December 21, 2024

What Do You Know About Green Energy?

January 10, 2015 by Leave a Comment

By now, everyone has heard the term “green energy,” but what all does that entail? Is there anything to know beyond solar panels, giant wind turbines, and energy-saving CFL light bulbs? Read on to see how much you know about green energy.

1. Green Energy – exactly what is it? Green energy is energy that can be harnessed with a lot less pollution than conventional means. It is also sustainable, meaning we have the means to make it over and over again, versus energy sources such as oil that have a finite amount available.

2. Why is green energy good for the environment? Green energy reduces our dependance on non-sustainable energy sources and causes little pollution.

3. What are the ways green energy is being used currently? Right now, there is a huge movement towards using greener sources for our energy. Everywhere you look there are more and more green options, from light bulbs, to cars, to public transit, to green utility companies.

4. What legislation is currently bolstering green energy? All over the world, countries are pushing forward laws and tax incentives to businesses and individuals that make efforts to utilize greener methods. In the United States, individual states are also signing laws that require greater green energy usage in the years to come.

5. What are the most popular kinds of Green Energy? The kinds of green energy that are most often used are ones that you have probably heard of already: solar panels for sun energy, wind turbines for wind energy, hydroelectric generators for water energy, and geothermal generators for geothermal energy.

6. Which energy sources are the least sustainable? Non-green energy sources are anything that are not sustainable or cause an undue amount of pollution. Examples would be any energy coming from coal and oil. These sources cause much of the air pollution we experience, which compounds the greenhouse effect.

7. What is the importance of green energy? Green energy is vital because without it, we have no hope of continuing to sustain our populations every-increasing need for energy. Fossil fuels are finite and cause pollution that accelerate the greenhouse effect. With green energy, we have a hope to continue to power our civilization beyond the limit of fossil fuels and to mitigate the harm we have caused to the environment using them.

8. What are the drawbacks to green energy? Each type of green energy has its own drawback or drawbacks. For instance, solar power from solar panels can be hard to get during cloudy days, and wind turbines won’t work if there’s no wind. The good news is that all of this energy can be stored in batteries for when there are circumstances preventing or limiting the generation of power.

Over the last few decades, we as a society have begun to realize just what an impact we have made on our environment. We need to make sure that we keep using and exploring greener ways to power our lives so that future generations can continue enjoying the planet.

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Investing in Green Energy and Solar Energy Stocks

May 2, 2014 by Leave a Comment

One of the ways you can invest in solar energy is to consider green energy stocks for companies involved with solar energy. Use the suggestions below to help determine whether your commitment to green energy should include green energy stocks.

Do your due diligence but stay aware that you can always lose all your money when you invest in stocks. Even the United States government, with all its resources, bet wrong when it came to Solyndra, a $535 million loss on the solar panel industry.

Consider the novelty of the product, understanding that in its early days there will likely be kinks that need to be worked out as the product gets into the marketplace. In the Solyndra instance, the company designed new panels that were supposed to maximize power generated but the technology did not work as anticipated.

Consider government incentives to consumers and government subsidies to solar energy companies. As in the case of many industries that receive government money, that money frequently boosts a stock price because the government is committed to the industry in terms of money and policy to make it easier for the industry to succeed. Government rebates to consumers further motivate them to purchase solar products.

If your home is not powered by solar energy, consider why and determine whether these are valid reasons. For instance, one of the largest barriers to installation of solar energy panels is typically cost, even after rebates offered by government. This is a valid reason not to invest in a solar energy company, because like you, many customers might not install the panels because of costs.

Consider the competition for the company you choose and look at how the stock for that company is doing in the marketplace. Much advice revolves going to the biggest and the best company which has a higher stock price than smaller or newer competitors. These more expensive, more established stocks are usually more likely to survive market fluctuations.

Look at a company’s track record. Before you invest in a solar energy company, you’ll want to be sure they’re going to stay in business. There are extensive lists of solar energy companies that go bankrupt.

Consider how well the product works for consumers and what new technologies are being designed to address consumer concerns. In the case of solar, consumers like the idea but seem to have complaints beyond the cost, such as additional power alternatives required to pick up the slack for times when the energy provided by solar isn’t enough and maintenance of panels. In terms of investing in these companies, you might want to consider customer complaints about the solar panels in addition to trying to read your way through balance sheets.

There are green energy mutual funds that you can invest in which will spread your investment dollars across different companies. Do your research about the fees associated with such mutual funds in addition to their performance.

Investing in green energy stocks such as those for solar energy companies can be a good way of showing your commitment to green energy technologies. Use the considerations above before deciding to invest in green energy stocks.

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Green Energy: Good for You and the Environment

November 27, 2013 by Leave a Comment

With all the talk about global warming and this summer’s record temperature, we all want to do our part to reduce greenhouse gases and help the earth. “Going green” refers to a whole range of actions. These can be as simple as replacing old light bulbs with new, efficient ones. Or it can be the expensive installation of a whole house energy system using solar or other renewable resources. There are also a lot of actions in between these two extremes. This article will introduce you to some of the options that can pay off for you and the environment.

