It’s possible that one of the properties you’re considering for purchase as a vacation rental will have solar panels already installed. This can be a positive marketing point for your property in today’s increasingly environmentally conscious world.
Installed correctly, solar panels can be aesthetically pleasing. Their presence is also one of the first things people will notice about a property. So, when you get to the stage of when you’re ready to start the financing process of investing in a particular vacation rental property with solar panels, here are a couple of things you’ll need to consider as a part of your vetting process.
How Were They Financed?
Your first consideration will be how the panels were financed. The easiest scenario is when the owner of the property financed the panels themselves. Solar panels can add a lot of value to the property. Although the value of the panels decreases with the age of the installation, newly installed panels can add up to nearly $30,000 of value to a home.
If possible, see if you can get an idea of what the previous owner’s utilities ran prior to installation of the panels, and after. This will give you concrete information about how much the panels are saving on the electric bills.
What is the Size of the System?
You’ll also want to have an inspector give you an idea of the size of the solar system. If the previous tenants worked from home and had several family members, the installation is probably more than adequate for a vacation rental property. A smaller system for one or two people might need enhancements. Lower utility bills will allow you to charge less for your property.
What if the Panels were Leased?
Sometimes the property owner doesn’t have the money upfront to pay for the panels, so they finance them by leasing. This situation is not necessarily something that should cause you to automatically pass on the property. It’s important to find out the age of the lease. It’s possible the finance period is almost over. In this case, the cost of taking over the lease will be minimal.
There are a couple of points open for negotiation here. You can work with the finance company to see if you can reduce the amount remaining on the lease. Or you could have the remaining amount on the lease included in the selling price. The cost of solar panels is expected to go down by as much as a third by 2024, so the amounts under consideration can be expected to be less as time goes on.
Have the Panels Inspected
As in any potential property purchase, having the panels inspected prior to signing on the dotted line is mandatory. You’ll want to get an overhead inspection of the panels, which can be done by drone. Make sure the drone has a thermal camera to check for an initial check for defects.
You’ll want to perform the solar panel inspection on a sunny day. This way any defects, such as hot spots, will be more easily detected. The optimum time for such inspections is in the morning or late afternoon, to reduce glare off of the panels. If the sun is directly overhead, you may get too much glare off them and the inspection won’t be able to show you anything.
If possible, do a second drone inspection with an RGB (visible light) camera. This inspection will turn up the presence of debris on the panels. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It can simply mean that the panels are due for a cleaning, something that hopefully has been a part of the regular maintenance of the panels.
Is There Enough Sunlight?
Another aspect of existing solar panels to consider is whether there is adequate sunlight to support them. If the panels were installed in an area shaded by trees, you not only may not be getting the full benefits of them but may have more cleaning costs associated with them.
If they are shaded because of geographical features on the property, you also may not get the full benefit of the panels.
Previously installed solar panels are not necessarily a negative when considering investing in that property as a vacation rental. They can be a great marketing point for your property as well as aesthetically pleasing. Just be sure to look into how they were financed, and get them inspected for general condition. This will ensure the panels are in good working order prior to you taking over the property.
Typically, dealing with a lot of wastes can be very overwhelming. Whether it’s food containers, plastic packaging, water bottles, hazardous chemicals, food wastes, and many more, these wastes can be a hassle if they’re not managed and disposed of properly. Not only that, but too much waste buildup in your property can be harmful to your health and the environment. In today’s world, we have to deal with a lot of problems every day, from the waste to a myriad of assignments. But there is a solution to everything, for example, you can always buy dessertation online rather than having to spend all your energy and time on it. For effective waste management, this is where the use of skip bins becomes beneficial.
By definition, skip bins refer to waste receptacles that can be used to remove a larger amount of wastes from a property. They can also be used for residential, industrial, and commercial purposes.
Thus, if you consider using skip bins for your rubbish, here’s how these receptacles can effectively help in your waste management efforts.
1. Available In Various Sizes At Your Disposal
Generally, knowing the correct volume of your wastes can be very difficult. If you don’t know the amount of rubbish you’re dealing with, you might be unable to remove and dispose of them properly. Thus, if you’re looking to effectively manage all your wastes, then using skip bins in various sizes can be an excellent solution.
For example, if you want a significant volume of wastes to be eliminated from your premises, then using a bigger waste receptacle makes a lot of sense. On the other hand, if you’re only dealing with a small amount of rubbish, mini skips for Sydney residents or wherever you may be located can be a great option for effective waste disposal.
Remember, by using the right size of skip bins, you can speed up the disposal process and get rid of all your rubbish at once.
2. Can Help Keep You Safe
Waste management is crucial for your health. This is because most wastes contain chemicals and volatile materials that are toxic and harmful to the body. So, to ensure effective and safe waste management efforts, using skip bins can be the best thing to do.
Since these receptacles are stable and dependable, you can rest assured that wastes are handled properly by the experts. Moreover, by hiring skip bins, you’ll be working with specialists who are trained in doing the best waste removal methods in the most secure and safest way possible. This is especially true if you’re working on a construction site where the buildup of wastes may result in accidents and injuries. Hence, by having skip bins by your side, you can make the site safer for everyone involved.
