Discussion

Your Questions About Sustainable Energy Definition

Chris asks…

What is environment-friendly product for you?

Hi guys, it’s a survey that i have to do.
I have few questions for you.
What is environment-friendly product in your own definition?
Are you willing to pay more for “green” products?
Why or why not?
Please also specify your field of study or work and age (if that is ok with you)

Thanks a lot people.
Your help is really appreciated.

admin answers:

I use many environmentally friendly products. Most cost less, but I would pay more. I look at a couple of factors, does it contain suspected harmful chemicals, is it made of natural materials, are the materials aquired in a sustainable fashion and how far did it have to travel to get here. Some items don’t meet this criteria so I consider if I actually need it and will it save energy.

I’m a 40’s mom who has dramatically reduced the number of known and suspected toxins in my cleaning and body care products. I buy organic local food and organic fabrics as much as possible. I have invested in solar and energy saving items and have saved a lot of money in the process.

Nancy asks…

Which of these is a sustainable energy source?

(a) Natural gas
(b) wood
(c) coal

I require the answer for an online competition with prizes. Does anyone know?

admin answers:

It depends on your definition of sustainable. We have limited supply of all of the above…

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Your Questions About Renewable Energy

Joseph asks…

What kind of Engineer deals with coming up with new ways to use renewable energy?

When i say renewable energy i mean like solar power, wind power, hydroelectric power . Is there a certain type of engineer who works in these areas? Where is a good place to go to school for this type of Engineering.

admin answers:

Renewable energy is a specialized area of engineering. There is no engineering degree that focuses solely on renewable energy. The closest ones that I can think of are Chemical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. The principles of chemical reactions are important in the study of energy. But to design and construct the harnessing devices requires knowledge of mechanical engineering.

Every engineer is taught the basics of every engineering discipline so even Computer Engineers can qualify if they specialize beyond their undergraduate education.

If you live in the Philippines, the best school to go to is of course the University of the Philippines. Among private universities, De La Salle University – Manila is best, followed by MAPUA. Ateneo De Manila’s engineering is handled by the Physics department as I have been told so I would be hesitant towards that school. The University of Sto. Tomas seems to have strong engineering background as well, but I have no certainty about that. In choosing the right school, accreditation of the engineering department and not just the school accreditation is important.

Mark asks…

What would happen to all the existing gasoline automobiles if renewable energy took over?

I’m not saying I’m against renewable energy. I’m just wondering – what would everybody do with their car that runs on regular gas?

admin answers:

I think we are a long way from renewable energy replacing the combustion engine. When I think of renewable energy I think of electricity for houses and businesses. But when we do settle on one or a few technologies to replace the conventional gas engine. I think there will be a transitional period where new cars will have the new technology but we will still have the infrastructure for gas engines, it could take decades to phase out the older cars.

Here in CA we have tougher emissions laws, so if you have an older car you could get an exemption for not passing emissions, it was a program that let just the oldest cars be exempt, then every few years they let a few more years be exempt. Now all the cars that were sold after the date the laws went into effect have to pass smog, if you didn’t buy the car in CA then you will need to get a catalytic converter put on it to pass. Millions of cars are junked each year, when you turn in an old clunker when you buy a new car they are often sold for scrap and they are taken off the road. All that being said, to say that people won’t be forced to convert cars or get rid of them for many many years.

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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy Technologies

Michael asks…

What are some sustainable living options? – and some extended details please?

I am doing some homework on designing a poster for Technology Class. I just need some help on what I should choose, they all seem good. I need this ready for the 31st of March. Thanks! And if you cannot answer this question, then you could probably try to answer my other question about using sustainable or renewable energy in our lives 🙂 Thanks!

admin answers:

1. Make compost from all vege waste.
2. Install a composting toilet
3. Grow your own food using the compost.
4. Fully insulate your house
5. Add solar gain to your house like a conservatory
6. Re-use as much as possible
7. Recycle what you don’t re-use.
8. Turn your car into a glass-house to grow tomatoes etc.
9. Ride a bicycle
10. Collect rain water
11. Use water sparingly
12. Go to bed at sunset and get up just before sunrise

Helen asks…

What role should the fed gov’t play in developing alternative energy?

Energy‘s like nuclear, biomass, hydro, hydrogen, solar, wind and others need to be developed to supplement traditional sources. Should and how should the government play a role?

admin answers:

In the US, the federal government should foster research through grants to universities and not-for-profit research organizations. To be feasible on a large scale, there needs to be significant advances in a variety of technologies. Corporate and consumer tax credits will foster consumer momentum to jump-start adoption of new technologies. Currently, many industries are already “going green” due to reduced long-term energy and environmental costs. Additional hydrocarbon taxes can increase this incentive to use sustainable energy. Fostering technology development and innovation utilization is the best role for the federal government.

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Your Questions About Renewable Energy Companies

Lizzie asks…

what can an industrial engineering doing in field of Renewable energy?

