Make no mistake - given the trillions of dollars invested over the last five decades in nuclear energy, the industry [...]]]>

As the dire news continues to leach out of Fukishima, the silver lining in its nuclear cloud is that renewable energy technologies, despite their daunting start-up costs, are receiving renewed scrutiny.

Make no mistake - given the trillions of dollars invested over the last five decades in nuclear energy, the industry and its lobbyists will not go down without a fight, promoting new, "safe" reactor designs, etc. etc. etc.

But the Fukushima debacle has finally bared the industry's darkest secret, it inability to manage its nuclear waste. The six reactor TEPCO Daichi Fukushima stored all its waste onsite, and the spent fuel rods and their lack of cooling have been a major contributor to the high radiation levels observed around the facility. Worse for nuclear power proponents has been the reluctant admission by TECPO that three of the complex's six reactors apparently did in fact suffer a meltdown.

So, what's next?

Hydroelectric facilities are a proven technology, but expensive and take years to construct.

Wind power also has substantial start-up costs, is erratic, and faces environmental opposition.

With the notable exception of bioethanol, little real money has gone into biofuel renewable, particularly in the U.S., where bioethanol produced from corn has a hammerlock on both subsidies and crop insurance, despite rising concerns about shifting land from food to energy production is driving up costs of foodstuffs. The leading contenders for bio-renewables, camelina, algae and jatropha, all are starved for investment as a result.

Which leaves solar energy, whose major dra wback up to now has been its high cost to generate kilowatts.

That however is changing, as research finds ways to lower costs.

DuPont's colorless polyimide film, a revolutionary new material currently in development for use as a flexible superstrate for cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin film photovoltaic modules, has established a new world record for solar cell conversion efficiency reaching 13.8 percent using the new Kapton colorless film, leapfrogging their previous world record of 12.6 percent and nearing that of glass. Robert G. Schmidt, new business development manager, Photovoltaics - DuPont Circuit & Packaging Materials commented, "Rather than transporting heavy, fragile glass modules on large trucks and lifting them by crane onto rooftop PV installations, one could imagine lightweight, flexible film-based modules that could simply be rolled up for transport, and easily carried up stairs."

On the other side of the world, according to Huang Xinming, head of a research institute at JA Solar, a large Chinese solar power company, JA Solar has just developed a new technology that could cut the cost of producing silicon, an important material in manufacturing solar panels, by 60 percent.

Cutting raw material costs, raising efficiency and reducing weight and transportation costs - t'would seem the future is lighting up, no pun intended.

And once again, China is apparently out-thinking its Wall Street competition, obsessed with maximizing profits and quarterly balance sheets. In any industrial process, increased production lowers in turn production costs. Rather than wait for entrepreneurs to line up in Beijing, china is apparently moving to make solar energy a component of its foreign policy in Africa as it moves to secure access to the Dark Continent's mineral riches.

According to Sun Guangbin, the secretary-general of photovoltaic products at the China Chamber of Commerce for Import & Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, speaking in a recent interview, China intends to build solar power projects in 40 African nations in a boot-strap effort that will both reduce the continent's reliance on fossil fuels and open a new market for Chinese manufacturers, the biggest producers of solar panels. Sun noted, "China needs new emerging markets to consume their solar products besides Europe, and Africa could be one of them. We'll begin investigating this month in Africa to determine a suitable project in each country, such as installing solar panels on the rooftops of schools and hospitals."

Compare this with today's pronouncement from London that the Conservative government of David Cameron intends "Drastic cuts for large-scale solar power subsidies," according to a headline in the Guardian.

London and Washington are both still wedded to Big Oil and nuclear power. But if the 21st century is going to be about the struggle by Western economies to have access to Third World raw materials, it would seem that Africans, their schools, hospitals and home lighted by solar panels, may well look eastwards.

Source: http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Solar-Energy/Why-Japan-Will-Turn-to-Solar-Energy-Following-Fukushima.html

By. Dr. John C.K. Daly for OilPrice.com. For more information on oil prices and other commodity related topics please visit www.oilprice.com

by J.D. Kennedy

http://CleanEnergySolutionZ.com

There's a lot of talk right now about transitioning to renewable energy, such as wind and solar power, and converting our transportation system to run on cleaner "alternative" fuels, such as hydrogen and electricity. But what does it all mean? [...]]]>

Renewable Energy and Alternative Fuel - What Is It and Why Should We Care?

by J.D. Kennedy

http://CleanEnergySolutionZ.com

There's a lot of talk right now about transitioning to renewable energy, such as wind and solar power, and converting our transportation system to run on cleaner "alternative" fuels, such as hydrogen and electricity. But what does it all mean? And why should it matter to me? Well, let me see if I can quickly address those questions...

