Posts Tagged ‘fossil fuels’
October 24th, 2009 | 
Author: Hydrogen is a gas that is industrially produced from a number of sources but the most common is methane or other fossil fuels. Hydrogen is made up of atoms that include one proton in each of them. Stars are made primarily of hydrogen. The sun is the giant ball that includes hydrogen and helium gases. In the sun’s core the hydrogen atoms combine and thereby form helium atoms that give off radiant energy. This process is known as fusion. This energy is what sustains the life on the earth as well as giving us light and keeps our planet alive. Hydrogen is able to rise in the air since it is lighter than air and that is the main reason why it can not be found on earth and can only be found in compound form with other various elements.
Hydrogen can be combined with oxygen to give water and when combined with carbon it will give out compounds such as coal, methane, as well as petroleum. Hydrogen can be used to power a number of things including vehicles. Hydrogen vehicles use hydrogen as their onboard fuel for motive power. The power plants of these vehicles convert the chemical energy of hydrogen to mechanical energy either by combustion or electrochemical conversion in a fuel cell. It is estimated that there are about five hundred vehicles that are hydrogen fuelled with up to sixty hydrogen refueling stations in the United States mostly in California.
Hydrogen can also be an energy carrier where it moves energy in a usable form from one place to another just like electricity works. Hydrogen is not mostly used as an energy carrier at the moment but it has a great potential in the future of doing so. Hydrogen is mostly a by product of other chemical processes. A good difference between hydrogen and electricity is that large quantities of hydrogen can be stored to be used in the future. Hydrogen can also be used in places where electricity can not be used.
Hydrogen is mostly used by industries in refining, processing foods, as well as treating metals. In the United States about nine million metric tons of hydrogen is produces mostly in just three states namely California, Texas and Louisiana. This power is enough to be used in close to eight million homes or power up to thirty million cars. NASA is known as the primary user of hydrogen as an energy fuel and it uses it in the space program. Hydrogen fuel batteries are also able to make electricity which makes them very efficient although expensive to build.
The small fuel batteries are able to power electric vehicles. The large fuel batteries are able to provide electricity in places where there are no power lines. Some places known to have fuel batteries as a source of emergency power especially in hospitals and locations that are in the wilderness. There are also portable fuel cells that are currently being sold in some places to provide longer power to cell phones batteries, laptop computer battery as well as military applications.
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Article Source: Hydrogen as Fuel, can it be?
Harnessing energy through wind turbines:
The environmental impact of resource depletion calls for more intelligent ways of converting renewable sources into useful energy. People have been harnessing the power of the wind for many centuries and the birth of the modern wind power industry in 1979 paved the way for wind turbine production and usage on a commercial scale.
Today we face many challenges in the quest to find cleaner, sustainable energy alternatives but innovative technology and forward thinking are quickly changing the face of commercial and private energy consumption.
Wind Turbine companies continue to develop smaller, more efficient wind turbines in the race to eliminate fossil fuels and resource depletion while increasing energy independence. Companies such as Evance wind are dedicated to produce better, more efficient wind turbines for both the UK and International Market.
Evance Wind: Small Scale Turbines UK:
Evance Wind was established more than a decade ago in the UK with a vision to create a full range of small-scale wind turbines demonstrating the best in class power generation, performance and efficiency. The UK’s announcement of feed-in tariffs is driving a new demand for small wind turbines in the UK. People are considering their future and seeking ways and avenues to decrease their reliance on fossil fuels and reducing their carbon footprint.
Evance research and use the latest wind turbine technology in their quest to reshape the wind power usage in both private and commercial sectors. Evance’s wind turbine technology continues to help individuals, schools and farms practice a lifestyle that encourages sustainable and cost-effective energy usage.
Evance ISKRA R9000:
After 10 years of extensive research Evance was glad to announce the release of a new range small-scale wind turbine, manufactured in the UK. The Evance ISKRA R9000 is an advanced wind turbine that will especially benefit the ‘small wind’ market. This wind turbine is called the R9000 because it promises, backed by IEC 91400-2 testing procedures, to generate 9,000 kWh of power each year at average wind speeds of 5m/s.
This UK manufactured wind turbine is the most efficient 5kW wind turbine that is currently available on the market and it has reduced installation time and costs make this system very attractive for light commercial application and private use. This small wind turbine is designed to give homes, schools and farming communities the opportunity to harness wind power in a way that is cost-effective and sustainable.
More energy at lower wind speed:
The ISKRA R9000 was designed to capture more energy at lower wind speeds and this system combines the latest technology with past experience to give the public the most efficient 5kW wind turbine.
Some of the technologies and features that make the ISKRA R9000 unique in its field are its superior blade technology, reactive blade pitch mechanism as well as the proprietary and advanced generator design that minimises noise while maintaining optimal power efficiency. This advanced small wind turbine has a patented, high-efficiency generator, which converts up to 96% of the energy captured from the wind into useful electricity.
Reactive PitchTM technology,
The R9000 is the first UK wind turbine to be equipped with Reactive PitchTM technology, a unique control concept developed and patented by Evance Wind. This enables the blades to capture exactly the right amount of energy according to the wind speed and generator loading conditions. The unique Reactive PitchTM mechanism automatically pitches the blades at higher wind speeds, ensuring that the aerofoils are perfectly positioned to the wind at any wind speed.
Every aspect of the R9000 has been carefully thought out and integrated for maximum safety, efficiency and reliability. Innovations in the field of wind turbine technology are slowly creating a platform for greener, more sustainable living.
http://www.evancewind.com
Article Source: Evance ISKRA R9000
There are so many reasons why you should take advantage of DIY home solar energy that it’s actually kind of hard to know where to begin. The greatest benefit that leaps out to so many is the opportunity to create an endless amount of free electricity to power your home.
The other benefit will be appreciated by those that are concerned about the carbon footprint that we are leaving on this galactic rock that we inhabit called Earth. Fossil fuels emit pollutants into our atmosphere every time they are used and are a finite source of energy that are not only very expensive but are also being depleted by the day.
The increased demand by developing nations such as China and India are driving the costs of fossil fuels used in the home including heating oil and natural gas higher and higher. Couple that along with the ever present political turmoil in the Mideast and you have a recipe for runaway fuel costs.
Unless you are wealthy and money is no object then a DIY home solar energy system is hands down the way to go. You can go online and purchase an instantly downloadable e-book that contains complete plans for building and installing your own solar panels as well as videos that will walk you through how to do it step-by-step.
Constructing your own home solar energy system is relatively inexpensive, especially when compared to commercially built and installed solar panels. You can build your own photovoltaic solar cells and string them together into a solar panel that is every bit as good as a commercially constructed one for a fraction of the cost.
