Category Archives: Electricity

Solar Panels – The Advantages and Disadvantages for Homeowners

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Solar panels are seeing a huge surge in uptake, with around a million roofs of UK homes now being adorned with them. One of the main reasons for this surge is the interest in renewable energy and climate change. Before you decide to go solar, take time to check out the main advantages and disadvantages as discussed below.

energy efficient technologies

The Advantages of Solar Panels

There is no doubt that one of the biggest advantages of solar panels is the potential to save money on your energy bills, something that is highly attractive when consider alongside the increased cost of living. According to the Energy Saving Trust, most solar panel owners can make savings of between £250 to £600 a year, location-dependent, and will be able to sell any unused energy back to the grid for other users.

Another potential advantage is the ability to sell any unused energy back to the grid via the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). The SEG allows suppliers to buy any unused energy direct from solar panel owners in return for a cash payment. This not only helps your finances but also supports the demand for renewable energy and lower carbon footprints.

Finally, the other main benefit of installing solar panels is that it is a no-fuss solution that will not need excessive maintenance, nor will it make any noise when they are in use. Plus, most installers offer a 25-year guarantee on all the panels in case of any issues.

The Disadvantages of Solar Panels

Despite offering so many benefits, there are disadvantages that you will need to consider before forging ahead with solar panel installation. The first one is the initial cost of the system that you will need to invest in to get your solar panels up and running. Most homes can expect to pay over £6500 for solar panels even with the ongoing drop in prices as they become more popular.

Next, you will need to be realistic about the amount of energy your solar panels will create with the British weather. Solar panels are always going to work better on bright sunny days, meaning that your production will slow on cloudy days and through the winter and produce less energy for you to send back to the grid.

solar energy diy

Finally, solar panels are not suitable for every home, and you may find that your roof does not face the right way or have the right angle to accommodate the panels. Even if you do have the right roof, your solar panels will take up lots of space, so you will need to work out if your roof is big enough to offer the supply that you need.

Solar Panels – a Summary

Getting to grips with all the pros and cons can be daunting, so we have summarised them below for quick reference:

Pros Cons
Offers a genuine saving on energy bills Takes a long time to make any money back
Reduce your carbon footprint Can be expensive to install
Simple to maintain Hard to move once installed
Range of financial support options Weather can reduce performance
Several types of panels to choose between Can look unattractive
Make cash from the energy you do not use Needs lots of space
Noiseless once installed Not suitable for all roofs

If you are keen to proceed with solar panel installation, then take the time to search for the best deals and check out all the financial support packages that may be open to you as this will help you get the best return on your investment for years to come.

Biomethane Utilization Pathways

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Biogas can be used in raw (without removal of CO2) or in upgraded form. The main function of upgrading biogas is the removal of CO2 (to increase the energy content) and H2S (to reduce risk of corrosion). After upgrading, biogas becomes biomethane and possesses identical gas quality properties as  natural gas, and can thus be used as natural gas replacement. The main pathways for biomethane utilization are as follows:

  • Production of heat and/or steam
  • Electricity production / combined heat and power production (CHP)
  • Natural gas replacement (gas grid injection)
  • Compressed natural gas (CNG) & diesel replacement – (bio-CNG for transport fuel usage)
  • Liquid natural gas (LNG) replacement – (bio-LNG for transport fuel usage)

Prior to practically all utilization options, the biogas has to be dried (usually through application of a cooling/condensation step). Furthermore, elements such as hydrogen sulphide and other harmful trace elements must be removed (usually trough application of an activated carbon filter) to prevent adverse effects on downstream processing equipment (such as compressors, piping, boilers and CHP systems).

biomethane-transport

Although biogas is perfectly suitable to be utilized in boilers (as an environmental friendlier source for heat and steam production), this option is rather obsolete due to the abundance of alternative sources from solid waste origin.

Most Palm Oil Mills are already self-reliant with respect to heat and steam production due to the combustion of their solid waste streams (such as EFB and PKS). Consequently, conversion to electricity (by means of a CHP unit) or utilization as natural gas, CNG or LNG replacement, would be a more sensible solution.

