Water Hydro Fuel

Madison Greene asked:


A couple years ago when New York City had its blackout, many people woke up to the fact that we use way too much electricity as an energy source. They had been taking their electricity for granted.

This event also made us aware of other depleting natural resources, such as oil and that these resources as well should not be taken for granted. Pollution, global warming, high oil costs and the threat of running out of non-renewable resources had put a spark back into the search of alternative energy resources.

Although we still have a ways to go good progress is being made. Hybrid vehicles and solar powered homes are beginning to be more accepted as ways of the future and more and more people are using them. Yes you may run into a naysayer on the street, but remember we are making progress and you should always be optimistic towards our future.

What Does It Take To Make People Aware of Alternative Energy Resources?

Most environmentalists have been cautioning the world for years that the current methods of producing electricity are not going to be around forever. Using coal and oil products to turn turbines to make electricity, they warned, is going to deplete the supply and alternative energy resources that will be needed.

They often advised the time to act was before the supplies were gone. Additionally, they stressed the importance of alternative energy resources that did not pollute the air, water and send particulate matter into the wind.

Alternative Energy Technology Still In Its Infancy

The use of water to supply power has been around for decades; seemingly ever since electricity and windmills have been supplying power in many areas of the world. The use of solar power is becoming more acceptable and using the water, wind and sun as alternative energy resources are still being examined. While many technological advances have been made, developing a cost-effective production method is still in its early stages.

Why didn’t we work on this years ago? When these technologies were first introduced there was no real financial incentive to continue development. Prices for coal and oil were still low and methods to clean the air at coal-fired plants kept pollution concerns to a minimum. However, recent increases in coal and oil prices and threat of running out has made the hunt for alternative energy resources more urgent.

Lack Of Competition Keeps Prices High

Many blame the cost of the technology for the prices of using alternative energy resources, but most agree that a lack of competition among companies using them are the biggest culprit. Many contend the prices for alternative energy resources is artificially inflated using the supply and demand calculation that the supply has not increased sufficiently to offset even the slightest increase in demand, which sends prices even higher.

Many countries have initiated incentives for companies and individuals to find alternative energy resources that can save natural resources, reduce prices and save the environment. The scare of global warming has many looking at new methods of producing power without producing a hotter environment.

Right now, it is difficult to find a cheap alternative energy resource for your home for the reasons stated above, but we are making progress, and good progress. Eventually, as technology advances, we may be able to make the alternative energy resources we have a little cheaper.

It is just too bad we procrastinated for so long to get started. Just get educated, stay optimistic, and do your part to convert the energy in your home to an alternative source.

Jamie Green asked:


In the race to find a sustainable source of alternative energy, many heads are turning towards biomass electricity.  There are many questions being asked, from exactly how the electricity is made and what it is to whether it is truly a green alternative.  While far fewer consumers know about biomass and the potential held within that would be preferred, the word seems to be spreading quickly, adding to the hope that there will be a more significant demand for this unique method of energy production.

Biomass is living and recently dead biological matter, and can include yard clippings, tree branches, and wood chips.  Biomass is typically obtained from harvesting and processing agricultural and forestry crops.  In a process called cogeneration, the biomass is burned, creating steam that turns turbines in order to create electricity.  The steam is then used for secondary processes, from factory use to things such as drying out vegetables, making the entire process remarkably energy efficient.

The United States currently utilizes biomass for approximately 0.5 percent of its electricity generation.  This small percentage of biomass use saves approximately eleven million tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year compared to fossil fuel combustion.  Converting biomass to energy also changes methane or CH4 to carbon dioxide or CO2.  Because methane emissions are far more harmful to the greenhouse gases surrounding the atmosphere, this process is considered a highly valuable tool in the fight against global warming.  Biomass electricity production reduces greenhouse gases at least five times more effectively than other methods of producing electricity, both renewable and nuclear.

One fact that surprises many consumers is that biomass was once the primary source of heat across the globe.  When thinking of what comprises biomass, many people do not realize that firewood is considered a source.  When considering the amount of homes that still implement fireplaces and the cost effectiveness and efficiency that comes with these heat sources, the need for a source of biomass power on a larger scale becomes more obvious.

One place some cities are finally beginning to see as an excellent source of biomass is municipal waste areas.  As landfills are exceeding their capacity, we are left with lots of trash and nowhere to store it.  A great percentage of our waste is able to be used to produce energy, and many cities are starting to see that converting this waste to energy has multiple benefits in that it creates renewable and environmentally friendly energy while also reducing landfill bound waste.

While most sources of energy must start at the top before they will be usable to consumers, there are a variety of options for using biomass to power your home.  New homes can be built to burn wood or other biomass to produce energy.  Homes are still connected to a city grid in case there is a need for more power, and when excess power is created it produces a credit as the electric meter runs backwards.  As the cost of energy rises significantly, more and more homeowners are implementing such systems in their homes, with the global hope that businesses and industries will soon be forced to follow suit.