Commercial solar energy systems for a home of average size can run upwards of $20,000 and above. You can build your own solar panel and install it yourself for about $200 or even under $100. And once more, there are no special skills required to build your own solar panels and all the parts that you will need can be purchased at your neighborhood hardware store.
You can begin your foray into DIY home solar energy slowly by building a single panel which will generate enough electricity to run many of your household appliances. When you begin to become proficient at building the panels you can build more and add them to what you have already created which will of course enhance your ability to generate electricity free of charge.
And just think about this… it is very, very possible to generate enough electricity to completely power your home and no longer have to pay those expensive utility bills. Not only that but you can also go completely off the grid and even produce enough electricity that you can sell it back to the power company for a profit. It’s a beautiful thing isn’t it? And it’s all within your reach.
Learn how to generate an unlimited amount of free electricity when you harness the power of the sun to create DIY home solar energy when you visit http://free-home-solar-energy.blogspot.com
Article Source: How to Create Home Solar Energy and Generate Free Electricity
Choosing the right science project for young people to do should include the concept of helping them become more involved in today’s important global issues. A science project on solar panels could be just the thing for them to gain a better understanding of how the energy crisis is affecting us and what they can do about it.
These past few decades have been a period of incredible change to the planet. The planet today does need to be safeguarded against increased damaging effects to it similar to those of yesteryear. Our lakes, oceans, and rivers are in a pitiable state. The very air that we breathe is infused with pollutants that make us sick. Natural disasters now occur more often, destroying millions in property and killing countless lives annually. The energy sources that have provided the power to fuel so-called economic and technological development and progress have taken their toll on our fragile environment. And the younger and future generations are the ones who are going to pay for the follies of the older generations who thoughtlessly abused our natural resources and the environment.
Find Your School Science Project Here
It has come to a point that the very survival of the human race is being questioned as being endangered in the coming years. The abuse of Mother Nature and her bounty has led to massive pollution throughout the globe. Fossil fuels have made the biggest impact, being able to pollute the air that we breathe, the water we drink, and the environment we live in. Once these fossil fuels are being mined in a certain area, damage that is irreversible is inflicted to the environment.
They are a probable contributor to global warming, which threatens to melt the polar ice caps that could lead uncontrollable floods. The sulphur oxide emissions produced by fossil fuels cause harmful acid rain. Fossil fuels are non-recyclable thus their supply will ultimately come to an end. The fact that our fossil fuel resources are fast depleting is a serious issue which we will have to face or else we can no longer have sufficient sources of energy to support human civilization.
A High School Science Project
These all being said, you can imagine how educating the future generations of our world about energy efficiency can help in saving what remains of our energy sources and rebuilding the damage fossil fuels have done. The energy crises, the harmful consequences of fossil fuel use on the environment – our young people should be made aware as to how these are both significant issues that affect the very survival of the human race as we know it today.
Knowledge is a powerful weapon which can arm the future generations in their fight to rescue our ailing planet through resolving the issues on energy sources. When there is application of knowledge, the effect is that it becomes a whole lot more powerful. It is best to show young people how to apply that knowledge so as to capture their interest and earn their support.
It’s more than likely that if students and pupils today were to undertake a school science project on how to build solar panels that they would use that knowledge way into the future to help ease the energy crises. Solar panels harnessing the energy from sun rays are very appropriate to demonstrate to the youth the alternative energy solutions that are available. Letting them do the project on their own can help them appreciate the simplicity and effectiveness of solar power. As a concept, energy from sunlight is a highly important idea for young people to familiarize. Let them have a hands-on project on alternative energy sources such as this one and this will help everyone benefit from the knowledge that the energy and environmental crises can be solved with modern scientific solutions.
Energy Efficiancy is an issue that has been debated long and hard for decades. However, public outcry appears to hold stronger values than those positioned to get the job done.
It’s now time to hand future generations the task by educating without debate or vested interests involved.
This School Science Project is a Good Beginning
Article Source: A Solar Panels Project: Educating Youth on Energy Efficiency and The Energy Crises
The green energy trend has certainly picked up momentum in the last year alone. Alternative energy researches that have long collected dust or put in the back burner are now taking the world stage, front and center. One of the leading contenders for this new (and hopefully, sustained) green energy research is finding a way to be more efficient in turning the sun’s light into electricity.
The idea that light can be turned into electricity (the process is more scientifically known as the “photovoltaic” effect) is nothing new, but the efficiency of the process has always been a little off. In the beginning, the first solar cell had a conversion efficiency of 1%. This means that only 1% of the light that is absorbed is actually turned into electricity. Today, that rate has come a long way, about 40%. It really isn’t comparable (yet) to the way fossil fuels can generate electricity but there are a number of advantages to sourcing electricity from the sun than from fossil fuels, like being environmentally friendly and easily installed.
However, the initial expense in creating the solar panel array can be quite high, especially if one buys a prefabricated panel, and become a victim of shameless profiteering. A single solar panel can go for around $500 to $800, with the most expensive parts being the solar cells (but only because you really need a lot of them). After the solar panel is up and working, maintenance cost is quite low. The problem is that an ordinary house will need more than just one panel.
For every problem, there is a solution. The answer to lowering the costs of installing a solar panel would be to build one from the ground up. There are hundreds of Do It Yourself kits in the market, and these come in different sizes. Should one feel doubtful about their building skills, they could always buy the smallest ones first, which are usually used as educational tools. They cost a lot less and the task would not be as overwhelming.
The next size to try would be the type of solar panels that will power only specific equipment or appliances, like the water heater or the Jacuzzi. After a while, the builder will probably get the hang of it and be churning out panels to cover the roof.
A school DIY kit often costs less than $100, and a full solar panel will cost about $200. Even if they mess up one kit and be able to succeed only on the second kit, they would still be able to save at least $100, though it really is not as hard as it seems. With a bit of practice, anyone can do it.
Another advantage of building the solar panel is the satisfaction of being able to create something useful with one’s own hands. It may not be a work of art in the first few tries, but it’s really not a beauty contest anyway.
Visit HomemadeSolarEnergyPanels.Com to learn about do it yourself solar panels, how to build solar panels and the costs of building solar panels at home!
Article Source: Powering Up With Solar Energy Panels
Draught proofing is the method to adopt if you want to get rid of draughty or external noise off your home. When your room feels draughty due to its vulnerability to prevent draughts entering into through various openings around floor, doors and windows and other places, draught proofing procedures are most effective steps to resolve these issues. Draughts cause cold air coming in and squeeze out warm air.
