China’s Solar Roof Water Heaters
Solar water heaters are one of the most affordable ways that a household can generate hot water year round. These solar water heaters can be seen on the roofs of many of the homes throughout China.
Photo by {link:http://www.solarchoice.net/}Solar Choice{/link}.
Besides the attractive feature of paying no cost for your yearly water energy consumption, the cost of one of these systems is priced at only a few hundred US dollars. That cost can be recouped by the average house in as little as a few years. It’s no surprise then that nearly 10% of all homes in China currently have a unit on their roofs along with a high year growth rate.
Photo by {link:http://www.flickr.com/photos/leondznanjing/417218816/}leondznanjing{/link}.
The biggest question I have is why systems like these become more popular in other countries trying to switch to renewable energy?
What is confusing is that China has found a way to have an affordable price for these units and make them commonplace in China. It’s very rare to see a unit like this in America. I know we are now picking up on tankless water heaters, but it’s still a mystery as to why these units haven’t become more popular. Or is it?
As compared to China, units in America are priced in the thousands. Even with tax credits, they are still priced much higher than a comparable system you would find in China. What also could be a factor is the fact that we live in much larger homes as compared to China. Many of the residents live in smaller city apartments and the idea of “Suburbs” don’t exist.
Imagine if more countries could offer these systems at affordable prices like China has. They would be immensely popular since it would help dramatically lower our energy costs while cutting carbon emissions.
What are you thoughts? Would you buy a solar roof water heater if the priced dropped down?
Sustainable Snacking?
I have always been a fan of Frito-Lay brand Sun Chips, as I think they are a healthier (and tastier) alternative to potato chips. The last several times that I have purchased Sun Chips at the grocery store, I noticed that the packaging had a little green “e” icon on it. After Googling the little green “e”, I was able to find out that the Green-e logo is actually a carbon offset program created by the Center for Resource Solutions (www.resource-solutions.org). Intrigued, I went to the Sun Chips website to learn more about the company’s commitment to green energy. According to www.sunchips.com, they have one factory that relies on solar power as its main source of electricity. The Modesto, California plant is currently the only Sun Chips factory (out of eight total) that utilizes solar power, but as their website claims, “it’s a small step in the right direction.”
On my most recent grocery shopping trip, I realized that there has been another change to the Sun Chips bag. Now the package advertises that the bags themselves are fully compostable and claim that they will successfully break down in about 14 weeks. Another example of “green washing” intended to draw in socially conscious shoppers? Maybe. But it seems that other companies are now following suit.
Boulder Canyon Natural Foods, which produces All Natural Kettle Cooked Potato Chips, has also introduced a compostable snack bag, unveiled during Earth Day week. Snyder’s of Hanover, not to be outdone by the other companies, has also made plans to market their organic line of pretzels in compostable packaging. According to www.sustainablelifemedia.com, Snyder’s compostable bags will be derived from plant-based materials and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 52% during the production process.
Is the switch to more ecologically responsible packaging due to a consumer demand for greener products or, is this simply a clever marketing tactic that allows these companies to add substance to their green statements? Mother Earth News asked a similar question in the article, “Mother Earth News Finds Compostable Packaging Claims Half-Baked.” After testing several brands of trash bags that were marketed as being compostable, Mother Earth News came to the conclusion that most of the bags did not break down as promised. While the magazine tested trash bags and not snack bags, it makes one wonder how the new compostable snack packaging would fare.
So, what is the bottom line here? If you do not mind the surprisingly loud crinkling of these bags, which makes secret snacking nearly impossible, then I would recommend giving one of these brands a try. If the new compostable packaging lives up to even part of its claims, then there is a clear savings in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and in the amount of waste left behind when you have finished the products. When faced with the choice between a snack packaged in a compostable bag versus one that is made from a petroleum-based material, I know which one I will end up in my shopping basket.
