Is biomass a green energy source? According to experts, yes it is. In fact, it is one of the three main areas of bioenergy.

But what is bioenergy? Well, it is a process by which organic material such as animal waste, plants and wood are used to generate electricity, produce heat and also aid in the production of biofuels.

In the case of biomass, hot air or water is generated to produce electricity. This is done through direct combustion and is considered the simplest and most common method of generating energy from biomass.

Aside from generating electricity, biomass can be used for hot air production so you can keep a place warm. For this to work, biomass has to be combusted in a furnace where it heats either water or air. Speaking of water, this enables you to have warm water so you can take a shower. In short, biomass in itself can also be used in a small scale as a heating system.

Since you can generate electricity and heat, some people have been able to combine the two which is known as combined heat and power or CHP. Something that many consider to be good as you use one energy source for two purposes.

If you are able to compare the amount of electricity generated between biomass and let’s say solar energy, you will notice that biomass produces more because the energy in plants is already captured and stored.

You don’t have to collect it first which is what happens with solar or even wind energy since this is manufactured technology. It is readily available unlike the other two which is totally dependent on the weather.

Another is the fact that you can even use organic waste to product electricity. No other green energy source can do that and by using this extensively, any government can save money because you don’t have to spend money to dispose of the waste and you will no longer depend on foreign oil that much to power your plants.

The downside to biomass is that because you have to burn waste and other organic materials to product power, you add to the pollution which is already in the atmosphere. But this can be offset of course by planting more crops which we know helps reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

You will also have to shell out a lot of money initially for the costs of labor, the transport of these fuels and how these should be stored.

Biomass uses renewable natural resources which is why it is considered a green energy source. This means that we have an endless supply of it around just like the power of the sun or the wind which flows from the ocean. The challenge is to find suitable land that has a sufficient water supply so these will be able to grow.

This means that in areas where water is not that abundant, you cannot rely on biomass technology to generate power. When that happens, you use other means and one good example given the right geographical location is wave energy which is the process of generating power from the water.

There is a way to generate power without causing harm to the environment. We have the technology and the green energy sources. We just need to muster the willingness to make it happen.

For a very long time, we have relied on fossil fuels. It provides heat to our homes, gas for our cars and electricity. Since we are now using it more than ever, there is a consequence. We are depleting our resources and slowly killing our planet. Fortunately, we can change our ways and then shift our attention to green energy sources.

But why green energy sources? Well because there are advantages to using them which we will never be able to get if we don’t change our ways. This is also even if some will argue that the problem with green energy is that it is sometimes difficult to generate the power we need. While that may be true, that is why there are other green energy sources available and we just to know which ones are viable given the geographic location.

The various green energy sources such as solar, wind, wave, hydropower and geothermal do not produce anything harmful which may have a negative effect on the environment. This is the exact opposite of what you get when you continue to operate a coal or nuclear power plant.

Coal you have to remember releases carbon dioxide into the air. On its own, it may not cause that much damage but there are currently 50,000 coal plants around the world and that number is expected to grow.

Nuclear plants may not release anything harmful into the air. The issue is how we dispose of the spend rods and if another nuclear accident should occur. We remember Chernobyl and Three Mile Island. We have probably learned better ways to prevent another incident from happening. Through the years, a few minor accidents have occurred and although the leak was contained, just imagine if it wasn’t?

Green energy sources may not be maintenance free but at least it does not require that much to maintain them compared to conventional means. In the end, we save money because such facilities don’t cost that much to operate.

The next advantage of using green energy sources is that we will never run out of them. For centuries, the sun’s rays have reached so has the wind which is blown from the sea. By using it, we decrease our dependence on oil which is a nonrenewable resource.

If you think about it, many of us have taken these green energy sources for granted. If we do the right thing now, future generations will not have to face the mess that we could have handled on our own years before.

In short, the power is in our hands. We have the technology and we know what to do with it. The only thing we need is to do is to put our money where our mouth is because despite the number of conferences on global warming and climate change, little has happened.

It is easy to talk about how concerned we are about the environment but you have to ask yourself when will more solar panels or wind turbines will be erected? When will the number of coal or nuclear power plants be reduced?

