Blog

Solar Power Panels – 7 Reasons To Make Your Own

Hydro power has been used ever since water runs down hill and the invention of the water wheel. In this country the big projects are Columbia river dams, TVA dams, Niagara Falls diversion power plant, Colorado River – Hoover Dam. All completed at least 40 years ago and out of the news since that time. In the seventies during one of the energy crises one of the small utility companies looked into putting water turbines at the numerous dams spotted all over New England for furnishing for a canal system long abandoned.

As an investor, how can I help sustain the earth? I call it sustainable investing. It is simply investing in companies whose products or services promote the sustainability of the planet. Companies providing technology for renewable energy is a perfect example. In particular, I will talk about solar companies in this post.

The largest hydropower plant in the world is located in Washington along the Grand Coulee Dam. It took 11 years to build it from 1933 to 1942. Since that time it has undergone numerous facelifts and changes. It is amazing at a size of over 5,000 feet long and 550 feet high.

We refer to the power grid when we say “the grid”. It is the linked system that is supposed to deliver electricity to the people. Every general house has a power supply, access to natural gas and water; and not to forget, telephone. Living off the grid would mean not using these facilities and creating their own energy. For example; you are living off the grid when you are not having a water supply line at your home and are relying on the sewage and city water. Digging wells and using the cistern system for water supply is another way in which you can live off the grid.

These designs are readily available online from specialist web sites and the pieces of equipment are available from DIY or hobbyist stores. Once you have made your green energy resources, they are practically maintenance free, although you may have to top up the batteries with sulphuric acid or distilled water.

The first is wind energy. Today windmills are used in homes to run small generators. Using windmills is not a new concept. Windmills were used extensively in the past century. They were primarily used to mill grain. Making flour from grain was hard work and using the power of the wind was an economical way to complete this task. Another use of the windmill was to pump out water from large creeks or lakes to gain land. One country which frequently used this technique was the Netherlands. Acres of land were gained this way and today homeowners still benefit from this land.

The other area that causes concern with hydropower dams is the environmental and human impact. Damming a river is no easy task and the impact is massive. To effectively work, a hydropower dam will reduce the flow of water to such an extent that tens if not hundreds of miles of land behind it will be submerged. In the case of the Three Gorges Dam, this led to the removal of entire cities, monasteries and massive changes to the landscape. There is no disputing this negative issue, but localized changes seem minor compared to the global impact of fossil fuel use.