Archive for December, 2008

Why You Should Have Your Own Biodiesel Kit

Saturday, December 6th, 2008
Matt Oconnor asked:


If you are looking for a way to save on your fuel costs, it’s time for you to take a look at the different fuel alternatives available for you. Petroleum prices have been steadily growing with oil getting more expensive in the world market. Before you find yourself worrying about the rising prices, it’s very welcome news that there are some alternatives that you can consider to alleviate your fuels expenses.

One of the more promising fuel alternatives available today is biodiesel. Biodiesel is processed fuel that derives from biological sources such as vegetable oils and animal fats. Biodiesel as a processed fuel differentiates it from the use of straight vegetable oil or waste vegetable oil as alternative fuels.

Another advantage of biodiesel is that it can be readily used in current diesel engines as a fuel unlike straight vegetable oil fuel which may require the same diesel engines to be modified.

Biodiesel is also seen as an environmentally friendly alternative. It’s both biodegradable and non-toxic. It has low sulfur content and produces fewer particle emissions than your conventional petroleum based diesel fuel.

What’s more, the process of making biodiesel fuel has been extensively developed to a point that it is now possible to produce this alternative fuel right in your own home. There are now biodiesel kits made available to allow you as well as other consumers to make your own biodiesel to use.

If you’re really concerned with trying to bring down your expenses on fuel, investing on a biodiesel kit might be a wise decision. A biodiesel kit is simply a system that you can use to convert waste or straight vegetable oil into an alternative fuel that you can effectively use in your diesel-engined cars.

Most biodiesel kits are portable enough that you can set it up anywhere in your home. But most people prefer to set it up on vacant outdoor space such as a tool shed or just under an overhang.

So why should you buy a biodiesel kit? There are a number of reasons. One is to save money. With a diesel kit, you may be able to make your own alternative fuel which will be able to help you save about two dollars per gallon.

You will be able to produce and make use of cleaner and better quality diesel which can be a benefit to the environment. With biodiesel, you can also make your car engine run better on a cleaner alternative fuel which in turn can also help your car engine run longer. Not only will you be saving on fuel costs, you’re also helping the environment instead on contributing to its demise.

There are more reasons in store that will help you decide in getting your own biodiesel kit. You might be able to produce more biodiesel than you can use and sell it instead to make money.

By producing your own fuel with your own biodiesel kit, you no longer have to rely on oil companies for fuel. You never have to worry about the rising costs of conventional fuel. You can even produce biodiesel as fuel to produce electricity for your home or office. With all of these reasons, you can now look at a biodiesel kit as a worthwhile investment.



5 Renewable Sources Of Unlimited Energy

Saturday, December 6th, 2008
Abhishek Agarwal asked:


The world relies heavily on natural resources like coal and gas. Coal is a form of biomass that has been compressed over millennia to produce a non-renewable fossil fuel. We use these fossil fuels for generating power, heating our homes and businesses, manufacturing of goods and transportation. We are very accustomed to the conveniences provided by modern technology and we are indeed very fortunate to live in this world. However, we must consider the fact that the natural resources making this possible will not last forever. We have to make a lifestyle change and look towards renewable energy resources to take care of our needs.

Renewable energy includes solar energy, wind power, hydro power, tidal power, geothermal energy, biomass and wave power. These are some of the resources which are available in abundance as they are naturally replenished.

1. Solar energy, obtained from the sun, is being used for industrial as well as domestic purposes. It can be used for cooking heating, cooling and ventilation, among other things. Most sources of renewable energy are directly or indirectly powered by the sun. The heat of the sun is dissipated around the globe in the form of winds and ocean currents.

2. Wind farms installed on large plain tracts of agricultural land utilize the air flows. The airflows can be used to run wind turbines to generate electricity which in turn can be used to power our homes and businesses. There is no pollution due to the operation of wind farms and thus it proves to be an eco-friendly way to produce this energy.

3. Hydo power can be obtained from the water bodies like oceans and rivers. Energy from flowing rivers can be captured to generate electricity. So also, mechanical energy from tides and ocean waves can be used to generate electricity. The thermal energy produced by oceans using the sun’s heat is another renewable source of energy.

