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We feel it every single day! The massive vise of rising energy costs gripping us tighter and tighter. As the price of gasoline raises so do the costs of everything else we use every single day. Food, water, clothing. Everyday amenities are affected by the price of oil. There is a way however to break free of the raising grip of energy costs and save money. How exactly can this be done? Renewable energy.

Renewable energy is energy that comes from natural resources. The sun, rain and wind are all renewable energy sources. Mother Nature herself replenishes these resources every single day. There are many different ways to harness the power of these resources using renewable energy technologies. A few of these technologies include wind power, solar power and bio fuels.

Wind Power

Wind is an excellent source of natural energy. In order to covert the power of wind into electricity you have to use what is called a wind turbine. This is a propeller that is connected to a shaft, which in turn is connected to an alternator just like the one in your car. When the shat turns, magnets located inside the alternator spin around a coil of wire causing electrons to move through the wire creating electricity. The electricity is then stored in batteries, known as banks. These banks can then power anything that is connected to them but before that can happen the electricity must be run through an inverter to make sure any household appliances can use it.

Solar Power

Solar energy is the energy that radiates from the sun. Anyone can take that energy and covert it to electricity by using Photovoltaic. Photovoltaic, simply put, are when metal surfaces are exposed to electromagnetic radiation such as x-rays or visible light and electrons are emitted after the absorption. To convert solar power into electricity you have to use solar panels. Solar panels are groups of Photovoltaic cells that are normally placed on top of roofs or installed in any open area where they will come into direct contact with sunlight. These cells convert the absorbed sunlight into electricity. Just like electricity from the wind, it is stored in banks of batteries. Once the electricity is run through an inverter, anything connected to these banks can then be powered.

Biofuel

Biofuels are another excellent renewable energy source from Mother Nature. These are fuels that are made from biomass. Biomass is any living or recently expired biological material but more commonly refers to plant matter. This can also include animal and plant matter used for fiber production. One of the most popular types of biofuel is Ethanol. Ethanol is mainly derived from corn or sugar cane and is used as an additive for gasoline. Another biofuel that is rapidly gaining popularity is biodiesel. Biodiesel is made from different types of vegetable oils such as palm oil, sunflower oil or rapeseed oil.

These are just a few sources of renewable energy. There are many different alternatives that one can switch to in order to save money and help the environment. Whatever your choice may be, renewable energy sources have been here since the beginning of time and will be here long after we are gone. Choose wisely.

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