Dear all
I study industrial and systems engineering and I really want to work on Renewable energies but unfortunately I could not find any common field between my field of study and Renewable energies.
I was wondering if you could guide me to find a common field.

admin answers:

I remember from a television program I watched, that a little realized truth is that everything that gets manufactured, has a design. Everything has to come about in some real way, and that happens by design; I suppose that is a way of saying, that everything and anything could be done in more than one physical way, so, a specific way–a design-always has to be chosen, to be devised.

With whole systems like with energy systems renewable or otherwise, wouldn’t that “design” be something amounting to some kind of engineering one?
So, wouldn’t any such system, and maybe whole lots of the components, really have to be created by “industrial engineering” or “systems engineering”?

Industrial engineering, or systems engineering: term I’m not sure I specifically understand, and i’d guess they could (?) be more to do with engineering huge systems like factories to work efficiently or correctly? Well if so, wouldn’t doing that for the renewable energy companies you mention, be a kind of work fitting what you’re looking for? Aren’t big companies constantly striving to keep those systems working, or improved?
Or smaller companies that might not have their own engineers of your sort, must have to hire some kind of outside company. Wouldn’t they, to get that done to make it possible for them to build…or even to plan to build.

Research and development itself, too, just to consult or for the consultants to consult with, too , right?

The last i heard, although probably engineers aren’t credited or sometimes even noticed all that much, our lack of ability (unlike on tv shows) to just wave a magic wand and bring things into being, must mean that engineers actually, are “everywhere!”

Susan asks…

Who are some important people in renewable energy history?

I need to do a biography on a significant person in renewable energy, but I can’t find anything on the Internet. Could you please send me a site where I can find a biography?

admin answers:

Look up T. Boone Pickens. He is a former oil man and corporate raider who has a ton of money and wants to do wind farms all over the place.

He became famous in the 1980’s be acquiring big oil companies then selling them off (in whole or in part) and made a ton of money.

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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy Systems

Betty asks…

Is there a perfect location on earth to place a utopia so it can be self sustainable?

I’m doing a project for my 8th grade social studies class on creating a perfect utopia.
Our “political” system would require us to be left alone with no debt to other countries so I need it to be self sustainable. Like is there a current country in the world or spot where a city could get the basic necessary living conditions just from the land. Like lakes or wind for energy and food. Good temperature for a descent harvest to sustain about 5,000 people?

admin answers:

An island in the Pacific Ocean, like Hawaii. The people called Polynesians traveled in crude boats from Asia to Pacific Islands as far back as 3000 years ago and lived in self sustained societies on some of them. They had simple resource demands, but if they could do it I’m sure we could in the modern age. An island usually has mountains that get lots of rainfall for water, land for crops, and plenty of ocean wind to power wind turbines. As long as the utopia was provided with enough raw materials at the start it could definitely sustain itself. 5,000 is not that many people. The food and resource demands for them would be perfect on an island. Saint Helena is an example of an island settlement that really exists in the Atlantic Ocean and is almost self sustaining.

William asks…

Human population will soon grow to 9 billlion. What could trigger a massive die-off of this overpopulation?

It seems that this population is sustainable only if relative energy sources remain available. It seems that a massive die-off could occur if present living conditions can be maintained. I think that we (and our children) will face problems that we will be unable to withstand unless far-sighted planning takes place.

admin answers:

We can plan all we want here in the civilized part of the world. The problem is in the third world. These people do not live they barely exist. If there is going to be a catastrophe they will feel it first and then it will spread to the rest of us, via air, sea, and environmental transport. The best thing to do is make sure your immune system is working at full capacity and hope people all over the world stop killing each other off and concentrate on creating a true wholesome life style.

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Your Questions About Renewable Energy Group

Donald asks…

Why is there never any mention on television of geothermal electricity production?

I now the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has done the Homework on this, It works it is clean, you could make money selling it, so whats the problem?

admin answers:

WESTINGHOUSE / CBS INC.
Westinghouse Electric Company, part of the Nuclear Utilities Business Group of British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL)
GENERAL ELECTRIC –(donated 1.1 million to GW Bush for his 2000 election campaign)

Television Holdings:
* NBC: includes 13 stations, 28% of US households.
* NBC Network News: The Today Show, Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, Meet the Press, Dateline NBC, NBC News at Sunrise.
* CNBC business television; MSNBC 24-hour cable and Internet news service (co-owned by NBC and Microsoft); Court TV (co-owned with Time Warner), Bravo (50%), A&E (25%), History Channel (25%).
The “MS” in MSNBC
means microsoft
The same Microsoft that donated 2.4 million to get GW bush elected.

Other Holdings:
* GE Consumer Electronics.
* GE Power Systems: produces turbines for nuclear reactors and power plants.
* GE Plastics: produces military hardware and nuclear power equipment.
* GE Transportation Systems: runs diesel and electric trains.
==================================================

Gates Wants Nuclear Power Plant

George asks…

What are the different viewpoints on the use of fossil fuels?

