With the rising cost of electricity people are starting to look to alternative ways to power their homes. Think about the increased rent you could charge on your investment properties! The need to provide electricity using more environmentally friendly methods is also becoming more important. Having solar panels for your home (or investment property) is one method of producing alternative power and many people have already taken this on board. If you go to sell your home there are certain real estate agencies that deal specifically with environmentally friendly homes, but it is also worthwhile speaking to conveyancing services who can offer you professional advice.

Solar Energy

Solar energy is created by collecting the sun’s energy in the cells of solar panels and transferring it to power. Solar panels can be installed on the roof of your home and power your lights and your appliances. It can be used to heat your hot water system and your swimming pool and solar energy can even power cars. Small appliances like calculators can run on solar power. Solar power is a green alternative and does not create any carbon emissions in its production. Solar power is an extremely effective way of creating electricity.

Hydro Electricity

Harnessing energy created by moving water has been done for thousands of years. People would use flowing water to push a wheel that would then go on to grind grain. Today hydro electricity is created in much the same way. Water is directed to flow through a turbine which causes it to spin which then powers a generator. Much of the United States’ energy is created this way. Hydro electricity is a greener option and it is a recyclable energy source as the water can be directed back up through the turbine.

Wind Power

Australia has the resources to provide a substantial amount of energy created by the wind. The southern states are subject to the Roaring Forties and wind speed is enough to create a large portion of energy. Currently about two percent of Australia’s energy demand is being met by power created by wind turbines. There are fifty-two wind farms in Australia.

Geothermal

While it might only seem appropriate for those living near volcanic activity, geothermal power is actually viable anywhere you have some space to dig deep. Six feet down, the earth holds a constant of around 50° and 60° all year. By laying some pipes underground, running fluid through a “heat exhanger” – or heat transfer from one medium to another – and adding a compressor to the mix, it is possible to produce a consistent air flow that keeps you cool in the summer months and warm during the winter. To boot, a geothermal heating and cooling system provides better air quality than you get by circulating an A/C or heater.

New Government Facility is Awarded for Innovative & Efficient Design-

NASA‘s Sustainability Base, currently in construction at Ames Research Center near Sunnyvale, CA, is this years winner of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Real Property Award in the Green Innovation category. “This GSA award recognizes Sustainability Base as a model for future federal facilities to achieve extremely high levels of energy and water efficiency,” said Steve Zornetzer, associate director at NASA Ames. “We seek to lead by example and provide lessons learned to others as we proceed.” The award in Green Innovation entails an innovation or idea with potential to transform the federal community’s overall energy and environmental performance, in keeping with the goal of Executive Order 13514 to design federal buildings for “zero-net energy consumption” by 2030, starting in 2020. Designed with a high-efficiency building envelope, the 50,000 square foot facility will be net-zero in energy consumption, will use 90 percent less potable water than a standard building of equal size, and will utilize a solar photovoltaic rooftop system, as well as geothermal wells for cooling and heating. It will take advantage of natural lighting during daytime hours, and its raised floor allows for natural ventilation. Not to mention, Sustainability Base will be fully equipped with a wireless sensor monitor providing real time statistics relating to temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, light levels, noise levels, energy consumption, and energy generation. “All these features will result in NASA’s Sustainability Base making a significant contribution to the President’s new requirements for the federal government to lead by example in energy efficiency,” said Zornetzer.

Energy Production Companies Receive Direct Cash in Place of Tax Credits-

The United States government is doing its part to incite venture capital investments in clean and renewable energy by offering cash awards to energy production companies in place of earned tax credits. In a recent announcement, U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and U.S. Energy Secretary Dr. Steven Chu awarded $502 million in the first round of funding in an effort to help produce upfront capital – allowing companies to create jobs and begin construction that may have been put on hold. Twelve projects were awarded grants. Penascal wind farm in Sarita, Texas received the largest grant, over $114 million. The 12 winning projects would be able to produce 840 megawatts of electricity, representing a 3 percent increase in total U.S. renewable energy generation capacity. “These grants will help America’s business launch clean energy projects, putting Americans back to work in good construction and manufacturing jobs. The initiative will help double our renewable energy capacity over the next few years and make sure America leads the world in creating the clean energy economy of the future,” said Secretary of Energy Chu. Treasury Secretary Geithner said, “This renewable energy program will spur the manufacture and development of clean energy in urban and rural America, allowing us to protect our environment, create good jobs and revitalize our nation’s economy.” The agenda, introduced under Section 1602 of the Recovery Act, is anticipated to generate more than $3 billion in fiscal support for clean energy projects by supplying direct payments in place of tax credits. Over the life of the program, these direct payments will sustain around 5,000 renewable energy production facilities of all forms throughout the nation. More than 2,000 Americans will have access to jobs in the renewable energy industry as a result of this first round of funding – both in construction and manufacturing – and will bring the nation one step closer toward the goal of a clean energy economy.

