Is A Gasifier The Best Alternate Energy Source?
July 19, 2010 by Guest
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A gasifyer is a mechanical device for heating wood chips, or many other types of dry organic matter, to a temperature high enough to release the volatile gasses locked within them. The gasses produced can be burned in an engine to make power or merely burned in a heating system. The fundamental structure of the gasifier may be a container perhaps the size of an oil barrel which needs to be well insulated to retain the heat.
The container has within it a layer of burning fuel. This has access to outside air, allowing a small part to burn, but under controlled conditions, and start the gas production.
This makes the whole process self contained.
A modest controlled burn is necessary, partially because you do not want to simply set fire to all the combustion volume, and the small fire burning with limited oxygen is efficient. This warmth is used to dry out and warm the fuel stock, so that when it falls into the fire grate, it will readily burn. Temperatures of the order of 1200 degrees F should be aimed for. These hot volatile gasses ascend naturally and escape at the top of the cylinder. They are then filtered to take out particles, and cooled as a denser gas has more power.
A specific benefit is a gasifyer is it is self contained yet small enough to be moveable by pallet or trailer. A four cylinder engine needs an oil drum sized gas producer, but if the fuel is a waste product, the gas is just as good.
Any combination of chipped wood and or branches, rice or corn husks, shells, pits, animal dung, in fact any waste organic material, could be used. Even fast growing willow might be planted as a fuel harvest.
Using commercial agricultural waste as a fuel will not just save cash, but also monumental amounts of landfill space. The gasifyer residue, or char, is an excellent soil conditioner, making it a very eco-friendly alternative.
My specialty is more with the usage of a gasifyer to trim house hold expenses and or off grid living.
household gasification has the extra advantage of producing gasses, regularly called syngas, that are very clean burning, producing little or no contamination.
The claim is that 20lbs of dry chipped wood is equivalent to 1 gallon of petrol. A suitably sized gasifier could be made to furnish all the gas for a selected engine, the larger the gasifier the bigger the engine. A gasifyer does not necessarily call for any external power although this will help to start the machine, someone will still have to fuel the machine. Once running the inductance from an internal combustion engine will draw air through the hearth, helpfully making it self sustaining.Check Out The Gasifyer.com
As a green alternate energy source a gasifyer and petrol generator offers a serious solution.
Volunteering – The Way Forward
July 7, 2010 by Guest
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Have you thought about doing some volunteer projects abroad? Maybe volunteering in Tanzania takes your fancy. If you volunteer in Africa today you are heading for one of the greatest experiences of your life. With over a billion people on the African continent and half of them reported to be over the poverty line it’s not surprising that they need your help.
Africa is the world’s second-largest and second most-populous continent, some might say it’s also the most diverse. The continent is made up of 54 countries with the largest of those being Sudan. Unsurprisingly considering the size of the country it’s no surprise to know that parts of Africa as still unexplored. The continent is home to the worlds largest deserts, the Sahara as well as having some of the remotest jungles yet to be explored by man. The state of the African continent is that of desperation. Not only has the continent been ravaged by war over previous decades, the climate is having a profound effect. The constant droughts and floods we see year in year out maybe a wrong doing by the western world causing global warming.
Volunteering is not obviously going to be able to stop the global warming problem. It does however help with the recovery from disasters such as droughts, floods and war. There are many ongoing projects in Africa volunteers get involved with including working with HIV/AIDS orphans, Teaching displaced children, feeding programmes and aid relief.
Volunteering doesn’t just beneift the local communties it also has a profound effect on the volunteer themselves. As a volunteer you can see first hand the change you are making and what kind of effect this is having on the local communtiy. The is a great motivation and helps improve self belief and self drive.
BP Oil Leak Executives Point Fingers In Senate Hearing
June 18, 2010 by Guest
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The BP oil leak made its way into the political arena Tuesday when top oil company executives testified at a hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in New York. As the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico continued unabated, suits from BP, Transocean and Halliburton each blamed the other guy for the disaster in the Senate hearings. Right now the BP oil leak totals 105,000 barrels based on an eyeball estimate of 5,000 barrels a day. That is a total of 4.4 million gallons and more is coming.
