First of all, harnessing geothermal energy does not have the devastating impact on climate change like burning of the fossil fuels does. It is true that fluids drawn from the earth's core include greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, but the amount of released greenhouse gas emissions is negligible compared to those from fossil fuel fired power plants.
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Geothermal energy environmental impact | Earth's Heat - 0 views
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One of the reasons for this is the fact that geothermal power plants are equipped with emission-control systems that reduce the exhaust.
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geothermal power plants are connected with minimal freshwater and land requirements. This means that geothermal energy commonly has minimal impact on nearby ecosystems.
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Geothermal fluids contain elevated levels of certain toxic elements such as arsenic, mercury, lithium and boron, which means that geothermal plants need to be equipped with proper waste disposal units in order to ensure that the waste is disposed back into geothermal fields
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constructing geothermal plant (which includes deep drilling) can affect land stability, and in some cases even trigger earthquakes (especially enhanced geothermal systems).
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Geothermal power plants operate quietly meaning that they do not cause noise pollution.
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It is often relatively easy to incorporate them into the existing environment without the obvious visual pollution because of their modest land requirements.
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This natural source of energy provides efficient way to harness energy from with minimal impact on its surrounding environment.
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Solar Homes and Solar Collectors - 0 views
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Solar energy is our birthright like the air we breathe or the water we drink. Solar Home Plans and cost effective Solar Hot Water Projects are the gateway into a "Solar Age" of energy independence. Fossil fuels are no longer necessary to keep the wheels of civilization turning. Build your own solar heating system. Explore the Strawberry Fields Book Store for more information. Alternative energies like solar energy will increase in value as fossil fuel prices escalate making energy efficient, solar houses more valuable. Solar collectors, solar hot water systems, heat storage vaults, photovoltaic electricity, solar panels, and solar greenhouses will soon become the standard rather than the exception to the standard in the near future According to Buckminster Fuller "We have wondered too far from the roots." An energy crisis can only be avoided only if we learn to rely on a diffuse, sustainable resource like the sun. Become part of this green economy and travel on the Green Train and learn about Solar Rebate Incentives and Cheap Electricity
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How Much Does Solar Energy Cost? | Solar Energy Facts - 1 views
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Which State do you live in?
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Federal solar tax rebate
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most of the cost of your system has to do with where you live.
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These can be tax write-offs or money back in your pocket.
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Many states, like New Jersey and Massachusetts, have developed credit markets. You get credits for producing solar and you can sell them for money.
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if you can cut your power bill before you go solar, everything will cost less. Consider a home energy audit before upgrading to solar energy.
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Local utilities and municipalities (LA is a great example) have their own solar energy subsidies
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How much Solar Energy do you Want to Produce?
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Sometimes just knocking off a part of the bill can give you huge monthly electricity cost savings, as in the case of tiered electricity rates
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In some areas your utility will pay you for an extra electricity you send back to the grid.
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importance of energy efficiency
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If you buy the system you’ll see big up-front costs
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so you might not get to claim all the credits and rebates available.
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Generally this option trades long-term financial gain for low (or no) up-front cost.
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How much the cost is and the importance of the place you are changing the cost and refund/credits you will ether gain or lose
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fuel cell Facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about fuel cell - 0 views
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Fuel cells convert chemical energy to electrical energy by combining hydrogen from fuel with oxygen from the air. Hydrogen fuel can be supplied in two ways—either directly as pure hydrogen gas or through a "fuel reformer" that converts hydrocarbon fuels such as methanol, natural gas, or gasoline into hydrogen-rich gas. A fuel cell's only emission is water.