DOE-funded Geothermal Company Makes Discovery-

Vancouver-based Sierra Geothermal Power Corp has announced a geothermal discovery at its 100 percent owned Alum project in Esmeralda County, Nevada. The finding comes from Sierra’s slim well 26-19, which was drilled to a maximum depth of 1,484 meters (4,868 feet). The preliminary bottom hole temps reached 146 degrees Celsius (295 degrees Fahrenheit), with several zones of high permeability encountered between 1,116 and 1,325 meters (3,663 and 4,349 feet). After coring through the 209 meter permeable zone, a geothermal water sample was air lifted and flowed for three days and samples were collected for analysis. The temperature log returned a maximum of 130 degrees Celsius (266 degrees Fahrenheit) at 630 meters (2,067 feet). Under the 2009 Geothermal Technologies Program grant award, the Department of Energy (DOE) financed half the cost of the wells – with the total cash award from the DOE for the Alum project totaling $5,000,000. The Alum project was acquired from Geo-Energy Partners 1983 Ltd in 2006.“We are grateful for the financial support that we are receiving from the DOE in advancing our Alum project, as it has helped us make a discovery at Alum with less capital than we would have otherwise employed. Numerous people were employed during the drilling of these wells, showing that the DOE grant program is working. We look forward to advancing the Alum project to the next level which is drilling full sized production assessment wells,” said Gary R. Thompson, President and CEO of Sierra.

Investments in Clean Technologies Significantly Increase in the U.S-

According to a recently published report, venture capitalists have invested significantly more money in renewable energy compared to the same time last year. The majority of funds were dedicated toward clean technologies intended to make energy use more efficient, from green buildings to electric vehicles. Many market analysts agree that investments in clean energy technologies will only increase as more consumers and government officials support renewable sources of energy to combat rising greenhouse gas levels and replace expensive fossil fuels. In the first quarter, venture capital investments in clean technology totaled $733.3 million – an increase of 68 percent from $435.8 million in the year-prior quarter, according to a report from Ernst & Young LLP. The total stalled the first quarter of 2008 when investments reached $844.7 million. “It is just part of the overall recovery of the economy,” said Gil Forer, Ernst & Young’s global cleantech leader. Renewables comprise just a small portion of all energy consumed in the United States, although solar and wind are among the fastest growing sources of energy in the country.

Egg Systems Provide Cost-Effective Geothermal Heating & Cooling-

Geothermal energy, power extracted from heat stored in the earth, has been utilized for centuries from bathing in the Paleolithic era to space heating during Roman times – and the technology has evolved so much throughout the years that the capabilities have broadened to include electricity generation. Egg Systems, a geothermal heating and cooling company, has been offering their expertise in this field for over 19 years to show consumers how they can save the environment and their bottom line simultaneously. Their unique heating and cooling systems provide year round comfort simply using the earth’s stable temperatures, can be an exceptional cost-effective alternative to standard pool heating – and, not to mention, offers a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) in the 30’s. The company asserts that the potential return on investment, coupled with current state and federal tax incentives for utilizing geothermal HVAC technologies, could extend to around 50 percent or more; a remarkable savings for the average consumer looking to go green. To receive additional information on these remarkable geothermal heating and cooling systems, visit GoEggSystems.com. Video below, courtesy of WTVT Fox 13 News, illustrates the energy efficient and cost-effective incentives behind Egg Geothermal Heating and Cooling technology.

Mayor of Los Angeles Suggests Rate Increases to Support Renewable Energy Citywide-

Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa, plans to increase energy utility fees to help fund renewable energy sources for the city. A survey released by the mayor asked Department of Water and Power consumers if they would be willing to pay a monthly surcharge of $2.50 to assist the city in terminating its dependence on coal-fired power plants – with 64 percent stating they would comply with the rate hike. Nevertheless, Deputy Mayor Sean Clegg disclosed that the mayor has not yet come to decide on a specific amount for the rate increase. Villaraigosa plans for the DWP to obtain 20 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources such as solar, geothermal and wind energy by the end of 2010. City Councilwoman Jan Perry maintains that the supplementary fees will be difficult to validate to most DWP patrons, especially as the unstable economy and lack of jobs continue to strain countless Los Angeles residents.

