Global Energy

Solar Power is the Most Renewable Form of Energy

admin — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Experts tell us we have enough oil in the ground to last for about 100 years at the world’s current rate of use. The sun will be around for about 4 billion more years. Hmmm. I wonder which is more renewable?
The sun’s power is nuclear of course—but not he kind of nuclear that can lead to dangerous emissions. Breaking the uranium atom, which is the source of nuclear power plant energy, produces many dangerous radioactive particles; fusion of hydrogen into helium only produces water. And besides, the sun is 93 million miles away, not next door like your local nuclear power plant.
When you come right down to it, all energy on the earth is solar. After all, oil comes from decayed plants that grew because of the sun. And even hydroelectric power derives from the action of the sun on the earth’s atosphere, creating the rain that causes rivers to run.
What we refer to as solar power is the direct use of sunlight. Newer technologies are capturing this sunlight more efficiently and at lower cost all the time. And since the sun won’t stop shining for at least 4 billion years, I’d call that pretty darn renewable!

How to Insulate Your Attic for Energy Savings

admin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000

With rising energy rates and the price of oil climbing to new records every day, it is more important to insulate around the home now then it was in the past. Anyone that wants to insulate the attic to save energy can take advantage of recent product innovations. Among these recent product advancements is something called a radiant barrier.

Radiant barriers make a great do-it-yourself home project because the materials are affordable and they are easy to install. The only tools that are required are a tape measure, a utility knife, and a staple gun. The reinforced foil is lightweight and durable so it does not take a lot of effort to manage. Best of all, the return on investment is quick because radiant barriers block 97 of the radiant heat from entering the attic. This will reduce eclectic bills in the summer.

To install them simply measure between each rafter and cut a strip to length. Then, staple the strip of foil between the rafters to the attic sheathing. Do this between each rafter. Another method is to roll the material across the rafters and stable to each of the rafter ends. The latter method is faster, but prone to accidental damage. The first method is less prone to damage, but requires more time to install.

Can Your New Roof Cut Your Energy Costs?

admin — Tue, 17 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

New roofs can cut your energy costs if they are made out of energy saving materials. In this day of modern technology, manufacturers have found a way to make roofing materials that do save energy. It is advisable to install a new roof on your house with materials that are labeled Energy Star. This label certifies that the roofing materials that you are using will reflect the sun’s rays from your roof. You will be able to find several different types of roofing materials that carry this label. Coated metal roofs are a great choice for a new roof. They will not only look wonderful upon your house but they will save you money on your energy bills as well. Just make sure that you get the type that is specially coated for good sun ray reflection. Roofing your house with white roofing tiles is another smart option. These types of tiles are energy efficient and are very light to install.

Why not be energy efficient and Eco-friendly at the same time? Roofing materials are made from all kinds of recycled materials these days. Energy saving recycled roof tiles are now made from such materials as recycled plastic milk jugs. These tiles will last for many years and they will leave money in your pocket at the same time.

Enjoy your savings!

Check Out Planet Green Television

admin — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

If you love this earth, like to learn or are home schooling your kids; Planet Green Television is an educational gold mine. For those who want to remember or learn more about the complex nature of our planet, try tuning in with the perspective of helping understand where to focus healing change for our sensitive ecosystems.
Green television has become an amazing tool for the environmental activist. Use the show to learn about intense complexities while crafting information that can help inform businesses such as electric companies about changes affecting the planet. This is a powerful way to contribute to the recovery of some of these most sensitive systems. Ingenious ways to deliver life-changing information necessary for the planets needed recovery are presented by this program and its development staff.
An ideal way to become fascinated, entertained and educated, Planet Green Television is a new wave in approaches to helping ourselves comprehend, organize and make changes in how we operate in our culture. A powerful example, are the links between networked planetary systems such as the magnetosphere showing a direct relationship to species migration on earth. This has lead to a greater monitoring of the Gulf Stream.
Become better informed. Check out Planet Green Television.

