Green Energy - Why and How

Why Green Energy

Never has there been such a desperate need for clean, environmentally friendly and cost effective energy. With disasters like the recent gulf oil spill, global warming and the ever increasing financial and environmental cost associated with oil, coal and other fossil fuels converting our homes and businesses to green energy is becoming a real priority. Why has the move to alternative or green energy become such a major issue and how can and should we proceed to address these issues.

Green energy can be described as usable energy that does not produce environmentally damaging,

effects or by-products. Alternative energy is energy that does not rely on the use of traditional energy sources such as wood, oil, gas, coal or nuclear materials. The emphasis of green or alternative energy is on renewable energy with sources such as solar and wind power. Solar power from the Sun and wind power all around us does not rely on the resources that we will in time totally use up, such as oil, gas and coal. Using solar or wind power also produces none of the environmentally damaging by-products associated with fossil or nuclear fuels.

Another major reason green or alternative energy is becoming a priority is the high financial cost associated with using traditional fossil fuels. With current crude oil prices approaching a $100 a barrel or more and forcing the cost of gasoline for our cars and fuel oil to heat our homes to record levels, the pure financial cost of continued reliance on fossil fuels in huge. There is another very real cost associated with fossil fuels - as we import a high percentage of our oil from overseas we as a country and a people are held hostage to the whim of foreign governments and their leaders.

How Green Energy

Green energy takes on two major forms:

1) energy to power our cars, trucks and other transportation needs and

2) energy to power, heat and cool our homes, businesses, schools and other buildings.

Much has been said but much less has been done regarding green energy options for transportation. Even with the availability of "green vehicles" there is still a very heavy reliance on non-renewable fuel sources for our vehicles. We find ourselves heavily reliant on the auto makers if there is to be any significant reduction in our reliance on fossil fuels.

In the realm of green energy for our homes, businesses and other buildings some progress is being made. Many corporations, schools and other businesses are now considering and experimenting with alternative energy as both cost reduction and conservation options. In many parts of the country wind turbine power is now used as a significant power source. Businesses continue to look to solar, wind and experimental sources such as fuel cells as a way to cut their energy cost.

For homeowners, commercially installed alternative energy is still a very expensive option beyond the financial reach of most. However, the option of do-it-yourself solar energy and wind energy for conversion to green energy homes is on the rise. The availability and lower cost of materials and more complete instruction on how to do your own green energy conversion have been real assets. Consider an alternate energy conversion for your home to generate a significant energy cost savings while doing a favor for the environment.

DeWayne Bridges is a student of alternative energy technology with a focus on do-it-yourself solar home energy.

Check out his review of the top do-it-yourself alternative energy guides, and additional solar energy articles at his website and blog below.

http://domesticsolarpanels.org/

http://domesticsolarpanels.org/blog/