3. They’re A Convenient Option
Effective and sustainable waste management for businesses and homeowners can be a complicated undertaking. This is especially true if you have no idea how and where to start. Fortunately, with the use of skip bins, the entire process of rubbish removal and disposal will become more convenient and smoother.
Typically, using skip bins is convenient since the skip company will deliver these waste receptacles to your location without hassle. Once you’re done with the disposal, the company will collect the bins after a certain period of time. With this kind of setup, you don’t have to get or return the skip bins by yourself. The skip bin company will handle your wastes, making waste management more effective and seamless.
4. Can Help Save You Time, Money, And Effort
In most cases, using skip bins means hiring a reliable skip bin company, like the Mobile Skips. But the good thing about the use of these waste receptacles is that they can help you save time, money, and energy. Instead of doing the dirty work of disposing your wastes on your own, you have other people to do the job for you.
All you need to do is place all your rubbish in the skip bins and the skip company will remove and dispose of them from your property. As a result, you can save some money on gas by not having to drive all your wastes to a landfill. Plus, you can save time and effort by not doing the job yourself.
5. Help Ensure Your Wastes Are Properly Disposed Of
Unless your work involves waste management and disposal, you may not know the best common practices in handling rubbish on your property. When this happens, you might dump all your wastes in the landfills, which isn’t the perfect way to dispose of them. This is where skip bins come to the rescue.
By using skip bins from a reliable skip bin company, your wastes will be managed by experts. Instead of doing the disposal by yourself, you can rest knowing that professionals will handle all your wastes in the right way. For example, they can segregate your rubbish and bring some items to a facility for the recycling process. Also, they can make sure that some of your waste products won’t end up in the landfills.
6. They Can Generate More Space For Working
When dealing with home renovation, effective waste management plays an integral role in the success of the project. Generally, your entire workspace can quickly become messy and chaotic due to the accumulation of wastes during the construction process. When this happens, you might be unable to make your home renovations as efficient as they should be. This is one reason why skip bins are essential in effectively managing rubbish on your premises.
By accumulating all your wastes in the skip bins, you’re able to create more working spaces for your home renovation tasks. Always keep in mind that having less rubbish on a working site can make the whole project more efficient and your waste management practices more effective.
Bottom Line
Indeed, skip bins from a trustworthy skip bin company can be an ideal solution to eliminate wastes of all sizes. Whether you’re dealing with large or small wastes, these receptacles can effectively help your waste management efforts.
Therefore, if you consider using skip bins, keep this information in mind so you’ll understand their importance in waste removal and disposal. Due to their enhanced efficiency and durability, they’re popular among homeowners and businesses. Lastly, managing wastes doesn’t need to be complicated with the help of skip bins.
Whether you are a custom home builder, or you are designing your own custom home, it’s worth your while to know about eco-friendly construction materials. Eco-friendly construction materials are becoming increasingly more important as more and more people are realizing the importance of creating a more sustainable world.
Eco-friendly construction materials are a great way to minimize the negative environmental impact that building a home may have. Additionally, homes that are constructed with sustainable building materials are increasing in popularity because of the vast amount of benefits that they have to offer.
An expert from a custom home builder in New Jersey pointed out, “There are a variety of benefits of using sustainable materials when building a home; the most notable is that green materials ultimately save the homeowner money down the line; in addition to the amount of waste that they [green materials] eliminate.”
Sustainable construction materials save homeowners money because they typically keep a house more insulated; cutting down on the use of heating and air conditioning systems, therefore using less electricity, gas, and oil. Below are some environmentally friendly construction materials to consider including in a custom home design.
Top Eco-Friendly Construction Materials
Eco-friendly construction materials should not only be sustainable, but they should also not cause any negative effects on the environment. Typical construction materials are detrimental to the environment because of the harsh chemicals they produce; directly causing air pollution. Or, they are detrimental because they use resources that are limited. Here are some safe alternatives to typical construction materials:
1. Hemp Concrete
Hemp concrete is a biocomposite material which is made up of hemp and a lime-based binder. Hemp concrete is a great alternative to regular concrete because it’s biodegradable and more sustainable.
Not only does hemp concrete act as an insulator and moisture regulator, but it is also extremely durable and will last just as long as regular concrete. Hemp concrete is a great sustainable material to include in your custom home design and will keep both cool and warm air, reducing the need to run heating and cooling systems, therefore also conserving energy.
2. Sheep’s Wool
Sheep’s wool is a great construction material because it can be regrown quickly and the sheep are not harmed in the process. Sheep’s wool can be used for its insulating benefits in ceilings, attics, and walls. In fact, sheep’s wool is a great insulator for both thermal and acoustic insulation purposes.
Though sheep’s wool is slightly more expensive than other insulation options, the longevity of this insulator is much longer and will reduce electricity bills significantly by keeping cool and warm air in.
