Offshore Wind Energy Benefits
Could the answer to high energy bills be blowin' in the wind? According to some, a strong breeze across the ocean can also mean inexpensive, clean and renewable energy for hundreds of thousands of homes with few drawbacks.
Humans all over the world have been using wind power for thousands of years through windmills and wind farms. But harnessing the power of wind across the ocean could be the wave of the future. Why? Advocates say that in the densely populated coastal regions, where demand for energy is high and land availability is low, offshore projects are necessary. The fact that offshore wind is typically steadier with higher speeds also adds to its appeal.
Globally, offshore wind power generation increased more than fivefold between 2000 and 2007. In fact, five countries - Denmark, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Ireland have already installed offshore wind parks to provide electricity. Germany is close behind with more than 20 projects about to begin.
The benefits of offshore wind seem obvious - it is a renewable resource that can be widely distributed. It's also an inexpensive and clean form of energy that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions when it displaces fossil-fuel-derived electricity. Despite this, as of today, no offshore wind projects have been built in the United States.
Opponents site the high initial construction costs while others complain that wind farms are noisy eyesores. Advocates agree that the initial price tag can be high, but say the long term savings more than make up for the start-up costs. They add that wind farms are built so far offshore that noise and visual concerns are minimal.
Still, planned offshore wind farms along the East Coast have incited much opposition. A project in Nantucket Sound has been delayed for years by those who worry about the possible influence on marine life, tourism and property values.
But some projects are moving forward. Early last month the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities announced approval to construct 96 wind turbines located 16-20 miles off the shore of Atlantic City.
A proposed offshore wind park in Delaware will provide Delmarva Power's residential and small business customers with approximately 29-percent of the energy they use.
But a proposal to build an offshore wind park 12 miles off the coast of Ocean City hasn't gotten passes the discussion stage, and although Maryland officials have shown some interest, there are no plans to move forward on the issue.
With the Worcester County Comprehensive plan calling for the use of green energy sources and with high fuel and electricity costs and an environment in peril, offshore wind may hold the answers to a better energy plan. More progress must be made to bring it to the forefront, however.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
QUESTION:
how to make solar panels or windmills at home cheap?
i have been looking for how to make solar panels at home for cheap. i only found expensive ebooks that tell you what to buy and how to put it together. is there anything free someone posted somewhere on what to buy and how to put together solar panels cheap? if not then windmills work too, so long as i dont have to buy an ebook or anything like that. maybe someone posted how to make one in a blog somewhere. if you know where, please tell me the link. thanks!-
ANSWER:
My dad made a solar heater the following way, maybe you can modify it for your needs?You will need foam insulation, 2 junk glass patio doors, about three cases worth of empty soda cans, black spraypaint, epoxy, caulk, dryer hose, plywood the size of the patio doors, and a thermostat-controlled fan.
Cut a hole in the plywood the same diameter as the dryer hose. Spray one side of the plywood black. Cut tops off soda cans, epoxy to plywood. The cans should touch at the sides and completely cover the wood. Spray all cans black. Cut insulation to make "sides" of a box, a little taller than the soda cans on all four sides of the plywood. Seal patio doors to the insulation "sides" after installing thermostat on the patio doors. Run dryer hose inside.
Make sure you put this in direct sunlight. The way it works is that the sunlight heats up the sprayed metal through the glass. As soon as it gets as hot as you've set the thermostat, the fan kicks on and blows hot air into the house until it cools off again. I know it sounds sort of MacGuyver crazy, but it kept my basement bedroom warm when I was a teenager. Good luck!
-
-
QUESTION:
What is the average cost for home solar panels?-
ANSWER:
Despite what many people say, you don't need batteries for a solar system if you are going to also be connected to the electric company (grid). You just need the panels and an inverter (and mounting hardware and safety equipment like breakers and fuses).Most people don't generate all of the electricity they use. They offset some of their use with solar and buy the rest from the grid. You can get a very small grid-tied solar system for as little as 00. However, it won't generate much electricity at all. I'd say an average size system is around k - k. Here are some packages that show all of the components needed. http://www.altestore.com/store/Kits-and-Package-Deals/Grid-Tied-Systems/Alt-E-Designed-Grid-Tie-Packages/c1087/
If you want to see how much you need, look at your electric bill and see how many kwh you buy each month. Put that number into a calculator like this one, and see how big of a system you need. http://www.altestore.com/store/calculators/on_grid_calculator/. Installed cost is about per watt of solar panel.
-
-
QUESTION:
How much does it cost to install solar panels at home?
My family is really "Green" when it comes to our lifestyle. I just need to know how much it would cost for solar panels to provide our electricity. How many would one house need? Do they charge by the panel?-
ANSWER:
It is not that simple. You need panels, batteries to store the energy, an inverter. Your usage can be figured out by a professional who will ask you questions about your lifestyle to figure out your average usage, determining your panel/battery needs. You cannot run any high usage items such as electric dryers or electric stoves, or electric furnace (depending on where you live). There are a lot of variables. You will be looking at around -30000 per average 4 person household.
-
-
QUESTION:
where to get plans to build solar panels at home?
I am interested in building solar panels for my own use. I think an output of around 20 watts will be sufficient for my purpose if I can tie them together and charge deep cycle batteries. Need the plans for dummies as I know nothing about these things.Thanks for any help you can provide me!-
ANSWER:
If you want to make solar panels and get an energy rebate, this link will show you how.http://solarpanels.infoworldhelp.com
good luck.
Chris Cordoba
-
-
QUESTION:
How to install solar panels at home without lots of extra wiring.?
I'm interested in installing myself but have no knowledge of solar panels.Can the excess be sold back to the national grid and how does that work?. What is the average cost?. Where is the best place to get all the equipment from?. Does anyone sell kits for individuals with everything needed included.? What can be run off an average size panel. What is the best size panel to start with?.-
ANSWER:
They don't really produce enough electricity to sell to the National grid. I assume you're in the UK. A better bet is panels that heat water using the heat of the sun. In winter the water coming off the mains is close to freezing, warm it up before it goes in to your hot water tank and that will save energy and much cheaper than solar panels that produce electricity. I assume you are turning your computer off when not needed. Turning your TV off instead of leaving it on standby. Using low energy light bulbs. Wearing warm clothing in winter and turning the heating down a little. Driving only when you have to? Saving energy is usually better than producing it. I'm quite interested in these new "bright" LEDs - they are really efficient at producing light. I find "low energy" light bulbs are useless for many applications. Like I can't see to read! Leds may replace them soon. I had LEDs for my Christmas lights and they were efficient and controllable.
-