Nuclear power has always been seen as a "safe" alternative energy to burning fossil fuels. So much so they today is accounts for about twenty-five percent of worldwide power generation. But here are 7 reasons why nuclear power sucks:

1 - Extremely Expensive To Install:

If you think it costs around $6 - 12 billion just to build one reactor, a lot of wasted tax dollars have been used to subsidize these big utility companies. Why not invest that money in other renewable energy such as wind farms or solar power?

2 - It causes global warming:

Nuclear enthusiast argue that reactors emit very little green-house gases. But what they do not realize is all the carbon dioxide released in other links in the nuclear chain. For example - gas-guzzling machines are used to mine the uranium, transport it to the reactors, and help build the reactor itself.

Furthermore, their construction takes too long to solve global warming. In fact, investing in nuclear power deprives other efforts - such as energy efficiency, conservation and renewable energy - of further funding and development.

3 - What happens to all that radioactive waste?

20 to 30 tonnes of highly radioactive waste is produced by just one nuclear plant every year. This excludes what the authorities like to call "low" level radioactive waste produced in the rest of the supply chain - such as during the enrichment process.

4 - A damaged reactor could lead to a catastrophe:

Nuclear power plants are not as safe as they are said to be. They could easily be attacked and even if an accident happened, there are no realistic evacuation measures in place. Furthermore, thanks to the Price-Anderson Act, a utility company is liable for only $10.8 billion as opposed to the real potential damage of $600 billion! Who will be picking up the rest of the bill? The working-class taxpayers - that's who!

5 - Increased risk of cancer:

The levels of radiation released in the air, water and soil are considered "safe". However, this standard is based on how it impacts healthy, white males and does not take consideration for children that are sensitive to cancer-causing radiation.

We have also been misled about how safe it really is to "dispose" of all this radioactive waste. There is no scientific proof to show where the safest place to dump the waste is. And more nuclear plants would make the problem worse. There are only so many "safe" storage facilities. Any additional waste would have to be either burned or dumped in landfills - leading to air and water pollution.

6 - Nuclear technology sets the stage for atomic weapons:

If you look back at Israel's bombing of Syria's suspected nuclear site in 2007, and America worried about Iran's nuclear program, nuclear development brings about the threat of a nuclear attack. Just imagine how tensions would rise as more countries increase their nuclear deployment. Not to mention the fact that the more reactors there are, the easier it is for terrorists to get their hands on nuclear materials.

7 - There are cleaner alternatives:

There already so many better, cheaper, "greener' ways to produce electricity today, that we are surprised nuclear power is still invested in so heavily. Why not spend those billions of dollars building more wind farms and solar power stations instead, and invest more in the technological advancement of these renewable energies?

But why wait for the country to start looking at renewable energy more seriously, when you can get involved yourself? Many households have discovered how to make their own solar and wind power and become more energy efficient. It is rather simple and inexpensive to do - all it takes is your willingness to learn and take action.

Technorati Tags: alternative energy, energy efficiency, environment, environmental law, modern living, nuclear power, renewable energy, SCIENCE, solar energy, solar panels, solar power, technology, wind power, world

Related posts:

1. Resources Resources U.S. Department of Energy http://www.energy.gov/ U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy http://www.eere.energy.gov/ Energy Information Administration http://www.eia.doe.gov/ California Energy Commission (CEC) -- The primary energy policy...

Today there are classes to teach us anything and everything we ever wanted to know about solar energy. Many people just want to know the hard basic facts to kick them around in your had and see if they start to make sense. If that is you and you'd like to learn more, start slow, then continue reading.

Start by trying a solar project. You will need a battery, but car batteries are not designed for deep discharge. They have very thing plates that will keep their weight to a minimum. It's necessary for solar batteries to have the ability to provide longer periods of deep discharge with only a few hours to fully recharge during sunlight. A golf cart battery is your best choice of battery. They are slow to discharge, and have thick plates that only need small amounts of charging. Golf cart batteries have small amounts of amperage, but are very heavy even though they have a small amount of amperage. You will need to bank many together for a large need for electricity.

The next item you need are the solar panels. The size is not as important as the voltage. The voltage must be higher than that of the battery. Case being, if there is less power going into the battery, there will not be any power coming out of the battery, thus, your panel has to have more pressure to push into the battery. The wattage also must be higher. You can purchase one large panel or several small panels as long as the volts and watts equal what you need.

Figure out the amount of power you will need or intend to use, and that will determine how big your batteries will need to be. This takes more work but the basic rule of thumb is watts = volts x Amps. Adding up volts and amps of everything you would like to run on solar to get the grand total with the formula.

