Ecology is the interaction between organisms and their physical environment. The factors that encourage this interaction, are the abiotic and biotic.Abiotic factors would be the different components that determine the physical space in which living organisms; among the most important, can be found: the light is of the most important factors develop life on our planet, this is an extremely important abiotic factor.Monday, March 7, 2011
Abiotic factors of ecology
Ecology is the interaction between organisms and their physical environment. The factors that encourage this interaction, are the abiotic and biotic.Abiotic factors would be the different components that determine the physical space in which living organisms; among the most important, can be found: the light is of the most important factors develop life on our planet, this is an extremely important abiotic factor.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Biomass Advantages - Put Your Waste Products in Your Gas Tank
Check out these biomass advantages.
1. Biomass energy resources is plentiful.Anything that will decompose and/or burn can be used as biomass energy. Therefore, biomass resources are very plentiful. Grass clippings, animal waste, corn stalks, acorns, tree limbs, meal scraps ...... can all be used for biomass energy.
2. It is easy to convert to fuel I used to drive by a landfill in Indiana every month. There used to be pipes coming out of the landfill with flames that never stopped. They were burning off methane gas from the buried waste. Alcohol has been around for thousands of years. In fact, automobiles and other machinery were running on ethanol almost 100 years ago. And guess what? Brazil, the fifth largest country in the world is independent of foreign oil. they run all their cars on Ethanol. So the technology is there.
3. The Technology is There. The technology is there to produce alcohol as a fuel or to make biodiesel fuel. Farmers were using it almost 100 years ago. Henry Ford was an advocate of alcohol fuel before the Prohibition. Brazil, the fifth largest country in the world, uses nothing but alcohol as it's choice of automotive fuel. Alcohol itself has been around for thousands of years. And anyone can get a permit to produce alcohol fuel from the government.
4. Helps to utilize idle farmland and deforested areas. There is still plenty of land out there that can be producing biomass. Using this idle land will produce biomass, create jobs and help us break away from foreign oil. A great plus for biomass advantages.
5. Biomass absorbs CO2 If it is produced on a renewable basis using biomass energy does not result in a net carbon dioxide increase as plants absorb it when they grow. Through the process of photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is absorbed into the plants. When burned, CO2 is emitted but at least it is balanced out. fossil fuels only add CO@ into the atmosphere.
To learn more about alternative energy resources and biomass advantages, click here.
Biomass Fuel
Disadvantages of Biomass Energy
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Climate Confusion
Climate Confusion: How Global Warming Hysteria Leads to Bad Science, Pandering Politicians and Misguided Policies that Hurt the Poor
The current frenzy over global warming has galvanized the public and cost taxpayers billions of dollars in federal expenditures for climate research.
It has spawned Hollywood blockbusters and inspired major political movements. It has given a higher calling to celebrities and built a lucrative industry for scores of eager scientists.
In short...
ending climate change has become a national crusade.
And yet, despite this dominant and sprawling campaign, the facts behind global warming remain as confounding as ever.
In climate confusion, distinguished climatologist Dr. Roy Spencer observes that our obsession with global warming has only clouded the issue.
Forsaking blindingly technical statistics and doomsday scenarios, Dr. Spencer explains in simple terms how the climate system really works...
why man's role in global warming is more myth than science...
and how the global warming hype has corrupted Washington and the scientific community.
The reasons, Spencer explains, are numerous biases in government funding of scientific research, our misconceptions about science and basic economics,even our religious beliefs and world views.
From Al Gore to Leonardo DiCaprio, the climate change industry has given a platform to leading figures from all walks of life, as pandering politicians, demagogues, and biased scientists forge a self-interested movement whose proposed policy initiatives could ultimately devastate the economies of those developing countries they purport to aid.
This book is a much needed wake up call for all of us on planet earth. Dr. Spencer's clear-eyed approach combined with his sharp wit and intellect, bring transparency and levity to the issue of global warming as he takes on wrong headed attitudes and misguided beliefs that have led to our state of panic.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Build Solar Panels - Declare Independence and Build Solar Panels
Say goodbye to electric bills and hello to renewable energies. Build solar panels. Solar power is one of the best and most reliable renewable energy sources available.
The problem most novice environmental warriors find is that the cost of professionally installed solar power systems is way beyond their budget and it could take well over 10 years to see a return on their investment.
Never fear, there are alternatives. The most cost-effective way to take advantage of the power of the sun is to make solar panels on your own.
Sound like too much? If you are scared it would be difficult, it is just not true. It is easy to construct solar panels with the proper instructions.
Easy enough for kids, teens and adults. The parts aren?t complicated either.
