Here you will find many useful tips.

POWER SOURCES:  MYTHS AND FACTS 2011

ETHANOL

• Ethanol results in fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than gasoline and is fully biodegradable, unlike some fuel additives; therefore, ethanol pollutes less than gasoline. 
• Corn is only one source of ethanol.  As the industry develops new, cost-effective methods for producing biofuels, a significant amount of ethanol will be made from more abundant cellulosic biomass sources.  
• Future ethanol will be produced increasingly from cellulose found in crop residues (e.g. stalks, hulls), forestry residues (forest thinning, wood byproducts), energy crops (e.g. switchgrass, sorghum), and sorted municipal wastes. 

Therefore, ethanol can be produced from corn in large enough quantities to make a real difference without disrupting food and feed supplies. 

• In terms of fossil energy, each gallon of ethanol produced from corn today delivers one third or more energy than is used to produce it.  Therefore, more energy does NOT go into producing ethanol than it delivers as a fuel.  
• Biofuels have the potential to significantly reduce global GHG emissions associated with transportation, but – as with all types of development – controls are needed to protect ecologically important lands.  Greenhouse gas emissions will decrease dramatically as biofuels of the future are increasingly made from cellulosic feedstocks and as the associated farming, harvesting, transport, and production processes increasingly use clean, renewable energy resources.  Therefore, rainforests will not be destroyed to create new croplands required to meet food, feed and biofuels needs and there will not be an acceleration of climate change and valuable ecosystems will not be destroyed.

Source:  (www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/ethanol)

 PAPER 

• 90% of deforestation is caused by unsustainable agricultural practices.  (World Rainforest Movement. UN FAO) 
• The paper industry is a relatively small user of wood. Of the wood extracted from the world’s forests, 53% is used for energy production, 28% is used by sawmills and only around 11% is used directly by the paper industry.  (FAO Statistics 2007) 
• The single biggest direct cause of tropical deforestation is conversion to crop land and pasture, mainly for subsistence.  (replantingtherainforest.org April 2009) 
• 94.4% of the paper we use is made in Europe.  (CEPI Trade staticstics 2007). 
• In Europe, forests are growing and now cover 44% of the land area.  98% of all European forests are covered by a management plan or equivalents.  (MCPFE. Europe’s Forests 2007) 
• Paper is a natural and renewable crop and as young trees grow, they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.  Furthermore, as a wood product, paper also continues to store carbon throughout its lifetime.  A well managed forest used and re planted absorbs more carbon dioxide than a mature forest consisting of older trees.  

Source:  (www.twosides.info)

 

  HYDROPOWER

• Hydro is generating power in every region of the country and is America’s largest source of clean, renewable electricity.  In 2009, hydropower accounts for 65.9% of the nation’s renewable electricity generation and 7% of the total electricity generation.  Water is a resource that is constantly being renewed by the earth’s water cycle.  
• Hydropower requires only the power of moving water – rivers, streams and ocean tides.  It is also domestic and sustainable.  
• Hydropower is a climate-friendly energy source, generating power without producing air pollution or toxic by-products.  Using hydropower avoids nearly 200 million metric tons of carbon pollution in the U.S. each year – equal to the output of over 38 million passenger cars. 
• Swimming, boating, fishing, camping, skiing and hiking are just some of the recreational activities that take place year-round and across the country at sites developed and supported by the hydropower industry. 
• Hydropower is a proven renewable energy resource generated and used in all regions of the U.S. for over a century, today providing more than 30 million homes with affordable power.  Hydropower facilities can quickly go from zero power to maximum output, making them exceptionally good at meeting rapidly changing demands for electricity throughout the day.  In addition, hydropower plants are the only major generators that can dispatch power to the grid immediately when all other energy resources are inaccessible, they provide essential back-up power during major electricity disruptions, such as the 2003 blackout where an estimated 50 million people living in states from New York to Michigan were affected by the blackout.  The hydropower facilities in New York, Niagara, St. Lawrence-FDR plants and other operated continuously through the blackout and helped to restore power to millions of Americans.  This unique operational ability, known as blackstart, means the hydropower facilities can resume operations in isolation without drawing on an outside power source. 
• Pumped storage, a type of hydropower technology, can actually help store the electricity generated by other power sources like solar, wind and nuclear for later use.  The technology stores energy in the form of water in an upper reservoir, pumped from a second reservoir at a lower elevation.  

Source:  (www.hydro.org)

 SOLAR

• In a study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) conclusively demonstrates that energy payback for photovoltaic (PV) power is, in the worst case, less than 4 years. Given that PV module lifetimes are generally in excess of 30 years, a PV system will produce more energy than it consumes over its lifetime. 
• Solar PV technologies have declined in price every year since they were introduced onto the market, driven by improved research and development, and most of all by steady increases in sales volume.  (In 1954, approximately one watt of PV generating devices was manufactured.  In 2004, approximately one billion watts were estimated to have been manufactured worldwide. 
• Solar thermal is dependent on heat and PV solar devices are dependent on light – and this light does not need to be direct; therefore, solar can work where you live. 
• PV systems produce no atmospheric emissions or greenhouse gases.  Compared to fossil-generated electricity, each kilowatt of PV electricity annually offsets up to: 

              16 kilograms of nitrogen oxides    

               9 kilograms of sulfur oxides   

              2300 kilograms of CO2  

Source: (www.solarworld.com)

 

  WIND

• In truth, if wind energy is properly harvested and distributed, it can produce enough electricity to meet the entire world’s demand. Right now, we’re only using a tiny fraction of the wind’s potential to provide electricity. With more education, acceptance and adoption, wind energy can play a major role in solving the world’s energy problems. 
• While it is true that initial setup costs can be expensive, in the long run wind energy can be very economical. After the wind harnessing system is set up, aside from some negligible maintenance costs, the power it generates is essentially free. 
• Proponents of wind energy may tell you that it has no disadvantages, that it’s the perfect energy source. While it definitely has major advantages, like providing a sustainable and perpetual source of power (which means that unlike oil, it will never run out), it does have some drawbacks. Wind turbines are responsible for a number of bird deaths every year, when they fly into the rotating blades. Also, the rotating blades do create some degree of noise pollution. However, proponents are likely to point out that careful positioning of the windmills and technological advances can address these issues. 
• There is a common belief that wind energy can only be harvested by governments or large corporations that set up wind farms. In fact, it is very possible to set up a wind energy system on your rural property. Professional contracting companies are available to advise you on proper positioning and for installation. 
• A main advantage of wind power is that it’s a “clean” source of energy. Aside from some potential noise pollution, wind power is non-polluting. This is a major benefit compared to conventional means of power generation, like oil and gas. Wind energy doesn’t produce greenhouse gasses or other pollutants. Wind is completely renewable, meaning that it will never run out, and never be scarce. And we don’t have to depend on other countries to supply it to us.

Source:  (www.homeenergyteam.com)

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