Circle of blame in BP oil leak
Responsibility for the cause of the gulf oil spill was passed among the oil company executives like an instant loan in the Senate hearings. CNNMoney.com reports that BP ended up blaming Transocean, owners of Deepwater Horizon, the rig that exploded and sank on April 20, leaving 11 workers dead. Transocean in turn blamed BP for setting specifications for the well and called out Halliburton, the company that built the well’s cement casing. Halliburton completed this circle by blaming BP once again.
Updates on oil spill
The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico 2010 is wreaking much havoc. Accuweather.com explains that there are winds from the southeast threatening to push the gulf oil spill toward more of the Louisiana coastline during the next few days. The spill might be pushed northwestward which will be either closer to or on the coast land. Areas at greatest risk to the growing oil slick are from Atchafalaya Bay to Louisiana’s southeastern most point. Also threatened will be places northwest of Breton Sound. Concerns are deepening about hurricanes and the possible drift of the BP oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico Loop Current, which passes through the Florida Straits into the Atlantic Ocean.
Shareholders sue as BP stock tanks
BP stock has taken a massive hit thanks to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. The Wall Street Journal reported on May 3 that BP’s stock price has lost 14 percent since the oil rig it leased exploded and sank — about $20 billion in market value. The New York Times reported that BP will also take a hit on future earnings if it has to hold off on future exploration and drilling while it deals with the spill, which may cost BP at least $8 billion. The Associated Press reports that a BP stock holder filed suit against the corporation’s top executive accusing them of pursuing cost-cutting measures at the expense of employee safety, while lobbying government authorities to decrease safety regulation.
Finger pointing for BP oil leak
Executives testifying to lawmakers about the BP oil leak sought to absolve themselves from responsibility. In blaming Transocean, chairman and President of BP America Lamar McKay said Transocean was responsible for the safety of drilling operations. CNNMoney.com reports that McKay tried to divert the lawmakers’ attention to the blowout preventer valve that failed, saying it was owned by Transocean. In written testimony, Transocean said there was likely a failure of the well’s cement casing that was installed by Halliburton. Halliburton says it was BP’s fault because of their well specifications or it was Transocean’s fault for a faulty blowout preventer.
The Gulf oil spill and BP’s poor safety record
Based off of BP’s horrible safety record, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was bound to happen. The Guardian reports that BP has a recent history of disasters stemming from poor maintenance and faulty equipment, which includes a blast at a refinery in Texas City, Texas, in 2005 that killed 15 workers. A spill occurred in Alaska in 2006 just after BP was warned of a corroded pipeline. BP pleaded guilty to both of these incidents. In these past few years BP has paid $485 million in fines and settlements charges to the U.S. government for environmental crimes, neglect of worker safety rules and penalties for manipulating energy markets.
Article Resources
CNNMoney.com reports
http://money.cnn.com/2010/05/11/news/companies/BP_hearings/?npt=NP1
Accuweather.com
http://www.accuweather.com/
Associated Press reports
http://blog.al.com/press-register-business/2010/05/bp_shareholder_sues_executives.html
Guardian reports
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/05/congressman-bp-safety-oil-spill
Some Tips On Reducing Your Electric Bill
If you have been concerned about the enormous electricity bills you have been getting, there are things that you can do about it. You can lower your energy costs by taking some very simple actions.
This article discusses some simple, easy-to-do things to reduce your power costs.
Use Less Electricity: Whenever you leave a room, shut off any electrical appliances as well as lights. Even if an electronic is not on but is plugged in, it is consuming electricity. Unplug all chargers and seldom-used appliances.
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Energy saving investments: Switch your regular bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. These bulbs are great energy-saving tools, and can save you about $60 a year. Use an energy-saving gadget such as The Power-Save. For your showerheads, use the low-flow kind. If your water heater is in an unheated room of your home (or even if it isn’t) invest in an insulating blanket/jacket. Change air/heat filters as recommended and keep A/C coils clean. See that your house has adequate insulation. Change out your windows with the newer, more energy-efficient ones. If this isn’t feasible, at least check your existing windows for escaping air and correct it.
Household Appliances:
• Run the washer only when there is a full load of clothes.
• You’ve heard it before: Use less water!
• Keep the thermostat temperature higher in summer and lower in winter. Even a couple of degrees can help.
• Switch the computer monitor off when you’re away from the computer. It only takes a second to turn it back on.
Avoid preheating your oven more than necessary and opening the door while cooking.
