If you can find one person in the United States who wouldn’t say “YES” as loud as possible, I would be surprised. I started building solar panels because I could save on some electric and gas bills, but now the Federal Government is actually encouraging me to do it. I know, sounds crazy that the Feds would want to help ‘ole Sam out, but they do. Here’s a little information just so you don’t think I’m making this up.

About Tax Credits
A tax credit is generally more valuable than an equivalent tax deduction because a tax credit reduces tax dollar-for-dollar, while a deduction only removes a percentage of the tax that is owed. Consumers can itemize purchases on their federal income tax form, which will lower the total amount of tax they owe the government. Fuel-efficient vehicles and energy-efficient appliances and products provide many benefits such as better gas mileage –meaning lower gasoline costs, fewer emissions, lower energy bills, increased indoor comfort, and reduced air pollution. In addition to federal tax incentives, some consumers will also be eligible for utility or state rebates, as well as state tax incentives for energy-efficient homes, vehicles and equipment. Each state’s energy office web site may have more information on specific state tax information.

Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008
On October 3, 2008, the House of Representatives passed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (EESA) of 2008, which includes an 8-year extension of the solar investment tax credit (ITC) and provides other critical incentives to the renewable energy marketplace. Effective January 1, 2009, the EESA was signed into law by President Bush 3 hours after House passage, finally breathing life into what was thought to have been a lost cause as the ITC was about to expire. But not only does this new law extend the ITC, it also provides additional provisions that will combine for $18 billion in renewable energy tax credits. Those provisions include credits for solar, wind, and several other clean-energy industries in the United States.
The EESA removes the $2000 limit on the tax credit for residential systems. Now, both commercial and residential photovoltaic systems will be eligible for a 30% tax credit. The new law also contains a suspension of utility exemptions so that electric utility companys can also benifit from the ITC.

“By passing this bill,” according to Suntech America president Roger Efird, “Congress has finally given the solar energy industry the ‘policy certainty’ that will attract investment, expand manufacturing and lower the cost of solar energy to consumers,” Efird said in a statement.

The solar industry is the greatest beneficiary of this legislation. The tax credits for solar initiatives are good for the next 8 years. Additionally, the $2,000 tax credit limit for residential solar systems being lifted means that homeowners can get a 30% tax credit on the solar panels they install starting next year (That’s 2009!).

So if my math is right for every $100 you spend on solar power, the IRS will give you $30 back on your taxes. Doesn’t get much better than that. Don’t delay any longer, get out there and start building.

Sam Hawkins

Getting the proper grilling temperature when grilling chicken is very important for a number of different reasons. Perhaps the single most important reasons for being quite sure that you have the grilling temperature of chicken correct is that you want to ensure that you reduceas much as possible. Chicken and various other forms of poultry are particularly prone to food borne illness, and making sure that the food is fully cooked to the correct internal temperature for chicken can help to make sure that your food is safe to eat for everyone.

One of the best ways to make sure that you have the right grilling temperature for chicken is to entrust the temperature to a meat thermometer during the grilling process. A lot of people make the mistake of trying to look at the meat and determine if the food is ready on the grill. It is important to remember that you cannot depend purely on the appearance when it comes to cooking food, especially chicken. Chicken is one meat that tends to cook unevenly, meaning that while one part of the chicken may appear to be cooked properly and fully, another section of the chicken could still be under cooked. The most reliable way for you to know whether the whole piece of chicken is done is to use a meat thermometer in order to check the grilling temperature of the chicken.

For various cuts, you refer to a grilling chicken book to ensure the proper grilling time. When cooking chicken remember that you need to get to an internal temperature for the bird that is from 170 degrees F and 180 degrees F. Be sure that you insert the meat thermometer into the thickest section of the meat in order to make sure that you have the most accurate temperature possible. Using a instant thermometer is by far the best choice when cooking chicken. If you do not use an instant thermometer, you will need to keep the thermometer inserted into the chicken for around twenty seconds in order to be sure that you get the right internal temperature of your chicken. This will provide you with the best reading. Remember, you need to make sure that you do not take out the thermometer too soon before it has a chance to provide an accurate reading.

