Solar water heating systems are an effective way of conserving energy and reducing your energy bill.

Contrary to popular belief, this is not a new technology. Solar water heating systems have been used commercially for over a century now, with the first commercial water heater (the Climax Solar-Water Heater) going on sale in 1891 in the United States. By the year 1900, over 1600 houses in California were equipped with this solar water heater.

Due to its effectiveness and low cost, the solar water heater gained popularity until, by 1941, more than half the population of Florida was getting its hot water through solar water heaters!

It only lost its popularity as a result of lowered electricity rates, and an aggressive campaign by Florida Power and Light to increase electrical consumption. This was done by offering electric water heaters at bargain prices. Thus Florida’s solar water heating was brought to halt.

The United States is not the only country with a history of heating its water using solar power. There are many other countries where this heating method was used in the past, and has since fallen out of use, – but not all of them. In fact, there are currently more than ten million Japanese households which heat their water using solar heating systems. This is definite proof that it is a workable technology.

Important Facts about Solar Hot Water Heating Systems

• The fuel used to run a solar water heater is sunshine. And, at the time of this writing, sunshine is free – no tax has been added yet.
• A solar water heater can reduce your water heating bill by 50%-80%. But with energy prices going up, the amount of savings will soon be even higher.
• When building a new home, or when refinancing, the economic aspect of this becomes even more interesting. You can, for instance, include the cost of a solar water heater with a new thirty-year mortgage package. This would usually amount to about $13.00 -$20.00 a month. Federal income tax deductions for mortgage interest would reduce the payment for the solar water heater by about $3.00 -$5.00 per month. If your fuel savings with a solar water heating system is $15.00 or more per month (which it likely will be) you will have reduced your monthly heating bill right then and there.
• Solar water heating can be used in any climate. Sound unbelievable? Check it out on the U.S. Department of Energy website. They say so as well.
• Aside from reducing your energy bill right now, a solar water heating system will protect you from future energy price increases. Your heating will no longer rely on fossil fuels for electricity.
• Solar heaters can be installed in combination with backup systems. In fact, you could install a solar water heater next to your existing system and make it possible switch to conventional water heating whenever necessary. This way you are guaranteed always to have hot water.
• Solar water heating will significantly reduce your carbon footprint, and reduce the demand for fossil fuels which pollute the environment.

Types of Solar Water Heating Systems

There are two types of solar water heating systems, active solar water heating systems and passive solar water heating systems. They both work on the same principles.

The only difference is that active systems have a pump or other mechanical means of moving the water through the solar heating systems, and passive systems rely on nature’s principles: warm water rises to the top, and cold water sinks to the bottom. Therefore, with a passive solar water heating system, the water storage tank must always be positioned above the solar water heater collector.

Active Solar Water Heating

There are two main designs of active water heating systems. Which one is best for you depends on the type of climate you live in.

There is what’s called an “indirect circulation system” which uses a non-freezing heat-transfer fluid to transfer heat from the collector to a heat exchanger (a device used to transfer heat from the heat transfer fluid to the water in your storage tank). This is good for colder climates.

There is also the direct circulation system, in which case water is simply passed through solar heat collector and is then routed to the water storage tank for use. This system works fine in milder climates.

Passive Solar Water Heating

Passive solar water heating systems are usually cheaper than “active solar water heating systems,” as they do not need controls or pumps to circulate the water.

But generally, they are not as effective as the active systems. If you live in a warm climate, a passive water heating system may be all you need. Passive water heating systems are also known for being very reliable.

Essentially, solar hot water heating systems consist of a water storage tank and its solar collectors. The solar collectors are used to collect solar energy (which heats water), and the tanks store the heated water. That’s all there is to it.

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Learn more about Solar Water Heating, Solar Energy, and DIY Solar Water Heating

Every time there’s an increase in oil prices, people feel it, even if they don’t drive a car. Some suggest we use biofuel to lessen the impact of the rising fuel costs.

But what is biofuel, and how does it differ from fossil fuel?

Biofuel is produced from recycled elements of the food chain, and from plants. It is used in vehicles, and is considered a sustainable renewable source of energy, as compared to majority of the liquid and gas fuels which are used today. Conventional fuels are fossil-based, and there are limited sources available. These sources are depleting fast, and if we don’t find a good replacement, one day our cars will basically stop running.

Types of Biofuels

Biofuels can be used in their pure forms, or they can be blended with other fossil fuels. There are two basic types: biodiesel, and bioethanol. These are currently available on the market and most engines are compatible with them. There is no need to modify one’s existing engine in order to use them.

Biodiesel

This type of biofuel is created using a process that combines oil with alcohol, in the presence of a catalyst, to produce either methyl or ethyl ester. The alcohol used can either be methanol or ethanol. The esters are then blended with the standard diesel fuel, or can be used in their pure forms (100% biodiesel). Biodiesel can replace diesel, or it can be combined with it in such a way that it helps run diesel engines with little or no modifications required. Biodiesel is said to be better for the environment because of the fact that it produces fewer emissions, while at the same time being made from renewable supplies.

