The Current Situation of Solar Energy in USA and Japan

July 21st, 2011 by admin No comments »



Solar is a sustainable use of clean energy. In the search for sustainable development of human society, energy-saving building on the increasing use of solar energy is getting worldwide attention.

The status of solar energy use in United States is getting better!

In United States, total energy consumption in building comes up to 30% -90%. It is becoming a certain form of economic development constraints role. Therefore, American development of solar energy is growing very rapidly.

In order to reduce energy consumption, reduce pollution and adjust energy structure, to achieve sustainable development, United States made a positive exploration of solar energy. “A million solar roofs plan” is the largest in the progressive realization of the project plan. The U.S. plan is geared to the 21st century by a government advocacy. It is a development of medium and long-term plan. By implementation of this plan, there will be 1 million roofs or buildings installed with solar energy systems, including solar photovoltaic systems, solar water heating systems and solar air heater system. By implementation of this plan, solar energy technology applications will be further expanded, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, expand energy choices and create new high-tech jobs. It will bring substantial environmental benefits and economic benefits. By 2010, millions of the roof will be equivalent to production of 2-3 coal-fired electricity power plants. It will not only meet their own electricity needs, but also been able to sell electricity generated by solar energy.

Recently, U.S. scientists find new energy from the vastness of space. Scientists envisaged launch the satellite energy collecting device. The solar panel installed in the satellite can collect energy in space, and the collection of energy as microwave will be transferred back to Earth, and then converted into direct current. It will provide cheap, clean, safe, reliable, sustainable energy.

Japanese current situation in construction of solar energy utilization is very nice!

As the second-largest economy, Japan is the primary energy consumption in major countries, and they are depending on energy imports. However, in recent years, Japanese energy-saving technologies to significantly improve energy efficiency are getting better rapidly.

In the field of solar energy use, Japanese photovoltaic roof system were installed 887,000 kilowatts by the end of 2003.Japanese government plans to install 4.82 million kilowatts by 2010.

In Japan, solar energy is very common in ordinary residential quarters. The residential quarters of the energy conservation efforts is clearly promulgated by the Japanese construction regulations and standards. There are many specific energy-saving measures for lighting. In energy-saving, the Japanese residential quarters are in the common application of solar energy, and it is mostly passive solar house system. Absorbing through the roof panels that efficiently collecting solar energy, it will enter the indoor with thermal (cold) wind according to interior rooms automatically. It can supply hot water as well. The utilization of solar energy in Residential Area can not only save power, but can also improve, protect the environment. It is also in line with community building in the sustainable development of energy-saving in one direction. It is getting Japanese government’s attention, Support and encouragement.

These two countries are all doing very well in the solar energy industry. Their scientists are working very hard on this solar energy development as well. There are still a lot of obstacles in the development of solar energy. In the near future, the solar energy utilization will be more important as the shortage of oil. So it is time for us to pay attention to this industry!

Our Green Energy History

July 21st, 2011 by admin No comments »



Perhaps hard to believe, when looking at the worlds current environmental concerns over global warming, but green energy history dates back many centuries to when man first used a piece of glass and the sun to start a fire to keep warm and to cook.

That primitive fire centuries ago has given birth to what we now understand and class as solar or green energy. Advanced and development of green solar systems of today are quite different from a hundred years ago.

Modern day green energy history dates back as far as the mid 1800s when scientists and engineers began writing about how to turn light into energy. However, not much was done about actually putting these writings into practice until a French man named Auguste Mouchout, patented the first design to run a motor from solar energy.

In the 1870s a British man named Willoughby Smith began experimenting with what could be classed as the first solar cells. However, it was William Adams and his use of mirrors who really made a leap. He was able to power a steam engine of 2.5 horsepower and to this day, his ground breaking achievement, known as the Power Tower, is still used.

What we learn from our solar energy history, is that throughout, and despite the continued advancements with solar energy, solar energy never really took off in a big way. Despite government and even royal backing at various point through history, solar energy had many false starts. At one point, the price of coal dropped and the attention of the great and the good moved away from solar energy and back to non-renewable fuels. However it’s true to say that even as far back as the 1800s there were some who fully understood that our dependence on the non-renewable fossil fuels was an environmental bad idea and they kept on making advancements in utilizing solar energy.

In the 1950s Bell Labs made one of the big breakthroughs when they discovered that silicon was a great product that could be used as a conductor to create a chemical reaction when light and heat from the sun shone on it. Basically the solar cell was born. That discovery is the technology that we use today for creating what we know as solar panels.

Solar panels on the tops of roofs and wind turbins are now regular sights in some parts of the world. We have indeed come a long way but as solar energy history shows us, there is always more we can and will do to make use of the worlds biggest assets.

Green Energy Defined

July 19th, 2011 by admin No comments »



What is Green Energy?

