How to reduce your electricity bill

If you have been bogged by the enormous electricity bills you have been getting, it is time to take some concrete steps. You can reduce your electricity bills by following very simple steps.

This article will list some simple, easy-to-do things to reduce your electricity bill.

Limited use: Start with the room you are sitting in. If you were to take a call in another room or join your family at the dining table, would you just step out of your room without any concern for the electrical appliances in the room? If you would, stop right there, and look around. Switch off all the appliances even if you would be back in five minutes. Yes, even that will help. Every drop of water constitutes to the ocean. 

Another thing to take care of here is what you perceive as an electronic appliance. Would you switch off the television set, turn off the fan, but not the light bulb? Yes, you need light, but not now when you are leaving the room. Taking care of these small things will go a long way in reducing the dreaded huge electricity bills.

Smart investments: Make some smart power investments by replacing your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. These bulbs are a great power-saving investment.

Buy the Power Save gadget: The gadget helps monitor the power supply to your house and uses the minimum that is needed.

Home appliance usage: Most of us complain that the electricity bill touches the sky because of the number of electrical appliances they have at home. However, the electricity bill is not directly proportional to the number of gadgets you use but the way you use them. Let’s see how you can avoid the typical power-wasters. 

• Use the washing machine only when there is a full load of clothes. 
• Keep the geyser on for the minimal amount of time.
• Keep the air-conditioner at the minimum low or high temperature, just enough to keep you off the heat or the cold outside.
• Switch off the computer monitor even when you take a one-minute break. It takes just a second to switch on the monitor again!

Yeah, you have to stick to this way of life for saving power at home and for the world. 

Remember, reducing your electricity bill is equivalent to saving power, thus helping the world save power for its future generations. 

Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill. Get our complete guide at Earth4Energy

Making a windmill

A windmill is a device that converts wind energy into other types of energy. It uses wind power to make mechanical energy for rotating its blades which in turn help produce electrical energy. The windmill is a very useful machine in times of energy crisis. The windmill started producing electricity lately; it used to be a popular method for pumping water and towing boats. 

In the current situation of extreme energy crisis across the globe, it only makes sense that we look for alternate power solutions. The windmill proves to be an economical option, especially in farms and in the countryside. A windmill may not be the optimum solution in a highly-populated area.

What are the prerequisites for setting up a windmill? 
There are two important pre-requisites for a windmill:

• The place where the solution is to be implemented should have an area of at least one acre. It is not advisable to set up a windmill in a smaller area as the windmill blades will not be able to capture enough wind power for the windmill to work.
• The average speed of wind in the area should approximately be 11 miles per hour. It is not advisable to employ the windmill at a site where factors like high-rise buildings and tall towers block the wind. You also need to make sure that the wind speed is consistent at your site.

What are the components of a windmill?
You will need the following components to make a windmill:

• Blades: These blades are responsible for making use of the wind energy. Blades are typically made of wood or plastic.
• Tower: The tower is the pillar that holds the system high enough to be able to use the wind. They are made up of hard material such as poly-vinyl chloride.
• Shaft: The shaft is used to join the blades to the tower, at the same time allowing them to rotate smoothly. 
• Base: The base of the windmill is what holds the tower and the blades.

How is a windmill set up?

You will find ready-to-install windmill kits in the market. Consult an expert to choose the one that best suits your place and needs. If you would like to choose the components personally and set the windmill on your own, make sure you seek professional help; a mismatch of size in the components will make your windmill useless. 

Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill. Get our complete guide at Earth4Energy

Make solar power

The sun’s energy or the solar energy is the most abundant form of energy available on earth. The sun is capable of giving us more than heat and light. The sun has been one of the biggest factors dictating every living being’s stay on the earth. If we go the right path, we can harness more from the solar energy, like generating power for daily use.

What are the advantages of solar power?
The solar energy solution is gaining popularity amongst the alternate energy solutions.

• Green energy solution: When you look at the solar energy solution, you will realize that it uses absolutely no fuel other than the sun’s light. Moreover, it does not release into the atmosphere anything harmful. 
• Cheapest power solution: First, the energy comes free. Then, the installation cost is a one-time cost. Finally, the investment is recovered within a few years of installation, making the power generated by solar energy absolutely free.
• Convenience of storage: You cannot store conventional power but you can store solar power for future use. The sun’s energy comes to rescue even in the times of darkness! Storing it also ensures a 24x7 supply of power, thus saving you from any power outage.
• Low on maintenance: The solar energy systems are easy to maintain. They do not involve high costs or too much effort, thus letting you reap the benefits of the solution comfortably.

