Featured post
Fireplace inserts to convert wood burning fireplace

Energy-Efficient Alternatives to a Wood-Burning Fireplace

There is nothing better in autumn or winter when heating your home than the smell, and the crackle of a wood-burning fire. Many of us grew up enjoying this with our families. So why would you want to consider other options like fireplace inserts?

The Problem With Burning Wood

Unfortunately, while wood-burning fireplaces are charming, they’re not all that great on the budget, your lungs or the environment! They can also be dangerous.

Conventional hearth chimneys waste about 90% of the heat the fire creates and siphons off some of the heated indoor air of your house, as stated by the EPA.  Therefore, NOT an efficient method of heating your living space.

Inhaling burning wood smoke is also as dangerous as smoking cigarettes; wood smoke is loaded with carcinogens like benzene.  Burning wood fuels global warming, too. Worse, the leftover soot is a heat-trapping pollutant.

Wood-burning hearths need a lot of maintenance, including a professional cleaning every other year along with regular ash clean-ups.

3 Energy-Efficient Fireplace Inserts Alternatives

There are three popular alternatives to burning wood:  gas fireplace inserts, alcohol fireplace inserts, and electric fireplace inserts. All are great alternatives whether or not you have a working chimney and hearth inside your home. Let’s learn more about these options.… Read More

Featured post
Lynx concept grill

Improving The Energy Efficiency of Appliances With AI

It is impressive to see how the internet, computers, and software are entering every aspect of our lives, automating and simplifying daily tasks like never before.  For more than 100 years, technology has been marching steadily into home appliances at every level, from information processing to electronics and production.

However, recently the use of intelligent onboard AI software capable of analyzing, scheduling, and triggering tasks automatically has taken off in home electronics and appliances.

From automatic vacuum cleaners to robotic pool cleaners, coffee makers, and bread makers, artificial intelligence (AI) is applied to almost every household chore.  One of the greatest side-benefits of the AI appliance revolution is in energy efficiency.

Are You Ready For An Intelligent & Energy-efficient Home?

Here are examples of modern home devices that have been incorporating onboard AI software to produce energy efficiency advantages.

1. Robotic Pool Cleaners

Swimming pool owners no longer need to pay pool cleaner wages – or waste an hour a day sweeping pool steps.  The best robotic pool cleaners like the Dolphin Nautilus and Aquabot Elite are designed to effectively clean swimming pool floors, walls, and cloves using sophisticated AI algorithms that reduce energy and spend less time cleaning.… Read More

How To Purchase Energy Efficient Appliances

Find The Best Energy Efficient Appliances For Your Home

Buying new appliances can be costly. We are going to give you some useful tips to find the best energy-efficient appliances for your home.  It is not every day that you “window shop” for a new refrigerator or “pop into” the shop to pick up a washing machine.

That’s why selecting the right one — one that is energy-efficient — when you really need one is so critical. The difference between a run-of-the-mill refrigerator and one that is ENERGY STAR®-certified could mean hundreds of dollars in wasted energy in the long term.… Read More

Renewable Energy Market

Outlook For the Renewable Energy Market Going Into 2021

Interested in the forecast of where the renewable energy market is headed, you merely must have to check with the world’s biggest technology companies. The technology titans — Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Google, Microsoft- have always been at the forefront of renewable energy procurement. Lately, midsize companies such as Salesforce have also pushed the industry forward.

As the world’s largest electricity buyers, they have wielded their immense purchasing power to transform the industry.  They set the bar for corporate sustainability objectives, and each year they move that bar higher. As we head into 2021, these will be the new goal markers we predict corporate renewable energy purchasers will be reaching toward due to the tech titan’s leadership.… Read More

Green Energy Gets A Boost From Pandemic Shut Down

Green Energy Gets A Boost From Pandemic Shut Down

COVID-19 has brought the creation of green energy from fossil fuels to breaking points. Global energy demand dropped to record low levels due to lockdown in the entire country. The IEA has predicted that total energy demand decreased by 6 percent, and energy-based emissions will decrease by 8 percent for 2020. Oil demand is expected to drop 9 percent and coal for 8% year, while crude oil reaches record-low rates.

