If someone were to approach you and ask, “what is the future of electricity?” I’m sure several thoughts would pass through your mind regarding society and our ability to adapt to certain changes. Before you become overwhelmed with fear and uncertainty, let’s take a look at a few ideas relating to the future of electricity and where things are heading:

Electricity will eventually become wireless

According to experts in the energy industry don’t be surprised if the future of electricity holds no wires – not even in your home. In 2007 a team at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) conducted a long awaited, and much anticipated experiment with wireless electricity – and they were victorious! With the continuing success in the studying and development of wireless electricity, this concept no longer appears to be far-fetched and don’t be surprised if the future holds a world full of homes and appliances that are “wireless” in nature – charging themselves off the air perhaps?

Consumers will be in control

It is said that the future of electricity will see a marketplace that is controlled by the consumers, rather than the utility companies – having complete control over how and when the electricity reaches your home. It’s become standard that when you leave your house for the day, or even for a vacation, electrical power is still fed to your home. Well it seems we are leaning towards a future where consumers will be able to “shut-off” their home when desired – disconnecting it from the grid and allowing that power to be fed back into the supply lines. Experts have not stated as to when this system will take effect, whether it be 10 years or 50, but regardless one can hope that a future with consumer controlled electricity distribution is a better future indeed.

Clean electrical energy with no outages

Are you aware that the unused portions of electricity production emit massive amounts of carbon dioxide into the air and atmosphere? Well it’s true. Having a future with green and clean electricity is very likely. By utilizing renewable energy sources we will not only create a more sustainable method of power, but help save the environment at the same time. Currently, a huge chunk of our electricity is produced by consuming fuels that are walking down the path of extinction – it’s time to eliminate fuel consumption and promote a future where electricity is green with minimal impact to this beautiful planet of ours.

It’s becoming more common to hear of power outages, especially if you live in a region that receives a moderate amount of precipitation – in the form of rain and snow storms. Wouldn’t it be nice to look forward to a future where power outages are obsolete? Well this seems to be where technological advancements are taking us. As long as our communities continue to grow on a global level, so does our dependency on a reliable supply of constant power. Alternative energy solutions will enable us to live in a world free of power interruptions – and benefit from an infinite source of clean energy.

Everything will be electric

If you’ve spent any time in Japan you will know that our future holds a world full of electrical gadgets, and the conversion of common items into electrical articles. Electric shoes? What about combs or glasses? I know it may seem like a shot in the dark, but when you really think about it everything eventually incorporates the use of electrical power. Take a look at the toothbrush for example, for so many decades with was non-powered and then some one thought it would be efficient to add power and create vibrations – increasing the overall effectiveness of it’s original design. Get my drift?

Essentially, micro-hydro is a scaled down version of a normal hydroelectric system, and both utilize the power in moving water to generate electricity within the system. Micro-hydro systems are proven to be low-impact, renewable sources for on-site power generation. It’s amazing to think how long we’ve been using water to generate electricity, over 2000 years according to some.

From milling grains, sawing wood and pumping water – we’ve been using traditional waterwheels to provide the necessary mechanical power to complete such tasks. Eventually improvements were made towards the efficiency of early models which led to the invention of the hydroelectric turbine in the 1800’s.

Hydroelectric power is driven by the natural cycle of water, which is broken down as follows:

• Solar energy causes plants to transpire, and water to evaporate from lakes and oceans
• The water vapor condenses into the clouds which produces precipitation
• Mountains receive a great portion of this precipitation
• This spawns the occurrence of downward flow into the rivers and streams
• The water is then driven from the streams to the oceans
• The moving water contains kinetic energy, which results in hydro power

To understand a micro-hydro system, we first need to look at larger scale hydroelectric power generation set up such as the Hoover Dam. A large system such as this diverts the water through turbines, which cause generators to spin and produce massive amounts of electricity. Due to the scale of such a project, there are obvious requirements for tremendous amounts of land in order to compensate for factors like flood control. Back in January 2007, The Energy Information Association (EIA) stated that 16% of the world’s electricity is supplied by large scale hydroelectric plants – this percentage has likely increased since then.

Micro-hydro can be defined, under general circumstances, as electricity generation with a capacity up to 100kW. Many of the systems which fall under this capacity are referred to as run-of-river, which don’t require an impoundment and diverts a fraction of the stream’s water through a pipe downhill passing through a small turbine.

Type of Hydro-electric systems

AC/DC Systems – The mass majority of micro-hydro systems use batteries to store the electrical energy. The water passes through a turbine, which drives the generator and charges the battery tank, and just like a solar powered system, the energy is then passed through an inverter which converts the DC power into Alternating Current – in order for the system to power common household items.

High/Low Lead Systems – A micro-hydro system and its potential energy output is determined by a combination of two factors: head and flow. Power can be generated from either a high head/low flow, low head/high flow, or any given amount in between. As it stands, high head is generally considered to be 10 feet or more, with specially designed systems required for heads smaller than the standard threshold of 10 feet – which is needed when there are large amounts of water required.

What is Wind Power or Wind Energy?