Green energy sources is the solution to the environmental, political and social problems of this lifetime. By spending more on these technologies, no country will have to depend on another or even a corporation for their power needs because they are self dependent and free.

How To Make Your Own Green Energy Source

Wouldn’t it be great if we can produce our own green energy source? If we can do that, we don’t have to pay electrical bills or gasoline anymore for our cars. While we can buy some of the equipment, the rest will have to be done on our own.

Take solar or wind energy for example. We already know how to harness and make it. If you want to make one, do some research online and then set up the system yourself.

To have solar energy, you will need to buy an inverter, battery, charge controller, solar panels, some wires and support structure. The only difference with wind energy is that you need a fan. Once you have everything you need, you can put it all together. Some companies such as Home Made Energy can provide detailed information on how to build these systems.

If you are not skillful, you will be happy to know that some companies sell the entire system. By buying it from them and having it installed by their experts, you are sure that there won’t be any problems the moment you switch it on.

There is one more thing you need before you can use one of the two green energy sources. Before you buy the materials or the system, make sure you have a flat area that is about a hundred square feet or so because it occupies a lot of space.

For those who don’t have the space or the budget to use these two energy sources, another option is to create your own biofuels.

Biofuels are used in many countries and they get it from harvesting corn, sugar and other crops. Luckily, you don’t need a farm to produce it because you can also make your own using some recycled waste.

A good example of this is vegetable oil which we use for cooking. To turn this into a biofuel, we first filter it by warming up the liquid and then filtering this with a coffee filter. The next step is to remove the water also by boiling it again at 100 degrees for a short period of time.

We need to know the amount of lye present in the vegetable oil and we do this by a process known as titration. When we are done with that, we now mix sodium hydroxide to produce sodium methoxide.

The process of converting used vegetable oil before it becomes a biofuel takes quite awhile and it must be heated the entire time. This is done so the fuel we produce is pure and only when this is achieved that we give it time to cool.

Just how much biofuel we make after all the work varies but you will have an idea of how much you have produced since this is the one you see floating at the top. If there is still some glycerin present, filter it again. From there, you already have your own backyard biofuel which you can use and even sell to those who are just as concerned with the environment as you are.

By making our own green energy sources, we make ourselves less dependent on gasoline in its various forms to power our heater, home or car. Why don’t a lot of people do it? Well simply because they don’t have the time to make it and would rather rely on someone else to do it for them.

Go Green In Your Home – And Save Too

If you want to go green in your home, and save a little money at the same time, it’s never been easier. As the planet faces an uncertain future of global warming, which is believed to be the result of us all burning fossil fuels indiscriminately, we all have a duty to do the best we can to redress the balance. Here are some vital tips to help you get started…

Your home is where you spend a lot of your income, so it makes sense to be spending it as efficiently as possible. You can start to go green in your home by insulating the house. Loft insulation, wall cavity insulation, double or even triple glazing – it will all make a tremendous difference. Yes, there is an investment to consider, but you will save in the long term, and save a lot too.

We all use too much water. Go green in the home by cutting back as much as you can. We could all, collectively, save one billion gallons of water a year by changing our old flush toilet cisterns. The old ones use three and a half gallons per flush and the new high-efficiency ones use just over one and a quarter gallon. It makes a big difference! If you did only this to go green in the home you would save 20,000 gallons of water every year, and pay a lot less in water bills.

The standard light bulbs that most homes have are very inefficient. Compact fluorescent light bulbs burn around 5% of the old bulbs and they last 10 times longer. They may cost slightly more to buy initially, but this is an obvious way to go green in the home and save a bundle in the long run. But you can do even better, The new LED lights are almost twice as efficient as even the compact fluorescent light bulbs, and they will last even longer too.

Heat leaks out of a house in winter and into the house in summer. Better insulation all round is a great way to go green in the home. Look at your loft, your wall cavities, your windows and your doors. Sort out all of these and you can go green in the home and really save too.

Home utilities are a drain on energy. Did you know that modern washing powders are so good that they don’t really need hot water? your washing machine uses most of its energy heating the water, so wash your clothes cold. They will clean great while you go green in the home. You may think your dishwasher is also an energy drain, Strangely, it isn’t. If you use it fully filled it uses less resources than if you wash by hand. Once you know these little tips and tricks, it’s easy to go green in the home!

