Friday, July 3, 2009

Wind Power Canada Helps To Meet Energy Needs

Wind energy cost has declined from 25 cents a kilowatt-hour in 1990 to 6 cents a kilo-watt hour today, says Carl Brothers, who runs the Atlantic Wind Test Site in Alberta. Wind power Canada initiatives have been developing rapidly over the past decade, with a projected 25% of the country's energy needs deriving from wind purchase.

The United States was quick to follow suit, with turbine wind energy farms cropping up in California, Colorado, Texas, New York, Iowa, North Dakota, Indiana, Washington, Oregon, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Montana, Maine, Utah, New Mexico, West Virginia, Illinois, Kansas and Wyoming.

Quickly America's wind power output surpassed that of Canada's with the largest wind farm in Texas producing a whopping 781 mega-watts of power, compared to the largest Canadian sources wind energy farm, which is pumping out 197 mega-watts.

In addition to the large-scale commercial turbine wind energy farms, wind power Canada is spreading to residential areas as well. "The consumer interest in small wind is astounding," says Sean Whittaker, VP of the Canadian Wind Energy Association.

He said public interest prompted them to create a website at www.smallwindenergy.ca to explain pros and cons of wind power small business solutions or wind power homeowner solutions. The wind energy cost of a backyard turbine is about $5,000, Whittaker says, which produces electricity at 20 to 25 cents per kilowatt hour. (Each kilowatt hour will keep a light bulb running for 10 hours.)

This cost is double the typical utility rates, he adds, citing that cost savings isn't really why people hop on the alternative wind energy bandwagon.

As countries look to switch to the alternative sources wind energy provides, government grants will make the process more affordable. For instance, in the U.S., taxpayers can receive up to $4,000 in tax credits to retrofit their homes with small wind turbines.

As technology improves, wind power Canada designs will be able to output more kilowatts and infrastructure will improve to share benefits of one wind turbine with the community. If an entire house can be powered by a small turbine, then the investment will have been well worth it.

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Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Jobs Wind Energy Creates Include Environmental Assessment, Engineering, Maintenance.......

The power sources wind energy provides are clean, environmentally responsible and never-ending. One could certainly say the same about our solar supply too, although experts say that alternative wind energy is much cheaper and produces more power output.

The jobs wind energy creates will likely be manufacturing, installation and operation engineering jobs, but there will also be jobs renewable energy openings in market analysis, design, testing, environmental assessment, maintenance, management, sales and customer service. This sort of occupation will attract people with degrees in computer sciences, mathematics, atmospheric sciences, aerodynamics and engineering.

The jobs wind energy promised us have already arrived in some states. The Indiana Office of Energy Development reported that the new Fowler Ridge Wind Farm (Benton County), launched by Dominion Resources Inc and BP Wind Energy, will add as many as 200 new alternative wind energy jobs.

Similarly, in Detroit, which has been hit particularly hard by the massive loss of General Motors manufacturing jobs, will see 256 new job openings over the next six years with Global Wind Systems for their wind turbine assembly plant in Novi, Michigan. Global Wind Systems CEO Chris Long said he hopes to double the number of jobs renewable energy openings in just two years.

Americans looking to find jobs wind energy has created so far may need to consider relocating. Texas churns out 7,118 megawatts of wind power from its farms, making it the #1 state to find wind resources renewable energy job openings. Coming in second is Iowa, whose 2,791 megawatts has finally surpassed California's 2,517.

Minnesota, Wisconsin, Colorado, Illinois and Washington are also good locations to go hunting for generators wind power positions. With the wind industry jobs jumping 70% to a total of 85,000 positions, there will likely be lucrative pay rates, benefits and bonuses to recruit and train new talent.

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Monday, June 29, 2009

Grants Renewable Energy Helping People Make The Right Decisions

Grants renewable energy provides free money to American citizens who are willing to do their part to implement solar designs, make a wind purchase or shift energy consumption toward the sources renewable energy offers.

