Alternative Energy & Sources

Alternative Energy & Sources

The modern human community is depended greatly on the use of focil fuel like coal oil, gas and Nuclear fission. as sources of energy. But these sources of energy firstly polluting our the environment very fast secondly they are getting extinct and ultimately our existance in this universe is shortened.

Energy is the ability to do work. While energy surrounds us in all aspects of life, the ability to harness it and use it for constructive ends as enconomically as possible is the challenge before mankind. Alternative energy refers to energy sources which are not based on the burning of fossil fuels or the splitting of atoms. The renewed interest in this field of study comes from the undesirable effects of pollution (as witnessed today) both from burning fossil fuels and from nuclear waste byproducts. Fortunately there are many means of harnessing energy which have less damaging impacts on our environment. Here are some possible alternatives: 1.Solar 2.Wind Power 3.Geothermal 4.Tidal power 5.Hydro power 6.Bio mass


1.Solar energy:

Solar energy is one the most resourceful sources of energy for the future. One of the reasons for this is that the total energy we recieve each year from the sun is around 35,000 times the total energy used by man. However, about 1/3 of this energy is either absorbed by the outer atmosphere or reflected back into space (a proccess called albedo)1.
Solar energy is presently being used on a smaller scale in furnaces for homes and to heat up swimming pools. On a larger scale use, solar energy could be used to run cars, power plants, and space ships (like the picture you see above) .
Click to learn more………….(A)
2.Wind power:

Wind power is another alternative energy source that could be used without producing by-products that are harmful to nature. Like solar power, harnessing the wind is highly dependent upon weather and location. The average wind velocity of Earth is around 9 m/sec. And the power that could be produced when a wind mill is facing the wind of 10 mi/hr. is around 50 watts.1


How a Basic Windmill Work
The fins of a windmill rotate in a vertical plane which is kept perpendicular to the wind by means of a tail fin. As wind flow crosses the blades of the windmill, it is forced to rotate and can be used to generate electricity. Another type of wind power generator is the two hollow half-drum-type wind collectors. This wind collector rotates in a single vertical axis, making this device independent of the wind direction, which may generate more electricity.

Here some information sites:

Wind Techology
Building the Best Windmill
Windmills at Work
Kollitz Energy Systems
Frisse Wind


3. Geothermal Energy:


What is GEOTHERMAL ENERGY ???
Geothermal energy is an alternative energy source, although it is not resourceful enough to replace more than a minor amount of the future’s energy needs. Geothermal energy is obtained from the internal heat of the planet and can be used to generate steam to run a steam turbine. This in turn generates electricity, which is a very useful form of energy.

The radius of the Earth is about 4000 miles, with an internal core temperature of about 4000 degrees celsius at the center. The mantle surrounds the outercore and is only about 45 miles below the surface, depending on location. The temperature at the mantle-surface crust boundary is about 375 degrees, celsius. (This is too deep to get to…as of today)

The centre of the Earth is around 6000 degrees Celsius – hot enough to melt rock. Even a few kilometres down, the temperature can be over 250 degrees Celsius.

In general, the temperature rises one degree Celsius for every 36 metres you go down.

In volcanic areas, molten rock can be very close to the surface.

Geothermal energy has been used for thousands of years in some countries for cooking and heating.

The name “geothermal” comes from two Greek words: “geo” means “Earth” and “thermal” means “heat”.

So…what???
So, how does this help us? It turns out that if we drill down only three miles we can reach temperatures of 100 degrees, celsius, which is enough to boil water to run a steam-powered electric powerplant. Drilling three miles through the earth is possible, but not easy, so luckily there are easier routes to access this power source, known as geothermal hotspots.

What’s a Hotspot?
Geothermal hotspots are volcanic features which are found all around the world. Basically a hotspot is an area of reduced thickness in the mantle which transmits excess internal heat from the interior of the earth to the outer crust. These hotspots are well known for their unique effects on the surface, such as the volcanic islands of Hawaii, the mineral deposits and gyesers in Yellowstone National Park, or the hotsprings in Iceland. These geothermal hotspots can easily be used to generate electricity.

