Category Archives: global warming

Energy Efficient Clothes Dryer – Well there is one but it makes too much sense

Posted on by
3

Ok so you probably know what I am going to say so don’t rush me. Here is the conventional wisdom:

 http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/appliances/dryers.html

Unlike most other types of appliances, clothes dryers don’t vary much in the amount of energy used from model to model. That’s why clothes dryers are not required to display EnergyGuide labels. They’re also not listed in the ENERGY STAR®’s database.

But that doesn’t mean that the amount of energy used by clothes dryers isn’t important. A dryer is typically the second-biggest electricity-using appliance after the refrigerator, costing about $85 to operate annually.

Over its expected lifetime of 18 years, the average clothes dryer will cost you approximately $1,530 to operate.

Right now, all dryers on the market work the same – they tumble clothes through heated air to remove moisture. Engineers are working to develop dryers that use microwaves to dry clothes, but they’re not yet being sold. (One problem still to be overcome is metal rivets and metal zippers, which don’t microwave well.)

Electric vs Gas

All dryers use a small electric motor to turn a large drum that tumbles the clothes placed inside it. All of them have an electric fan, which distributes heated air. There are however, two ways to create the heat needed to efficiently dry clothes – using either gas or electricity.

Electric dryers use heating coils to supply heat. Most electric dryers operate on 240-volt current, twice the strength of ordinary household current. If your laundry area is not equipped with a 240-volt outlet, you must have one installed.

Gas dryers use a gas burner to create heat, but otherwise they operate the same as an electric dryer. Your laundry room must have a gas hookup, with proper connections and safe venting of the gas’s exhaust, in addition to an electrical outlet.

The connections you have in your laundry room will probably dictate which style you use. If you have both gas and 240-volt connections, consider that gas dryers cost more to begin with – approximately $50 more than the comparable electric model. But in most areas gas dryers will cost less to run over their lifetime. Generally speaking, the cost of electricity needed to dry a typical load of laundry is 30 to 40 cents, compared to 15 to 20 cents if you use gas.

The energy efficiency of a clothes dryer is measured by a term called the energy factor. It’s a rating somewhat similar to miles per gallon for a car – but in this case, the measure is pounds of clothing per kilowatt-hour of electricity. The minimum energy factor for a standard capacity electric dryer is 3.01. For gas dryers, the minimum energy factor is 2.67, and, yes, the rating for gas dryers is provided in kilowatt-hours, even though the primary source of fuel is natural gas.

 

Buying Smart

Consider these tips if you’re looking to buy an efficient clothes dryer:

  • Check for the highest energy factor number when comparing different models. Remember that there are two costs to an appliance – the initial purchase price, and the cost of operating that appliance over the many years you own it.
  • Know whether your laundry room has gas or electricity hookups. If you need to add a gas line and a vent to operate a gas dryer, you may spend more on adding the hookup than you’ll save with the cheaper operating cost of gas.
  • Look for a clothes dryer with a moisture sensor that automatically shuts off the machine when your clothes are dry. Not only does this save energy; it reduces wear and tear on clothes caused by over-drying.

The best dryers have moisture sensors in the drum for sensing dryness, while most only estimate dryness by sensing the temperature of the exhaust air. Compared with timed drying, you can save about 10 percent with a temperature sensing control, and 15 percent with a moisture sensing control.

  • Look for a dryer with a cycle that includes a cool-down period, sometimes known as a “perma-press” cycle. In the last few minutes of the cycle, cool air, rather than heated air, is blown through the tumbling clothes to complete the drying process.

It’s Your Money

Here are ways to cut the amount of energy and money you spend drying clothes:

  • Locate your dryer in a heated space. Putting it in a cold or damp basement or an unheated garage will make the dryer work harder and less efficiently.
  • Make sure your dryer is vented properly. If you vent the exhaust outside, use the straightest and shortest metal duct available. Flexible vinyl duct isn’t recommended because it restricts the airflow, can be crushed, and may not withstand high temperatures from the dryer.
  • Check the outside dryer exhaust vent periodically. If it doesn’t close tightly, replace it with one that does to keep the outside air from leaking in. This will reduce heating and cooling bills.
  • Clean the lint filter in the dryer after every load to improve air circulation. Regularly clean the lint from vent hoods.
  • Dry only full loads, as small loads are less economical; but do not overload the dryer.
  • When drying, separate your clothes and dry similar types of clothes together. Lightweight synthetics, for example, dry much more quickly than bath towels and natural fiber clothes.
  • Dry two or more loads in a row, taking advantage of the dryer’s retained heat.
  • Use the cool-down cycle (perma-press cycle) to allow the clothes to finish drying with the residual heat in the dryer.

:}

But the real solution is to not to use a machine to dry your clothes:

www.blog.solarhaven.org

clothsline.jpg

If it rains?:

 www.amazon.com

indoors.jpg

:}

Gas Stoves, Convection Ovens, Pressure Cookers or Solar Ovens? I myself like my Toaster Oven but there are other options

Posted on by
2

Unlike many appliances there does not seem to be any “lists” of the most efficient stoves. There does not seem to be any comparisons of stoves. Like one with a convection oven compared to a combo microwave convection oven. There is however a whole lotto’  advice:

http://energyhawk.com/cooking/cooking4.php

Choosing the Right

Appliance For the Job

You can save energy simply by getting in the habit of cooking with the most efficient appliance possible for the food you are preparing.

In general, the higher on the following list, the less energy the appliance will cost you:

    Microwave
    Slow Cookers (“crockpots”)
    Frying Pan
    Toaster Oven
    Gas Oven
    Electric Convection Oven
    Electric Oven

So, lets say you want to reheat some leftovers for lunch. You could pop it in your big, hulking oven, but it would be cheaper to use the toaster oven. It would be cheapest to heat it in the microwave. But be reasonable. You’re not going to make pancakes in your crockpot, so fire up that electric frying pan with impunity. And I know the Thanksgiving turkey won’t fit in most toaster ovens.

These energy savings are not something to sneeze at. For example, using a microwave will reduce your energy consumption by about two-thirds compared to using a regular oven.

