PV Gap

Phillip Said:

Solar/Wind powered energy savings?

We Answered:

I may have misread your question, sorry if I did.

There is no energy savings by using an alternative source. Most of the alternative sources are in fact MORE expensive. People choose to pay more for solar, wind, and other alternative sources...a lot more in some cases.

As alternative energies become more efficient and cost effective they replace fossil fuels more and more, but there is still a cost to the production of the PV cells and wind turbines...lots of metal, and lots of composites including plastics, in relation to the power they produce.

Energy savings comes from conservation and increasing efficiency.

Right now, renewable energy accounts for about 7 percent of US energy consumption. Most of the 7 percent is Hydro-electric and wood burning.

Jacqueline Said:

Solar or Wind Energy?

We Answered:

What about using the animal wastes (gobar gas plants), night soil (any vegetable wastes for that matter) etc to generate gas for the stoves.. ?

Wood is the cheapest renewable energy and smokeless chulahs (ovens) could be used to burn the wood scrapes.. at least in the rural side to start with.. (unfortunately the LPG is getting popular even among the ruralites)!

bio diesel from wild castor etc could be produced by raising the plants in the wastelands that abound alongside the rail tracks etc

granite mortar and pestle, grinder etc could be revived both to save energy as well as to give excercise to the family members who go to the gym to work with unproductive gadgets..

if there is a will, 100 alternatives would emerge and nature always rewards those who seek its favours sincerely..!

Patricia Said:

out of coal, wind energy, and solar energy, which is the best for producing electrical energy?

We Answered:

That depends on what you define as "best". Solar and wind are good for the environment and they pretty much provide free energy once they're built. Coal has the advantage that it's cheaper and that it can provide dependable energy. Wind and solar only work at certain times, so a power grid based on them isn't going to be reliable.