Top 10 benefits of using Electric Fire

Before the introduction of television, the fireplace used to be the center of a living room where the members of a family used to gather in the evening. The Fireplace still occupies an important place in a room. Now a day, Electric Fire is turning out to be a very good alternative to the good old log burning fire place. The advantage of an Electric Fire is that it does not mess up your room like the traditional fireplace. You could install an electric fire in case you do not have a gas connection to enjoy its warmth. These electric fires come in different styles, colors and finishes and are suitable for use in both contemporary as well as traditional homes. The biggest disadvantage of a fireplace is that produces ash which itself could be damaging. These ashes require constant cleaning and dusting of the room. Secondly, when smoke backs up out of the chimney, it could be quite dangerous for the furniture as well as books. These problems could be avoided by using an electric fire instead. There are a few more advantages of electric fire. Let us look at them in some detail. Energy efficient These electric fires are very energy efficient and keep the wastage of heat to the minimum. The running cost could be less than �2 per year when running it on 'flame only' setting. Easy to install Compared to other types of fireplaces, electric fire is quite easy to install. You will just have to plug in the electric fire into a power socket and the electric fire is ready for your use. The installation would take only a few minutes rather than hours or days as required for installing other types of fireplaces. Flexible design These electric fires do not require a chimney, flue or pipe work to be installed along with it. Therefore, the electric fire could be placed in any part of the room as per your choice. In case, you change your residence, you can carry it along with you for installation in your new house. Safe and reliable to operate As no fuel is burnt to generate heat, electric fire is very safe to operate. There is no chance of carbon monoxide poisoning either. Electric fire also does not require regular servicing for its proper operation. Low cost Compared to other types of fireplaces, electric fire is quite cheap and requires hardly any installation cost. There are many other advantages of electric fire installation. But, the advantages described above are the main advantages of electric fire.

By: JessicaThomson

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Make The Right Choice With Solar Energy Technologies

There are many different solar energy technologies available on the market today. It is a good idea to learn about what is out there, whether you choose to use a contractor for installation or not. In addition, you can save some money if you already have an idea of what you want. Contractors can concentrate on installation and you will not have to pay them to spend time determining what to install.

The first thing you will need to do is decide if you want to go all the way solar or not. There are systems available to convert your entire house to solar energy. There are also different technologies that you can use to convert only certain things. Either way you choose, you will still be able to save money and the environment at the same time.

Solar Panels

Traditional solar panels are mounted on small stands and then placed either on your roof or in your yard. There are other necessary components that depend on what type of system you choose.

Solar Powered Shingles and Tiles

Solar powered shingles and tiles are an aesthetically pleasing alternative to regular, bulky solar panels. Instead of having multiple solar panels attached to your roof, you just re-roof your house. These shingles have a photovoltaic substance spread on top of them that allows for the collection of solar energy. Added benefits of using solar shingles are that they blend in very well and will not reduce the value of your house.

Solar Powered Batteries

Solar powered batteries are a wonderful invention. It is inevitable that your solar electric system will generate more power than you need. When solar powered batteries are included in your setup, you can store the excess power to be used later. You will be thankful for that on rainy days when your system is not generating power.

Solar Heater

You can use a solar space heating system to heat the air in your home. It can be implemented in one of two ways. A passive heating system uses features such as south-facing windows and heat-absorbing floor and wall material to collect heat during the day and release it at night. An active heating system uses solar collectors, fans or pumps to distribute the heat. In addition, a storage system is needed to hold heat for cloudy or rainy days.

Solar Water Heater

Installing a solar water heater is a good option for those who don't want to go completely solar, or who just can't afford to do so. There are only two parts to this: a solar collector and a storage tank. The solar collector uses sunlight to heat the water, which is then held in a storage tank.

Solar Pool Heating

You can also use the power of solar energy to heat your swimming pool or hot tub. The basic principle is similar to that of the solar water heater. Your pool filtration system will pump the pool water through a solar collector. The heated water is then pumped right back into the pool. The one drawback to this type of heating system is that the solar collector is usually quite large. It needs to be 50 to 100% of the pool surface area.

Solar Lighting

Depending upon where you live, you have probably seen stores such as Wal-Mart using solar lighting systems. The system used for a single home is not as large, although the basic principle is the same. Most solar lighting systems are actually hybrids. Hybrid solar lighting systems combine solar energy with regular electricity, all funneled into hybrid light fixtures. The amount of regular electricity used is dependent upon available sunlight.

Trombe Wall

A trombe wall is glazed on the outside with a heat conducting substance. These walls transfer heat into your house to warm it up and out of your house to cool it down.

Solar Sunroom

The solar sunroom will always be positioned on the south-facing side of your home. The walls are made of extremely large glass panes that collect solar energy. The energy collected can either be funneled into the house or stored for later use.