First of all, let's try to demystify the idea of renewable energy. Most of the energy we use today to drive our cars or light up a room are derived primarily from what are referred to as "fossil fuels." Most of these fuels are dug or pumped from gigantic sources under the ground. To most people they are invisible until you actually pull up to the gas pump or flip on a light. Even then, there is still a magical, mystical element to it. To the average person the concept of billions upon billions of gallons of oil or pounds of coal is so incomprehensible that it seems unlimited to us. Let's face it. after nine or ten zeros, our eyes start to glaze over and we just go into nod-and-smile mode. It is difficult for us to believe that this supply is limited. But it is! This is the reality behind the so-called theory of "Peak Oil." Peak Oil may be a controversial model but the reality is the more we use, the less we have; and the available resources are said to already be on the decline.

At the turn of the 20th century, the United States was the primary supplier of oil. Things have changed. While we still have local supplies in states such as Alaska and Texas, our demand has far exceeded our supply. Anyone that isn't aware of the implications on our economy and our national security probably has their head buried in the sand, and therefore wouldn't be reading this article. So I'll spare you the details. Suffice it to say we are questioning our national security and are on shaky ground economically, due largely to our huge dependence on fossil fuels.

"Renewable" is a fancy way of saying unlimited. Renewable energy comes from unlimited resources. The primary sources of renewable energy are: solar, wind, thermal and hydro. Just remember: the sun will always rise and the wind will always blow; heat will always rise and current will always flow. (I just came up with that off the top of my head, but it sounds pretty good; so if someone else already said it, my apologies). Capturing these sources of energy has been done for thousands of years. The down side to renewables is that they often fluctuate. The sun rises and sets, winds vary, climates change and water flow fluctuates. (Not as catchy, but you get the point). The technology exists to efficiently convert these energy sources into electricity. But to make these useable, the energy must be stored during peak production. To store electricity efficiently, we need cost-effective batteries that last a long time. The ability to effectively store electrical energy has been around for almost 200 years. Technological advancements and enhancements have been made over the last 100 years, but not as much as you might think. The discoveries that Thomas Edison made in battery technology almost 100 years ago didn't improve substantially until the 1970s and 80s. Even then, those developments didn't reach the consumer until the 1990s. The average person didn't even know what a nickel-metal hydride (NiMh) or lithium ion (Li-ion) battery was until a couple years ago. The most prevalent batteries are still lead-acid and these have been around since the beginning. Still, there is a common element in all batteries: metal. The reality is that while the source of energy may be renewable, the resources needed to make it usable is still based on mining special metals and mineral deposits in the earth. Does that mean it's a bad idea? Absolutely not! Metals can be recycled. Fossil fuels cannot.

Next, let's see if we can tackle the concept of alternative and clean fuels. "Alternative" basically refers to anything other than traditional fuel sources ( e.g. Gas, diesel, coal, wood ). It doesn't necessarily mean renewable or clean, although emphasis is given to those fuels that are. Natural gas is an example of an alternative fuel that, while already used for heating, is not widely used for transportation, and while it is cleaner than petroleum and coal sources, it is not 100 percent clean burning. It is, however, much less invasive to the environment to obtain and transport, and is more prevalent in America. Ideal alternative fuels come from renewable sources and are completely clean burning. Hydrogen, for instance, can be made from prevalent sources such as water and is 100 percent clean, but it needs an energy source, such as electricity, to separate out the elements. Electricity is clean and renewable only if it is generated from a clean renewable source. Fossil fuels supply a surprising amount of our daily electricity needs. Much of the controversy surrounding electric cars is that most of America's electricity is generated from huge generator farms and coal-burning plants. On the other hand, as more and more states convert to renewable sources, the cleaner and more plentiful it will get. Washington state, for instance, is primarily supplied by hydro power, which, while it does have its own set of environmental issues, is considered zero emissions. The idea of "clean coal" seems viable, but it is at least 15 years from full development and is still not renewable. Out of all the alternative and renewable sources, electricity seems the most promising. While hydrogen is a close second, it is generally used to generate electricity (e.g. most hydrogen cars use electric motors for propulsion). Most likely we will see hydrogen and electricity working together for many applications in the future.

So what does this all mean for you and me? Well, it depends. It's going to mean something different for you than for me. But what it means for everyone across the globe is that we need to consider some lifestyle changes. There are those who will take this kind of information and try to exact major changes in government policy and national security, maybe even internationally. Actually, this has already been done on many levels. There are even those who have gone into their communities and made a stand for change. But the reality is that we all have to live. Not very many of us have the capacity to make drastic lifestyle changes on the spot without some sort of major cataclysmic event. The inherent warning of Peak Oil is that we are headed toward that cataclysmic event. It may be too late to avoid it completely, but we can soften the blow by making some changes now -- even if they are gradual changes.

So what can we do? I'm not just talking about changing out your incandescent bulbs with energy efficient CFL bulbs (although this is a good idea). I'm talking about pinpointing one major element of energy usage and changing it to a renewable source. Here are some ideas...

1. Convert your car to an Electric Vehicle (EV).

A good place to start is with your car (or at least one of them). You can convert your car to electric for less than you think. Yes, your range will be greatly reduced, but if you have more than one car, use one for long-range driving and the other for short-range. Unless you are one of those people that commutes 3 hours to work, you'll find that you use your short range, electric car for as much as 90% of your normal driving. The savings in gas will pay for the vehicle in as little as one year. From there, you're essentially making money.

