Wednesday 3 December 2008

Homemade Wind Energy

There are many different forms in which alternative energy is available. The most common form is of course Solar Energy which is free and can be collected using photovoltaic cells which not so long ago where very expensive but gradually the prices have fallen. Solar energy is non-polluting and can be used to produce electricity in addition to hot water. Nevertheless, for us to be able to inexpensively make use of the sun's energy, we need to subject ourselves to more work than ever. The one major problem is storing the power for use when the sun is not as strong, on overcast days and when night falls.

Usually for now, a large number of private investors as well as the government take pride and support in investing for the utilization of wind energy as an alternative energy source. The process in which “wind farms” are developed by placing great arrays of triple-bladed windmills all over the place to capture the motion of the wind thus using its kinetic energy for mechanical or electrical energy conversion is just one of the many effective methods to greatly utilize wind energy. The power of the wind has been known about and used for centuries but now they are being used purely for the generation of power.

With the growing developments in our technology and everything that we use, it is so unlikely for us not to use the more sophisticated modern wind turbines as an alternative to the old theme being used. Of course, the drawback to wind energy is - what do you do when there is a calm, still day? Of course, the power we need can come from other sources when this happens so currently we cannot rely completely on wind power even if we had sufficient farms to cater for our needs.

Another source of alternative energy that can generate an extensive amount of power is accessible in the form of hydroelectric energy. The concept of hydroelectricity is simple - using vast amounts of water and gravity to turn electricity producing turbines. The use of water for driving hydroelectric turbines is not much of a worry even finding for its sources because water is just everywhere. The main problem with this process is the initial financial cost and the size of these dams means it is a lengthy project which does not come without it's own issues. Each dam is built from scratch and must be strong enough to hold back the huge amount of water that will be neede to make the dam a viable proposition. Finding a suitable location for these dams usually requires changes to the local (often a wide region) area and they often come under fire from environmentalists concerned about the impact on wildlife.

To produce power this way does not always require a dam, especially if it is only a small community that is being serviced. There are small run-of-river hydroelectric converters which are good for supplying neighbourhoods or an individual office or home.

When artesian waters just below the earth's crust are heated, a naturally-occurring energy in the structure of geothermal energy can be produced which is more often than not the most underrated form of alternative energy that gains less of the gratitude and pride. Water below the earth's surface is heated by the incredible temperatures at the planets core. The water is drawn up by various different methods—there are “dry steam” power plants, “flash” power plants, and “binary” power plants for harnessing geothermal energy. The purpose of this procedure is to gather the steam that is generated when it reaches the surface. It is in the USA where this technology has become world famous with 'the Geysers' dry steam power plant not that far from San Francisco.

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