Philadelphia Renewable

The United States is spending a great deal of money trying to combat problems caused by the use of fossil fuels.  Environmental degradation is forcing everyone, worldwide, to consider other sources of energy.  One of the more popular alternatives that is starting to be used extensively throughout this country is solar energy.  By using photovoltaic panels or solar thermal collectors, the heat and energy from the sun’s rays can be transformed into electricity.  Solar power can also be used for heating and cooling of a building.  Solar America Cities is a partnership through the U.S. Department of Energy and is comprised of 25 major cities in the U.S. who are striving to expand their use of renewable resources, particularly through the use of solar technology. Continue Reading »

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When it comes to finding new sources of energy, the days of waiting until “things get bad enough” are over.   The fact that much of oil used in the US comes from politically unstable areas, combined with rising oil costs, environmental concerns, and the recent BP oil spill, is creating an increasing demand for new sources of energy.  Philadelphia is a city doing its part to solve the energy crisis.  Biofuel is gaining attention as an alternative fuel possibility because it takes waste products and creates them into a cleaner burning fuel.  Biodiesel is made by using either soybean oil, poultry waste or used fryer oil in a chemical process that alters the molecules in the oil.  After the original product has been altered, it can either be combined with diesel fuel or used completely in replace of diesel.  Any diesel engine can use this product, though some engines require slight modification.  By creating a fuel type from a renewable resource and making it into a fuel burning cleaner than oil, it achieves environmental efficiency. Continue Reading »

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The Philadelphia area has several research universities in its backyard.  This is very essential to being a city on the cutting edge of the latest developments in energy efficiency.  The University of Pennsylvania has an Energy Research Group that is conducting extensive research on various methods of storing hydrogen for energy use.  Lately, we’ve been hearing a lot about electric cars and hybrid vehicles as they are finally available in marketable quantities.  One other type of car that is receiving a lot of attention in the research industry is a hydrogen car.

Using hydrogen presents greater challenges and requires more advances than many of the hybrid cars on the market already.  However, when perfected, they will be a zero-emissions product with the only emission being water vapor.  Hydrogen does not naturally occur on Earth and therefore must be separated from its other properties in compounds such as water or methane.  When a car is fueled at a hydrogen station, the hydrogen is then burned in either a combustion engine or a fuel cell and can then power the vehicle.  Continue Reading »

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As fuel supplies dwindle and oil prices rise, the energy efficiency market continues to grow.  The federal government is giving more grants to companies seeking alternate sources of fuel, which means there is a growing demand for workers in this field.   Some of the more traditional jobs in this industry include such things as recycling pickup and sorting and manufacturing bicycles.  On the more alternative side are things such as herb gardening, energy efficient appliance installation and creation of compost toilets.

Green Jobs Philly is a website used by energy efficient companies and people seeking a career in this industry to match up with one another.  They are setting a goal of creating 100,000 green collar jobs in various industries.  The values that Green Jobs claims to uphold are a commitment to social improvement, more autonomy in small communities, and reliance on restoration of old products and use of locally grown and made goods.  This is a great site to read about the latest green news in Philadelphia as well as learn how you can get connected and donate to this movement in your area. Continue Reading »

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Whether you’re a homeowner looking for new ways to increase the energy efficiency of your house or a business owner with plans to retrofit a building with energy saving devices or build a whole new building designed for efficiency, there is someone to help.  Philadelphia has a number of companies offering these services and they will take you through the whole process to help you achieve the most efficient and cost effective environment.

Green Tech Energy Services offers a range of technologies to help commercial, educational, government, or health care facilities achieve a more cost-effective system.  Green Tech installs solar power systems to provide hot water, heat and electricity for a building.  Initial installation of a solar panel system can be costly but it pays for itself very quickly.  Energy costs from a solar system are next to nothing because you are making use of a free and unlimited resource: no more fluctuating energy prices to stress over.   Green Tech can also install automation systems that monitor and regulate heating and air temperatures to reduce unnecessary energy use and prolong equipment life.  They also offer HVAC replacement with new more efficient systems.  Most of the equipment offered by Green Tech ensures pay back within 2-5 years. Continue Reading »

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As pollution and environmental problems continue to increase, Philadelphia residents need to take action before the city turns to smog. Every day, you and your coworkers get into your separate cars and drive to work. Why not ride together? By taking turns driving each week, you can cut back on fossil fuel burning, save gas money, and reduce traffic in one simple step. Carpooling has been a reasonable suggestion to help protect the environment for a long time, but few take it seriously. States have tried offering benefits such as HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes that provide carpoolers with their own lane on the highway, but it seems more problems than benefits have resulted. Continue Reading »

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