To handle these draught issues you end up burning a lot of fossil fuels that generate carbon dioxide based heat to restore comfortable temperature. But, increasing room temperature is okay, what about the heating bills increasing through this process? And what about the drastic climate change which is being led by greenhouse gas emission (carbon dioxide) which is severing temperature rise and sea level rise globally? That’s why, government bodies are encouraging draughts to be proofed using different types of products. Building regulations have been already circulated to draught proof in the most upgraded standard.
There are two ways houses can be draught proofed – you can Do-It-Yourself or else can hire professional contractors. Materials to be used for draught proofing can be easily available from local DIY store or through online store. These materials are not highly priced and can be easily installed. So, if you are undertaking a self-help draught proof plan, you can save a lot of money due to easy availability and application. Moreover, installing draught proofing helps recovering costs within two years of time. Plus, this home improvement method enhances energy efficiency of our home. If you are buying draught proof products on your own you must ensure you have purchased products conforming to BS 7386.
There are some critical issues involved in the process of draught proofing related to ventilation. Ventilation is necessary, but draughts are completely no-no. Therefore, you must make ensure striking a perfect balance between ventilation and keep enough space for ventilation. For example internal doors must be draught proofed, while kitchen and bathroom where condensation tends to form should be left for proper ventilation. Professional contractors are knowledgeable about such issues and they are adept in differentiating between ventilation and draught proofing. Therefore, they can ensure utmost effectiveness in the draught proofing method and also good ventilation. They may charge you labour costs on material costs, but guarantee complete perfection, well insulated, well ventilated home.
Jack William is an article author who brings the information about draught proofing through article, news, press release and blog. For more details visit our home insulation website.
Article Source: Draught proofing – Should You Do-It-Yourself Or Hire Professionals?
Newspaper columnists and TV pundits are speculating on global warming, and some holidaymakers have been thinking twice about taking a flight to their favourite destination.
But now many airlines are offering to offset their CO2 emissions due to the speculation in the media that their activity could be contributing to global warming – by something called Carbon Trading.
Increasing numbers of airlines are now implementing a system of carbon trading and offer this as an option at the point of sale to their passengers – but many holidaymakers aren’t sure quite what they are being offered, and the take-up has been quite low.
Carbon Trading is a way to reduce the common greenhouse gas emissions stemming from the use of various fossil fuels. There are six greenhouse gases in total. Offsets are measured using a metric ton system. A single offset signifies the removal of an entire ton of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas. Several airlines offering the Carbon Trading service now show their passengers the estimated carbon pollution resulting from their flights.
Several airline companies and online travel companies such as Expedia are also enacting other measures to protect the environment. One popular procedure is to expand the general recycling procedures to encompass all materials, including paper, plastic, and aluminum. Some have launched their own programmes to contribute to environmental groups and their quest to clean up the world.
Other measures include programmes to encourage fuel conservation and efficient resource management. The airline fleets themselves are being modernised and prepared for optimum fuel efficiency. Just by changing daily procedure to incorporate these environmentally friendly activities, one airline reports saving the equivalent of more than 200 million gallons of fuel in a single year.
Airports are also changing their standard fuel trucks to carts. These devices are stationed at the gates for the craft. There is a subsystem of hydrants connecting the carts throughout the airport. This eliminates further pollution that once came from the trucks.
There is some question to the validity of this attempt since the airline industry accounts for only around 2 percent of the greenhouse gases. The shipping industry accounts for 5 percent. Experts state much of the attention falls upon the airline industry due to the amount of travel a consumer does individually.
Europe has reported the system of offsetting as successful with hundreds of millions of tons eliminated. The EU agrees upon where the credits are most needed before relinquishing. Their first report covered thousands of companies and amounted to around half of all carbon and related emissions throughout Europe.
Experts agree that carbon prices will remain significant elements in the fight against pollution. The measures are believed to encourage more companies to adapt new technologies and replace outdated or less efficient materials. These procedures are not without problems or opponents.
The current cost of fuel have taken a toll on the programme. Soaring prices have forced many plants to switch from natural gas to coal. The current estimates state that gas prices need to fall or carbon prices to go up to retain their effectiveness.
There are critics to the process of carbon offsetting as a means of protecting the environment. Many have pointed out that the current time frame extends only through to 2012. The brevity of the outlook presents a difficult situation for realistic corporate long term commitments.
The scheme of trading emissions is a practice designed by governments. It is believed that far more details should have been considered before implementing the actual strategies, as the current global fuel and economy issues have already hindered its success, and the recession might have had a bigger impact on the number of flights taken as families consider whether to take holidays that need a flight or stay closer to home or not take a holiday at all.
Tribune produce a series of European holiday guides and a popular blog
More details about airlines and the environment are available with social media like StumbleUpon
Article Source: Staying Green On Your Vacation Flights
Newspaper columnists and TV pundits are speculating on global warming, and some holidaymakers have been thinking twice about taking a flight to their favourite destination.
But now many airlines are offering to offset their CO2 emissions due to the speculation in the media that their activity could be contributing to global warming – by something called Carbon Trading.
Increasing numbers of airlines are now implementing a system of carbon trading and offer this as an option at the point of sale to their passengers – but many holidaymakers aren’t sure quite what they are being offered, and the take-up has been quite low.
Carbon Trading is a way to reduce the common greenhouse gas emissions stemming from the use of various fossil fuels. There are six greenhouse gases in total. Offsets are measured using a metric ton system. A single offset signifies the removal of an entire ton of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas. Several airlines offering the Carbon Trading service now show their passengers the estimated carbon pollution resulting from their flights.
Several airline companies and online travel companies such as Expedia are also enacting other measures to protect the environment. One popular procedure is to expand the general recycling procedures to encompass all materials, including paper, plastic, and aluminum. Some have launched their own programmes to contribute to environmental groups and their quest to clean up the world.
Other measures include programmes to encourage fuel conservation and efficient resource management. The airline fleets themselves are being modernised and prepared for optimum fuel efficiency. Just by changing daily procedure to incorporate these environmentally friendly activities, one airline reports saving the equivalent of more than 200 million gallons of fuel in a single year.
Airports are also changing their standard fuel trucks to carts. These devices are stationed at the gates for the craft. There is a subsystem of hydrants connecting the carts throughout the airport. This eliminates further pollution that once came from the trucks.
There is some question to the validity of this attempt since the airline industry accounts for only around 2 percent of the greenhouse gases. The shipping industry accounts for 5 percent. Experts state much of the attention falls upon the airline industry due to the amount of travel a consumer does individually.
Europe has reported the system of offsetting as successful with hundreds of millions of tons eliminated. The EU agrees upon where the credits are most needed before relinquishing. Their first report covered thousands of companies and amounted to around half of all carbon and related emissions throughout Europe.