3. Recycled Steel
Rather than using new steel during construction-which uses natural resources during production – consider using recycled steel. Recycled steel will produce less amount of waste in the environment, and will prevent the use of resources that are necessary to create steel.
Steel is relevant in the construction process, especially for beams that will hold up the house, therefore it’s practical to choose steel that is kind to the environment.
4. Bamboo
Bamboo is an eco-friendly building material that can be used for a number of different things. Some of the main benefits that bamboo has to offer include:
A durable surface
Strength to support other materials upon construction
It grows quickly, so is a very sustainable option
Bamboo can be used for both flooring and walls of a home and has a long lifespan, meaning, walls and floors that are designed with bamboo will not have to be replaced often, creating less waste in the environment.
5. Cork
Similar to bamboo, cork is a fast-growing material and is harvested from a living tree, so no trees need to be cut down in order to produce this material. Cork is most commonly used for flooring because of its resilience and durability. However, cork is another insulation option too because it is impermeable, meaning water will not make its way into it; it’s also soundproof.
Cork, if left uncoated, is naturally fire-resistant so it will not produce toxins if it is burned after replacing it with new cork later down the road.
Make Environmentally Informed Choices in Your Home
If you are a home builder or if you are simply a homeowner that wants to assist in the building process, it’s’ important to know how to make environmentally informed choices when it comes to custom home building. These eco-friendly building materials will not only benefit the environment, but they will also positively impact the homeowner. Keep these sustainable and green building materials in mind as you begin your custom home design.
Innovative technologies can help improve the resilience of different industries. Agriculture and forestry are no exception. In this piece, you will find out whether you can take care of the health of the fields, detect common tree diseases promptly and save resources without harming the environment.
Sustainability and Technologies
At first glance, digital technologies and environmental sustainability are mutually exclusive concepts since common development factors do not link them. Technological changes are aimed at increasing production efficiency using artificial intelligence, IoT, and robotics. Environmental sustainability is promoted by a combination of several factors associated with geopolitical instability, deteriorating climatic conditions, and the environment.
The business will not cover all the needs of a growing population for food and services by simply increasing production. Social and environmental problems of the modern world can be solved only with the help of innovative technologies. The combination of digital innovation and environmental sustainability can help address these challenges. In addition, this combination is an excellent way for a business to stand out and consolidate its viability among clients and related organizations. Indeed, sustainable practices and digital technologies may be an integral part of any business. This combination can provide the company with higher income at lower costs while providing a positive customer experience.
Sustainable Forestry
Humanity needs the resources that the forest provides. Sustainable forestry involves forest management and caring for its health. It is vital to save the forest as a separate ecosystem and habitat for many animals and so that the essential resources remain for future generations.
1. Forest Health and Forest Management
Various sustainable forest management practices are tailored for each area. One of the basic methods is to check the regeneration. It means that you need to make sure you have enough tree sprouts, natural seeds and seedlings. Excessive populations of certain species of animals can lead to the destruction of young trees as they eat them. In such cases, people can install a fence. If there is little sunlight in the forest, some trees can be removed, as can weeds, which grow and take up a significant portion of the nutrients or water.
Sustainable forestry practices also include caring for wet areas and forest streams. Do not allow much soil to enter the water, as it can harm aquatic organisms. Large pipes should control rain flow to prevent erosion of exposed soil in areas where trees have been felled.
Caring for the health of the forest is another challenge for sustainable forest management. The extinction of a large number of trees testifies to the health problems of the woods. They can be caused by insect pests, diseases, wildfires, or unfavorable weather conditions. Sustainable forestry is concerned with promoting health and reducing negative health factors.
2. Precision Forestry
Precision forestry relies on various innovative technologies, including drones, soil sensors, drones, and laser scanning. However, this concept is not limited only to the introduction of technologies. Still, it means a transition from an analog control system to a system with operational control and digital data collection.
The technologies of precision forestry are designed to improve management. With their help, you can optimize the decision-making process, relying on advanced analytics. Better data collection goes hand in hand with more control over various operations, automation of production, and better meeting the needs of the forest, for example, when it comes to nutrients or soil moisture.
Sustainable Agriculture
The agricultural sector, as well as the use of forest resources, is necessary for humanity. However, the use of harmful farming practices, including the release of agricultural waste, is detrimental to the environment. Sustainable agriculture exists to minimize the negative impact on the environment. It offers the use of environmentally friendly technologies and methods.
The concept of safe food using organic waste generated compost is getting traction.
1. Irrigation
Smart irrigation systems can go beyond just providing timely watering and reporting soil moisture levels and temperatures so growers can effectively care for their crops. Many plants have specific requirements for these parameters. Special sensors inform farmers about the need to change the growing environment depending on the temperature conditions while reducing water loss.
Another serious cause of the irrigation system is hard water. The high levels of salt of hard water can clog up your irrigation system. Moreover, it can make the soil hard and unsuitable for use. Choose a sustainable technology to treat hard water for your irrigation system is one thing everyone should really consider.