Heating your water with the sun might be the easiest step you can take in your journey to becoming completely “Green.” As in any new process or technology, you will have to make a few adjustments to your appliances. In this case, those adjustments include purchasing a solar powered water heater and possibly a storage tank.

In some cases you might be able to adjust your current water heater. Before you do anything, research the options available to you carefully. There’s no reason to spend money on a new purchase if you don’t need to. It is possible to make your own solar power source if you are handy with tools and have the patience to do a good job.

There are kits and plans for sale all over the Internet. A Google search will turn up many options that will help you build your own solar water heater if you like adventure. Before you get too involved, it might be a good idea to find a solar power or “Going Green” forum or blog to get your questions answered and get advice from those who have experience they’ll freely share with you.

Water heating is a major expense on your utility bill and it shows no sign of getting cheaper as power-generating companies steadily increase their prices to cover rising costs of resources. If you invest in a pre-built solar water heating system or build one yourself out of materials piled in your garage, you can reduce your monthly household power bill by as much as $100.

The most important part you need is the solar panel, which transforms the sun’s solar energy into the element that heats your water before it gets to your house. Some systems recommend a separate storage tank between your solar panel and your house’s hot water heater. Your normal gas or electric-heated water heater might need some adjustments or replacement altogether to exist in your new solar system. Be sure to get all the details before you invest in any system.

Good solar panels can be purchased in stores or online, some included in kits. You can also get plans for constructing your own panel and entire system. Generally, the prices online will be cheaper than the prices in retail stores. You will also need some pipes, insulating tape, wires and tubes if you are building your own.

Ask questions until you are satisfied with the answers and the requirements of any system you are considering adding to your household.

A Trombe wall is gaining popularity as a simple passive solution to heating your home with the sun. Being passive, your expense for pumps, tubes and fancy solar collectors is avoided. Using any material for the wall that absorbs the sun’s heat during the day and, using a series of well-placed vents, will circulate the heat back through the house at night.

When you start investigating the benefits of building a Trombe wall, you will find lots of references to a thermal mass and insulated glazing material. Don’t let the terminology baffle you. A thermal mass can be adobe, stone, concrete, or even water tanks, like old water heaters. Insulated glazing material refers to two or more glass panes, spaced apart and hermetically sealed to resist the heat flow, like storm windows. Other materials, like polyester panels, can also be used as glazing materials, but glass works the most efficiently.

Simply put, the sun heats the south-facing wall behind the two panes of insulated glass. The wall, usually 8″ to 16″ thick, holds the heat and prevents it from entering the house until it is needed with a series of adjustable vents. Using natural air flow, the heated air flows into the house from the top vents and pushes the cold air,
collected along the floor, back onto the heated wall. That circular exchange, convection, continues as long as the Trombe wall is warmer than the household air.

A backup system for those days when the sun doesn’t shine would be a good idea.

At night, the warm air will travel through the walls and heat the room on the other side of the collector, so it would not be a good idea to place bookcases on that wall. Some of the heated air will travel up the wall and flow into the living space through the upper vents, as described above.

The warm air held by the wall will also leak back out of the insulated glass panel during the night. Dropping an insulating panel or shades between the glass panel and the thermal wall during the night will stop or slow down some of that heat escape.

The air and heat flow can be increased with simple electric blowers controlled by thermostats. If blocking the severe summer sun is a something you want to do, trellises with climbing annuals would be both attractive and effective.

Some have used the Trombe wall to heat water in pipes, sending it through the walls or under the floor when heat is needed in the home. Others have constructed a greenhouse between the insulated glass panels and the Trombe wall, creating multiple uses for the same heating source.

When you begin to live a greener, gentler lifestyle, you will find many options and offers for purchasing kits and plans. Do your homework and decide what you need before you jump into any project that’s for your home.

Solar ovens are are no longer just as hardcore survival method that is taught to military personnel. They are simple to create and don’t require any real special tools or hardware that is not available to the general public. However, before we go any further, it’s important to note that although a solar oven can be constructed out of stuff you’ve had lying around your garage for years, it is not a toy. If one is built large enough, it can cook an entire meal for a family.