Use the dishwasher only when you have a full load and use the no heat dry option. Using the no heat function saves 20% of the dishwasher’s total electric consumption.
Use cold water for your washing machine.
Make sure your appliances are energy-efficient models.
Twenty percent of the home’s electricity is used by your refridgerator. Make sure the fridge and freezer are making a good seal when closed. Set the fridge temperature to 37 degrees or as close to that as feasible.
Try turning down the thermostat on your water heater. One hundred twenty degress (120) F is usually sufficient.
Try Making Home Solar Energy: Then Discover How You Can Make Serious Savings!
Many local power companies provide free home energy audits. This can help you become aware of where and how your home is energy inefficient.
Remember, lowering your utility bill is equivalent to saving power, thus helping the world conserve energy for the future.
Reduce or even eliminate your utility bill by utilizing solar and wind power to produce your own electricity. Obtain our comprehensive guide at:
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How To Save Gas By Hypermiling
May 21, 2010 by Guest
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Getting your first car can be a real thrill. Finally you have the freedom to go wherever you want, whenever you want and with whomever you want! This newfound freedom is quickly undermined by the realization that you have to pay for your own gas, oil changes, fuel filters, car repairs and auto insurance. While some of these expenses are inevitable, there is one thing you can do; save gas by hypermiling! In this article, you will learn about some of the hypermiling driving techniques motorists are using to save money, without sacrificing their independence on the road.
The first step many hypermilers take is to track their mileage, so they have a clearer understanding of what works best for their vehicles. They can compare how they drive on Monday to how they drive on Tuesday. They can glance down at something called a Scan Gauge to see how many MPG they’re using or even how much money a certain trip cost them in gas. The Scan Gauge isn’t exactly cheap (with a price tag around $160), but the installation is painless. Experts say that being conscious of how accelerating, braking and driving techniques affect your gas mileage can really make an enormous difference and most drivers save an instant 10% of gas this way.
One of the most sacred rules of the road for all hypermilers is to only brake when you have to. While most people are inclined to speed ahead to the stop light and abruptly slow down if the light doesn’t change in time, the conscientious hypermiler will take his foot off the gas as soon as he sees the light is red and will slowly coast up to the intersection. This is also sometimes called “timing the lights” because often the light will change when the hypermiler gets there. Another trick is to take a 10 to 15 second buffer after the light turns green and the other cars accelerate. By leaving extra space ahead, drivers can see the brake lights well in advance and avoid hard braking. Some drivers say they save gas by watching their mileage go up over 70 MPG even while sitting in traffic!
Some people decide to save gas by modifying their cars. Most vehicles out there are not built specifically with gas mileage in mind, so there’s much to be accomplished by making some basic changes to the existing structure. For instance, some hypermilers add something called a “grill block,” which goes over the grill of the car and prevents air resistance (to save about 5% of your overall gas mileage.) This is one of the cheapest and easiest mods to install. To save another 4.5%, you may want to purchase “smooth wheel covers” or “rear wheel skirts” to reduce wind resistance further. The more drastic measures may include removing alternators, swapping engines, changing from automatic-to-manual, or converting to alternative fuel and electric designs. One driver converted her Volkswagen to a corn oil/diesel mod for $3,000. Or, in some cases, it could be as simple as inflating your tires and having your air filter changed every oil change. There are many ways to save!
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Solar Panels: How Will They Do In Bad Weather?
If you live an area that has weather extremes, you may be wondering whether solar panels are practical for your home. After all, snow and ice storms, tornadoes, hurricanes and hail damage regular roofs every year. Is it really wise to put solar panels on a roof that undergoes those kinds of weather extremes? Following are some facts that will help you decide.
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It makes sense to be concerned about hail or wind damage to the glass that encapsulates the solar cells and allows them to have exposure to the sun. Here is the answer: Make sure your solar panels are made with high impact, tempered glass. High quality solar panels are made with glass that can stand up to 60-mile-an-hour winds with 3/4-inch hail. So the panels normally can stand up to conditions that are comparable to what your roofing material can take.
Before the contractor can install your solar panels, he has to determine whether your roof will be able to support the weight of the solar panel arrays. After that is confirmed and the solar panels are attached to the roof, there’s no reason they shouldn’t stay solidly in place. If there is a tornado or hurricane the solar panels should stay secured to the roof. The only way they would come off is if the roof itself came off.
