Home Renewable Energy Systems

Traditional, fossil fuels like oil, coal and natural gas are a limited resource. As it becomes more difficult to detect and extract from the earth, the costs to the consumer are sure to rise. This trend will continue if more resources continue to be used. And there are potentially more telling costs that come with using fossil fuels. These fuels are though to be a leading contributor to our current environmental problems like global warming and may leave an uncertain world for future generations. So what other alternatives exist to using these traditional forms of energy generation. This article will cover a few of the alternative energy sources that are being touted as practical solutions both commercially and for the individual homeowner.

The first alternative energy source to be covered is solar energy. Many people are quite familiar with solar power and it is not uncommon to see many a neighbors house with a solar panel on the roof. Indeed, mankind has always used the Sun's energy since earliest times but only in the past 60 years has it developed to the extent that we are now familiar.

Currently we use the Sun's heat and light to get usable energy.

Heat energy provided by the sun is used for many things like heating water, heating a room or cooking food. As we can feel the heat provided to by the Sun, the inspiration for using it as a renewable energy resource was not a great leap. In reality, the Sun was used by many of these civilizations not only as an energy resource but also as a god, indicating the importance that they gave it.

Harnessing energy from sunlight is still a relatively new discovery by comparison. The photo voltaic cell (PV cell) is the technology that makes this happen. It was first used in the 19th century but only started being produced commercially in the 1970's.

The idea behind this issunlight gives the atoms in the PV cell enough energy to throw loose a spare electron. Many cells and more sunlight cause more electrons to flow. This is the principle of direct current (DC). Direct current can be used as is, stored in batteries for later use or converted to alternating current for use in homes.

Another popular option in terms of renewable energy is the use of wind power. I think this is because it is fairly well understood by most people as a concept. It may also be because plenty of wind turbines are popping up all over the countryside.

A wind turbine is a towering structure that uses the power of the wind to turn a number blades. The kinetic energy turns a generator that, in turn, creates electricity. Many developed and developing countires are increasing their production of wind turbines each year. They represent a clean and cheap way to create energy.

Wind turbines or mills are an option even in the suburban home and can be constructed quite cheaply. It is quite simple to build a windmill or turbine from scratch or a pre-built variety can be purchased. Before this is done, it is important to ascertain the amount of wind you get and have a clear unobstructed place for the turbine to go. You may also want to notify your neighbors that you are erecting a turbine as it could be an issue with some people.

Other systems use water as the primary source of energy, utilizing the kinetic energy to create electricity. This is hydro-power and a dam is an obvious example of this process in action. Geothermal energy can also be used to some extent. The idea behind this is to use the heat found in the earth core to heat water, much like a hot spring or spa, to use as it is or as an input to a generator.