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Welcome to CleanEnergyNiche
Alternative Cooling
by Sam Streubel
Alternative Cooling
My favorite alternative cooling device is a gin and tonic. It's portable,
easy to operate and provides instant on-demand refreshment.
Is there such a thing as a Tanqueray energy tax credit?
Although you can install solar panels, a wind turbine or micro hydro to
generate the electricity to run an air conditioner, the only true whole
house alternative cooling method is a geothermal ground source pump.
The cost of this type of system can be recouped in as little as two years
on a new house installation, but the initial capital outlay is more than
most homeowners can afford.
Let's say you re-mortgage your house for $20,000 and you have a choice
between a new kitchen and a geothermal heat pump; how many new heat pumps
have your neighbors been showing off lately?
Less expensive options to consider:
Weatherization The only people who haven't learned the value of caulking,
weather stripping and insulating yet are living in caves or tents.
Fans Ceiling, paddle, and portable fans produce air motion across your
skin that increases evaporative cooling. A moderate breeze of one to two
miles an hour can extend your comfort range by several degrees.
Whole House Fans and Evaporative (Swamp) Coolers These devices can reduce
your air conditioning costs by 50% or more but are only effective if you
live in a dry climate (less than 40%humidity).
White Roofing Elastomeric roof coatings reflect 90% of the sun's rays and
will reduce the indoor temperature by 7 degrees according the independent
research laboratory MER Corporation. These coatings are for flat roofs and
cost around .50 per square foot to apply.
Radiant Barriers These shiny, reflective barriers keep excess heat out
of your attic in the summer or keeping your floors warm in the winter. Stapled
under the rafters or joists, it reflects 97 of the radiant heat that strikes
it. The non-profit Florida Solar Energy Center has shown that an attic radiant
barrier can reduce air conditioning costs by at least 20%.
Air Conditioners Clean the filter once a month. Turn off your A/C when
you leave for more than an hour. It saves money. Draw the shades while you're
at work. Close off unused rooms or, if you have central A/C, close the registers
in those rooms and shut the doors.
Set your A/C thermostat at 78°F--or higher if you have ceiling fans.
For each degree you raise the thermostat, you'll save 3%-5% on cooling costs.
If you want to make a fortune in alternative cooling, invent an air conditioner
that runs on corn.
About the Author
Save 10% on all Energy Federation energy saving products. Visit the Alternative-Heating-Info.com
home page for your 10% off checkout code.
Traveling the Highway to a Renewable Energy Future: A Look At Innovation
in Transportation by ECON Corporate Services - RES
RenewableEnergyStocks.com - ZAP, DynaMotive, Alchemy Enterprises, DaimlerChrysler
and Honda Motor Look to the Emerging Alternative Energy Transportation
Market
RenewableEnergyStocks.com June 2006
As oil consumption patterns are targeted for change, the market turns towards
innovators who are getting behind the wheel to produce new energy solutions.
With the growing level of support of alternative transportation technology
steadily gaining momentum from a corporate, government and consumer level,
innovations such as cleaner fuel sources, and energy efficient automotive
technology continue to result. Working to build on the emerging clean energy
opportunities in the transportation market are technology providers such
as ZAP (AMEX: ZP), DynaMotive Energy Systems Corporation (OTCBB: DYMTF),
Alchemy Enterprises (OTCBB: ACHM), DaimlerChrysler (NYSE: DCX), and Honda
Motor Co. Ltd (NYSE: HMC). Reducing our dependence on foreign oil has placed
the use of alternative transportation models into the limelight. Clean Edge
Inc., a San Francisco based research and consulting firm reporting on the
clean technology industry, reports, "Since roughly two-thirds of the
oil used in the U.S. is for transportation, energy security advocates are
focusing on hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles to save gasoline, and on
biofuels -- ethanol and biodiesel -- as key means to replace it. U.S. biodiesel
production tripled in 2005 to 75 million gallons, domestic ethanol output
continued its steady growth to nearly 4 billion gallons, while U.S. hybrid
car sales grew 144 percent to more than 205,000."