Most of the supplies you would need to make solar panels are available at your local hardware store or you can purchase a solar panel kit, which will include all the parts you require to be generating your own energy from the sun.It is possible to construct several small solar panels to power small appliances or small tools in your workshop. Or for the very adventurous and determined alternative energy seeker, you could construct solar panels to service a much larger electric load.
There are many resources and guides available with detailed instructions on how to build solar panels. The first and most important step is to seek out quality detailed instructions. Then it is off to your local hardware store to find or order your supplies and next thing you know, or the next time you have some free time, you will be able to assemble and install the system yourself.
Watch out though, the neighbors may start asking you to construct solar panels for them too. Not only is it going to save you money to make solar panels yourself, but you can feel proud that you are doing your part for the environment as well.
Declaring your independence from fossil fuels and making a much-needed impact on the world and in your neighborhood.
Professional solar power systems can cost thousands to be installed and in today?s economy most of us don?t have money to spare. Make the choice to go solar today. and learn to build solar panels on your own. It will be savings you can be proud of.
How to Build a Solar Panel
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Walmart to Install Thin Film Solar Panels
Prominent corporations are paying special attention to go green and create a conducive environment for clean and green energy. Walmart too is taking appreciative steps in the field of alternative energy. In the year 2007, Walmart entered into a partnership with Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to provide a thrust to the photovoltaic technologies. It was related with thin-film solar. They aimed for taking it out from labs to the real world.
In the practical world, products should be commercially viable, consistent, and cost effective. Walmart is already installing the solar panels in its stores in southern California, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Now they made it public to install more solar panels to another 20 to 30 outlets in California and Arizona. With this step they are moving towards their pledge of going 100% green in future.
Walmart will procure its thin-film solar panels from Tempe, Arizona-based First Solar and MiaSolé. First Solar utilizes cadmium telluride and MiaSolé, and makes use of copper, indium, gallium and selenide (CIGS) for their modules. Both of these companies offer low cost solar panels and provide an alternative to costly silicon based panels.
Why California and Arizona: California and Arizona were chosen for the new Walmart solar installations because of the simple fact that these two states receive ample sunshine. But another economic fact is that these two states provide financial incentives thus giving necessary impetus for the expansion of solar drive. Walmart also aims to portray itself as an organization that cares about the world its customers live in. It is not merely the price that attracts consumers towards brands and organizations it is also the way they conduct business and show sensitivity towards burning issues like the environment and natural disasters. So aside from cost savings and upfront incentives Walmart also feels enthusiastic about the environmental impact its new decisions are going to make.
Advantages of Thin-Film semiconductors:
First advantage is that these films are less costly than silicon based solar panels. Another plus point is since these films are just 1 micron thick they require less materials for manufacturing. They offer one more good advantage: since these panels are light in weight they can be easily mounted on flat rooftops and work deftly during accumulation of snow too. Thin-film panels don’t interfere with skylights. They also work better in smog or fog conditions. In advanced applications, thin film solar can even be incorporated into the building envelope itself, further reducing life-cycle cost.
Project’s Success: Alternative energy project’s successes are calculated by two mainly yardsticks. First, some significant amount of energy is converted into clean and green energy and second, how much greenhouse gas emissions are reduced. Thin-Film solar cells’ performance is not disappoint on these two fronts. They cost around the same or slightly less than the electricity generated from the conventional sources. Installing thin-film solar cells also give returns like any other infrastructure project.
Future Performance of Thin-Film solar Cells for Walmart:
After the installation of the thin-film solar cells in the proposed locations of Walmart they are expected to yield more than 22.5 million kilowatt hours of energy per year. This will meet up the 20 to 30% needs of the each outlets. If we want to know in terms of reduction in greenhouse gases, it would be equal to more than 11,650 metric tons of GHG. It means we are taking more than 3,000 cars off the road each year.
Kim Saylors Laster, who is the Walmart vice president of energy, says, “By leveraging our global scale to become a more efficient company, we are able to lower our expenses and help develop markets for new technologies. Developing and incorporating new renewable energy sources, like thin film, reduces energy price risk and aligns very well with our commitment to solving business challenges through technology.”
Looking at the 8,350 outlets of Wallmart, their going green move is still in infancy. They have a long way to go.
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Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Zinc-Oxide Nanostructure Production Made Easy
Two scientists are on a path-breaking method to produce ’sea-urchins’ to expedite the work capacity and efficiency of photovoltaic devices. Jamil Elias and Laetitia Philippe are the two scientists from Empa’s Mechanics of Materials & Nanostructures Laboratory who have been successful in producing these tiny ’sea urchins’ which are ready to revolutionize solar-cell technology. New methods are generally difficult procedures, more so when the aim is to lend materials new characteristics as well by new processes. The two scientists from Thun have used materials that do not cost a bomb and they have achieved these results without utilizing any instrumentation that costs too much time and/or money.