Grilling chicken can be a completely delicious and pretty easy dish to prepare when you know the right tips and techniques to follow. Making sure that you get the right internal temperature for your chicken can help to ensure that your food is tasty as well as safe to eat, and will help make for a great BBQ season! Check back in, we will be looking at going green with solar panels homes.

Solar water heating systems are a great way to effectively conserve energy and reduce your energy bill.

Contrary to popular belief, this is not a new technology. Solar water heating systems have been used commercially for over a century now, with the first commercial water heater (the Climax Solar-Water Heater) going on sale in 1891 in the United States. By the year 1900, over 1600 houses in California were equipped with this solar water heater.

Due to its effectiveness and low cost, the solar water heater gained popularity until, by 1941, more than half the population of Florida was getting its hot water through solar water heaters!

It only lost its popularity as a result of lowered electricity rates, and an aggressive campaign by Florida Power and Light to increase electrical consumption. This was done by offering electric water heaters at bargain prices. Thus Florida’s solar water heating was brought to halt.

The United States is not the only country with a history of heating its water using solar power. There are many other countries where this heating method was used in the past, and has since fallen out of use, – but not all of them. In fact, there are currently more than ten million Japanese households which heat their water using solar heating systems. This is definite proof that it is a workable technology.

Important Facts about Solar Water Heating Systems:

• Solar heaters can be installed in combination with backup systems. In fact, you could install a solar water heater next to your existing system and make it possible switch to conventional water heating whenever necessary. This way you are guaranteed always to have hot water.
• Aside from reducing your energy bill right now, a solar water heating system will protect you from future energy price increases. Your heating will no longer rely on fossil fuels for electricity.
• A solar water heater can reduce your water heating bill by 50%-80%. But with energy prices going up, the amount of savings will soon be even higher.
• The fuel used to run a solar water heater is sunshine. And, at the time of this writing, sunshine is free – no tax has been added yet.
• Solar water heating will significantly reduce your carbon footprint, and reduce the demand for fossil fuels which pollute the environment.
• When building a new home, or when refinancing, the economic aspect of this becomes even more interesting. You can, for instance, include the cost of a solar water heater with a new thirty-year mortgage package. This would usually amount to about $13.00 -$20.00 a month. Federal income tax deductions for mortgage interest would reduce the payment for the solar water heater by about $3.00 -$5.00 per month. If your fuel savings with a solar water heating system is $15.00 or more per month (which it likely will be) you will have reduced your monthly heating bill right then and there.
• Solar water heating can be used in any climate. Sound unbelievable? Check it out on the U.S. Department of Energy website. They say so as well.

Types of Solar Water Heating Systems

There are two types of solar water heating systems, active solar water heating systems and passive solar water heating systems. They both work on the same principles.

The only difference is that active systems have a pump or other mechanical means of moving the water through the solar heating systems, and passive systems rely on nature’s principles: warm water rises to the top, and cold water sinks to the bottom. Therefore, with a passive solar water heating system, the water storage tank must always be positioned above the solar water heater collector.

Active Solar Water Heating

There are two main designs of active water heating systems. Which one is best for you depends on the type of climate you live in.

There is what’s called an “indirect circulation system” which uses a non-freezing heat-transfer fluid to transfer heat from the collector to a heat exchanger (a device used to transfer heat from the heat transfer fluid to the water in your storage tank). This is good for colder climates.

There is also the direct circulation system, in which case water is simply passed through solar heat collector and is then routed to the water storage tank for use. This system works fine in milder climates.

Passive Solar Water Heating

Passive solar water heating systems are usually cheaper than “active solar water heating systems,” as they do not need controls or pumps to circulate the water.

But generally, they are not as effective as the active systems. If you live in a warm climate, a passive water heating system may be all you need. Passive water heating systems are also known for being very reliable.

Essentially, solar hot water heating systems consist of a water storage tank and its solar collectors. The solar collectors are used to collect solar energy (which heats water), and the tanks store the heated water. That’s all there is to it.

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Learn more about Solar Energy, Solar Water Heating and DIY Solar Water Heating

DIY solar panels are an excellent idea for your home and for the health of the planet.

