Renewable Energy – Info on the Different Sources, Resources, Credits, Systems of Renewable Energy and Related Education and Jobs, Comparison Between Renewable and Non Renewable Energies, and What the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Other Parts of the World are Doing to Improve Energy Efficiency

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...

Basic Electricity

Electricity use and economic growth are absolutely correlated bringing to question the dynamics regarding controversy when the price of electricity inevitably rises. Our view is that the source of this controversy is a general lack of knowledge on the part of the average electricity consumer. Recognizing this, we refer our readers to the following website where the basics of electricity are...

Clean Coal – The Only Viable Solution

The use of coal presents a real dilemma to the power industry. According to statistics compiled by the Energy Information Administration, it generates almost half of the electricity in the U.S., yet it is globally recognized as a primary contributor to global warming, the cause for acid rain and a general pollutant. Thus, elimination of coal as a primary source of fuel, though encouraged by many...

Wind Power is for the Birds

The Basics of Wind Power Wind energy generates mechanical power or electricity via a wind turbine. The actual power can be channeled to basic mechanical tasks, or a generator, which in turn, turns the mechanical power into electricity. As a renewable resource, wind is among the top technologies involved in providing renewable energy, projected in 1990 to offset billions of pounds of carbon...

Trends in Energy Pricing

The following link is provided as a good source for understanding the trends around energy pricing. Supported by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), one can be assured that the forecasts and supporting analyses reflect industry accepted norms with respect to rigor and accuracy: http://www.energy.gov/pricestrends/index.htm This link provides featured publications and reports to aid in...

Electric Vehicles-Just the Facts

Are we Prepared for Electric Vehiclex As the automobile industry includes electric vehicles in its product portfolio, there remains more questions than answers regarding the affordability and applicability of electric vehicles for the typical consumer. And, as we address these questions, there is little, if any guidance on which makes and models offer the benefits we would expect from selecting...

The “Cost” of “Cheap” Energy

Hidden Costs of Fossil Fuels There is no doubt that energy created from fossil fuels appears cheaper to the U.S. consumer than some of the alternate (renewable) forms of energy. However, studies continue to substantiate the view that there are “hidden” costs, estimated as high as $120 billion in 2005. Please refer to this outstanding article for a perspective on these seemingly...

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs – Are they Helpful or Harmful?

Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL) are the likely replacement for the traditional incandescent bulbs that have been the standard since the early 20th century. CFL’s have joined home thermostats and fish as potential contributors to mercury exposure. Since mercury is a neurotoxin, it can cause damage to nerve cells, and can be harmful even in small doses. The effects of mercury exposure can...

Distributed Generation – A Solution or Challenge?

Solar Panels On-site or decentralized generation is commonly referred to as distributed generation. It supplies electricity from sources that are at or near the point of consumption rather than that from large, centralized sources such as utility-owned coal, natural gas, oil, or nuclear power plants. The majority of these distributed systems include: Renewable energy sources such as sunlight,...

Introduction to Renewable Energy

Simply defined, renewable energy is energy that emanates from natural resources (e.g. sunlight, wind, and tides) which can be naturally replenished. There has been a significant push since the start of the 21st century to incorporate these sources of energy into an overall portfolio. By 2008, 19 percent of global energy consumption was satisfied by renewable energy sources. The main drivers of...