Sea-urchins from polystyrene spheres:
These nano-structures that look like sea-urchins are created by a very easy electrochemical method. Microspheres of polystyrene form the basis of the template on which deposits of semiconducting zinc-oxide nano-wires form the three-dimensional substrates. Hollow spherical-shaped structures with spines sticking out on all sides are formed that look exactly like sea-urchins.
Cost-effective method:
This experiment has been universally applauded as basic material polystyrene is an economical and easily available material and once the nano-wire developing process is completed, the polystyrene is removed and only the zinc-oxide nano-wire structures are ready for use in solar cells. The electrochemical method is also cost competitive and simple.
The electrochemical process:
This electrochemical process was developed successfully by Jamil Elias. By changing the polystyrene balls’ conductivity and the electrolytic properties, he has been successful in getting zinc oxide deposited densely on the surface of the small polystyrene microspheres, and regular nano-wires grow over time tightly packed on the underlying substrate. These spines increase the surface area considerably.
Uses of these sea-urchins:
These nano-structured ’sea-urchin’-like looking surfaces have the potential to be used in electronic and optoelectronic devices – in short-wave lasers, light emitting diodes, solar cells and field-emission displays.
Research Team:
Swiss Federal Office of Energy is supporting the project for developing extremely thin absorbers (ETAs) for solar cells from these nano-structures and Laelatia Philippe and Jamil Elias are part of the research team which is working on zinc-oxide nano structures. Their research results were reported on-line in Advanced Materials attracted so much attention and gained so great popularity that it was chosen to appear on the inside front cover of the journal subsequently.
Expectations for ETA:
The researchers are hoping that the ‘nano-structured’ surface will have very effective light scattering properties. Absorbing a higher amount of sunlight and converting more radiated energy into electric power more effectively. The team is hopeful that spine-structured surface will increase the efficiency of photovoltaic devices significantly.
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Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Wind Energy Instruments getting Bigger & Better
Renewable energy production and demand growth is gaining momentum in many ways across the world. There is a booming demand of wind power today and all wind energy equipment manufacturers are gearing up to meet the demand and take advantage of it. Wind power capacity growth will be reaching 447GW in the next five years and by year 2014 end, Asia will lead the world in installed wind capacity. Enercon is amongst the other manufacturers who are focusing on 3MV-class wind turbines based on E-82/2.0. Without increasing the component sizes, there are new designs to operate at 3MW power. There will be a 3-6% increased yield because of these innovative designs as claimed by the Enercon.
Class I and II wind sites:
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has rated wind sites as Class I and II wind sites – IA and IIA sites. Various designs are being tested for low-wind speed inland sites as well as high-wind speed sites. E-82/2.3MW and E-82/3MW are for strong wind sites and E-1-1/3MW is for low-wind speed sites.
New designs at EWEC 2010:
The European Wind Energy Conference & Exhibition was held in Warsaw in Poland in April and REPower Systems AG presented two new improvements on their 3.XM series for sites with low-wind speed. 3.2M114 and 3.410 are optimal for less windy spots and 3.4104 on a 93 meter tower was specifically done for UK market as well special designs for Canada too.
Onshore wind turbines:
Large onshore wind turbines are now the forte of Alstom Wind. Easy maintenance and markedly ergonomically viable design make ECO 110 – their flagship – a successful larger scale rotor wind turbine.
New machines on display:
The EWEC 2010 showcased quite a few new designs and Gamesa and Siemens Energy are two of the companies putting up their G128-4.5 MW platform and wind turbine, and SWT-3.0-101 Direct Drive wind turbine respectively. Nordex SE has displayed N80, N90, and N100 wind turbines. Compact designs and superior specifications make these wind turbines remarkably efficient and noteworthy. They will increase the profitability with an assurance of quality and reliability.
Measures to improve energy output:
There are growing demands for more versatile machines which can be relied upon, durable and at the same time economical both while working with trouble-free maintenance. The people who invest in wind power want reliable and accurate data collection which can be reviewed easily. Today all the major wind power machine manufacturing companies are vying with each other to provide detailed and instant knowledge about wind and weather forecasting to improve energy output.
Future of Wind power:
Future of wind power is bright and shining as detailed studies by EWEA have already shown that power generation from wind energy is most economical. The consumers are reaping good benefits financially from wind power. There is no doubt”That wind is already directly curbing European electricity prices is perhaps less obvious, and all the more significant for it.”
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