Hello, I am struggling to find viewpoints of the following people:

– Environmentalist
– MEDC (More Economically Developed Countries) Governments
– LEDC (Less Economically Developed Countries) Governments
Energy Companies
– Consumers
– Oil Producing Countries
– TNC’s Shell? BP?

Can you please give me a few websites which:
-explains why different groups have opinions on the consumption of fossil fuels
– says whether they think fossil fuels should be used in the future and given reasons why
(considers advantages and disadvantages of using fossil fuels vs renewable energy sources)

admin answers:

A brief answer from this consumer… If you believe that humans are causing global warming by using fossil fuels, then fossil fuels should be abandoned. If you believe that humans control their own destiny by changing their environment to serve their needs by using fossil fuels, among other resources, to do so, and that it is essential that humans control their own destiny, then the use of fossil fuels can be justified. If you believe that fossil fuels do not contribute in any way to climate change, or in an only very limited way, and that the use of fossil fuels benefits man, there is no need to justify their use. So, to begin with, let’s agree to admit there are a number of ways to look at this question.
How can we resolve the question, then? Aside from the climate issues, I only can see one other issue that will separate the users from the non-users. Fossil fuels appear to be a limited resource. (I use the term “appear” with some justification. In 1950, I was taught in school that we would run out of oil in 1980. Today, the annual oil consumption world wide is greater than the amount of oil known to exist in 1950. I seriously doubt that the politicians or the producers want mere citizens to know the true extent of this resource, as they use our fears and ignorance to control their policies and prices…) We can, however agree that it is harder to get oil out of the ground today than in 1950, and oil is costing more to produce. The real issue seems to be, “How much longer will the oil supply continue to grow? What will our grandchildren use for an energy source?” As a consumer, watching the world go by, I can only wonder why we waste so much personal energy arguing for or against fossil fuels. When will that energy be directed to the identification of a superior power source?
I hope my ruminations give you some food for thought.

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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy Without The Hot Air

Daniel asks…

how are the rising number of aircrafts contributing to the global warming?

admin answers:

There are three gases emitted by aircraft which contribute to global warming: H2O, CO2 and NOx The most obvious is the water vapour (created by burning jet fuels -see below) which forms condensation trails -clouds of frozen ice crystals. Since the air in the upper troposphere (the level at which most commerical planes fly) is naturally very dry, water vapour emitted by aircraft can make a big difference. Sometimes the contrails cover the whole sky as shown by this satellite photo taken over Germany, and the average coverage in this region is about 6%. Have you ever wondered, why the sky is so much clearer in remoter locations?
Although these contrails reflect a little sunlight away from earth, they reflect back to earth much more invisible infra-red (heat) radiation which would otherwise escape to space -and therefore they have an overall warming effect. This is hard to measure accurately, because the contrails eventually spread out and become indistinguishable from natural cirrus clouds.
Not all of the water vapour forms contrails, but water is itself a “greenhouse gas” which also traps this outgoing infra-red radiation. Each water molecule traps much more heat and also survives much longer at this height than it would do at sea-level.
Jet-fuel – kerosene – is a mixture of substances produced by distilling crude oil, which can be represented by C13H28 (this is assumed in the “how much” calculations”). The chemical equation for burning it is as follows:
2C13H28 + 40O2 =>26CO2 + 28H2O
So you can see, that for every 14 water molecules produced, the aircraft must also emit 13 of CO2. This is also a greenhouse gas and will stay in the atmosphere warming the earth for an average of 100 years, some of it for 1000s of years. There’s no way that you can get the energy from such fossil fuel without producing that much CO2. It’s not a by-product that can be “scrubbed” from the exhaust.
A Boeing-747 can burn over 200 tons of fuel in one flight. If you have already clicked your travel route on the world map, the “how much is this” section will calculate the volume of CO2 that will be emitted per passenger. The “global context” section compares this amount to the sustainable average level of emissions per person per year.
A simple “rule of thumb” to remember, is that a plane uses about as much fuel, and therefore produces about as much CO2, as would every passenger driving one car the same distance. So next time you’re thinking of flying thousands of miles, think how much petrol you would need to put in a car to go so far. Since take-off uses a disproportionate amount of fuel, short-haul flights emit a bit more per passenger-kilometer, and long-haul flights a bit less.
Note: the car comparison is for typical european cars, not for the less efficient american gas-guzzlers. Trains produce, on the other hand, about 1/3rd as much CO2 per passenger-kilometer (for more details on this see the “ecobalance of the Climate Train” and the bar-chart below), and could potentially be run from renewable sources of electricity.
So if they use so much fuel, why are flights so cheap now? One reason is that not a penny of tax is paid on aircraft fuel.
But fuel use is not the end of the story. Aircraft also emit NOx gases, a product of combustion of atmospheric nitrogen and oxygen in the very hot jet engines. NOx is not in itself a greenhouse gas but it catalyses the production of ozone (O3), which is a powerful greenhouse gas. Nearer the ground, ozone also leads to the formation of photochemical smog which is harmful to human health.
In the stratosphere, on the other hand, ozone is valuable as it blocks harmful ultra-violet radiation. Unfortunately NOx emissions from aircraft which venture into the stratosphere (such as concorde) catalyse the destruction of ozone there. Confused? -Yes, ozone chemistry is complicated, but in a nutshell, NOx emissions are bad news -producing ozone where we don’t want it, and destroying it where we do..
To make matters even more complicated, NOx emissions also catalyse the destruction of methane (CH4), another greenhouse gas, although this cooling effect is much smaller than the ozone warming effect (see IPCC graphic below). Aircraft emissions of sulphate aerosols also have a slight cooling effect, but also contribute to acid rain.
It’s not easy to quantify the exact greenhouse warming due to water vapour and NOx emissions from aircraft, but a scientific consensus is now emerging, that the total warming effect of all emissions (CO2, H2O and NOx) put together, is in the range 2-5 times greater than that of CO2 alone. This range was confirmed by analysis in the “Special Report on Aviation” published by the “Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change” (IPCC) in April 1999.