Experts agree that carbon prices will remain significant elements in the fight against pollution. The measures are believed to encourage more companies to adapt new technologies and replace outdated or less efficient materials. These procedures are not without problems or opponents.
The current cost of fuel have taken a toll on the programme. Soaring prices have forced many plants to switch from natural gas to coal. The current estimates state that gas prices need to fall or carbon prices to go up to retain their effectiveness.
There are critics to the process of carbon offsetting as a means of protecting the environment. Many have pointed out that the current time frame extends only through to 2012. The brevity of the outlook presents a difficult situation for realistic corporate long term commitments.
The scheme of trading emissions is a practice designed by governments. It is believed that far more details should have been considered before implementing the actual strategies, as the current global fuel and economy issues have already hindered its success, and the recession might have had a bigger impact on the number of flights taken as families consider whether to take holidays that need a flight or stay closer to home or not take a holiday at all.
Tribune produce a series of European holiday guides and a popular blog
More details about airlines and the environment are available with social media like StumbleUpon
Article Source: Staying Green On Your Vacation Flights
Nowadays, the increase in the price of gas is a phenomenon one cannot consider as erratic. It is an occurrence that infuriates the general public. But one which people have to endure, come in terms with, and tighten their belts for them to be able to tide over the situation. The last two decades or so have seen some of the most unusual spikes in the price of gasoline, and consequently, this results to an increase in the cost of other commodities as well.
Gasoline and diesel belong to the non-renewable type of energy. Simply put, these are resources which cannot be readily replenished, or resources which have a limited supply. The main sources of energy in the world today are coal, oil and natural gas which are called fossil fuels. Unfortunately, fossils fuels are non-renewable. The extraction of fossil fuels from the earth turns out to be more difficult since they are becoming scarcer yet the demand is only becoming more urgent since these fossil fuels are used in nearly all industries from the largest to the smallest.
Therefore the renewable forms of energy have been the topic of many studies and discussions. Innovations in renewable energy generation are taking in the spotlight and seemingly unlikely sources of renewable energy are becoming the newest trend. Among this is glycerol, a byproduct of saponification or the process of soap making and transesterification or the production of biodiesel. Glycerol can be accounted for 10% of the byproducts of biodiesel production. Glycerol is also known by its more commercial terms of glycerin and glycerine.
One of the investigations focusing on glycerol was the one conducted by the researchers at the Oxford University. This group of scientists was able to generate biofuel from glycerol, which is considered to be a waste byproduct in many industries. They have designed a method which turns glycerol into methanol. The process uses metal catalyst to separate the methanol. Today, methanol is mostly derived from natural gas. It is used extensively in industrial chemistry.
Another study was one from the Department of Chemical and Environment Engineering at the University of California, Riverside. The process they have developed was one which combined excess glycerin and excess biomass from biodiesel production to produce flammable pellets for use as an alternative to coal.
A study from the Rice University explored the potential of fermenting glycerol to produce ethanol. Since for each gallon of biodiesel produces approximately 0.75 lb of glycerol, this would be a very practical way to produce energy. The use of microorganisms in the fermentation is the unique feature of this research. The Klebsiella and Citrobacter are glycerol-fermenting species of bacteria while E. coli synthesize glycerol through a respiratory pathway.
One study by the controversial and award-winning Galen Suppes, a chemical engineering professor at the University of Missouri, has come up with a procedure to convert glycerine into propylene glycol. Propylene glycol can be used as an alternative to ethylene propyl. Ethylene propyl is used as antifreeze for cars and other automobiles. It is derived from petroleum and is a toxic chemical. Propylene glycol, on the other hand, is a safe and sustainable substitute.
Biodiesel production has resulted to a large surplus of glycerine. Though glycerine is used in nearly all industries, its use for sustainable energy is a relatively new concept but one which has attracted a lot of attention. Glycerol has a lot of potential in the renewable energy industry because it is inexpensive and economically-sound. Moreover, it has beneficial environmental impacts since it help cut down on the emissions of oxides of nitrogen in the atmosphere, reducing air pollution and its associated effects.
Jo is an author and publisher for ‘ReAgent Chemical Services Ltd’ (http://www.reagent.co.uk), a reputable UK stationed chemical firm that makes, has a supply of and sells a wide selection of high quality chemicals. If your corporation is seeking high quality chemical product such as Glycerol or has other industrial compound needs for uses like chemical mixture, analytical applications and cleaning then have a look at ReAgent Chemical Services Ltd.
Article Source: Glycerol Making: Reports In This Recent Trend In Renewable Energy
Conserving earth’s energy is nowadays seen more seriously than observing Earth Day on April 22 and involves taking initiatives of generating renewable energy. As the name suggests, this particular type of energy once produced is less prone to peril and can be reused in a multifarious ways. Two compelling reasons why creating using such alternative energy is found momentous, currently –
1. First of all, renewable energy which is often marked as green energy sources are usually considered cleaner than using fossil fuels that induces emission of carbon dioxide. Therefore, this green energy helps alleviating release of greenhouse gases that is directly linked to grave threat to earth like global warming.
2. Fossil fuel gases are on the brink of getting wiped out from the earth. Moreover, it is difficult to predict certainly when the time will come to witness supply of oil will surpass increasing demand. Though, many have forecast that within decades or so, oil production is expected to peak and meet exceeding demands. Therefore, by alternating our dependence upon renewable energy will limit increasing demands for oil based energy. In other words, we can avert social and economic mayhem when the time will arrive when the oil production will hit the highest point.
So, What Type Of Renewable Energy Can We Produce?
Amongst multitude of renewable energy sources, we can consider or rely on the following because of their widespread usage and advantages receivable from those –
Solar: Solar power or solar energy tops the list of sources of generating renewable energy. Because it is an established fact that solar power sourced by the sun is unlikely to be running out, is touted to be a great source of green energy. Solar energy can be obtained through south-facing windows and heat up rooms. Otherwise, solar energy can be collected by using special equipment that amasses energy to convert into electricity.
Wind: Wind is another source to harness renewable energy is sizable quantity. Tall and scenic wind turbines found mainly in wide, vacant areas are used to collect the power of wind to transform into electricity. Renewable energy can be produced at the fastest pace from wind energy and it is also clean and green.
Other sources that are considered good and green way to produce abundant renewable energy include water, geothermal and biomass.
Jack William is an article author, who brings the information about renewable energy and renewable energy grants through articles, news, press release and blog. For more details about home insulation and home insulation grants visit our website. http://www.homeenergysaver.co.uk/
Article Source: Why Is It Necessary To Alternate To Producing Renewable Energy?
