An Alternative Energy Education Method

Alternative Energy Education - By: Parry p
An Alternative Energy Education Method

The best method of educating young people about alternative energy production that this writer has ever witnessed is the use of the PicoTurbine Company's kits, books, and projects. The PicoTurbine Company produces these things for the purpose of advancing the cause of renewable (alternative) energy and getting young people to look into the future and see that the environment that's being seeded now is the one they will inherit then. As the late, great Gerry Ford said, “Things are more like they are now than they have ever been before.” If we are to change the future world for the better, then it starts right here and now with the advent of “green” energy systems.

One of the core concepts of PicoTurbine can be stated: Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I might remember some of it. Involve me, and I will master it. Based on this old tried and true adage, the kits that the company produces come with activity suggestions to get the young people into hands-on learning situations. One suggestion of the company is to demonstrate how heat can be produced by wind energy (the company's specialty) through using a “picture wire” for the heating element. PicoTurbine has found that people typically think of wind energy as being “cold” energy, and are pleasantly surprised to see how wind can be used for generating heat in the home. Another project suggestion that the company offers is to have different groups split off in the classroom and then compare their respective wind turbines that they have built. They can see which ones produce the most or least electricity; which ones start up with need of the least amount of wind power; and for very young children, which ones have the most aesthetic appeal.

There is a core curriculum that PicoTurbine has in mind for teachers to instill in their pupils. Renewable, alternative sources of energy include solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass in addition to wind-produced energy. When we use more alternative sources of energy, we decrease our nation's dependence on foreign oil supplies, which often come from nations who cannot really be called our “allies”. Alternative energy is already becoming cost effective when set against the fossil fuels that we are so reliant on currently.

PicoTurbine points out that wind farms and solar arrays are already letting their makers enjoy commercial success. In the last two decades, the cost of photovoltaic cells expressed in terms of per-watt has gone from nearly $1000 to just $4! It has been predicted by analysts that by the year 2015, the cost per watt should only be about $1 (in today's dollars). Students also need to be taught about the hidden cost of fossil fuels: pollution and environmental degradation. Air pollution from burning fossil fuels has been shown through studies to increase incidences of asthma attacks, heighten the effects of allergies, and even cause cancer. Switching over to clean, green energy found in the alternative forms would prevent air pollution and help bolster the environment.
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Alternative Energy Education - By: Parry p
An Alternative Energy Education Method

The best method of educating young people about alternative energy production that this writer has ever witnessed is the use of the PicoTurbine Company's kits, books, and projects. The PicoTurbine Company produces these things for the purpose of advancing the cause of renewable (alternative) energy and getting young people to look into the future and see that the environment that's being seeded now is the one they will inherit then. As the late, great Gerry Ford said, “Things are more like they are now than they have ever been before.” If we are to change the future world for the better, then it starts right here and now with the advent of “green” energy systems.

One of the core concepts of PicoTurbine can be stated: Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I might remember some of it. Involve me, and I will master it. Based on this old tried and true adage, the kits that the company produces come with activity suggestions to get the young people into hands-on learning situations. One suggestion of the company is to demonstrate how heat can be produced by wind energy (the company's specialty) through using a “picture wire” for the heating element. PicoTurbine has found that people typically think of wind energy as being “cold” energy, and are pleasantly surprised to see how wind can be used for generating heat in the home. Another project suggestion that the company offers is to have different groups split off in the classroom and then compare their respective wind turbines that they have built. They can see which ones produce the most or least electricity; which ones start up with need of the least amount of wind power; and for very young children, which ones have the most aesthetic appeal.

There is a core curriculum that PicoTurbine has in mind for teachers to instill in their pupils. Renewable, alternative sources of energy include solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass in addition to wind-produced energy. When we use more alternative sources of energy, we decrease our nation's dependence on foreign oil supplies, which often come from nations who cannot really be called our “allies”. Alternative energy is already becoming cost effective when set against the fossil fuels that we are so reliant on currently.