Kohl’s Stores Are Going Green and Giving Back
Kohl’s Inc. – a retailer with almost 1,100 stores in the United States – made news recently by announcing its plan to bring solar energy to ten of its stores in Colorado. According to Newsweek, Kohl’s “[h]as the largest solar power program of any retailer globally.” Currently, eighty-six Kohl’s stores in Maryland, California, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Oregon, and New Jersey use solar power.
In addition to its solar power initiative, Kohl’s plans to donate $2 million to nonprofit organizations in honor of Earth Day and National Volunteer Week, and Kohl’s A-Team Volunteers – comprised of Kohl’s employees – will practice environmental responsibility by participating in environmental initiatives throughout the month of April.
At a time when some companies are only going green because it pays to go green, it is always good to hear about a company that is actively contributing funds to environmental causes.
Save Energy With Solar-Powered Speakers
Share your music anywhere with this solar-powered speaker unit. Small and lightweight, the unit is ideal for travel, with an integrated solar panel providing power away from a mains supply. The stylish black speakers use wireless technology to connect to Bluetooth compatible phones (including the iPhone) or MP3 players. For gadgets without Bluetooth a 3.5mm connector is supplied. The 2 x 2W speakers also contain a built in microphone. When paired with a suitable phone they allow Hands-Free communication. A clear touch screen is user-friendly, with Fast Forward, Playback and Volume control.
A solar panel, running across the top of the speaker unit, charges an internal Lithium-ion battery. When fully charged the battery allows up to 12 hours continuous play from devices using Bluetooth, or 36 hours play via the 3.5mm cable connection. The speakers can play and charge simultaneously, with a complete charging time of between 12 and 24 hours from sunlight, or 4 hours from a mains AC/USB supply. With this many charging options, you’ll never have to face the day the music stopped! The unit comes with a protective case, AC/DC plug and charging cable. Share your music freely, or simply enjoy stereo sound without headphones.
The solar speaker is available to buy here.
This is a guest post by Rob from WasteCare.
Silexium Could Change Solar Panel Manufacture
Sixtron has recently developed a thin coating for solar cells called Silexium. This anti-reflective coating could make solar panels much more affordable.
The manufacture of solar cells now requires the use of saline gas to make anti-reflective coating, that is extremely dangerous as well as expensive. Silexium does not require silane to be present and could reduce the complexity and money required to make solar cells. This new coating would also provide more protection over the cells allow for possibly longer life and more power generated.
Sounds like a promising product that could help expand the usage of solar panels.
Understanding and Evaluating Energy Saving Technology
With the recent climate change talks in Copenhagen, it is safe to say that even though all countries aren’t actually making an effort to change their actions, most at least understand it is extremely important for the environment for us to change our ways and focus on reducing pollution.
Rather than waiting for our politicians to step up and mandate the changes needed to help save our environment, I feel that it is our duty to help make this world a better place, after all it is the only one we have.
One of the most effective ways of doing this is to help cut down on our energy costs, both in our vehicles and at home. However, when considering some of the technologies available today, it is very important to weigh not just the energy savings, but also the cost of manufacturing these devices.
Heating and Cooling
In the home, there are usually few appliances that are as inefficient as our heating and air systems. However, if you live in an area that gets very hot or cold, simply doing without isn’t safe, nor is it comfortable. Fortunately, there are a number of more energy efficient heating and air systems available, which can cut back on our energy use, without having to sacrifice our comfort.
One of the most exciting technologies available to help reduce energy costs is the Geothermal Heating and cooling unit. Geothermal heating and cooling uses very long tubes that extend into the Earth and actually pull heat from the ground. In the summer, the same process can be reversed, sending the heat from the house, into the ground.
Using a geothermal system, it is possible to heat a 1500 square foot house for less than a dollar a day. Of course, they are quite expensive to install and depending on the location, can require that a very deep hole is drilled. To help off set this cost, many power companies will offer incentives for installing a geothermal heating and cooling system, with some options also available from the government. While the initial cost is very high, the savings over a 10 year period could easily offset this initial investment.