Take A Look at The Making of a Solar Cell
In areas that experience heavy snowfall, snow may blanket the solar panels and block them from receiving sunlight. If this happens, the solar panels will be unable to produce electricity and the snow will need to be removed. But, the snow will not damage the panels themselves.
A larger concern would be your roof’s ability to withstand a wet, heavy snowfall. In that case, you should clear the roof in addition to removing the snow from the solar panels. In the event of a light snowfall, the heat retained in the solar panels will normally be sufficient to melt the snow and clear the panels.
Finally, check with your home-owner’s insurance policy. Often, solar panels are included at no additional cost. If your policy does not include solar panels , consider changing to one that does.
Once you have studied the requirements cafefully the risk of damage to your solar panels will be minimal Don’t be tempted with building your solar panels using minimal standards just to save money. It may prove to be more expensive in the long run having to replace damaged glass which subsequently leads to damaged cells. It is a relatively simple task. You can then sit back and enjoy the comfort of all the free energy that you will have once your project is complete.
Easy Solar Power Methods For The Consumer
Save The Earth, Bicycle To Work
April 22, 2010 by Guest
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If you live within bicycle commuting distance to your work, biking has several advantages to offer. Why not consider commuting by bicycle. Even if you choose a bike as you way of commuting on the nicest days of the year, you can do your part in reducing our dependence of petroleum products and reducing pollution.
In addition, biking to work is a great way to get some exercise. Why pay to go to the gym when you can save money by riding your bike and get your excise at the same time. If the distance to your work is too far to bike, consider combining the bike ride with a commuter bus. This works well if you live some distance from a bus stop or if you work in an area that is not near the bus stop.
Most buses have bicycle racks built onto the front so that both you and your bike can ride and reduce the bicycle commute by several miles. This option may work best for you.
If you are preparing to bike to work, you will need some supplies to make the commute easier. In order to carry your needed materials by bike, you will want to purchase some messenger bags. These bags were designed for use by bicycle delivery persons in downtown San Francisco, so they will work for your commute. You will especially want to have a laptop messenger bag if you need to transport your computer by bicycle. Choose a waterproof model to keep those delicate electronics dry and to protect your computer from any scrapes on the trip.
Consider attaching other messenger bags to the bike for other gear and materials you want to take home or to the office. Then if you find sale digital cameras, you can take advantage of the sale before it is over and safely transport the camera home. With extra messenger bags, you can pick up the ATV parts you need without ever having to start up your car.
The longer we live on this planet the more we realize that there is a limited amount of resources available to us. All of us should find a way that we can do our part to conserve resources for future generations.
Additionally, biking to work is a good way to save our money. Biking one day a week saves 20 percent of our fuel used for commuting. Three days per week saves 60 percent and every day saves 100 percent of the money we pay for fuel.
Alternative Power: Using The Solar Patio Lights
April 14, 2010 by Guest
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There have been some buzz words of lately. Global warming, pollution and conservation were among the main ones. And it scares the day lights off us to hear the doomsday message everywhere. Then there is the whole going green thing that is catching up with your nerve wrecks. Then you go mad thinking about your fare share of contribution to the world. The solution is no rocket science. Simply install a solar patio light as an alternative power source and you will have done your job well.
If you were a green energy enthusiast, no pollution, environment friendly, does not use up non renewable resources would be the guidelines by which you live and solar patio lights just fits in safe within the description. Additionally however, you will find that solar patio lights could help reduce accidents caused by low visibility outside at night, help keep away any unwanted attention of intruders or thieves, would help keep the electricity bill in check and would give a better look to your patio. Plus, installing solar patio lights is almost an DIY task therefore, you will not spend on professionals. In addition to that, some states actually give you tax rebuts in light of using solar patio lights that help preserve fossil fuels.
Now the hard task is this: for you to ensure that you derive maximum advantage from these lights, you need to keep them under the exposure of sunlight.
Solar patio lights are ideal for smaller parties and gatherings and some now even come in the form of Christmas bulbs! You can really see here that the solar patio lights industry is trying to impress their customers.
Some believe that devices such as solar patio lights should be viewed as a part of a greater plan or designs. Just like wind generator plans, they see these types of innovations as a part of the process of bringing green technology closer to the people and training people to be more comfortable with the use of such technology.