In campgrounds where campfires are not allowed, you can combine a useful project for your children during the morning and use it to cook dinner later that afternoon. Just remember that it is not like the oven in your kitchen and requires more time under the sun to do the same job. But, you can bake most items with sunshine that you can bake in your kitchen.

What you have to do in order to cook with sunshine is transform that sunshine into heat. That is accomplished by shining sunlight onto dark surfaces. The best color to use to absorb heat is black. It absorbs almost all of the visible light that hits it and reflects very little, if any, but usually needs some enhancement to make enough heat to cook with.

You can increase the temperature of your solar oven by using mirrors or any highly reflective surface to shine more sunlight on your black surface.

A very simple solar oven can be constructed from a short list of items, most of which you probably already have. You can find step-by-step plans all over the Internet to build any size solar oven. Quite a few will be free for the download. Google “How to build a solar oven” and you will have many choices, some simple and some complicated.

For this one, you will need two cardboard boxes, one several inches smaller than the other. They need to nest with several inches of space between them on all sides for the insulation. When you actually build the solar oven, you will crumple up newspaper and use it to insulate the two boxes.

Aluminum foil will be used for reflectors. You will need non-toxic glue and invisible tape, plastic wrap or a sturdy plastic bag, a small aluminum cooking pan found in most supermarkets and an oven thermometer.

Black construction paper is sufficient to cover the parts of your solar
oven you want to hold the heat. Other items you need to keep handy are scissors, pencils, and stapler. Might be a good idea to have a roll of “Duck” Tape handy just for emergencies.

The truth is that you can actually build a functional solar oven out of a pizza box. Google that and you’ll find the instructions for doing it.

While solar this and that and “Going Green” might seem like today’s buzz words, our world needs some tending right now and any way you can reduce your dependency on fossil fuels will help your children to live better lives. Think about it!

With the threat of global warming constantly in front of us with devastating storms and odd weather patterns, many are thinking about doing something to help our environment. One solution is reducing our normal usage of purchased electricity from power companies by accessing the power of the wind.

Using the wind to generate power for your usage is easily available and modern technology has made it very efficient for homeowners wanting to “go green.” After building the wind turbine, the energy you create will not add to the pollution we are living with today.

One powerful benefit of corralling the wind is that remote areas not provided access from the usual power grid can make their own electricity and sell any excess back to the power company they were prevented from using. Small towns can relieve their residents of hefty power bills by building their own wind turbines. Technology is under constant change, but currently the largest turbine available can provide electricity to around 500 homes. That’s a pretty good-sized village.

With the constant influx of new technology and improvements on the old, newer wind turbines are not as noisy as they used to be. Some might object to the turbine in your backyard and consider it a blight on the rural scenery. When they find out that you are saving big chunks out of your electricity bill every month, they might want a wind turbine of their own.

The major disadvantage, though, is that electricity is only produced when the wind blows. No wind; no electricity.

Most of us have seen those wind farms that dot many hillsides here and there in remote areas near heavily populated locations. Those huge turbines are capable of providing electricity for a large number of homes, ranging from several hundred to thousands. The largest turbine in use has rotors of 390 feet in diameter.

Thanks to technology, there are several options for smaller wind turbines suitable for a single household.

You won’t need one of those huge turbines for your use. Home turbines use rotors between 8 and 25 feet in diameter. Depending on the amount of wind in your area, you might generate a few hundred watts and 6 kilowatts of electricity. That will prevent 9 pounds of carbon from invading our decaying atmosphere if your electricity comes from coal-based power plants.

One consideration you need to investigate is the average wind speed at your
location. Your turbine will need wind speeds near 10 miles an hour to start generating electricity. There are some new models of wind turbines being produced that can start generating electricity with winds as low as 5 mph. This is perfect for households where winds are light or variable. If this interests you, a Google search will find current options for you.

Most turbines last 20 years or more, but will need some maintenance during that lifespan. Some moving components will have to be replaced from time to time as they wear down from the constant rotation of the blades.

If you want to build your own wind turbine, there are hundreds of options for free plans to follow and inexpensive kits with all the parts you will need, including directions. Again, search for what you want with Google or any other good search engine.

Can you “Go Green” with wind power? Definitely!