Perhaps the greatest innovation of the ’70’s was a great appliance to cook soups and stews that need to simmer for a long time. Yes, I’m talking about the crockpot. (Points off for those of you who guessed Leisure Suits were the discovery.)

Finally, you know how Asian cuisines always emphasize steaming vegetables instead of boiling them? You use a lot less energy steaming vegetables over a little bit of water compared to boiling them in a whole pot of water (some of us think they taste better that way, too). Or try microwaving them in a covered bowl with a little water in the bottom, to get the same effect using less time and less energy.

 http://www.eartheasy.com/live_energyeffic_appl.htm

Stoves

  • Use the burner which is the closest match to pot size. Heat is lost and energy is wasted if burner size is larger than pot size.
  • Use lids on pots and pans so you can cook at lower settings.
  • Keep drip pans under conventional coil burners clean. Don’t line drip pans with aluminum foil – they can reflect too much heat and damage the elements.
  • Only preheat when baking.
  • Check your oven temperature. Use a separate oven thermometer to ensure your oven control is accurate.
  • Make sure the oven door seal is tight. Avoid opening oven door while baking – each time the door is opened, about 20% of the inside heat is lost.
  • Turn oven off a few minutes before food is ready, and let oven heat finish the job.
  • Gas stoves: electronic ignition (piezo) will use about 40% less gas than a pilot light.
  • Pilot light and burner flame on gas stoves should be blue. If flame is yellow, ports need to be unclogged or adjusted. Ports can be cleared with pipe cleaners.
  • Use the microwave. They use only 1/3 to 1/2 as much energy as conventional stoves.
  • Induction cooktops use 90% of the energy produced compared to only 55% for a gas burner and 65% for traditional electric ranges. 
  • Sun (Solar) ovens are the most energy-efficient cooking appliance, as they require no fuel of any kind to cook, yet reach temperatures of 360° – 400°. 
  • Hybrid solar ovens have all the benefits of a solar oven, with the added convenience of an energy-efficient electric backup for use when sun power is not available. When used in ‘electric’ mode, these units use 75% less energy than conventional electric range.   

    •  :}

    This one is brand spanking new:

     http://www.eartheasy.com/article_induction_cooking.htm

    Induction Cooking
      A revolution in home cooking

    Induction cooking uses 90% of the energy produced compared to only 55% for a gas burner and 65% for traditional electric ranges.

    Cooking food at home may have just gotten safer and easier, thanks to the help of an induction cooktop that controls and intensifies heat using electromagnetism. However, this is no new phenomenon. Induction cooking has been around for decades but until recently never made it past a restaurant’s kitchen.

    How does it work?
    Traditional electric cooktops use some form of electric resistance to create heat, which is transferred to the saucepan and its contents. Induction cooking is based on magnetic fields: each ‘element’ (an induction coil) generates a magnetic field that induces heat in steel cookware placed on top of it. In essence, the pot becomes the element that cooks the food, so the cooktop surface doesn’t get as hot as other cooktops. Induction cooktops have the same instant control as gas and are the fastest of all cooktop types to heat and cook food.

    The only stipulations include:
    • pots and pans must be made of steel, cast iron or other combinations of metals that will react with the magnetic field.
    • a kitchen must be wired for 220 volts (which is not likely if you are using gas).     What’s more, the induction cooktop is more energy efficient:
    • Induction cooking uses 90% of the energy produced compared to only 55% for a gas burner and 65% for traditional electric ranges.
    • Induction provides extremely fast boil and re-boil, over 50% faster than gas or electric    The surface of the cooktop does not heat up, so overflows and spills do not stick. The cooking surface stays cool even during the cooking cycle.

    The Magnetic Factor
    Induction cooking uses the transfer of magnetic energy (magnetic coils) — rather than flames or electric elements — to generate heat. Within this magnetic field, molecules in the pan jumble around at very high frequencies; the friction creates instant heat.    If consumers are curious if the pans they already own are capable of induction cooking, all they have to do is hold a magnet to the bottom of the pan. If the magnet sticks, the pan will work with induction.

    Cleaning
    Induction cooktops are easy to clean. They have a continuous surface with no dirt traps, and the controls are touch-sensitive, so there are no knobs to clean around. Because the surface doesn’t get as hot as other electric cooktops, most spillages won’t bake on, although you do have to be careful with sugar because it can still pit the surface. On the downside, some models don’t have a lip around the edge to contain spills, and you may have to buy a special cream to keep it streak-free.

    Cost
    Induction cooktops are expensive. Typical price: Twin-element: around $1700; two radiant ceramic and two induction elements (as one unit): $1800–$2500; four induction elements: $3000–$4000+.

     :}

    Then there are some unconventional approaches:  

    http://www.lostvalley.org/haybox1.html :} THIS ONES AS OLD AS THE HILLS:

    Haybox cooking (also called retained-heat cooking) is an age-old method that can be used to conserve energy not only during times of crisis, but anytime. Depending on the food item and amount cooked, the use of a haybox or insulated cooker saves between 20% and 80% of the energy normally needed to cook a food. The longer an item usually takes on a stovetop, the more fuel is saved. For example, with a haybox, five pots of long-cooking dry beans will use the same amount of fuel to cook to completion as just one pot cooked without a haybox.

    The principle of retained-heat cooking is simple. In conventional cooking, any heat applied to the pot after it reaches boiling temperature is merely replacing heat lost to the air by the pot. In haybox cooking, food is brought to a boil, simmered for a few minutes depending on the particle size (5 minutes for rice or other grains, 15 minutes for large dry beans or whole potatoes), then put into the haybox to continue cooking. Since the insulated cooker prevents most of the heat in the food from escaping into the environment, no additional energy is needed to complete the cooking process. The hayboxed food normally cooks within one to two times the normal stovetop cooking time. It can be left in the haybox until ready to serve, and stays hot for hours. “Timing” is much less important than in stovetop cooking: stick a pot of rice, beans, or stew in at lunch time, and it will be ready when you are, and steaming hot, at dinner time.

