Although the multi-national conglomerates are often accused of doing nothing beneficial for the enviroment unless they are legislated to do so, there are some interesting exceptions. It seems that the corporate world is starting to realise our over dependence on fossil fuels is dangerous ( for the planet and the number crunchers bottom lines).
For instance, this week GE Energy Financial Services (an investment arm of General Electric Co), has stated that they will invest in a $350 million wind-generation project to supply the city of Austin, TX with renewable energy. The wind farm, developed by Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. (RES Group, UK - one of the world’s leading wind energy companies), is set to begin construction this month in Shackelford County about 30 miles northeast of Abilene. The farm will have 72 2.3 megawatt wind turbines and is expected to produce enough power every year to support 39,000 homes. There will be a 15-yr power purchase agreement in place with Austin.
PECO (an electric and natural gas utility serving 1.6 million electric and 480,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania and part of Exelon Energy Delivery) is inviting alternative energy producers to submit bids to sell alternative energy “credits” to help the company fulfill renewable energy requirements set by Pennsylvania’s recent Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards (AEPS) legislation. PECO wants to purchase up to a total of 250,000 renewable energy credits per year in a fixed price 5 year contract to be concluded in Spring of 2008 with a view to supply of energy credits by end 2008.
PECO is Pennsylvania’s largest utility, serving approximately 1.6 million electric customers operating and maintaining a network with 550 power substations, 21,000 miles of distribution and transmission lines, 27 gas gate stations and 6,000 miles of underground gas mains. PECO has been recognized as Pennsylvania’s safest utility by the state Department of Labor & Industry with related awards also from the Energy Association of Pennsylvania and the American Gas Association.
Solar power as an efficient and affordable option for lighting in the UK would have been unthinkable just a few short years ago - solar power in wet, windy and gloomy UK? - but now thanks to better technology and lower prices (due to increasing consumer awareness of global warming and emissions) it has now become a viable technology to save energy, money and the enviroment. There are several ways in which solar energy can be used to reduce usage of more conventional forms of energy such as fossil fuels.
use the light from the sun to create electricity via photovoltiac cells
use the heat from the sun to warm water/spaces
use the natural light from the sun to provide light indoors wherever possible
Image via WikipediaAlternative energy is basically any type of useful energy that does not rely on conventional fossil fuels, technically alternative energies do not have to be renewable but “alternative” and “renewable” or “sustainable” in common usage are interchangeable. When it comes to renewable energy, it is important for two reasons. You will find that there is lot that is hurting the environment. You will find that there is a lot of future harm from the greenhouse effect and effects caused by the fossil fuels. Renewable forms of energy are typically safe for the earth, making them a much cleaner option. Second, renewable energy sources are exactly what their name implies—renewable. Therefore, these sources of energy will not run out or become scarce and expensive, as fossil fuels will in the near future. Because the renewable energy sources are becoming more and more researched, it is only a matter of time when major energy companies begin their switch from fossil fuels to these alternative energies.
There are many different types of renewable energy, including solar, wind, water, geothermal, biomass, and tidal. Many effects will have a positive outlook on the environment because there is nothing produced by the energies that could harm the environment at all. Solar energy refers to power from the sun. We see this in everyday life as solar covers are placed on swimming pools to help then gather and retain heat. When you wear black on a sunny day, you will feel the effects of solar power. Solar power takes this heat and turns it into useful energy, which we can use to heat our homes and power other electronic devices. Wind energy is one of the oldest forms of alternative energy, along with water power, Windmills and waterwheels were used as early as the middle ages to produce energy, and are still being used in many countries today in refined forms. By using generators, you will be able to convert power into electricity by using things like generators, windmills, waterwheels, and other old-world technologies. Geothermal energy taps into the heat from the earth, by using geological hotspots such as volcanic sites, to produce energy. Biomass is also a very earth-like way of producing heat. This form of renewable energy refers to the use of once living organisms to produce heat and other forms of energy. Tidal waves can begin to make the energy or power that waterwheels and windmills in the same way. The ocean can also be used for its heated surface temperatures and cool deep-water temperatures to convert heat energy into useful electricity.
Image via WikipediaUnfortunately, the reality didn’t quite match up with the dream. Solar power cells were ( and still are) expensive to manufacture, and unless you had a lot of panels exposed to a lot of sunlight, solar power systems didn’t produce very much power. However, now that we’re seeing more refinement and advancements in solar power technology, along with growing popularity of renewable energy systems we may be witnessing a rebirth in solar power systems, at least in certain environments.
Solar PV (photovoltaic) uses energy from the sun to create electricity to run appliances and lighting. PV requires only daylight - not direct sunlight - to generate electricity.
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