George asks…

what are eco-friendly buildings?is there any impact odo earthequake on such buildings?

admin answers:

ECO -FRIENDLY BUILDINGS ARE LIKE GREEN HOUSES,WHICH ARE HUMAN SAVY.
As the summer heat begins to rise, going eco-friendly at the workplace could mean huge savings, better health and performance, besides cutting down on greenhouse gas emissionsSo is anyone asking for a return to the dark ages? Not at all! Much can be done without sacrificing personal comfort. In fact, the gains are not only in terms of energy savings but also in terms of overall health and employee performance. According to The Energy and Research Institute (Teri), which has been working for 30 odd years in the field of energy sustainable building technologies, using energy efficient measures, emissions can be reduced by 40 percent. In their experiment with CII-Godrej Green Business Council, Ahmedabad, they were able to effect 35 percent savings in energy. Buildings use over 30 per cent of global energy today. By 2050 they are projected to go beyond 38 per cent, emitting 3,800 mega tonnes of carbon, according to an Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change study.

The break-up in electricity consumption: 40-50 per cent comes from HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioners) 20 per cent comes from lighting and the rest is accounted for by pumps, etc.

The AC works on a mechanism using chemicals that can change from gas to liquid and back easily, and absorbs and gives away heat in the process. The heat is absorbed from the hot air inside and released to the outside.

The impact of earthquakes is much less on eco-friendly buildings.
Indian capabilities in construction are well known from ancient times. The Taj Mahal, Meenakshi Amman temple at Madurai, Moti Masjid in Delhi, Churches in Goa, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Jaipur Palace, the Victoria Memorial Building in Kolkata, the Central Station in Chennai, the Vidhan Saudha in Bangalore are some of the typical standing monuments of architectural beauty and construction. Indian construction expertise is multifaceted today in residential buildings, modern offices, cultural havens, high speed motorways, railways, shipyards and hill construction. Expertise has also been developed in the country in special constructions like space launch complexes, nuclear installations, missile range complexes and ultra-clean rooms. While, engineering developments have taken place in disciplines like civil, electrical, mechanical and allied areas over the years, the construction industry can benefit substantially through the application of Information Technology (IT). The application of IT in construction can pervade the entire life cycle and could percolate in diverse fields such as town planning, architecture, design, project management, costing and marketing. The building and infrastructural constructions have to take into account the natural factors(WHICH ARE MEANT FOR ECO -FRIENDLY BUILDINGS) such as EARTHQUAKES, cyclones, heavy downpours, floods and tsunamis with due analysis, research and experimental verification.

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Your Questions About Renewable Energy Definition

Chris asks…

How does energy efficiency and lowering energy consumption affect..?

How does energy efficiency and lowering energy consumption affect people on a local, national, international scale? In both positive and negative ways.

10 points to anyone who manages to give the most points!!
Thank-you

admin answers:

Less fossil fuel burning, improved energy security, improved energy independence, reduced foreign fuel import, etc.

Http://www.renewables-info.com/energy_definitions/energy_efficiency_definition.html

James asks…

I need to no what conventional and alternative energy is?

I have this huge geography test tomorrow and i was away alot of the time for this class so i didnt get any of the notes i need so i need to no everything possiable about the following :
conventional energy
alternative energy
sustainabilty
hydrogen
energy
water

Anything will help!

Thanks!

admin answers:

I’ll give you one to get you started.

Alternative energy is energy derived from sources that do not harm the environment or deplete the Earth’s natural resources. Typical sources include wind and solar. Nuclear power is usually excluded from this definition.

Related pages

* Renewable energy
* Sustainable energy
* Future energy development
* Alternative fuel vehicle
* Geothermal power
* Ocean energy

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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy Definition

Richard asks…

Define the factors that make a society sustainable?

Is our society sustainable?

admin answers:

A society is sustainable when it can survive indefinitely. This may seem like a broad definition, but it really gets to the heart of it. A society becomes sustainable when all the processes and methods it uses for continuation of economic, social, environmental, and institutional aspects will remain feasible in the future.