    The haybox itself is any kind of insulated container that can withstand cooking temperatures and fits relatively snugly around the pot. Hayboxes have been made using hay, straw, wool, feathers, cotton, rice hulls, cardboard, aluminum foil, newspaper, fiberglass, fur, rigid foam, and/or other suitable materials as insulation. The insulation is placed between the rigid walls of a box, within a double bag of material, or lining a hole in the ground. “Instant hayboxes” have been created by wrapping a sleeping bag, blankets, and/or pillows around a pot. The most effective insulating materials create many separate pockets of air, which slow down the movement of heat. 2 to 4 inches of thickness (depending on the material) are necessary for good insulation. Some materials, such as aluminum foil or mylar, actually reflect heat back toward the pot. Important characteristics of any insulating material incorporated into a haybox include:

    • It must withstand cooking temperatures (up to 212 degrees F or 100 degrees C) without melting.
    • It does not release toxic fumes (any kind of foam insulation needs to be covered with aluminum foil or mylar) or dangerous fibers (fiberglass also needs to be covered).
    • It can be fashioned to be as snug-fitting as possible around the pot. A little pot in a big box will not cook as effectively; it’s better to wrap pillows, towels, or blankets around it to fill up the space.
    • It can be made to form a relatively tight seal, so that heat does not escape from the cooking cavity. Since hot air rises, a container designed to open at the base rather than the top will retain more heat.
    • It is dry, and can be kept dry, since wet materials don’t insulate as well. An inner layer of aluminum foil or mylar helps keep cooking moisture from entering the walls of the box. Mylar, which can be salvaged from used food storage containers, balloons, etc., tends to be a more durable inner layer than aluminum foil.

    Cooking containers, too, should have tight-fitting lids, to prevent the escape of heat and moisture.

    Since water is not lost in haybox cooking the way it is during extended stovetop simmering, the amount of water used to cook grains and beans is normally reduced by one-quarter. Instead of adding 2 cups of water per cup of dry rice, try adding 1 1/2. Also, the larger the amount cooked, the more effective haybox cooking is, since a full pot has more mass and therefore more heat storage capacity than a half-full pot. Haybox cooking is ideally suited for a family or large group, or anytime there’s a reason to cook in quantity. If you’re cooking alone, try cooking full pots of food using a haybox, then reheating small portions for individual meals–this too can conserve fuel.

    Retained-heat cooking has many other advantages in addition to energy and water conservation. As mentioned, it makes “timing” less critical, since it keeps meals hot until serving time. Once the initial boil-and-short-simmer stage is past, it also eliminates the danger of burning the food on the bottom of the pot (the sad fate of too many pots of grains, beans, or other foods left simmering too long without stirring on the stove). Hayboxed food can actually be better for you, and tastier, than food prepared exclusively on a stovetop, because most of the cooking takes place in the 180 degrees F to 212 degrees F range, rather than at a constant 212 degrees F (lower temperatures preserve more flavor and nutrients, as they also do in crockpot cooking and solar cooking).

     http://idreamofgreenie.blogspot.com/2008/01/fast-energy-efficient-cooking.html

    Fast, Energy Efficient Cooking

    No, it’s not a campfire or a blow torch.

    I have a childhood memory of my mother making our dinner using a pressure cooker. It had a small weight on top of it that would bobble around when it reached full steam. I have to admit, it seemed a little intimidating, knowing that if you touched it the wrong way, it might explode all over the kitchen.

    Fast forward to adult life. One of my holiday gifts was a pressure cooker. ( So much for jewelry and clothes.) Oh no, I thought. I’m not using that thing. It’s old fashioned, it’s passe, and most importantly, that thing is dangerous!

    After a few years, I decided to open the box. I read the instructions. I inspected the pot. Hmmm…no more bobble weight on the top. The new models seemed pretty much idiot proof now. So I gave it a try, with careful supervision. I sauteed a little onion, carrots and celery and threw in some chicken parts, seasoning and water. I sealed it up and turned on the heat. I sat there, staring at the thing to make sure it didn’t explode. It didn’t, naturally. And in 15 minutes, I had made chicken soup. I was amazed. I will try this again, I thought. And I did. Again and again. Now I am a huge proponent of pressure cookers. I use it all the time, and my family is amazed at what comes out of there so quickly. Pot roast, chicken, our lamb and french bean stew…in the time you would boil pasta!

    At some recent family gatherings, the ladies would congregate and swap stories, one of which was about their beloved crock pot. In only 8 hours, they would come home to a nice hot meal. That’s all good but 8 hours? Not only is the pressure cooker faster, but it uses a heck of a lot less energy. 8 hours vs. 15 minutes. I mentioned this to the ladies. And they say,”Oh yeah, but I’m afraid of it.” Aren’t we all? Hell, if we can give birth, this is a cakewalk.

    There are several good ones on the market. If you have an interest in an energy efficient way to cook your family a nice, healthy meal, this one is my choice.

    Fagor Pressure Cookers    . This is a great company out of Spain that makes good quality products. Go to www.fagorpressurecookers.com.

    :}

    http://www.sunoven.com/?gclid=CPiYncvZv5QCFQH0IgodrnQAUQ

    Then

    http://www.solarcookers.org/basics/how.html

    There

     http://solarcooking.org/

    Is

    http://www.cookwiththesun.com/

    The Sun:

    http://www.knowledgehound.com/topics/solarcoo.htm

     Cookin’ with Sunshine

    Ed Eaton

    In just a few days, the sun showers us with energy equal to all the
    earth’s fossil fuels.  Consider our environment and its condition;
    using solar energy seems only logical.  One way to use the sun is
    to cook with the solar energy.  We can bake, fry, steam, or even
    solarque our favorite dish right in our own backyard.

    Brief History
    Successful solar cookers were reported in Europe and India as early
    as the 18th century.  The increased use of glass during that period
    helped inventors to trap heat & hot air.  In 1870, Augustine Mouchot
    invented a fairly portable oven for the French Foreign Legion.  It
    could bake a pound of bread in 45 minutes or 2 pounds of potatoes
    in one hour.