Though some are of the opinion that products like solar patio lights are very expensive this is hardly true. Though green energy in general still appears to be too costly to the mass market solar patio lights are available from a minimum price limit of around twenty dollars.
Products such as a solar patio light being utilized as an alternative power source introduced with not just the motive of profit maximization but also integrated with concepts like social corporate responsibility appear to be gaining following by the day and the future for products in the caliber of solar patio lights seem to be a very sunny one.
Alternative Power: The Benefits Of Making Energy Efficient House Plans
April 1, 2010 by Guest
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The idea of energy efficient house plans as a source of alternative power is very practical and successful although it may sound a little strange at first. It is so realistic that in fact, it is well-known as one of the best twenty first century innovations.
If you are thinking about the realistic aspect of making up energy effective house plans, the answer is very simple. Look around at carefully chosen, newly built houses and buildings. Most of these structures would have at least one energy Saving, energy competent formula in motion. Of course people don’t advertise themselves saying they live on houses built with energy efficient house plans unless of course you are on discovery channel’s going green campaign. But the point is, without us projecting it, the concept of energy competent home plans have already come in to play.
So take for example if you’re an architect, or an engineer who’s going to build a solar panel as a source of energy, isn’t energy efficient house plans a pure example to look at? Anyway the popular demand will surely make your house stand out.
The benefits of making energy efficient house plans are many of which saving energy is the primary ones. Preserving up on conventional modes of gaining energy such as electricity, line water and gas are the major pecuniary plusses of the system. So that, once energy effective house plans are built up, recurring water, gas and electricity bills become less.
It is the common belief among many people that energy effective house plans would make you spend a lot of money. So much so that paying monthly bills is worth it. This is a common myth and it has no grounds. If you can t trust it offhand, sit down and get on with some computings to see the point set us dismissing the notion. Maybe at the implementation stage energy effective house plans may cost slightly higher than traditional methods. Even so, the price can be easily covered in less than twelve months of accomplishing it, if done appropriately.
So save the planet by saving energy at home – settle for energy efficient house plans as a source of alternative power! After all, energy protected is money gained! Plus living in such atmosphere will add a lot of novelty to your ordinary life. Think about it: is it not a great feeling to touch a warm floor beneath your feet?
Choosing A Water Filter
March 26, 2010 by Guest
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Buying a water filter system for your home is an important choice to make, because contaminant-free, drinking water will go a long way in keeping your family healthy. Yet because there is such a high demand for water systems, along with the good there are also some pretty bad products being offered. The top companies generally are the most reputable and honest, but there are always a few marketers that can’t be trusted.
Some reasons why tap water is contaminated include improperly disposing everyday items such as paint, cleaning solvents and motor oil into sewer systems. This becomes industrial waste, and the problem seems to be occurring everyday, as you read about accidental leaks or large companies using illegal methods to dispose of toxic waste. It seems that using a good water filter is essential.
Companies that are murky on the specifics of their product should be avoided. If you call them regarding the details, you may learn that what they are offering is not a water purifier at all, but merely a filtering system that blocks some chlorine and eliminates odor. The company’s data sheets should include information about how effectively each contaminant will be addressed and removed. There are drinking water filtering systems that will remove all of them, but you have to be a smart shopper to find them.
Another great way to tell if the filter you are considering is effective is if it is not sold in specific states. There is always a good reason why this is so. In states such as Wisconsin, California and Massachusetts, companies are required by law to have their products certified by independent laboratories. During the certification process, claims must be verified before the product can be sold. It is then obvious that companies who provide inferior systems will avoid the states with regulations.
For those companies that have excellent water quality performance records, California also provides a department of health certification. To receive this certificate, extensive testing is required. If you see that a company has the certification, you can rest assured that you have found a quality, home water filter product that will work as it should.
Typically, a water filter system that costs less initially will end up costing more to use in the long run. Cartridges and filters generally have a short lifespan, which requires frequent replacements. Of course, there really is no such thing as a maintenance-free unit. There are a few disposable filters, but they cost even more and are mostly ineffective. For a kitchen countertop unit, a reasonable price to pay is around $125. You may have to pay more if you buy from a dealer or department store because of mark-up, since everyone wants to make a profit.
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