The biogas masterplan as drafted by the Asia Pacific Biogas Alliance foresees a distribution in which 30% of the biomethane is used for power generation, 40% for grid injection and 30% as compressed/liquefied fuel for transportation purpose (Asian Pacific Biogas Alliance, 2015).

For each project, the most optimal option has to be evaluated on a case to case basis. Main decision-making factors will be local energy prices and requirements, available infrastructure (for gas and electricity), incentives and funding.

For the locations where local demand is exceeded, and no electricity or gas infrastructure is available within a reasonable distance (<5-10 km, due to investment cost and power loss), production of CNG could offer a good solution.

Moreover, during the utilization of biogas within a CHP unit only 40-50% of the energetic content of the gas is converted into electricity. The rest of the energy is transformed into heat. For those locations where an abundance of heat is available, such as Palm Oil Mills, this effectively means that 50-60% of the energetic content of the biogas is not utilized. Converting the biogas into biomethane (of gas grid or CNG quality) through upgrading, would facilitate the transportation and commercialisation of over 95%  of the energetic content of the biogas.

Within the CNG utilization route, the raw biogas will be upgraded to a methane content of >96%, compressed to 250 bar and stored in racks with gas bottles. The buffered gas (bottles) will be suitable for transportation by truck or ship. For transportation over large distances (>200km), it will be advised to further reduce the gas volume by converting the gas to LNG (trough liquefaction).

Overall the effects and benefits from anaerobic digestion of POME and utilization of biomethane can be summarized as follows:

  • Reduction of emissions i.e. GHG methane and CO2
  • Reduced land use for POME treatment
  • Enhanced self-sufficiency trough availability of on-site diesel replacement (CNG)
  • Expansion of economic activities/generation of additional revenues
    • Sales of surplus electricity (local or to the grid)
    • Sales of biomethane (injection into the natural gas grid)
    • Replacement of on-site diesel usage by CNG
    • Sales of bottled CNG
  • Reducing global and local environmental impact (through fuel replacement)
  • Reducing dependence on fossil fuel, and enhances fuel diversity and security of energy supply
  • Enhancement of local infrastructure and employment
    • Through electrical and gas supply
    • Through Fuel (CNG) supply

Co-Authors: H. Dekker and E.H.M. Dirkse (DMT Environmental Technology)

Note: This is the second article in the special series on ‘Sustainable Utilization of POME-based Biomethane’ by Langerak et al of DMT Environmental Technology (Holland). The first article can be viewed at this link

Global Trends in Solar Energy Sector

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Many countries around the world have switched to solar power in order to supplement or provide an alternative source of energy that is cheaper, more reliable and efficient, and friendly to the environment. Generally speaking, to convert solar energy to electricity, there are two kinds of technologies used by the solar power plants – the PV (photovoltaic) systems which use solar panels to convert sunlight directly into electricity, and the CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) that indirectly uses the solar thermal energy to produce electricity.

renewables-investment-trends

The solar PV systems, which are either placed in ground-mounted solar farms or on rooftops are considered cheaper than CSP and constitutes the majority of solar installations, while CSP and large-scale PV accounts for the majority of the general solar electricity-generation-capacity, across the globe.

Global Trends in Solar Energy

In 2017, solar photovoltaic capacity increased by 95 GW, with a 34% growth year-on-year of new installations. Cumulative installed capacity exceeded 401 GW by the end of the year, sufficient to supply 2.1 percent of the world’s total electricity consumption. This growth was dramatic, and scientists viewed it as a crucial way to meet the world’s commitments to climate change.

“In most countries around the world there is still huge potential to dramatically increase the amount of energy we’re able to get from solar. The only way to achieve this is through a combination of both governance and individual responsibility.” Alastair Kay, Editor at Green Business Watch

Both CSP and PV systems are an essential part of energy and infrastructure portfolio and experts claim that by 2050, solar power will become the greatest source of electricity in the whole world. To achieve this goal, the capacity of PV systems should grow up to 4600 gigawatts, of which 50% or more would come from India or China. To date, the capacity of solar power is about 310 gigawatts, a drastic increase on the 50 gigawatts of power installed in 2010.