    Around the same time, W. A. Adams developed an eight-sided mirrored
    oven which reflected light through a glass cone located in the center
    of the oven.  This oven could cook a 12 pound turkey in 4 to 5 hours. 
    This is still a popular design today.  We actually use a large model,
    very similar to Adam’s oven.  In this oven we can cook 60 pounds
    of food at a time

    Present Times
    Interest in solar energy seems to fluctuate along with the price
    of fuels (oil in particular).  We feel a new awareness is blooming. 
    It is due to the ever growing concerns about OUR planet EARTH and
    our desire to help
    Earth out!  Solar cooking enables us to contribute in a small, simple
    way.

    :}

    :}

    Solar Water Heaters – Why not it’s free

    Posted on by
    3

    Not the system the Sun. There are so many Solar Water Heaters available now that it is embarressing. Anyone who owns their own home and doesn’t install one is an Energy Hog. Tankless water heater owners are given a pass.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_hot_water

    Solar hot water

     Solar Hot Water refers to water heated by solar energy. Solar heating systems are generally composed of solar thermal collectors, a fluid system to move the heat from the collector to its point of usage, and a reservoir or tank for heat storage and subsequent use. The systems may be used to heat water for home or business use, for swimming pools, underfloor heating or as an energy input for space heating and cooling and industrial applications.

    In many climates, a solar heating system can provide a very high percentage (50% to 75%) of domestic hot water energy. In many northern European countries, combined hot water and space heating systems (solar combisystems) are used to provide 15 to 25% of home heating energy.

    In the southern regions of Africa like Zimbabwe, solar water heaters have been gaining popularity, thanks to the Austrian and other EU funded projects that are promoting more environmentally friendly water heating solutions.

    Residential solar thermal installations can be subdivided into two kinds of systems: compact and pumped systems. Both typically include an auxiliary energy source (electric heating element or connection to a gas or fuel oil central heating system) that is activated when the water in the tank falls below a minimum temperature setting such as 50 °C. Hence, hot water is always available. The combination of solar hot water heating and using the back-up heat from a wood stove chimney to heat water[2] can enable a hot water system to work all year round in northern climates without the supplemental heat requirement of a solar hot water system being met with fossil fuels or electricity.

    Evacuated tube collector

    Evacuated tube collectors are made of a series of modular tubes, mounted in parallel, whose number can be added to or reduced as hot water delivery needs change. This type of collector consists of rows of parallel transparent glass tubes, each of which contains an absorber tube (in place of the absorber plate to which metal tubes are attached in a flat-plate collector). The tubes are covered with a special light-modulating coating. In an evacuated tube collector, sunlight passing through an outer glass tube heats the absorber tube contained within it. The absorber can either consist of copper (glass-metal) or specially-coated glass tubing (glass-glass). The glass-metal evacuated tubes are typically sealed at the manifold end, and the absorber is actually sealed in the vacuum, thus the fact that the absorber and heat pipe are dissimilar metals creates no corrosion problems. The better quality systems use foam insulation in the manifold. low iron glass is used in the higher quality evacuated tubes manufacture.

    Lower quality evacuated tube systems use the glass coated absorber. Due to the extreme temperature difference of the glass under stagnation temperatures, the glass sometimes shatters. The glass is a lower quality boron silicate material and the aluminum absorber and copper heat pipe are slid down inside the open top end of the tube. Moisture entering the manifold around the sheet metal casing is eventually absorbed by the glass fibre insulation and then finds its way down into the tubes. This leads to corrosion at the absorber/heat pipe interface area, also freeze ruptures of the tube itself if the tube fills sufficiently with water.

    Two types of tube collectors are distinguished by their heat transfer method: the simplest pumps a heat transfer fluid (water or antifreeze) through a U-shaped copper tube placed in each of the glass collector tubes. The second type uses a sealed heat pipe that contains a liquid that vapourises as it is heated. The vapour rises to a heat-transfer bulb that is positioned outside the collector tube in a pipe through which a second heat transfer liquid (the water or antifreeze) is pumped. For both types, the heated liquid then circulates through a heat exchanger and gives off its heat to water that is stored in a storage tank (which itself may be kept warm partially by sunlight). Evacuated tube collectors heat to higher temperatures, with some models providing considerably more solar yield per square metre than flat panels. However, they are more expensive and fragile than flat panels. The high stagnation temperatures can cause antifreeze to break down, so careful consideration must be used if selecting this type of system in temperate climates.

    For a given absorber area, evacuated tubes can maintain their efficiency over a wide range of ambient temperatures and heating requirements. The absorber area only occupied about 50% of the collector panel on early designs, however this has changed as the technology has advanced to maximize the absorption area. In extremely hot climates, flat-plate collectors will generally be a more cost-effective solution than evacuated tubes. When employed in arrays of 20 to 30 or more, the efficient but costly evacuated tube collectors have net benefit in winter and also give real advantage in the summer months. They are well suited to extremely cold ambient temperatures and work well in situations of consistently low-light. They are also used in industrial applications, where high water temperatures or steam need to be generated. Properly designed evacuated tubes have a life expectancy of over 25 years which greatly adds to their value.

    200px-evacuated_tube_collector.gif

    Or you could make your own:

    www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/1979-09-01/A-Homemade-Solar–Water–Heater.asp

    This is what the Chinese buy:

     http://www.made-in-china.com/showroom/cninterma/product-detailxoHJaYFbJrhW/China-Solar-Collector-SCS-.html

    Or you could Pay Alot for it:

    http://solarroofs.com/

    There is a lot out there:

     www.firemountainsolar.com/solarhotwater.html

    www.honglesolar.com/SolarWaterHeater.htm

    www.sunheat.com

    http://talensun.com/procuct.asp

    www.toolbase.org/Technology-Inventory/Plumbing/solar–water–heaters

    www.builditsolar.com/Projects/WaterHeating/water_heating.htm

    www.solarpanelsplus.com

    www.solarenergy.com

    :}

    :}

    Energy Independence Day – Stop burning things up.

    Posted on by
    Reply

    Community Energy Systems’ mission is to educate the public regarding energy conservation, energy efficiency, and the prudent and fair operation of utility companies. We believe that mission requires both intellectual and practical applications.