By Sean Burton

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Solar Energy : Power for the Future

Just imagine if there is a way for you could help to reduce pollution and at the same time save money on your electric bills. Here is a really simple way for that to happen, installing solar energy panels at the comfort of your own home. I am sure that you have heard about solar energy but how much do you know about it? Have the thought of using solar energy ever come across your mind? Have you ever wondered if solar energy is right for you? Before you make any decisions, let's take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy. After reading this article, you could then decide if solar energy is right for you. Solar energy can save you a lot of money on a long term basis. Right after the initial investment as good as free. The duration for this investment can be very short depending on the amount of electricity your household use. In addition, the government do provides financial incentives that will help to reduce your cost. If you are concern about the global warming and the harmful effects of the environment, solar energy is just for you because it is environmentally friendly. Solar energy is clean, renewable and sustainable in helping to protect our environment as it does not pollute our air by releasing harmful gases like many traditional forms of electrical generators does. It actively contributes to the decrease of harmful green house gas emissions. Solar energy systems are virtually maintenance free and therefore will last for decades. Once installed, there are no recurring costs. It operates silently and it does not release offensive smell. It also does not require you to add any fuel. More solar panels can easily be added in the future when your family needs grow. One point that you have to take note is that solar panels require quite a large area for installation to achieve a good level of efficiency. This would rely on the location of the solar panels not to mention that the production of solar energy is also influence by the presence of clouds or pollution in the air as well. Nevertheless, this problem can be overcome with the installation of certain components. Although there will be no solar energy produced during the night, there are batteries bases systems or a net metering will help you settle this issue. Installing net metering could save you on electric and money. For one thing, solar powered cars are not highly fancied due to the fact that it does not move as fast as it desired. Now that you are armed with this information, you will be able to make a clear decision whether or not solar energy is right for you. If it does, what's stopping you from carrying it out? Go to your nearest electrical shop and install one today. Remember, you will not only save your electricity but you will also help to save the environment.

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Some States Already Transitioning to Alternative Energy

By: John Kuzniar

Recently when asked "What is the best currency in the world to own right now?", billionaire Warren Buffet replied, "Not the u.S. dollar." It was recently reported that supermodel Gisele Bundchen refused to be paid in U.S. dollars, because of uncertainty over its strength. She instead, asked to be paid in euros. In his new music video for the movie "American Gangster," best selling rapper Jay-Z flaunts the euro, not the dollar, to showcase his wealth. The examples above speak volumes about what many people with money, lots of money, think about the value of today's dollar. And many of them are beginning to hedge their bets with respect to the dollar. But what does all of this have to do with renewable energy resources? If the dollar continues to be weak against other currencies, it will produce many unpredictable side effects. But one side effect that is almost certain to happen is a rise in the prices of traditional energy resources. All imports, but specifically oil and gasoline, will become more expensive. The days of $1.20 a gallon for gas are probably gone forever. Grid Parity and Energy Prices Grid parity is the point at which it becomes cheaper to produce your own electricity, from photovoltaic cells using solar power, than it is to buy it from power companies off of the electrical grid. As energy prices rise, more and more people will find themselves reaching grid parity. Until very recently, the prospect of a community reaching grid parity any time soon seemed like a remote possibility. However, as energy prices have risen, some places in the U.S. have already reached that point. As of 2007, Hawaii has reached grid parity with the peak charging rates. Parts of California, particularly Northern California, have reached gird parity as well. As energy prices continue to rise, in large part due to the dollars devaluation, we'll see many more communities reaching grid parity. But there is also an inverse price relationship happening with solar power and oil. As the price of oil slowly increases, the prices of photovoltaic cells are slowly decreasing. Companies are becoming more efficient at producing solar cells thus enabling them to be sold at lower price points. In addition, the solar cells themselves are becoming more efficient solar collectors, which let's the home or business owner save even more money. And, of course, other factors pushing us towards greater uses of solar cell technology are the looming worries of global warming and the pressing need to decrease greenhouse gasses being released into the atmosphere. Are corporations betting on solar power? One such company, SunPower, which makes photovoltaic panels for businesses, expects to pull in over one billion dollars in sales next year. Solar Power Inc. had revenues of over 8 million dollars in it's third quarter alone. Solar power companies in foreign countries such as Germany, Japan, and China have ramped up their solar power production facilities dramatically in the past few years. For the past several years the U.S. has been borrowing money with reckless abandon. We have a national debt of over 9 trillion dollars. Now, the rest of the world is slowly deciding that they no longer want to bankroll us. For us, that means a continued low valued dollar and increased energy costs.