4. Geothermal energy is energy obtained by harvesting the heat from the Earth’s core. This energy is obtained by building power stations at places where it is available closer to the Earth’s surface. Dry steam plants take steam out of fractures and fissures in the Earth’s crust and use it to drive a turbine that spins a generator to produce electricity.

5. Biomass is a solid material obtained from living organisms like plants and animals. Biofuels like ethanol and biogas obtained from biomass are being increasingly used in the transportation industry as an alternative fuel.

Renewable energy sources are generally sustainable as they cannot run out and their environmental impacts are generally not as harsh as those of fossil fuels. Although it is expensive to build huge plants to harness this energy, in the long run it may prove to be an eco-friendly way to use renewable energy. Biomass and geothermal energy will require wise management if they are to be used in a sustainable manner. All of the other renewable resources, are replenished quite easily by nature.



America is on an Energy Fad-diet

Friday, December 5th, 2008
Dennis Meizys asked:


How many times have you heard that the secret to weight loss is diet and exercise together? How many people actually take that advice? Or, do we Americans tend to look for the quick-fix, the fad diet?

Welcome to America’s latest fad-diet: Bio-fuels. The main entree these days seems to be Ethanol, which we are producing in ever increasing quantities each year at the expense of our own food supply, and ironically, the environment itself. This heavily government-subsidized fuel requires a large amount of energy to produce: Its feedstock, corn requires fertilizers derived from hydrocarbons (fuels) to grow, then more fuel to harvest and process, and finally to deliver it to the point of consumption. The most pessimistic estimates of how much fuel is required to produce 1 gallon of ethanol exceed 1 gallon of fossil fuels. That means we are actually losing energy by switching to ethanol, resulting in larger imports of oil and natural gas from our close friends in the Middle East, not to mention the inflationary pressure this puts on food products, especially on our ubiquitous corn staple (refer to The Carnivore’s Dilemma which claims that close to 90% of America’s diet is in some way connected to corn and soy.) So why does this process continue? Think of some of the most powerful lobbies in America: Agriculture and Energy. They benefit tremendously from this situation at our, the taxpayer’s expense.

So how do we find balance? Americans keep on tweaking the supply side of the equation: Produce more fuel! Let’s look at the dieting aspect of this now: If we are still far away from producing bio-fuels or hydrogen economically and ecologically, then let’s try saving some energy instead! To paraphrase Ben Franklin: “A Kilowatt Saved is Truly a Kill-a-Watt Generated!” It is said that more efficient use of our current resources could make America self-sufficient in energy without forcing the alchemists to magically concoct a viable renewable fuel. This is one reason Maryland Green Power Co. scrapped its plans to build a biodiesel production facility in Baltimore last year.

Ouch – that means we have to go on a starvation diet, right? Hopefully not. The goal of my newsletter is to examine techniques for reducing our energy usage and still maintaining a comfortable way of life. My current topic concentrates on air conditioning, which is for most of us the largest summertime energy hog in our homes and offices. Yet, with the heat waves we have been experiencing every summer, who wants to turn up the thermostat by a few degrees? You might not have to.

Hence, our goal is to save money and to save energy without sacrificing comfort, or breaking the bank in the process. With fuel and electricity prices increasing at their current rates, we are being financially squeezed into a recession. However, investments in energy should be viewed as an investment much like stocks and bonds. For instance, if you were presented with a piece of equipment which would save enough in electricity costs to pay for itself in one year, would you consider it a good investment? You should – it’s returning 100% ROI annually, which is hard to find in the stock market. Consider that after it pays for itself, it is generating profit at the rate of 100% annually! The exciting part is that these types of opportunities are plentiful in the green energy industry.

For example, using a company’s existing emergency power generators to shave peak demand surcharges off your energy bill, or contracting with your local energy supplier to be “on-call” on an interruptible electricity plan frequently pays for itself in months, not years! However, most of us do not own emergency generators, nor do we consume enough power for the utility company to be interested in giving us generous monetary incentives to disconnect from the power grid temporarily. We residential and small business customers have to content ourselves with small investments in energy efficiency such as the Enigin ACES unit, which can pay for itself in about a year of operation on an average size central air conditioner.

