Renewable Energy for Residential Consumers

 

Our objectives in this guide are to help our country residents to:

• the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy sources,

• to identify and distinguish between different forms of renewable energy,

• to understand the pros and cons of different renewable energy sources,

• to identify a wide variety of applications for renewable energy,

• the basic scientific and technical principles behind large-scale applications of renewable energy,

• to identify some political, social, and economic incentives that would accelerate the implementation of renewable energy in the country,

• how to take actions that will accelerate the development of renewables.

 

The major categories of renewable energy sources are solar, wind, hydro, and biomass (plant matter). Worldwide, wood is the largest source of biomass for non-food energy, but other sources are also used, including municipal wastes and crop wastes. Crops such as sugar cane are used to make alcohol for transportation fuel. In many developing countries, wood is the most important energy source.

 

Global resources of geothermal energy (the heat contained below Earth’s surface) are so immense that they are usually considered to be renewable. But this classification is not strictly correct, since the heat stored in any given volume of rock or underground water is depletable. In addition, the most easily accessed geothermal resources natural hot springs and geysers will not last for more than a few decades if exploited for energy on a large scale.

 

Estimates vary widely as to how long fossil fuels oil, coal, and natural gas will last. These estimates depend on assumptions about how much fossil fuel remains in the ground, how fast it will be used, and how much money and effort will be spent to recover it. However, most estimates agree that, if present rates of consumption continue, proven oil and natural gas reserves will run out in this century, while coal reserves will last more than 200 years. Once they are used, these energy sources cannot be replaced. Long before we run out of coal, oil, or gas, however, the environmental and social consequences of extracting, processing, transporting, and burning fossil fuels may become intolerable. In addition, it will not be economically viable to extract all our fossil fuels, as renewable resources will eventually become competitive.

 

In contrast to fossil fuels, renewable sources of energy produce little or no pollution or hazardous waste and pose few risks to public safety. Furthermore, they are an entirely domestic resource.

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Solar Houses

 

Solar houses are one of the simplest and oldest uses of solar energy. A solar house is designed to capture solar heat in cold months and remain cool during hot months, thus offsetting use of oil, natural gas, and electricity for heating and cooling.

 

Passive solar features—parts of a house that do not use mechanical devices for solar heating or cooling can include south-facing windows, high-density building materials that absorb heat, and overhangs for shading. Active solar features can include pumps and fans that channel warm or cool air into storage spaces where it can be released at night.

 

This activity introduces people to basic principles of solar heating. Students construct their own model solar houses and then see which attain the highest or lowest indoor heat.

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Renewable Energy Home Installation Industry

 

Various renewable energy companies now exist that can implement renewable energy systems for your home or business. Those companies provide:

• feasibility studies (including financial),

• regulatory permit acquisitions,

• system component specifications,

• site planning,

• design,

• implementation,

• fatal flaw analysis,

• information and applications for Government incentives (grants and rebates),

• financing opportunities,

• construction services,

• technical support,

• project management services.