How Alternative Energy Sources Work

Alternative Energy Forms Successfully Developed

The traditional fossil fuels involve their burning for the production of energy. Alternative modes of energy are gaining substantial attention and popularity all across the globe for a variety of reasons. The alternative energy types are usually renewable, easy to use, cost-effective, and friendly to the environment. There are several types of alternative power available these days. Each mode has its peculiar advantages and disadvantages. However, sufficient development has been made in certain types of alternative energy — notably hydroelectricity, nuclear energy and solar power — to warrant the conclusion that the sovereignty of fossil fuels as the mainstay of humanity’s energy needs has little reason to continue indefinitely. This is all the more so because oil prices have maintained ca steady upward climb, and the consumption of fossil fuels is under the scanner for its believed detrimental effects on the environment.

Abundant Water: Excellent Energy Source

Hydroelectricity accounts for about 90 percent of the global energy produced from renewable sources, as well as nearly 20 percent of the overall electricity produced worldwide. Hydel power stems from the force with which water falls. Dams are constructed to store water, which is directed to fall down from an enormous height to move turbines that generate electricity. This mode of alternative energy is among the most ancient, widely used and popular forms available. It has proven effective in meeting the energy requirements of huge populations at cheap rates.

Each With Its Own Paraphernalia

Alternative Energy forms are a motley category and include several different modes that vary markedly from one another. Hence, to discuss how these energy sources work, no general pattern can be outlines. Each energy source mandates its own set of principles and mode of functioning. However, we may well briefly study a few of these sources of power as follows.

Solar energy is a ubiquitous alternative energy form that can be tapped with the means of solar panels, solar calculators and photovoltaic cells. Solar energy finds applications in warming homes and in generating electricity. The solar technologies are categorized into active solar and passive solar, based on the mode adopted for the capture, conversion and distribution of sunlight. Active solar methods use photovoltaic panels and other mechanical gadgets to transform the sun’s rays into more productive forms. Passive solar modes pertain to orienting a building towards the sun or choosing substances with better properties of dispersing light.

Wind energy employs the force of the moving winds to move turbines that lead to the generation of electricity. This alternative energy form is best located in places that are characterized by gusty winds. Windmills are built for the purpose of exploiting the power of the winds. The technology involved is simple and can be replicated anywhere windy with success.

Nuclear energy may be either nuclear fission or nuclear fusion. The former involves splitting of the atom, while the latter deals with the merger of atoms. Nuclear fission has been plagued by …

Are Our Nuclear Waste Sites Safe in the United States – Where Should I Live?

Nuclear disposal is a serious issue indeed, but luckily new future technology appears to be ready to go which will allow those spent fuel rods to be used down to under 5%, that mean we will have a lot less waste to deal with, and it means that old plants can sell their spent fuel rods to new plants which can then use that material even more, almost like getting free fuel, perhaps the ultimate in recycling schemes. Still, there have been some unfortunate stories of ground water contamination from runoff of nuclear storage facilities in the past, and so it might be worthy to discuss this.

Not long ago, I was discussing the challenges of all this and what it meant for those who wished to live near or downstream from such facilities. Yes, it is a concern for many. So, where is the safest place in the US to live? Well, I’d always considered the coast line mountain range where the redwood trees grow somewhere between Humboldt County CA and Mid Oregon, but what about the radiation fallout from Japan, it has blown across the Pacific Ocean. Well, sure but due to precipitation most falls back into the ocean along the way. Okay what about the ocean debris and radiated water in that normal ocean current? Yes, something to watch, and I perhaps would go around collecting Japanese debris which has floated over here, you never know.

How about the Hanford WA site? What about fires potentially making it all airborne? Well, I seriously wouldn’t worry about the coastline area where I noted was the safest, as the wind patterns flow either South or East depending on the season, so the coastline between Eureka CA and Mid Oregon at an elevation of 350 feet or higher, perhaps at the top of the range between I-5 and the coast where there is a lake would be best. It should be fine even if the Hanford WA site had a major leakage becoming airborne.

There have been reports of radiation leaking into the upper Colorado River from Moab UT, also ground water leakage in Kentucky. Some are worried about underground ground water outside of Yucca Mountain NV, the proverbial 100-year flood and saturated ground water. Should we all be alarmed? Well, remember our government is somewhat anal when it comes to nuclear waste and the conspiracy theorist environmental crowd goes overboard such as in Moab UT, Yucca Mountain NV and Kentucky.