Propane is by no means a new fuel. Millions of people have been using it worldwide for many years now already. But is propane something that is good for the environment? It might actually be much better than regular fossil fuels like gasoline and diesel. Propane tends to be widely used in such things as barbecues because it is cleaner burning and does not leave a bad flavor in the food. It is often used in many large vehicles as well but not as often in regular daily driven cars and trucks. It is something that could possibly be used more. It is interesting to note the differences between propane and regular gasoline.
This is the third most popular fuel source. It is currently used in millions of vehicles. It is a very common fuel source, often supplied at most gas stations. That makes it very easy to refuel when you use propane. That kind of convenience is very important when it comes to transportation and proper fuel consumption. There are many advantages to using propane. It burns much cleaner and therefore gives off less toxins and emissions than other fossil fuels. Propane also has a liquid state which makes it quite easy to deal with.
Propane also achieves relatively decent mileage. It is easily comparable with gasoline and often proven to be better. It is convenient and easy to access while being as easy as filling a regular gas tank. The price is quite reasonable as well. Because propane is in a liquid form, it is easily transportable from one place to another. Many propane users stock up on their supply so they do not have to seek out a gas station that also supplies propane. Of course, propane is a gas and it can be dangerous if not handled properly. If it were to leak, there could be possible danger. It is important to know how to safely use it.
One great aspect to propane is that it is abundantly found domestically. The United States imports plenty of its fossil fuels. This would save on imports if more people were to use propane. Even though all gases are flammable, propane tanks tend to be much more durable than a regular gas tank. For those seeking safety, this might be a great option. When compared with other gasoline, propane is less flammable overall.
Though propane is obviously much better than regular gasoline and diesel, it is still not the best possible fuel source. It does have some emissions and it is not as natural as other things that are currently under investigation. Consumers have a large role to play when it comes to finding a fuel solution that we can all live with. Making the choice to use propane is personal and should be based on facts. Get all of the necessary information on propane before switching over. It is just one more in a long list of possible fuels. Making a change is good for everyone as individuals and as a whole.
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Article Source: Propane
With the current damage being done to the environment it only makes sense that we need a better way to operate vehicles without the use of fossil fuels. It is always a good idea to take a look of all the possible options available to us in order to break down the advantages and disadvantages of using each of them. Biodiesel is just another great alternative that might allow drivers to turn their backs on regular diesel and other forms of fossil fuels. The first step in making a real change is to learn as much as you can about the alternatives. Getting informed and educated is the first step in understanding the problem and solving it.
Biodiesel is an all natural fuel source. Biodiesel does not come from fossil fuels in any way. Instead, it is derived from natural sources like vegetable oil or animal fat. It can be burned just as it is on its own or it can be blended with regular diesel in order to make it cleaner burning. Biodiesel should not be mistaken for vegetable oil like that found in restaurants. Biodiesel is obtained in a different way. With the rise of environmental concern and pollution, biodiesel is something worth considering.
Since biodiesel became a viable fuel source it has been used in various things like trains and even aircrafts. Chrysler even released one of their Jeep models in the year 2005 with biodiesel capabilities. Biodiesel is such a fantastic resource that it can even be used to heat homes or businesses. Regular diesel does not have as good of lubricating qualities as biodiesel does. This can directly affect the wear on the engine. The use of biodiesel will actually increase engine lifespan and reduce wear and tear.
There are many benefits to the use of biodiesel. The most obvious one is the reduction in emissions from vehicles that pump toxins into the earth’s atmosphere. Going green and finding natural resources is one of the driving forces for many people when they consider such a thing as biodiesel. Studies have shown that biodiesel performs quite well in comparison to regular fossil fuels in terms of things like horsepower and driving ability. Biodiesel also tends to be more efficient than other natural resources like ethanol. Since it is safe to transport as well as to store and it works well, there really is no reason not to be using it.
Of course, there are some disadvantages to using biodiesel like with any other resource. It does cost money to transport and store it. Also, a lot of land space is required for the production of biodiesel. Some places just do not have enough land space to spare. Another disadvantage might be the fact the biodiesel does not work as well in places with colder temperatures. This might limit consumers that live in colder locations. It is quite obvious that biodiesel as a fuel source has both good and bad qualities. With further investigation, perhaps it will be a great option for consumers.
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Article Source: Biodiesel verses Diesel
Biogas is a wonderfully flexible and renewable form of energy and it can be used as a building block to make not only a wide variety of liquid fuels, but also organic chemicals and even plastics.
The biogas digestion (anaerobic digestion) process can be installed and run at the household level with simple training and support, and it can also be developed in huge projects to anaerobic make community and district anaerobic digestion plants. These can take up to 100,000 tons per year of organic waste and create methane from it.
When the methane produced is cleaned and compressed it is called biomethane, and can be pumped into the district grids which nowadays deliver us natural gas from fossil fuels.
A household biogas plant consists of a tank (at its simplest just an underground brick pit) where manure (human sanitary waste) and other organic materials are mixed with water and allowed to ferment.
A farm biogas plant does the same but in a larger reactor and usually takes the farm animal slurries, but can also in some Scandinavian plants also use silage. The silage is stored for use to feed farm biogas plants during the long cold winters, when other feed organic feed materials may be in short supply. The farm anaerobic digestion (AD) plant can in this way strengthen the ability of farm businesses to withstand bad weather and poor years when crops are poor, and its adoption in large numbers will therefore improve the resilience of the agricultural sector.
Let us not forget either that greater biogas production and the use of it will result in a reduction in greenhouse emissions and sizeable plants can make reductions of the order of 50,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalents annually.
An AD plant always contains two main components: a digester (or fermentation tank) and a gas holder. The digester in the most common types of plant is a rectangular-shaped or cylindrical leakproof vessel with an inlet into which the fermentable mixture is introduced in the form of a liquid slurry.
China is an example of a nation where the government has introduced a biogas program. More and more governments are realizing that biogas production brings benefits not only the ecological system, but it also benefits rural populations. India and Nepal are also well known for their digesters.
The benefits are many and include it being an alternative energy source, methane is very useful for cooking, improving rural sanitation, reducing firewood consumption, relieving the rural women’s burden, providing a liquid fertilizer for the fields, and proving a sludge which can improve soil quality, plus more. What is more, each farmer my be able to obtain a cash income from this as well.
The actual results of bio-gas programmes have shown these real benfits improving rural life in so many ways.
In one example the biogas digester attached to toilets provides cooking gas for a 600-student school and vocational-training program the foundation runs. In the past, non-governmental organizations were the only ones offering these ideas but that is rapidly changing as the good word gets around.