The United Kingdom, followed by Germany and France led Europe in the 2016 general statistics for solar power growth with new solar installations of 29%, 21%, and 8.3% respectively. In early 2016, the amount of power across Europe was near 100 gigawatts but now stands at 105 gigawatts. This growth is regarded as slow and experts in the solar industry are calling upon the European Union to give more targets concerning the renewable source of energy. It is said that setting a target that is not less than 35% will revive the solar business in Europe.

Across the United States in places, such as Phoenix and Los Angeles, which are located in a sunny region, a common PV system can generate an average of 7500 kWh – similar to the electrical power in use in a typical US home.

In Africa, many nations especially those around the deserts such as Sahara receive a great deal of sunlight every day, creating an opportunity for the development of solar technology across the region. Distribution of PV systems is almost uniform in Africa with the majority of countries receiving about 2000 kWh/m2 in every year. A certain study shows that generating solar power in a facility covering about 0.3% of the area consisting of North Africa could provide all the energy needed by the European-Union.

Asia alone contributed to 66.66% of the global amount of solar power installed in 2016, with about 50% coming from China.

With these reports, it is clear that the development of solar energy technology is growing in each and every continent with just a few countries with little or no apparent growth.

The growth of solar power technology across every continent in the world is very fast and steady and in the near future, almost every country will have a history to tell about the numerous benefits of going solar. The adoption of solar power will help improve the development of other sectors of the economy, such as the electronics industry, hence creating a lot of employment opportunities.

How To Save Energy at Home

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Utility costs keep rising by the day, and the situation may persist in the coming years. There are small things that can be done, such as sourcing environmentally friendly trash disposal or turning off gadgets when they’re not being used – but, if left unchecked, utility bills can add up significantly and eat into your home budget. Thankfully, there are small actions you can take to save energy and ultimately lower your utility costs. Here are simple tips to save energy at home:

How Energy-Efficient Technologies Can Contribute to Sustainability

1. Turn Gadgets Off

The gadgets you leave on all day long consume a lot of energy. So, make sure your TV, PC, video game consoles, video recorders, and cable boxes get turned off or completely unplugged when not in use. Chargers for tablets, cell phones, and other cordless devices consume electricity even when not in use.

Over time, the consumption will add up and balloon your energy costs. The devices you use should get plugged into a power strip so that you can switch them off at once. You may also want to set your computers in sleep mode when taking breaks in-between work.

2. Install Smarter Bulbs

Your home’s light bulbs stay on for hours on end. As such, they use a lot of electricity. Having your lights on is sometimes inevitable, so consider installing smart, energy-efficient bulbs. For instance, an LED light bulb, which costs around $5 at a home improvement store can save you over $100 over its lifetime.

LED bulbs use up to 80% less energy than incandescent bulbs to deliver a similar amount of light. They also come in different colors, shapes, and intensities and reach full brightness immediately. LED light bulbs are compatible with dimmer switches, so it’s easy to set lower illumination levels and save energy.

Energy-Saving Tips for Small Businesses

3. Only Use the Energy You Need

Your energy consumption could be high because you use more than you need. For instance, it’s needless to run a half-full dishwasher because it will consume the same energy required to do the dishes when it’s full. Set the washing machine to the recommended water level when doing your laundry. Unless you’re handling a dirty load, always use cold water.

The refrigerator is another heavy energy consumer in your home, but that doesn’t have to be the case. The refrigerator temperature should always be set at 28 to 42 degrees Fahrenheit, while the fridge needs to be set at 0 to 5 degrees. Avoid opening them regularly and keep them sealed tightly.

If you have a clothes dryer at home, only use it when you have to. When running at full capacity, clothes dryers consume as much energy as a dishwasher, washing machine, and refrigerator combined. For this reason, air-dry your clothes when possible. If you must use the clothes dryer, clean the lint filter after each session. Also, use the moisture-sensor or auto-dry setting and avoid adding wet items to partially-dry loads.

