Since blogging about our oil problem last week I’ve been thinking about what other sources of energy are available for us today. I’m not talking about all the things you hear about that someone is developing and touting as the salvation of us all. I fear that most of those will just disappear. However, there are other sources out there that we can use – maybe not for everything, but enough to reduce our oil consumption. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Solar power has been around for a long time. One of the simplest forms is to use solar energy to heat water, either for a pool or your home. Here’s a company, Solar Panels Plus, that has a variety of products for the average home. The U.S. Department of Energy has a site dedicated to information on home solar water heaters. If you live in a warm, southern climate costs for a system like this are very low. Even if you life in a colder, northern climate the total cost savings of a solar water heater over time can make it an excellent investment.
Another form of solar power is electricity generated by photovoltaic cells. Again this is a technology that has been around for quite a while; however, there have been a number of advancements in the last few years which have resulted in lower costs and higher energy production. In some locations it is possible to generate all your electrical needs using solar panels placed on the roof of your home. You might even be able to sell excess energy back to your power company! Check out this article in Business Week. Don’t want to do that much? Check out this how-to guide on building an inexpensive solar power generator.
Maybe you don’t get a lot of sun where you live but the wind is always blowing. Well, install a home wind turbine to get your energy. The American Wind Energy Association has some excellent information to get you up and running. Not sure about wind generated power? The Dutch have used wind power to run pumps to keep their land dry for centuries. The earliest reference to a windmill dates back to the 12th century. Something that has been around that long has to be reliable.
There are other sources for energy production; however, most of these are beyond the average homeowner. Water has been used to generate energy for centuries. Hydroelectric power plants are located throughout the world. Geothermal energy is also available in many places around the globe. But let’s get back to what we can do at home. Here are a few Web sites with information on what we can do NOW:
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