That’s not to say that they aren’t terrorist targets or they don’t have folks going out of their way to prove a point as that is always an issue. Still, the public should also realize that with all the environmental groups out there causing a stink, and the regulatory agencies watching like hawks, that things are not as dangerous as they’ve been made out to be. Please consider all this and think on it.…

Car Envy, Bentley Turning Green by Switching to Bio-Fuel

One of the pinnacles of the luxury car market sees one of the most evocative and “?�ber-chic” car marques’ turning green for the sake of the environment and global pressure, with a view to reducing its carbon foot print (or tyre tracks), thus improving Bentley Motor Cars environmentally green credentials.

The move by Bentley to head down a greener road was brought about in by the motor company’s announcement made in February 2008 as an initiative to address the ever-increasing demand for fuel efficient, lower emission vehicles which has been mounted around ever-fluctuating oil prices and publicly increased concerns about the impact of climate change on the environment we live in.

The Crewe-based Volkswagen-owned company are using this initiative strategy which is currently being progressively implemented throughout the Bentley motor company’s range which are now producing a new range of engines which will offer a 40 per cent improvement in fuel economy and due to be fully implemented by 2012. The new engine-technology or ‘flex-fuel’ system as it’s known as, will allow vehicles to be able to run on the plant-derived fuels, but this will also allow the vehicles to run on conventional petrol as well.

An adoption of alternative fuels (like Bio-ethanol) and new technologies are nothing new, although Bentley state that they want to be consciously and responsibly producing car’s with an aim in helping to reduce CO2 emissions and whilst focusing efforts of global dependency on fossil fuels. All with a purpose of using sustainably produced bio-fuel options for the running environmentally sympathetic luxury cars in the modern age of motoring.

Even both of the HRH the Queen’s car’s have now been converted by Bentley to run on bio-fuels in an attempt to reduce the impact of fossil fuel consumption and obviously it looks good in the public eye too, if we are all having to address the matter of environmental sustainable motoring.

Running on Bio-fuels is not the only “Green method” employed at the Bentley factory in Crewe, as many parts and materials used in the car’s production are manufactured from and use recycled materials throughout the current range of luxury vehicles. For example, the use of shredded re-cycled fabrics being used in the manufacture of the seats and door insulation also recycled aluminium in parts of the dashboard. Bentley motor company also claims that their cars are up to 85% recyclable.

Don’t think for one minute that a bio-fuel powered Bentley has anymore less performance, as to prove the point and put the historic Bentley racing brand firmly back on the map, this year Bentley commissioned the help of four-time world rally champion Juha Kankkunen to attempt to break the World Speed Record on “Ice” on the frozen waters of the Baltic Sea off of the coast of Finland. He recorded speed of 205.48mph, whilst driving a Bentley Continental Supersports GTC, so it’s no slouch!…

Using HHO and 10 Other Ways to Save Energy

Reduce your fuel consumption up to 40% by using HHO gas to save energy and 10 other helpful ways. What is HHO? It stands for Hybrid Hydrogen Oxygen more commonly known as the browns gas. It is the latest means of burning gas today as demands are extremely increasing because of its effectiveness.

People are seeking for ways and means to save in every means they can especially nowadays that oil prices are significantly increasing in cost. Considering Hydrogen as an alternative is an excellent option. Adding to that, are 13 other basic ways that you can partake to save more.

Here’s how:

1. Use 4 cylinder vehicles instead of 6 if not necessary.

2. Always keep cars tuned-up and properly maintained otherwise it will consume up to 25% more fuel consumption.

3. Steel-belted radial tires may increase gas mileage to 10%.

4. Check tire pressure at least once a week, bear in mind that for every pound of under inflation of tires will increase more or less 6% of gas mileage plus the fact that it will use up 30% more fuel.

5. Don’t over fill your tank, gasoline usually expands especially on a warm day and may overflow.

6. No need to warm your car in idle, engines warms-up faster when in mobile than in stand-by. More so, idling may waste about a quarter of a gas every fifteen minutes.

7. Planning your errands and destinations may save you a lot of gas. Going back and forth in the same direction or area is a waste of time, money, and effort.

8. Accelerate gently and not abruptly.

9. When you see traffic ahead, lifting your foot off the pedal saves a lot of gas rather than approach traffic in a full speed and then engage in a full stop.

10. It is best to maintain a steady speed on highways. Whenever possible avoid being stuck behind a slow car and then try to speed up to get ahead.

These are just simple and basic ways that anyone can manage to effortlessly engage in but may bring about a substantial amount of saving — how great is that? And by using HHO gas to save energy will make it more outstanding and effective. Now, there is no reason for you to be bothered by fuel increases. As an individual you cannot stop price augmentation but what you can do is to learn on how to save gasoline consumption.