Another option for those wishing to cut heating and cooling costs is the Cold-Weather Air Source Heat Pump, which uses an additional compressor that is used when the temperature drops below 30 degrees. The second compressor is necessary because a traditional heat pump does not work well when the temperature drops below freezing, so auxiliary heat must be used. Auxiliary heat, or emergency heat, is very expensive to operate, as it uses a great deal of energy.
Using a Cold-Weather Air Source Heat Pump ends up using less power than a standard heat pump would when it gets very cold. Further, when the temperature is above freezing, only one compressor is used, so the energy usage is similar to that of a traditional heating system.
Generating Your Own Power
For years, people have been putting solar panels on their home to help reduce their dependency on fossil fuels and the power company. While this can save you a great deal of money and it is even sometimes possible to sell your excess power back to the power company, the initial investment has always been quite steep.
Recently, however, the cost of solar panels has begun to drop, as new manufacturing technologies have been introduced. This, coupled with rising energy costs across the country, has made installing solar panels a much more attractive idea.
Several companies have recently developed very thin solar panels that are relatively inexpensive to manufacture, but because they rely on some semi-rare minerals, so it remains to see whether this can be used on a very large scale.
Going Green in Your Automobile
Another popular move has been to use a more energy efficient vehicle, with a number of hybrids, which are cars that use a mixture of gasoline and stored electricity, and battery powered vehicles available.
Currently, GM, Nissan, Honda, Ford, and Toyota all offer some sort of battery powered vehicle, but when considering these cars, it is important to take into account the environmental impact that manufacturing them has.
For example, the Toyota Prius uses a very expensive battery, which uses nickel that is mined in Canada, using a mining technique that is bad for the environment. Then, the nickel must be shipped across the world, converted into batteries, and subsequently shipped back over to the US. So, with all of the environmental costs associated with the manufacture of the Prius, it tends to off set the benefits of driving it.
It All Starts with You
What a lot of people don’t always realize, myself included, is that the things we do everyday can have a major impact on the environment and the future. Even if you don’t have the money to invest in something like a geothermal heating system, you can still help the environment by changing your actions.
For example, making an effort to shut off the water when you wash your teeth and shave can save a tremendous amount of water. Also, consider setting the heat to around fifty-five and putting on an extra sweater or perhaps wearing some thermal clothing, rather than cranking up the heat.
If everyone made what are essentially very small changes to their lifestyle, it would no longer be a small change and could have a tremendous impact on the World.
About the Author
Tiger is a writer who understands the importance of protecting the environment. In addition to writing about the environment, he also writes about a number of other topics, including lift chairs. Lift Chairs are devices that in design are similar to a recliner, but contain a powerful lifting system, which helps to make it easier to stand. They are especially popular among the elderly and lift chairs Medicare are available, for those who live in the United States and are currently enrolled in Medicare.
Cheap Solar House Fighting to Win Contest
A solar house built by a group of students from Rice University out of Houston, TX strives to be a low cost option for houses to reduce their carbon emissions while still reducing monthly energy bills. The Zerow House as it’s called is going to be part of the Solar Decathlon contest hosted by the Department of Energy.
The major accomplishment the students are trying to achieve is to build an affordable house that a normal family can afford, yet still reduce their carbon footprint. Other entrants in the contest took quite a different approach in that they built expensive homes with fancy features. Roque Sanchez, one of the students involved in the project had this to say about the Zerow House:
We’re taking a house that any family could live in and any family could afford and adding solar to it.
It’s great to see that these students took a different approach to this house than the other entrants. I hate it when winning products of contests like this are so expensive that the normal person could never afford. Being priced at just $100,000, this house could be an excellent way many Americans could build solar enabled, yet inexpensive and practical homes. After the competition is over, Rice University also plans on donating the home to a low-income family.
I wish the best of luck to this group. Lets hope this home can make a huge impact on how homes are built throughout our country regardless of whether they win the Solar Decathlon.