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Geothermal Energy Information, Geothermal Power Facts - National Geographic - 0 views
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Geothermal energy has been used for thousands of years in some countries for cooking and heating. It is simply power derived from the Earth's internal heat.This thermal energy is contained in the rock and fluids beneath Earth's crust. It can be found from shallow ground to several miles below the surface, and even farther down to the extremely hot molten rock called magma.These underground reservoirs of steam and hot water can be tapped to generate electricity or to heat and cool buildings directly.A geothermal heat pump system can take advantage of the constant temperature of the upper ten feet (three meters) of the Earth's surface to heat a home in the winter, while extracting heat from the building and transferring it back to the relatively cooler ground in the summer
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There are three types of geothermal power plants: dry steam, flash, and binary. Dry steam, the oldest geothermal technology, takes steam out of fractures in the ground and uses it to directly drive a turbine. Flash plants pull deep, high-pressure hot water into cooler, low-pressure water. The steam that results from this process is used to drive the turbine. In binary plants, the hot water is passed by a secondary fluid with a much lower boiling point than water. This causes the secondary fluid to turn to vapor, which then drives a turbine. Most geothermal power plants in the future will be binary plants.
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It can be extracted without burning a fossil fuel such as coal, gas, or oil. Geothermal fields produce only about one-sixth of the carbon dioxide that a relatively clean natural-gas-fueled power plant produces.
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wer plants: dry steam, flash, and binary. Dry steam, the oldest geothermal technology, takes steam out of fractures in the ground and uses it to directly drive a turbine. Flash plants
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"There are three types of geothermal power plants: dry steam, flash, and binary. Dry steam, the oldest geothermal technology, takes steam out of fractures in the ground and uses it to directly drive a turbine. Flash plants pull deep, high-pressure hot water into cooler, low-pressure water. The steam that results from this process is used to drive the turbine. In binary plants, the hot water is passed by a secondary fluid with a much lower boiling point than water. This causes the secondary fluid to turn to vapor, which then drives a turbine. Most geothermal power plants in the future will be binary plants."
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Spotlight: How Biofuel Is Made - 0 views
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Alcohol-based biofuels are produced in much the same way as liquor, though, of course with different emphasis. In fact, ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, which is the most commonly used bio-alcohol, is the same type of alcohol that is found in whiskey, vodka, gin, etc. All of these are based on the fermentation of starches and sugars. The ingredients are gathered, ground up, mixed with water and left to ferment with the help of yeast or other organisms for some period of time (three years for Scotch whiskey!) before it is finally distilled into the final product.
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Discover Solar Energy ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES | PROS and CONS of Solar Energy - 4 views
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Solar Energy systems are virtually maintenance free and will last for decades.
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The Biofuels FAQs: The Facts About Biofuels: Ethanol - 0 views
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Biodiesel consumption was much lower, about 250 million gallons in 2006
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which requires an annual increase in biofuels use to 7.5 billion gallons by 2012.
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Biofuel Facts - 0 views
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Much of the gasoline in the United States is blended with a biofuel—ethanol. This is the same stuff as in alcoholic drinks, except that it's made from corn that has been heavily processed. There are various ways of making biofuels, but they generally use chemical reactions, fermentation, and heat to break down the starches, sugars, and other molecules in plants. The leftover products are then refined to produce a fuel that cars can use.
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On the face of it, biofuels look like a great solution. Cars are a major source of atmospheric carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas that causes global warming. But since plants absorb carbon dioxide as they grow, crops grown for biofuels should suck up about as much carbon dioxide as comes out of the tailpipes of cars that burn these fuels. And unlike underground oil reserves, biofuels are a renewable resource since we can always grow more crops to turn into fuel.
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Tidal Power | BC Sustainable Energy Association - 1 views
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However, estuaries are among the world’s most productive and sensitive ecosystems, and barrages cause large disruptions to their natural processes. We will therefore not further consider barrage based tidal power as a truly sustainable energy resource.
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While there are non-tidal based ocean currents such as the Gulf Stream, those are usually too diffuse to be a practical energy source. The tides cause water to flow inwards from the ocean twice a day during flood tides, and outwards during ebb tides. Additional monthly and annual cycles vary the strength of this current on a monthly and annual basis. Narrow and shallow constrictions produce the fastest and most powerful movements, whose energy can be captured using submerged turbines.