How can solar power be used?

Solar power can be used in our everyday lives by adopting the following solar power systems:

• Solar cooking system: Solar cooking is about cooking without lighting a fire or using electricity! Before you wonder, let me tell you that solar cooking is not about bland food. You can cook in more ways than one – boil, roast, or bake, cook the way you want! The only demand that solar cooking makes of you is being patient; it is a matter of more than a few minutes. However, it is not asking for too much given that you will get tasteful and healthy food without worrying about paying your gas or electricity bill.
• Solar lighting system: You can now light up the entire house, use every electrical appliance without thinking about cutting down bills. The solar lighting system lights up your house even in the nights, thanks to the power storage feature it has.
• Solar heating system: You can keep your house cozy and warm using the solar heating system without worrying about costs. 

Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill. Get our complete guide at Earth4Energy

Living off the grid

Theshortage of power, the rapid consumption of non-renewable energy, theever-increasing demand for power supply, the daily warnings about ourenvironment are enough signs to tell us that it’s time we do something. So,what can we do? For starters, how about living off the grid? If I have startledyou with that proposition, let me tell you that living off the grid not onlyhelps the environment and helps save power; it also cuts down our electricitybill substantially. Now, that’s a tangible benefit apart from all the good youwill do to the world. Trust me, you will feel good doing this.

Let us first study the advantages of living off the grid.

• Reduced dependability on exhausting resources: Who wants to depend on public utilities all the time? Living off the grid helps you rely only on your resources and not the ones supplied by governments or corporations. How often have you cursed when faced with a power outage in the midst of some important work or a party? Wouldn’t you like to take charge of such factors affecting you life? With alternate power solutions, you can.
• Freedom of usage of naturally available resources: How would you feel when you don’t have to pay for the power you use? Wouldn’t it be delightful to use as much power as you want without worrying about the electricity meter? You can make use of the abundant power available in the nature to light up your home and make your food. The solar power solutions and the wind power solutions are the answers to your power quest (well, literally!).
• Reduced power costs, helping save your money: How would you feel if the electricity bills stop coming in your letter box? The alternate power solutions give you a return on investment very soon, thus making the power supply to your home eventually free!
• Making way for a healthier environment: Don’t you bless the people who planted trees years ago not expecting them to miraculously grow? They planted those trees for the future generations. Make the future of your future generations secure by giving them a greener, healthier world. Cut down on the usage of non-renewable sources of energy. Try to use water minimally. There is not much drinking water left for the next generations.

If you are thinking it is not very feasible to live off the grid, look for alternate power solutions and you will be surprised to learn that they are not only cost-effective but also extremely feasible.

Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill. Get our complete guide at Earth4Eenergy

Install solar power

With the world faced with asevere energy crisis, it is wise to invest in an alternate power solution athome. It not only helps the government fight energy crisis in a better way, butalso helps save power for the rest of the world. Installing an alternate energy solution at home is no less than a great humanitarian effort. 

Among the alternate power solutions, the solar power system and the wind power system are the most popular being less cumbersome. Though wind power is a great idea, not all of us can implement it at our homes because of its pre-requisites. For implementing a wind power system, we need a large area and the average wind speed in the area should be 11 miles per hour. In comparison, the solar power system is easier to implement. All you need is abundant sun light. 

The complete solar power system has different components. Most people implement a few of these components as per their needs. Let’s look at the various solar power components.

Solar cooker: The solar cooker is the most popular solar energy system implemented at homes. Let’s look at its advantages:

• Healthy cooking – The food cooked using a solar cooker is considered very healthy. You can cook for a family of five in a small cooking box at a time.
• Variety cooking – You can boil, roast, and bake using the same system!
• No fuel - The solar cooker does not use any other fuel other than the sun’s light, thus helping you save power.
• No emissions - The solar cooker neither emits any gases nor does it leave any residue. It makes for the most environment-friendly cooking system.