In light of the current market environment, Steven Schneider, Chief Executive
Officer and Director of ZAP (Zero Air Pollution) (NYSE: ZP) explains, "Anyone
that is producing an alternative energy vehicle at this moment in time is
certainly in a sweet spot. The concern over fuel prices and oil, combined
with environmental issues, global warming and all types of weather conditions
and climate change, including the unrest in the Middle East, has put so
much focus on companies who are coming up with another solution." ZAP
is the only company who currently provides full performance electric vehicles
for sale online and through licensed dealers. They also sell Smart Cars
and the soon to be released Obvio Ethanol gas hybrid.
Alchemy Enterprises, Ltd (OTCBB: ACHM) is developing a magnesium based
Electric Power Cell that will be able to provide power for vehicles using
reusable, renewable materials. The company is targeting a prototype to be
functioning in the first quarter of "07 in a full sized city bus, currently
under construction in conjunction with Designline of New Zealand, an international
producer of hybrid buses and vehicles.
The Electric Power Cell being developed by Alchemy uses magnesium - one
of the most common minerals on earth - as its catalyst material. Given the
further fact that the magnesium is "rechargeable" it is the perfect
answer to the twofold problem with combustion engines, and petroleum in
particular: pollution and non renewable source, fuel.
Alchemy's CEO Jonathan Read explains, "We expect that the very nature
of our Electric Power Cell will provide a significant alternative to the
potentially flawed hydrogen fuel concepts that are being tested at this
stage. Our objective is a fuel system that is clean, renewable and reusable.
Instead of highly pressurized and leak prone hydrogen systems, our system
provides power on demand - hydrogen on demand - and is a model for sustainable
affordable long-term power systems"
"Our first prototype is being developed for the public transportation
sector as it is the easiest to control and monitor given their centralized
nature. We hope to then expand to fleet applications, and will be entertaining
automobile joint ventures," adds Read.
Alchemy is developing their Electric Fuel Cell in a full development contract
with NASA and its Jet Propulsion Labs and Cal Tech in Pasadena, CA. It has
announced that this contractual relationship may result in Cal Tech taking
an 8% stake in the Company.
The Hybrid and Plug-In Route
Cost is all too often seen as a primary barrier, when it comes to presenting
a hybrid alternative to the eternal combustion conundrum. According to CNW
Marketing Research Inc., "One of the reasons hybrids cost more than
non-hybrids is the manufacture, replacement and disposal of such items as
batteries, electric motors (in addition to the conventional engine), lighter
weight materials and complexity of the power package."
From another angle, Nick Cappa, Manager of Advanced Technology Communications
for DaimlerChrysler (NYSE: DCX) says, "At this point there is no silver
bullet for reducing our dependency on foreign oil. Hybrids will play a role
but how significant a role depends on the customer. The premium for a hybrid
must meet expectations."
At the moment he says, "hybrids make up less than .5% of the North
American market. That percentage is expected to be around 4% by 2012. DaimlerChrysler
will introduce its first hybrid to market in 2008 with the 2-Mode Full Hybrid
Dodge Durango. We see hybrids as a growing market. Other technologies will
also have an affect on fuel consumption. "
As far as plug-ins and the Company's own plans for innovating are concerned,
Cappa says, "Although DaimlerChrysler is the only auto manufacturer
building and testing plug-in hybrid technology, we have made no plans for
mass production of plug-in technology. By combining diesel hybrids with
lithium ion battery technology we stay on the cutting edge. The data collected
will go towards future hybrid vehicle and system design."
Presenting the industry with electric alternative vehicles, ZAP is the
only company who markets electric vehicles online. Schneider says, "interest
is coming in on a global basis. As a company we're focusing on getting the
vehicles to the North American region first and as we perfect the infrastructure
here in North America, we'll be rapidly expanding to other parts of the
world."
"I believe that plug-in vehicles have a rapidly growing niche in the
market that most of us don't quite yet understand, but will very soon. Further
to this, he says, "the bench tests are showing a longevity of 9,000
cycles- that's like 9,000 refills of your gasoline car, which is 10-15 years
depending on how much you actually drive. This makes it very convenient
for a consumer to make a choice between gasoline powered vehicles or plug-in
vehicles because the time to plug in and the time to fill up is about the
same," concludes Schneider.