PicoTurbine points out that wind farms and solar arrays are already letting their makers enjoy commercial success. In the last two decades, the cost of photovoltaic cells expressed in terms of per-watt has gone from nearly $1000 to just $4! It has been predicted by analysts that by the year 2015, the cost per watt should only be about $1 (in today's dollars). Students also need to be taught about the hidden cost of fossil fuels: pollution and environmental degradation. Air pollution from burning fossil fuels has been shown through studies to increase incidences of asthma attacks, heighten the effects of allergies, and even cause cancer. Switching over to clean, green energy found in the alternative forms would prevent air pollution and help bolster the environment.
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Energy Issues of the 21st Century - By: Frederic Gaspoz


Our society evolves towards an increase in oil production. As it needs to always make progress, it leads to a continuous increase of demand for products and services in developed countries. Frederic Gaspoz explains that the effectiveness of the energy use, so-called energy intensity (energy to gross domestic product, GDP), is in continuous improvement every year in all sectors (industry, agriculture, housing and offices...) except transport.

At the same time, our society naturally tends to expand the production and supply of products and services to developing countries. Frederic Gaspoz takes the example of China and India, where a portion of the population begins to be able to afford material benefits commonly found in rich countries. The inhabitants of prosperous areas of these emerging countries want to equip their homes with modern appliance and have a car to travel. They travel for work and leisure. The factors of production of these countries are expanding to meet this demand. This increases energy needs, and energy intensity remains high in these countries according to Frederic Gaspoz. Today, China, India, Brazil and other developing countries already account for an increasing share of the demand for energy – and this demand will continue to rise. Global demand for natural gas was less than 40 trillion cubic feet (tcf) in 1974. Today, thanks to the introduction of combined cycle gas turbines into the electric power sector and increased use of natural gas for home heating, natural gas demand globally is nearly 90 tcf. For Frederic Gaspoz, the five traditional elements of energy security – demand centres, supply sources, geopolitics, market structures and institutions – have all changed over the past 30 years.

Thus, growth and energy consumption are closely linked. But raw materials used to produce large quantities of energy are not limitless. And the oil industry cannot indefinitely increase its production capacity. For Frederic Gaspoz, the challenge of the coming years will be to respond to a dual energy challenge:

1. the short term challenge, (maximum thirty years): preparing for the "Hubbert peak" oil. Oil supply will begin to decrease while demand will keep growing.
2. the long-term challenge (50 years or more): the start of final exhaustion of fossil fuels, oil first, then natural gas 20 years later.

There are several possible answers to these two challenges that require so important investments that public policies will be forced to make choices. Frederic Gaspoz mentions the following potential responses:

A) Increase energy supply by developing more production of fossil fuels, in particular oil. This response is based on optimistic assumptions of oil reserves. This is the way chosen by the US, following the recommendations in May 2001 of the National Energy Policy Report, known as Cheney Report.
o Benefits: the inhabitants may preserve their way of life for a few more decades. In parallel, the functioning of society is not questioned. Social tensions are avoided for some time.
o Disadvantages: energy scarcity is deferred to the next generation, i.e. those born today. On the other hand, the ever-increasing oil needs could create serious geopolitical tension in production areas. Finally, emitting more CO2 means an ecological risk with regard to the greenhouse effect.

B) Act with priority on demand, trying to minimize energy consumption. This is the way recommended by Europe and the Kyoto Protocol.
o Benefits: we respond in a more flexible way to upcoming problems. Anticipating scarcity allows softening its effects. Also, these efforts limit greenhouse gas emissions.
o Disadvantages: our way of life will be questioned. The progressive exit from fossil fuels will bear profound changes of our society (consumption, mobility, work...).

C) Developing alternative energy sources. There are two main types of alternative energy: nuclear power and renewable energy (hydropower, solar, wind, geothermal, biomass).
o Benefits: helps reduce fossil energy consumption and delay their exhaustion. And alternative energies produce no greenhouse gases.
o Disadvantages: alternative energy is insufficient to replace fossil fuel volumes we consume today.