Green Energy is a form of electricity that originates from a process or manner that has a less negative impact to the environment than other energy sources. Fossil fuels, one example of an energy produced with a harmful side effect to the environment.

What are the types of green energy?

There are few green energy types which includes solar, wind, geothermal, nuclear and hydroelectric. Let us differentiate them to understand their distinction.

1. Solar – It is a form of green energy that has been harnessed by humans since ancient times. This kind of energy uses the radiant light and heat from the sun. This kind of energy is being used today most especially from small island that doesn’t have electricity yet.

2. Wind – This kind of energy form is a conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy. There are cities in different countries that use this kind of form of power in order to sustain their energy need. Wind energy uses wind turbines to make electricity, wind mills for mechanical power, wind pumps for pumping water or drainage or sails to propel ships etc…

3. Geothermal – Geothermal, from its root words geo which means earth and thermos which means heat is thermal energy stored in the earth. Geothermal is a kind of energy source that determines the temperature of matter. Geothermal of the earth originates from the original formation of the planet; it comes from the radioactivity decay of minerals, from volcanic activity, and from solar power that absorbed at the surface.

4. Nuclear – This is produced by controlled non expensive nuclear reactions. Commercial and utility plants currently use nuclear fission reactions to heat water to produce steam which is then used to generate electricity.

5. Hydro – Hydro energy or what others call hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower. The production of electrical power through the use of gravitational force of falling or falling water. It is the most widely used form of green energy.

The ultimate goal of green energy is by and large create renewable electricity with as little as pollution as possible produced as a by-product. We cannot deny that every form of energy collection will result in some pollution or destruction to the atmosphere or environment. Nevertheless, sustainable energy is well-known for contributing less negative impact than those other form of energy.

What is the purpose of Green energy?

We all know that aside from air that we need in order to live, energy is something that this world should not run out in order to continue its every advance. This planet is incessantly being destructed by human without them knowing it for the longer time. Greenhouse gases, an example of a by-product of traditional sources of energy such as fossil fuels are thought to be causing the frightening global warming. It is incontestable that mother earth is heating up in a hasten pace which is why the demand for energy sources are implausibly growing.

What are the other sources of green energy?

Aside from solar, wind nuclear, hydro and geothermal form of energy, a green energy source can be a building that is designed in a way that it keeps itself cool in the daytime in order to conserve electricity. This kind of architecture or building design will let you have a fine temperature at daytime and heated in the night through its architecture rather than having air-conditioning or heating system. The conservation of energy through architectural design becomes itself a source of green energy.

Likewise there is another way for to conserve energy, for example a community or small town can be covered with solar panels for the purpose of collecting energy to be used for generating energy. There are problems that we are facing regarding energy concerns and it is good to know that there are alternatives that we can use that produces less negative effect to the environment. I was quite amazed by the fact the energy can be derived from these given God’s grandeur and just recently I have stumbles upon another form of green energy: the waste to green energy.

Waste to Green energy: What is it?

Waste to green energy is a form of green energy source that derived from garbage. How is it possible? With the technology called biosphere, garbage is being converted to energy through a process that harnesses the combustibility of waste to create a heat source that produce an extremely hot stream that will then generate green energy.

We are all aware that waste is one of the foremost problems that we have. It is one cause of multiple illnesses and catastrophes that we continuously countenance. Land depletion is the number one problem that we encounter because of landfills for hoarding waste which is why this type of green energy source is something that shouldn’t be ostracized.

One Goals of renewable energy or green technology is to take obtainable fossil fuel energy technology and clean it up by focusing alternative form of energy that is greener and cleaner. The success of each type of energy depends upon the aptitude to take out damaging by-products from fossil fuels while not only being an efficient form of energy but by being able to produce cost efficient greener energy that doesn’t compromise environmental conservation.

Green Energy Solutions

July 19th, 2011 by admin No comments »



Today, we human beings depend on fossil fuels for our basic needs such as fuel and electricity. The fossil fuels are non renewable and if you wish to reduce your dependency on fossil fuel try using green energy solutions at least at your home. According to many researchers and economists in next 50-60 years the world will face major crisis, if we keep on using the fossil fuels at same pace. Therefore, we should look out for alternatives that are renewable.

One such green energy solution which is said be never ending is Solar Energy. Residential solar energy is becoming necessity for every ordinary human being. If you were trapped in any myth such as solar energy is not comparable in efficiency with other means of power. However, now go green with solar energy as it is as efficient as other sources of energy. Moreover, solar energy is one of the economical green energy solutions as the solar panels do not require any external energy to work. Once you start using solar panels for generating electricity, you’ll see lower electricity bills and being a green energy solution it will help our earth from global warming.