Solar generator: The solar generator is a device that runs all your electrical appliances using the solar energy. This device converts solar energy into electrical energy using photo voltaic cells. The solar generator is also referred to as the solar lighting system. The solar generator stores electrical energy in cells for later use. Installing a solar generator at home is a great power-saving and cost-saving idea. Imagine running the electrical appliances without worrying about paying any bills!

Solar thermal system: Implementing a solar thermal system or solar heating system at home takes care of your home’s temperature needs. You can maintain a steady temperature at your house without worrying about bills. Thanks to its popularity, the heating systems will not only suit your budget but also please your eyes. These systems are no longer an eye sore.

Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill. Get our complete guide at Earth4Energy

How electricity is produced

Electrical energy was one of man’s greatest discoveries. It has helped build new civilizations. The large amount of electricity produced has its source in fossil fuels, nuclear fission, water, and wind. This article will explore the different methods of electricity production.

Electricity is churned out by enormous turbines. These turbines need a support to be moved. There are various ways of moving these turbines:

By burning fossil fuels: Electricity is produced when the blades of a turbine are moved by enormous amounts of vapor. This vapour is generated by heating a lot of water in huge furnaces. The water is heated by burning fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and natural gas. This method releases enormous amounts of carbon dioxide in the air, thus severely polluting our atmosphere. It is important to turn to alternate methods of electricity production for long-term benefits.

By water: You must have heard how dams are constructed to produce electricity. A popular method to produce electricity, a water dams serves two purposes: restricting water bodies and producing electricity. Water dams use the river water to move turbines, helping them produce electricity. Electricity generated this way helps control air pollution; however, this method of electricity production adversely affects the ecosystem in the water bodies.

Water accounts for 90 percent of the world’s electricity generated through renewable resources.

By wind: Electricity is produced when wind energy is converted to electrical energy. Wind mills or wind turbines are used to churn up enormous amounts of wind energy which is then converted into electrical energy. 

The latest in wind energy advancement tells us that wind energy is helping create portable cell phone chargers. 

By nuclear fission: Yes, nuclear fission does not only make atom bombs, but also helps produce electricity. Nuclear fission causes a chain reaction where the element Uranium is bombarded by neutrons causing it to split. Every time a Uranium nucleus is split, more neutrons are released, causing more splits in the already split Uranium nuclei. The resultant chain reaction generates a lot of heat which is used to heat water the vapour of which eventually moves turbines to create electricity. 

By bio-waste: With technological advancements, electricity is also being produced by bio-waste. Bio-gas is a typical way of generating electricity in rural areas in countries like India. In fact, a new technology evolved in the state of Bihar in India that uses human waste to generate electricity. 

Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill. Get our complete guide at Earth4Energy

Homemade windmill

When the whole world is looking for ways to cope with the severe energy crisis, what is the least we can do? We need to begin by saving the power we have and generating more power using alternate power solutions like solar and wind power systems. 

The implementation of a windmill is not considered very cheap; however, it turns out a huge money saver in the long run when the cost of producing power becomes zero. It has been observed lately that people are implementing wind power solutions even at places with the average speed of power less than 11 miles per hour. Ideally, the average speed of wind at the site you propose to set up the windmill at should be 11 miles per hour, but a slightly lower average is also reaping good results for people. 

One thing that dissuades people from setting up a windmill is the initial cost. However, one can set up a windmill at home at a much less price. It is, however, important to consider certain things while setting up a windmill on your own.

• Get a good plan to make a windmill at home. Keep in mind the output you want the windmill to generate.
• Look for sturdy components. Your homemade windmill should not get damaged by heavy winds.
• Compare the prices of the equipment in the market and go for the components that suit your budget and your site.

When looking for a windmill plan, look for the following features:

• Illustrations: Visual descriptions work better than only-text ones. If your windmill guide has illustrative descriptions for making a windmill, it makes your task easier.
• Easy language: If your windmill-making guide uses a lot of jargon and technical information, it is better to look for a different one. Look for one that has easy-to-understand language making your task fluid.
• Component descriptions: Your homemade windmill guide should be able to provide you with detailed visual and textual descriptions of all the components you need to use. It is also important that the guide tells you which type of component works best for a site like yours.
• Local information: If your guide gives you information about the best available equipment in Europe while you are reading it from a countryside location in western USA, your guide is as good as useless. Look for a guide that provides equipment information of places around you. 

Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill. Get our complete guide at Earth4Eenergy