Biofuel's Boost
In an attempt to help promote energy independence, U.S. automakers General
Motors, Ford and Daimler Chrysler, recently expressed their public support
of an energy plan from the Energy Future Coalition. The plan titled "25
by 25" entails that 25 percent of the energy supplies for the U.S.
would come from a combination of ethanol and other renewables by the year
2025. E85, an alternative fuel consisting of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline,
has become a key focus in the quest for cleaner domestic sources of fuel
and through plans such as "25 by 25" and other clean energy proposals,
steps can be taken to increase the availability and distribution of this
fuel.
Alexander Muller, Assistant Director-General for the Sustainable Development
Department of the FAO has instilled the overall impression that, "The
gradual move away from oil has begun. Over the next 15 to 20 years, we may
see biofuels providing a full 25 percent of the world's energy needs." With
this in mind, more of a spotlight could be placed on biofuels, as it becomes
more evident that this is a viable alternative for the mass market."
DynaMotive Energy Systems Corporation (OTCBB: DYMTF) has been developing
advanced fuels made from cellulosic biomass for some time. Andrew Kingston
President and CEO affirms that, "With the escalating cost of fossil
fuels and the dependence on crude oil as the primary source of energy for
automobiles, it has become increasingly important to develop sustainable
fuels from local resources, thus diminishing the reliance on foreign energy."
Describing the dynamics of BioOil conversion to synthetic gas, Kingston
says, "We've successfully converted BioOil to syngas, with the objective
to establish that syngas can be further reformed to synthetic diesel." For
future transport applications he says, "Synthetic diesel can be used
as transport fuel in diesel engines without modification, including automobiles,
trucks, and buses. When comparing the performance of engines operating on
Syndiesel to engines operating on conventional diesel, the results are equal
or better. Synthetic diesel, or Syndiesel, is a renewable greenhouse gas
neutral fuel that can replace diesel produced from crude oil."
Kingston further stated, "There is also a promising approach to ethanol
production from the reformation of BioOil to syngas utilizing a variance
of Fisher Tropsch process, which DynaMotive is exploring." Currently,
the Company's product BioOil is used as an industrial fuel and can be used
in gas turbines, boilers, kilns and stationary diesel engines.
New Directions
Chris Martin, spokesman for Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (NYSE: HMC) says that
the progress made in the hybrid market has been, "a slow evolution
over time. It's really difficult to predict where the market is going to
go." Martin says that in addition to hybrids, the Company's Variable
Cylinder Management (VCM) technology, which shuts down the cylinders not
being used during vehicle drive times, is also part of their line.
A Honda Civic GX, which runs on natural gas, also plays a key part in their
line of alternative energy solutions. Martin says that for this car, "the
infrastructure to refuel your natural gas vehicle is already in place, because
many American homes are already supplied with natural gas." The Phill
home refueling station, offered by Honda's partner Fuel Maker, offers at-home
natural gas refueling for owners of the new Civic. A map showing where the
Californian natural gas refueling stations are located is online at: http://www.cngvc.org/ngv/cngvc.nsf/bytitle/cal.htm
As the nation continues to drive forward towards energy alternatives through
government, business and legislative support, the transportation industry
is experiencing an evolution towards greater efficiency, environmental preservation
and an improved ability for domestic producers to help establish energy
independence. Resulting from this push is a variety of innovative clean
energy technologies that are helping to solve many of the needs felt by
today's transportation channels, turning yesterday's challenges into today's
market opportunities.
RenewableEnergyStocks.com (RES), a portal within the InvestorIdeas.com
content umbrella, does not make recommendations, but offers investors research,
news and links to public companies within the renewable and clean energy
sector.
InvestorIdeas.com
Disclaimer: www.InvestorIdeas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp©Copyright
InvestorIdeas 2006
About the Author
RenewableEnergyStocks.com (RES), a portal within the InvestorIdeas.com content
umbrella, does not make recommendations, but offers investors research,
news and links to public companies within the renewable and clean energy
sector.
This Energy's A Breeze
In 2005, the wind energy industry of the United States exceeded all earlier
annual records for installed capacity. Last year the wind energy industry
installed almost 2500 megawatts of new equipment to generate wind power
worth more than $3 billion. According to the American Wind Energy Association,
these were installed in 22 different states. In 2006, expected wind energy
installations are predicted to top 3000 megawatts.