2. Biotechnology
Thanks to biotechnology, breeders can develop plants with specific traits using more precise methods with faster results. Scientists are also working on plants that use water more efficiently and can thrive even in drought conditions. Biotechnology also contributes to higher yields, as breeders by editing the genes of plants make them more resistant to various diseases. It also has great potential in animal husbandry.
3. Data and Software
The Internet of Things has a significant impact on the sustainability of agriculture, and it is through this technology, farmers can use intelligent irrigation systems or livestock health trackers using high-speed internet. Software and sensors transmit data to a central system, from where farmers receive information. You can make more effective decisions based on the obtained data regarding the health of the crops, and therefore save resources.
It’s unsurprising that air quality naturally goes downhill in workplaces. When there are too many people in too small a space, negative effects on the air that employees breathe are to be expected. Those can be exacerbated by building or remodeling projects nearby.
Poor indoor air quality may result in sneezing, itchy eyes, and scratchy throats. Medical experts caution that it may also cause respiratory disorders, asthma, and cancer to worsen and damage the nervous system over time.
Fortunately, no matter where you work, there are ways to improve air quality and provide safe working conditions. You can reduce the likelihood of illness and create a healthy work environment by implementing the following recommendations:
1. Keep Everything Clean And Germ-Free
Mold spores, dust, debris, and toxins shouldn’t be present in the air in a work environment. Instead of using toxic cleaning products that pollute the air, consider going green with cleaning agents that releases no additional pollutants into the environment. Muddy shoes should be cleaned on a scraper mat before entering the building or office to prevent tracking dirt into the establishment.
Do the floors after you’ve finished vacuuming to get rid of any airborne pollutants. Microfiber mops and dusters collect dirt and debris more thoroughly than ordinary cloth, so it’s always a good idea to use them.
By keeping everything clean, you can improve your office and help the environment at the same time.
2. Replace The Air Filters
When air filters get dirty, they stop up the flow of air. Over time, dust and dirt will settle in the air ducts, and people within the property may be at risk. In general, you should change air filters every six months.
3. Maintain An Appropriate Humidity Level
Dust mites and mold can be reduced when the humidity is between 30% and 50%. You can use two types of equipment to maintain a comfortable humidity level in your office: dehumidifiers and air conditioners.
4. Spillage Should Be Cleaned Up At Once
Mold grows in damp environments, and exposure to it can result in allergies and infections. Because it’s more costly to get rid of mold than to prevent it, it’s imperative to wipe away spills as quickly as possible and to watch for signs of leakage in the office.
5. Make Use Of Air Purifiers
Turning to commercial-grade appliances such as dehumidifiers and air purifiers ensures indoor safety without having to employ a technician.
6. Change Air Filters Regularly
To prevent the return of airborne contaminants to the indoor environment, change the filter as often as needed. Blockage or restriction of airflow can increase moisture retention and the buildup of pollutants in enclosed spaces. That’s why it’s advisable to clean air filters in your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system at least twice a year.
7. Make Sure There Is Adequate Ventilation
Open the windows whenever possible to let fresh air into the office and reduce stale air, but never turn off the HVAC system. Check the ventilation system in your workplace to ensure that it’s adequate. Ensure that there are no air leaks in the hoses or pipes within the property. Furniture, boxes, and cupboards placed in front of an air vent can create a stuffy office, so remove those at once.
Having indoor plants is a great way to bring life into your workplace. They can help improve air quality as well because they take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen.
8. Inspections Should Be Made At Least Every Month
Workplace air quality testing will give you the data and insights you need to determine if the methods you’re using to keep indoor air clean are effective. The tests evaluate airflow, humidity, propensity to damage, amount of odor, water in the air, leaks, and the degree of mold growth and contamination. An increase in the number of employees developing an illness or becoming allergic to a change in the environment may warrant scheduling a test.
If you notice any signs that your ducts are causing poor air quality or providing inadequate ventilation, call the professionals right away. With their help, you’ll find out precisely what has to be fixed to get your office back on track when it comes to health standards.
Takeaway
The health and happiness of your employees are directly tied to indoor air quality. That’s why you have to identify ways to make your office’s environment more conducive to productivity and wellness. These can be as simple as changing filters regularly, using air purifiers, and testing the HVAC system.
Using solar energy systems for power isn’t exactly a new concept by now. It lets people cut down on electricity costs, and its renewability makes it more eco-friendly.
Solar power works by capturing sunlight through mirrors, lenses, and photovoltaic panels. The concentrated energy gets converted into a current, which is then stored in batters for later use. You can use that to supply power during certain times of the day or a whole day, when it’s dark, or when you can’t use your current power system. For this reason, it’s quite accessible as a source of power, especially in underserviced areas.
Although it has these benefits, the rate of people adopting it for their households is still quite low. For one thing, solar panels require some considerable investment for buying and maintenance. And, of course, there’s the claim that other energy producers are trying to curb its usage to keep themselves in operation.
Nevertheless, people nowadays have more opportunities to switch to solar power thanks to advancements in photovoltaic technology. If you’re interested in experiencing the benefits of this renewable energy source first-hand, look up reliable solar power system installers like Impact Energy Solar In Colorado and similar providers in your area to ask questions and get started.