2. Install Solar (PV) Panels.

This too is actually cheaper than you might think. Sure, you could go all-out and buy the top-of-the-line latest-and-greatest, and you could probably recoup your investment in ten or fifteen years. But did you know that you can make your own panels for only a couple hundred a-piece? No, they're not going to be the super-efficient, high-tech gadgets that you pay thousands for, but hey! You aren't paying thousands. Best of all, you can start with one at a time and get better at it as you go. Before you know it, you'll have a whole system generating enough power during the day to run your lights at night. You might even have enough extra to sell back to the electric company. Think of that!

3. Capture the power of the Wind.

Do you live where it is constantly windy? Well, even if you don't, you could benefit from installing a wind generator. Ok, so if it's always dead calm at your house, this may not work for you. But in most places even if it is calm during the day the wind generally picks up at night, enough to generate a reasonable amount of electricity -- a perfect supplement to the solar panels that only work when the sun is out. Best of all, you can make a wind generator yourself and avoid the big up-front costs of a brand-new one. Get some plans, buy the materials and get to it!

4. Make your own Bio diesel.

People have been doing this for years. You can power your truck, car, generator, fuel-oil furnace; basically anything that takes standard diesel can take bio diesel. Right now you can buy bio diesel from some gas stations at about the same cost as regular fuel. The only thing you get is the satisfaction that you can sit and breathe the emissions without worrying about health problems. So what if you want a cheaper alternative? Get a supply of grease from your local restaurant and put it to good use. This is not a cakewalk, remember you're dealing with fuel here, but it is pretty simple. As long as you carefully strain, mix and heat according to reliable detailed instructions, you will end up with a recycled, cleaner, multi-use fuel source.

So what does Renewable and Alternative energy have to do with you? Everything! If we all did just one thing every year, we would find ourselves living in a cleaner world, breathing cleaner air and living better lives. I've shared just a few examples, but as you can see, there are things that you can do to improve and preserve your living environment today. You may not be able to do all of these things, but all you have to do is start somewhere. If you need a place to start, try my web site for some suggestions. I think you'll find that as you begin to take initiative on some of these things and build them with your own hands, you will gain confidence, security and self-worth. Perhaps best of all, you'll be putting money back in your own pocket.

By: Tony Maichl

With the world facing an energy crisis, it is becoming more important to try to conserve our non-renewable sources by reducing our dependency on them. We can reduce our dependancy on them by using renewable energy solutions to replace the non-renewable energy sources we [...]]]>

Some Renewable Energy Solutions - Solar Power Solutions at Home

By: Tony Maichl

With the world facing an energy crisis, it is becoming more important to try to conserve our non-renewable sources by reducing our dependency on them. We can reduce our dependancy on them by using renewable energy solutions to replace the non-renewable energy sources we use to produce electricity. Renewable energy solutions refers to those renewable energy sources that can produce power without exhausting our natural resources which are limited. There are three types of renewable energy sources: solar energy, wind energy, and hydro (water) energy all of which are viable solution to our ever depleting non-renewable energy sources.

Solar Power: The sun is the most abundant energy source on the planet and has always been a source of heat and light. Anyone can take advantage of this free source of power by using the solar power solutions at home. When using solar power at home you can reduce your power bill and you will be helping the environment as solar power does not pollute. Some of the solar power solutions at home consist of solar cookers, solar heating systems, solar hot water systems, solar lighting systems, solar dryers, and ... well you get the picture we can do a lot with the suns energy.

Besides from being environmentally friendly and saving you money on those power bills solar power solutions at home is also cost effective. In a short time these systems will pay for themselves, they are low maintenance so they save time, money, and effort to maintain. Some also believe cooking with solar power is much more health for you than the conventional means of cooking.

Wind Power: The wind has been used to do a lot of work way back before Christ was even born. Windmills were used to tow boats, pump water, and even to turn large mills that crushed wheat and out to make flour. Then during the industrialization period wind mills were put to use to produce electrical power. When using wind power solutions at home, you can generate enough power to free yourself from the power companies and their ever increasing costs. The wind is another one of those excellent renewable energy sources that can help us reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.

Hydro Power: Water is yet another source of renewable energy that is abundant on our planet. Hydro power accounts for 90 percent of the renewable energy sources that we use today to create power. Dams Are built to divert the flow of rivers through water turbines which turn massive electric generators thus producing the electricity that we use on a daily basis. Although water is a renewable energy source there are problems associated with building dams. Blocking the flow of rivers adversely affects the ecosystem downstream.

With the abundance of sun light and wind we should be able to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels just by using solar power solutions at home and, if we live in a region with good air flow with wind power solutions at home.

Author Resource:->  Are you doing your part to conserve energy? Help Save non-renewable energy sources that are left. Implementing solar power solutions at home and the use of renewable energy sources can prolong the non-renewable sources. For more information on solar power solutions at home.

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