| 2008 was a tumultuous year for everyone primarily | | | | With solar energy, the process basically involves using |
| due to the volatile price of one commodity - oil. The | | | | solar cells to change the energy of sunlight into |
| world is so heavily dependent on this one commodity | | | | electricity whereas with wind energy, you will use a |
| that any prolonged volatility of its price has a | | | | wind rotor to generate electricity through a motor. |
| staggering spin-off effect on just about everything | | | | The electricity from both these sources is then |
| else. Who could forget when the price of oil hit an | | | | channeled into a battery that stores it for later use. |
| all-time high of $147 per barrel sending shock waves | | | | Through a battery, you would have a constant |
| to every other market? And speculation that it would | | | | source of electricity that is not dependent upon |
| likely hit $200 per barrel only served to exacerbate | | | | whether the sun is shining or the wind blowing. The |
| the situation. | | | | battery's electricity is in the form of DC current, so |
| As if the effect of the roller coaster price of oil was | | | | before connecting to your home appliance, you need |
| not enough, the world had to contend with the US | | | | an inverter to convert the DC current into AC. |
| sub-prime mortgage crisis. It is said that when the US | | | | Solar cells can be bought relatively cheaply from |
| sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold. How | | | | places like eBay that sells factory seconds or |
| true. Just like how oil is the predominant fuel of the | | | | blemished cells which are just as good in generating |
| world, the US economy is the most influential | | | | electricity. The solar cells need to be wired together |
| economy in the world and the US dollar is the most | | | | in series in a solar panel like how batteries are |
| highly accepted currency in the world. Therefore, | | | | arranged in a flashlight. When exposed to sunlight, the |
| when the US suffers, the rest of the world suffers | | | | semiconductor in the solar cells (like silicon) produces |
| along with it. | | | | electricity. Then they are connected to a battery as |
| The skyrocketing price of oil last year triggered a | | | | mentioned above. |
| domino effect on the prices of just about everything | | | | Many people supplement the electricity they |
| else, from the cost of transportation to the prices of | | | | generate from solar energy with electricity that |
| essentials like utilities. Thus many people have had to | | | | comes from wind power. You can either buy or |
| tighten their belts, cut costs and try to earn some | | | | make your own wind turbine blades and connect |
| extra income. That led many to cut down expenses | | | | them to a motor to get electricity. Once again, eBay |
| on their electricity bills through finding alternative | | | | is a good source for both wind turbine blades and |
| energy sources. | | | | motors. Such a motor acts as a generator that |
| The good news is that it is now possible to use | | | | produces electricity when the blades turn. This |
| alternative energy sources quite cheaply. The 2 most | | | | electricity is also stored in a battery. |
| practical sources of renewable energy are the sun | | | | Many people (including myself) have reportedly |
| and the wind. You can turn your home into an | | | | slashed their monthly electricity bill by up to 80% |
| alternative energy home that uses solar and wind | | | | through the methods mentioned above. If we can do |
| energy to power your appliances and thus reduce | | | | it, so can you. |
| your electricity costs. | | | | |