Our society, right now, is not sustainable. I could go on for hours, but one of the major problems is our reliance on oil and coal. It is sustainable short term, but these are not renewable resources, so in the long run we will run out. This is one aspect of the green movement, is trying to switch over to renewable energy (ie wind, water, solar, geothermal, etc). We are also slowly but surely killing off the environment. Actually, the Wikipedia article on sustainability is a very accurate and helpful one, and I judge this based off of a few years of studying sustainability and sustainable technologies.

Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainability

Maria asks…

How does an open system contrast with a closed system?

A) An open system is prone to collapse, while a closed system is typically more sustainable in the long term
B) An open system is open to scientific scrutiny, while a closed system is not
C) An open system is able to convert energy from one form to another, while a closed system is not able to do so
D) An open system exchanges energy and/or materials with its surroundings, while a closed system does not

admin answers:

D

That’s the definition of open vs. Closed. A closed system is self-contained. An open system gets inputs from and gives outputs to the part of the world outside it.

However, bear in mind that to some extent, it’s a matter of definition. A nuclear power plant might be considered a closed system, on the power source side anyway, by considering the atomic pile part of the system. And at the same time, the same people might consider a coal plant open on the power source side because of the constant feed of coal from the world. In truth, that’s more of a defined difference. The atomic pile, for instance, might need refueling only every several years while the coal plant needs it every second, but they both still need refueling from the world outside the system.

Time IS a major factor in defining open vs. Closed. In a related way, so is the ease with which the transfers occur. And often one defines something as closed because the aspects of it that are open are not of concern to the definer.

Of course, there’s no truly closed system. Most wouldn’t be much use anyway. And nature is notoriously leaky when it builds systems so built-by-chance doesn’t really produce anything close to closed either.

However, one should also point out that the other three choices are incorrect. So D) is the answer for positive and negative reasons both.

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Your Questions About Renewable Energy Content

Donna asks…

How are government and NGOs confronting climate change?

So far, I have that they demand the world move to renewable energy resources, what are two other ways the government and NGOs are confronting climate change? Thanks.

admin answers:

No Government, nor NGO is actually doing anything that would alter the course of the climate. There are some efforts to produce less CO2, http://www.rense.com/general88/cap.htm
but CO2 is not what drives the climate. Http://www.john-daly.com/forcing/moderr.htm
Many of their CO2 reduction efforts are really not to reduce CO2, but to use Global warming as an excuse for other policies ostensibly to reduce CO2 production. Http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiBvlwbwfJDBnLyqssvEh_Tty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20100427155928AAb6Dwg&show=7#profile-info-A6qoNVxJaa
Obama is currently pushing a climate bill proposed by Sens. Kerry and Lieberman that restricts CO2 production in only certain sectors of the economy, and subsidizes off shore drilling and nuclear power.
Http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/12/AR2010051202913.html

Donald asks…

Why nuclear energy is our best option?

1. Its renewable, the spent nuclear fuel still has 95% of its energy content

2. Coal-fired plant is 100 times more radioactive than an equivalent nuclear reactor

3. It is very expensive to build but coal power plants spend 3 times of that each year

4. Our technology can prevent another Three mile island incident

if we have the strictest safety regulations and the most cleverly engineered plants Nuclear energy is the best option, any objections?

admin answers:

You just answered your own question. There is actually up to 98% Uranium/ fissile Pu in spent nuclear fuel. With advance reactors, we can eliminate longer lived/heavier fission products.

Well, duh the public doesn’t accept it. Yes, it is expensive, but the US government provides a lot of subsidies to make it competitive to fossil fuels. Recently, the US has streamlined it’s approval process, but not much. They are giving companies big tax breaks if they start building their reactors around 2012 give or take a year. I would need to look that up.

France and other countries… It is hard to evaluate them economically because their goverments own reactors.

Those reports the other guy stated, I would think are minority compared to the reports and recently form organizations to develop the next generation of nuclear reactors. Look up GNEP

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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy Fund

Michael asks…

How do I switch to a GREEN energy provider?

I want to switch to a provider that uses renewable resources but I’m not sure how to go about doing so, any help would be appreciated.

admin answers:

Like the former said, you should contact your utility provider for help on this subject. You can switch to a sustainable source if you ask for it, although it can cost more (in my opinion, you’re funding a good research cause). Otherwise you can start making your house green with better insulation, or placing solar panels and wind turbines on/around your house to power locally.

Remember, the less distance energy has to travel, the less electric junk has to be built to sustain that energy that comes from faraway powerplants. Also it is a higher-quality energy, and less energy is lost by heat through this process (more efficient).

Hey man, power to you
pun intended.

Charles asks…

Why do we want to bankrupt the coal industry?