After the fermentation has been completed in an AD plant, the biogas leaves from the top of the digester at a low pressure, sufficient to overcome the losses provide enough pressure to push the gas through a gas burner, and similarly through some power generation motors, without any compressor to raise pressure.
The countries in Europe are now beginning to sit up and take stock of successes in China and other nations, and are introducing new legislation to encourage the uptake of AD technology. These laws will be explained and discussed extensively at both the plenary sessions and in the workshops in a surprisingly large number of conferences this year.
Steve Last is an anaerobic digestion expert, and web master. You will find much more about this fascinating subject at his Biogas Digester web site. But for a simple Biogas Calculator follow the link earlier in this sentence.
Article Source: Biogas and Biomethane Gains Wider Acceptance
Many people think they only use coal on beautiful summer days when they pour briquettes into their barbecue grill. While your char-broiled burger might be the most delicious way to use coal, it’s by no means the most important. Coal, a simple combustible rock, is a big contributor to the American way of life. Plentiful and (relatively) inexpensive, coal is very important in industrial and residential applications.
Like other fossil fuels (petroleum and natural gas), it takes a lot of time for coal to form. Coal starts out as peat: wet plant matter that is partially decayed. You can find peat in wetlands, bogs, swamps and other places; anywhere you can find water and dead plants. Buried by sediment, attacked by bacteria, the peat gradually dries out in the oxygen-deprived environment. After millions of years of pressure and heat, the peat becomes carbon-rich coal.
There are several different kinds of coal, and each kind has advantages and disadvantages. Many human cultures have simply used peat to heat their dwellings and cook their food. The youngest kind of coal is called lignite. Still soft and brown, it’s not as compressed as it will be in the future. As a result of its lower carbon content, lignite is considered a lower-rank coal but can still be used in electricity generation. The next kind of coal is sub-bituminous, which is firmer and darker. After still more time and pressure, you get bituminous coal, which often features striated layers of different-colored material. Anthracite coal is very dark, shiny and hard, and is often used to heat commercial and residential structures. The last, and highest, grade of coal is called graphite. Yes, this is the material used in pencils.
Today, lots of talk centers around the increasing scarcity of petroleum. Fortunately, coal is quite plentiful around the world, and the United States has a ready supply that will last a long time. Particularly large deposits can be found in the Appalachian region, the Midwest and the Dakotas. There is also a great deal of coal in Central Texas. In 2007, over 1.1 billion short tons of coal were removed from American mines, including 42 million from Texan mines. (391 million short tons were recovered from the Appalachian region and 619 million short tons were recovered from the West.) While the United States imported 36 million short tons of coal, it exported 59 million short tons, representing a bright spot in American energy independence.
Before coal can be used, of course, it must be extracted from the earth. Miners can use a couple different options to do this. If the coal is close to the surface, the top layers of the landscape can simply be removed, allowing access to the coal. For coal that is trapped further down, miners must dig deep shafts to provide access. Some currently operating American mines operate at depths up to 500 feet. Underground coal mining is dangerous, but advances in engineering and safety technology have improved matters. In addition to the main shaft, additional holes are drilled into the earth to provide ventilation, thereby ensuring miners have the fresh air they need. Coal is removed from underground seams with hand and power tools and broken into pieces small enough to be carried up the main shaft on a conveyor belt. Once the coal is above ground, it is sent to its destination by rail, truck or ship.
Where does all of this coal go? You may be surprised to learn that half of all of the electricity in the American power grid is generated by coal-burning power plants. To make the electricity, coal is pulverized into a fine powder and is then blown into a large boiler surrounded by pipes filled with water. This coal powder is burned at 2500 degrees Fahrenheit, which turns the liquid water into high-pressure steam. Thanks to this high pressure, the steam flows quickly through a turbine. A turbine is basically a propeller wrapped around a big magnet. Using the properties of electromagnetism, electricity is generated and wired to transformers that send it out to your home. The smokestacks on a coal-burning power plant release very little solid material. Recent technological advances have resulted in smokestack scrubbers that can severely reduce the amount of harmful gases released from a plant. Coal is also widely used to keep industrial plants running; after all, it takes a lot of energy to make steel.
Coal is powerful, plentiful and reasonably priced, making it an important part of the United States’ energy equation for decades, if not centuries, to come.
Click here to read the rest of Coal and Electricity. If you enjoyed this article, you also might like our other stories about Texas Electricity Company.
Article Source: All About Coal and Electricity
Many scientists are now researching ways to harness the sun’s energy, primarily because with solar power, the possibilities are endless. But what are some of the pros and cons of solar power?
Although technology today cannot fully utilize this yet, using solar energy today will help you save on your electric bills and help save our planet. But what really is solar power?
Solar energy is the radiant energy that comes from the sun. This energy is now used to create electricity through solar power technology. Today’s technology makes use of various forms of solar panels comprised of photovoltaic cells, which collects the sun’s energy.
But now you are wondering, should you use solar energy? In order to answer this, you need to know some of the pros and cons of solar power. Knowing this will help you decide whether to use home solar energy or not.
Pros:
- Solar panels do not create pollution as compared to fossil fuel. The only pollution it might produce is in the production of the panel, transportation and installation.
- Solar energy produces electricity silently compared to renewable fuels and fossil fuel. No noisy generators
- It can carry electricity to areas that are not part of the national grid. A good case in point of this is in outer space, where the use of high efficiency solar cells powers the satellites.
- Installing solar panels in remote regions is much cheaper than laying high voltage wires.
- Solar energy can be very efficient in a large area of the globe even on dull or overcast days.
- Solar panels can simply be installed on rooftops so there is no need to find a space to place them.
- Solar panels will help you to save money over time. Once installed, you get a free source of electricity for years to come.
- You rely less on the world’s supply of fossil fuels and therefore help prevent global warming.
Cons:
- The Solar panels and their installation costs can get rather expensive. The newest, highly efficient solar panels cost more than $1000 and most homes will probably need more than one.
- Solar energy can only be gathered during daylight. This means that by night, the solar panels will not be able to produce electricity for you. Using batteries can solve this.
- The effectiveness of solar panels is affected by the weather. For example, the panels collect less energy on cloudy days.
- Pollution also affects the effectiveness of solar panels, and companies and businesses in the city might not be able to benefit from them.
Eventually, solar power, along with wind generators and renewable energy sources, will power the entire planet. Maybe not in our lifetime, but knowing the pros and cons of solar power can help you get a head start that can save you money and resources.
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Article Source: The Pros and Cons of Solar Power – Will It Work In Our Homes?
Early on man realized that fossil fuels would soon run out, and so nuclear power was born. It was glorified as the cleaner alternative to oil and coal power stations, promising lower emissions and environmental safety. But has it really lived up to our expectations? And is it the ideal energy solution for the future? We think not.
