Which are Renewable Energy Sources for Home?

by allan on June 16, 2011

Did you know that the sun gives off enough energy to sustain the planet for 27 years each day?  There are many renewable energy sources just waiting to be tapped, and one of these sources is solar energy. Which are renewable energy sources other than solar…well…other alternatives include wind and geothermal energy. (see also Build Solar Panel & Advantages of Solar Energy )

This article is going to discuss which are renewable energy sources you can easily use at home, with the hopes of educating you about other sources of eco-friendly energy.  It is vital that you are aware that there are other forms of energy sources out there since our fossil fuel supplies are decreasing at an alarming rate.

Renewable Energy Sources for Home: Solar Energy
So what are renewable energy sources you can use? The first in our renewable energy sources list is solar energy.  Radiation given off by the sun is directly converted to electrical energy with the use of a solar PV system.  Solar hot water and solar water purification systems are just among the few solar conversion systems available on the market.

About 200,000 homes utilize the sun’s radiation to produce electricity. Previously offered at a very steep price, advancement in technology has made significant reduction in the cost of installation.   This makes solar panels a more attractive option for saving money and a great source of green energy while reducing carbon emissions.

Renewable Energy Sources for Home: Wind Energy
Wind energy is second in line when people consider what are renewable energy sources that they can use while reducing utility cost and promote independence from fossil fuels.  Wind power is slowly gaining popularity in the market since it generated its first electricity back in 1890, revealing a long line of history of producing electric power.

Constant gusty winds are not necessary for wind turbines to generate power for your home, contrary to what you may think.  As with solar energy, wind power is amazingly clean and very green.  With the right tools, you’ll be making your own wind turbine in your own backyard.  Wind power has the greatest potential for development compared to other renewable sources of energy.

People living in remote areas are often swayed towards wind energy when thinking what are renewable energy sources that they can use to utilize their land area.  This is most true for people where grid power is not accessible. Those with wind turbines will tell you that their renewable energy source is fairly consistent and reliable.  Compared to solar panel systems, the set up and technology is rather low.  Wind turbines generate electricity during a windy day, and batteries serve as a back up during quiet days.

Land area is not necessary for wind turbines.  A small scale window can be perfect for a small wind turbine that can easily produce 20 kilowatts of electricity, which is often enough to provide electricity to standard US households.

Other renewable energy sources for home
Which are renewable energy sources aside from solar and wind power?  There are other forms of renewable energy available for you to use, but they can only provide energy on specific locations.  Hydroelectric power requires the intense pressure of water flowing from a dam in order to provide energy.  At present, hydroelectric power plants produce approximately 10 percent of the country’s energy supply.  Although there’s a spattering of massive hydroelectric dams in the country, most of these plants are located out West.

If you are interested in using water to provide electricity to your home, you can do so by installing hydroelectric generators in your back yard river or stream.  With further study, you’ll be able to figure out which are renewable energy sources you can use at home.

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