Wind power generation is based on the conversion of the wind’s kinetic energy into more useful forms such as electricity. This process creates a pollution-free, infinite source of sustainable energy. More importantly, wind energy doesn’t require fuel; it doesn’t produce greenhouse gases or toxic waste and once your wind power system is set up, it is a completely free source of energy. A great example of wind energy being used in the earlier days would be the windmills that were built for grinding grains.

In modern times, wind power is used for two primary purposes; generating electricity and pumping water. The machines that are used today are called wind turbine generators, wind pumps and wind turbines – which is the more generic name.

The science of Wind Energy

What is wind? Well to put it plainly wind is moving air, and within this moving air is the presence of kinetic energy – the amount of energy can be determined by the speed in which the air is moving at, as well as the density of the air. The density factor is calculated by the temperature of the air, the barometric pressure and the altitude.

Absolutely every wind turbine works the same – as the wind speed increases, there will be a dramatic increase in the power and energy output of the turbine. The windier it is outside, the more power your wind turbine will generate. This presents the conclusion that the most cost-effective wind turbines are the ones located in areas with the most amount of wind.

It is also a known fact that the speed of wind is greatly affected by the terrain and height, which is why it’s normal to see wind turbines placed high up on towers

Wind Energy throughout history

It has been stated that wind power and energy have been used by humans for thousands of years. Before the days of Christ, ancient Persians would harness the power of wind for the purposes of pumping water. Middle Earth was journeyed and discoveries were made using wind powered ships – like Christopher Columbus, and believe it or not, more than one million wind turbines were used to pump electricity to farms in North America as early as the 1920’s. Pretty amazing, right?

It’s no secret that the recent spark in green interests are primarily due to the fact that in 30 to 40 years we will be reaching a shortage of natural gas and oil, therefor we are beginning to look for cleaner, renewable sources of sustainable energy that will be reliable for centuries to come. With the help of modern aerodynamics, we have greatly improved the engineering of modern wind turbines which will provide us with a pollution-free, cost-effective energy solution that we can begin implementing on an individual and national scale.

How much does Wind Energy Cost?

There are three primary factors when determining the cost of wind energy:

• Wind turbine installation expenses
• Any calculated interest on money invested
• The overall amount of energy that is produced

Think about it this way – one can install the same wind turbine in two separate locations, paying the same price for each installation, but if one area is more windy that the other, that site will generate less expensive energy in comparision – even though it cost the same to have both turbines installed. Therefor it’s important to consider the wind activity of a particular location when you are putting together potential costs associated with generating wind energy.

Wind energy is broken down into two categories regarding the cost: large wind and small wind. Large wind systems generate electricity at a wholesale price and are typically used for supply grid electricity, whereas a small wind system will offset electricity supplied by your utility company at retail price. Aside from cost, there are many other significant differences between large and small wind turbine systems such as the technology used and installation requirements.

The Canadian Wind Energy Association provides some great resources that anyone can use as a starting point, regardless of your location. They provide planning tips and help, as well as a Ballpark Cost calculator that will give you a general figure with regards to how much wind energy will cost with your unique situation. Please take some time to visit their website.

If you’ve ever seen a solar oven your first impression would be that it is powered by solar energy, right? Well not necessarily. Solar powered ovens are not those which would be used to replace your in-home oven, and they are no more complex than using a traditional oven – they are simply designed differently. Solar ovens, also known as a solar cooker, can be used for various outdoor cooking requirements without the need for electricity, wood or fossil fuel – which increases the overall efficiency compared to a more traditional propane grill. A popular solar cooker is the CooKit, which utilizes a piece of cardboard that is lined in foil and works as a reflector to generate enough heat to cook the food.

Believe it or not, most solar ovens can take the sunlight and generate hundreds of watts of electricity by changing the light into heat, which in turn cooks the food. Not only is this method safe for cooking your food outdoors, but it also teaches you to eliminate fuels and the need for electricity – which will make your transition into the off grid lifestyle that much more seamless.

Solar ovens and cookers come in many different shapes and sizes, ranging from a very basic box shaped unit to more complex ovens which can hold multiple large sized pots. Regardless of the variation, they all function the same. Can you think of a more natural way of cooking your food? Once you’ve had the chance to experience using the sun’s solar energy to cook a meal you will realize how simple it is, and feel almost stupid for using gas or electricity all these years. Another benefit to solar ovens is that most food can be left safely for reasonably long periods of time without the food burning or getting too hot.

Most standard solar cookers reach a maximum heat of 302 degrees F which is ideal for reheating, and cooking foods which don’t require water to be sterilized or boiling because this heat is not reached immediately or fast enough.

Why You Should Be Solar Cooking

It’s a lot of fun!

This may be a surprise, but solar cooking and using solar ovens is really a ton of fun! Why spend time cooped up in a hot kitchen when you can be outside on a beautiful sun-filled day cooking for your friends and family using the power of the sun? Cause zero harm to the environment while using the free, renewable energy of the sun to power an equally capable oven to prepare your favorite meals. This is really a no-brainer.

Change in climate.

