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Because waves are erratic, the amount of energy a wave generator can produce is unpredictable and, therefore, cannot be used as a sole reliable energy source.

accidental hydraulic fluid leaks can cause a major environmental problem.

A collision could cause a hydraulic spill or leak and become an environmental hazard.

It’s like buying vs. renting a home. Over the next 10 years a typical homeowner or small business will pay $18,000 to over $50,000 in electric bills, at rates that often increase faster than inflation. When you choose a Bergey wind system you take the same monthly expense and invest it in a tangible asset. Once your Bergey turbine is paid off, you will enjoy more money in your pocket every month for the next 20 – 40 years. Tax credits and rebates make it affordable. Small wind turbines qualify for a 30% federal tax credit and, for businesses, accelerated depreciation.  USDA grants are available for farmers, ranchers, and rural businesses.  Many states offer additional incentives (see www.dsireusa.org).  These incentives make owning a Bergey wind turbine surprisingly affordable.

The PV effect was discovered in 1954, when scientists at Bell Telephone discovered that silicon (an element found in sand) created an electric charge when exposed to sunlight.

Over 19,000 MW of non-residential PV project applications have been approved under its FiT scheme as of the end of May.

Over 19,000 MW of non-residential PV project applications have been approved under its FiT scheme as of the end of May.

With a 2013 forecast of 8.5 GW and 7 GW respectively, China and Japan are on pace to be the top installers this year. PV installations in the United States continue to grow and are forecasted to reach approximately 4.5 GW in 2013. Other major markets forecasted in 2013 are Germany at 4 GW, Italy at 2 GW, UK at 1.5 GW and India at 1 GW.

The Brazilian government still awaits a reduction in solar prices to create a specific auction by the end of 2013 or the beginning of 2014. However, the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) does not demonstrate any signs of this happening.

In 2013, however, revenue and capacity installed are expected to double: projects will be delivered, the resolution 482/2012 will have a major impact, and X% of the National Association of Electric Energy’s (ANEEL’s) research and development (R&D) will conclude. Capacity installed expectations in 2013 will near X megawatts (MW); in 2014, X MW; in 2015, X MW; and beyond, faster expansion is expected. Currently, capacity installed for the solar market is X MW, but it is expected to reach X MW by 2017. The total possible capacity installed for Brazil is close to X gigawatts (GW). This market revenue will have a X% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during the forecast period (2012–2017) due to ANEEL´s R&D, international events, and the resolution 482/2012 cost reductions. Now, market revenue is close to $X million and can reach $X million by 2017.

Distributed generation could grow faster with financial support, better service from energy concessionaries, and cost reductions; nonetheless, it will grow considerably.

The geothermal energy process extracts heat from the Earth for the purpose of generating electricity to power homes. Most development in this area is concentrated at where tectonic plates meet, such as the western coasts of North and South America, the Mediterranean and east coast of Africa and East Asia.

The U.S. could have as much as 10 gigawatts of geothermal power at its disposal if current projects under development are completed, according to a new report.

U.S. geothermal infrastructure manages 3,100 megawatts, the new projects could add an additional 7,100 megawatts, or 7 gigawatts, of energy output.

Geothermal energy supplies less than 10 % of the world's energy.

Geothermal energy is clean and safe for the surrounding environment.

Geothermal energy is sustainable because hot water can be re-injected into the ground.

Because the energy is generated right near the plant, it saves on processing and transportation costs compared to other types of fuel.

The initial costs of geothermal energy are high -- wells can cost $1 to $4 million each to drill, and installation of a home geothermal pump system can run as much as $30,000

However, a home geothermal energy pump can cut energy bills by 30 to 40 percent and will pay for itself within 5 to 10 years

This initiative, supported by legislation in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005) and the Advanced Energy Initiative of 2006, aims to develop hydrogen, fuel cell and infrastructure technologies to make fuel-cell vehicles practical and cost-effective by 2020

Why are governments, private businesses and academic institutions collaborating to develop and produce them? Fuel cells generate electrical power quietly and efficiently, without pollution. Unlike power

that use fossil fuels, the by-products from an operating fuel cell are heat and water

global potential is enormous: over 400 billion liters annually, well more than double the amount of diesel the US burns every year.

because the cost of fuel cells has dropped significantly over the last few years.

Wind is a form of solar energy. Winds are caused by the uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the irregularities of the earth's surface, and rotation of the earth. Wind flow patterns are modified by the earth's terrain, bodies of water, and vegetative cover. This wind flow, or motion energy, when "harvested" by modern wind turbines, can be used to generate electricity.

The terms "wind energy" or "wind power" describe the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity

The terms "wind energy" or "wind power" describe the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power

It is popular because it is abundant and provides many communities with a clean, local source of electricity

wind power could account for 20 percent of the nation’s electricity supply by 2030

two main problems. First, the wind does not blow all the time, so there must be backup power plants

The coal powder mixes with hot air, which helps the coal burn more efficiently, and the mixture moves to the furnace. The burning coal heats water in a boiler, creating steam. Steam released from the boiler powers an engine called a turbine, transforming heat energy from burning coal into mechanical energy that spins the turbine engine. The spinning turbine is used to power a generator, a machine that turns mechanical energy into electric energy. This happens when magnets inside a copper coil in the generator spin.

Electricity-generating plants send out electricity using a transformer, which increases the voltage of the electricity based on the amount required and the distance it must travel. Voltages are often as high as 500,000 volts at this point.  Electricity flows along transmission lines to substation transformers. These transformers reduce the voltage for use in the local areas to be served.  From the substation transformers, electricity travels along distribution lines, which can be either above or below the ground, to cities and towns. Transformers once again reduce the voltage—this time to about 120 to 140 volts—for safe use inside homes and businesses. The delivery process is instantaneous. By the time you have flipped a switch to turn on a light, electricity has been delivered.

The dirty secret of clean energy is that while generating it is getting easier, moving it to market is not.

While the United States today gets barely 1 percent of its electricity from wind turbines, many experts are starting to think that figure could hit 20 percent.

Achieving that would require moving large amounts of power over long distances, from the windy, lightly populated plains in the middle of the country to the coasts where many people live.

The United States has enough wind resources to generate electricity for every home and business in the nation. But not all areas are suitable for wind energy development.