The final 2431 megawatt wind energy total exceeded 2004 by more than 35
percent, which gave the U.S. a wind energy capacity of 9149 megawatts total.
Now commercial wind turbine commercial equipment products have been installed
in 30 states.
The wind energy installations that the U.S. now has will be able to deliver
electricity equal to the needs of 2.3 million U.S. households. The second
advantage of this wind energy is that it displaces carbon dioxide emissions
totaling 15 million tons each year. These carbon dioxide emissions are the
top cause of greenhouse gas.
The U.S. congress made these record shattering numbers possible with its
extension of the credit for wind energy production. The American Wind Energy
Association announced its pleasure with the extension, stating that now
companies could hope to grow, to create new jobs and to provide an abundance
of clean wind energy driven power to customers throughout the U.S. It seems
as though the United States is finally starting to tap into the vast energy
of the wind.
This phenomenal growth in construction of wind energy facilitators comes
as customers face gas and electric hikes of great proportion due to increasing
gas prices brought on primarily by Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters.
Fuel prices went as high as $15 per thousand cubic foot as compared with
last year's $5-$7 averages.
Wind power, and its ability to generate energy without the use of fossil
fuel, is now being realized as a hedge against these rising fuel energy
costs. Wind energy production is not affected by fuel costs and thus very
attractive right now.
Interesting nuclear energy reports include the fact that California leads
the U.S. pack with the highest number of wind energy facilities, although
Texas isn't far behind and Iowa a close third. Minnesota and Oklahoma come
in fourth and fifth.
The firms responsible for the greatest manufacture of the wind energy turbines
are General Electric, which makes 60 percent of the turbines; Vestas which
produces 30 percent and Mitsubishi that supplies about 8 percent of the
wind energy turbines that the U.S. uses. The fourth and fifth wind energy
suppliers, respectively, are Suzion and Gamesa.
About the Author John Francis
Learn everything you need to know about Energy, from conserving it to energy
drinks.
Hydropower As A Major Player In The Energy Game
by Rick Chapo
Hydropower has been a slumbering giant in the energy game. Since the 1960s,
its use has actually gone down compared to other energy sources. This
is beginning to change.
Hydropower As A Major Player In The Energy Game
Hydropower is the massive production of electricity through the conversion
of kinetic energy in water into electricity. This is typically undertaken
in the form of a dam on a river. Water is held back by the dam and then
fed in a controlled manner through it. On its way, the water spins turbines
that crank generators and produce electricity. Famous projects include Hoover
Dam in the United States, Nasser Dam in Egypt and the new Three Gorges Dam
in China.
The primary question with hydropower is why we do not use it more. In some
countries, such as Norway, it is the primary source of energy production.
It is popular because it is a clean energy platform that produces no emissions,
pollution, heat or fuel consumption. As long as the river runs, the hydropower
plant should function. In places like Africa, this has not always been a
sure thing.
Compared to other energy platforms, hydropower is very efficient. Energy
conversion rates are in the 80 to 90 percent range. The plants also have
a long life as you can see with any dam, and maintenance costs are relatively
low. Cost of energy production, thus, is lower or on par with other energy
platforms including oil.
While hydropower seems like a slam dunk option as an energy platform, there
are a few definite negatives. The initial cost of building a hydropower
dam can be very large. Hundreds of millions of dollars can be required.
Larger projects such as the Three Gorges dam run into the billions. These
figures are staggering for smaller countries and even give pause to most
first world ones. With the rising costs of fossil fuels, however, this is
becoming less of an issue each and every day.
The other area that causes concern with hydropower dams is the environmental
and human impact. Damming a river is no easy task and the impact is massive.
To effectively work, a hydropower dam will reduce the flow of water to such
an extent that tens if not hundreds of miles of land behind it will be submerged.
In the case of the Three Gorges Dam, this led to the removal of entire cities,
monasteries and massive changes to the landscape. There is no disputing
this negative issue, but localized changes seem minor compared to the global
impact of fossil fuel use.
There is not much glamour to hydropower, but it does represent one of the
cleanest and efficient energy platforms available to us.
About the Author
Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com, a directory of solar energy companies.
Visit us to read more articles on solar power.
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