4. Monitor How Much Energy You Consume

You won’t know how much energy you consume until you monitor your consumption. Electricity monitor meters measure the energy consumption of each gadget in your home when on and turned off. Most electricity monitor meters cost less than $30 and will provide an insight into your home energy use. For instance, it could reveal that your video game console is drawing 20W even though you’re not gaming.

5. Seal the Cracks

Adding up all the cracks around doors and windows in an average American house leaves you with a nine ft² sq hole in the wall. It shows just how much heat escapes from your home. When checking out homes for sale in San Antonio, energy efficiency is often a key priority. That should be the case even after moving into the house, and there’s no better way to ensure that than sealing cracks that cause draughts.

In this regard, weather-strip and seal off cracks that cause air to escape from your home. If there are gaps around your window panes, use putty to seal them. Attaching shoes or sweeps to the bottom of your doors can also prevent cooled or heated air from escaping.

Better insulation in the attic, around the hot water pipes and heater, in crawl spaces, and under your floors can help you save energy. You can benefit from something as simple as covering care floors using rugs or replacing old windows. Undertake an energy audit regularly so that potential areas of energy loss get identified and fixed.

6. Keep Your Curtains Closed at Night

It’s a no-brainer that drawing the curtains during daytime allows natural light and heat into the home. This will light and warm your home naturally without requiring you to switch on the bulbs or AC. When dusk falls, it’s advisable to close the curtains since it helps retain the heat in your home. You won’t need to keep the heater on for long hours. Nonetheless, avoid draping the curtains over the radiators.

7. Use Energy-Efficient Appliances

Your energy consumption could be high because you use old and outdated appliances in your home. Newer appliances have energy star ratings and considerably lower energy consumption. Although they are somewhat costly, they help you to save costs in the long run. Appliances with a high energy star rating use up to 50% less energy than older appliances. Over time, the energy savings will make up for the initial cost.

how to make your home energy efficient

8. Turn Down the Thermostat

During the colder months of the year, we like to keep the thermostat on for far too long. Likewise, we tend to overcool during the hot months. Keeping the room temperature at 19 degrees may be pleasant. However, many people still find themselves turning the heat up to 25 degrees, translating into higher energy costs. Turning your thermostat down by as little as one degree can cut your energy consumption by 5%. You may also want to install a solar cooling and heating unit to save energy.

eco friendly business practices

9. Reduce Your Water Consumption

You can save energy and reduce your water bill by minimizing water consumption. For instance, taking shorter showers or only washing clothes and dishes when you have a full load reduces your electricity and gas bill. You should also consider investing in a solar hot water system since it provides many energy-saving benefits.

How Students Can Reduce Energy Consumption in the Dorm Room?

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Today´s “eco wave” is a response – a good response – to the climatic crisis the planet is going through. The youth is the one leading this eco-conscious change, and the message is that its time we all get on the same page. Here’s the information on how to conserve energy that every student needs, in order to paint a little green into their dorm rooms.

Ways to save energy in dorm room

One of the most common wastes of energy is through “phantom energy”. So, it’s recommendable to keep your chargers and any dorm room electronics unplugged when you’re not using them. Also, try to switch to LEDs  or CFLs light bulbs, which consume less energy and are cheaper. And, during the day, use natural sunlight, keep the light bulbs off until they’re really needed. If you want to keep it green during summer, instead of AC use fans, these consume much less energy.

As well, you should reduce the time you spend with your electronic devices, such as smartphones and laptops. When you need to complete any of your assignments, you can visit the public library to use one of their computers. This is a great way to reduce energy consumption in your dorm room, moreover, you will have quick access to all useful materials. There is also another way to lower the time spent before the computer. You can try to find online and use custom research paper writing service. As a rule, they are cheap, so if you want to be sure of the service’s quality, check the reviews from other clients.

You could also try is to study in shared spaces; a couple of hours studying in the library equals a couple of hours of lights out in your dorm room. Do your research using books instead of reading on your computer. And, if you can’t hire a professional writer service, or need to write the assignment yourself, consider using a typewriter instead of a computer.