The U.S. is very rich with coal that we have the knowledge to convert and use as alternative fuel. Why would we spend more tax-payer’s dollars to fund Pres Elect Barry’s plan to look for other solutions when the answer is right under our noses? Why is this not in America’s best interests? Is it because the big wigs in the oil industry have the whole system of government on their payroll? That would explain those outrageous gas prices we were dealing with. Then when they realized they were helping to destroy the economy; they lowered the prices out of guilt. What is the “official” reason for the decline anyways?

admin answers:

First and foremost, because it’s destroying the planet. Second, coal is a dying technology; CO2 emissions control is inevitable and imminent, so sinking the kind of capital required to make a large dent in oil imports would be incredibly uneconomical. China is going to transition to more nuclear plants and renewable sources, as India is currently doing. Third, C2L is not a sustainable solution; it merely prolongs and exacerbates the problem. Fourth… Who am I kidding, you’re not going to listen anyways.

“Is it because the big wigs in the oil industry have the whole system of government on their payroll?”

Indirectly, yes. The reason we don’t have a real energy policy like the UK, France, or Sweden is very much because of the corrupt piggy bank/revolving door relationship between the US government and the oil companies. However, what you’re proposing is not any kind of solution. What’s with the right’s carbon-fuel fetish anyways?

“Then when they realized they were helping to destroy the economy; they lowered the prices out of guilt.”

Actually, it’s a harbinger of very bad things to come – a deflationary economic collapse.

“What is the ‘official’ reason for the decline anyways?”

It was mostly a result of a short-run supply shortfall, but in 2007-2008 it was greatly exacerbated by commodities speculation. The speculation was itself fueled by the Fed and other central banks, who tried to re-inflate the housing bubble in the west by monetary expansion. However, the money went not into equities or debt, but commodities and foreign currencies.

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Your Questions About Renewable Energy World

Richard asks…

Instead of funding the Gulf Coast war to secure oil, should the US have focused on renewable energies?

Instead of provoking war with Iran and Iraq, causing thousands of deaths, to ensure control over the Gulf Region’s oil reserves (understandably because it holds an estimated 65% of all the world’s natural oil supply), we could have instead focused our funds on research into renewable energies, As the world moves toward renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and hydrogen, Saudi Arabia and the gulf region will have less influence over the world’s energy supply.

“If we really decided that we wanted a clean hydrogen economy, we could have it by 2010”

-US National Renewable Energy Laboratory Researcher, April 2001
@Ken: Bush slashed annual spending for energy efficiency and renewables but had no problem with preparing for a war that costed around $200 billion.

admin answers:

So what would you propose we use in the time until renewable energy is ready for wide scale use? It’s not like we can throw a bunch of money at it and have available right away. Even if they did invest all the money spent on the Gulf War (not “Gulf Coast” – that’s the coat along the Gulf of Mexico), we still would be years away fro wide scale use. And what would you propose for those people that can’t afford to purchase new cars using this new renewable energy source? Do we tell them they have to go without? Or would we have the government provide them with new cars, using taxpayer money to pay for them?

I don’t think the Gulf War was handle very well, and could have been done differently. But the oil was only one part of it. There was a lot of other reasons for the war.

Betty asks…

How and where to start a thesis related to sustainability and renewable energy?

I want to do my Bachelor’s thesis in the field of Sustainability and Renewable Energy in an economical perspective (e.g. how to apply it in our society without given up something) . But how to start?

admin answers:

What we are envisaging is:
all that is required- from fur, fuel, to fun, entertainments are self sufficient. It is possible in an understanding community, with proper planning for all – from animal breeding, herbs, crops, for computers, contact lenses, etc. Etc… , as in the old civilizations. While those generations used hardly a few k calories/day/person, & the population was not much, our set up, with much more population, mostly illiterate, uneducated
[ educated world only contributes even now for the NON SUSTAINABILITY, AND ECOLOGICAL DESTRUCTIONS, & IMBALANCES ! ] , set up, the sustainability CONCEPT is a tough thing to attain. Youngsters like you only can save whatever is available now for the next generations !

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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy Technologies

Linda asks…

Who is down for using permaculture and new sustainable energy technology to put corporations out of business?

Come on, now. We can do better than following the destructive plans of corporations and governments.
I’m doing it, and I think you should too.

admin answers:

You are not about to put large corporations out of business. I am just being a realist. They are not ignoring the new technologies, they are using warfare tactics to maintain their place in the market.

Permaculture in itself is not a bad idea, and something you really adopt for other reasons, but don’t expect to put any corporations out of business. More than likely they will be able to push for legislation to outlaw home gardening- and if you read the new “food safety” law- your home gardening days are numbered.

Books you should read:
“Seeds of Deception”
“Seeds of Destruction”

Videos you should watch:
“Sweet Misery” (a history of Aspartame and how it managed to get FDA approval via political leverage.
“The World According to Monsanto”
“Monsanto: Patent for a Pig”
“Food Inc”

And there are many more. Do not expect to see them on US television, the influence of Monsanto is too great for that.

I can hear Granny now- “…Ya aint gettin ma seeds! Ya can try pry my tomato seeds out of my cold dead hands!….”