    Energy Independence
    Every July 4rth it is long over due that the people of Illinois declare their Energy Independence from the utility companies that prey on them and from the green house gases they emit.Everyday the Earth is bombarded by in excess of 27 gigawatts of power by the sun. This is after the Earth captures enough to grow all of the food to feed everyone on the planet. This is after the earth captures enough to warm the oceans. Yet the 27 gigawatts that we allow to be reflected away everyday is 7 gigawatts more than we humans consume in a single day. Instead the utility companies burn coal more desperately everyday.Everyday the Earth is orbited by the moon, which generates untold gigawatts of tidal power. These sources are so powerful that the first attempts to harness them in the Hudson River crumpled the turbines steel fins like so many sheets of tissue paper. This tidal power causes a drop in water levels in some extreme cases as much as 26 feet everyday. This generates more than enough power for a state like Illinois for an entire day. Instead the utility companies burn uranium more desperately everyday.

    Everyday the Earth itself generates enough energy to power the state of Illinois. The Earth generates enough rain to power Illinois using smart hydroelectric systems. The Earth generates enough wind power to feed Illinois’ thirst for electricity everyday. Indeed when harvested properly the Earth generates enough geothermal energy to power Illinois everyday. And yet everyday the utility companies burn natural gas more desperately. So desperately that they are proposing huge Liquid Natural Gas ports up and down our coasts which will put peoples lives in jeopardy.

    It is time for Illinois to stand up for its Energy Independence Day. Dig and Burn is no longer an earth acceptable way to generate energy. Burning the planet up is not the answer for Illinois’ future.

    If You Are A Genius You Install A Geothermal Heat Pump

    Posted on by
    Reply

    Short of Heating your house with Solar and cooling your house with evaporated water, this is the closest thing we have right now to an environmentally sound system. Its advantage is that it heats and cools the house as one unit and the Earth becomes your heat sink.

    Thanks to the good people of Econar for the Explanation:

     http://www.econar.com/

     ECONAR® GeoSource® Geothermal Heat Pumps

    How Geothermal Works

    Geothermal can be used to providing heating or cooling services. In each instance the process is similar.

    Geothermal Heating
    In the heating mode, the water circulating in the earth loop is colder than the surrounding ground. This causes the water to absorb energy, in the form of heat, from the earth. The water carries this energy to the heat exchanger in the pump. In the heat exchanger, refrigerant absorbs the heat energy from the water. The water now leaves the heat exchanger at a colder temperature, and circulates through the earth loop to pick up more energy.

    The refrigerant gas, which contains energy gained from the earth loop, travels from the heat exchanger to the compressor. In the compressor, the refrigerant temperature rises to 160°. From the compressor, the superheated refrigerant travels to the air heat exchanger. Here, the heat pump’s blower circulates air across the air coil, increasing the temperature of the air, which is blown through ductwork to heat the home. After refrigerant releases its heat energy to the air, it then flows to the earth loop heat exchanger to start the cycle again.

    Geothermal Cooling
    In the cooling mode, the water circulating in the earth loop is warmer than the surrounding ground. This causes the water to release energy, in the form of heat, into the earth. The water, now cooler from traveling through the ground now flows to the heat exchanger in the heat pump. In the heat exchanger, hot refrigerant gas from the compressor releases its heat into the water. This causes the water to increase temperature, which it releases to the ground.

    The refrigerant, which has released its heat energy and became a cold liquid, now travels to the heat exchanger. Here the heat pump’s blower circulates warm, humid air across the cold air coil. The air is then blown through ductwork to cool the home. The refrigerant in the air coil picks up the heat energy from the air, and travels to the compressor. When the refrigerant leaves the compressor, it then flows to the earth loop heat exchanger to start the cycle again:}

    Then there is Mr. Slim – The Japanese are always one step ahead:

     http://www.mrslim.com/Products/subCategory.asp?ProductCategoryID=24&ProductSubCategoryID=140

    Which does not explicitly say it can be hooked up to a geothermal loop but I am sure it can…I can’t copy Mitsubishi’s web page so you will have to look for yourself. Then self promoter Doug Rye:

    http://www.geothermal-heat-pump-resource.org/

     Geothermal Heat Pumps (GHP’s) have been supplying homes and businesses with high efficiency heating and cooling for nearly 20 years.

    If you’re planning to build a new house, office building, or school, or replace your heating and cooling system, you may want to consider a geothermal heat pump (GHP) system. Geothermal heat pump systems are also known as GeoExchangeSM, ground-source, water-source heat pumps (as opposed to air-source heat pumps), earth-coupled heat pump, heat pump ground-source, or ground-coupled heat pump. Regardless of what you call them, energy-efficient geothermal heat pumps are available today for both residential and commercial building applications.

    Did you know?  The average life span of a geothermal heat pump is 22 years.  That’s a long time!

    Geothermal heat pumps save money, reduce emissions, and are cost effective in replacing conventional heating and cooling technologies

     www.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/heatpumps.html

    www.igshpa.okstate.edu/geothermal/residential

    www.reddawn.com/featart11-98.html

    www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_exchange_heat_pump

    People will even give you money for installing one:

     www.nhec.com/residential_residentialheatpumps.php

    What a deal! 

    :}

    :}

    Heating And Cooling Your House The Grown Up Way – Pump pump my heat pump

    Posted on by
    Reply

    That’s right for you rap fans Hump up to the Heat Pump, Jump up to my Heat Pump it’ll burn you baby!…Well maybe not. The idea behind a heat pump is temperature differential. When its cold outside you throw heat inside because the fluid is colder than the cold and when its hot outside you throw heat out side because the heat is hotter then the hot. Well let’s let the experts explain…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pump

    According to the second law of thermodynamics heat cannot spontaneously flow from a colder location to a hotter area; work is required to achieve this. Heat pumps differ in how they apply this work to move heat, but they can essentially be thought of as heat engines operating in reverse. A heat engine allows energy to flow from a hot ‘source’ to a cold heat ‘sink’, extracting a fraction of it as work in the process. Conversely, a heat pump requires work to move thermal energy from a cold source to a warmer heat sink.