D) Push the research of future energy sources. Currently, it is especially nuclear fission, and nuclear fusion.
o Benefits: if risk can be managed, these energies are virtually inexhaustible. They do not emit greenhouse gases.
o Disadvantages: the techniques used are very difficult to control, especially in the case of fusion. The potential industrial applications will not exist before 50 years. Frederic Gaspoz adds that the research is very expensive: an experimental fusion reactor costs 10 billion euros for its construction and operation.

The energy challenge for humanity is therefore not the choice of any particular type of energy, but the control of consumption, explains Frederic Gaspoz. Short term, this would save our fossil fuel reserves. And we could better prepare exhaustion, expected towards the end of the century, of fossil fuels (oil and gas).

In all cases cited by Frederic Gaspoz, whether we consume more or less oil, whether we do prefer wind and solar power instead of nuclear, we must be prepared for changes in our way of life, in the sense of a greater economy of energy that we consume directly (mobility, heating, electricity...) or indirectly (drinking water, consumer products, international road transport...).

Public policies face a series of challenges according to Frederic Gaspoz. It is critical to both understand and prevent potential risks and prepare to respond to problems as they arise in addition to creating infrastructures and policies for future development.

Frederic Gaspoz
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Energy systems for cost-free electricity - By: Kurtis Austin M Michael


Electricity has been and usually significant to the planet. Since the breakthrough of electricity and inventions of some technologies, we've been depending to selected kitchen appliances just like, washers, air conditioning units, electric fans and a lot more. And precisely what enables them to operate is one thing known as electricity.

Electricity is one form of energy. Electricity is produced through the flow and movement of electrons. Concerning physics, each matter has or consists of atoms, and an atom, like matter, carries a center and it is known as a nucleus. A nucleus comprises charged positive particles that are named protons as well as the uncharged particles are termed neutrons. An atom's nucleus is encompassed by particles that are negatively charged known as electrons. Negative charges of electrons are equivalent to the positive charges of protons, as well as the numbers of electrons in an atom are typically equivalent to the numbers of protons. Once the force which is balancing protons and electrons gets disturbed by a force externally, an atom losing or gaining an electron is what the end result is. Whenever electrons are separated from an atom or it gets lost, that's the time an electric current is produced.

Electricity is actually a primary element of nature and has been one of the very most generally used forms of energy. We attain electricity, an energy source in a encouraging amb, from changing other sources of energy including natural gases, coals, nuclear powers, oils and also other principal sources, mostly named natural sources. A whole lot of towns and cities are actually developed near falls in order that they could be qualified to control its natural sources, converting it to electricity.

Utilizing natural electricity is the best approach to conserve and save cash. A lot of persons have been investing their money by purchasing and creating their very own solar panels and wind generators. Solar panels and wind generators transform the energy from natural sources like the wind and also the sun's heat consequently producing their own electricity. The electricity they receive from the said energy systems are just the same as what they receive from electric companies.

The maximum benefit that you can obtain from having your personal energy system is with out spending any electric companies. In case you might have transformed a fantastic quantity of electricity from natural sources employing your personal energy systems, then the more electricity there is for you to make use of, or you'll be able to give or market the additional power that you've to many other citizens and make money from it. Earning increased compensations from the energy system is dependent upon how abundant you turn natural sources to electricity.

Becoming self-sufficient from electric companies and at the same time helping the natural environment could be really satisfying. And also by not depending on any kind of electric companies merely imply that you're in some way helping many other persons by clearing much more energy for them to use. Being eco-friendly and saving money at the same time is an excellent experience to obtain, and accomplishing small things for the environment makes you perhaps feel far more better.
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Alternate energy investment - By: Parry p


The US government must continue to back the expansion of the role of alternative energy research and development and its implementation by companies and homeowners. Although this writer believes in the reign of the free market and that “that government is best which governs least”, our current system has companies and people expecting federal backing of major initiative with direct investment, in the form of tax breaks, rebate incentives, and even direct central bank investment into the alternative energy industry.

