your questions about sustainable energy
Your Questions About Sustainable Energy
Donna asks…
what does it mean to have sustainable energy and how can we achieve it?
Also Sustainable Environment, Sustainable Energy, and Sustainable Water Resources can it be achieved through recycling or is that not enough ? i understand that we have to use energy resources that are renewable but what about countries that can’t afford green energy what should they do ?
admin answers:
In order for something to be called sustainable, its present actions or uses cannot negatively impact its future integrity. The concept of sustainability can be applied in many contexts: the environment, resources, business, development etc.. To use energy as an example, the present use of fossil fuels is unsustainable since it is a limited resource that will not be available in the future. In contrasts, sources of energy like wind and solar power can be seen as more sustainable because that energy source is unlimited.
So to answer your question, although recycling is great, simply recycling is not enough to achieve environmental sustainability, also because the recycling process actually consumes a lot of energy itself.
Your next question is a tough one, because people are really divided on this subject. Some say that developing countries should be held to the same emission standards as the developed world, some say that the developed world should subsidize the development of sustainable energy sources in the developing world, some say that the developing would should be allowed to use whatever energy source is cheaply available to them and it is only the developed worlds responsibility to address the problems of high CO2 emission and climate change etc..
Personally I think it is unfair to require a country with limited means to invest in expensive forms of renewable energy rather then use the forms they have cheaply available to them in order to spur their development. However, I believe that as countries develop, it is crucial for environmental sustainability to become increasingly kept in mind during policy making.
Richard asks…
In your opinion,what issues must be considered if a country is to develop a sustainable energy policy?IMPORTAN?
In your opinion,what issues must be considered if a country is to develop a sustainable energy policy?
admin answers:
So Slobovia is considering ways to use only energy that doesn’t just go away in the future? Good for Slobovia. They should consider:
Where do we get energy now?
Can it run out in 10 or 50 years? Are we scared? If yes, then:
What sustainable sources are available?
Wind? How much wind do we get, and where? How will we deal with no-wind days?
How much would it cost to build wind turbines? How will we distribute the power to homes and businesses? How will we raise funds for that project? How do we get the politicians to agree? Will they get re-elected if they raise taxes?
Do we believe that the climate is warming due to burning fossil fuels? Is the ocean rising drowning Slobovia, or is Slobovia traped in an endless drought? Or maybe not, so we don’t care?
Ask similar questions about solar (sun) sources of power.
And the list goes on and on …
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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy
Donald asks…
How much does a sustainable energy home cost to build?
I am contemplating buying/building a house, for the first time, with no deadline. I haven’t selected a site yet (I know that changes things) but I want to know what I can expect. How does the intial cost of a sustainable energy home typically compare with a less green option?
admin answers:
This of course depends on a lot of different factors. But… For the most part it really doesn’t cost as much as many people think. Since you are building a home instead of trying to remodel a home it makes things much less expensive. Many people think that to be “sustainable” everything needs to be run entirely off of solar and will cost a fortune. This is very wrong.
First you need to figure out where most of the energy in your home is going to be used.
1. Heating/cooling
2. Water heating
3. Major appliances
4. Lighting & smaller appliances
So if you can reduce the energy needed by the largest energy users you can almost elminate your energy bill.
Solutions…
Like the first person answered, GEOTHERMAL heating/cooling system. This is something that anyone building a new home that has enough yard to bury some pipes should get. My sister just built a house with one of these systems and it only cost them $3000 more than a traditional system and they will have twice the heating/cooling power. And the system will have paid for itself after 3 years.
The department of energy’s page about Geothermal heat pumps
http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/mytopic=12640
2nd… Heating your water. This is another huge energy use in the home. This can also be done using some Geothermal systems or you can go solar. Using solar Thermal collectors is a great way to heat your water. This method has been used for a long time and is also used in industrial situations for hotels and outdoor swimming pools. A new system for residential can cost around $5000.
Http://www.solarroofs.com/purchase/index.html#C
Check out this company just for kicks, they build some of the biggest solar heating systems in the world for resorts and Olympic pools.
Http://www.heliocol.com/commercial/commercial1.html
Spending more on better isulation, windows, and doors is another way to save on energy. People don’t realize how much of a difference that can make. You save maybe $20-50 on a cheaper window but in the long run you would be saving a LOT more by getting the better one.
