The world is an energy devouring place and we need to be exploring greener sources of energy to furnish that demand. We also need to see better ways of using the current green energy technology that are already in place. We all need to be interested about the impact that is being placed on our planet and how the high cost of energy is affecting us. The energy that is wasted every day is a sad state of affairs and everyone should take a look at what they could do to be more moderate in their usage. The energy that is wasted every day is a sad state of affairs and everyone should take a look at what they could do to be more cautious in their use. There are solutions to these issues but how inclined have people been to fulfil these solutions at the present.

Wind power has started to become very popular over the last decade as a very real source of renewable energy. The price of the power it creates is becoming very aggressive with established methods of energy production such as coal and natural gas. Power used to be created by windmills in the past on the family farm for many years. The agricultural landscape used to be scattered with them to supply power to pump water. It is a identified fact that the states of Texas, Kansas, and North Dakota have sufficient wind to furnish power for the whole U.S.

Another renewable enegy source that has gotten much press is corn. The ethanol that is formulated from corn is a clean burning energy source and crops can be grown year after year so it is inexhaustible but at what cost. The cost of corn has gone up as the result of this, which is good for the farmer but bad for the consumer. Research has shown that praire grass would do a better job than corn. In reality it generates more energy per acre than corn. Plus you don’t have to cultivate it because it grows wild. It is a chemical free crop that just needs to harvested and processed.

Another renewable enegy source we see and hear more of is solar power. You have the solar panels which convert sunlight into electricity and solar water heater to produce hot water. I’ve read about people who have placed solar energy systems on their homes in areas you wouldn’t think it would work, like Seattle. The payback figures for the system were impressive even for a mostly overcast area like this.

One of the things I like about solar is that it can give the power back into the peoples hands to a large degree. The control of power can be decentralized. Maybe that is one of the reasons why there hasn’t been as much advancement as there should be and why costs remain high. Corporations want to protect their profits and it almost seems they do anything to make that happen.

We all know that oil isn’t going to last forever. If we don’t start doing something about it now than when. Aggressive measure need to be taken to start setting in place and implementing a new energy infrastructure. We can start to benefit from it now but we also need to think of how it is going to be of value to the next generation. Help out by doing something to make renewable energy something we can all enjoy.

You can learn more about solar chargers, wind turbines , and other forms of renewable energy sources by doing more research on the Internet about the subject that interests you the most.

Source: Natural Gas

Efficient Lighting liteLogix designs and markets energy efficient lighting systems for Municipalities, Educational Facilities, Health Care Facilities, Retail Facilities, Commercial Facilities, and Industrial Facilities.

Today, the Worldwatch Institute published an article detailing a decline in offshore drilling opposition in sharp contrast to the year 1982 when the drilling moratorium was enacted. Further expansions by George H. W. Bush in 1990 extended the moratorium to include the coasts of Florida, California and New England. With the presidency of Clinton in 1998, the ban was again extended until the year 2012.

During this time, the United States government has went as far as to buy back drilling leases off the coasts of Florida from such companies as Chevron, Conoco, and Murphy. In 2002, the Bush Administration paid $115 million to these companies to drop the offshore claims they held at the request of Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Further settlements were proposed to entities such as the Collier family to relinquish mineral rights held in the Everglades. The government offered $350 million in tax deductions and $120 million in cash for mineral rights that the National Park Services and Department of Interior estimated at $20 million and $43 million, respectively. Besides, opening a few areas within the Gulf of Mexico in 2006, expansion of offshore drilling leases has been mostly stagnant.

Recent oil prices and focus on acquiring less foreign oil has begun to change the consensus on expansion of U.S. offshore drilling. Reports by Rasmussen show that 67% of voters favor offshore drilling while 64% feel more drilling will lower high gas prices. It seems clear to why the majority of Americans now support an increase in offshore drilling. Effects on the pocketbook speak very loudly, but this is not the only reason for the change in attitude towards the long held view of offshore drilling, being environmentally unfriendly.

Lumped alongside the bill to lift the offshore drilling ban, are a few healthy nuggets of environmental stewardship. Consumer tax credits for fuel-efficient and clean energy vehicles, renewable energy tax credits, development of alternative fuel sources, and mass transit funding are just a few of the environmental benefits outlined in a plan that many hope will see a vote during this year’s session. Though most environmental groups still oppose lifting the offshore drilling ban, many feel the added benefits are so beneficial to providing clean energy and healthy environment, that a compromise can be made. If a vote is not exercised before the conclusion of Congress this fall, any decision will be left till next year while also including the next President of the United States.

Though Republicans do not feel the Democrats’ plan goes far enough to expand new energy sources, past attitudes of “no new leases”, has swayed with restrictions requiring current leases be explored further, and the added tax incentives for renewable energy energy sources. Safer drilling practices, higher oil prices, and increased pressure on providing an energy independent America, may soon make new offshore drilling a reality along thousands of acres of U.S. coastline.

Yesterday, PSEG Global LLC, announced a partnership with energy storage expert, Dr. Michael Nakhamkin, to form Energy Storage and Power LLC in order to promote a new generation of Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) technology.  CAES is an innovative process of trapping energy generated by nearly any mass electrical generation technique, and storing it in the form of compressed air, in reservoirs secured within the earth. 

CAES technology functions by compressing air during off-peak hours, that is then pumped underground into air tight mines and reservoirs.  Later during peak energy consumption periods, the compressed air is released and heated using small amounts of natural gas to power a turbine which creates electricity.  This process removes the need to use natural gas to both heat and compress the air during peak periods.  Electrical rates can be better balanced to deal with hot summers and cold winters. 

More balanced electrical rates are not the only benefit to using this technology.  Renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, can be used to initially compress the air before it is pumped into the ground.  This gives the electrical grid more freedom from the disadvantages of the intermittent processes of generating electricity from solar and wind technologies.  Energy can thus be stored for future use during the night in the case of solar plants and in periods of calm in relation to wind farms. 

The drawback to Compressed Air Energy Storage currently lies in the fact that it still contributes to emissions by requiring natural gas to heat the air being pumped from the reservoirs.  Though this amount of natural gas is smaller than traditional gas power plants, CAES can not claim to be a true environmentally friendly technology, just yet.  Since natural gas is a finite resource, this is not a viable long term solution in its current state.

PSEG and Dr. Nakhamkin hope to build upon past successes of CAES and develop a technology that is scalable to the current needs of cities and renewable resources projects.  With future innovations, it may be possible to utilize this technology in conjunction with alternative energy sources to create a truly emission free, renewable source of cheap energy.

This technology could prove to be a beneficial addition to areas such as Iowa that already generate large amount of wind energy. Current project plans of the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities hope to design a CAES system with a 200MW capacity fed from a 100MW wind farm. This could prove wind power is a viable resource and reliable technology to further promote.