By using the renewable energy that the solar panels produce, saving a big amount of money on energy costs is easy and it can be as much as an 80% saving! This type of natural power is used in many situations already. It is increasingly being used, not only in people’s homes, but also in commercial and for industrial power supplies. There are even power pumping stations and some telecommunications equipment that employ the power made by solar panels.

As well as being an excellent tool for saving money on power bills the environment and as such is often named ‘green power’. In addition to saving money it is very environment friendly too.
Solar panels are a series of photovoltaic cells; these essentially generate an environmentally friendly power source from the light of the sun. This power is named ‘solar power’. The get the optimum performance for this type of power production is by making sure that the cells are exposed to the sun for as much of the day as possible, this arrangement works best in moderate rather than extreme temperatures – nevertheless it will work in extreme climates also. The solar panels are generally mounted on rooftops, though it is possible to attach them on special stand alone frames as well. The most important part of installing solar panels is to ensure that they are positioned where they will gain the most exposure to sunlight and to avoid any shade if feasible. Clearly the more sunlight that they are exposed to, the more power they will produce.

When producing your own solar cells for your solar panels, special care needs to be taken to build it correctly to ensure that the utmost efficiency is realized. There are several products available now that make it very easy for the average person to produce their own solar panels. DIY solar panels are a reasonable price to build and with the right information and materials, it is feasible to start saving cash on power bills almost straight away. In addition to that, if enough energy is made there are many localities where it is feasible to sell the excess power back to the power corporations!

With the world’s ever-increasing demand of power being more than its supply, it is about time that we take concrete steps to save power. Apart from being conscious about the usage of power and water at home, one can employ pollution-free and cost-effective power solutions at our homes. Solar power solutions and wind power solutions are the two of the most efficient solutions that can replace the conventional power solutions employed at our homes. vertical wind generator are needed to make wind power.

These solutions can help you combat power outages, reduce your electricity bills, and also help the environment.

This article will explore the cost-effective wind power solution that you can employ at home.

Wind power solutions work best when the following conditions are met:

* You have a house or farmhouse spread over a big area. Typically, wind power solutions are employed in areas that spread over an acre.

* The average wind speed in your area is around 11 miles per hour. If you stay in a place that has little wind flow, your system will not work. Consult an expert before installing the wind power solution at home.

* You need to draw water from external sources. You can install a wind power system even when you do not need to draw water from outside. However, if you need to draw water from outside on a regular basis, a wind power system offers the best solution.

* Your house needs a lot of uninterrupted power supply. Combating those power outages is easy with the pollution-free wind power systems. You need no longer worry about a break in your work because of a power uncertainty.

A typical wind power system comprises of a tower and five blades to churn out wind energy. The length of the wind tower varies depending on the location of your house. You may need a longer tower if you are in low-wind zone; you can work with a shorter tower if you live by the beach. Using a vertical wind generator, this wind energy can be converted into useful electrical energy to be employed at home for running various electrical appliances. You can even store the power generated for later use, making wind generators more efficient than convention power systems.

If you are confused with the wind power jargon, here’s a piece of information for you. The terms, wind mills, wind turbines, and wind generators are used to refer to the same machine.

I am not going to say that geothermal energy is infinite in scale, but the heat sources within the Earth are immense, and a well-managed program has the potential to be operational for many decades, if not centuries. The Second Law is used extensively to assess the performance and guide the design of various types of geothermal energy conversion systems. The case studies included in the third part of the book are chosen from plants around the world, and increase the reader’s understanding of the elements involved in gaining access to, and making use of, this important renewable energy resource. The United States is a world leader in the production of geothermal energy. Geothermal Production and Development by Leslie Blodgett, (9/25/08), at the present time, it is already producing over 16,000 gigawatt-hours of solar energy, almost half of this on Federal lands.

If we could extract all the geothermal energy that exists underneath the United States to a depth of two miles, it would supply America’s power demands (at the current rate of usage) for the next 30,000 years. Getting at all that energy is not feasible?there are technological and economic impediments of earth energy, but drawing on just 5 percent of the geothermal wealth would generate enough electricity to meet the needs of 260 million Americans. Calpine Corporation now owns 19 of the 21 plants in The Geysers and is currently the United States’ largest producer of geothermal energy. Since the activities of one geothermal plant affects those nearby, the consolidation plant ownership at The Geysers has been beneficial because the plants operate cooperatively instead of in their own short-term interest. Overall, I’m a buyer of geothermal energy and I think it will play a big role in the world’s transformation to renewable energy.