How do Geothermal-Energy Systems Work?
Some systems pump hot-water into permeable sedimentary hospots found underground and then use the steam to generate electricity. Then the used steam is condensed and sent back down to the permeable sedimentary stream. Another system utilizes volcanic magma which is still partly molten at around 650 degrees, celsius, to boil water which would generate electricity. Also there is a system which uses hot dry rock, which is just hardened magma, but still is extremely hot. To recover this heat from these rocks, a system is used which circulates water through the rock and transfers the heat up to a steam generator. The first system listed here is not as useful as other methods because of the acidic nature of the fluids found under the ground. These acidities require a lot of maintenance and upkeep on the equipment, and this cost reduces the economic effectiveness of the system. Therefore, geothermal energy systems are more inefficient than other alternative energy sources because of the costs required in upkeep and the shortage of potential sites.

For more information on geothermal energy we can visit the following web sites

Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium National Information Resource Center
International Geothermal Association
Geothermal Information System
Government agencies

Click to learn more about Geothermal Energy

4.Tidal Power:




Even the power of the tides can be harnessed to produce electricity.
Similar to the more conventional hydroelectric dams, the tidal process utilizes the natural motion of the tides to fill reservoirs, which are then slowly discharged through electricity-producing turbines. The former USSR produced 300 MW in its Lumkara plant using this method.
for more information..look into Sustainable Ocean Energy Sources.


5.Hydroelectricity

Hydroelectricity comes from the damming of rivers and utilizing the potential energy stored in the water. As the water stored behind a dam is released at high pressure, its kinetic energy is transferred onto turbine blades and used to generate electricity. This system has enormous costs up front, but has relatively low maintenance costs and provides power quite cheaply. In the United States approximately 180,000 MW of hydroelectric power potential is available, and about a third of that is currently being harnessed.

Here is more imformation on hydroelectricity:

Hydroelectic Home
US Army Core of Engineers
Hydro Data for Columbia & Snake River Projects
Reclamation’s Role In Hydropower
BC Hydro Power System Map

6.Biomass Energy


Biomass is plant matter such as trees, grasses, agricultural crops or other biological material. It can be used as a solid fuel, or converted into liquid or gaseous forms, for the production of electric power, heat, chemicals, or fuels. By integrating a variety of biomass conversion processes, all of these products can be made in one facility, called a biorefinery. NREL is working to develop cost effective, environmentally friendly biomass conversion technologies to reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, improve our air quality, and support rural economies. Learn more about biomass.

“It is cheaper to save energy than make energy”

“It is cheaper to save energy than make energy”