Although nuclear power is efficient and responsible for about 25% of the world’s electricity production, it is flawed in many respects:
Nuclear power cannot solve global warming:
Once seen as the solution to global climate change, nuclear power is far from it. Everywhere along the nuclear chain – from the mining of uranium to its transportation to the construction of the power plant – greenhouse gases are emitted.
Furthermore, their construction takes too long to solve global warming. In fact, investing in nuclear power deprives other efforts – such as energy efficiency, conservation and renewable energy – of further funding and development.
Nuclear plants release radiation:
The levels of radiation released in the air, water and soil are considered “safe”. However, this standard is based on how it impacts healthy, white males and does not take consideration for children that are sensitive to cancer-causing radiation.
They create harmful radioactive waste:
From mining to milling, processing to enrichment, fuel fabrication to fuel irradiation in reactors, large amounts of harmful, long-lasting radioactive waste is produced. In addition to 20-30 tons of high-level radioactive waste per reactor per year, this includes so-called “low” level radioactive waste.
The current solution for the “disposal” or “storage” of this waste is unacceptable. There is no scientifically safe place to dump this waste, and new reactors would exacerbate the problem. Additional “low” level radioactive waste would have to be dumped in landfills or incinerated, polluting the water and air.
Nuclear plants are too costly:
At $6 to $12 billion each, nuclear reactors are not a cheap solution. Nuclear power has already been subsidized hundreds of billions of dollars. Why should we, the taxpayers, subsidize the electric utility companies’ investments any longer?
Development of nuclear technology brings war and terrorism:
This has been seen at the September 2007 bombing of Syria’s suspected nuclear site by Israel, and the controversy over Iran’s nuclear program. Reactors will always set the stage for atomic weapons production. So, as long as power plants exist, there will always be tension over the possibility of a nuclear attack. Furthermore, reactors are soft targets for terrorists to get hold of nuclear materials, so the more reactors built, the greater the risk.
Any accident will be catastrophic:
All nuclear plants are vulnerable to accidents or attacks. Nevertheless, if an accident did occur, the current evacuation plans are completely unrealistic. In addition, the Price-Anderson Act ensures the utility’s liability of an accident is limited to only $10.8 billion. This is absurd, considering a serious reactor accident could cause as much as $600 billion of damage. Once again, the balance would likely have to be paid by us, the taxpayers.
There are better alternatives:
What bothers us most is we already have better, cleaner, safer and cheaper alternatives available and ready to implement. Perhaps with the recent election of our new US government, nuclear energy will be put to rest and renewable energy will be harnessed on a larger scale.
But while we wait, it is possible to start harnessing renewable energy at home. What’s more is, it does not cost very much and is rather simple to implement. Various solar and wind power guides have already become available, which you can see in our reviews section.
Tim McDonald and his wife have been living off the grid since June 2008. If you want to learn to get off the grid and save thousands on your electricity bills, then be sure to Try Earth4Energy For FREE before you go out and start any renewable energy project.
Article Source: The Concerns With Nuclear Power
As the name implies, biofuels are fuels derived from organic material. Since they can be made in many ways, they are classified as 1st generation, 2nd generation, and 3rd generation.
First generation bio-fuels are the more common fuels that are produced from food crops and animal fats. Some examples include bio-diesel, vegetable oil, and bio-gas.
Second generation bio-fuels are made from waste biomass, making them a more sustainable solution as compared to their 1st gen counterparts. They include various alcohols (such as ethanol) and diesel derived from wood and even human excrement.
Third generation bio-fuels are generally made from algae that are farmed on a massive scale. By way of photosynthesis and the breaking down of carbon dioxide, the carbohydrates extracted from these micro-organisms is used to make various fuels.
So what separates bio-fuels from fossil fuels?
Bio-fuels differ from fossil fuels in the following ways:
Where bio-fuels can be made very quickly, fossil fuels take millions of years to be made.
The pollution from fossil fuels is far more severe. Although burning bio-fuels also creates emissions, the carbon dioxide is more environmentally friendly and absorbed easily by crops and organisms.
Fossil fuels are non-renewable, whereas bio-fuels tend be more renewable. As long as there is human excrement, there will be bio-fuels. Furthermore, with the help of crop rotation, there can be an endless supply of bio-fuels.
This leads us on to the advantages of bio-fuels:
As more people use bio-fuels, it lowers the demand on pollution creating fossil-fuels.
This helps reduce harmful carbon emissions, making bio-fuels more friendly for the environment.
And since they can be made from almost any organic substance, bio-fuels are a cheap alternative for consumers.
Bio-fuels sound too good to be true. There must be some disadvantages to producing and using them. So, are there any?
Like any new technology, of course there are disadvantages
Although they are environmentally friendly, bio-fuels have been ironically criticized by the environmental community, for the reasons given below:
It has long been debated on the usefulness on first generation bio-fuels as compared to the shortage of food they could cause. Producing bio-fuels from crops make the food worthless for us to eat. And some people believe that we should rather use those crops to cure world hunger than to power our vehicles and homes.
The large farmlands necessary to produce first and third generation bio-fuels can result in us encroaching on the natural ecology of plants and animals.
So you can see, biofuels are still a contentious issue. However, we believe that with the correct management – such as crop rotation – and improved technology biofuels can be a sustainable solution that will do more good than harm. But only time will tell.
Tim McDonald and his wife have been living off the grid since June 2008. If you want to learn to get off the grid and save thousands on your electricity bills, then be sure to Try Earth4Energy For FREE, before you go out and start any renewable energy project.
Article Source: Biofuels – What You Never Knew About Them
In today’s fierce and competitive market, how can a company sell more cell phones? One response: manufacture “green” phones. At the Seoul World IT show, Samsung (the Korean consumer electronics multinational corporation) offered plans to begin development and sale of two environmental-friendly handsets. The first is the W510. The W510 is constructed from a corn-based bioplastic and is free from hazardous heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium.
This is the earliest Samsung bioplastic-based telephone. However, At the CES in January, it was discovered that Samsung was among several big consumer electronics manufacturers to utilize the unconventional material. Fujitsu showed off a laptop with a bioplastic case. Additionally, 3310 Evolve has been produced by Nokia, a mobile phone partly made from biomaterials.
Removing petroleum-based plastics is a valuable proposal, due to current research, it is common knowledge that corn is an acceptable substitute for fossil fuels and plastics are not a sustainable resource. We hope that Samsung’s newer models will use a more sustainable, futuristic bioplastic, even though we know, the reason behind testing the market for bioplastic with cost-effective corn that is easy to obtain before any decisions are made.