But before you get ahead of yourself, you should know that switching to solar energy takes a few key steps. Preparing your household for installation is one of them. Fortunately, it’s not as complicated as it may seem. Here’s what homeowners like you should do to set up a solar power system at home.
1. Calculate Your Household’s Approximate Energy Consumption
Before installing solar panels, assessing and knowing your energy needs is essential. You can do this by summing up all the power that your home requires.
A common way to go about this is to look at your monthly electric bills for a whole year first. List down the total number of watts you consume. Then, you get the average. While it may not represent exactly how much energy you use, it should put you in a safe range for how much you’ll need to keep your daily routines.
You can also make a list of the appliances you use daily. These may include:
Clothes irons
Refrigerators
Washers and dryers
Fans
Lights
Televisions
Microwaves
Electric cookers
Desktop and laptop computers
Heaters
You might add more to the list depending on what you have in your home. Once you have everything down, the next step is to add the approximate time you use them daily and their power rating.
Then, you calculate the watts per hour. Multiply each appliance’s power rating by its run time. After doing this for every device and appliance, you can add all the individual figures to get the overall ‘watt-hour.’ This figure helps you determine the size of the solar power unit you need to keep everything running in your household.
As a rule, the size of the system and your estimated consumption are directly proportional. The greater your energy needs, the bigger the solar power system you have to get. So, make sure you have this down to make your search for the ideal system much easier.
2. Check If You Have All The Components That Make Up The Solar Power System
The second step to setting up a solar energy system is gathering all the parts of the power unit. Regular ones usually include the following components:
Solar panels
Inverter
Charge Controller
Battery Pack
Fuses
Meter
Breaker
MC4 connector
Electrical safety equipment, like surge protectors
When buying these parts, make sure they’re compatible with one another and suit your installation needs.
Once you’ve purchased and confirmed that you have all the necessary parts, read through your user manual and module instructions that come with the solar power system unit. Take your time to understand the instructions.
3. Find The Ideal Location To Set Up Your Solar Panels
While it’s true that most people install solar panels on their rooftops, it’s not mandatory. There are other factors to consider before deciding where to set up your system.
The first thing to keep in mind is that the panels must have full access to sunlight. So, avoid placing them somewhere on the roof surrounded by tall trees. These can cast shadows on the solar panels, affecting their ability to capture as much light as possible. Also, their twigs, leaves, and other detritus may cover the surfaces of the panels, making them even less efficient. Other tall structures around your home do the same thing, as well.
With this understanding, always make sure you place your panels at a location and position primed for maximum exposure. If you can’t find a good enough space on your rooftop, the ground is always a good option. Just keep it protected from foot traffic or debris by putting up a fence.
There are also more creative ways to put up the panels. For those, consider working with a professional solar power installer to get the best advice on what to do.
4. Make Stands For The Battery And Inverter
Depending on the layout, it’s a good idea to have stands for the inverter and battery; otherwise, the setup may look flimsy and incomplete. You can either make one from scratch or purchase a completed stand, preferably from the same set as the components you bought.
Before getting the stands, you should first know where you’re going to place the inverter and battery. They should have enough space for the stands you’ll purchase. Once you got that down, you’re ready for the next step of the setup.
5. Set Up Your Battery
Speaking of which, you should place the battery in its rightful position according to your layout.
You’ll also need a power controller to monitor how your battery is charging. This small device has a LED light that acts as a signal to indicate the battery’s current status. Aside from that, it controls the power the battery receives and adjusts it if necessary.
The battery serves as the conduit for storing the power solar panels generate throughout the day. Whenever you need solar power, you simply channel the battery to discharge the energy it collected.
It’s crucial to have a battery with optimum storage to have a steady energy supply and to run your electrical appliances normally when there’s no sunlight.
6. Then, Place The Inverter
Solar panels produce electricity in the form of direct current (DC). However, electrical appliances can only use power alternating current (AC). Instead of using adapters when running your devices, inverters simplify the task by converting DC to AC.
Much like the inverter, you also need to set up the inverter correctly. They can also come in different power capacities. So, it’s important to get one that matches the needs of your household.
Note that not all inverters work for every device or appliance in your home. Check out your user’s manual or talk to an expert if you need to learn more about this.
7. Put Up The Solar Panels
Once all the other components are set, you can get to mounting the solar panels at the best spot. Again, you must place them somewhere with the optimal exposure. A professional can help you find that position and even help you with the placement. Ensure that your mounting stand is the same as the location’s latitude angle for maximum energy efficiency.
8. Work On Wiring The Components
You start by connecting the battery to the inverter. Next, wire the charge controller to the solar panels. Then, you connect the direct current load with the solar charge controller.
When connecting the charge controller and solar panel, it’s best to use an MC4 connector to get better results, especially if the panels are large. Once you connect the charge controller to the battery, you should see the LED lights lighting up.
If you are wiring smaller solar panels, try tracing a junction box at the back with a positive and negative terminal. Use the red wire for the former and the black one for the latter to connect everything.