Considering a Utility Audit
Every year, Businesses, co-ops and condos in Los Angeles pay millions of dollars in utility expenses, including electric, water/sewer, gas, steam and telecom. Are you certain your business/building is paying the correct amount? What if it isn't? Without an expert audit, you may never know if your building is due refunds, savings, and credits from overcharges that appear in a surprisingly large percentage of utility bills.
A whole business sector has grown to supplement your management company's efforts and delve further into the highly specialized area of utility cost recovery to obtain funds on your behalf. The following is an objective look at whether this service is right for your building, and a primer to help you make the best selection of an auditor.
What Do I Have to Lose?
That depends upon certain factors:
Does the auditor work on a contingency fee basis? Some companies charge a fee for their service, regardless of whether they effect savings. The benefit of this arrangement is you know what the cost will be. The downside is that you pay for the service whether your building saves money or not, and there is no financial incentive for the provider to dig as deep as possible to effect savings. The auditor gets paid the same amount of money whether they save you significant dollars or no dollars at all.
Many auditors are paid only when they recover refunds, savings, and credits. In this case there is absolutely nothing to lose, with the potential - and their incentive - to secure significant savings.
Is It Too Good to Be True?
Possibly - if you don't work with a quality company. Do your due diligence; find out about the company you choose before selecting a utility auditor. Ask yourself:
• How large is their staff? What is their background?
• What technology does the company use?
• Do they look to recover funds and savings on existing structures as well as on future billings? What is their track record in each area of savings?
• Do they just recommend solutions, or do they implement them as well?
• How far are they willing to go? Would they appeal the utility companies' decisions?
• Who are their clients and how much have they saved other buildings? Get references.
• Are there any other charges?
• Finally, find out how easy is it to cancel the agreement.
Can't Our Managing Agent Do This Him/Herself?
Managers have more than a full-time job dealing with managing the building. Also, utility bill auditing and cost management is a very complex, time-consuming, and specialized field. One needs to navigate through the bureaucratic environment that envelops most utility companies and through the mass of unwieldy tariff and regulatory rules and regulations to implement your savings.
Are There Other Benefits?
A utility bill auditor should be able to provide you with a cost breakdown and understanding of your bills. They should even be able to provide reporting, in paper or electronic format, with detailed information about historical usage, billing and payment as well as graphs that set forth trends in usage. This is useful for budgeting and cost control purposes. Finally, they can help you wade through the sea of choices of third-party marketers that deregulation offers,
How Do I Choose the Right Auditor?
First, there is the choice of fixed fee versus contingency (see above).
Within contingency, there are differences in the level of the share of the savings. Typically the smaller companies with fewer resources will ask for a smaller share of the savings. They may also find fewer savings than a company with larger resources to do the following:
• Apply the services and knowledge of highly-skilled legal and tax experts, former high ranking utility executives, seasoned auditors, and tariff specialists to remove charges that are embedded in the basic rate structure and not openly disclosed in a utility bill.
• Offer proprietary advanced technology to analyze the utility data to identify utility cost savings.
• Work through all appropriate agencies or utilities to implement all changes and obtain all refunds, savings and credits available.
• File and pursue cases or complaints with the appropriate regulatory authorities or through the courts.
Your building's decision makers should focus on the magnitude of results and depth of auditing expertise a firm can offer to maximize the largest refunds, savings and credits for their building.
In Conclusion"¦
You have the potential to save tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars for your building. The risk is either a fixed cost or no cost, and a small amount of time and effort on the part of the property manager to provide the information and access necessary to allow the auditors to do what they do best. Utility auditing may be well worth a try for your building community.


YJay Draiman


"Paying for utility costs without using a Utility Auditor and Monitor is like driving a car at night with the lights turned off" For all you energy, telecom and utility needs “It is cheaper to save energy than make energy