You can add energy generating devices to your home for a lot less than you might think. And by using the solutions above the remaining energy needs should be significantly reduced. A grid-tied windmill that can supply 1000+ KWH a month is only about $5000.
Places like this offer packages for all types.
Http://www.wholesalesolar.com/complete-systems.html
Most of the places I listed here offer assistance or install by professionals but you can also do a lot of it yourself without having to go to school to know how.
Susan asks…
How much does a sustainable energy home cost to build?
I am contemplating buying/building a house, for the first time, with no deadline. I haven’t selected a site yet (I know that changes things) but I want to know what I can expect. How does the intial cost of a sustainable energy home typically compare with a less green option?
admin answers:
This of course depends on a lot of different factors. But… For the most part it really doesn’t cost as much as many people think. Since you are building a home instead of trying to remodel a home it makes things much less expensive. Many people think that to be “sustainable” everything needs to be run entirely off of solar and will cost a fortune. This is very wrong.
First you need to figure out where most of the energy in your home is going to be used.
1. Heating/cooling
2. Water heating
3. Major appliances
4. Lighting & smaller appliances
So if you can reduce the energy needed by the largest energy users you can almost elminate your energy bill.
Visit this site, this maybe helpful for you
http://buildyourownhomeenergy.blogspot.com/
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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 Sustainable Energy
Susan asks…
What has Bangladesh done to establish sustainable energy in it’s Nation?
-What projects, project proposals, development plans and in progress plans has Bangladesh had over the years to shift to sustainable energy? Any open declarations by leaders promising energy sustainability would also be appreciated.
admin answers:
I agree that moving toward sustainable energy is very important for Bangladesh and am excited to see the progress in the solar energy that a previous poster mentioned. One big challenge is that in many developing nations, not just Bangladesh, they can set up small solar outfits, but there is no infrastructure in place to share power generated with the larger community. An even bigger challenge is that even if Bangladesh chose to use only sustainable *sources of energy*, the infrastructure right now would still not be capable of fully supporting is population base. There is still a long road ahead for Bangladesh in terms of sustainable energy (not even going into the more holistic view of sustainability), but the seeds have been planted and I’m confident that the people of Bangladesh are up to the challenge and moving in the right direction.
Richard asks…
What type of engineers work in the field of sustainable energy?
What type of engineers work in the field of sustainable energy? For example solar power energy, wind energy, wave energy, water current energy. Would it be environmental engineering, civil or Mechanical?
thanks
what do you mean bbullough
admin answers:
Typically mechanical or chemical… But mostly engineers who work for companies that survive only on government subsidies and tax breaks… ’cause it ain’t sustainable.
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Your Questions About Sustainable Energy
Maria asks…
What aspect of renewable or sustainable energy would you be interested in looking into?
What aspect of renewable or sustainable energy would you, personally, be interested in looking into as a possible way to achieve a sustainable future?
Not asking anyone to answer this for me, but I don’t really understand the question. Is it asking like what type of energy source? Or what? Thank you!
admin answers:
There are several kinds of renewable or sustainable energy sources and these are different.
Renewable energy is what is there on our planet, that you can use and there will be more tomorrow, without you having to do anything. Those types of energy are solar and wind energy. You can capture these sources of energy fairly “easily”. (There are also geothermal, tidal and hydro electricity but those are not available everywhere – but they are all still renewable energy)
Sustainable energy comes from sources that you can keep going without reducing the availability (if you replace them). This would include wood, for instance. You can cut and burn wood for energy and replace it by planting more trees.
These are all different from non-renewable and non-sustainable sources, such as coal, oil and gas which are non renewable and non sustainable.
My personal interests would lie in (a) solar energy and (b) wood. In the northern part of the UK, the sun doesn’t always shine as much as we would like but wood grows well, so you get the use of both in case of need.
Helen asks…
What aspect of renewable or sustainable energy would you be interested in looking into as a possible?
What aspect of renewable or sustainable energy would you, personally, be interested in looking into as a possible way to achieve a sustainable future?
Not asking anyone to answer this for me, but I don’t really understand the question. Is it asking like what type of energy source? Or what? Thank you!
admin answers:
Solar power; Geothermal power; Windmills; Wave power and Tidal power are all necessary if we are to reduce our reliance on coal, gas and uranium to a sustainable level.
I personally am also interested in powering a laptop from a stationary bicycle with a fly wheel and generator.
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