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BC Hydro’s 2002 Green Energy Study for BC estimated the realistic energy potential for tidal current energy generation in BC to be 20 TWhrs/year. The estimated cost was 11 cents/kWhr for a large (800 MW) site, and 25 cents/kWhr for a small (43 MW) site. The best sites are in the Strait of Georgia and Johnstone Strait, which are both relatively close to the main centers of consumption.
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The second type is based on utilizing the fast-flowing marine currents caused by tidal action. While there are non-tidal based ocean currents such as the Gulf Stream, those are usually too diffuse to be a practical energy source. The tides cause water to flow inwards from the ocean twice a day during flood tides, and outwards during ebb tides.
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Nevertheless, it is a truly sustainable energy source which is also very predictable. It is not subject to the vagaries of weather or climate change, and while the energy varies, it follows a predictable pattern that is known many years in advance.
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The second type is based on utilizing the fast-flowing marine currents caused by tidal action....it is a truly sustainable energy source which is also very predictable. It is not subject to the vagaries of weather or climate change, and while the energy varies, it follows a predictable pattern that is known many years in advance. -
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Five Reasons Why Tidal Energy is the Wave of the Future - Green Living Ideas - 3 views
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Green energy has never been more important than it is today with the looming threat of global warming. Every possible effort must be made to reverse the worldwide threat of climate change by subsidizing and switching to green energy. One often-overlooked source of clean, renewable energy comes not from solar, wind or geothermal power, but from the tides.
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Tidal Energy is valuable to environmentalists because unlike fossil fuels the source of energy will not be depleted in the foreseeable future no matter how much energy is collected.
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The collection of tidal energy is clean because it involves very little emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases
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The pattern of tides is extremely stable and not strongly affected by weather conditions which suggests that it would be a very stable source of green energy.
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Moving water can exert a much greater force on a turbine than wind which means the turbine can turn slowly and still produce a great deal of electricity. The slow and stable tidal forces are ideal parameters for engineering energy solutions. The fact that the turbines can be slow-moving makes it easier to avoid interfering with local ecosystems
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While the initial cost of building tidal energy plants is high, the plants are expected to run for a very long time which will make them more cost-effective in the long run
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"Five Reasons Why Tidal Energy is the Wave of the Future JANUARY 4, 2013 BY GUEST CONTRIBUTOR LEAVE A COMMENT Join GLI's 10,000 other followers on Twitter! Green energy has never been more important than it is today with the looming threat of global warming. Every possible effort must be made to reverse the worldwide threat of climate change by subsidizing and switching to green energy. One often-overlooked source of clean, renewable energy comes not from solar, wind or geothermal power, but from the tides. 1. Tidal Energy is Renewable Tidal Energy is valuable to environmentalists because unlike fossil fuels the source of energy will not be depleted in the foreseeable future no matter how much energy is collected. The gravitational relationship between the Earth and the moon is extremely stable in the long term just like solar, wind and geothermal energy. 2. Tidal Energy is Green The collection of tidal energy is clean because it involves very little emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. However, the marine ecosystem is fragile and great care must be taken to avoid interfering with the lives of organisms that depend on the tide."
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How Much Solar Energy is Used in the World? | Solar Energy Facts - 1 views
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How much solar energy is used in the world? Global capacity for solar energy production reached 39.8 GigaWatts (0.0398 terawatts) in 2010 . Here are the top 10 solar energy producing countries in the world:
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United States (1,650 MW
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The Biofuels FAQs: The Facts About Biofuels: Biodiesel - 0 views
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Biodiesel from soybeans costs an estimated $2 to $2.50 per gallon to produce. Biodiesel from yellow grease is about $1 a gallon cheaper, but the available supply in the U.S. is much smaller – enough to make 100 million gallons per year. Producers of biodiesel from pure vegetable oil are eligible for a federal excise tax credit of $1 for every gallon blended with conventional diesel. Biodiesel from used cooking oil earns a credit of 50 cents per gallon.