These grants are offered by the states and the federal government to encourage the transition toward energy independence through private investment. Many of these grants are part of low-income based projects, although there are also some business grants to help small or large industries make a responsible change.

In addition to the federal government offering grants renewable energy checks, federal agencies not typically associated with energy can also offer energy efficiency grants. For instance, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Bill offered funding for resources renewable energy projects on American farms and rural businesses.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also makes small grant awards possible for clean energy resources. The states may provide grants from money collected through utility bills (system benefits charges) or from land-use fees. For instance, California renewable energy grants are made possible through geothermal land development royalties.

For farmers, one of the best grants renewable energy programs is called the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), established in May 2008 as part of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act.

Farmers and rural small business owners will not only be assisted with resources renewable energy installations, but also assessments into the feasibility of these installations. Congress has allocated $55 million for 2009, $60 million for 2010 and $70 million for 2011 and 2012. Eligible projects include solar designs, biomass and geothermal projects, hydrogen power and wind purchase power.

Individuals will receive a reimbursement for 25% of the project cost or up to $25 million. Thanks to these generous funds, farmers and small rural business owners will be better able to compete in the global market.

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Saturday, June 27, 2009

Knowing About The Cost Wind Energy Ratio

There are so many advantages to turbine wind energy, which is probably why it is the fastest growing source of resources renewable energy in the United States, if not the world. Through the construction of tall wind mill farms, kinetic energy is generated and stored from the constant natural wind source.

As a result, no fossil fuels are burned or pollute our earth. The rainforests and habitats need not be destroyed in search of resources, since these farms are erected on existing farms, plains and ranches. The wind turbines are domestically produced, as is the wind itself, so there are no foreign imports.

Another excellent reason to invest in plant wind power is that the cost wind energy charges have decreased substantially in just 20 years and are likely to diminish even more in the years to come.

Infrastructure is another factor for cost wind energy estimates. In certain areas, costly transmission lines must be built to take the plant wind power to the population centers. These lines will need ongoing repair and maintenance, as will the towers, to protect them from natural disasters, hurricanes, ice storms, lightning and terrorism.

These obstacles will result in higher prices for wind farm owners and for consumers. The jobs renewable energy creates are highly skilled careers that often require relocation and recruitment bonuses, since the industry is growing faster than its workforce and threatens to topple the whole enterprise. Therefore, the cost to run the utilities may not be as inexpensive as previously thought.

Today, many utility companies are incorporating cost wind energy into their grid systems. Utility customers can opt for 10% of their electricity to come from turbine wind energy. In most cases, the added cost of this feature is just 2¢ per kilowatt hour or roughly $1.60 more per month.

However, in a market like New York state, where the price of oil and other fossil fuels is considerably high, customers save $305 million per year by choosing the 10% alternative wind energy option on their bills.

While economics should certainly be considered, many advocates of wind energy implore, "What price tag would you put on the planet?" As stewards of the earth, we must aim to leave the world a better place for our children.

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Thursday, June 25, 2009

Knowing About Wind Power Pros And Cons

Wind power pros and cons are the source of a raging debate these days. The federal government has allocated sufficient funding toward turbine wind energy this year, along with geothermal, solar supply and biomass forms of energy.

Suddenly it seems like the whole world has realized that our current energy system, which is so dependent on finite fossil fuels like coal and petroleum, will not withstand the test of time, particularly as our world industrializes and our populations live longer. The need to find free, domestic sources of energy is great. While alternative wind energy is the fastest growing source of power, will it be the best solution?

In looking at wind power pros and cons, we must also consider that wind purchase can keep America as a global superpower for years to come. Since there is 85% worldwide support for alternative wind energy and it remains the fastest growing source of renewable energy, the U.S. must keep up with the pursuit of this power.

In the past, Amsterdam became a superpower for their ability to harness the water as an energy source. Later, the U.S. gained superpower status by using fossil fuels to power industries and manufacturing plants.