Specifically, a device such as an Enigin ACES is an intelligent version of what the utility company already wants you to do. Some of us have contracted with BG&E for installation of their air conditioner cut-off switch, which cycles your AC compressor on and off to reduce energy usage during hot days, typically periods of extreme peak power consumption, in order to prevent power shortages which contribute to rolling brown or black-outs. Baltimore Gas & Electric offers a small incentive for this operation, but I removed the device because I felt it decreased the cooling ability of my air conditioner unit and I was uncomfortable. However, MGPC ACES is a microprocessor controlled device, which learns the operational profile of your air conditioner over time, reducing over-cooling of the coils, leaving your air optimally cooled. It’s operation can be compared to a person riding his bike uphill. When the rider reaches the top, it is desirable to coast on the plateau as long as speed is maintained. An air conditioner without this kind of control will keep on pumping out the same power even on the plateau. The ACES Air Conditioner Efficiency System lets your air conditioner’s compressor enjoy its free ride.

In summary, opinions on green energy are separated into two extreme poles: Those who believe government should subsidize any environmental project or technology even if it loses money, and those who, in reaction to the first group, claim that the energy crisis and global warming were thought up by some mysterious group seeking to profit from scare-mongering and we should maintain our status quo. These two groups confuse the rest of us into inaction.

I’m hoping that our new generation of small green-energy companies will be the evangelists who tell you to relax, enjoy the ride, and take a deep breath of CLEAN, fresh air, because you can make a difference without making a sacrifice!



"green Energy Sources" System © - it Really Works!

Thursday, December 4th, 2008
Jason Gilford asked:




It seems like with “Green Energy Sources” System you get an amazing opportunity to cut these irritating electricity-bills once and for all. You may be surprised but this technique can be implemented quite easily by any novice user. In the following quick article you’ll be able to explore and know more about this creative technology.

Some background

This “Green Energy Sources” System isn’t something that you go and buy in a store - you need to have one of these recommended guides that explain how to assemble Solar-Panels without having to be an expert. Just like everything else in life, some guides deliver and some other don’t; check whether it offers the following: clear information, detailed diagrams, video tutorials, and technical support. Anyway, here are some important benefits and tips that can help you to know a little more about this topic.

What is in it for us?

This solution provides various benefits; here are just a few of them:

* Increases the value of your home by thousands.

* Extremely easy to be implemented by almost anyone.

* Should you create more energy than needed; the power-company will actually pay you!

* Uses natural and clean resources.

* Knowing that we are doing our part to conserve the planet.

Quick tip

Pulling yourself “off the grid” all at once isn’t recommended - do it gradually and slowly, use your new sys. while keeping the ‘Main-Grid’ as backup for possible extreme electricity usage.

Bottom line

“Green Energy Sources” System truly brings outstanding results with a minimal investment on both time and cost. If we go a little further, it wouldn’t be that hard to discover other pluses provided by this remarkable ‘machine’, simply because it is about to change the entire industry forever. Now that we understand how it works the best tip would be to evaluate it as in most cases it will take you no more than a single weekend to have it working.



"green Energy Solar" System © - it Works Like Magic!

Thursday, December 4th, 2008
Jason Gilford asked:




It isn’t just about saving you hundreds each month; “Green Energy Solar” System easily enables you to even get paid by the Power-Company for the extra-energy that you produce. Very quickly you’ll find out that this technique can successfully operate almost any home-appliance. Need more information? start reading this article and hear more about how it works.

Short overview

Having such “Green Energy Solar” System can be made possible by using one of these guides that teach you how to assemble professional Solar-Cells at ridicules cost and by using simple materials. It is highly important to work with a professional guide; check for real customers case studies, make sure it provides descriptive illustrations, photos, and tech support. In any case, here are some key-advantages and tips to help you better understand this topic.

Quick advantages

Let’s quickly go over the main benefits provided by this unique solution:

* No more power-interruptions.

* Made of simple parts/tools found at any local hardware store.

* Excellent backup to your conventional elec. sys. in case of power failure.

* Should you create more energy than needed; the power-company will actually pay you!

* Extremely easy to be implemented by almost anyone.

Quick advice

Be aware that nowadays it is possible to get the paneling for free - most professional guides will show how to do that.

Summary

“Green Energy Solar” System can easily fit to any budget size for about any of us thanks to the fact that it uses simple and extremely affordable parts. It would be quite easy to find other advantages provided by this remarkable idea, simply because it is revolutionary. It is highly recommended to simply get it in order to explore and see how it’ll affect your monthly/annual budget.