Your panels are determined by the number of amp hours that you will use in 24 hours during the time of full sun. Using 6 hours as an estimate of total sun hours, take 1/6 of an amp times your 14 volt panel and you come up with 2.33 watts, rounding to 3. You need a 14 volt, 3 watt panel to generate one amp of power for your pond pump.

The power will now be stored in your batteries, so the DC needs to be converted over to AC in order to power your electrical products. There are many different inverters which come with all different options to them. You only need a simple inverter unit that will need to support the load you want to draw through it. Remember the formula we did to get the estimated voltage, you will need to realize that some products will need seven times their power just to start up.

Your cables and connections are very important in also being able to support the load of the current so you do not want to cut corners in buying small wire that may burn out (and take other surrounding items with it).

There is also maintenance to take care of everything and check the process of your energy and battery function. If this makes sense to you, and your following it than your ready to learn more through a class.

Hit this link if you want to know How to build a wind generator then follow this link and learn How to build a wind generator by clicking on this link.

Technorati Tags: green energy, natual energy, power, power grid, renewable energy, solar, turbine, wind energy, wind generator, wind power

Related posts:

1. 100 Watt Solar Panels Live 100 Watt Solar Panel Auctions Each cell or wafer in a solar panel operating at maximum performance, generates 1¼ to 2 volts DC. The cells are wired in...
2. RV Solar Panels Live Auctions On RV Solar Panels The power consumption of each appliance is stated somewhere on the appliance itself, and is expressed in terms of AC watts or AC...

With ever-increasing utility costs, knowing how to make a windmill for electricity to accommodate a home's energy needs can be a smart decision to make. Over the years and decades, engineers and others quickly began to realize that harnessing the wind's potential energy to turn an electrical generator showed great promise. The refinement and improvements to these wind-driven power plants continues even today. Some are massive in size, while many more are of small, efficient and personal dimensions.

Windmills Today: Windmills are cheaper than ever because of the economies of scale realized from mass-production. In fact, it's become more practical than ever to build a personal home windmill. It can also generate most, if not all, of a home's energy needs. Commercially-made units can cost as much as twenty-thousand dollars. This alone makes constructing good personal mill a better idea. And they can be made for as little as two-hundred dollars on top of it.

Take Care to Build it Right: Plenty of diagrams and blueprints for these do-it-yourself windmills exist. Purchase a good set and follow the instructions closely. Use the right tools, too. In reality, they're pretty easy to construct but people fail when they try to use improper materials or rush through the project. Also, the best parts and accessories many times are free or really cheap. Don't be trapped into buying expensive parts you don't need.

Parts of a Windmill: Most common windmills are made up of a few parts. They all have at least three blades, with a radius of about four feet. Five blades can be better, though. These blades are hooked up to a direct current (DC) motor, which sits on top of a tower. The height of the tower is dependent upon the strength of the winds. Anywhere from seven to 15 feet is common. Make sure a fin or rudder sits at the rear of the motor, to allow the blades to keep facing the wind. The rudder will push the motor around on its axis.

Storing Generated Power: After the motor generates the power, it needs to be collected for later use. Usually, batteries serve this function. Once power is stored in those batteries, it's used for household appliance or other uses in the home.

Converting DC Power to AC Power: Because the motor can make only direct current, and houses use alternating current (AC), a conversion has to occur. This is done through an inverter unit. Additionally, you have to make sure batteries aren't overcharged by the mill itself, so a controller module is hooked into the batteries to shut off electricity flow into them when they're full.

Power Monitoring: Purchase a small meter which shows the amount of battery power available for use at any given time. This unit will show the power in the batteries and also while its being drawn upon to power the house's electrical needs.

Ease of Use: Windmills are a simple concept, and easy to build. Join them up with the home's own power grid, or set them up to work by themselves. Also, you may want to set up a few solar panels which can generate electricity for days when there's no wind. A complete system consists of a windmill, a few panels, and a power grid. Combined, you'll pay a lot less for power company electricity.

Click here for a great resource about using alternative power for home power supply.

Technorati Tags: energy, home improvement, how to make a windmill, how to make windmills, power, wind power, windmill

Related posts:

1. Reviews How To Buy Solar Panels Online Reviews Our goal is to show you how to buy solar panels online at the cheapest prices. But before you do that, you need...

Wind is free and almost always blowing. It is a resource that we have only just begun to take advantage of. As the production of power from fossil fuels becomes more politically complicated and environmentally hazardous, the use of alternative energy generating sources will become more are prevalent. The interesting question is ? what percentage of our total energy production will wind power provide in the future?

