Wind energy has become the most-invested-in (by private investors and governments together) alternative energy source for the time being. The great arrays of triple-bladed windmills are being placed all over as “wind farms”, to capture the motion of the wind and use its kinetic energy for conversion to mechanical or electrical energy.

Of course, there is nothing new about the concept of a windmill for harnessing energy. Modern wind turbines are simply are more advanced variations on the old theme. Of course, the drawback to wind energy is…what do you do when there is a calm, still day? Needless to say, during these times the electric company kicks in for powering your home or office. Wind energy is not altogether independent.

Hydroelectric energy is available as a source of alternative energy, and it can generate a substantial amount of power. Simply put, hydroelectric energy uses the motion of water—its flow in response to gravity, which means downhill—to turn turbines which then generate electrical energy. Needless to say, water is ubiquitous; finding sources for driving hydroelectric turbines is, therefore, not much of a problem.

However, hydroelectricity as a source of alternative energy can be complicated and expensive to produce. Dams are often built in order to be able to control the flow of the water sufficiently to generate the needed power. Building a dam to store and control water’s potential and kinetic energy takes quite a lot of work, and operating one is complex as well,and conservationists grow concerned that it. Of course, a dam is not always needed if one is not trying to supply the electrical needs of a city or other very densely populated area. There are small run-of-river hydroelectric converters which are good for supplying neighborhoods or an individual office or home.

Probably the most underrated and under-appreciated form of alternative energy is geothermal energy, which is simply the naturally-occurring energy produced by the heating of artesian waters that are just below the earth’s crust. This heat is transferred into the water from the earth’s inner molten core. The water is drawn up by various different methods—there are “dry steam” power plants, “flash” power plants, and “binary” power plants for harnessing geothermal energy. The purpose of drawing up the hot water is for the gathering of the steam. The Geysers, approximately 100 miles north of San Francisco, is probably the best-known of all geothermal power fields; it’s an example of a dry stream plant.

My friends were set on buying one of these “green” vehicles this year. Both of them were ready to venture off on a new and exciting prospect that seemed to be offered to them through the Honda Civic Hybrid. They loved the idea of doing something good for the environment and they were attracted to the idea of spending less on gasoline.

The government also offers a tax incentive for those who purchase vehicles like the Honda Civic Hybrid. Buyers can save a lot of money by purchasing the new vehicles. However, the tax incentive is not nearly enough to offset the high cost of the vehicles. They are significantly more expensive than traditional cars.

Another drawback is the complexity of the vehicle. Cars like the Honda Civic Hybrid run on two engines that rely on each other to function properly. For example, the Honda Civic Hybrid’s gas-powered engine kicks in when the vehicle is using the most energy, like running uphill. The electric engine kicks in when the car idols or runs at a consistent speed, like during travel on the highway.

The complexity of the vehicles becomes even more intricate because there is a third source of energy that fuels the cars. Vehicles like the Honda Civic Hybrid draw power through the braking system as well, storing energy produced when the cars are brought to a stop. If one of the three complex sources of power breaks, the entire vehicle is brought to a halt because each system relies on the other to function properly.

The costs of fixing a vehicle like the Honda Civic Hybrid are quite costly. Once the vehicle breaks down the owner is faced with a hefty mechanic bill. In addition, the cars are more expensive in general. The savings in fuel costs is not enough to offset the high price of the vehicle, not to mention maintenance costs.

It may benefit car shoppers to wait for the future before buying the car of the future. In fact, after shopping around for awhile my sister and her husband chose to buy a large truck powered by diesel fuel.

The technical name for a fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device. A fuel cell converts the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water, and in the process it produces electricity. Other electrochemical devices in use today and for many decades is the familiar battery. The difference between a simple battery and a fuel cell is that all the chemicals are stored inside the battery. The battery converts those chemicals into electricity but eventually it “goes dead” as the chemicals are used up and you either throw it away or recharge it.

On the other hand with a fuel cell, chemicals constantly flow into the cell so as long as there is a flow of chemicals into the cell, the electricity flows out of the fuel cell.

Combustion engines the gasoline engine burn fuels and batteries converted chemical energy back into electrical energy when needed. However, fuel cells should do both tasks more efficiently.

Simply put the construction and materials in a fuel cell release electrons from the hydrogen gas creating electricity and the waste product after the electricity is used to power an electrical device is water, formed with the negative hydrogen and the oxygen.

This reaction in a single fuel cell produces only about 0.7 volts. To get this voltage up to a reasonable level, many separate fuel cells must be combined to form a fuel-cell stack.

One problem with using hydrogen is that it is not easily stored for consumer use. Other alternatives could be natural gas, propane, and methanol gas. The primary objective of using fuel cell technology is pollution reduction. However, the fuel cell is also very efficient. 80% of the fuel use in these cells is converted into usable energy compared to only 20% for a gasoline powered engine and about 30% overall for a battery powered electric vehicle.

There is no question that the fuel cell holds great promise for the future. However, the fuel cell technology must still put together all the pieces of finding the right ‘fuel’ source that is easy to store and deliver to the consumer, efficiency of the vehicle using fuel cells, and the cost for the total package.

Tips for preparing for hurricanes and storms

Check your house

Our house is our sanctuary during storms; thus, we need to regularly check the integrity of our roofs, walls, etc even before the hurricane season arrives. Since our house is our only defense against heavy rains and strong winds, we need to ensure that it can withstand severe weather conditions, especially if we live in hurricane prone areas.

Once a hurricane warning has been issued, we need to start boarding up our windows and doors. We also need to shut off our gas and electricity and make sure that all objects that can fall or fly around must be removed.

Prepare for provisions

When a hurricane warning has been issued, you need to make sure that you and your family has enough water and food to last for days. Be sure that the food you will be stocking up are those that can be eaten even without cooking and does not need to be refrigerated. Moreover, you need to make sure that you have enough potable water for you and your family.

Aside from food, you need to prepare for candles, matches, flashlights and batteries. In order for you to be always informed on what is happening, you need to have a battery-operated radio available.

Heed government warnings

If the government has called for an evacuation, do not think twice. Follow the advice of the government. Just make sure that your home is properly secured before you leave.

Tips for preparing for heat wave

Extremely hot weather can be dangerous, particularly for young children, old people, and those with certain health conditions, such as mental illness, heart and breathing problems.

Listen to the news

We need to closely monitor the situation and wait for warnings and bulletins issued by the government. Many people have died because they did not know that there is a heat wave and it was unsafe for them to go out during the hottest part of the day.

Stay out of the sun

It is really advisable to stay indoors when there is a heat wave. If you must go out, you need to ensure that you are wearing proper clothing and have a protection against the sun, such as a hat or an umbrella. You also need to schedule your day well so that you will be indoors from 11pm to 3pm, the hottest part of the day.

Shower up

Take a cold bath or shower several times a day. If you cannot do that, just wash your face and nape with cool water occasionally or whenever you feel hot.

Regularly check on your elderly relatives and neighbors

Old people are usually the ones who succumb to heat wave, thus you need to check your old relatives or neighbors once in a while. See if they are drinking plenty of water and are feeling well. If you cannot physically visit them, you can always call them during the day and constantly remind them to follow health bulletins for heat wave.