Bioethanol

Bioethanol is made by oxygenating various agricultural stocks, such as sugar and starch crops. It can be used in existing engines, although a small quantity of conventional fuel is needed for cold starting. Vegetable ETBE is used at present, as a fuel additive that can enhance octane rating. The vegetable ETBE is a replacement for MTBE, which is made from unsustainable sources.

Controversy

Biofuel might appear to be a promising renewable energy solution, but there are still some issues that need to be addressed regarding its use. While its use may lower the level of carbon emissions on the planet, the production of biofuel has caused debate. The concern is whether crops should be used for fuel or be reserved for use as food.

Hopefully these problems can be resolved. Biofuel might be an inexpensive and renewable source of energy, but people certainly shouldn’t starve because of it.

Please visit Biofuel for additional information on this subject.

For information about renewable and alternative energy in general, please visit Sustainable Energy.

This article will describe how solar energy is created and cover some of its basic principles.

Solar energy consists of the light and heat emitted by the sun, in the form of electromagnetic radiation.

With today’s technology, we are able to capture this radiation and turn it into usable forms of solar energy – such as heating or electricity.

Although one could go into technical dissertations on the subject of electromagnetic radiation, how it is converted into solar energy, and the exact qualities of its electromagnetic rays, this is not something the average person needs or wants to know.

But in order to benefit the most from the use of solar power, there are a few facts you should know. Knowing these facts can assist you to make a sound decisions, when looking at the use of solar power as a clean energy source for your home, RV, or whatever the case may be.

- Available Solar Resource

The technical feasibility and economical viability of using solar energy depends on the amount of available sunlight (solar radiation) in the area where you intend to place solar heaters or solar panels.

This is sometimes referred to as the available solar resource.

Every part of Earth is provided with sunlight during at least one part of the year. (I say “part of the year” as the north and south polar caps are each in total darkness for a few months of the year.) The amount of sunlight available is one factor to take into account when considering using solar energy.

There are a few other factors, however, which need to be looked at when determining the viability of solar energy in any given location. These are as follows:

* Geographic location

* Time of day

* Season

* Local landscape

* Local weather

Because the Earth is round, the sun hits its surface at different angles, at different locations on the globe. This ranges from 0� (just above the horizon – a good example of this is the north pole during the winter) to 90� (directly overhead, at and near the equator).

When the sun’s rays are vertical (directly overhead), the Earth’s surface gets a maximum of solar energy. The more slanted the sun’s rays are, the longer they have to travel through Earth’s atmosphere before reaching the surface (becoming more scattered and diffuse as they go along).

The more scattered and diffuse the sun rays are, the less concentrated the solar energy is. Because the Earth is round, the polar regions never get direct sunlight, and they receive no sun at all during their respective winter months.

The Earth travels around the sun in an elliptical orbit. Because of its elliptical path, the northern hemisphere of the Earth is closer to the sun during one half of the year, and the southern hemisphere is closer during the other half of the year.

When one part of the Earth is closer to the sun, it receives more concentrated solar energy. This is the time of year that is referred to as “summer.”

But regardless of summer or winter, the 23.5� tilt of the Earth’s axis plays a larger role in determining the amount of sunlight striking Earth at a particular location. The tilting of the earth results in longer days in the northern hemisphere during one half the year, and longer days in the southern hemisphere during the other half of the year.

Areas such as the United States and Europe receive more solar energy between May and September – not only because days are longer, but also because the sun is nearly overhead during this season. The sun’s rays are far more slanted during the shorter days of the winter months. Cities such as Denver, Colorado, receive nearly three times more solar energy in June than they do in December.

- Diffuse and Direct Sunlight

As sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere, some of it is absorbed, scattered, and reflected.

The following is a general list of materials that cause the sunlight to be diffused:

* Air Molecules

* Water vapor

* Clouds

* Dust

* Pollutants

Sunlight affected in this way is referred to as diffuse solar radiation or diffuse sunlight.

Sunlight that reaches the Earth’s surface without being diffused is called direct beam solar radiation or direct sunlight.

The sum total of all diffuse and direct solar radiation in a given location is called global solar radiation. It is the total amount of sunlight hitting the Earth at any specific spot, both direct and diffuse combined.

Pollution and other atmospheric conditions (such as weather patterns) can reduce direct sunlight by 10% on clear dry days. They can reduce direct beam radiation by 100% on thick, cloudy days.

Note that the absence of direct sunlight does not imply total darkness, as some diffuse light will still get through.

- Measuring Sunlight and Solar Energy

Scientists measure the amount of sunlight available in specific locations during the different times of year.

They are then able to estimate the amount of sunlight which falls on similar regions at the same latitude with similar climates and conditions.

Measurements of solar energy are normally expressed as “total radiation on a horizontal surface”, or as “total amount of radiation on a surface tracking the sun”.

