November 16th, 2009 at 11:45 am
We are looking for an across-the-board solution for our present exorbitant consumption of gasoline and it seems as though there is none, at least for the present. We are looking at Ethanol additive to our present gasoline formulas, but this will only give us better miles per gallon and of course, much cleaner bi-products with its use. Ethanol becomes a temporary
fix…at best. The reason, of course is the need for the corn base sugars(and other similar sugar and starch crops) to produce it. It is a simple deduction that it will eventually begin to deplete the food stock of our nation and also hurt our exports of these grains. We could, with the anticipated increase in need of our corn crop, grow the extra acreage that
would be needed to meet any anticipated needs. We must keep in mind the amount of labor that would be required to accomplish this task. The question remains…Will the Ethanol approach keep the price below our present gasoline prices ?
All in all, we must accept the fact that we will not be able to have our gas and eat our corn muffins too. There are also other crops which can be used to derive the Ethanol fuel, such as soybeans, sugar beet, raw sugarcane, etc.. The fact still remains…the choice will be gas for our automobiles and along with this will eventually come a vast depletion of one or more of our key domestic and export crops. It does not mean that this scenario will eventually come to be, but without other renewable energy fuels developed in tandem, such as the Hydrogen based fuel cell to assist the Ethanol fuel approach, this could lend itself to some key food staple shortages. The final question may be…”Do we prefer wheels beneath
our feet, or food in our stomachs.” Common sense tells us that at this point in time, we must proceed with great caution. Granted, the very large south American country of Brazil has embarked on their Ethanol program for approximately a decade now, with fairly good results and have enjoyed the weaning from foreign oil. Will it ever be 100% remains to be seen.
Solar energy is one possible approach being tinkered with to produce Hydrogen in order to power our future power plants and it is hoped that electricity, which now helps to deplete our fossil fuels will help us to deliver the fuel needed to produce power for advanced “Fuel Cells” being developed to power the automobiles and trucks, etc. of the future.
Unfortunately, producing Hydrogen by using solar energy electricity is very inefficient. This being said, solar energy is fully renewable and therefore must be considered. Along with the Hydrogen fuel from Solar approach comes recent announcements of some breakthroughs holding great promise using Solar to economically produce the hydrogen needed for fuel cells for both the automobile and our industrial needs and not using up all of our food resources in the process.
The most exact definition of Solar Energy is plainly &ndash “the energy from the sun”. It is a term used to classify the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun and intercepted by the Earth. It is the world’s most permanent and reliable source of energy and the most copious.
The uses of solar energy on earth include solar heating for buildings, solar heat for manufacturing or industry and electricity production. So what is solar energy? How does it affect us?
Solar energy is responsible for weather systems and ocean currents. It provides light, heat, and energy to all living things on Earth. It has many uses. It supplies electricity; it can be used to power cars.
Solar energy is also used as a power for satellites in space and in space shuttles. It could also power boats, generators during emergencies, toys, and even security systems.
The amount of solar energy that the earth receives is about 770 trillion kilowatts (kW), an amount 5,000 times bigger than the sum of all other energy, may it be terrestrial nuclear energy, geothermal energy or gravitational energy.
There are two types of solar energy. These are:
1. Thermal Energy
2. Electric Energy
What is the difference between the two types energy?
Thermal energy is kinetic energy. It is everywhere. It makes the earth hot and even heats up our homes. It helps us to dry our clothes. It is used as well to heat up water for household use or even pools. That is why thermal energy is called the heat energy because it is stored in the center of the earth as well.
Electric energy is widely known to us as the electricity. It is an essential part of nature and it is one of our most widely used forms of energy. This uses sunlight to power ordinary electrical equipment, such as household appliances, computers, and lighting.
Most applications of solar energy depend on systems including collectors, storage and controls. Storage is needed for a reason that solar energy is only available at daylight hours, but the demand for energy is needed both day and night. Controls are used to guarantee that the storage system works safely and efficiently.
The accessibility of solar energy is determined by three factors:
• The location is usually measured by latitude, longitude and altitude.
• The time.
• The weather.
Aside from knowing that solar energy is a free energy still, you have to realize that it also has advantages and disadvantages.
The advantages are:
• Solar energy is almost limitless; it will be available for as long as there are still humans in the earth.
• It is abundant. You will not worry of running out of it.
• It could provide more power than all known fossil fuel reserves.
• Solar energy is available during the day when electricity usage is really important.
