Home

Harnessing Nuclear Power with Fission or Fusion Processes?

Posted in Energy-Efficiency on November 7th, 2011 by Jim – Comments Off

Let me just start this article with the fact that nuclear fusion is highly experimental, and even if the research has come a long way, we are still several decades away from using this energy source commercially. However, nuclear fusion has several major advantages over convectional energy sources today, and even though the principles behind are somewhat similar to nuclear fission, the potential is on another level.

What is Nuclear Power?

Nuclear power is the source of energy that fuel most of the processes in the Universe, responsible for the creation and destruction of starts, as well as the being the life force behind them. It is the solely most potent form of energy we have so far discovered and scientist have been working the last 70 years on how to tame and harness these processes for generating useful energy.

They have come a long way. It did not take many years after the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, before nuclear fission reactors started popping up around the globe.

Nuclear Fusion

Nuclear fusion is the name of the process where two lighter atoms merge into one (the opposite of nuclear fission), and in the process has net loss of mass. This mass is converted into massive amounts of energy through Einstein’s formula E = mc^2, where the constant c is the speed of light. There are several large obstacles when it comes to harness nuclear fusion, one of them being finding the right material to sustain the amount of heat that is required to actually make these atoms merge together.

Abundant Fuel

Nuclear fusion can use (unlike nuclear fission that requires uranium or similar heavy atoms) seawater as fuel. That is we extract the deuterium hydrogen isotopes out of seawater. It has been estimated that about 1 liter of seawater is equivalent to 100 liters of petrol.

Relatively Low Radioactivity

The other major advantage of nuclear fusion is the fact that the radioactivity (both in half-life and strength) of the byproducts of nuclear fusion are much milder than that of nuclear fission.

Fusion is The Future

If we one day are able to harness the awesome power of nuclear fusion (the same source that fuel’s and keeps the sun alive and burning), then we have reached a major milestone in human history. This is the day our energy system is transformed, our dependency for non-renewable and polluting energy sources is lost, and we are closer to a completely green and clean future. You might want to read more up on nuclear fusion in How Does Nuclear Fusion Power Plants Work?

Offshore Wind Turbines and the Future

Posted in Energy on October 27th, 2011 by Jim – Comments Off

Wind turbines have been around for several decades now, providing reliable wind power at affordable prices for the consumer. What is offshore wind power? In many ways, offshore wind power, is almost exactly the same as the wind power we see on land, but there are some major differences. I’m going to go through the most important ones as well as telling you why offshore wind is going to be an important part of our future.

The wind resources offshore differ from onshore wind in two main ways: They are stronger and more reliable (stable). This of course, along with the fact that offshore wind turbines possess a smaller threat to the environment and the overall aesthetics, is got the renewable industry so interested.

The foundation that offshore wind turbines are structured at is very different from what we see on land. Because these foundations need to provide a stable fundament for the turbines on sea, more caution has to be taken into account when developing them. There are mainly two different types of bases of an offshore wind turbine:

Fixed Base

These can support wind turbines at depths up to about 100 meters. As the name says, these bases are fixed in the bottom of the ocean, and therefore limiting the depth they can be installed at. There are several different types and manufacturers of these wind turbines, each offering their own advantages and disadvantages.

Fleeting Base

Then there’s the fleeting base structure. These can be used to installed wind turbines at much greater depths (estimated for up to 700 meters). What this means is that we have access to much larger wind resources and a lot of the ethical and aesthetical downsides of both onshore and near-shore wind turbines diminish. There are currently only one wind turbine that is installed offshore at this time, but if it is successful we can expect a lot more of them in the near future!

Bottom Line

Offshore wind has had a very impressive growth in the last few years. Denmark, England and China are currently the leading countries, each one of them having a tremendous potential for developing offshore wind. They have many ongoing projects that potentially could tenfold the current installed offshore wind-output. There is no doubt that we will see more offshore wind in the future!

You can read more about these technologies at EnergyInformative.org, a site dedicated to bringing the latest news about both renewable and non-renewable energy sources.

What Jobs Can an Electrician Get in Green Energy and Make the Most Out of It

Posted in Energy on September 26th, 2011 by Jim – Comments Off

In Minnesota a local union created and it was called the Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. This is made up of a wind power training center that simulates rescue and climbing scenarios that would help people be more knowledgeable about green energy. In that same state there are 186 wind turbines that now exist, and 35,000 more are being built. Even if the United States is the largest harvester of wind energy it still only accounts to less than two percent of the country’s electricity. As an electrician, if you would ask me what jobs can an electrician get in green energy; my answer would be a lot.