Sustainability advocacy

Sustainability advocacy

A few Tried and True Strategies for Inspiring Environmental change
Many business leaders find it challenging to lead others on the path to sustainability - and not necessarily because they’re working with a tough audience (although that happens too). Rather the trouble lies in their inability to communicate in way that generates real-world action and measurable results. But certain individuals seem to have cracked the code - they’ve figured out how to turn environmental conversations into sustainable changes for their companies, and for the environment. What exactly are these leaders doing differently, and how can we learn from them?
Principle I: Emphasize the business necessity.
Aspiring change leaders must have their heads wrapped firmly around the financial implications of their pet environmental initiatives. Environmental strategy consultant believes that creating a compelling business need is by far the most critical factor for getting decision makers on board with green initiatives. The good news for aspiring sustainability leaders is that the case for business necessity is getting easier to make with every passing day.
“Customers are asking questions about environmental performance,” and “Companies like Wal-Mart will give more shelf space to those companies that can reduce their footprint. Employees demanding more from companies they work for is another clear force that creates a compelling business need - it’s tough enough to compete for the best talent without turning them off on values-driven and environmental issues.”
The take-home? When seeking to serve the sometimes elusive triple bottom line, make sure you start with the bottom-line that decision makers value most- cold, hard cash. This topic is sure to get them listening.
Principle II: Frame environmental goals in terms of the other’s self interest.
With work demands and obligations bombarding them at every possible moment, how can we get organizational leaders to make our green initiative a priority? Here’s the secret of all motivational conversationalists: Take the perspective of the person you are speaking to and frame your agenda so that it occurs to other person as highly relevant to their own personal goals.
Of course, to accomplish this requires that we do a minimal amount of homework to learn more about our audience. What are their goals? How do these goals relate to our proposal? What do they have to gain by our success? This may seem like a lot to think through up front, but if we are willing to make a habit of this sort of analysis our persuasive abilities will skyrocket.
A good example comes from environmental initiatives for one company. Which has a distinguished track record of leading change in the organization and attributes much of the success to this simple habit? “There are multiple benefits to all environmental initiatives, so the language we use to impart the message has to mirror that diversity,” “For example, if I’m promoting an energy conservation initiative such as a lighting retrofit for the facilities, I will need to alter my message based upon my audience. I need to address the financial savings on our utility bill to the finance folks, the labor and maintenance benefits to the technicians in the field, and the quality of light with clients or tenants of the facility.”
Principle III: Appeal to enlightened self-interest.
Once you’ve framed your proposal in terms of ever-pressing financial imperatives and the other person’s self-interest, feel free invoke the “better angels” of your audience’s nature. Invite them to see how jumping on board with your initiative will also serve the more high-minded planetary and humanistic bottom-lines. Sometimes the best way to do this is directly, by discussing the positive global impact that your green proposal will create in terms of waste and greenhouse gas reduction. Other times it may be preferable to first be discreet, seeking topics that evoke in your audience a feeling of selflessness and a desire to contribute.
Creating rapport through meaningful conversations. “A great tactic is to look around and find something that the person you’re talking to really cares about. I’ve found that a universally powerful topic is children. If you can get people take a second to think about their children, and the effect that their choices might have on them, they seem to open up and be much more willing to consider higher causes like the environment.” Whatever your angle, remember that - beneath the cynicism and chaos - people want to do the right thing. You are, in fact, giving them a fresh opportunity to do just this.
Principle IV: Use humor to melt defensiveness.
Unfortunately, for most people there is still a huge gap between environmental awareness and environmental action. This gap often causes them to feel slightly guilty and defensive when the topic of saving the environment is even raised. If we don’t overcome it, this subtle mental block can make our audience unreceptive and make our words more likely to fall upon deaf ears. What are we to do? How can we get past this mental filter and raise our audiences to consider new possibilities? One strong approach is with humor.
One company has turned the tactic of using humor to overcome environmental guilt into an art by designing a stylish faux legal contract called an “Environmental Guilt Waiver.” This contract bestows clients and friends with a “24-hour exemption from all existential torment in connection with the environmental crisis” for making simple positive environmental choices in their daily life. The result? After receiving the waiver, clients who might normally be resistant to discussing the environment open up more easily and take a more active interest in the topic. “Making people feel guilty doesn’t help the environment,” “People want to have fun and be part of the solution. We’re doing what we can to make saving the planet a more pleasant experience!”
Principle V: Paint an inspiring vision.
John F. Kennedy gave us the image of a man on the moon. These world leaders knew that all great accomplishments start out as little more than compelling images that capture our imagination. Granted, few people will ever reach the heights of power and influence that these historical figures attained, but each of us can nonetheless draw from that same well of wisdom when we seek to cause changes in our own work-life sphere.
Want to be a true visionary? Simply do this: envision the end result that you are seeking to cause for your organization and help others see it too. Make it vivid, make it compelling, make it believable and make it personal. What are the implications for your audience of this goal coming to fruition? How will their life - and the life of their organization - be changed as a result of small efforts made today? If you can get others in your organization to use their imagination to experience your environmental proposal in this way, you will generate astounding levels of motivation for your cause.
Principle VI: Stick with it.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither were our current environmental challenges. As you do your part to reinvent the wheel in a new shade of green, remember to be patient and - even more importantly - be persistent. No matter how eloquent, business savvy and sincere we may be, sometimes the only way to get through to people is with good old-fashioned repetition. Allow yourself to be the squeaky (green) wheel that gets the grease!
Someone once remarked that breaking up with someone is a lot like trying to tip over a refrigerator…you have to rock it a few times before it actually topples over. Getting people to change their environmental thinking and behaviors is the same way. So stick with it. Be persistent. After all, how much does environmental change really matter to you? Are you in it to win a popular contest or to do the right thing? Are you willing to continually raise the issues that matter to you most, even when those around you don’t seem interested? If so, you are a true leader, and success is only a matter of time.



YJ Draiman, Energy, Telecom & Water Conservation Specialist