Most of the energy that runs our society today comes from fossil fuels. They are not in unlimited supply, however, and we should start now to find alternative sources of energy to prepare for what is to come. Clean energy sources such as wind, solar and hydroelectric are becoming more and more popular and as their technology is improved they are also becoming cheaper and cheaper. The ultimate goal is to make them cheaper than fossil fuels so that we can wean ourselves off of fossil fuels. Other types of renewable energy are also being developed, and many of them seem very promising. One of these energies is wave energy, which is garnering much excitement for powering cities in coastal regions. Waves are one of the densest forms of energy in nature, so with a relatively small power plant you can generate a lot of power. Wave energy also doesn't stop, unlike power from the wind or sun might. A country which is famous for its surfing, Australia, already has many of these generators powering its homes. A wave power plant exists off the coast of a city just south of Sydney, about 100 yards off the coast. It produces enough energy to power 500 homes and desalinates enough water to supply those homes with fresh drinking water, as well. It weighs about 500 tons. It is very well built so that it can survive most major storms. It makes about 500kW of energy and it was $4.7M to build. Although it is still fairly expensive, as technology develops it will become much cheaper. In fact, many renewable energy experts believe that is has the best chance of any renewable energies to become cheaper than fossil fuels.
You will save hundreds of dollars a month... and thousands of dollars a year... for the rest of your life. Some people switching to solar power have been able to slash their electricity bill by 80% or more!
Solar energy is also the cheapest way to generate renewable energy. You will be able to protect your pocket book during these recession times and spend money on more important things.
You will have a lot of fun in building your own power systems. You can do it with your close friends and family during a week-end and everyone will enjoy it.
The savings can typically pay for a solar system in one month's time. Plus, the fuel is free, with no moving parts, the cells require little upkeep and because they burn no fuel and have no moving parts, solar systems are clean and silent. Another great reason to install a renewable energy system in your home is that you will increase the value of your home by thousands!
You will be able to go completely off-grid if you want, knowing that rising energy prices will not affect you. Also, you could possibly be able to make the electricity company pay you, because the surplus of what you produce will make the meter go the other way, in case you want to stay on-grid.
Your probably wondering right now, but it's true. Most electric companies utilize net metering, which means your electricity meter can run forwards and backwards. When you produce more power than you use at any given moment, the meter runs backwards as you send the excess back to the grid and effectively sell that power back to your power company.
(They pay or credit you at exactly the same price per KWh they charge you). For the average customer this results in significant reductions in their electricity bill, though some generate more total power than they use and receive a payment from the electric company.
Most people are unaware that solar cells and wind power can be used to power up basically any appliance you have in your home: fridge, washing machine, computer, TVs, lights. While others wonder if solar energy really works.
Ponder this...solar cells were originally developed for use in space, where repair is extremely expensive, if not impossible. To this day solar energy still powers nearly every satellite circling the earth because it operates reliably for long periods of time with virtually no maintenance.
Both Mike Sullivan & Chris Jensen are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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