The US Department of Energy has reported that wind power could become a major source of our country's power supply. In fact, in twenty years, according to their report, it could provide us with enough energy to meet 20% of our energy supply needs. Wind power could supply one fifth of our nation's electricity needs by 2030.

As the Department of Energy examines the various scenarios of energy production and consumption over the next decade and beyond they have compared outcomes. They have looked into the varying effects different levels of production would have and the possibility that they could occur. Their report contends that wind energy has the capability of meeting more than 20 percent of our country's needs by 2030.

In order to generate 20 percent of our power from wind energy by the year 2030 the construction of new wind generation stations would have to pick up its pace. If you increase the rate of production to the point where in nine years we could produce 16,000 MW per year then we would then be able to reach the twenty percent mark by 2030.

Not only would the new wind generators create low cost electricity, but their creation will create a lot of jobs in a whole new industry. And this would be a new growing industry with almost guaranteed growth potential. The production levels mentioned would equate to 150,000 jobs in the wind power industry and over half a million new jobs total counting all of the support industries like lawyers, accountants, steel workers and electricians.

The fact that wind power is a great option for our environment is an enormous benefit, but so too is that fact that we would have complete control over this power source. We would not be in the position we are in with our use of foreign oil.

Another advantage of wind generation is that although the generators do have to be placed somewhere, they have a relatively small footprint. And the land surrounding the generators can be used for a separate purpose, such as grazing livestock, or farming. Wind energy also does not create the massive environmental impacts that mining coal or ever drilling for oil do.

A huge advantage of wind power is that it produces energy without using any water. Our water supply is shrinking. It is believed that by the year 2030, many of us will be facing water shortages on a regular basis that may reach crisis proportion. Wind power is an excellent option for all of these reasons.

About the author: Jerry Dyess has been in the Texas Electricity business and written about Texas Electric prices for many years.

Technorati Tags: energy, green energy, home, power, wind power

No related posts.

A dumpster diver who would have been laughed at 10 years ago and scorned for her dirty occupation with calls of "Get a real job!" has gone tech-green.

In a strange synergy between dumpster diver and computer technology, this chick of the can is now posting energy videos on YouTube.

Is that what Dell envisioned when they set as their goal that every American will have a computer by 2012?

The video begins, "Windmills, they've been around for centuries and their design hasn't changed much over the years.

Dating back to 200 BC windmills were used off the islands of Greece for grinding grain.

In the 14th century the Dutch used windmills to drains areas of the Rine river delta.

By the 1930's windmills in the United States were used to generate electricity on farms where the power distribution grid had not yet been developed.

Over the past decade, the need to return to wind as a source of electricity has given rise to some very interesting designs.

Today, vertical access wind turbines are all the rage. The advantages are numerous as no tail fin is needed to track the direction of the wind. Because the shaft is directed vertically towards the Earth, power producing components can be placed on the ground offering easier maintenance. One type of vertical access wind turbine, or vertical windmill, often overlooked is all around us. Believe it or not, you probably use a vertical windmill every day.

Used in hair dryers, automobiles, window mounted AC units, and many other appliances, this vertical windmill is often discarded as trash when the primary unit fails. The vertical windmill that I'm talking about is right there."

Duration : 0:3:16

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: dumpster diver, earth power, hair dryers, source of electricity, vertical windmill, wind turbine, wind turbines

Related posts:

1. Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Live Auctions On Vertical Axis Wind Turbines PLANS TO BUILD A VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINE/GENERATOR 0 Bid US $.99 23h 9m [...]...
2. Wind Generator Turbine Wind Generator Turbine Wind Generator Turbine Wind generator turbines are made to generate electricity from the kinetic power of the wind. Before wind power, they have been used for hundreds...
3. Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Vertical-axis wind turbines are a type of wind turbine technology where the main rotor shaft runs on the Y axis in a...

The U.S. now leads the world in the amount of electricity produced from wind power. The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) based in Brussels announced the news last week.

The U.S. had massive growth in this sector last year. The wind power industry in the U.S. grew by 50% last year to reach 25 GW.

This is the first time that the U.S. has lead the world in the use of alternative energy.

World wide, 120 GW of wind power generators were installed last year. This is a savings of about 158 million tons of CO2 every year.

The world is finally getting educated and doing something serious about countering the effects of global warming.

Even China surprised the world by doubling their wind power usage for the fourth year in a row. China came in 4th place behind the U.S.

Wind power almost costs the same as coal and nuclear sources of energy. Wind power is much cheaper than solar power which explains why wind power is growing at a faster rate than solar power.

The main challenge of both solar and wind power generators is how to store the energy that is produced during off peak usage hours.