Basically this alternative increases gas mileage thus saving consumers a lot of money and effort in constant refueling. Another good thing about this is that it also increases power and favorably reduces pollution.

Try to apply the 10 basic ways in your every day driving and install the hybrid hydrogen oxygen kit into your vehicle and personally experience the reduction in gasoline expenses.…

Inventory Management Software Is Crucial For Companies That Manufacture Products

Inventory management software is going to be valuable to different types of businesses for different reasons. What’s being focused on in this article are those businesses that not only carry inventory, but also use it to manufacture the end product.

These companies may have several ways of running things, but these methods can be outdated and be costing them a lot in the long run.

You see a company that also has to manufacture their products is in a much more vulnerable position than a company that holds a completed product. A manufacturer will need to make sure they have all the needed materials in order to do this.

This is going to include raw materials, components, as well as subassemblies. At all times they will need to have the right amount of each individual component.

Bad inventory management means running out of components at critical times, because running out of even one of these components can have very negative results. The main one being it is going to prevent a business from being able to create the products they need in order to supply other businesses or customers.

Only when companies have all the components they need will they be able to finish manufacturing their goods. Inventory management software will make sure businesses are never put in this position.

There are other additional benefits to having inventory management software for a businesses that manufacture products. Usually several machines are used in the manufacturing process.

Each one of these machines can deal in a different phase of the manufacturing process. These machines cost a lot of money to maintain and in order to achieve maximum efficiency they must be kept running during certain times.

If one part is missing from the manufacturing process this means the entire operation is going to be shut down. No further production can take place. The downtime it is going to take to get these products on hand can seriously impact the overall profitability of the business. This is also going to hurt any supplier or big client who is dependent upon them.

Not having this inventory software can mean you develop a bad reputation in the long run and the last thing any business wants is to develop a reputation for not being dependable and reliable when it comes to supplying needed materials and or finished products.

Odds are clients would choose to go elsewhere and it will be extremely hard for any manufacturer to survive taking such losses. Inventory management software allows you to set up an inventory management system so you always know you have needed materials on hand.

The right tools at the manufacturing level are more important than any other level because at the manufacturing level inventory management is probably the most important.

This is going to prove to be very pivotal that every step that can be taken is taken. Not having an effective system in place has a …

Inventory Software Can Help You Pinpoint Weak Spots In Your Inventory Management System – Here’s Why

The survival of your business is going to be dependent on more than just your ability to make money. Yes, being profitable is a good thing, but you have to understand what is truly making your profitable.

This is not going to be because you have a great product alone. Changes are there will always be a product similar to yours that might be cheaper or even flat out better.

Inventory software will enable you to know what areas of your business needs to be focused in on in order to maximize profits or sustain them so your business is able to grow.

One area inventory software can help you out in would be when it comes to making sure costumers get their products on time. On time delivery is going to be crucial, because if it is bad it is going to hurt your reputation.

Now in order to ensure proper costumer deliver a business needs to know how much time they have in order to get the product to the customer. However, the business must understand all the things that can go wrong and cause the delivery time to be extended. If these things are not taken into account then it is going to cause all sorts of problems.

Inventory software will enable you to establish what is referred to as a lead time. Lead time is like a buffer between on time delivery and what might go wrong to get in the way of this.

Once you are able to establish a lead time you will be able to cut back on clients not getting orders when they need them. This is going to ensure on time delivery, repeat orders, and the building of a solid reputation.

If you run the type of business that also manufactures products, then you probably have to deal with a lot of machines that cost a lot of money in order to operate. These machines cannot be overused or underused.

Seeing as how they cost so much money to operate, fix, and sustain, you need to make sure they are giving you the most value possible.

Inventory software is going to help you know how much work you will need to release to the shop floor in order to make sure machines to do not run out of work during a production run.

This is going to be crucial, because sometimes machines will have problems if they have to stop too often and this leads to down time. Down time mean no production, which means reduced profits.

There are certain types of costs that inventory software will ensure you keep to a of the costs associated with inventory will need to be understood if you hope to be successful long term. You might have a good inventory management program set up now, but can you really rely on it?

The right software is going to …

Fossil Fuels Versus Renewable Energy

There’s a lot of talk about fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas) and whether they should be replaced by renewable energy – energy that won’t run out, for example solar or wind power.

Often, renewable energy is viewed as being favoured only by ‘greenies’, and it is frequently considered to be more expensive and less efficient than energy from fossil fuels.