Oil Producing Community Welcomes Ghana

www.globalenergymaps.com — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

It’s been 3 years since researchers first found oil in the African nation of Ghana, perhaps known best among Americans as the nation that eliminated the United States from 2010 World Cup Competition, however, Ghana could soon become a much more relevant name on the international radar, as December saw the first oil pumped from the nation’s depths. Tullow Oil, a United Kingdom based collective, targets producing 55,000 barrels of oil in its initial efforts, but plans on more than doubling that output within the next 6 months, aiming for a 120,000 per day rate.Forecasters are particularly optimistic about Ghana as an oil producing entity, considering the relative stability the country has enjoyed when compared to other African nations of similar size. Whether such calm can be maintained amid the large influx of cash remains to be seen. A challenge for still developing nations blessed with substantial natural resources can be navigating the treacherous waters of greed and corruption. In year 1, Ghana should see close to 400 million profit from its oiling efforts, a number expected to grow to 1 billion annually, money that can either line the pockets of individuals in power or fuel national prosperity and see Ghana ascend the global ranks in terms of influence and quality of life for citizens.Of concern in regards to Ghana’s budding oil industry is a lack of regulation currently in place at the onset of the endeavor. Without proper safeguards and practices in place, it will be tough to gauge whether the financial windfall does more harm or good to the local community. Regulation regarding oil drilling is obviously a high priority on the conscience of industry officials, with the BP Gulf Oil Spill still only 6 months in the rear view mirror. The livelihood of fisherman is also at stake, a major occupation/lifestyle in certain sectors of the Ghana population. The oil sector of the economy will provide significant job growth, hopefully providing relief or career advancement for other industries adversely affected by the opportunity.

Why Mother Nature Loves Bear Markets and Bare Cupboards

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:54:02 +0000

It seems retirement stock portfolios aren’t the only things rapidly declining in the United States over the past few months. In a more uplifting turn of events, energy use in the U.S. declined almost 5 last year, good for the most significant energy reduction the country has ever seen. To put that in further perspective, though the mainstream push for “going green” is still relatively new, the government began tracking such statistics in 1949.Of course, a view held by many analysts is that this isn’t entirely good news. While the reduced levels of energy are no doubt a welcome sight for the environment, they could be interpreted as an equally disheartening look in the mirror for the national economy. After all, energy use tends to decrease alongside GDP per capita. In other words, when people have less money, they buy less, do less and use less, all across the board. It would be a nice to believe the full 5 was constituted by American’s making responsible energy decisions; however, it’s far more likely the statistic is merely a manifestation of equally reduced individual means.A more wholesomely encouraging trend is the major increase in the use of wind power in the United States, marking a decreased reliance on fossil fuels. Overall, the percentage use of renewable energy sources within U.S. border is up, thanks largely to generous grants and funding by the United States Department of Energy in order to promote further wind energy development. The increase in wind energy use is believed to be the main cause of a dip in coal usage nationwide. This could be a further augmented by a shift from electricity to natural gas, a positive trend considering the ongoing harvest of newly discovered shale gas resources in the southern states, believed to be quite abundant in supply. Overall, 2009 in the U.S. saw good with bad, but while the economy is cyclical, once earth’s resources are depleted they are impossible to replenish , so in that sense, it was a banner year.

The Other Oil Spill

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:49:17 +0000

A massive oil spill certainly made headlines in the summer of 2010, though perhaps it diverted attention from another sad situation off the coast of Egypt in the Red Sea. While resources and global media attention flooded towards the well oiled banks of the Gulf Coast, the Red Sea oil spill has been widely underreported. Many environmentalist groups monitoring the area suspect that perhaps the severity of the Red Sea oil spill is the subject of a cover up, actually causing much more damage than controlling interests would lead on. Were word to get out, officials may be worried that it could negatively impact the tourism sector of Egypt’s economy, a major source of revenue for the country. The Egyptian government was notably quiet in the first few days following the oil spill, raising some eyebrows. When the country’s Environmental Crisis Department did finally comment on the issue, it claimed that impact on Egypt’s beaches was minimal, though acknowledged conditions were worse in the Red Sea’s northern islands.Individuals near the beach resort area of Hurghada would say this information is incorrect, and that’s putting it kindly. Not only do some reports claim that a 100 mile stretch of coastline is now polluted with oil, some locals claim that the leak stemming from an off-shore oil platform was yet to be fully contained at the time the government claimed the situation to be resolved. The leak began on June 16, and, if official government reports are to believe, was sealed by week’s end. Of particular concern is the remaining coral reef which stands in harm’s way, a popular scuba destination for Hurghada tourists.The Red Sea shares a border with 9 independent states, though it is believed that Egypt is the only nation heavily affected. Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Israel, Jordan, Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan also surround the sea, each with their own stretch of coastal property.

http://www.greenprophet.com/2010/06/red-sea-oil-spill/

Penn State Led Researches to Establish Energy Innovation Hub

www.globalenergymaps.com — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:44:12 +0000

