Energy

Our energy section addresses the various options available in energy provision, referring to heating and lighting, or more specifically, the power you need to run these essential things in, out and around your house.

We offer links to companies offering solar enegy, wind energy, hydro power and renewable energy. We also have a section where you can compare electricity providers to see if you are getting the best deal for your electricity supply, or possibly explore alternatives you had not considered before?

Why is your website not listed here? If you are a company that sells fuel, such as coal or propane gas, we need you to add your website URL to our directory.

If you are a company that sells products such as BIO-diesel, parrafin, gas, petrol, oil, solar power, wind power, earth power, or any other product which is energy saving, and/or kind to our environment, please add your site here today.

Article: Heating and Energy

Heating systems use various energy resources such as oil, gas, electricity, wood and even coal. Oil and gas are costly energy resources as compared to wood and coal. But all of them are resources that are rapidly depleting and resulting in being purchased by homeowners at higher prices each year.

Energy Consumption for Home Heating

If the house is large or has more number of rooms that require heating during the cold winter months, energy consumption can reach alarming levels resulting in very high utility bills. The best way to minimize bills is to use the heating system in a careful manner so as to conserve energy. Regular service and maintenance of all equipment used at intervals of time is also recommended. Seeking professional help from contractors or equipment suppliers will also help in controlling energy consumption.

Need for energy conservation

Energy conservation is considered important in today's fragile environment and rapidly deteriorating energy reserves. Everyone from homeowners to engineers, architects, contractors, designers, homebuilders, utility companies and utility service providers are looking at ways and means to conserve energy. Heating systems installed in homes use different fuels for energy and must be regularly serviced and maintained to ensure conservation and prevent wastage. Books and manuals that give advice on energy conservation also serve the purpose of important information and updates regarding the same.

Resources

Heating and energy related articles could be found in manuals, books and expert advice in brochures as well as on websites on the Internet. Most local building associations would also have booklets or information on efficient use of utility systems and appliances at home and in buildings. It is important to remember that saving energy is as important as spending energy. Use of different appliances must also be made to that effect.

A few tips on energy conversation

Efficiency improvements for applications and gadgets in the building or at home can greatly increase the amount of energy saved. Proper use of heating and air conditioning systems, water systems, effective use of lighting and sunlight can help in reducing utility bills from exceeding their budget.

ARTICLE: Clean hydrogen fuel from corn? - Energy - Brief Article

Science News, March 6, 2004

Future vehicles and electric generators powered by fuel cells could eventually run on hydrogen derived from corn. Researchers at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, have come up with an efficient method of converting ethanol, the alcohol produced by the fermentation of corn, into hydrogen fuel.

>From the breakdown of biomass to the splitting of water using solar energy, researchers around the world have been exploring a host of renewable sources of hydrogen (SN: 10/12/02, p. 235). The main source of hydrogen today is natural gas--a polluting and nonrenewable fossil fuel.

To extract hydrogen from ethanol, Lanny Schmidt and his coworkers injected a mixture of water and ethanol into a palm-size reaction chamber heated to 140[degrees]C. The ethanol and water mixed with air inside the chamber and passed through a porous membrane covered with rhodium and cerium oxide catalysts. As the catalysts stripped the hydrogen atoms from the ethanol, the process generated heat, which significantly sped up the reaction.

Just 50 milliseconds after the initial injection of the water-ethanol mixture, essentially all the hydrogen atoms in ethanol had been converted into hydrogen fuel. Some of the hydrogen atoms from water in the mixture were also extracted and contributed to the overall volume of hydrogen fuel.

The scientists calculate that their hydrogen-generating system could capture more than 50 percent of the energy that plants store in the form of sugar. Approximately two shot glasses of ethanol could yield enough hydrogen to generate 350 watt-hours of electricity, enough to power half a dozen 60-watt lightbulbs for an hour.

The researchers describe their reactor in the Feb. 13 Science.--A.G.

ARTICLE: Energy conservation