To discover more about a promising technology that stores energy in water go to:
http://www.mysolarsecret.com/blog/alternative-energy-investment/the-holy-grail-of-energy-storage-achieved

Technorati Tags: alternative energy, effects of global warming, energy council, energy investment, energy storage, energy world, global wind energy, solar power, wind power generation, wind power generators, wind power industry

Related posts:

1. Alternative Energy, Solar Power and Wind Power Videos I have put together a compilation of solar power videos, wind power videos, and alternative energy videos for you. These videos will help you learn the latest developments in the...

Critics of wind power have complained of the unsightly look of a wind turbine shooting up into the sky. Some homeowners associations have even banned wind turbines because of this. Some bird watch groups have complained that wind turbines are killing too many birds.

But what if there was a way around all this? What if you could squeeze a wind turbine down into a cube? Better, what if that cube could go on your roof top?

That’s exactly what this invention does.

This small simple looking invention has the potential to dramatically change the way households are powered. Just five of these wind turbines on a roof could produce enough electricity to run a household.

Graeme Attey, inventor, "We have a lot of wind in western Australia and currently we are not really using it in urban environments and there's a good opportunity to make use of it."

Unlike other wind turbines Graeme Attey's invention is solid and needs very little wind to operate. He hopes that a $34,000 state government grant will get his proto-type to production stage. He estimates that they will cost consumers about $700 each.

Grame Attey, "When the wind is up and it's over supplying, that can be fed back to the grid so that you can actually be generating power instead of using it."

Alan Carpenter, Premier, "This is potentially so cheap compared to other renewable energy generators."

Wind sensors are being installed on roofs to determine where the turbines work best.

Jonathan Whale, Murdoch University, "The advantages of a roof top is that it can concentrate the air flow around and over the top of the building and actually increase that wind speed."

The state government says it will look at incentives for homeowners to install the devices.

Duration : 0:2:07

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: generating power, renewable energy generators, wind power, wind turbine, wind turbines

Related posts:

1. Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Vertical-axis wind turbines are a type of wind turbine technology where the main rotor shaft runs on the Y axis in a...
2. Wind Turbine Wind Turbine Wind Turbine Wind turbines are made to produce electricity from the kinetic power of the wind. They first appeared in water mills where they were used as a...

I was wondering how, exactly, does a wind turbine convert wind into energy that can power a home? Also, how, exactly, are the ocean's tides converted into energy that we can use to power things?

Wind ultimately comes from the sun. Wind is created by the sun heating the ground and water which causes warm air to rise (or water to heat and evaporate). These moving currents of air and water vapor are the basis for all weather.

A wind turbine or wind generator or windmill uses the energy in moving air (wind) and converts it into usable electrical power with a generator. The force of the wind hits the blades of the windmill causing them to rotate. This rotational force turns a generator inside the wind turbine. Magnets in the generator cause and electrical current to flow. This electrical current flow is used to power things.

Now on to your tides question.

The tides are caused by the gravitational pull from the Sun and the Moon on large bodies of water like the ocean. The tides cause water to rise and fall. Any sort of narrow channel or inlet is game for tidal energy. As the water rises and falls, water flows through the channel. A water turbine is placed in the channel so that the force of the water in the channel turns the turbine's blades just like a wind turbine. Energy can be generated from both an incoming and outgoing tide.

Technorati Tags: currents, electrical power, sun wind, tidal energy, tides, water turbine, wind generator, wind turbine, wind turbines, windmill

Related posts:

1. Wind Turbine Blades Wind Turbine Blades Wind Turbine Blades Wind generator blades transfer wind power to mechanical power. Most of these wind turbine blades include mounting hardware and a warranty. ...
2. Wind Turbine Blades Live Auctions On Wind Turbine Blades ...

I want to make my own wind power generator at home because I want to use it to power my laptop and a small portable TV. How do I go about building wind power generators?

I make my 2 wind power generators at home and you will need
a generator, blades battery and inverter.

I use them to power my lighting along my balcony.

Actually I got the infomation from http://www.mysolarsecret.com. Thats where I got my blade designs from and learned how to wire it up.. Its saving me some good money

Technorati Tags: money, wind power generator, wind power generators

No related posts.

I want to make a wind power generator to power things in my house. I want it to be able to power a small tv and DVD player.

To make this you will need a few things: the generator, blades battery and inverter.

I have made three of them and I use them to power various things outside like lighting, pool pump and tv.

The best source of info for this is http://www.mysolarsecret.com. Thats where I got my blade designs from and learnt how to wire it up.. Its saving me some good money

powered by Yahoo answers

Technorati Tags: wind power generator

No related posts.