Alternative Energy Usage in Ireland
Ireland is pursuing energy independence by trying to develop to a larger extent the usage of alternative energy; one must take into consideration the fact that Ireland benefits from a robust economy, allowing it to research and develop resource encompassing alternative energies. During modern days, almost ninety percent of the energy needs are accomplished by importation, from the energy that has become imported. This makes Ireland extremely dependent on energetic supplies coming from foreign locations. It should come as no surprise that Ireland wants to get over this dependency and start producing energy of its own. Therefore, it is only natural that institutions and the government start thinking about alternative resources as a way to produce the energy the population needs. The EU has in fact implemented some regulations regarding reduction in emissions of harmful substance and gases in the air, including regulations on sulphuric oxide and nitric oxide.
Green energy has become therefore the one thing the EU strives to accomplish throughout all the member states. Hydroelectric power is now utilized in some areas inside Ireland for quite a long period of time and has so far, proved to be very effective in producing energy, by capturing the energy of the waves from Atlantic Ocean, which is on the western part of Ireland. This energy supply is now capable of producing the energy supply needed by the whole country.
As a matter of fact, in the future, Ireland may even become energy exporter, granted the fact that it can now exploit the very few natural resources it has for its own benefit. The energy potential is constituted in the fact that throughout the whole Ireland, big winds blow, there is close proximity to the ocean and one can derive energy from biomass resources. It could for instance, supply energy to the rest of Europe, energy produced from ocean waves and biomass fuels. For the moment, Ireland has concentrated its efforts in obtaining the fifteen percent barrier, that is, produce fifteen percent of the energy needed by the population through wind farms. This is in fact, a governmental objective for 2010. Not only the government, but also institutions and research institutes are combining efforts to be able to discover the ways Ireland can reduce its reliance on foreign produced energy.
Researchers are now studying the fields of the ocean wave energy so that the energy produced can cover much of the necessary amounts for the population. A test site designed for alternative energy has been created in Ireland, on the western coast, to better study ocean energy. The experimental site, also known as “Wavebob” helps researchers study on the spot the most efficient ways they could use ocean waves to produce energy. Judging by the efforts made leading to discovery, one can say that in the future, Ireland can become the market leader in the sector. Analysts believe that wave energy possesses the potential to change and that renewable energy may become the norm; if this is accomplished, then Ireland wouldn’t have to depend anymore on the energy provided by others and could thus reduce the consumption of fossil fuels.
Many people believe that since the industry dealing with sugar beet has been shut down, this means that there is more Irish land available to use to construct alternative energy power plant, including plants designed for bioenergy production. Since renewable energy is now catering for only two percent of the energy consumed in Ireland, it is imperative to come up with a solution or solutions that will resolve the problem to a large extent. Biomass energies are fit to be fully exploited, because the answer lies in not using conventional methods of producing energies and adapting existing equipment in order to produce energy from other resources.
Categories: Alternative Energy - Solar - Wind - Geothermal - Water Tags: Alternative Energy, Energy Independence, Importation
Three Alternative Energy Solutions For Homes
One of the hot topics right now is alternative energy solutions, or, “green” energy. Here are three alternative energy solutions, the benefits, and how they work.
Wind Power
Wind power is created by a turbine on a tall tower using the wind to kinetically make electricity. A wind powered generator, can save 50 to 90 percent off of an electricity bill and can offset 1.2 tons of air pollutants and 200 tons of greenhouse gases that would have been created by an electric company. They have very few moving parts, can be installed quite easily, and when your turbine produces more electricity than your home needs, the electric company is required by law to buy it from you, or the excess can be stored in batteries for later use in your home.
The cost for a generator can be quite steep, though. A small turbine can cost from $6,000 to $22,000, including installation. The cost can be paid for by government incentives and grants for those using and installing “green” forms of electricity, and the operating cost for a wind powered generator is basically nothing at all. A turbine can be retro fitted to your home’s electrical system, so there is no rewiring that needs to be done for this alternative energy solution.
Solar Power
Solar power is made by converting sunlight into electricity using cells made from silicon, which, when exposed to sunlight, creates an electric charge. This process is called photovoltaics.
Solar home kits can cost up to $10,000 or more, depending on your energy needs. Solar rebate programs or tax credits can help offset this cost. For example, the California Energy Commission has reserved $3.2 billion for funding solar projects throughout California. The money is doled out through cooperation with utility companies and businesses can get an automatic 30% federal tax credit for using this alternative energy solution. And, just like when using wind power, if you produce more electricity than you need, you can sell it to your electric company.
Hydro Power
If you are lucky enough to have a source of running water near your home, such as a river, stream, or brook, then hydro power may be an alternative energy solution worth looking into. Hydro power is formed by small water generators called micro-hydro turbines that are set into the water’s stream. These turbines can produce non-stop power no matter what the weather is like, unlike solar or wind powered alternative energy solutions. It is also the cheapest alternative. A home turbine system can cost as little as $1,000 to $3,000 dollars.