Renewable Energy Sources (continued - p2 of 2)

Wind Energy

Wind energy is used for producing electricity via wind turbines and electrical generators, or it can be used directly by converting wind energy into mechanical power for such tasks as pumping water, grinding grains or running a small saw mill. Wind power is clean, does not pollute or contribute to global warming and though output may be unpredictable, it can still reduce much, if not all of a household's energy use.

Biomass Energy

Biomass includes organic plant matter such as trees, grasses and agricultural crops, animal wastes and other biological materials. Biomass can serve as a carbon neutral source of energy because it only releases what it had already gathered from the sun, the earth, plants and animals. Because biomass does not add to or reduce pollution, it is considered renewable. Plant matter can be burned directly for cooking, lighting, space and water heating, or as a heat source to generate power from steam and stirling engines. Methane and ethanol can be produced from the anaerobic decay of organic plant matter, which can be burned to power vehicles and for similar purposes as for burning biomass directly.

Methane however is far more polluting than carbon dioxide, and it is released along with the stored CO2 when biomass is burned, and during the anaerobic decay of biomass. Hence, compost (which is a form of biomass which has decayed aerobically) is the only source of biomass I would personally consider to be environmentally friendly.

Combining Energy Sources

The combination of more than one renewable energy source is often a more practical solution, so as to provide a more constant and reliable source of power. For example, stirling and stored energy can provide for one's energy needs during the winter and off-peak hours, while hydroelectricity could produce much of a household's power in the spring. Solar energy is best taken advantage of during the day and the summer months, while wind power can account for much of the energy production in the fall.

Earth Friendly Electrical Energy Storage

One of the most practical, affordable, environmentally friendly, alternative energy storage mediums (that you don't have to design and build yourself) I've found as of yet uses ultra or super capacitors instead of toxic chemicals to store electrical energy. Ultra-capacitor batteries can replace standard chemical batteries for use in nearly all electrical devices, including electric vehicles. Fuel cells are another option for earth friendly energy storage, but still an expensive, impractical, inefficient option at best.

State, Federal and Other Incentives

Producing your own green, homemade power reduces a household's contribution to pollution and global warming, can reduce or even eliminate the electric bill, increases real estate market values, and excess renewable energy can either be stored or sold directly to the electric companies through the power grid. In addition, there are state and federal tax incentives (such as credits and deductions on income taxes) available for purchasing and using earth friendly, clean energy systems, renewable energy products and equipment.