When someone asks what I do for a living, my answer usually begins with “we mostly design and install photovoltaic systems in homes and commercial businesses”. Inevitably, the next response I get is “Hu? What’s that?” Honestly, it is a fair response to a seemingly complicated answer but thinking about solar generating electricity and Blue Pacific Solar on many levels consumes much of my thought process and to use the word solar to describe this marvelous process just seems too broad a response. [continue reading…]

In every walk with nature one  receives far more than he seeks.
– John Muir

Are you ready for extreme canyon adventure? Are you ready for the best hike on the planet? On this hike you will not see donkeys.  You won’t see trash and the amount of tourists in this area is at a bare minimum. .  This is the trip that Grand Canyon dreams are made of. OK, here we go!!!

An Electrical Car – Why It Should Be Your New Set of Wheels

The New Year has just begun, and it has probably driven youto make your list of resolutions for the year. With that thought in mind, itwould be a good idea to contribute less to the pollution that’s happeningeverywhere by investing in a car that could be economical for your pocket, and alsoenvironmentally friendly. Electrical and also hybrid cars are just the kind ofride you should be looking at, and these are a couple of solid reasons as towhy you should get an electrical car for yourself.

Renewable energy is very much about how the natural resources of a particular region or locality can be harnessed. Wind can be unpredictable – the regular devastation caused by storms and hurricanes shows this only too well – but some countries experience regular windy weather, and this can mean they have strong potential to generate electricity by building wind farms. Those countries on the western edges of Europe, including the UK, Republic of Ireland, Denmark, Spain and Portugal take advantage of their sea-facing geographical positions to source clean electricity in this way.

With the recent furor surrounding the impending price rises in energy bills, it’s no wonder that people far and wide are looking into alternative methods of heating their homes. While many people will look into the possibility of changing suppliers in order to find a better deal, there will be just as many who expect a similar cost and service from similar suppliers and who, therefore, feel that there is something to gain from going green.

Can Solar Power Work For You?

As with everything, there are always arguments for and against the case. Many people feel that solar energy is not a viable way of creating enough energy in the way that we normally source our energy, but realistically, this is just not true. It’s a fact that solar panels can harness a huge amount of energy. The silicon in just one ton of sand, when used in conjunction with a solar panel setup, can physically generate energy levels to match a thousand tons of coal. We have to remember that all energy directly or indirectly comes from the sun – even the energy stored in coal and oil – so using a solar panel is just a way of going directly to the source!

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Off-Grid Cooking

If you have taken the admirable leap of living completely off-grid, you are probably now wondering how to best preserve your stored solar energy. One option is to reconsider your cooking habits. Although there are plenty of energy-efficient electric ovens available, you can save your home’s solar power altogether by using alternative methods of cooking.

The first and most obvious power saving cooking option is an outdoor grill. If you are fortunate enough to live in a warm climate, with the opportunity to spend long hours outdoors, an outdoor grill might be enough to fulfill all your cooking needs. With enough practice, you can cook not only meat but vegetables, eggs, pizza, bread, and even cake on a grill. Some camping stores make it easier with products specifically designed for outdoor cooking. In the spirit of cutting costs, you don’t even have to own a grill. A fire pit can yield the same results as can a large, durable fireplace. If you do plan to use a grill or fire as your primary cooking source, consider investing on a Dutch oven, which is great for baking and slow cooking.

The next best cooking choice is a wood burning cook stove. These stove/oven combinations are used indoors to cook and bake, using wood as their primary sources of fuel. The only disadvantage of a wood burning cook stove is that it also heats your house. This is great if it is ten degrees outside, but it can make your life miserable in the summer.

Blue Pacific Solar

Solar energy is becoming increasingly popular:
It has started to attract the interest of major utility companies. Although this option is expensive relative to more conventional energy sources like natural gas and coal, prices are dropping, making it a great option for home and business owners to consider. Some of the most important benefits of this type of energy are outlined below.

Financial Incentives:
Installing solar panels can result in a variety of subsidies and financial incentives for private individuals who are looking for a new way to power their homes. In addition to subsidies offered by the federal government, many state agencies will also offer financial benefits. These incentives will allow people who take advantage of solar energy with the option of claiming tax credits that are proportional to the generation capacity amount that they install. These incentives can offset the costs that home or business owners need to start using solar power, and the financial savings can increase the system’s overall profitability.