Why does green energy matter? Scientists warn that our use of oil, gas and coal to provide energy is altering the atmosphere of earth. The combustion of these fuels produces carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions. The delicate balance between forests’ absorption of carbon dioxide and production of oxygen for us to breathe is being altered. De-forestation in many areas also tilts the balance. We are heading toward too much carbon dioxide and less oxygen, which will affect all life on earth. The excess carbon dioxide traps solar heat and increases the overall temperature of the planet. Green energy comes from sources that do not produce carbon dioxide.

Solar is the ideal source of green energy. Sunlight falls everywhere and is free. It is reliable and sustainable. The down side is that at night the solar panels cannot produce. And on cloudy days or in winter they produce less. Thus the issue is battery storage of the energy produced in the daytime. Efficient storage so that it can be used during non-productive times is the goal. Technology has made progress in this but still has a ways to go before solar is the fully practical energy source we hope for. Solar panels are highly productive in areas such as the Arizona desert, but not so practical in Maine.

Wind energy is another green energy that is becoming popular because of advances in windmill technology. But it is less reliably available than solar energy. If testing shows that your location provides enough wind energy, wind power may be the option for you. Individual windmills that can generate enough power for your home, or for most of your power needs, are available. Like solar panels, they are cost efficient over a period of years. And also like solar, they depend on batteries to store the energy produced at maximum times in order to use it when the wind is not blowing.

Large power companies are building wind farms to provide energy for the power grid. But the advantage of a small home windmill is that it does not lose power because of sending it through long transmission lines, as the large power companies do. Many people are looking to small individual units of power generation, through solar, wind or water, or even geothermal, as the truly efficient and sustainable power source for the future.

This article can get you thinking about converting to green energy. Follow up on this beginning and check out the sources that can work for you. It may lead you to a new source of energy for your home that can benefit both you and the planet.

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Getting Involved in Green Energy

October 12, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Traditional energy sources such as petroleum-based products, coal and natural gas rise in cost as supplies vary with seasons and availability. People look for ways to lower costs and to find less expensive energy and ways to save valuable natural resources. Here are some tips to help you realize these goals.

Visit your local home improvement store to find the large assortment of solar-powered outdoor lights and illumination for gardens. Installing them is not difficult and they come in attractive designs that can match or blend with your outdoor living space. They can be easily moved around. They do have batteries that need to be replaced over time, and solar lights made of plastic–which are less expensive than metal–do not last as long as those made of metal. Solar lights appeal to people because they are user-friendly and don’t need costly electrical contractors for installation as do ordinary electric outdoor lights.

Venting attic space can help lower cooling costs in summer. There are ridge vents for installation in roofs with a gable and circular vents that can go under the eaves on the sides of the building. These allow the escape of built-up hot air under the roof. It also helps conserve the roof decking and shingles because they age faster when exposed to excessive heat. Small turbines or whirlybirds can also be installed and serve a similar purpose, but they usually have to replaced over time because of the wear on moving parts.

For rooms with low light levels, consider installing skylight tubes to give natural light without paying for electricity. Look over the products available and choose one that gives the quality of light you want for your room. There are a variety of designs available–frosted glass or clear glass, domed versus flat coverings, and different tube lengths and amount of reflectivity. Look into how the tubes need to be installed; some have to be pointed toward the sun to work well and others are engineered to collect light without precise directional pointing.

A lot of energy goes into heating water for showers and baths, washing clothes, and doing dishes. It is possible to use the sun to heat your water for you instead. The two basic types of solar water heating systems are passive, with no pumps or mechanisms that move the water, and active, which contain pumps and other devices. Solar water heaters work best in areas where there is a good amount of sunlight year-round, such as places with mild-winter climates. However, if properly chosen, a solar hot water system can help to reduce energy costs anywhere. Once installed, they have relatively low maintenance needs, especially for the passive kinds.

Alternative fuels to non-renewable petroleum products are becoming increasingly available to power vehicles. Some possibilities include fuels made from alcohol derived from plant sugars from corn and other crop plants, fuel derived from plant cellulose, and plant oils and animal fats that can be used in diesel engines.

Because of the volume of water involved, heating a pool can be expensive with ordinary fuel sources. Solar systems are cost-effective, especially during the summer when there’s lots of sunlight. In cold-winter climates they can extend the swimming season significantly each side of warm-weather months. Although an electric pump needs to be used to circulate the water, the savings are still substantial.

Check with your accountant or with information provided by the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Energy and your state revenue department for possible tax rebates you can take when you install green energy systems. Rebate systems change in availability and terms, so make sure they apply and that you understand them before you begin installation if you are counting on rebates to help you recoup installation costs.

Getting involved in green energy is personally and financially rewarding, and helps make you more self-sufficient. There are many ways to save energy and natural resources. These tips only give you some idea of the possibilities that are out there.

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