country with the highest number of population to use photovoltaics. The country posted an installation rate of 45% of the whole world’s numbers.

In the commercial and industrial scenes, commercial concentrated solar power plants came into being in the 1980s with the 354 MW SEGS CSP installation in Mojave Desert in California (CA). Then in Canada, the largest photovoltaic plant, the 97 MW Sarnia Photovoltaic Power Plant was built as well. It is also predicted that the use of this energy from the sun will be more developed and stronger in between the 22nd- 24th century.

People advocating the use of solar power in homes and industries are also active in promoting this environment-friendly energy source. The conference and activity, 2009 Solar Fiesta which was sponsored by New Mexico Solar Energy Association, was able to spread the word about the apparent benefits of using solar energy through workshops, design exhibits, pictures, some diagram, video and magazine articles. There were also activities for kids which made them learn how solar power works. Other ways of info dissemination for the conference is a mock lesson and mock laboratory. Solar power manufacturers were also asked to join as sponsors and there they were also allowed to give information on the origin of solar power and how the manufacturing process happens. Green jobs discussion was held to explain opportunities for people in this green sector. These activities made an impact to the society that is why other events followed suit such as the Solar Power International, Solar Energy Fair and the Solar Power UK Conference and Exhibition 2011. The latest event for this industry is European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition also to be held this year.

Additionally, videos, books and magazines are given out to help people know more about this alternative energy source. One of the most popular books is entitled ” Solar Energy Projects for the Evil Genius” and “Solar Energy”, the official journal of ISES or International Solar Energy Society.

How Does Solar Energy Work?

This alternative form of energy uses photovoltaic tiles that convert the energy of sunlight to electricity. These cells are thin slices of glass that have positive and negative slices of silicon. As the protons of sunlight go to the cells, they remove the neutrons off the silicon and these neutrons which are already negatively charged are attracted to the silicon, but they are trapped by the opposing field’s magnetic field. Then the small wires on the silicon catch the neutrons. These wires, which are connected in a circuit, forms electric current. This current is called direct current that must still run through an inverter so that it can be converted to alternating current to enable it to power our homes.

There are several ways of u of utilizing solar power to provide energy for your home or place of business. You may choose any of these alternatives. Choosing one may depend on how much you want to save and spend for your energy source.

Grid and Tie-In Systems – This is like having a hybrid power source. You use the solar power for items that use less energy like lights and other small appliances while using the power from an electrical company for big appliances like dryer and air condition. With this system, you’re only going to use a small solar panel or solar system kit because it’s going to generate a small amount of energy.

Portable. This kind of unit can be used anywhere and is popular for hikers and those who like outdoor activities as they can be used for items such as radio, stove and lights. It is usually composed of an inverter and a battery.

Pure Solar System. This is the the more expensive kind since you will need the large units in order to make it work. This means you rely solely on solar energy to power up your home.

Composition and Information About Solar Energy Panels

Photovoltaic is the other name for solar cells. It is the one producing energy out of the light from the sun it receives. There are various types of solar power technologies but they are still undergoing development by companies such as the Fraunhofer Institute. However, there are technologies that are already in use like the crystalline silicon, concentrators, thermophotovoltaic solar cell and thin films.

Crystalline silicon. These cells contain two layers, positive layer on the top side while the negative layer is at the bottom. This involves an AC to DC conversion process to produce output. There are also two types of this crystalline silicon panel : monocrystalline and polycrystalline. The most commonly used is monocrystalline which is more powerful than the polycrystalline.

A silicon cell can be used for wrist watch and calculator while modules of silicon cells are required to be connected together in order to work for bigger places or appliances and arrays of modules are being used for satellite power generation.

Other Solar Energy Systems

Concentrators work similar to how a magnifying glass work. It gathers light from the sun and concentrating it to fall on solar cells. This process produces maximum energy. These kinds of cells are used in high technology industries like satellite and space projects because of their accuracy as these usually use a tracking device so the direction of the beam created is spot on.

Thermophotovoltaic solar cells produces a different kind of electricity, thermal heat being converted to electricity. It works like photovoltaic cells, the difference is just these thermophotovoltaic cells use semiconductors that gather invisible light or infrared rays and convert them to energy. The main advantage of this kind of cell, is that it not only uses sun as its source but also anything that has heat.

Thin Films, the lightest type of solar equipment is also very efficient, converting over 90% of solar energy to electricity using amorphous silicon thin film. Thin films are not made individually but they are produced in modules and joined together to create the unit. This process makes thin films effective.

The Benefits of Residential Solar Energy

Solar energy, through the years, has been beneficial for industries and businesses alike. Because of its effectiveness, it also became interesting for residential energy providers and ordinary people. With the economic condition and uncertain future, people would value good ways of saving some money. Utilizing a solar panel at home to bring down the costs of utilities is one of the best ways to economize.

Besides cost-efficiency, this source of energy offers several other advantages. First, its capacity to supply power to homes without costing too much per kilo watt hour (Kwh) and without harming the environment mean a lot in protecting the environment. It is not generating carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury, thus, it does not contribute to global warming and green house gas.

