There are a couple of designs of water heaters that depend on the sun and both work well, especially in warmer climates. A passive solar tank is simply a black tank that is installed on the roof that allows the water to be warmed by the sun. An active solar water heater will have collector panels on the roof and these collector panels are connected to the cold water supply and the storage tank in the home.

With the passive solar water heater, the tank is black as this allows for the most heat to be absorbed from the sun. The amount of water in the tank is controlled by a float mechanism which regulates the amount of water in the tank. Heated water flows into the home using gravity pressure. As the hot water is emptied from the tank, it is replenished using cold water from the supply line.

The passive solar tank may require that you strengthen the roof structurally to hold the weight of the tank and the water. The solar collectors are light enough that there should not have to be any structural changes.

The passive systems are not appropriate for colder climates.

One way to install an active system that is very simple, is as a pre-heater for water that is then fed into the normal water heater. In some climates, this can provide significant savings as water that comes into the tank is already warmed. The water is then brought to temperature using the normal source of heat for the water. In other systems, a pump is used to circulate the water from the storage tank through the solar system for heating. If the solar collectors are not able to keep the water warm enough, the secondary system will bring it to the correct temperature.

Active systems require that the collector panels be faced in such a direction that they get the largest amount of heat gain. Ideally, they are placed on a flat roof, however if the roof is sloped, they should be on the southerly facing roof.

You will have special instructions for protecting your system any time there is the danger of a freeze. Not following these instructions can cause major damage to your water heating system.

In very cold climates, you may find a heat exchange system is the best investment. This system is filled with antifreeze and has a heat exchanger in the storage tank. A pump moves the solution through the solar collectors and then the heat exchanger to warm the water. The solution continues to circulate to bring the water to temperature.

If your electric or gas bill is way too high due to the cost of keeping water hot, why not invest in a solar water heater and have free hot water. More information on solar water heaters now a click away.

Green energy sources are not a cure but they will help. Green energy sources offer many advantages. Advantages that we will not get without changing our habits. Some argue that green energy is too hard to generate. True as that might be, there are many different types of green energy sources. We just have to identify those that are viable, according to geographic location.

The various green energy sources such as solar, wind, wave, hydropower and geothermal do not produce anything harmful which may have a negative effect on the environment. This is the exact opposite of what you get when you continue to operate a coal or nuclear power plant.

Coal you have to remember releases carbon dioxide into the air. On its own, it may not cause that much damage but there are currently 50,000 coal plants around the world and that number is expected to grow.

Many say nuclear power is a reliable solution. No one disputes that nuclear power does produce a large amount of energy. The dispute is whether or not we are effectively and safely disposing of the spent nuclear rods. We also have to consider nuclear accidents such as Chernobyl and Three Mile Island. These incidents were many years ago. We have gotten better at containment; however, it only takes one accident.

Every fuel source requires maintenance, including green energy. All energy production sources have maintenance costs. Ethanol production still requires corn to be refined at a refinery. Windmills are mechanical machines. They have parts that must be maintained. Even with these maintenance costs, green energy is still more attractive than fossil fuels.

Green energy is renewable. Probably the most important advantage to green energy. Unlike fossil fuels, we will not run out of green energy. Since the beginning of the universe, the Sun’s rays have reached the Earth. As these rays reach the earth they produce wind. Every time we use green energy, we are moving closer to breaking our addiction to fossil fuels.

Every American has a choice. We can continue to increase our appetite for fossil fuels or we can pursue renewable energy sources. Our governments are only giving lip service to green energy. They hold summits and conferences on global climate change. They tell us we have to reduce our use of fossil fuels but do not offer any alternatives.

It is easy to talk about how concerned we are about the environment but you have to ask yourself when will more solar panels or wind turbines will be erected? When will the number of coal or nuclear power plants be reduced?

Green energy is a viable alternative to fossil fuels. While there are maintenance costs, green energy is renewable. We are past due for action, rather than talk. You have the power in your hands. It is possible to have home made energy. You just have to decide whether you want to commit or continue to spew toxins into the environment.

Are you ready to commit to saving our world? Find out how you can get home made energy plans today. World change is in your hands. The world will thank you. Grab a totally unique version of this article from the Uber Article Directory

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When it comes to the fuel that powers these modern technologies there is an even more depressing legacy. Our energy source of choice is the burning of fossil fuel, in other words oil, coal and gas. However there is now rather less fuel left than has already been burned and what has already been burned has raised levels of atmospheric CO2 to record levels. We’re caught on the horns of a twin dilemma.

The party’s over – the bottle (or barrel) is all but empty and a toxic hangover and a vague recollection of reckless merriment are all that await. The last ironic gasp of this bygone age of technology might yet be a global pandemic of some new disease or virus, spread around the world in just days or weeks thanks to widespread access to easy travel.

But how likely is this scenario really and can the blame all be laid at the door of technology? The fact is that this is hardly a first offence – as a species we have a pretty poor record when it comes bad behaviour leading to unfortunate consequences. But every time we’ve somehow managed to survive and emerge stronger.

The fact is that you cannot separate people from technology. It’s what defines us. Go back however far you like into prehistory and wherever a few old bones are identified as being human in origin you will find evidence of technology.

Since the dawn of human history it seems we have made weapons and tools, worn decorations and clothing, preserved and prepared food, painted and played music. Unique among all other animals we really for our survival not on thick fur or powerful claws, but on our capability to develop and deploy technology.

Early flint spear heads were an improvement on sharp sticks and would later develop into metal heads, then bullets and ultimately into our present weapons of mass destruction. You can equally trace a direct line from this digitally produced information through mass printing, handwritten documents and ultimately back to those first cave paintings. Or take all the complexity of a modern symphony and unravel the trail leading back to simple flutes carved from hollow animal bones.

Human technology has never stood still – it has always evolved, adapted and improved. Quite often in response to the unwelcome consequences of earlier technology. For example, modern sanitation systems were developed only as a response to the squalor caused by urban crowding as the Industrial Revolution took off on the back of steam technology.

So we can be assured then that even if technology is indeed to blame for the current sorry state of affairs, it is still the only means we have to fix things again. Reverting back to some “Golden Age” before modern technology is a naive and dangerous idea; the solution lies in developing better eco-technologies (e.g. extend use of the internet and embrace high efficiency solar energy and low power consumption light emitting diodes).

These new eco-technologies are far less resource hungry and polluting and can help reduce the huge amount of travelling that goes on these days, while simultaneously actually improving the quality of life and offering increased choice. Doubtless we will some day discover that they too are flawed in some as yet unimagined way, but that’s alright, we know what to do about that.

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