    Since the heat pump uses a certain amount of work to move the heat, the amount of energy deposited at the hot side is greater than the energy taken from the cold side by an amount equal to the work required. Conversely, for a heat engine, the amount of energy taken from the hot side is greater than the amount of energy deposited in the cold heat sink since some of the heat has been converted to work.

    One common type of heat pump works by exploiting the physical properties of an evaporating and condensing fluid known as a refrigerant.

    A simple stylized diagram of a heat pump's vapor-compression refrigeration cycle: 1) condenser, 2) expansion valve, 3) evaporator, 4) compressor.

    A simple stylized diagram of a heat pump’s vapor-compression refrigeration cycle: 1) condenser, 2) expansion valve, 3) evaporator, 4) compressor.

    The working fluid, in its gaseous state, is pressurized and circulated through the system by a compressor. On the discharge side of the compressor, the now hot and highly pressurized gas is cooled in a heat exchanger called a condenser until it condenses into a high pressure, moderate temperature liquid. The condensed refrigerant then passes through a pressure-lowering device like an expansion valve, capillary tube, or possibly a work-extracting device such as a turbine. This device then passes the low pressure, barely liquid (saturated vapor) refrigerant to another heat exchanger, the evaporator where the refrigerant evaporates into a gas via heat absorption. The refrigerant then returns to the compressor and the cycle is repeated.

    In such a system it is essential that the refrigerant reaches a sufficiently high temperature when compressed, since the second law of thermodynamics prevents heat from flowing from a cold fluid to a hot heat sink. Similarly, the fluid must reach a sufficiently low temperature when allowed to expand, or heat cannot flow from the cold region into the fluid. In particular, the pressure difference must be great enough for the fluid to condense at the hot side and still evaporate in the lower pressure region at the cold side. The greater the temperature difference, the greater the required pressure difference, and consequently more energy is needed to compress the fluid. Thus as with all heat pumps, the energy efficiency (amount of heat moved per unit of input work required) decreases with increasing temperature difference.

    Due to the variations required in temperatures and pressures, many different refrigerants are available. Refrigerators, air conditioners, and some heating systems are common applications that use this technology.

    A HVAC heat pump system

    A HVAC heat pump system

    In HVAC applications, a heat pump normally refers to a vapor-compression refrigeration device that includes a reversing valve and optimized heat exchangers so that the direction of heat flow may be reversed. The reversing valve switches the direction of refrigerant through the cycle and therefore the heat pump may deliver either heating or cooling to a building. In the cooler climates the default setting of the reversing valve is heating. The default setting in warmer climates is cooling. Because the two heat exchangers, the condenser and evaporator, must swap functions, they are optimized to perform adequately in both modes. As such, the efficiency of a reversible heat pump is typically slightly less than two separately-optimized machines.

    :}

    Everyone sells them..everyone:

    http://www.searshomepro.com/hvac/options.aspx?lst=352

    If you want a quote on one:

    http://www2.qualitysmith.com/heat_pump

    http://www.servicemagic.com/sem/category.Furnace-Central-Heating.10335.html

     or if you just want to look:

    www.residential.carrier.com/products/acheatpumps/heatpumps/index.shtml

    www.trane.com/Residential/Products/HeatPumps.aspx

    www.rheemac.com/home_cooling_pump.shtml

    www.nhec.com/residential_residentialheatpumps.php

    :}

    :}

    Efficiently Cooling Your Home – Air conditioning the old fashioned way

    Posted on by
    Reply

    I know, there are better ways to cool your house than you cool your food. Nonetheless it must be discussed for the people who just can’t do it any other way.

    http://www.bobvila.com/HowTo_Library/EnergyWise_House_Energy_Efficient_Air_Conditioning-Air_Conditioning-A1629.html

    EnergyWise House: Energy-Efficient Air ConditioningMany people buy or use air conditioners without understanding their designs, components, and operating principles. Proper sizing, selection, installation, maintenance, and correct use are keys to cost-effective operation and lower overall costs.

    Related Showrooms

    • Cadet – Zonal heating solutions for your home from Cadet
    • Sears – Heating & Cooling Repair
    • Trane – Enjoy perfect heating, cooling and beyond year-round.
    • WholeHouseFan.com – Cool Your Home with a Whole House Fan

    Air conditioners employ the same operating principles and basic components as your home refrigerator. An air conditioner cools your home with a cold indoor coil called the evaporator. The condenser, a hot outdoor coil, releases the collected heat outside. The evaporator and condenser coils are serpentine tubing surrounded by aluminum fins. This tubing is usually made of copper. A pump, called the compressor, moves a heat transfer fluid (or refrigerant) between the evaporator and the condenser. The pump forces the refrigerant through the circuit of tubing and fins in the coils. The liquid refrigerant evaporates in the indoor evaporator coil, pulling heat out of indoor air and thereby cooling the home. The hot refrigerant gas is pumped outdoors into the condenser where it reverts back to a liquid giving up its heat to the air flowing over the condenser’s metal tubing and fins.

    Central Air Conditioners
    Central air conditioners circulate cool air through a system of supply and return ducts. Supply ducts and registers (openings in the walls, floors, or ceilings covered by grills) carry cooled air from the air conditioner to the home. This cooled air becomes warmer as it circulates through the home; then it flows back to the central air conditioner through return ducts and registers. A central air conditioner is either a split-system unit or a packaged unit.    In a split-system central air conditioner, an outdoor metal cabinet contains the condenser and compressor, and an indoor cabinet contains the evaporator. In many split-system air conditioners, this indoor cabinet also contains a furnace or the indoor part of a heat pump. The air conditioner’s evaporator coil is installed in the cabinet or main supply duct of this furnace or heat pump. If your home already has a furnace but no air conditioner, a split-system is the most economical central air conditioner to install.Today’s best air conditioners use 30 percent to 50 percent less energy to produce the same amount of cooling as air conditioners made in the mid 1970s. Even if your air conditioner is only 10 years old, you may save 20 percent to 40 percent of your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient model.But then there is new technology out there:

    http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Appliances/Air_Conditioning_And_Heating/W2D2V4S2

    Get rid of the bug spray because an air conditioning system that kills bugs and gives you a better night’s sleep has been revealed. The innovative new inverter wall mounted air conditioning systems, that have been scientifically proven to provide a better night’s sleep.