Another advantage of this power source is it is low-maintenance. Solar power equipment can last for decades if an installer did his job properly. It also requires less attention and does not emit bad smell or does not require refueling, unlike other nonrenewable sources of energy. Aside from that, one of the leading reasons to install solar devices is its portability and independence. You can make it an electrical source even if you’re outside the home. Having fun and games while on an RV vacation or making school experiments work is free and easy when you have a portable solar device on hand. It also does not take a genius to make your appliances work with this energy source because once installers already put the main unit up, it is already do-it-yourself (DIY). You can even build your own homemade solar with the help of instructional videos, many of which you can find online.

Installing a solar panel as a power source for your house is just like investing. You spend a large amount of money at first but once it has been set up and you are already getting away with paying your monthly electric bill, it’s all worth it already. This is great in comparison with having to pay the electric company without getting any return of investment in the end.

Further Look at Solar Energy Pros and Cons

Other than the basic advantages, there are other benefits that solar power customers can take advantage of. The US government is also supporting solar energy. It grants tax credits to the American public for sourcing their electricity from solar companies. Rebates or incentives are known to be about 10 to 30 percent of the system cost’s figures. If you have built a big solar panel which is more than enough for your household, there is an opportunity for you to get passive income for it. Electric companies will be willing to buy some kwh from you to be sold to your neighbors or anywhere near your area. You may talk to a consultant from an electric company about the credit they are willing to give you if you sell some of the energy your devices or equipments generate. The existence and use of solar power also means that electricity will be traded in a fair manner because there will be competition in the industry, forcing the other electrical companies to decrease their prices to what is just.

This energy source has also gained popularity among institutions of education. Besides being used to supply power to some of these schools, it is also widely used as an educational tool and is often made part of the projects and programs especially of students with science courses because of its portability and the convenience it provides. Solar powered things and equipments in diagrams and project samples are always present in science fairs and exhibit because this technology has been proven to be a great training course or program and also a great resource for research.

Solar Power Energy – The Disadvantages

If there are benefits, there are also drawbacks in using solar energy. One of its negative aspects is the starting cost. Because new solar panel stocks are quite expensive and getting someone to install it would also cost much, most people would hesitate to have it set up. The next disadvantage is the amount of space that the solar product will take as it needs a rather large site in order to achieve maximum efficiency. With this in mind, you need to plan it well and it might take some time, that’s why there are some who do not continue with their plans to set up a solar panel if they lack the needed resources to do so.

If the sun is its major source of power, the sun could also be the major cause of the problem, that is, if it does not show up. When there is no sun, such as at night, the devices cannot produce energy. Energy production can also be hampered during cloudy or rainy days. Don’t worry, though. This can easily be solved by preparing a battery stock.

Solar Energy Companies and their Products – Plants and Regulating Bodies

There are a lot of “solar penny” stocks on sale in the market, but before you buy them, you must have sufficient informations of what products these companies are selling and what are the companies selling them. And even if you are not looking for prospects for your portfolio, it is just good to know what companies are offering solar panel kits and items in case you would need these things in the future.

Sundance Solar is an online store that sells all solar products ranging from solar picture paper kit to solar chargers and solar RVs. Solar Storage and My Solar Shop specialize in solar panels and grid sales while Sy Solar Appliance Limited is a company based in China that sells solar collector, solar water heater and other solar appliances and Solar E-Clips and South Bay Solar sell outdoor solar lighting systems in the USA.

In the United States, companies offering solar power abounds. In California alone, there are quite a large number of solar power providers. Here is a list of some of them : Solyndra Incorporated in Fremont, San Diego Solar Power, San Francisco Solar Power and Solar Power Solutions San Jose. Meanwhile in other states, there’s Solar Blue in Florida, Chicago Solar Energy, Colorado Solar Inc in Denver, Georgia Solar Power, Hawaii Solar, NJ Solar Power, Massachusetts Solar Power (MA), PA Solar in Pennsylvania, Maine Solar, Maryland Solar Solutions, Michigan Solar Solutions (MI), Tennessee Solar Solutions, New Jersey Solar Power, New York Solar Solutions and Mr. Sun Solar in Portland.

Overseas, this source of energy is also gradually gaining acceptance. Australia has Beacon Solar as the biggest company that provides solar energy to the country, followed by Genesis Solar Group. Tata BP Solar India Ltd. leads India’s national solar industry while Southern and Northern Solar provides energy to areas in UK.

Because solar energy impacts the economy and society it became imperative to have associations and regulating bodies that grant certificates, guidelines and regulations to energy providers. One of the most popular regulating bodies is FSEC or Florida Solar Energy Center. Texas also has quite a few of them; two of these are Solar Austin and Solar Houston Initiative, both non-profit organizations relating to solar energy. If you are looking for an article about this energy source, you can visit their websites which feature numerous articles and news about the topic. Meanwhile, Illinois, Arizona and Utah also have active organizations which also aim to accelerate people’s knowledge about renewable energy.

As per research and studies made by institutions, solar power is the future of energy. As the prices of oil and gas increase, the demand for alternative energy is also increasing. Not only that, the need to take care of the environment is also becoming important to the point that the government is already promoting and giving out incentives for people who could do their share in environmental initiatives. With this in mind, solar power as your energy source is a great investment to start today.