Samsung has come out with a new phone. The company corroborates that this telephone, named the F268, does not contain PVC or (Polyvinyl chloride) or Brominated Flame Retardant, a flame retardant containing bromine (Flame retardants consisting of organic compounds containing bromine). That telephone is an good move in the firm’s scheduled phasing out of polyvinyl chloride and brominated flame retardants in all its portable phones no later than the year 2010.
Samsung has received accolades from Greenpeace for it’s environmentally-friendly electronics. The recent “Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics” is the basis for this. which cites that since March the company has earned a ranking of 7 out of 10. ranking it near the top. Invariably, it also gathered points for its PVC and BFR end of life date. However, while Samsung started to introduce into the market its PVC-free LCD panels last November, it only lost points on the strict Greenpeace ranking system when it faild to install a complete take-back and recycling program.
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Article Source: Samsung Ecological Mobile Phone
Gasification in outdoor wood furnaces or what we also call wood gasifiers or camp stove gasifiers is being practiced and developed rapidly. It is a whole new way of burning wood. One developer rightly calls it the Green furnace.
These are starting to come on sale as great green and sustainable products that reduce use on fossil fuels while being environmentally friendly. Camp stove gasifiers or wood furnaces create less smoke, use less wood while creating more heat.
Gasification is a process for burning wood where the gases from the wood are burned at very high temperatures. Downdraft produces extreme heat up to 2000 degrees igniting all gases including smoke and creosote therefore giving almost 100% efficiency. It is almost too good to be true!
Combustion of wood gas generates no particulates and the gas thus renders very little carbon black (soot). Combustion of the gases starts in the combustion tube assembly where the temperature of the gas is increased to promote thermal cracking of tars and hydrocarbons that were liberated during gasification. Partial combustion of gas in the combustion tube assembly, automatic continuous ash discharge and precise control of the zoning of the gasification air produces a clean, low Btu content gas that can be burned in the combustion tube and chamber for drying applications or in the radiant section of the boiler or stove.
Camp Stove Gasifiers are also called Wood-gas cooking stoves and are perhaps the best answer so far. These are gasifiers that produce gas from wood and then burn the gas, leaving ash and charcoal. Wood gas are nturaly the cheaper to run by all means, but charcoal gasifiers are much easier to handle.
Wood or sometimes other biomass is fed into gasifier at regular intervals. The equipment is designed in such a way that it takes air in controlled quantities, resulting in partial oxidation of biomass into producer gas. As the biomass is fed to the gasifier, it is converted into gas and char (carbonaceous matter) sometimes aso being catalyzed (ge by clay) under the presence of what is effectively steam. As the char is accumulated on the surface of the clay catalyst, the catalyst is deactivated.
Eventually, all the biomass particles transform into syngas, and the wood is gasified. Eventually, the developers of simple gasifier stove technology hope to create the possibility of converting many forms of non-edible biomass other than wood, prunings, straw, grass) into this wonderfully useful and efficient Green Gas with an efficiency of 70%. Subsequently, the Green Gas can be cleaned and pressurized and added to the natural gas network and be used as natural gas for many applications, such as heating, transport, chemical industry and electricity production.
Fuel gases can also be cleaned and then burned in internal combustion engines for the generation of electricity and process heat.
Gasification in-situ with energy production or pyrolysis of the above mentioned residues, under a non-oxidizing atmosphere for alternative fuels production could be a solution to the environmental problems that land filling or conventional combustion could create.
Steve Evans is a renewable energy enthusiast. Far from being despondent about rising gas prices he sees it as a great opportunity for us to start using clean renewable gasification energy sources which are going largely to waste all around us.
Article Source: The Wood Gasifier and Camp Stove Gasifiers
Wood gasification is the process of turning wood into carbon monoxide and hydrogen by reacting the raw material (wood) at high temperatures with a controlled amount of oxygen. Without oxygen, the wood can’t burn so it transforms into gas. This gas can be used as fuel in an internal combustion engine.
During World War II wood gas generators where used to fuel automobiles in Europe. If you/’ve been thinking about building one and seeing if I for example you could run a small lawn mower engine off of wood gas. We would encourage you to give it a try.
Gasification is here, now, and possible within the economic means of many Americans. Gasification scales up very easily and cost effectively. That old chevy 350 engine in your garage can power a 100kw generator if asked to.
Don’t let the guys with college degrees suggest that this is rocket science which the average person who can use some metalworking tools cannot use to produce their own highly efficient sustainable renewable energy.
Gasification was an important and familiar 19th and early 20th century technology, and its potential and practical applicability to internal combustion engines were well-understood from the earliest days of their development. Town gas was produced from coal as a local business, mainly for lighting purposes, at least initially, and experience in the trade was widespread; most practicing technical people would know a good deal about it.
Gasification of fossil fuels is currently widely used on industrial scales to generate electricity. However, almost any type of organic material can be used as the raw material for gasification but wood is a good place to start. You can use a host of different biomass sources, or even plastic waste. Gasification addresses the problems of efficiency and smoke. However, with the cost of wood so cheap, in many forested areas cost efficiency won/’t be a problem.
The term wood gasification may come across as a bit technical or feel like it requires a graduate degree in chemical engineering to truly understand. In truth the secret is that its pretty simple at a practical level, and for making a wise wood boiler purchasing decision, there are only a few things you need to know.
In the temperature range of 395 ° F to 535 ° F (i.e. a regular fire), the majority of the gases are released from the wood in combination with the smoke. Those gases contain about 50% to 80% of the heat content of the wood. This process results in a gas mixture that is often referred to as synthesis gas or syngas or in the case of a wood fuel – woodgas.
Wood is a renewable resource and as we have said already the gasification process is both environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Those benefits are very attractive to the many home and business owners considering the use of wood as fuel for heating or hot water.
Here is an example of a gasification system of this type which is on the market. According to web posts we have seen, Econoburn™ wood gasification boilers now carry “the Energy Star label. The Energy Star label, is respected by the majority of users and has become recognized by more than 70 percent of American consumers, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s commentator. So, you should take notice when a product carries that seal.
Availability of domestic and small business gasification boilers and stoves is not just limited to the US. In Europe you find there are also good vendors of Wood gasification plants from Wolfhagen-Ippingh – Germany.
We suggest that you obtain more information on spare parts, servicing, maintenance, repair or accessories directly from the registered micro-gasifier supply companies. You can also search for the term wood gasification plants for further products and services.
Steve Evans is a renewable energy enthusiast. Far from being despondent about rising gas prices he sees it as a great opportunity for us to start using clean renewable gasification energy sources which are going largely to waste all around us.
Article Source: The Truth About Wood Gasification