After everything is put in place, give the solar power system a test run. The battery should start charging within a few moments. Then, pause and check if any problems pop up, like overheating, smoke, or odd smells. If everything goes without a hitch, you can now enjoy your new source of energy.
As you’ve seen throughout the article, the whole process is best done with the help of a professional solar panel installation crew. Don’t hesitate to look up the best ones in your area.
Time For You To Go Solar
Due to its many benefits for your budget and the environment in the long run, relying on solar energy may be one of the best investments you make. This guide should give you a good idea of how to properly set up a system. Of course, you should turn to professionals to make sure you did everything right. Here’s to more sustainable homes.
Oil and gas accounts for over 70% of energy consumed in Nigeria, according to the World Bank. Considering this dependency on fossil oil and possibility of it running out in the future, there should be an urgent intervention to look into other ways to generate energy in Nigeria. The world is moving away gradually from fossil oil and aligning towards sustainable energy resources to substitute conventional fuel, Nigeria should not be exempted from this movement. Biomass, a popular form of renewable energy, is considered as a credible and green alternative source of energy which many developed and developing countries have been maximizing to its potential.
Power generation and supply have been inadequate in Nigeria. This inadequacy of power limits human, commercial and industrial productivity and economic growth . What is the use of infrastructure without constant electricity? Even God created light first. Sustainable and constant supply of power should be one of the priority of government in nation development. Investing in biomass energy will cause an increase in the amount of power generated in Nigeria. Infact, biomass energy has the potential to resolve the energy crisis in the country in the not so distant future.
What is Biomass
The word biomass refers to organic matter (mainly plants) which acts as a source of sustainable and renewable energy. It is a renewable energy source because the plants can be replaced as oppose to the conventional fossil fuel which is not renewable. Biomass energy is a transferred energy from the sun; plants derives energy from the sun through photosynthesis which is further transferred through the food chain to animals’ bodies and their waste.
Biomass has the potential to provide an affordable and sustainable source of energy, while at the same time help in curbing the green house effect. In India the total biomass generation capacity is 8,700 MW according to U.S. of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, whereas the generating capacity in U.S. is 20,156 MW with 178 biomass power plants, according to Biomass Magazine.
Power Sector in Nigeria
Unfortunately, the total installed electricity capacity generated in Nigeria is 12,522 MW, well below the current demand of 98,000MW . The actual output is about 3,800MW, resulting in a demand shortfall of 94,500MW throughout the country. As a result of this wide gap between demand and output, only 45% of Nigeria’s population has access to electricity. Renewable energy contributed 19% of total electricity generated in Nigeria out of which biomass contribution is infinitesimal.
Electricity generation for Nigeria’s grid is largely dominated by two sources; non-renewable thermal (natural gas and coal) and renewable (hydro). Nigeria depends on non-renewable energy despite its vast potential in renewable sources such as solar, wind, biomass and hydro. The total potential of these renewables is estimated at over 68,000MW, which is more than five times the current power output.
Biomass Resources in Nigeria
Biomass can come in different forms like wood and wood waste, agriculture produce and waste, solid waste.
1. Wood
Electricity can be generated with wood and wood product/waste(like sawdust) in modern day through cogeneration, gasification or pyrolysis.
2. Agriculture Residues
In Nigeria, agricultural residues are highly important sources of biomass fuels for both the domestic and industrial sectors. Availability of primary residues for energy application is usually low since collection is difficult and they have other uses as fertilizer, animal feed etc.
However secondary residues are usually available in relatively large quantities at the processing site and may be used as captive energy source for the same processing plant involving minimal transportation and handling cost.
3. Municipal Solid Waste
Back then in secondary school, I learnt that gas could be tapped from septic tank which could further be used for cooking. Any organic waste (like animal waste, human waste) when decomposed by anaerobic microorganisms releases biogas which can be tapped and stored for either cooking or to generate electricity.
Biomass can be used to provide heat and electricity as well as biofuel and biogas for transport. There are enough biomass capacity to meet our demand for electricity and other purposes. From climatic point of view, there is a warm climate in Nigeria which is a good breeding ground for bacteria to grow and decompose the wastes. There are plant and animal growth all year round which in turn create waste and consequently produce biomass.
In November 2016, The Ebonyi State Government took over the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) demonstration biomass gasifier power plant located at the UNIDO Mini -industrial cluster in Ekwashi Ngbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the State. The power plant is to generate 5.5 Megawatt energy using rice husk and other available waste materials available. More of these type of power plants and commitment are needed to utilize the potential of biomass fully.
Why Biomass Energy?
Since biomass makes use of waste to supply energy, it helps in waste management. It also has the potential to supply more energy (10 times) than the one produced from sun and wind. Biomass energy in Nigeria will lead to increase in revenue generation and conserves our foreign exchange. Increase in energy generation will yield more productivity for industries and the rate at which they are shutting down due to the fact that they spend more on power will be reduced to minimal.
