Archive for October, 2008

The Importance of Alternative Energy Sources

Monday, October 13th, 2008
Madison Greene asked:


One of the biggest challenges the human race faces today is finding and using alternative energy sources. The push for means of generating electricity has been around for over 100 years, but when oil and coal-fired generators produced power inexpensively, the world put the search for alternative energy sources on the back burner for a number of years.

We cannot procrastinate any longer, however, as many of the earth’s natural resources, such as oil, are depleting.

A Short History Lesson on Alternative Energy Sources

The need for an alternate energy source was rekindled in the 1970’s with the oil shortage that created lines at gas stations and produced critical shortages throughout the United States. The search for alternate power generation is not limited to finding new ways of powering vehicles, as supplying cheap power for homes and industries is a continuous endeavor. There have been many advances in the search for alternative energy sources, but the price of the power produced still remains too high.

Wind, water and sun are touted as renewable energy resources with claims that once the technology is perfected, making it more cost effective, they can replace the need for oil and natural gas to turn turbines in the generation process. Even geothermal power production is one of the alternate energy sources being researched.

The Source Of The Energy Depends on The Location

For many people the switch to alternative energy sources is a matter of finding the type of alternative power that works the best in their particular geographical location. Persons who live in areas that have limited exposure to the sun for example, may not be too excited about using solar panels to supply power. When the sun goes down for an extended number of days, the town can go dark.

In some of those areas, wind is not a problem as it seems to blow nearly every day. Using wind power to turn turbines to generate electricity can work there, but may not work in other areas that experience less windy conditions. Another of the alternative energy sources, hydropower uses the power of rivers to turn generators, but the cost of the infrastructure to get power to the people from the generator may still be high for long range use.

With the three major alternative energy sources continuing to be researched and advanced, the need for an answer to out problem becomes more evident every time a person receives their electric bill, or fills their car with gas.

The resources that we have left on the planet are running out. Do your part to keep educated on the latest changes in technology and any up to date with the issues at hand to learn what you can do to help solve the energy crisis.



Making Biodiesel at Home Could be as Easy as This

Friday, October 10th, 2008
Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


Biodiesel is a fuel or a type of diesel that is prepared from the degradation or processing of biodegradable material as substances. Biodiesel is a fuel that burns more efficiently than any other fuel and also burns more cleanly. The clean burning of the fuel also results in the low emission of harmful gasses, i.e. we get a better environment to live in. The biodiesel is the only unconventional fuel that is recommended by the American and the European Governments.

Biodiesel is quite easy to prepare and hence can be easily made at home. Making biodiesel at home is a lot more cost effective. For making biodiesel at home you will need the following materials.

1. First you will need a fresh cooking vegetable oil. For the biodiesel to be more cost effective you can use the cheapest oil that you can find

2. Then you will need the ‘Lye’ or the caustic soda. You will need approximately 5 grams of caustic soda. The caustic soda can be found anywhere. Most of the drains cleaning powders have it.

3. The third thing you will need is Methanol. You can find it in supply stores for the auto industry. It is usually found in the anti-freeze section.

4. Some of the other materials that you will require are one plastic bottle of 2 liter capacity which should be clean and dried.

5. A funnel that can fit in the neck of the bottle.

6. A washed and dried container for the blending of caustic soda and methanol. The container should be sealed so that not a drop of liquid comes out.

7. A measuring cup for measuring methanol.

8. Weight scales.

For the safe production of biodiesel, you must also have aprons, goggles or face shielding equipments and hand gloves.

The following is the method to prepare biodiesel at you home:

* Firstly you must choose a place that has proper ventilation, and warm the material at room temperature.

* Now put 250 ml of methanol into a jar and add about 5 grams of caustic soda or lye to methanol and seal the lid so that not a drop of liquid comes out.

* Blend the mixture at a low speed for upto 10 minutes. Do not panic if the temperature starts increasing.

* Now heat the vegetable oil at 1300F. Now put the oil in the plastic container with the help of the funnel. Do not overheat the oil.

* Now pour the mixture of lye and methanol which has now become sodium methoxide. Avoid breathing vapours. When the mixture is put into the oil, blend it for 15 to 20 minutes and then let the mixture settle.

After the mixture is settled for 20 minutes, you will see that two separate layers have formed in the bottle. The upper layer of liquid, which is visibly light coloured, is the biodiesel and the lower layer is the by-product glycerin. You can then pump out the biodiesel with the help of a handpump.