• It is the most inexhaustible, renewable source of energy known to man.
• Solar energy can be absorbed, reflected, transmitted, and insulated.
• It can be collected and stored in batteries.
The disadvantages are:
• It is not suitable in cloudy areas.
• It is not available at night time.
• And it may require large land areas.
As a reminder, solar energy levels are lesser the farther north the site. Considering geography, season is an important determinant of solar energy levels because the Sun’s position and the weather vary greatly from summer to winter.
In this piece of work that I am about to commence with I will discuss whether or not it is wise to convert or at least supplement your home electricity source with solar power. This is a worthwhile undertaking because there are many things in this world that are billed as cost or time saving and are actually the opposite when looked at with the right measurements or perspective. So the question is, “is solar power what it claims to be&ndasha clean source of energy that is cheaper than other forms, or is it merely a fad that makes people think that they are being kind to the environment or cost effective.”
So let’s talk about the claims. Number one: a clean source of energy. When you think about it the energy from the sun is about as clean and as natural as you get. There is no chemical reaction that creates an undesirable waste product, there is no burning, no smoke, no extra gases formed. So in this way&ndashyes it is clean. But you also have to look at how you harness that energy. If you have to create undesirable waste such as plastic or other materials that can’t be naturally broken down; or you have to use energy that is not clean such as coal or other fossil fuel burning to create the product than you are at least decreasing the benefit of the clean power supply.
In the case of solar power you do have to create the cells which are made of plastic as well as the wiring and the housings for these cells. So there is some unseemliness to the cleanliness of this power source. The question is, does the benefit outweigh the costs? And in the case of solar power, it does seem that if the units are maintained and last for a long time they eventually will come out ahead. Not like cloth diapers which would, it seems, be a lot better for the environment than their disposable counterparts from huggies. The fact is that the bleach used to clean the cloth diapers is much worse for the environment than the disposable diaper which will eventually (though it takes many years) break down almost entirely.
Second solar power is a cheaper source of energy than other options. This again seems very true on the surface. After all everyone has access to the sun and the sun doesn’t charge does it? But then again the solar cells cost quite a pretty penny so it will take a while to pay them off with the cost savings. And you will have to maintain them paying a technician to come out and fix the units with expensive parts. So is it cost effective? Well again it seems as though over the long run yes solar power is a way to cheapen your energy costs considerably. Not like recycling which boasts of a way to save the environment and cheapen the cost of those materials that are being recycled. Well both may not be as true as stated prompting many communities to “recycle” the materials that they collect from well meaning residents right into the trash.
Many people wonder what they can do to help dampen the effects of the climate crisis. One method of doing so incorporates the usage of ‘clean’ energy; that is, energy that does not contribute to the levels of greenhouse gas present in our atmosphere. There are several sources of clean energy, and although it may cost more, the benefit on the planet’s ecosystem is well worth the extra money. Commonly known as ‘green power’, the Environmental Protection Agency has formed a partnership to help encourage the usage of these alternative sources of energy.
Wind energy is one option when it comes to renewable power. Large spinning turbines harvest the movement of the air, and the energy is transferred into an electricity generator for usage in any application. While it’s not available everywhere, wind energy represents one of the fastest sectors of growth when it comes to alternative power sources, and it is consequently one of the most widely used alternative sources. As a matter of fact, since the year 2000, the number of wind turbines present in the United States has more than doubled!
Solar power is another significant source of renewable energy. Solar cells known as photovoltaics are placed on sun-catching areas such as the roof of a house. These cells turn light energy into electricity, and enough electric panels can provide power for an entire home, leaving you independent of the energy companies altogether.
Geothermal energy represents a source of energy that is not commonly discussed. Heat from underneath the earth’s surface is harvested as steam, which helps to spin a turbine much in the way of wind power. The spinning motion is sent to an electricity generator, and the power can be used in any modern application.
Low impact hydropower represents another significant source of renewable energy. Incorporating the use of a turbine, hydropower is created in streams and rivers which produce enough of a force to properly spin the turbines. Many aspects of hydropower need to be approved to ensure that the turbines do not significantly effect wildlife that may be living in the area where the energy is being harvested. Most hydropower sources do not dam a river up; they operate with the river in free-flow as to minimize the effect on the environment.
While these sources may not be easy to come by, your conscience can be unburdened regarding the climate crisis by switching to one of these environmentally friendly sources of energy. Do your part in helping to change our planet for the better!