The US and its citizenry need to invest all of the time and energy that they can spare to the conversion from a fossil fuel burning society to one that is green for several different reasons. The green economy will not harm the environment or the quality of our air like fossil fuel burning does. We can become the energy independent nation that we need to be by cutting away our need to import oil, especially oil that is produced by anti-American nations such as Iran. Ultimately, renewable energies and extremely efficient energies like atomic energy are far less expensive than the continuous mining and drilling for fossil fuels. If we do not invest in our future now, catastrophe awaits us. We are going to need to consume more energy than ever in our history as we sail into the 21st century and beyond—our dependency on foreigners for meeting these energy needs only leaves us open to sabotage while draining our coffers in order to fill other nations'.

It can be argued that federal, state, and local governments should work in conjunction on the issue of alternative energy research and development and implement mandatory programs for new home construction and all home remodeling that stipulate the installation of alternative energy power sources—eventually over a certain period of years transforming into 100% installation of alternative energy sources for any new home or corporate building—as well as backing a similar program to have all new vehicles produced in the nation be hybrid vehicles or hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles by the year 2020. All levels of government could also impose mandatory compliance laws on construction and utilities companies. The utility companies in all 50 states should be required to invest in alternative energy research and development while also being required to buy back, at fair rates, excess energy produced by homeowners through their use of alternative energy power sources. Strong financial incentives need to be in place for new companies to invest in developing renewable energies. This would not only make the US energy independent at the fastest possible rate, but it would stimulate the growth of the economy and provide tens of thousands of new, good-paying jobs for people.

Alternative energy generation in the forms of solar, wind, hydroelectric, biofuel, geothermal, and atomic; alternative energy storage systems such as more efficient batteris and hydrogen fuel cells; and alternative energy-furthering infrastructures with superior energy efficiency all need to be brought into the affordable price range through development. Government investment into these matters would surely help us along.
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All About Harnessing Solar Energy - By: Dave Wheaton


Each year the earth receives approximately 170 Petawatts of energy of which 80 Petawatts actually reach the ground. To get a better handle on how much energy this is, 40 Petawatts (80,000 trillion watts) or half a year’s worth is equal to all of the fossil fuels that we can ever extract from the earth. It’s free, non-polluting, and contributes 0% to global warming. So if there is abundant sunshine where you live you are in an ideal position to make your own solar panels and make drastic cuts to your electric charges while at the same time doing something good for the environment.

Since we are burning up fossil fuel at a greater rate than new ones can be discovered, the most sensible thing is to make use of the most plentiful energy source available for nothing-solar energy. It is an alternative energy resource that still hasn’t been fully appreciated by a great many other countries which gives it almost unlimited potential in the future. You can create this energy when you build a solar cell array that you locate either on your roof or near your house angled so as to catch as much sunshine as possible and transform it into electricity. You should count on needing 10 to 12 panels for every kilowatt of power.

One of the greatest difficulties in using solar energy is that it can only create power during daylight hours. The answer to this is to put an auxiliary system in place that will store the energy and then kick-in when the sun is not available. The most common supplementary system is comprised of deep cycle batteries that can supply power after the sun goes down or when a brownout happens to occur.

Many people put off installing solar cells at their home fearing that they are too expensive and unwieldy. They do carry a hefty price tag if you opt for professional installation but it may come as a surprise to you as to how cheap and uncomplicated it is to put up an alternative solar panel solution to that high monthly electric bill. If the sun is always shining at your house and there aren’t trees or nearby mountains to block out the light, then you need to look into making your own solar panels and not worrying about your electricity bills anymore.

In California it is customarily acknowledged that converting your home to “green energy” is the equivalent of taking two cars off the road. Solar power systems have additional benefits aside from being environmentally friendly. They require very little maintenance which saves you time and money. Also, solar systems give you a return on investment very soon, thus making the systems free after some time. Using the radiant energy from the sun to generate alternative power is so sensible and you can cut the expense while experiencing the satisfaction of building your own solar cells.

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