Many local factories/companies will spring up and foreign investors will be eager to invest in Nigeria with little concern about power. Establishment of biopower plants will surely create more jobs and indirectly reduce the number of people living in poverty which is increasing everyday at an alarming rate.
Africa’s most populous country needs more than 10 times its current electricity output to guarantee supply for its 198 million people – nearly half of whom have no access at all, according to power minister Babatunde Fashola. Biomass energy potential in Nigeria is promising – with heavy investment, stake holder cooperation and development of indigenous technologies. The deployment of large-scale biomass energy systems will not only significantly increase Nigeria’s electricity capacity but also ease power shortages in the country.
Are you ready to sell your scrap car? Do you want to earn extra money and get rid of your old vehicle? If so, this post brings you some valuable tips to sell your car for maximum cash! A quick search of the nearby salvage yards will help you sell your junk car for the highest money.
Getting all of your papers and information organised is one of the first stages in junking your car. General details including the vehicle identification number (VIN), mileage, body condition, make, and model are included here. Additionally, you must offer the most thorough description you can of the condition and extent of the car’s damage. For the sale of a junk automobile, several states want titles, and yards frequently insist on them even when the law doesn’t demand it.
Even if the junkyard is a great place to sell trash cars, you shouldn’t try to sell them on your own, even if doing so will result in a better price. Newspaper advertising is still effective, especially if you want to reach an older demographic, claims the paper writing service. If your junk automobile still operates but is ancient, it makes sense to link to an older audience. There may be an older person wanting to purchase what you are selling.
Don’t forget to advertise online on the many social media applications because you can reach younger individuals who are also interested in your car through social media. Such a person might be able to afford your junk car because of how inexpensive it is.
3. Call Car Salvagers
It’s ideal if you don’t worry about your car breaking down. Although you couldn’t sell it for more money, you could still make a tiny profit by selling it to car wreckers. Depending on how much your automobile weighs, they would pay you. Additionally, you may earn extra money by selling them the car pieces separately.
Consider their reputation when you want to sell scrap cars for cash; you may determine their legitimacy by reading customer evaluations.
4. Choose Your Car’s Pick Up Time
You’re quite elated. You are doing a great job of turning your junk car into cash. Currently, getting your car to the junkyard is the only obstacle. The good news is that the salvage company has a tow truck that would come and take the car off your hands. You probably assume you need to get a tow truck to help you get your car to the junkyard. The bad news is that you’ll lose some money, but the stress-free environment makes it worthwhile.
5. Complete The Sale
The last step is to finalise the sale process once you’ve arrived at the junkyard. Get your cash or cheque before you sign any legal documents. After that, you will fill out the pink slip and sign a release of liability.
After you transfer the title, the junkyard owns the vehicle, and they are free to scrap it. This concludes the sale process if there are no pending legal issues with the disposal of your vehicle.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a lot of things you need to do to sell your trash car. Ideally, you’ll be able to reuse the car’s components, remove it from your property, and earn a little cash.
Wide-spread environmental concerns about plastic waste are leading to increased demand for the plastic recycling market that has various uses for plastic waste. At the same time, and in line with this growing need, an increased number of industries that produce plastic products have committed to reducing their use of virgin plastic and ensuring that the plastic they do produce is recyclable, reusable, or compostable.
Growth of the Plastic Recycling Market
Valued at around $43.73 billion in 2018, research indicates that the plastic recycling market will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6% in revenue and 8.8% in volume by 2027. Findings are that rising environmental concerns will be the primary driving force along with the concerted global effort towards effective waste management and sustainability. Another is the growing awareness of the need for recycling plastic and the anticipated market growth of the PR market.
A new report released by Research and Markets in February 2020 gives a market snapshot in its executive summary and discusses the plastic recycling market by material type, source, application, and geography. Titled Global Plastic Recycling Market Size, Market Share, Application Analysis, Regional Outlook, Growth Trends, Key Players, Competitive Strategies and Forecasts, 2019 to 2027, it explores the roles of the many global and regional participants in the plastic recycling market and analyses anticipated acquisitions, partnerships, and collaborations. These, the report states, are likely to be the major strategies market players will follow in an endeavor to expand their geographic presence and market share.
An older report published mid-2018 gave a slightly lower CAGR for the period 2018 to 2023 of 4.3%. This report, Global Plastic Waste Management Market 2018 by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2023 stated that it would grow from an estimated $27,1000 in 2017 to $34,900 in 2023.
Global Focus
When research for the new report was carried out during 2018, the Asia-Pacific region including China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and India, had the highest market share in plastic recycling. This was attributed to the fact that the region has the largest share in the generation of plastic waste and is also the biggest plastic waste importer.
However, Europe was pinpointed as a region poised to become the fastest-growing in the plastic recycling market due to increasing government initiatives and the improvement of recycling facilities in this part of the world.
While the report covers at least 16 companies involved in plastic recycling globally, the Hungarian MOL Group has been highlighted as a result of its acquisition of Aurora, a German recycled plastic compounder company. MOL is a well-established supplier of virgin polymers and was motivated by its Enter Tomorrow 2030 strategy that aims to move its business from a traditional fuel-based model to a higher value-added petrochemical product portfolio. More specifically, MOL intends to strengthen its position as a supplier in the sustainable plastic compounding segment of the automotive industry.
