As we focus more and more on green energy and renewable energy sources, it’s certainly interesting to read about wave and tidal technology and the energy source they may be able to provide.  Analyses from Frost & Sullivan have found that ocean technology, including wave and tidal technology, are more reliable and predictable than are other types of renewable energies such as wind and solar.

As Technical Insights Research Association Chin Wai Loon explains, “It is projected that commercialization of wave and tidal energy will take place in the next 5-10 years as the technology evolves and production costs decline. Wave and tidal energy are expected to be deployed on a commercial scale due to its large promising resource and high market potential; it is crucial for technology developers to push through into the commercialization phase.”

If you’ve ever thought about renewable energy, and it’s potential to replace electricity, this is an interesting blog post for you.  The author discusses the potential impact that clean energy could have on businesses, jobs and our future.

He concludes by saying, “The reality is that a sustainable energy future is rooted in investment in people and local communities who can install and maintain renewable sources, rather than further subsidising capital-intensive, dirty and finite fossil fuels like deep offshore oil with all its robots.”

This short blog posts offers a great glimpse into the issue of home solar power systems.  The author asserts that,  “Just as many people think of a deck today as almost a standard feature on a home, it is my assertion that in the coming years home solar panel systems will be viewed the same way. There are several reasons why I believe this to be true.”

He then goes on to explain why he believes this to be true.  It offers interesting insights and food for thought for home owners.

Many companies offer customers ways to “Buy Green Energy” and to help the environment. What this means is that you would be using electricity that comes from renewable and natural sources and that doesn’t harm the environment.  Such energy sources would include wind, running water, the sun and more.  Should you want to switch to Green Energy, you won’t notice any service interruptions or complications.

While it costs a small amount more to use renewable energy sources than it does to use fossil fuels, it creates a large environmental impact. On average, green energy will increase the monthly bill by about $4-$7 per person.  However, as an example, it could avoid contributing as much as 633 pounds of CO2 into the air in a given month. This is approximately what a car produces in 703 miles of driving.

Green energy available through most energy companies allows you to feel good about yourself, while helping the environment.  And all of this is done with only the slightest financial sacrifice, creating a worthwhile choice for many.

Certainly, everyone talks about how important clean energy is and how vital it is for all of us to pay attention to it.  While using clean energy definitely has many advantages, there are a few disadvantages that you should consider when deciding whether or not to switch over.

Many renewable energy sources are free to use, making them a great advantages. These include the sun, wind, tides and geothermal activity.  After the initial cost of many of these items, including solar panels, wind turbines and geothermal energy equipment, the only costs you’ll have are maintenance related.

Similarly, you won’t have to worry about price rises from gas, energy or electricity companies.  You’ll be energy efficient and self sufficient from fossil fuel. You can also find government grants for some of the natural energy projects depending on your location.

There are a few disadvantages to using clean energy as opposed to fossil fuels.  The initial costs of setting up for renewable energy may cost a good deal.  Also, you probably won’t be able to completely replace your current energy or power supply, so you’ll still have some reliance on the methods you are trying to move away from using.

Harnessing the energy of the sun in more efficient ways is a major concern for engineers, politicians, and others looking for cleaner and cheaper sources of power. In the world of affordable clean energy, solar power is certainly one of the most talked about. Yet despite all the attention solar energy has been getting, it still accounts for less than 1 percent of electricity use in the United States. California is the state in the U.S. which has the highest solar utilization.

There are a variety of ways solar power can be transformed into electricity. The way with the most potential today concentrates the sun’s rays using an array of mirrors. The concentration of rays creates a great deal of heat, which then in turn can power a generator, producing the needed electricity.

Another way to make electricity using the sun is with photovoltaic panels. These can be seen on the rooftops of houses and office buildings. These panels are composed of several separate photovoltaic cells, which actively and directly convert the sun’s energy into electricity. The larger the number of solar cells in a panel and the higher the quality of the solar cells, the larger the total electrical output the solar panel can produce.

At the moment it is quite expensive to produce electricity using the sun’s rays. Electricity from the sun can cost four times as much as power from coal, and twice as much as from wind energy. Currently, obtaining electricity from the sun must be subsidized, but with the development of new technologies, and the costs dropping, there is optimism that eventually the solar power industry will be able to support itself.

One interesting renewable energy source that seems to be catching on across America is hydropower.  Hydropower is the energy we make from moving water, and it’s a great source of renewable energy.  Hydropower consumption in the U.S. increased 4% for the first eight months of 2009, according to the Energy Information Administration.

In both Washington and Oregon, which are the highest hydropower-producing states, consumption actually decreased just a bit.  Interestingly, Alabama recorded the biggest increase by 54.6%.  Kentucky came in second, with an increase of 52.1.%.

Hydropower is one of the many interesting and useful forms of renewable energy sources that IDT Energy supports as part of its “Buying Green” program.

It’s important to understand what Green Electricity is, and how it can help you to save the environment.  Green Electricity is really two different items.  It can be electricity that comes from an environmentally friendly and renewable location such as wind, hydro, geothermal or solar electric.  It can also be an arrangement between you, the electricity user, and the supplier, such as IDT Energy, who delivers the clean electricity to you.

Some people question if using Green Electricity really makes a difference.  The answer is that it certainly does.  When you sign up with a green supplier, you are telling that supplier that you want more green electricity in your package of electrical consumption.  The more people sign up for Green Electricity, the more the supplier will need to source.  As the customer pool grows and the demand increases, the supplier finds more partnerships with wind farms and other sources.  This means that less non-green power needs to be generated to meet the overall demand.

Each person really can make a difference when they choose to use Green Electricity.

According to analysis of the Renewable Energy Policy Project, 70% of the labor needed to produce both wind and solar energy is from manufacturing of the components of the machines which harness the energy, such as producing wind turbines or solar panels.

Because of this fact there is a large potential for the development of these industries to require a large work force with many new jobs being created.
According to a report published as a joint project of the United Steelworkers and Sierra Club, wind power component manufacturers have the potential of creating about 18,500 new jobs in New York State, and solar power component manufacturers could create 14,600 new jobs.

If geothermal and biomass manufacturing components are added to the equation, the total number of jobs created to supply the renewable energy industry in New York could be as much as almost 50,000 new jobs.

This re-industrialization of New York State could be enough of a reason to invest in green energy, but in addition clean energy development provides increased national security and improved climate and environmental health.

For these reasons IDT Energy offers its customers the option of choosing “Buying Green” and supporting the development of renewable sources of energy in New York State.

“Buying Green” at IDT Energy is a choice all of its customers can easily make if they want to participate in the development of clean and renewable resources for electric production.
The green choice is surprisingly inexpensive, too. According to estimates of monthly electrical use of individuals at 250 kWh and families at about 750 kWh, IDT Energy charges about 1.5 to 2.0 cents more, per kWh above the cost of standard electricity. On average this comes out to only 7 dollars more per person per month, or about $20 for an entire household. Not a lot of money to receive the following benefits.

Buying Green means:

•    There will be increased use of renewable energy resources.
•    Cleaner and healthier air for everybody.
•    Less of a need to build and use nuclear power plants.
•    Reduced dependence on foreign oil supplies
•    Increased opportunities for employment as “green technologies” develop.