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Your Six Point Check List To Going Green
Author: Nicola Brown
1. How much do you want to invest in renewable energy technology?
Depending on the size of your property and the technology you choose, your initial investment could be large or small. For example, a solar powered light for the garden shed only costs a few pounds whereas buying and installing a quality solar hot water system for your family's hot water needs could cost up to four thousand pounds. If you take a short term view this certainly looks like a lot of money to spend when compared to using fossil fuels.
However, reliance on fossil fuels harms the environment and prices are on the increase as resources become more scare. This makes renewable energy a more attractive proposition if you care for the long term future of our planet, as well as becoming self sufficient and saving money on your energy bills.
When you take a long term view you can see the huge benefits and costs savings renewable energy can bring. The solar hot water system mentioned earlier has on average a lifespan of 25 years and starts to provide a payback on investment after around 12 years. The calculations show you that over the long term not only will you recoup your initial outlay, but also enjoy further savings through significantly reduced heating bills for the remainder of its lifetime.
In addition to this, renewable technology also allow you to:
Use unlimited natural fuel sources which are not in danger of running out.
Significantly reduce your carbon footprint.
Become more self sufficient and less reliant on limited fossil fuel sources.
Potentially increase the value of your property.
2. Why do you want to go green?
A fundamental question is whether you want to go green for the right reasons. If your primary reason for looking at renewable energy is to save money now you might also want to consider an alternative energy saving action.
3. What are your energy saving alternatives?
There are other simple to implement and cheaper alternatives to saving money on your energy bills. Energy saving light bulbs, turning the heating down by a couple of degrees, buying large and small household appliances with good energy saving ratings, buying local produce, fitting roof and cavity wall insulation and walking rather than driving short journeys will all save you money in the short term.
Alternatively, adopting good energy saving practice alongside renewable energy technologies will significantly increase both your long term savings and carbon footprint.
4. Do you have enough information?
Before choosing your renewable energy technology it is a good idea to research what is out there and whether this is right for you.
Use the internet and library for information, speak with experts for their advice.
It is also a good idea to have information to hand about your current energy usage. You can find this on your energy bills or talking to your current energy supplier. You should also consider how your energy requirements are going to change over time.
5. What is your location like?
Are you in an open exposed site? Is your roof south or north facing? Where your house is located is important in choosing the right renewable energy technology for your home.
Talking to an alternative energy expert can help you find the right solution for your home.
6. Do you need planning permission?
Finally, you should find out from your local planning authority whether you require planning permission before starting down the route of choosing your renewable energy product.
Again suppliers can help you ask the right questions to ensure that the choices you make are the right ones for both your own and the planet's future.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/your-six-point-check-list-to-going-green-1781916.html
About the Author
Freesource Energy is a professional UK supplier of solar water heating and domestic and light industrial renewable energy solutions in the UK. They offer expert energy saving advice and can also help with finding grants for your green projects.
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I am glad you are interested in this question because it is important that we should reduce our reliance on non-renewable resources. Future generations will not thank us for wasting such resources.
Coal and oil are examples of non-renewable energy sources. They are fossil fuels obtained from the ground and were created millions of years ago during a phase in the earth’s development that is over. So as we use these resources less is available for the future. Furthermore burning fossil fuels creates pollution.
Solar panels and wind mills are examples of renewable resources because collecting such energy has little or no impact on its availability for the future.
But it may be worth pointing out that the term “renewable” is confusing. What we really mean is “sustainable”.
Best wishes for a more sustainable future.
Pretty much the full list of energy sources are exploited in Australia, except for nuclear power. The energy source for nuclear power, uranium, IS to be found in Australia, so it depends exactly what you are looking for as to whether or not it should be included.
Non-renewable:
Gas
Coal
Oil
Renewable:
Hydro
Biofuels
Wind
Solar
Tidal
The main renewable sources of energy to generate electricity are:
1.Hydro-power (use of water from rivers, dams, tides and ocean waves)
2.Wind energy (using wind turbines)
3.Solar power (using the power of the sun to heat water or produce electricity)
4.Geothermal (using the heat deep under the earth’s crust)
5.Ocean Thermal (using surface heat and deep cold water)
6.Biofuel (producing ethanol from organic material like switch-grass, corn and sugar cane husks)
renewable – Wind power – cheap, available, enviromentally friendly & does not run out. Disadvantage – has to be windy/exposed, initial cost of setting up, can be considered unsightly
Tidal – Cheap, enviromentally friendly, available around the world & does not run out. Disadvantage – cost of setting up, small return for initial investment, suitable locations
Solar – available, enviromentally friendly, relatively cheap after installation. Disadvantages – Cost of setting up, sunny location needed, storing power
Non Renewable – Nuclear – reliable, clean, economic. Disadvantage – enviromental hazard, safety, disposal of waste
Fossil fuel Coal & gas – widely available, relatively cheap, established technology. Disadvantage – limited source, carbon emmissions, price can fluctuate
Renewable:
Solar
Wind Turbines
Draft Horses
Not renewable:
Coal
Oil
Natural Gas
Solar
advantages:
Quiet
Long lasting (if properly installed)
zero emisions
relatively compact (fits on peoples roofs)
Disadvantages:
Cloudy, rainy, snowy days
Hail (!!)
Climbing onto the roof and washing the dust off them
Batteries often used in conjunction with them.
Wind Turbines
Advantages:
Relatively quiet
Extremely modist waste produced
Continued use of the land they stand on for farming
Tourist attraction (odd, but true)
Disadvantages:
Climbing 300 feet up a lader to repair them.
Some people do not like they way the look (I do however)
“Foghorning” (serrious noise) when in need of grease/repair
Tourist attraction (tourist are both possitive & negative)
Draft Horses
Advantages:
Reproduce themselves
Manure (fertilizes the crops)
Tourist draw when working with them
“Start” even in the coldest weather (when tractors will not)
Disadvantages:
Flies
Manure (draws flies)
Tourist…who are usually complete idiots when it comes to horses
Need time off (unlike a tractor than can run all day)
Not renewable:
Coal
Advantages:
coal found/used in areas where there’s not a lot of hydro power.
Employes a lot of people to mine and tansports
Unable to come up with other reasonable advantages.
Disadvantages:
mining and harm to the earth
Death of miners, both fast (cave in) and slow (lungs).
Pollution as it burns
Must be transported after being mined
Oil
Advantages:
Employes a lot of people
Our only current means of transporting large numbers of people (gas/oil/fuel)
I can come up with no other reasonable advantages
Disadvantages:
Oil spills
Transportation and pumping costs
Financial support of terorist countries
Harm to wildlife habitat
Natural Gas
Advantages:
A by-product that use to just be burned of but is now used
Employes large numbers of people
Burns cleanly
Relatively inexpensive
Disatvantages:
Exsposive
Transportation/shipping/piping costs
Toxic if acidentally released (without burning)
Support of terrorist countries
~Garnet
Homesteading/Farming over 20 years
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list of renewable and non renewable energy sources in Austrialia?
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