Job Creation :
The use of solar energy has resulted in thousands of new jobs over the last ten years alone. The production of solar panels is one source of these employment opportunities, but there are a variety of other positions that require experienced personnel in order to make the installation of solar panels into a reality, including salespeople, install technicians, designers, and others.

Emergency Essentials
There are two basic emergency situations. Essentials for those trapped in their homes are somewhat different from what is necessary for evacuation. The first basic requirement is water. Humans can live without food for a number of days, but water is a basic need. Shelter comes second. Keep in mind that danger from exposure to excessive heat, or cold, is greatly increased by wet clothing.

Going for Wind

For about £1,000 the British householder can buy his own power-generating wind turbine.  By pumping power generated by the mini turbine into substantial batteries, a constant power source can be obtained.  Alternatively you can put it straight into the national grid and get paid for it.

There are two different options for a home turbine – mount a mini-turbine on your roof or alternatively on a freestanding pole.   Greater returns are generally gained from pole-mounted turbines, as wind for building-mounted machines usually has more obstacles to get around, which weakens the flow.  Performance is directly related to the strength of the local winds, and measurement of this before installation is key to purchasing the right level of turbine.  The free-standing pole turbine in the right location will have unobstructed wind access and therefore greater generation capacity.  It is strongly recommended that an anemometer be used to measure the wind speeds in different locations to establish where the best site for a pole turbine will be.

Someone in the UK planning to adopt wind power for electricity generation should consult The Energy Savings Trust, who can provide detailed advice on grants available, the right equipment to purchase and what to do in installation.

One factor to be aware of when purchasing is the ‘cut in’ speed.  This is the speed of wind at which the power generation begins.  While the layman might expect any turning blades to generate power, in fact, it has to reach a minimum level.  Different micro-turbines have different cut-in speeds.

An Electrical Car – Why It Should Be Your New Set of Wheels
The New Year has just begun, and it has probably driven you to make your list of resolutions for the year. With that thought in mind, it would be a good idea to contribute less to the pollution that’s happening everywhere by investing in a car that could be economical for your pocket, and also environmentally friendly. Electrical and also hybrid cars are just the kind of ride you should be looking at, and these are a couple of solid reasons as to why you should get an electrical car for yourself.

Lower Price Tags Than Before
Just over the past year, the sales of both full electric and plug-in hybrid cars were doubled, and it wasn’t just because there were more energy conscious people around. The prices of electrical and hybrid cars were slashed by a pretty good bit, with manufacturers such as Nissan Motor Co letting its prices go down by up to 18 per cent. The company was able to give the public a more comfortable and competitive pricing as it had moved its production plant to a more affordable region, and other companies are following suit. The benefits are reaped by consumers such as yourself, as the pricing would not better fit into your expected budget range.

Cost Effective
Compared to gas, an electrical car is battery operated, which just needs to be recharged from time to time. The cost of gas that would otherwise do some serious damage to your paycheck is practically non-existent. Research from the Department of Energy in the States has shown that an electric vehicle could be driven for a good 43 miles at the cost of a single dollar of electricity. That says much about cost effectiveness

Wind Power – Can It Reduce Your Energy Bill?
It can’t have escaped your notice that wind power is big in the UK right now. Open spaces all over the country are populated with vast wind farms, acres of gigantic wind turbines stretched out as far as the eye can see like an army of mutant ants. Wind turbines are huge, noisy, and probably not something you thought of having in your back garden, but is wind power something you can use to your advantage, or is it a lot of hot air?

Domestic Wind Turbines
It is fair to say that nobody in their right mind would want a huge wind turbine towering over their house. However, domestic turbines are a good compromise and there are different designs to choose from, including roof mounted turbines and turbines fixed to a mast. In general, the larger the turbine, the more electricity it will generate, although a site survey will be necessary in order to establish which type of wind turbine is appropriate for your home.

The Benefits of Harnessing Wind Power
.   Free electricity – Any electricity you generate as a result of harnessing the wind is free. This means that you will be using less electricity from your supplier and your energy bills will be lower as a result.

.   Sell electricity you don’t need – Under the government’s feed-in tariffs, homeowners are paid for electricity they generate. You can also sell any extra electricity back to the grid.

.   Store electricity – Excess energy can be stored in batteries and used when there is no wind.

.   Good for the environment – As with any type of renewable energy, electricity generated from a wind turbine is ‘green’ and, therefore, environmentally friendly. So by installing a wind turbine, you can reduce your carbon footprint.