China, India, Denmark, Germany, Canada and numerous other countries are manufacturing wind turbines, creating jobs, wealth and energy independence for themselves. Now we must look toward wind, solar, geothermal and biomass sources to remain competitive in the global marketplace.

Now let's continue our discussion of wind power pros and cons by looking at some of the disadvantages posed by turbine wind energy. Some people find the appearance of tall groups of wind turbines to be unsightly and unnatural.

Also, the University of Massachusetts reports that generators wind power turbines can be very noisy when wind speed is low. They indicate that the noise from each individual turbine is the equivalent of one car traveling at 70 mph. The sound has also been described as a "brick wrapped in a towel turning in a tumble dryer," "as if someone was mixing cement in the sky," or "like a train that never arrives."

As John Zimmerman of Lowell, Vermont pointed out, "Wind turbines don't make good neighbors." In some Canadian studies, people living near windmill farms complained of suffering from abominable headaches, although this potential danger has not been clinically proven yet.

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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Building A New Energy Economy With Resource Renewable Energy

"It will be the policy of my administration," said President Barack Obama, "to reverse our dependence on foreign oil while building a new energy economy that will create millions of jobs." He added, "We must have the courage and the commitment to change."

In his first 100 days, he followed California renewable energy and emission standard policy by creating new mandates for auto manufacturers, by investing in creating a grid for resource renewable energy to reach homes across America and by allocating money toward green building.

Our solar supply of resource renewable energy can be used to generate electricity by using photovoltaic cells, concentrated solar power and trapped air running through a solar updraft tower or by using geo-synchronous satellites. We can heat buildings, food, water or air using solar energy sources.

We can even run solar-powered air conditions to keep buildings cool in the scorching summer, in places like Arizona or Nevada. About 2.1 million solar panels have been installed in the US, with 80% in residential homes. Nevada's Mojave Desert currently houses the world's largest installation of solar panels, which produce 354 mega-watts of power.

Resource renewable energy is essential for continuing at our current rate of development. In 2003, we realized the global supply of fossil fuels was, in fact, 80% less than predicted.

Swedish scientists warned that we are facing a very serious crisis, where fuel costs will soar due to the limited supply. With more countries industrializing and requiring unforeseen resources, the wind, water and solar energy sources must meet the task of powering up our nation.

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Sunday, June 21, 2009

Solar Supplies With Amazing Products

Over 850 utility companies are offering programs banking on resources renewable energy supplies like wind and solar power. In places like Arizona, Nevada or San Diego, it just makes sense to harness the natural solar supply for energy.

That hot sun is beating down all day long, which can create hours and hours of power. Back in the eighties, we all thought cars would be solar-powered and mass-marketed by now. While this may not be the case, there are still a number of amazing products and solar supplies available on the market for those who can afford it.

Thus far, price has been one of the prohibitive factors of solar supplies. Wind energy and micro-hydro systems are thousands of dollars cheaper for investors, although that is all changing.

Arizona-based BP Solar has reduced the price of power down to 20 cents a kilowatt hour. Similarly, Mountainview, California-based Skyline Solar has introduced one of the most powerful solar energy sources called High Gain Solar arrays, which will generate hundreds of kilowatts up to megawatts of electricity for users.

Many people are finding ways of financing their solar designs as well. For instance, citizens of Berkeley, California can place a low-interest tax lien on their houses to pay off the expense. Product rebates and state grants are helping people pay for their resources renewable energy. Nationwide, people are checking www.dsireusa.org to find state incentives for solar power installation.

If you're considering purchasing some solar supplies, then you may want to begin by getting an online or mail-order energy audit (from Getfree) that will let you know about your household energy consumption habits and kilowatt hours. You can learn how to eliminate vampire power usage from plugged-in appliances and cut down on other expenses before retrofitting your home with solar supply panels.

Next, you can determine a reasonable goal for reducing energy costs within your price range. Many people aim for 25% initially and add more panels later on. Then, you must seek out at least three bids from licensed local contractors or purchase solar books to learn about doing it yourself.

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