There is another myth about solar panels is that they are very expensive in terms of residential usage and an average home owner will not be able afford it. However, it seems that they are not aware about DIY solar panels. You can easily make panels for yourself by taking help from the internet. There are hundreds of websites with information on “how to make solar panels yourself.” You can pick anyone with step by step instruction manual. You will also find some reviews on the internet that DIY solar panels are merely a fraud but it’s up to you what is your choice? Heavy electricity bill and releasing harmful toxins everyday help global warming to grow at faster rate.

To get more of green energy solutions use as much renewable sources of energy as you can. In today’s world, companies developing renewable sources of energy at a swift rate. So, you can check which one is your kind of renewable source of energy. Besides solar energy other famous and efficient green energy solution is wind. Like solar panels, you can save money on buying windmills as you can make them on your own. DIY windmill instructions will allow you to make your own windmill and you will be able to save handsome amount of money in addition to our planet.

If you’re using fossil fuels to get energy, you must be aware of the fact that these fuels release green house gases and carbon dioxide is one of them and main reason for global warming. Our get warmth from sun rays however, the warmth get multiplied by greenhouse gases and we can see consequences such as global warming. Nature has lot of things to use without thinking of their extinction but once we’ve started using fossil fuels our home, our earth facing danger of extinction.

Green Electricity

July 17th, 2011 by admin No comments »



Green electricity is clean electrical power produced from sources or in such a manner that very little or no harm is done to the environment. Conventional methods of power generation like the burning of coal and gas in power stations cause millions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. The large quantities of carbon dioxide in the air play a major role in the green house effect which is the primary cause of global warming. Though it is believed that electrical power production will always generate pollutants, there are sources that are exponentially cleaner than others such as those that involve the siphoning of the natural energy flows of our planet otherwise known as renewable energy sources.

Renewable Sources of Green Electricity

Wind power

Clean electricity can be generated using wind power through the use of turbines that harness the force of the blowing wind. Wind turbine technology has made much advancement in the past years that has bolstered wind power as the world’s fastest growing green electricity resource. Wind turbines have greatly improved and can now silently produce electrical power whose efficiency can rival that of conventional coal-fired and nuclear power plants. Technology has also widened the range of wind power generation. Before windmills can only be built on lands wind strongly blowing winds such as cliffs and sea shore. Today, windmills can be found in the middle of the sea.

Solar power

Solar power is considered the most abundant source of electricity in existence as the power of the sun is said to remain unlimited for millions of years to come. Solar photovoltaic plates can be attached in rooftops or walls and solar panels can be placed in the yard to harness solar energy and directly turn it into electricity. Semiconductors now allow efficient solar power absorption even during cloudy days, and solar batteries can be used to store excess energy for use during the night. Today, solar plates can be integrated into houses and buildings in a way that they remain indistinguishable.

Hydro power

Hydro power generates electricity by using water turbines to collect the energy found in running water. Water power is said to be the most easily distinguished source because there is always a large dam near every hydro power plant. In local communities, small dams can be built near streams and rivers to power small water engines to generate electricity.

Wave power

Wave power produces electricity by harnessing the huge amounts of energy carried by sea waves. Many devices have already been developed to help contain wave energy in the most efficient way possible. Wave power plants can now be found almost anywhere there are strongly crashing waves.

Tidal power

Tidal power is considered the most predictable of all renewable energy sources as today’s technology can easily and accurately predict the rise and fall of tides. The most common way of capturing the energy carried by the change of tides is the construction of a barrage across an estuary, storing water behind it as the tide rises and then releasing the stored water through turbines at low tide. Another method is the use of marine current turbines that capture the energy of the tidal currents.

Geothermal

Geothermal power is generated by harnessing the energy coming from hot and molten rocks found way beneath the earth. The said energy usually comes to the surface in the form of steam which can be captured using steam turbines that can directly convert it into clean electricity. In other geothermal power spots where steam is not produced, water can be pumped down and geothermal heat will turn the said water to steam.

Biomass

Biomass power is generated by harnessing the energy of living and recently living plants as well as their wastes. Today, agricultural wastes and plants grown specifically for biomass purposes are used to power biomass power stations. Plants absorb carbon dioxide as they grow and then release it upon death, so using plants as fuel adds no additional carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Landfill gas

Landfill gas power is generates electricity buy burning the methane gas emitted by the decomposing rubbish in landfills. In the process, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere instead of the more harmful methane gas.

Waste incineration

Waste incineration produces electrical power by burning solid wastes. Of all green energy generation processes, incineration is considered to be the most harmful because of the huge amounts of harmful gas by-products produced.

Biosphere Technology

Biosphere technology is the newest addition to the arsenal of green electricity solutions. Biosphere tech uses biosphere machines to turn solid wastes into steam and then into green electricity. Since the entire biosphere process is executed inside very oxygen limited chambers, very little carbon emissions are released into the atmosphere. Today, biosphere gasification is considered to be the best alternative source of energy because of its energy generation efficiency as well as its waste disposal benefits.

Green Technology