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Renewable (Alternative) Energy Link Categories
Also see: Fuels (BioEnergy)
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A solar car is a light weight, low power vehicle designed and built with a single purpose in mind – racing (or "raycing", a combination of "race" and "ray" from the sun). Similar to an Indy or Formula One race cars, solar cars do not represent a practical means of transportation. They have limited seating (usually one, sometimes two people), they have very little cargo capacity, and they can only be driven during the day. They do, however, offer an excellent opportunity to develop future technologies that can be applied to practical applications. |
Frequently Asked Questions – Solar Energy
| How does one convert therms to cubic feet of natural gas? — 1 therm = 100,000 BTU. The average heat value of natural gas is 1000 BTU per cubic foot. A BTU (British Thermal Unit) is enough heat to heat one pound of water one degree (F). |
| Will additional attic vents cut winter heating bills? — Attic ventilation will not necessarily decrease heating bills. But additional venting may be a good idea. Attic ventilation helps keep the attic free of moisture that leaks in with warm air from the living area of homes in the winter. It will reduce the likelihood of ice dams by keeping the roof deck cooler. It will definitely keep the attic and the house cooler in the summer. It is good to put the sun to work. A small solar power collector can drive what’s needed to increase the air flow during the day and reduce it at night. |
| What maintenance is required? — Most solar thermal systems need valves replaced every 3-5 years and storage tanks replaced every 10 years. Collector life is usually in excess of 15 years. PV panel life is typically 25 years. All this assumes "good" water quality is used in your system, and it was properly installed. The good news is that solar electric (PV) systems usually just need to be periodically wash off the solar panels. Batteries may need water topping off. |
| What’s the quickest to keep my house cooler in the Summer? — Reduce the amount of sun hitting the house and shining in the windows. There are all kinds of inexpensive exterior awnings and shades you can add to block the sun from getting through the windows. Interior drapes don’t help the heat problem. The canvas awnings you can fold back against the house in the Winter and during storms are the best option. |
| How do you calculate estimated system cost? — Unfortunately installation costs vary considerably. It is best that contact a Solar Professional in your area who can assess your specific needs and give you a competitive quote. |
| How do you calculate the payback time? — Years to Breakeven = (Net cost – property value increase) / ("Pre-tax" average annual utility savings) where Pre-tax Utility savings = Average annual utility savings / (1 – 40%) and Net Cost to you is "YOUR ESTIMATED NET COST" minus (-) the expected increase in property value. |
| NEW Do It Yourself Wind Turbine & Solar Panel Installation: The following is the personal experience of Shane with a complete DO-IT-YOURSELF approach to installing a wind turbine and solar panels to produce power for my home . |
Geothermal Energy — Interesting Facts
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Resource Data – Solar Statistic & Data
Biomass MapsThese maps illustrate the biomass resources available in the United States by county. Biomass feedstock data are analyzed both statistically and graphically using a geographic information system (GIS). The following feedstock categories are evaluated: crop residues, forest residues, primary and secondary mill residues, urban wood waste, and methane emissions from manure management, landfills, and domestic wastewater treatment. Biomass Resources in the United States Total Resources by County – Total Biomass per Square Kilometer – These maps estimate the biomass resources currently available in the United States by county. They include the following feedstock categories: crop residues (5 year average: 2003-2007) forest and primary mill residues (2007), secondary mill and urban wood waste (2002), methane emissions from landfills (2008), domestic wastewater treatment (2007), and animal manure (2002). For more information on the data development, please refer to https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy06osti/39181.pdf Crop residues – The following crops were included in this analysis: corn, wheat, soybeans, cotton, sorghum, barley, oats, rice, rye, canola, dry edible beans, dry edible peas, peanuts, potatoes, safflower, sunflower, sugarcane, and flaxseed. The quantities of crop residues that can be available in each county are estimated using total grain production, crop to residue ratio, moisture content, and taking into consideration the amount of residue left on the field for soil protection, grazing, and other agricultural activities. Source: USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service; five-year average: 2003-2007. Forest residues – This category includes logging residues and other removable material left after carrying out silviculture operations and site conversions. Logging residue comprises unused portions of trees, cut or killed by logging and left in the woods. Other removable materials are the unutilized volume of trees cut or killed during logging operations. Source: USDA, Forest Service’s Timber Product Output database, 2007. Primary mill residues – Primary mill residues include wood materials (coarse and fine) and bark generated at manufacturing plants (primary wood-using mills) when round wood products are processed into primary wood products, such as slabs, edgings, trimmings, sawdust, veneer clippings and cores, and pulp screenings. Source: USDA, Forest Service’s Timber Product Output database, 2007. Secondary mill residues – Secondary mill residues include wood scraps and sawdust from woodworking shops — furniture factories, wood container and pallet mills, and wholesale lumberyards. Data on the number of businesses by county was gathered from the U.S. Census Bureau, 2009 County Business Patterns. Urban wood waste Methane emissions from landfills – The methane emissions are estimated for each landfill considering total waste in place, landfill size, and location (arid or non-arid climate), and then aggregated to county level. Note: this dataset doesn’t include all landfills in the United States due to gaps in either precise geographic location or waste in place. Source: EPA, Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP), April 2008. Methane emissions from manure management – The following animal types were included in this analysis: dairy cows, beef cows, hogs and pigs, sheep, chickens and layers, broilers, and turkey. The methane emissions were calculated by animal type and manure management system at a county level. Source: USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2002 data. Methane emissions from domestic wastewater treatment – The methane emissions are estimated using the methodology from the EPA Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2003. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007 County Population. |
Resource Data – Solar Statistic & Data
Geothermal MapsThe Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) carries out R&D and demonstration efforts to deploy 12 GWe of clean geothermal energy by 2020 and expand geothermal into new U.S. regions. Locating and developing resources is an important part of that mission. GTO works with national laboratories to develop maps and data that identify renewable, geothermal resources, possible locations for implementation of various geothermal technologies, and actual and potential geothermal power generation sites. The maps below were developed by National Laboratories, universities and other organizations. Maps by Energy Type or Measurement
Maps by LocationU.S. and North America
States and Regions
Global
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