Tips to reduce energy consumption on a daily basis

You might feel that actions, like keeping your lights out during the day and hiring professional paper writers to reduce the usage of your devices, aren’t enough. If that’s the case keep reading and learn some measurements that will help you on a daily basis.

  • Avoid using automobiles. Instead, choose to ride a bike or take a walk to class. If you are too far from school to walk, use public transportation or carpooling.
  • Avoid printing out papers. A soft copy of your assignment is a great solution.
  • Purchase a solar charger. You will have to save for a couple of months to buy it, but you will be using renewable energy, so its a great tool and one of the best ways to save energy.
  • Use rechargeable batteries. These are versatile and will last for years.
  • Wash clothes with cold water. Heating the water consumes lots of energy and warm water doesn’t really make that much of a difference.
  • Keep your door closed. If you have a heating or cooling system in your room it’s important to always close the door. To leave the door open with one of those systems working produces a big waste of energy.

Why do it? Some advantages of saving energy

We all know that saving energy is good, but it’s always helpful to know clearly how good it is. So, here are some of the benefits you will obtain from following some ways to save energy.

  1. You will reduce your bills. Electricity is one of the most expensive services in the majority of countries around the world. So, keeping your consumption down will also help you keep your bills low. We all know: any measure that can give our pockets some relief is good for us.
  2. You will reduce your climate print. To produce electricity, its necessary to use fossil fuels, which have an enormous environmental footprint. The less energy we use, the less pollution we are responsible for. Reducing your energy consumption seems like a small step, but it makes a huge difference your our planet.
  3. Less pollution also translates into fewer health risks. Air contamination is not only bad for plants and other species of animals, it´s also harmful to humans. So, a cleaner air, without high concentrations of CO2 and other dangerous gases, represents better health for you.

The Common Types of Electrical Wires Used in Homes

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Starting first and foremost, we know that the technological advancements of this modern society have completely revolutionized the whole world and have turned it into a global village. The technological wonders have completely transformed life from each and every perspective. People have been continuously trying to adapt themselves to the new ways of living as their lives have constantly been molded by the different ongoing trends. So, to keep pace with this fast-growing world, people have been striving to understand the generic and basic concepts of the technological revolution.

The primary reason behind this is that technological application has brought a drastic degree of ease to our lives. Even the slightest, most minor and monotonous routine tasks started to include the usage of different technological wonders. The most common example could be smart devices. Some of the most common facilities brought by technological advancement include the online shopping experience, online banking transactions, online bill payments and many more.

All of these have made life significantly more accessible than the way it was before, which evidently and concretely explains how technology embedded its roots into this world.  

types of wires used in homes

Common Types of Electrical Wire

Now sticking to the main course that revolves around our houses and common types of electrical wires used in our houses, although nowadays artificial intelligence is making further ways into our lives as some people prefer to install the electronic door and windows that tend to open with a voice command. Besides that, google security system is also quite a common thing nowadays.

But let us explore the very common types of electrical wires used in homes. All of them still hold significant importance because of their iconic and exquisite functionalities in the wiring of homes and buildings. So, the following are the most common types of electrical wires used in homes:

  • Armored Cable
  • Feeder Cable
  • Low voltage cables
  • Phone and data wire
  • NM cable

To have a good concept regarding each of their respective roles, let us shed some light on the different and versatile aspects of these common types of electrical wire used in homes one by one. This will help us understand even the underlying minor details, ultimately yielding a better understanding of the overall concepts, ideas, roles and last but not the most minor basic functionalities of these electric cables.

1. Armoured Cable

Whenever the topic of discussion revolves around the common wires to be used in the house wiring systems, armoured cables tend to pop up in one’s mind immediately. Typically, armoured cables tend to contain an earthed metal sheet that enables them to act as an excellent protective conductor. They are commonly used for underground installation procedures.

Armoured cables also play a role in different exceptional situations where the wiring has to be done in tight underground spaces or through a tunnel-like structure. They are highly cost-effective as after using them, there is no need to install anything to protect the system. Along with that, their installation comprises simple procedures and is also time-efficient.