Intergovernmental Budget Request to Offer Clean Energy Funds Nationwide-

On February 1st, President Obama announced a $28.4 billion budget request for the Department of Energy (DOE) to utilize in 2011, which includes $2.36 billion toward the new DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Maintaining America’s shift toward clean energy and conservation, the proposed plan targets untenable energy use, renewable energy sources, and clean energy research. The budget consists of significant increases for several EERE projects; with a 53 percent increase for wind energy, 43 percent for the Weatherization and Intergovernmental program, 32 percent for the Federal Energy Management Program, 25 percent for geothermal energy, and a 22 percent boost for solar energy. An additional $57.5 million will also be applied for facility and infrastructure development at DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and $50 million will go towards a new program called ‘Regaining our Energy Science and Engineering Edge’ (Re-Energyse) which will educate and guide students, as well as workers, to pursue careers in science, engineering, and entrepreneurship related to renewable energy; professions which are seriously lacking in America. Moreover, Obama’s initiative necessitates a 43 percent increase in funding for program management; virtually doubling the total amount exhausted for program support. Budget resources will grant the DOE $500 million to support approximately $3-5 billion in loan guarantees for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, along with $10 million to support the continued management of the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program. $35 million of the proposed funds will also work to develop clean energy transmission and reliability, $39.3 million will be applied toward Smart Grid research and improvement, and $40 million will be used to develop energy storage on the electrical grid. The Advanced Research Project Agency (ARPA-E) is also included in the budget proposal with $300 million to aid in transformational energy research; while Energy Frontier Research Centers are anticipated to receive a whopping $140 million for two new facilities, and $107 million for Energy Innovation Hubs. Both the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior are planning to increase renewable energy funding and energy efficiency program fulfillment in their budget requests for 2011 which span from wildlife protection to biofuel production, and are available in-depth by visiting Energy.gov.

Green Shipping Partners with Bonneville Environmental Foundation to Certify Shipments as Carbon Neutral-


The Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) has partnered with Green Shipping to offer an exceptional web service which enables both individuals and businesses to offset carbon emissions that are naturally discharged from utilizing their current shipping services. These days, shipping is certainly not green from any standpoint because of wasted paper, CO2 production from machinery, commercial trucks and other forms of transport – and, not to mention, much valued energy is consumed throughout the process. Greenshipping.com offers a simple solution to help mitigate global warming issues; by acquiring customer shipment tracking numbers that are given by FedEx, UPS and USPS, and analyzing the weight of the parcel, mode of transport and route of travel, they may accurately determine the greenhouse gas pollutants that are discharged because of each shipment. After the calculation, customers purchase carbon offset credits – which fund green energy projects and developments, as well as certify their packages as carbon neutral. Shippers that use the service regularly can set their user account to offset all shipments automatically, and participating businesses have the treat of carrying the GreenShipper logo on their websites, packages and invoices. There is also an iTrack module available to place on your website for easy customer tracking, enabling businesses to achieve more traffic and sales. Greenshipping.com is particularly unique in that it contributes customer payments toward renewable energy generation, methane capture and combustion, energy efficiency and reforestation development efforts.

Renewable energy generation efforts include development and utilization of wind energy, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal and biomass energy; vital for our nation’s future sustainability. Methane capture and combustion is also extremely crucial, as the global warming potential is 23 times that of carbon dioxide – so to burn and trap this potentially dangerous gas not only generates energy but also decreases greenhouse gas emissions by 96 percent. Energy efficiency, being one of the most cost effective methods to reduce carbon production, helps to broaden the use of emerging efficient technologies such as CFLs and LEDs, which aids Green Shipping to utilize less energy throughout the day. Reforestation efforts are unquestionably needed for offsetting carbon pollution and providing a sustainable future for the world, especially seeing that tropical deforestation accounts for a staggering 20 percent of the world’s carbon emissions. Planting more trees helps to restore the earth’s natural balance, as trees and other plants absorb carbon during their photosynthesis process. The Bonneville Environmental Foundation, well-known for their efforts in developing and marketing emergent renewable technologies, has taken part in this extraordinary enterprise to offer its renewable energy certificates (RECs) and certified carbon offsets for the company to pass on to its customers. In addition to the assistance provided to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and development of new renewable energy facilities, the BEF also donates its proceeds to long-term watershed restoration and renewable energy education for students and communities throughout the country. With sustainable and renewable energy developments budding at such a swift rate, it is particularly inspirational to see these innovative and savvy concepts make their way to the mainstream.

Settlement between the U.S. and China Offers Sustainable Developments-


United States Energy Secretary Steven Chu recently announced a new accord between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Chinese Ministry of Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) which will promote an interpersonal partnership to maintain more efficient building designs and sustainable municipalities.

“Making buildings more efficient represents one of the greatest, and most immediate opportunities we have to create jobs, save money, save energy and reduce carbon pollution,” said Secretary Chu. “Our goal should be buildings that are 80 percent more efficient. Doing so will save families money and create millions of jobs in both countries.” The settlement will entail the United States and China to trade one another’s energy technicians and specialists to learn comprehensive recommendations in efficient building design, including insulation, geothermal heating pumps, high-performance HVAC, cold storage, solar thermal systems and photovoltaics.


The U.S. Government will also afford assistance to construct MOHURD’s eco-cities development for incorporated green cities that incorporate sustainable design, renewable energy and as well as efficient and modern transportation systems. In addition, the two countries will work together to investigate the practicability of a cooperative development in China which would exhibit green buildings, renewable energy technologies and building energy savings. The concord on energy efficient buildings and communities was authorized Wednesday on behalf of the United States by David B. Sandalow, Assistant Secretary of Policy and International Affairs at the Department of Energy, and on behalf of China by Qiu Baoxing, Vice Minister of MOHURD.