Lizzie asks…

can anyone give me a Research on a new found sustainable energy? easy 10 points?

I just need to report it tomorrow, i had research this “Technology Harvests Energy from Railroad Train Vibrations” but it is short. Any ideas?

admin answers:

Look into the fairweather field…it is an electric field that is around us all the time. A very long looped wire simply placed in this electric field experiences a current.

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Your Questions About Renewable Energy Companies

Joseph asks…

What is a good company to work for in the renewable energy field?

I have an extensive sales background and am very interested in the renewable energy field. Please help.

admin answers:

Citizenre specializes in selling leased solar panel equipment. But they are in very few areas since they are still expanding.

I wanted to become an associate but they are not yet expanded into my area.

The company is setup similar to mlm but there are no up front costs. All you have to do is complete the online training to become an affiliate.

Http://renu.citizenre.com/

Lizzie asks…

What will it take to change the way we consume energy on a mass scale?

From oil to coal we seem to be consuming energy from non-renewable sources. Do the major energy companies have a solution for a post-oil world? Does industry have a plan in place for producing goods when the lights go out? Are we just going to sit around and wait for the wells to go dry?

admin answers:

Individually, be aware of where of you dispose everything . Recycling has a major impact on our environment and it is also a political statement from the community. Politicians pay attention to your demands with the environment, now. Also , be aware of how alternative fuels work ahead of time, so when they become available you can demand either ethanol or biodiesel as a your choice of fuel. If the demand is big enough, the suppliers will produce.

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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy

Steven asks…

What are some methods of sustainable energy?

What are some methods of sustainable energy? a method that can be researched and enough information can be written about it

thanks!

admin answers:

How to get water in a waterless area with out resort to wells or pumps.

How to get electricity in an area not served by the grid again without resort to generators.

Growing your own food.

Almost anything and every thing you do or need as most of it relies on energy from sources outside of yourself that are not sustainable.

Michael asks…

Does anyone know of a good car donation charity that goes towards promoting sustainable energy?

I live in Minnesota and have looked at options for donating my car which is a 1996 Pontiac Grand Am that still runs good except for the entire muffler/exhaust system came detatched and I am not willing to pay for it to get fixed. I’m having difficulty finding charities online that contribute to sustainable energy or something of the latter.

admin answers:

I dont know of any for contributing to sustainable energy,But Our Lady Of The Wayside helps with mentally challenged Adults perhaps you would reconsider where you would want your donation to help.(its tax deductible)

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Your Questions About Renewable Energy

Thomas asks…

What universities offer online courses in renewable energy or green related fileds?

I am interested in the renewable energy, green field, etc. And i want to know if there are some universities offering these kind of online courses.

admin answers:

All courses and degrees dealing with “renewable energy” or “green field” without prerequisite degrees in Science or Engineering are bullbleep.

Students need a background in Science or Engineering (preferably Engineering) before they can understand energy issues. Otherwise, graduates of these phony courses just become loud and ignorant shrieking nuisances.

Michael asks…

When are republicans going to start supporting renewable energy?

Republicans are the biggest opponents of renewable energy legislation in Washington right now. Why?

http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2008/07/31/gop-lawmakers-block-renewableenergy-credit-bill/

admin answers:

We do support renewable energy. The sources of renewable energy are just not reliable and we do not have enough of any of them right now. What most republicans want is for there to be a comprehensive energy package with nothing off the table. That means drilling, solar, nuclear, wind and whatever other sources can be invented or created. We are not slaves to the environmentalists who want only so-called clean energy. Democrats seem to be in the environmentalists pockets and are not willing to discuss anything except what the environmentalists will accept.

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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy Solutions

Sandra asks…

How can we bring sustainable energy to the world? Practical and Viable solutions?

Considering the rising energy crisis in the world, What could be some solutions to shift from conventional energy sources to more reliable energy sources? Now, I would like detail on how to shift to sustainable energy. Not the types of sustainable energy.
Solutions should be logical and implementable on a global scale.
Be specific with reference to third world countries, If possible.

admin answers:

I just read an article about Bangladesh and its government backing/paying for the installation of solar panels on people’s roofs in that country over the past several years. They went from only 7000 solar-powered homes in 2002 to more than 1 million today. While I don’t condone a One-World Government for more than one reason, I do think that the people of each respective nation should continue to push for their governments to subsidize the installation of solar panels on homes, and have requirements that all NEW homes, especially new housing tracts built by developers, have enough solar panels built into the roof to run just about everything, but still be connected to “The Grid” for back-up purposes only. This would also encourage more people to buy plug-in electric vehicles secure with the knowledge that they’re not using coal-based electricity from power plants to power their vehicles.

Donna asks…

Why aren’t people investing more into sustainable energy use practices like carpooling?