2. Feeder Cable

Feeder cable is specifically designed for some particular functionalities that tend to involve the installation in wet places or different areas with a higher possibility of rain. These cables are buried directly underground. They can also be used to wiring the primary circuits as they contain plastic sheathing and a grey sheathing at the outer surface.

Ways to Make Your Business More Eco-Friendly

3. Low Voltage Cable

The name clearly indicates that these cables are designed explicitly for circuits with a typically low voltage limit of up to 50 V. They are mainly used for the wirings in thermostats, doorbells and sprinkler systems which do not require much electricity.

4. Phone and Data Wire

The phones and data that refer to the internet connection have become the utter necessity of our lives. As highlighted in the introduction, our lives have become dependent on technology. So, these wires are used for the phone and data connection. Although these wires contain low voltage, it is specifically recommended to be precautious while operating them. One should not be negligent in touching a bare wire.

 

5. NM Cable

This cable is generically used at dry places specifically for indoor home wirings, primarily including various appliances, switches, etc. This cable has a flexible plastic jacket referred to as a wrapped sheathing possessing three individual conductors inside it.

So, these are the most commonly used types of electric wire. When it comes to manufacturing them, zwcables.com have been remarkable excellent in providing their customers with high quality and a wide variety of electric wires. They have been living up to their reputation as they are considered brilliant when it comes to manufacturing these common types of electrical wire used in homes and many others.

Going Green: Ways to Reduce Business Energy Costs

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Do you stress over your electric bill every month? Or do you assume that’s just part and parcel of owning a business, and you’ll simply have to keep up with costs? Well, that’s not exactly true. You don’t have to endure the increased energy costs; in fact, you can lower your bill while maintaining a fully functioning business.

Here are some simple changes you can make today that will ensure you’re conserving energy.

1. Turn Off Lights And Devices

Yes, this one is self-explanatory; however, you will be surprised how often it gets overlooked. How many vacant rooms have all their lights switched on? And how many temporarily unused computers are sitting there? Make sure, whenever leaving a room, turn off all lights and equipment such as printers, coffee machines, televisions, or heaters. 

2. Use Natural Sunlight

Absorb as much as you can from natural sources if you happen to work in the day time.  Switch off unnecessary lights and take advantage of that glorious sunshine! Why increase costs on lighting when you have the brightest light of all, the sun!

3. Consider Alternative Suppliers

If you are feeling run-down by overpriced utilities, or perhaps struggling to stick to a budget, it is vital that you become aware of the different business utilities where you’re located. Not only will this generate more power, but it will also help your organization thrive toward success.

4. Input LED or CFL bulbs

Save energy, costs, and the environment at the same time with light-emitting diode (LED) or long-lasting compact fluorescent light (CFL). They can really make a drastic, positive change to your savings. These energy-efficient bulbs will not only decrease your electric bill, but will also last a lot longer than the average light bulbs.

5. Upgrade To Energy-Efficient Office Equipment

Whenever you are in need of photo-copiers, monitors, scanners, or any other appliances, consider purchasing office equipment that is energy efficient. But these will still need to be unplugged when not in use, as some equipment still consumes energy while switched off.

6. Invest In Programmable Thermostats

Installing programmable thermostats will automatically adjust the temperature of your workplace. This will reduce the use of heaters and air conditioners, and will result in significant business savings!

7. Energy Audits

Getting an energy audit will benefit your business’ energy usage and costs. These will help you identify what exactly is consuming the most energy and where you can increase energy efficiency while trimming down your electric bills.

8. Go Green, Literally!

Spend your free time gardening and discover how trees save energy through cooling the room in the summer, and blocking cold wind in the winter. This will reduce your usage of heaters and air conditioners. Just make sure to plant them strategically. 

9. Get Motion Detectors

Lighting is a huge factor to consider when it comes to high electricity bills. So using motion detectors with automatic dimming controllers, where lights are constantly necessary, can fulfill your energy needs.