There are many advantages of geothermal energy. It can be extracted without burning a fossil fuel such as coal, gas, or oil. Tapping a lot of geothermal energy will make the earth’s surface hotter (not cooler), making global warming worse without wind energy. It amounts to moving heat from the interior (which gets a tiny bit cooler) to the surface. The three-year exploration and resource research project focused on West Texas, identifying and assessing potential sites for converting depleted deep gas wells and fields into geothermal energy wells to generate renewable electrical power. This UTPB map shows five areas in Texas with either deep sedimentary basins or areas of high temperatures sufficiently close to the Earth’s surface for possible use in electrical energy production.

How Solar Energy is Created

Solar energy consists of the light and heat emitted by the sun, in the form of electromagnetic radiation.

With today’s technology, we are able to capture this radiation and turn it into usable forms of solar energy – such as heating or electricity.

Although one could go into technical dissertations on the subject of electromagnetic radiation, how it is converted into solar energy, and the exact qualities of its electromagnetic rays, this is not something the average person needs or wants to know.

But in order to benefit the most from the use of solar power, there are a few facts you should know. Knowing these facts can assist you to make a sound decisions, when looking at the use of solar power as a clean energy source for your home, RV, or whatever the case may be.

Available Solar Resource

The technical feasibility and economical viability of using solar energy depends on the amount of available sunlight (solar radiation) in the area where you intend to place solar heaters or solar panels.

This is sometimes referred to as the available solar resource.

Every part of Earth is provided with sunlight during at least one part of the year. (I say “part of the year” as the north and south polar caps are each in total darkness for a few months of the year.) The amount of sunlight available is one factor to take into account when considering using solar energy.

There are, however, a few other factors which need to be looked at when determining the viability of solar energy in any given location. These are as follows:

* Geographic location

* Time of day

* Season

* Local landscape

* Local weather

Because the Earth is round, the sun hits its surface at different angles, at different locations on the globe. This ranges from 0

Go back 30 years and you’ll note that the green movement was positively anti-nuclear. It seems strange that 30 years on some of the very same people are putting their hopes on nuclear power to stop the global warming Crisis. It could well be that we have no choice other than to go Nuclear but “why aren’t we putting more emphasis on cleaner types of energy?” Some governments (Denmark is a good example) have already made great strides in utilising cleaner and safer forms of energy including both wind farms and solar power systems. Introduction of these alternative forms of energy have been very successful so you have to ask why other countries are favouring Nuclear Power?

The old problems associated with Nuclear Power have by no means gone away. It is still an intrinsically dangerous form of energy and we still have no good solution to getting rid of radioactive waste! What is keeping us from moving to other forms of energy?

The common argument is that the cost of moving to cleaner forms of energy is far more costly than sticking with fossil fuels. But what of those unspoken costs staying with fossil fuels or switching to nuclear power?

It is general knowledge that our fossil fuel resources are running out. With the demand for energy on the increase there is only one possible result. More price increases! On the other hand, the energy provided by the water, wind and Sun is free and will be there for a very long time.

Harnessing the power of alternative forms of energy may not be cost effective at this time but future developments will surely lead to greater efficiency. For instance, take solar technology. With semiconductor technology advancing in leaps and bounds, solar panels are becoming increasingly efficient. Not so long ago solar panels could only be utilised effectively in hotter climates. Today, we see them being used in many different environments. Indeed, the science of solar technology has advanced so much people are investing in their own DIY Solar systems. If individuals think it worth their while to plan and build their own solar energy systems then why can’t it be done on a wider scale.

The financial considerations of sticking with fossil fuel energy resources is not just limited to supply. The cost of lowering our CO2 emissions or removal of dangerous waste material is a cost that will stay with us for many years. Alternative forms of energy like solar, wind and Hydro power are all clean and pollutant free. Future generations will not have to pay for what we do now. The cost of short term thinking is a high price to pay for the future of the planet. Let’s keep nuclear power at a distance. The Sun would be far enough.