Energy on college campuses is usually harvested through a steady diet of energy drinks, coffee runs, really anything with high caffeine content generally believed to take less than 5 years off one’s lifespan. However, late night/early morning study habits aside, Penn State University will soon find itself knee deep in a different type of search for energy. A Nittany Lion led team will receive up to 122 million over the next five years, courtesy of the United States Department of Energy in order to set up an Energy Innovation Hub. Much like its name suggests, the purpose of the Energy Innovation Hub will be to develop new technologies that make buildings more energy efficient.The concept of building green buildings is not entirely new, though the specific project will focus on new ways to make them, well, greener. Though the green building movement traces its roots as far back as the 1970s, when the increase in global oil prices sparked a widespread interest in improving energy efficiency and discovering alternative, renewable energy sources. Green building formally entered American vernacular in the early 1990s, soon after the American Institute for Architects formed in the Committee on the Environment in 1989. The Energy Star program, a joint effort between the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy that labels the most energy friendly products for home and the office, was developed in 1992. In the same year, the first small scale green building program was introduced in Austin, TX.While the past decades have seen massive upgrades in constructing more environmentally responsible edifices, building energy use remains a pressing concern, accounting for nearly 40 of United States carbon emissions and energy use. Hopefully, the commissioned team led by Penn State researchers will find new and innovative ways to further scale back the problem, resulting in lower energy bills, less pollution and more secure future for the long term health of the planet.

More Coal in China’s Stocking?

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:37:56 +0000

The world’s largest consumer of coal seems to be consuming even more of the fossil fuel, as China Shenhua Energy Company, a unit of the nation’s largest coal producer, saw significant growth over the first two quarters of the fiscal year. China Shenhua Energy reported a 14 profit increase of said time period, stemming from an increased demand due the rapid expansion of the Chinese economy.China is home to the fastest growing major economy on the planet, already the second largest in the world behind the United States. Over the past 30 years, China has sustained an average growth rate of 10, unmatched across the globe. Such demands to meet business needs and power fast-paced innovation have placed further stress on the environment, despite the resulting financial windfall. The concern regarding Chinese coal use however is slightly mitigated by the countries expansive coal reserves. China is fortunate enough to own the 3^rd largest coal reserves in the world, trailing only the United States and Russia. Even at the current rate demand for coal is increasing much more quickly than correspondent coal production, it is believed the Chinese reserves could maintain such levels of output in order to sustain economic growth for a little over 100 years.While the immediate need to shift to alternative energy isn’t as pressing for the Chinese from a strictly supply based interpretation, some major players in the Chinese energy industry do plan on investing much heavier in new energy technology. China Shenhua Energy, for example announced in March that it will look to acquire overseas energy assets in order to increase their total output. At the heart of their expansion strategy are viable renewable energy sources, with a particular interest in wind power projects. Were Chinese energy groups able to better harvest their abundant wind resources it could go a long way towards alleviating many environmental energy concerns for the nation.

Catching Rays in Cali

www.globalenergymaps.com — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:58:09 +0000

California is generally thought of as a land of sunshine, celebrities and perhaps the most energy conscious destination in the United States. However, over the past 2 decades the California Energy Commission (CEC) has elected to decline proposals to build a major solar power plant on the Gold Coast. After years of repeated efforts, there is finally light at the end of the tunnel as energy developer NextEra Energy Resources finally got approval from the CEC to construct a 1 billion, 250 MW concentrating power plant in the state of California.Ground should be broken sooner than later as NextEra now finds itself in a race against the expiring federal grant program, set to give out its final financial aid at year’s end. The project will be officially recognized as the “Beacon Solar Energy Project,” operated by NextEra’s subsidiary, Beacon Power. The Beacon Solar Energy Project will require close to 2,000 acres of parabolic troughs, though perhaps better known among casual observers as “those big shiny semicircles aimed at the sky,” used to collect solar thermal energy.In the past, the CEC has been hung up on the large amount of land such a project requires, not to mention its intense water usage. In addition to the aforementioned 2,000 acres, the project will consume more than 450 million gallons of water every year for cooling purposes. It’s speculated the project was finally met with approval as an effort to meet the state’s 20 renewable energy target, far off such a pace at the time of the agreement.The approval of such a project could spell good news for other aspiring energy developers in the area. Brightsource and Abengoa have plans in place for two similar solar energy projects in the Mojave Desert area, and like NextEra, they hope to gain the Commission’s favor before the clock runs out on 2010.