Every single time you prepare a meal using a stove that requires electricity, natural gas, propane or wood you are releasing extremely harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. So if the general consensus is that we are experiencing global warming, and our planet is slowly increasing in temperature which is causing climate disruption – wouldn’t you want to avoid any actions that promote this? Scientists link our climate change to the constant release of CO2 into our atmosphere by fossil fuel and biomass burning. Solar cooking produces zero CO2 or any other greenhouse gases. Talk about a sustainable way of cooking.

Peak Oil

Among the circle of petroleum geologists, there is a common factor in which they all agree on – the reserve of natural oil and gas are finite. What does this mean to us? Well it means that we will eventually reach a point of peak production, which will be proceeded by a decline in the availability and how much is produced. It’s becoming apparent that oil production has reached it’s peak, and our global economy is witnessing the beginning of the decline period – the same being relevant for the natural gas production throughout North America. Solar cooking again proves to be sustainable under these impending circumstances – no fossil fuels required.

Health Benefits

Asked any experienced solar chef and they will profess that solar cooking your food is healthier, tastier and better overall compared to traditional cooking mediums. You never need to worry about your food burning or loosing it’s nutrients. There is no smoke, therefor there’s no need to stress about inhaling fumes – like when you cook with a barbecue, for example. Lastly, your food doesn’t dry out liken when frying or baking, which leaves you with scrumptious, delicious, moist food every time!

The Deforestation Threat

Our beautiful, lush forests around the globe are in constant threat, and solar cooking methods have assisted in converting people in the developing parts of the world to reduce the amount of wood used for their normal cooking procedures. By using solar cooking mediums in developing regions we can prevent deforestation, and help people realize that fire wood is not needed to provide nourishment for their villages. The use of firewood cannot continue if we as a global population have any concern for the environment and sustaining our population.

It’s very clear that solar cooking can present several benefits to not only help you, but our planet as a whole. The cost of a standard solar cooker can be met within the first three years of using it, just from your energy bill savings. After that, you are cooking for free! Not a bad investment if you ask me. The sun doesn’t send you a monthly bill for use, so why not thank it by using it’s amazing free energy as a renewable source for cooking?

It is speculated by economists and energy heavyweights that the world’s oil resources will become dry within the next 30-40 years at our current rate of consumption, and as home owners this event will present a unique challenge of finding clean, renewable energy to heat your home and fuel your vehicles. If you’re the type to think “well there’s no point worrying about this now, 40 years is a long time” you better take a step back and think again. If you wait until these effects are more visible, alternative energy will be in higher demand, which in turn will result in these resources being more expensive – so if you were smart you would begin converting your home to alternative energy now, rather than later.

There are all kinds of renewable energy solutions that will provide an alternate source of heating for your home. Not only will switching to off grid alternative energy ensure that your home remains heated and powered during an oil or power crisis, but you will also save money – sometimes up to 40% depending on what energy source you are utilizing.

Oil Versus Alternative Energy Sources

Just like our current sources of energy, alternative energies are natural. The main difference between alternative energy resources and what we’re currently using is that alternative energy is renewable, where coal and oil are not. Another main difference is the price – most renewable energy resources are cheap, and will remain this way with some newer sources even becoming free. Below you will find a few alternative energy sources that you can begin incorporating into your home for heating:

• Corn, Rye and Wheat – All three of these energy sources can be purchased fairly cheap and by the bushel. You could even be proactive and turn unused land into a crop of your own alternative energy source. To burn corn, rye or wheat you will need to purchase a furnace specific to these fuels – once you’re set up you can get about 500,000 BTU’s per bushel.
• Solar Energy – The most popular off grid technique for energy and heating is using Solar panels and systems to pull energy from the sun. Hydronic systems are the most common for heating your home, as they act like a boiler and use the sun to heat the system’s water, which in turn heats your home.
• Geothermal Energy – Not as common as Solar Energy, Geothermal uses heat and energy from the earth. If you dig deep enough to a specific depth in the ground where the earth remains a constant 70 degrees. Rather than sucking every natural resource out of our planet, why not harness the natural heat from the planet itself.

Both Hydronic and Geothermal Energy systems use similar methods to heat your home. Tubes are inserted from the heating system and ran throughout your home, usually within your concrete or wood flooring. Within this series of tubes is a liquid, usually a water and anti-freeze mixture, which circulates in and out of the system receiving its heat from the source – either solar or geothermal. Most standard hot water heaters or pump systems can be used in conjunction with solar and geothermal heating set ups.

The goal is not to make your life more complicated by installing some sort of alien heating system that will require an abnormal amount of maintenance, but rather to install an efficient, cost effective and self sustainable home heating system that will utilize cleaner, renewable energy sources instead of the standard oil and coal sources that we’ve been using for ages. Yes, it will initially cost you a little bit more to get an efficient system installed and running – but we’re thinking long term, and there’s a good chance that within in the first year of using alternative energy for heating your home you will recoup the investment on the savings from your energy bill alone.

Alternative energy systems are more reliable, last longer, and will provide you with a constant energy source regardless of the world energy market situation. It’s definitely a win-win situation.