Previous green energy crises offer insight into what happens when the oil price drops and how the use of fossil fuels has consequently bounced. But this crisis is different since it is demand-led. The scale of the decrease in demand, the rate of change, and how widespread it’s been have generated a radical shift that appears to be more than a temporary short-term fall in demand for fossil fuels, especially in the power sector.… Read More

Save Energy

Bractlet And Solmate – Two New Companies That Help Lower The Energy Bill

Bractlet: Developing Digital Clones of Buildings to Lower Energy Use

Like every individual, every building is unique. How do you efficiently and reliably save energy consumption of something so intricate? An American start-up provides a digital solution.

Construction and building are responsible for 39 percent of CO2 emissions worldwide, with 28 percent of these coming from the energy used to cool, heat, and light the buildings. The 11% comes from construction procedures and materials. Cement, by way of instance, has an enormous carbon footprint – equal to around 8 percent of the planet’s carbon dioxide emissions. If the cement market were a country, it would be the 3rd largest emitter in the world!… Read More

Renewable Energy

A Drop In Renewable Energy Production In The United States

Seeing that July was the hottest month worldwide since record-keeping started 140 years back is not the time for zero-carbon energy generation to slow down. That’s specifically what occurred in the first half of 2019 in America. In actuality, renewable energy generation declined 1.1% by the year-ago period, based on recently released data compiled from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The conclusion is far from absolute, but it should only be a short-term hiccup. There were other fine details in the EIA dataset, including the remarkable collapse of coal-fired power plants. And the flexibility of America’s decreasing fleet of nuclear reactors. Here are the reasons why the decline happened and why investors shouldn’t worry.… Read More

green industry will create new jobs

The Green Industry Creates New Jobs For The Global Economy

The issue of climate change is a hot topic across the globe, and many countries believe that they should take action to combat it. Many studies indicate that climate change is a result of global warming that in turn is caused by human activity.

Activities like industrialization and the use of fossil fuels in different sectors across the economy contribute to the emission of greenhouse gasses. These gases form a shield over time in the space and trap heat which leads to warming of the earth. The phenomenon of global warming has adverse effects such as rising seas, droughts as well as floods in different parts of the globe.… Read More

wind energy wind turbines

Wind Turbines Inspections Improved By Using Thermal Imaging

Wind turbines play crucial roles in generating power for various domestic and commercial uses in different sectors. The devices operate well in entirely open spaces meaning that they experience all weather elements. The turbines run continuously as long as there is sufficient wind to turn the blades.

The major issue with wind turbines is that blades or other components can develop cracks or other forms of anomalies in the long run. When you want to prevent this scenario, it is essential to inspect the blade using imaging methods since the device is always in motion. The measure is to avoid extensive damage to the turbine and to lower repair costs.… Read More

eco friendly mattress

Reducing the Carbon Footprint in the Mattress Industry

Many concerns can keep us awake at night. We worry about finances, work-related stress, and family woes. We consider the state of the world, politically and environmentally. We don’t always realize that one solution for improving our environmental consciousness is beneath us as we sleep.

We could swap out our mattress for something a little more eco-friendly. For example, moving towards inflatable beds could dramatically reduce the number of petrochemicals consumed in memory foam mattress construction.  There are a few more ways to do this. While some favor the idea of latex foam, others see greater potential in PVC-free inflatable beds, bamboo, and even wool.

This guide will look at the following issues and solutions for greener mattresses.… Read More

greenest hospitals

Top 5 Green Hospitals In The US And Their Credentials

The fight against climate change requires everyone to do their part – from individuals to major corporations. It is widely acknowledged that improved energy use, renewable energy sources, recycling, and other green initiatives can help with carbon-neutral goals. Much of the focus here falls upon homeowners and big business.