    Samsung recently conducted extensive research in Good Sleep technology involving the Bukyung National University, Busan, Korea which revealed that a room’s temperature should change in accordance to sleep patterns, to achieve longer periods of deep sleep and ensure an optimal night’s rest. The Samsung Good Sleep 2 air conditioner control program adjusts temperature profiles to the most comfortable according to the three stages of sleep. 

    http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Appliances/Air_Conditioning_And_Heating/K5J2C3C7

    Smart Energy Saving Air Conditioner

    By Manisha Kanetkar | Monday | 19/03/2007

    Australian company Advantage Air has developed a smart reverse cycle air conditioning system that not only saves on your energy bill but is also able to be fully integrated into a home automation system.

    According to Advantage Air’s Walter Kimble, all parts of the GEN III air conditioning system are designed to operate as a cohesive, integrated system making it easier for the home automation system integrator to set up. 

    The system allows you, among other functions, to control the temperature of individual zones as well as program Fresh Air control.

    And with sensors in each zone, the system ensures that no room is being over-heated or over-cooled, thus contributed to the product’s energy efficiency.

    The Fresh Air system is an electronically controlled device that measures the temperature outside of the house. If this is cooler than that inside the house (which Advantage says is 25 percent of the time) it opens and brings cool air in. This smart function means not only do you get fresh air circulating around your house (as opposed to the same air re-circulating) but it is also energy efficient. According to the CSIRO, the GEN III is capable of energy savings of up to 38 percent or approximately $1000 a year.

     

     :}

    :}

    Now That Your House Is All Warm And Insulated – Whatever shall I put in it?

    Posted on by
    1

    The big energy hogs in the house are the HVAC, The refrigerator and the water heater.

    HVAC in the residentail market simply means a combine furnace and airconditioner that share the same ventilation system. but we will treat them as seperate units for easier detail:

    http://www.fypower.org/res/tools/products_results.html?id=100156

    Of course it would use natural gas,

     Condensing furnaces contain a second heat exchanger that condenses water vapor in the hot flue gasses, extracting additional heat. The gases are then vented directly outside through a pipe in the wall. Condensing furnaces are the most efficient on the market but they are also the most expensive. Almost all ENERGY STAR qualified furnaces are condensing models.

    Efficiency Rating
    Furnace efficiency is rated by annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE). The AFUE measures the amount of fuel converted to space heat in proportion to the amount of fuel entering the furnace. The federal minimum efficiency standard for furnaces specifies an AFUE rating of at least 78%. ENERGY STAR qualified furnaces must have a minimum AFUE rating of 90%. The most modern and efficient heating systems can achieve an AFUE of as high as 97%.

    For a list of the most efficient furnaces in all output categories, visit the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE)’s guide to top-rated furnaces.

    Efficiency Improvements
    Some improvements that have been made to the components of furnaces in recent years are two-stage burners and higher-efficiency blower motors.

      Two-Stage Burners — When the heating demand is low, two-stage burners allow you to run your furnace at a lower burn rate most of the time, using less gas than a single stage burner. These use a special gas valve that fires the burners at either the low-heat or high-heat level. When heating needs increase, the burner fires at the high-heat level, increasing the burn rate. These burners save energy by using a smaller amount of gas when demand is low, thereby providing more even heating throughout the day.
      Fan Blower Motor — Depending on the size of the furnace, fan blower motors can use between 84 kWh/year for the smallest gas furnaces (25,000 Btu) to almost 550 kWh/year for the largest models (118,000 Btu). Some newer furnaces have an electronically commutated (ECM) fan blower motor that is more efficient than a standard blower motor. Variable-speed blower motors also have been in use in newer models. By using only the power needed for the immediate heating demand, these motors use 75% less electricity than standard motors. They also adjust to changes in air pressure among rooms, heating the space more efficiently.

     http://www.residential.carrier.com/products/furnaces/gas/index.shtml

    Gas Furnaces

    The smooth comfort of gas heat with the most advanced technology

    For the optimal combination of gas heating and impressive energy efficiency, choose Carrier precision-engineered gas furnaces, from the innovative Infinity™ ICS with precision temperature control to the solid Comfort™ 80. The higher the AFUE rating, the more energy efficient—meaning you’ll save more money.

    Infinity ICS Gas Furnace

    Up to 3.5 times tighter temperature control

              Quietest furnace you can buy

    • IdealComfort™ technology
    • Lifetime heat exchanger limited warranty
    • Infinity 96 Gas Furnace

    96.6% AFUE

    • Variable speed blower
    • IdealHumidity
    • Lifetime heat exchanger warranty

    Infinity 80 Gas Furnace

    80% AFUE

    • Variable speed blower
    • IdealHumidity
    • 20-year heat exchanger warranty

    Performance 93 Gas Furnace

    93% AFUE

    • 4-5 speed blower
    • Enhanced humidity control
    • Lifetime heat exchanger warranty

     http://www.bryant.com/products/furnaces/index.shtml

    Evolution System Plus 95s™ Furnace

    • Up to 95 AFUE
    • PerfectSense™ functionality
    • Up to 73% more consistent temperatures than single stage furnaces
    • Quietest furnace that you can buy
    • Perfect Humidity
    • Perfect Heat technology
    • Pilot-free PerfectLight ignition
    • Lifetime heat exchanger warranty
    • Evolution System Plus 95s™ Gas Furnace

    Evolution System Plus 90i™ & Plus 95i™ Furnaces

    • Up to 96.6 AFUE
    • Perfect Humidity
    • Perfect Heat technology
    • Pilot-free PerfectLight ignition
    • Lifetime heat exchanger warranty
    • Evolution System Plus 90i™ Gas Furnace