Is it just because they don’t know about the ways in which they can save energy?

admin answers:

“sustainable” What’s so sustainable about it?
Well I don’t think people use common sense when talking about energy conservation.
In reality most people don’t live and work in the same area.
We are not connected to our neighbors in close net communities.
It IS inconvenient for most if not all people to have someone else drive them around.
The government shouldn’t punish us and business for being independent from one another, God I could write a book on why we don’t live the life style they wish we would live.
But it’s really irrelevant, carpooling is insignificant to the real problem.
Bio fuels, wind power and solar energy will never work.
To create enough Bio-fuel to run cars and generators to power our daily lives would require 2/3rds more land mas JUST to grow the crops neededto make the fuel, now think about how much more we will need in the future if our needs go up.
Wind power is great in windy areas, but where it is not so windy, Solar would out perform the windmills.
At the current level of solar technology we would have to cover the entire planet with solar panels to generate enough power for our needs.
Oil really is the only solution, we just don’t have the technology to implement alternative sources, it just doesn’t exist.
But yet people are asking us and the world to suffer till it becomes available..why?
Oil and gas can been burned more efficiently, but Governemnt is blocking all attempts to promote this idea..why?
To appease the environmentalist maybe?
I think we should demand that the Government stop trying to punish the oil commpanies, because it doesn’t work, it only hurts us.

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Your Questions About Renewable Energy Content

Thomas asks…

How can the use of alternative sources of energy be encouraged?

“US President Barack Obama said on Saturday that his administration will hand out nearly $2 billion (£1.3bn) for new solar plants that will create thousands of jobs and increase the use of renewable energy sources.”
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/92353

admin answers:

Yes anything that reduces western democracys dependency on oil should be encouraged

Charles asks…

What are some advantages and disadvantages of using Chocolate as a alternative fuel?

So I am doing a essay on Alternative fuels. I came up with chocolate but, what are some advantages and disadvantages with using chocolate? For a advantage I came up with we are using renewable energy or in other words recycling and I can’t seem to find a disadvantage! Is there a issue with air pollution with this Alternative fuel as well?

admin answers:

The disadvantages are that the amount of chocolate needed to fuel a vehicle is too heavy to transport. Plus using chocolate for fuel would cause the price of chocolate to rise.

The advantages are that chocolate is a renewable fuel since it comes from coco beans. Chocolate might also smell bad when it is burnt as fuel.

If it is to be used a s a fuel you have to find out the BTU content.

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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy Development

Ruth asks…

Could any of you summarize sustainable developments in three sentences?

If you were suppossed to analize the term Sustainable Development based on three questions, which questions do you think could help?.
I´m preparing myself on this area.

admin answers:

Sustainable developlement is a collection of methods to progress and still maintain devevelopments in the indefinite future, using 4 basic basic concepts;
1.environmental sustainability, 2.economic sustainability, 3.social sustainability and 4.political sustainability

So u should really be asking more than 3 questions!

-How to provide the best outcomes for the continuity of poverty relief , equitable standards of living, basic needs of all peoples while preserving biodiversity and ecosystems?

-What are the business initiatives to operate in a socially responsible manner?

-How can firms create less impacts on human rights while they can still maximise their profits ?

– What methods could be used to continuously improve living standards by long-term reconciliation of development projects ?

-How to encourage renewable energy use for continuous economic development?

C-How can we establish continuity in political practices (the incentives) to avoid ireversible dammage to natural capital or environments ?

James asks…

Where can I find a diagram of an energy sufficient city?

Where can I find a diagram of an energy sufficient city? When I type in something it only shows images of homes. An ideas where I can find a small city image?

admin answers:

Http://www.sustainable-development.veolia.com/en/strategy-sustainable-development/building-sustainable-city.aspx
has one

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Your Questions About Renewable Energy Definition

Linda asks…

Is tidal Power tiddle power compared to the power of the Nukes Industry?

Slim Footwear (Greenpeace) responding to Chris Hulme’s announcement that 8 Nuclear Power Stations are to be built and the Green Energy tidal generation plans will be scrapped.
“Lib Dem voters backed a party that supported renewable energy and opposed taxpayer handouts to the nuclear industry..”

admin answers:

It depends largely on how you cost the two proposals. If you ignore the cost of decomissioning and waste treatment, then nuclear power is more economical.

If however, you factor in the cost of decomissioning and treatment of waste – the case for nuclear power becomes very, very difficult to support. That’s just the financial cost – there’s also human costs as regards unwanted land use.

Tidal power – by definition – does not take up any land, other than to manufacture the equipment.

This is very disappointing.

Paul asks…

What is the difference between renewable and sustainable energy sources?

Can something be sustainable but not renewable?

admin answers:

Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources—such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat—which are renewable (naturally replenished)Renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly. In its various forms, it derives directly from the sun, or from heat generated deep within the earth. Included in the definition is electricity and heat generated from solar, wind, ocean, hydropower, biomass, geothermal resources, and biofuels and hydrogen derived from renewable resources.

Each of these sources has unique characteristics which influence how and where they are used.

Sustainable energy sources are most often regarded as including all renewable sources, such as biofuels, solar power, wind power, wave power, geothermal power and tidal power. It usually also includes technologies that improve energy efficiency

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