Category Archives: Alternative Energy

The Natural Gas “Revolution”

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Green is gaining momentum and not just because it is the color of 2013. The green movement is heating up and you can expect more measures for greener living. One of these measures comes from Energy Secretary nominee Ernest Moniz, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology physics professor, who has announced his intention to increase the use of natural gas. He believes it is one of the ways that we can fight climate change.

In an article from boston.com, Moniz said that ‘‘‘a stunning increase’’ in production of domestic natural gas in recent years was nothing less than a ‘‘revolution’’ that has led to reduced emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases that cause global warming.’

He has also told the Senate Energy Committee about how the natural gas boom has led to a dramatic surge in expansion of manufacturing as well as job creation.

What brought on this so-called revolution?

Flow Meters Can Reduce Building Energy Consumption – But Beware of Miselading Specifications

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As you probably know, buildings are one of the earth’s largest consumers of energy and produce more toxic gasses than even the transportation industry. Facility managers everywhere are finally understanding the importance of reducing their consumption of water, fuel and electricity. One of the best ways to monitor and control a building’s usage of fluids (i.e. water and fuel) is to employ flow meter technology.

There are various forms of flow meters on the market today that can measure the amount of fluid that is flowing through a piping system at any given time, and provide data that you can use to make critical decisions in regards to the environment. With the ever-increasing reasons to convert to low-flow systems, many of these flow meters can measure liquid output down to a trickle and still offer a decent level of accuracy. However, it is crucial to understand these accuracy specifications because the lower the flow, the less accurate flow meters can be, which has inspired manufacturers to fudge the numbers.

Why Choose Eco-Friendly Office Furniture?

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Beyond the obvious perks of going eco-friendly (like saving the environment), there are many other upsides to going green in the office. Particularly if you’re a business owner in the Northwest, your clients and customers might be expecting a more sustainable angle from you. You don’t want to miss out on that big client or huge sale just because your office furniture isn’t up to snuff. Or are you thinking going green costs too much?

The truth is that, just like regular furniture, you can spend as much or as little as you like going green. There are sustainable, hand-carved treasures for thousands of dollars, or efficient and green solutions that are comparable in cost to non-green furniture. Still not convinced that going green is right for you? Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Tax Write-Off Perks

Solar Leases Expected to Increase Residential Solar Energy

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Thanks to a new financing mechanism called “solar leases”, residential solar energy within the United States will become more affordable and installations should increase. This is predicted to drive the growth of the market from $1.3 billion in 2012 to $5.7 billion in 2016, according to a recent report by Green Tech Media (GTM) Research.

Solar energy is the primary energy source for Earth, as it’s received in the form of sunlight. Solar power is the conversion this sunlight into electricity. Photovoltaic solar panels make it possible to convert solar energy to solar power.

Currently, any homeowner can install solar panels on their roof and expect a reduction in their utility bills as their dependence on the local electricity grid is decreased. However, the high upfront cost of installation, which can be as expensive as $20,000, causes many homeowners to hesitate when it comes to solar panels.

‘Peel-and-Stick’ Solar Panels Expand Solar Potential

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Researchers from Stanford University, California, and the United States Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have co-developed solar cells that can ‘peel-and-stick’ on to most surfaces. These cells act in similar ways as current solar panels.

Solar energy from the sun is received on Earth in the form of sunlight. Solar power is the conversion this sunlight into usable electricity. Solar panels make it possible to convert solar energy to solar power. For many years, photovoltaic solar panels comprised mostly of silicon have been able to harness solar energy from sunlight to power homes and businesses.

However, since their introduction, solar panels have exhausted scientists for one crucial reason – they are rigid, and must be deployed in stiff, often heavy, fixed panels, limiting their applications. Due to this fallacy, researchers at Sanford University and the NREL have been trying to get photovoltaic solar panels to “loosen up”. Their ideal panel would be a flexible, decal-like solar panels that can be peeled off like a sticker and places on nearly any surface, ranging from a window to cell phone.