In this last case, the assumption is that one is using a solar panel that automatically tracks the sun.

In other words, the solar panel would be mounted on a tracking device so that the panel would remain at right angles to the sun throughout the day.

This system is primarily used for industrial setups, when it is used at all.

- Solar Energy Measurements

Radiation data (the amount of solar energy available at a given location) for solar electric (photovoltaic) systems is often represented as kilowatt-hours per square meter (kWh/m2). Direct estimates of solar energy may be expressed as watts per square meter (W/m2).

Radiation data for solar water heating and space heating systems is usually represented in British thermal units per square foot (Btu/ft2).

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Anna supports of clean living and the use of renewable energy in order to combat pollution and Global Warming, as well as the humanitarian and economic consequences of dependency on fossil fuels.

For more information on solar energy, visit Anna’s blogs, Solar Power and Alternative Energy.

You can also find a wide variety of solar power equipment, solar battery chargers, portable solar power, solar water heating, solar powered weather stations, solar fountains, solar lights, home solar panels, and more, at her Solar Power Store.

Go back 30 years and you’ll note that the green movement was positively anti-nuclear. It seems odd that 30 years on some of the very same people are placing their hopes on nuclear power to stop the global warming Crisis. It may be that we have no choice other than to go Nuclear but we have to ask the question “why aren’t we placing more emphasis on cleaner types of energy?” Some governments (Denmark is a case in point) have already made great strides in harnessing cleaner and safer types of energy including both Solar Power Systems and Wind farms. They have had great success so you have to ask why other countries are favouring Nuclear Power?

The old problems associated with Nuclear Power have by no means gone away. It is still a form of energy with inherent dangers and we still have no viable solution to getting rid of radioactive waste! What is holding us back from moving to other forms of energy?

The general argument is that the cost of switching to renewable energy is far more costly than staying with fossil fuels. But what of those unspoken costs staying with fossil fuels or moving over to nuclear power?

It is general knowledge that our fossil fuel resources are running out. With the demand for energy set to increase there is only one possible outcome. More price increases! On the other hand, the alternative energy provided by the water, wind and Sun is free and will be available for a very long time.

Utilising cleaner forms of energy may not be cost effective at this time but future developments will surely lead to greater efficiency. For instance, take solar technology. As semiconductor technology moves forward in leaps and bounds, solar panels are becoming increasingly efficient. Not so long ago solar panels could only be utilised effectively in hotter climates. Today, we see them being used in many types of environment. Indeed, solar technology has advanced so much people are investing in their own DIY Solar systems. If people think it worth their while to plan and build their own solar energy systems then why can’t it be done on a wider scale.

The financial problem of sticking with fossil fuel energy resources is not just limited to supply. The cost of lowering our CO2 emissions or removal of dangerous waste material is a cost that will stay with us for many years. Alternative forms of energy like solar, wind and Hydro power are all clean and pollutant free. Future generations will not have to pay for what we do now. The cost of short term thinking is a high price to pay for the future of the planet. Let’s keep nuclear power at a distance. The Sun would be far enough.

India is so large and diverse it is hard to classify it. India is, as you will no doubt know, the name given to the vast peninsula which the continent of Asia throws out to the south of the magnificent mountain ranges that stretch in a curve across the southern border of Tibet. Shaped like an irregular quadrilateral, this large expanse of territory, so richly deserves the name of a subcontinent.

Government controls on domestic investment have been largely abolished in the last 10 years, and since then it has been agreed that the public sector should wherever possible stay out of any endeavor that could be accomplished by private firms.

This has now led to a sense of optimism in which many view India as perhaps now still only in the initial stages of a long boom that could extend over several decades. However, India remains as a country with a vast army of unemployed. Many families depend on just one earning member for sustenance and survival.

We have seen other countries in the region go down the same road and eventually emerge out of mass poverty at the end of it. August, 2007, saw the 60th anniversary of Indian independence, so it is still a young nation.

The sub continent has always been, through history a land of brave and chivalrous rulers who patronized arts and architecture and had a real knack for rewarding the deserving people. There are many forts and palaces around the land that demonstrate this, and if you visit them they will open up a whole new range of experiences of the local culture, and a respect for old Indian traditions.

Unfortunately, India is generally not cost-competitive with China for low-tech manufacturing work such as producing toys and household goods, because resource india labor and transit costs are higher. However, high-tech manufacturers are diversifying to India for other reasons.

India is also poised to play a major role in the large-scale commercialization of renewable energy technologies and can offer technology transfer to other industrializing nations. The country has achieved installation of over 10,000 megawatts of renewable-based capacity. India has been said by some experts to be short on natural gas, and that is expected to last only until 2012.

India is also poised to play a major role in the large-scale commercialization of renewable energy technologies and can offer technology transfer to other industrializing nations. The country has achieved installation of over 10,000 megawatts of renewable-based capacity. India has been said by some experts to be short on natural gas, and that is expected to last only until 2012.