Now you can follow these simple steps and have a clear understanding of how impactful energy-efficiency is. You can save plenty on your electric bill, reduce energy costs, and use renewable energy sources at your workplace. Your business energy costs will no longer be an obstacle in your organization. 

Bonus Tip: If you want to avoid budget overrun for your sustainable installation project, check out this guide.

What Are the Most Common Renewable Energy Sources?

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Most of the energy that we use in today’s day and age is non-renewable. However, the concern about using these forms of energy is rising and people are now looking for more sustainable energy sources.

Renewable energy sources are more natural forms of energy, such as sunlight, wind, water, geothermal heat, and tides. Switching over to renewable sources of energy can reduce the use of the Earth’s limited resources, like fossil fuels (natural gas, coal, petroleum, and nuclear energy).

Currently, around 12.4% of energy in the United States comes from renewable sources. Because of this, fossil fuel reserves have been significantly depleted over the last few decades. Scientists suggest that within just a few decades, there will be no non-renewable sources of energy left.

clean energy in italy

However, with renewable energy sources, there is no limit. They won’t run out and they are inexhaustible.

Alongside their inexhaustibility, renewable energies have a second benefit in that they don’t produce greenhouse gases. This means that using these energy sources does not contribute to global warming or climate change.

What Are the Most Common Forms of Renewable Sources of Energy?

The most commonly used renewable energies include wind power, solar energy (photovoltaic and thermal), and the use of biomass (organic matter) for energy.

Let’s delve into each of these in a little more detail.

1. Wind Power

Wind is produced naturally as the Earth’s surface gets heated more in some areas than others. Wind energy can be harnessed by large wind turbines and converted into electricity to power homes across the country.

Wind power is the most commonly used and most widespread renewable energy source that is used in the modern-day. Large wind turbines can generate a large amount of electricity and require very little maintenance, making them sustainable and reliable.

2. Solar Energy

The sun’s energy production is massive and much of this energy reaches Earth through radiation. Solar energy can be split into two categories – photovoltaic and solar thermal. Each of these forms of solar energy uses the sun’s energy in slightly different ways.

Photovoltaic solar energy uses specialized solar cells that convert the energy from the sun into electricity. These cells can be used in solar panels, solar-powered electronic devices, and more.

Solar thermal energy uses the heat that is produced by the sun and converts it into a liquid that produces steam to generate electricity. This electricity can be supplied to homes across the country.

mistakes when switching to solar energy

There are lots of great devices that can harness solar energy from the sun and are perfect to have in your home. For example, the EcoFlow Delta Pro 3600 is a portable power station that can be used to generate energy in your home and elsewhere to help you live more sustainably.

3. Biomass

Biomass power is being used in large-scale biomass projects. This form of renewable energy uses organic matter from animals and plants to provide energy.

Biomass-Resources

A quick glance at popular biomass resources

Biomass sources may include:

  • Agricultural crops and waste
  • Wood waste, including firewood, lumber, and sawdust
  • Biogenic materials, such as paper, wool, and cotton
  • Animal waste

Energy Potential of Empty Fruit Bunches

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A palm oil plantation yields huge amount of biomass wastes in the form of empty fruit bunches (EFB), palm oil mill effluent (POME) and palm kernel shell (PKS). In a typical palm oil mill, empty fruit bunches are available in abundance as fibrous material of purely biological origin. Energy potential of empty fruit bunches is attractive as it contains neither chemical nor mineral additives, and depending on proper handling operations at the mill, it is free from foreign elements such as gravel, nails, wood residues, waste etc.

EFB

However, EFB is saturated with water due to the biological growth combined with the steam sterilization at the mill. Since the moisture content in EFB is around 67%, pre-processing is necessary before EFB can be considered as a good fuel.

Unprocessed EFB is available as very wet whole empty fruit bunches each weighing several kilograms while processed EFB is a fibrous material with fiber length of 10-20 cm and reduced moisture content of 30-50%. Additional processing steps can reduce fiber length to around 5 cm and the material can also be processed into bales, pellets or pulverized form after drying.