    Evolution System Plus 80v™ Furnace

    • Up to 80 AFUE
    • Perfect Humidity
    • Perfect Heat technology
    • Pilot-free PerfectLight ignition
    • 20-year heat exchanger warranty
    • Evolution System Plus 80v™ Furnace

     

     

     http://www.lennox.com/products/list.asp?type=2

     

    ESTAR ICON ENERGY STAR® Product   Energy
    Efficiency (AFUE)    		 Price
    Guide*

    :}

    But then there is the new kid on the block: 

     

    Emerging Technology

    The MicroHeater, developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, could redefine the way in which homes are heated. The size of a palm, the MicroHeater is capable of combusting 4,000 to 120,000 Btu of gas per hour. They can be installed in baseboard heaters, and an array of them can efficiently heat an entire house. The MicroHeater can reduce energy loss from a typical central heating system by 45%.

     http://picturethis.pnl.gov/picturet.nsf/All/4A2LDA?opendocument

    microheater.jpg

    We have even talked about air conditions yet or geothermal heat pumps…geez

     

     

    When Is A Concrete Block Like A Glass Window? When it comes to lousey R-Values

    Posted on by
    Reply

    Believe it or not typical Concrete Products and single pane glass have the same R-Value – 1. That is because they readily give up heat because of their porus nature and in part because they are good conductors. There is a reason why castles were cold and dreary. An there is a reason why your basement is cool in the summer.

    http://www.coloradoenergy.org/procorner/stuff/r-values.htm

    R-Value Table

    Insulation Values For Selected Materials

     Construction Materials

    Concrete Block 4″   0.80
    Concrete Block 8″   1.11
    Concrete Block 12″   1.28
    Brick 4″ common   0.80
    Brick 4″ face   0.44
    Poured Concrete 0.08  

    I should mention that the poured concrete number is by the inch. It takes no math wiz to see that 20 inches of typical concrete still is an R-value of slightly less than 1.

    But you ask, “Mr. CES Man why is that important?” It is important in the Residential Market because a lot of us have basements made out of concrete, masonary block or a combination of the two.

    According to the government:

    U.S. Department of Energy – Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

    A Consumer’s Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

    Basement Insulation

    A properly insulated basement can help reduce your energy costs. However, basement walls are one of the most controversial areas of a house to insulate and seal. You need to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages, not to mention moisture control.

    Before insulating or deciding whether to add insulation to your basement, first see our information about adding insulation to an existing house or selecting insulation for new home construction if you haven’t already.

    U.S. Cities R-10* R-2-**
    Buffalo, NY $350 $390
    Minneapolis, MN $400 $450
    St. Louis, MO $250 $290

    *Such as 2 to 3 inches of exterior foam insulation.
    **Such as with most insulated concrete forms.

    Annual Energy Savings

    The energy cost savings of basement wall insulation vary depending on the local climate, type of heating system, fuel cost, and occupant lifestyle. Typical annual cost savings by R-value in a few U.S. cities are provided in the table above for a 1,500 square-foot home with a conditioned basement heated by natural gas ($0.72/therm).

    Advantages and Disadvantages

    In most cases, a basement with insulation installed in the exterior basement walls should be considered a conditioned space. Even in a house with an unconditioned basement, the basement is more connected to other living spaces than to the outside. This connection makes basement wall insulation preferable to insulating the basement ceiling.

    Compared to insulating the basement ceiling, insulating basement walls has the following advantages:

    • Requires less insulation (1,350 square feet of wall insulation for a 36 x 48-foot basement with 8-foot walls, compared with 1,725 ceiling)
    • More easily achieves continuous thermal and air leakage boundaries because basement ceilings typically include electrical wiring, plumbing, and ductwork.
    • Requires little, if any, increase in the size of the heating and cooling equipment. The heat loss and air leakage through the basement ceiling is similar to that through the exterior walls of the basement.

    These are some other advantages of insulation on exterior basement walls:

    • Minimizes thermal bridging and reducing heat loss through the foundation
    • Protects the damp-proof coating from damage during backfilling
    • Serves as a capillary break to moisture intrusion
    • Protects the foundation from the effects of the freeze-thaw cycle in extreme climates
    • Reduces the potential for condensation on surfaces in the basement
    • Conserves room area, relative to installing insulation on the interior.

    :}

    Leave it to the Bush administration to say that insulation is controversial. If you are building a new home there is not a doubt that you should insulate the exterior basement walls. In fact if you are building a pad style house, you should insulate underneath the pad with some kind of insulative mixed cement. I am not sure the whole pad needs to be of that type concrete. It is expensive but if you can afford it can’t hurt.

    http://www.askthebuilder.com/N2-Basement_Insulation.shtml

    Mr. Builder Man makes the point that the only place to insulate in the basement is on the walls. He adds:

     Because your basement walls are conducting cold into your basement via the cold ground outside, it might be worthwhile to add insulation over your exposed masonry foundation. You can choose to use closed-cell foam or fiberglass if you choose. But be sure you check with your local building department as some insulations that are flammable – such as closed cell foam – must be covered with drywall or other approved material to prevent rapid fire/flame spread.

    :}

    He finishes on a note that warms the heart of a die hard conservationist:

    I would also inspect the juncture between the wood framing and the top of the concrete foundation. Do this on a windy day and try to feel for air leaks. Air infiltration can be a major drain on your heating budget. Pack insulation in any cracks you discover or caulk them to stop air flow.

    All these people agree:

    www.homeimprovementweb.com/information/how-to/basement–insulation.htm

    www.homeenvy.com/db/0/750.html

    www.owenscorning.com/around/insulation/fallpromo/DIY-Basement.asp

    www.doityourself.com/scat/basementinsulation

    www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/asktoh/question/0,,396510,00.html

    www.state.mn.us/mn/externalDocs/Commerce/Basements_110602012856_Basement.pdf

    www.builtgreen.org/articles/0208_mold.htm

    I prefer a radical approach hire a Backhoe and dig out the dirt around your basement. Then you can apply ridgid waterproof R Board to the outside of the basement. Then you can backfill with gravel for drainage and tap down some dirt. Your house will thank you for ever. For those people that have a house already resting on a pad, you have one heck of a problem on your hands. 

    :}