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Another promising technology captures smokestack emissions of carbon dioxide for use in an “algae farm,” where the gas stimulates the rapid growth of algae that can be converted into biodiesel and ethanol.
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Is Current Wind Growth Sustainable? | Renewable Energy World Magazine Article - 0 views
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wind farms are not only capital intensive but also have a long gestation period – could prove to be prohibitive for many potential investors.
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terms of global policy, governments need to boost investments in onshore and offshore wind generation through the right mix of supportive policies and incentives.
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wind energy will become even more attractive as it serves as an insurance against future increases in fuel and carbon prices, while reducing our dependency on fossil fuels imported from volatile regions.
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Both in Europe and in the US, some 40% of all new power generating capacity installed in the past two years was wind energy. If the economic crisis continues, however, the reduction in power demand will start to impact wind energy, simply because of lower demand for new power plants. Nevertheless, the medium and long-term outlook remains very healthy, as political momentum is building towards a low carbon economy, without which humankind will not overcome three of the biggest concerns of our time – climate protection, energy security and the provision of jobs.
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Wind power’s credentials as a rapidly deployable clean technology have put it at the forefront in the fight against climate change. Neither new nuclear capacity or carbon capture and storage (CCS) will contribute to CO2 reductions within the timeframe that the climate scientists give us. As a no-fuel, no-carbon emissions source of electricity, wind energy will play a big part in reducing carbon emissions before 2020.
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A key element for policy makers is to dramatically improve competition in power markets, to ensure that investors, rather than consumers, are exposed to
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The growth in wind power capacity has shown no signs of slowing, even in these tough economic times. For two years running there has been more new wind power capacity installed than any other power generating technology in Europe – including coal, gas and nuclear. In 2009 the European market for wind turbines experienced a 23% growth rate, the same as the average growth rate over the last 15 years.
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future carbon and fuel price risk.
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Wind power is a leader now, and will remain so in the future, attracting big investments and creating jobs. There is a boom waiting to happen in offshore wind energy. But, Europe’s ageing electricity grids must be upgraded and extended, and the EU must also pursue a drive to build an offshore grid in the North and Baltic seas that will connect offshore wind farms to the shore, piping vast amounts of CO2-free energy to consumers at affordable prices.
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cleaner energy
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he fact that wind is the most cost effective and scalable renewable source of energy.
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past several years.
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dynamic growth rate of the
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Because of the small size of the existing installed base, the offshore wind sector will see higher growth percentages while the number of onshore turbines will continue to outpace those installed offshore.
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Continued investment in grid infrastructure is critical for growth as well as wind turbine technology investments that improve efficiency and reliability while driving down emissions. Countries with the most efficient and flexible permitting processes will benefit by realizing the installation of the most advanced technology.
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but renewable sources, and in large part, wind energy, have an extremely important role to play.
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A fundamental value of wind is that it lowers risk in the overall generation mix by bringing in a fixed electricity cost. You don’t have any fuel risk, so you don’t have these big price spikes that you see when you generate electricity from gas or oil.
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The wind power market is still intact. Demand for ‘green’ power stations remains unabated and nearly all governments have adopted policies aimed at environmental sustainability.
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As our industry is still very young, wind power currently contributes only around 1.5% to global electricity supplies.
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this merely serves to highlight the enormous potential for the future, especially as wind power is not only clean but also inexpensive. This is something that more and more governments and energy companies are realizing.