We sometimes overlook the fact that massive facilities like universities, airports, and hospitals need to go green too. Thankfully, many hospitals have heard the call, and a select few are ahead of the game. Some impressive medical facilities across the US offer some valuable lessons.… Read More

Solar Roof

The Revolutionary SolarRoof And Powerwall 2 From Tesla And SolarCity

Eco-Friendly  SolarRoof And Powerwall 2

The need for sustainability and eco-friendliness has led to inevitable revolutions and developments in some industries. In the solar industry, for example, building integrated photovoltaic technology (BIPV) has seen a gradual but steady increase in attention.

Unlike traditional solar installations (also known as building applied photovoltaic technology, BAPV) BIPV aims at saving costs by incorporating photovoltaic modules into the building material rather than as an after-construction addition. … Read More

Green Roofed Hobbit Home

Eco-Friendly Green Roofed Hobbit Home You Can Build in Three Days

Green homes are the pinnacle of modern living for many eco-friendly homeowners. Some are happy enough with green energy, water recycling and other green solutions within a modern home.

For others, the idea of the eco-friendly hobbit home is more appealing. This design comes from a company in the US called Green Magic Homes, although others are sure to follow suit. The appeal increased with the added promise that it is highly eco-friendly and will be up in just three days… Read More

Wind Energy

Wind Energy Advantages and Disadvantages

With recent global campaigns against the use of fossil fuels, it is no surprise that countries are now investing in alternative renewable sources of energy. A global investment of $241.6 billion in 2016, 23% less than in 2015 brought 138.5 gigawatts of new renewable power capacity.

Up to 8% more power was generated when compared to 127.5 gigawatts in 2015. The significant rise in global electricity produced by renewable sources averts an estimated 1.7 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide discharges. This is according to a report released by the United Nations Environment.… Read More

Geothermal Energy

Tapping Into The Potential Of Geothermal Energy With Berkeley Lab

The key to green electricity production in America lies in the profitable, accessible generation of renewable energy.

For many, this means increased reliance on solar power, the most obvious, affordable and available option. However, there are various other types of green energy out there, which is the reason behind ignorance of geothermal resources.… Read More

Renewable Energy

Alternatives Of Storing Renewable Energy With Water

Each and every day the sun’s rays provide energy sufficient to satisfy the energy needs of the entire planet for approximately twenty-seven years.

This solar power is just one of the alternative renewable energy solutions available to the householder. Wind turbine power and geothermal power are the other kinds of alternative green energy that are also available.

This article will hopefully provide you with some information on the options mentioned above. The main reason you should take a look at alternative energy is the fact that supplies of the conventional fuels we use are rapidly in decline and will eventually be used up.… Read More

Wind Farm

America Gets Its First Offshore Wind Farm

Finally, it is here; the historical and incredibly groundbreaking Block Island Wind Farm, Americas first offshore wind farm has completed its testing phase and is ready for action.

Based in Rhode Island, the sole purpose of this offshore wind farm is the delivery of clean, reliable energy to the New England power grid on a continuous basis and the nation could not be more excited for this first of many offshore wind farms to be up and running.

Deepwater Wind, as well as their team of engineers and technicians, are the brains and brawn behind this amazing project. Thanks to their incredible innovation and ingenuity, the Block Island Wind Farm will be spinning its five massive turbines for years to come, alongside many other wind farms that will be built along the East Coast.… Read More

Solar Power

South Pacific Island Finally Runs On Solar Power

The tropical island of Ta’u has gone an extra mile by getting rid of diesel fuel as its primary source of energy for powering homes and business premises and made full use of the South Pacific scorching sun.

With more than 5000 solar panels and another 60 Tesla power packs in place, the small South Pacific Island in America Samoa now boasts of efficient electricity supply. Despite having made it through, the process was full of ups and downs.

Lying about 4000 miles away from the West Coast of the United States, this tiny island of Tau has relied on over 100, 000 gallons of diesel for survival.… Read More