Let’s look at some of the criticisms of renewable energy.

Efficiency

Solar power and wind energy do not generate as much electricity per dollar spent as electricity from coal.

But they have a different cost structure to electricity from coal.

Coal is mined using the cheapest methods possible (for example, lopping the tops of mountains), without massive concern about cleaning up afterwards, unless it’s mandatory. Then it’s used to generate electricity and the waste products are dumped into the air for free (imposing the costs on others). (That’s quite a subsidy!).

That’s one of the reasons why it’s difficult for renewable energy to compete – it shows all its costs, while fossil fuels don’t always show all of theirs. We’re not comparing apples with apples.

Also, oil originally wasn’t efficient when it was first used. Only research and development, and investment, helped it to become what it is today.

It’s easy to forget that ‘black gold’ (as oil was known) had a very rocky start. It was viewed with great scepticism and suspicion, and people said it couldn’t compete with coal.

It feels as though history is repeating itself with the arguments against renewable energy!

Cost

The obvious disadvantage of renewable energy is cost. Solar panels on my roof, for example, will take many years before the money us recouped. However, as the cost of fossil fuel electricity continues to rise around the world, this pay back time gets shorter. And once the panels are paid for, then your electricity is free!.

It is well known that fossil fuels receive considerably more money in direct subsidies, tax breaks and other concessions than renewable energy.

Again, this makes it more difficult for renewables to compete.

To put it very simplistically:

A� If something costs $100, and it is subsidized $10, then its cost is $90.

A� If something costs $100, and it is subsidized $60, then its cost only is $40.

The more heavily subsidized product seems cheaper.

Location

It’s not possible to generate solar and wind power everywhere. You need sunlight and you need the wind to blow.

The Problems with Fossil Fuels

Power plants emit huge quantities of pollutants into the air. Drilling for oil and transporting it carries the risk of oil spills. Renewable energy is much cleaner.

The cost of fossil fuel pollution-caused health care is huge – it’s a cost we shouldn’t be paying.

We won’t run out of sunlight (well, not for a few billion years, anyway). We will run out of oil and coal and natural gas. Already oil is more expensive to extract, because the sources of …

How Make Your Engine a Clean, Green, Efficient Machine

I am not an auto mechanic. Nor do I want to be one or have to visit one. I am the average Jane who owns a vehicle, drives it 20,000 miles a year, and hasn’t got a clue what I am looking at when I raise the hood. My vehicle happens to be paid for and I really don’t want a car payment again, or any large maintenance bills. I now have over 50,000 miles on my vehicle, the warranty has run out, and my goal is to make this vehicle last as long as possible.

I have been seeking a way to keep my engine running in tip top condition and get more miles per gallon. One article I read suggested a hydrogen fuel kit. All you need to do is add a water tank, run a wire from the battery into the water tank and then pipe a hose into the engine. Too much modification for me. I relate this option to be like having a stomach bypass surgery to loose weight rather than adjusting what I eat. I’m definitely looking for a less invasive solution.

Now I’m hooked on the idea of adjusting what my vehicle eats. Adding a dose of a fuel additive to my unleaded or diesel gas can provide various safety and financial benefits. Apparently your vehicles intake valves, fuel pump, fuel injectors and fuel lines can get coated with gum, varnish, lacquer and carbon coke over time from normal use. A fuel additive has a detergent that works to keep these engine parts clean and lubricated. The increased cleanliness and lubrication reduces friction and wear, enhancing combustion for a more complete burn. A more complete burn equals more miles per gallon and fewer emissions. We’ve all heard the latest hype on increasing metabolism to burn more calories from the food we eat. Well the fuel additive is how you can increase your vehicles metabolism.

My next question is which fuel additive would be safe to use, improve my miles per gallon rating, and improve the environment. Let’s face it no one wants to take something to increase their metabolism that’s going to give them the shakes, put them at risk for heart attack, or have them running for the toilet. I recommend choosing a fuel additive that has these 3 main requirements to protect you and your vehicle.

1.It is a Patented product

2.It is an EPA approved product

3.It is a Proven product

I am definitely in favor of the simple preventative maintenance plan going back to the old saying an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A fuel additive can pay for itself with a 2%-3% miles per gallon increase and many boast the possibility of 5%-20% savings. There are all in one products available that work on gas and diesel as well an any type of engine(boats, RV’s, buses, generators, cars, trucks, etc.). Keep yourself smiling and in …

Some materials are subjected to thermal energy change to produce electric energy. This property is known as pyroelectricity. When pyroelectric crystals are heated, they generate electricity because they have a pyroelectric effect. Pyroelectric materials polarize when subjected to heat or cold. An opposite polarity is generated by the crystal, creating a transient voltage.