There is a large potential of transforming EFB into renewable energy resource that could meet the existing energy demand of palm oil mills or other industries as well as to promote sustainability in the palm oil industry. Pre-treatment steps such as shredding/chipping and dewatering (screw pressing or drying) are necessary in order to improve the fuel property of EFB.

Pre-processing of EFB will greatly improve its handling properties and reduce the transportation cost to the end user i.e. power plant. Under such scenario, kernel shells and mesocarp fibres which are currently utilized for providing heat for mills can be relieved for other uses off-site with higher economic returns for palm oil millers.

The fuel could either be prepared by the mills before sell to the power plants, or handled by the end users based on their own requirements.  Besides, centralized EFB collection and pre-processing system could be considered as a component in EFB supply chain. It is evident that the mapping of available EFB resources would be useful for EFB resource supply chain improvement. This is particular important as there are many different competitive usages. With proper mapping, assessment of better logistics and EFB resource planning can lead to better cost effectiveness for both supplier and user of the EFB.

A covered yard is necessary to store and supply a constant amount of this biomass resource to the energy sector. Storage time should however be short, e.g. 5 days, as the product; even with 45% moisture is vulnerable to natural decay through fungi or bacterial processes. This gives handling and health problems due to fungi spores, but it also contributes through a loss of dry matter trough biological degradation. Transportation of EFB is recommended in open trucks with high sides which can be capable of carrying an acceptable tonnage of this low-density biomass waste.

For EFB utilization in power stations, the supply chain is characterized by size reduction, drying and pressing into bales. This may result in significantly higher processing costs but transport costs are reduced. For use in co-firing in power plants this would be the best solution, as equipment for fuel handling in the power plant could operate with very high reliability having eliminated all problems associated with the handling of a moist, fibrous fuel in bulk.

Pros and Cons of Buying and Doing a DIY Solar Panel Installation

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There’s a number of reasons why people invest in solar energy through solar panel installations on either their homes or other buildings. For some, they want their energy consumption to reduce their carbon footprint and make sure they live environmentally friendly. For others, they may want a power source they can use just in case the power were to shut off for a long period, or may want to earn tax incentives for going green.

But whichever reason you have, you have a choice between buying from a professional solar panel installation company, and going the DIY route. There are a few pros and cons to doing a DIY solar panel installation.

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Pro: You Can Determine Where And How You Want Your Solar Energy

If you have the time to design and build your own solar energy system, you can decide how you want it built and where you want it placed. One of the keys is buying solar panels for either on-grid or off-grid use, because that determines a lot in the scope of your installation.

But if you’re willing to take on the rigors of the installation, you’ll have the satisfaction of seeing solar power going to the areas of your property where you want.

Pro: There Is Some Savings You Can Get

Yes, getting DIY solar panels can save you some money, though it may not be as much as you want. The main area of savings is in the design and labor costs since you’re handling these yourself, but there can still be other costs you incur while taking the project on. For example, you may need storage or battery backups in some cases that may be a hidden cost. Still, you can usually save about a minimum of 10%-20% in overall costs by going DIY.

According to the experts at Unbound Solar, “Even if you extend your payback period by taking out a loan to finance your project, you still enjoy reduced electricity costs from the moment you flip the switch on your PV system.”

Con: Not All DIY Solar Panels Can Be Used On The Grid

While there are a few cases where you can install your own solar panels and remain connected to your utility provider, not all solar systems are designed for that. And some local governments have laws about what kind of solar panels and installations can be done that remain grid-tied. You’ll want to do research on whether you can do this before getting started.

Con: DIY Installation Can Be Quite Complex

While getting your own solar panel kit and building it yourself sounds easy enough, the process can be very intense and require a lot more know-how from the consumer than they might realize. Plus, there are tasks that need to be completed and signed off on by a certified electrician if your solar panels are going to be grid-tied, so you need to be aware of that. It’s usually going to require heavy duty tools and take some man power to get the system installed perfectly.

At the end of the day, installing your own solar panels can allow you to save a lot of money on energy, or get power to areas that it would be difficult to with a utility provider. But if you’re new to installing a solar panel system, you need to carefully consider the cost in both time and money to do it.