The older report focused on plastic waste management not only in the Asia-Pacific region but also in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Use of Recycled Plastic
In terms of plastic materials, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) had the biggest market share in 2018. The reason given for this was a rapid surge in demand for PET and HDPE for the manufacturing of packaging. Hopefully, this won’t increase the production of PET and HDPE, but will rather help to get rid of waste.
As the CEO of Unilever, Alan Jope, said in a press statement late 2019: “Plastic has its place, but that place is not in the environment.” He was announcing Unilever’s commitment to halve its use of virgin plastic, reduce its use of plastic packaging, and dramatically step up its use of recycled plastic by 2025. They would also help to collect and process more plastic packaging than it sells – which will amount to about 600,000 tonnes per year, he said.
Additionally, technological advances in the plastic recycling industry have led to other less expected uses including the manufacture of denim clothing.
Realizing the environmental impact production of denim clothing has, Levi Strauss & Co. has taken bold steps to reduce its use of water and chemicals in cotton and cotton-clothing production, and about a decade ago, the company launched its much more sustainable Water<Less range of jeans. In 2013, Levi’s used dumped plastic bottles and food trays to make 300,000 jeans and trucker jackets for its spring collection. Of course, not the entire product was made from plastic, but it was guaranteed that at least 20% came from recycled plastic content.
Many other items are also made from recycled plastic, some with more plastic content than others. They include bags, rugs and mats, blankets, bottles, planters, dog collars, shoes, decking, fencing, and outdoor furniture.
The Future of Plastic
While many people talk about plastic as a material that should be eradicated, it does have remarkable uses as Alan Jope implies. But there is a dire need to change our thinking. The irony is that when recycled plastic was invented it was used to try and solve environmental problems like reducing the hunting of elephants for ivory and to provide protective sheaths for electrical wiring.
There is undoubtedly too much virgin plastic being produced worldwide and during the process, there are too many other natural resources being depleted. Added to this, too many consumers have no knowledge or concern about the use and disposal of plastic products. They simply don’t care!
We, as a global nation, need to focus more on the reuse, recycling, and remanufacture of plastic, which is exactly what plastic recycling companies can do so successfully.
Ultimately, we need to eradicate plastic waste by making it useful, and there is no doubt that the mechanical engineering sector is well positioned to find solutions.
With increasing concern and awareness of climate change, there has been a growth in the renewable energy sector through government subsidies and private investment, allowing for the replacement of current sources of energy with less carbon-intensive fuels. However, renewable energy technologies are yet to topple the traditional fossil fuel-powered electricity market. With the increasing trajectory of global emissions, climate research has been exploring other methods of climate mitigation, for instance, through the use of large-scale geoengineering technologies.
A quick glance at popular biomass resources
Of particular focus are the carbon dioxide removal techniques, namely Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) that have been prominently featured in emission scenarios of climate models, particularly for their direct influence in reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
CCS involves capturing carbon dioxide emissions from industries and storing them under geological reservoirs either on shore or offshore. You can read more about this technology on a previous EcoMENA article.
What is Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage
One of the main concerns about CCS is the use of fossil fuels for its operations. In the pursuit for greener climate mitigation technologies, Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) has emerged as a climate saviour, featuring in prominent emissions scenarios and climate models to achieve the 1.5-degree target.
In the place of fossil fuels, biomass is instead used as the primary fuel source for BECCS as seen in the picture below. The two-step absorption of carbon dioxide, first during the growth of the biomass, and second through capturing of the biomass emissions, makes BECCS, in theory, a net negative emissions technique.
Source: Can we deploy enough BECCS to achieve climate targets? AVOID 2
Of the 116 climate scenarios suggested by the IPCC, BECCS was seen to have a significant role in 101 of the scenarios to help prevent global temperature rise above the 1.5-degree target. In fact, UK electricity generator Drax, has chosen to invest in the BECCS technology and started its first trial earlier this year, making it the first of its kind in Europe.
Risks associated with BECCS
While the combination of bioenergy and CCS provides an ideal carbon negative mitigation strategy, it also combines the existing risks associated with both technologies. In addition to lack of investment and long-term economic policies for CCS, large scale deployment of BECCS is hindered by uncertainties such as land, water and resource availability. Studies have shown concerns regarding the carbon intensity and the scale of land and resources required to sustain the bioenergy component required for BECCS.
While the net negative aspect of BECCS may work in theory, studies have revealed significant proportions of emissions associated with indirect land use change for biomass production for BECCS. In addition to technical challenges, one of the key constraints for the deployment of such climate technologies is social acceptance, where sections of the general public, or specific stakeholders, remain unconvinced with certain aspects of the technology due to ethical or political reasons.
Conclusion
As such, while CCS and BECCS may offer the ideal climate saviour solution to reduce overall carbon dioxide emissions, the technologies are still overcast with various technical and social challenges that limit their commercial usage for climate mitigation.
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