Pyroelectric Materials Applications

Passive Infrared Sensor (PIR)

Passive infrared sensors detect anything that radiates thermal infrared radiation, such as human beings and animals. PIR sensors have pyroelectric materials that absorb thermal energy and generate equivalent electrical power. Human eyes can’t see the infrared waves radiated; hence they are used for automation and security applications.

Infrared Thermometer

Also known as pyrometers, and are used to take temperature measurements without contact. They are suitable to measure temperatures of items such as extremely hot substances or moving things. They are accurate and can measure a wide range of temperatures.

Laser Energy Sensors

A pyroelectric sensor is used to measure the power and energy of lasers. It is mostly preferred because they respond fast compared to other sensors. However, it can only measure pulsed energy with a repetition rate of 25kHz.

Pyroelectric Sensors

Pyroelectric sensors help to ensure that automated electronic devices work properly. Thus, these devices can be relied on because they are safe to use.

Sensors that take Advantage of Pyroelectric Effect

Motion Sensors

Infrared motion sensors are either passive or active. Active infrared sensors such as garage door security sensors work over a longer distance because the sensor and the infrared emitter can be far apart. Passive infrared sensors also detect motion directly from a source. They have sensitive sensors to detect infrared radiation.

Gas Sensors

Infrared pyroelectric sensors are used to detect and monitor gases. A sample of gas is used to detect the infrared wavelength. If the IR wavelength isn’t received, then the gas sample has another gas that absorbed it. Optical IR filters are used to tune sensors into specific wavelengths, and only a desired wavelength is achieved.

Food Sensors

Food-related substances are detected by calibrating food sensors. These substances include lactose, fat or sugar. These infrared sensors are used to monitor industrial processes depending on the IR optical filters used. Also, they can be used in various environments.

Flame Sensors

Flames can emit IR strongly; hence, it’s possible to construct them using pyroelectric sensing elements. They accurately detect and discriminate flame sources that compare ratios and wavelengths of their triple IR. They respond fast hence widely used in fire protection devices such as process control systems.

Features of Pyroelectric Infrared Sensors

• High stability when subjected to temperature changes.
• Strong immunity to noise such as vibrations
• Slight movements are detectable.
• High sensitivity
• Reliable performance

Pyroelectric sensors work by taking advantage of certain materials. They provide sensitive and fast infrared sensors that are used in various industrial applications. They bring peace of mind because devices using these sensors are safe for use. They also ensure safety when used in garage doors and safe food when used …

Inventory Software Will Allow You To Maximize Costumer Service – Follow These Steps To For Success

The last thing any business wants to do is take on any expensive they feel they are not going to need. This is one of the primary reasons why a lot of business, especially those that are just starting or are smaller, will decide to go without an effective inventory management system that is implemented by means of inventory software.

These businesses will try to do things the hard way. The hard way equals a business having to invest more time, which of course is going to mean more money.

In order to convince you of how beneficial it would be for you business to have inventory software, we need to discuss the overall value it is going to provide you with moving forward.

The one aspect we can focus on is the lifeblood of your business, and that is going to be making sure your customers are satisfied. Now you might have a good product or products.

You might have friendly staff who answer the problems of customers. You might run a pretty efficient business. However, without inventory software you are not doing all you can to make sure you are maximizing customer service.

Why do you think this is? Well, without the right tools at your disposal to make inventory management more efficient you are going to run into problems such as inaccurate customer forecasts.

This means you are going to underestimate or overestimate the amount of software you need. How much do you believe this is going to cost you in the long run? Then you have issues such as various changes that can happen to original customer orders.

When this happens it can throw everything into a tail spin. Let’s not forget the overall lack of account management your business might have.

All of these things combined make for poor customer service performance in regards to on time delivery, not suppliers and not purchasing. What do you believe is going to happen because of this?

You are likely going to end up carrying a lot of excess inventory or not enough. This is going to lead to inventory write offs.

You are going to end up having higher product costs, which is going to mean lower profit margins for you. Inventory software is going to enable you to solve all of these problems without hassle.

There are many reasons why inventory software will help you make more profits at the end of the day. For instance, right now you probably have a good idea of how many sales you can expect to get for a given product at a given time of the year.

You might have taken the time to put this information together and it has worked out well for you. However, without inventory software there is a chance you are opening yourself up to a huge forecast error.

You want the individual product sales forecast for your …