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"The growth in wind power capacity has shown no signs of slowing, even in these tough economic times. For two years running there has been more new wind power capacity installed than any other power generating technology in Europe - including coal, gas and nuclear. In 2009 the European market for wind turbines experienced a 23% growth rate, the same as the average growth rate over the last 15 years."Both in Europe and in the US, some 40% of all new power generating capacity installed in the past two years was wind energy. If the economic crisis continues, however, the reduction in power demand will start to impact wind energy, simply because of lower demand for new power plants. Nevertheless, the medium and long-term outlook remains very healthy, as political momentum is building towards a low carbon economy, without which humankind will not overcome three of the biggest concerns of our time - climate protection, energy security and the provision of jobs." "Wind power is a leader now, and will remain so in the future, attracting big investments and creating jobs. There is a boom waiting to happen in offshore wind energy. But, Europe's ageing electricity grids must be upgraded and extended, and the EU must also pursue a drive to build an offshore grid in the North and Baltic seas that will connect offshore wind farms to the shore, piping vast amounts of CO2-free energy to consumers at affordable prices."
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Green Rock Energy - Geothermal Energy - Sustainability - 0 views
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The Benefits "Geothermal energy has the potential to generate and deliver sustainable supplies of clean, renewable base load power. Depending on the nature of the resource and the reservoir, individual production wells have the potential to generate consistent supplies of base load power for decades."
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Geothermal energy has the potential to generate and deliver sustainable supplies of clean, renewable base load power.
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individual production wells have the potential to generate consistent supplies of base load power for decades.
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Base load electricity generated from geothermal energy is clean, renewable and has minimal impact on the environment.
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Unlike burning fossil fuels, the process emits no greenhouse gases, pollution or hazardous wastes.
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"The Benefits "Geothermal energy has the potential to generate and deliver sustainable supplies of clean, renewable base load power. Depending on the nature of the resource and the reservoir, individual production wells have the potential to generate consistent supplies of base load power for decades."" -
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""Geothermal energy has the potential to generate and deliver sustainable supplies of clean, renewable base load power. Depending on the nature of the resource and the reservoir, individual production wells have the potential to generate consistent supplies of base load power for decades.""
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Fuel Cells Information, Fuel Cells Facts, Fuel Cells Technology - National Geographic - 0 views
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A fuel cell is a device that uses a source of fuel, such as hydrogen, and an oxidant to create electricity from an electrochemical process.
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Most fuel cells in use today, however, use hydrogen and oxygen as the chemicals.
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Although hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, it is difficult to store and distribute. Canisters of pure hydrogen are readily available from hydrogen producers, but as of now, you can't just fill up with hydrogen at a local gas station.
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All fuel cells have the same basic configuration; an electrolyte and two electrodes. But there are different types of fuel cells, based mainly on what kind of electrolyte they use.
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All fuel cells have the same basic configuration; an electrolyte and two electrodes. But there are different types of fuel cells, based mainly on what kind of electrolyte they use.
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According to many experts, we may soon find ourselves using fuel cells to generate electrical power for all sorts of devices we use every day
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Wave Energy Pros and Cons - Energy Informative - 0 views
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Harnessing wave energy comes without the emission of harmful green house gases. This is the main motivation factor behind further development of this way of power generation.
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Like with most green energy sources, wave power is also renewable. Since this energy source ultimately comes from the heat energy that is emitted from the sun, it will not disappear for some time – in fact, several billion years or as long time it takes for the sun to burn out.
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The energy density is typically around 30-40 kW for every meter (2.2 feet) of wave along the shore. As we go further into the ocean 100kW for every meter is not uncommon.
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Waves are hardly interrupted and almost always in motion.
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This makes generating electricity from wave energy a reasonable reliable energy source
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It should be mentioned that the amount of energy that is being transported through waves does vary every year and from season to season. On the northern hemisphere, the average value of November and May could be different with a factor of two or more.
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http://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/pdfs/doe_h2_fuelcell_factsheet.pdf - 3 views
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Solar Energy Facts - 0 views
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he energy from the sun varies from place to place and is very dependent on weather conditions. Without an atmosphere 1.4 KW/m2 per hour is available, but with an atmosphere we can only count on 1KW/m2 per hour in the absence of clouds. So, if asked how much 3 hours of sunlight on one square meter is worth what would you say?