The Obama administration has supported all projects that deal with saving the environment that is why there are so many companies that focus in making sure that they do their part in saving the environment as well. The largest turbine built can hold 3 megawatts of electricity and as the days go by we will definitely be seeing more of these. Nowadays, when training centers do electrician training, discussing green energy is now being part of the curriculum. If you have taken an electrician’s course in the past it would be good to have refresher trainings so you can equip yourself with the basic know how on green energy.

The most common sources of energy would be solar and the wind energy. These initiatives are not only happening in the United States but in other counties as well. With the support of the government and other training centers like the Central Electrical Training center, there would be more people that are going to be trained to use green energy as an alternative. Whatever we do and whatever career we choose, we should always make it a point to grab every opportunity possible to learn more about our chosen field and have a competitive advantage in order to succeed.

Every Day Life Is Much Easier With Solar Panel Technology

Posted in Energy on August 20th, 2011 by Jim – Comments Off

Technology is often a essential part of life, even when touring. This is certainly tricky given that some locations, particularly the great outdoors, do not have electric outlets. Our products will not work if we cannot keep them charged.

This concern may be fixed. A solar phone charger is accessible for people to use wherever they are. Sunlight is available wherever you are on the planet. Carry all your toys with you, you will have no issue charging them.

Several trickle chargers for car batteries are actually solar powered. These types of chargers contain a 12v battery charger that supply 0.5 amps of current or less. This can be great for recharging the battery on your own parked vehicle for the reason that the key-off electrical load is normally below 0.1 amps. It is really an fantastic option for those who have to charge gizmos in their automobile.

The latest solar trickle charger for car battery units are much stronger than older devices. Some of these newer types are made out of a fabric that may be rolled into a ball, causing them to be ideal for harsh environments.

It is very important utilize a battery disconnect switch when using large photovoltaic systems. Even though trickle chargers for car batteries will help you prevent your battery packs from dying, an electrical disconnect will guarantee that equipment loads are shut off and the trickle chargers for car batteries can perform its job of recharging the battery.

Basic solar power systems like a solar cell phone charger does not need a disconnecting switch. Higher power photovoltaic installations in vehicles will be needing either a RV battery disconnect switch or perhaps a car battery disconnect switch.

Simply being responsible about the ecosystem has just gotten less complicated because of the power of the sun. Whether or not you may be not positive the way to begin using the power from the sun, it is possible to get in get in touch with with Enphase Energy and other photo voltaic companies. They’ll clarify why you ought to get solar power systems for houses.

So there’s very little excusing you from utilizing the advantages of solar energy.

Uses and Advantages of Solar Energy

Posted in Energy on May 31st, 2011 by Jim – Comments Off

Solar energy is an energy derived from solar radiation that can be converted to electricity. Solar energy, like biomass, geothermal, hydropower, wind and ocean, is a form of renewable energy resource, or one which, as a resource, is renewable on a regular basis at a relatively rapid rate and which makes itself available over an indefinite period of time.  There are advantages of solar energy which gives it an edge over other resources which are currently used for power generation. Energy being the backbone of a country’s economic progress and an important utility for every household, it is good to know of the benefits that can be derived from using energy supplied constantly by our Sun.

Environmental advantage of solar energy – Development and economic growth have environmental implications. Fossil fuel now widely used for power generation emits carbon dioxide that proved to be hazardous to the environment. Solar does not emit carbon. Increased use of this renewable energy would reduce the demand for electricity otherwise generated from power plants using fossil fuel.

Advantages of using solar energy –  Fossil fuel is now dwindling and, being a political commodity, its price is highly volatile. Like other primary commodities, it is socially sensitive and any movement whether in supply or price will be felt by even the lowest level of the community. Shifting to renewable energy use like solar would help reduce dependence on fossil fuel and the uncertainties it brings. What is more significant about solar is, it can be installed off grid. With this, more remote areas are now electrified resulting to increase in activities thus somehow easing poverty. And unlike fossil fuel, solar, being an exhaustible resource, is there as long as the sun shines. More importantly, solar radiation is widely distributed over the earth.

There are advantages and disadvantages of solar energy. But with the current issues the world faces in terms of energy security, environment protection and climate change, shift to solar use is a significant step to help address these pressing concerns.