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Shining Some Light on Solar Energy

by: Jim Fritz

Without a doubt, solar energy is the way of the future. Solar energy production is an extremely simple process to understand. A solar, or photovoltaic, cell collects energy from the Sun. A solar cell is a semiconductor device that is constructed using photovoltaic materials. It contains no liquids or chemicals, and no moving parts. Solar cells convert sunlight into electricity.
A solar panel generally consists of a series of individual cells, which are supported by a module that allows the cells to work in unison. The energy that is captured by the panel is stored in a battery. Solar panels generate direct current (DC) energy. Many solar energy systems have inverters in them which allow direct current (DC) electricity to be converted to alternating current (AC). Most consumer products such as appliances and electronics operate on AC current.
Unless you have a vast expanse of land to house an array of solar panels, it is unlikely that you will be able to power your entire home with solar energy. However, it is possible to power a single room in your house with a small array of panels fixed to the roof of your house. Multiply the wattage of each individual electrical device by the number of hours you expect to use them each day. That combined number will be your benchmark, or the bare minimum your system must be able to generate.
There are a number of options available to consumers that are considering converting to solar energy. A basic system that can be used to power a computer and a few other small items can be purchased for approximately $1000.00. Naturally, the price will increase with the production capacity of your system. In most regions, the price of an installed system will cost somewhere in the area of $10.00-$12.00 per watt.
Solar energy is one of a few truly renewable resources that can be used in energy and power generation. Every hour of every day, the Sun blankets our planet with enough energy to sustain our global energy needs for a year. As the technology behind photovoltaic energy advances, consumers will be unable to resist the urge to convert.
A lot of resources are being put into the development of solar energy technology. Most of the major oil and energy companies have entire divisions committed to solar energy. Researchers and engineers are spending countless hours trying to develop the technology today that will vastly improve conditions in the world tomorrow. It is no secret that we cannot continue down the path we are on. Fossil fuels are no longer a feasible option for energy production. The future is solar. The future is now.

A Cleaner Environment With Alternative Fuel Automobiles

Considering the truth that most of the fuel sources presently in use in the world are limited and that the useage of fuel is incredibly high, it is that much more urgent for researchers to start designing more and more automobiles which operate on 'alternative fuel'. Fuel prices are growing like never before. If this pattern continues, a day will emerge when we would be looking at the bottom of an empty cookie jar. The possible solutions offered by hybrid vehicles is attracting the interest of international car and truck manufacturers. These alternative automobiles use less fossil based fuels like oil and diesel for power. Another example of this kind of car which made its way to the consumer markets some years back is the car that runs on electricity. Many nations around the world have started to replace their diesel and petrol fueled vehicles with hybrid vehicles. This a direct response to the increasing concern of greater numbers of people of the need for environment protection and energy conservation. And because of this automobiles that utilize alternate power sources are more and more popular worldwide. Bio-diesel is one alternative fuel that is being used to run automobiles as well as larger vehicles. These new cleaner and saner fuels have many advantages over old fuel types such as petrol and diesel. Green car production is now occurring internationally by automobile companies. Automobiles which are powered by solar cells, biodiesel or electricity are now referred to as green cars. These green cars will take on more and more of the market, especially because people around the world worry about smog, climate change and greenhouse gasses. Tests have shown that these green cars or environmentally friendly automobiles produce higher miles per gallon rates and consume less fuel than conventional automobiles which run on diesel or gas. One drawback energy alternative fuel vehicles are more expensive, but their cost will reduce as more and more folks start purchasing these vehicles. Keep in mind that these environmentally friendly vehicles have no toxic emissions at all. These vehicles protect the environment. Toxic emissions in the atmosphere are known to cause several respiratory diseases. environmentally antagonistic gases from car emissions can also cause infections, allergic reactions and many other diseases. Ultimately, the best solution right now in all aspects is Water4Gas. If the Water4Gas installation can help it two times as much fuel and exhaust much fewer pollutants due to a cleaner burn ... that's a great benefit! Another benefit is lower engine heat - it helps to protect your environment and your engine. You will have a calmer, more relaxed sounding and much more natural engine & gearshifts. and a whole lot more WATER4GAS is providing information at a low price which car owners can use at home to build a small device which infuses hydrogen into the gas/air mixture that their automobile runs on. The process makes bite sized particles out of the ones that the engine uses as fuel. Because of the smaller size the system is able to use much more of the fuel. By doing this you can reasonably expect to improve your fuel economy by 30-50% or significantly more. Those goblets "musta" been pretty darn huge in some engines before. But with WATER4GAS they are made usable so you can improve your fuel economy. It also helps make emissions substantially cleaner. This information has been purchased by over NINE THOUSAND individuals already and the percentage of happy customers is about 99%! So how about you?