Hydropower as a Clean Energy Platform

With carbon fuels under supply stress, hydropower presents one functional clean energy alternative. Here is an overview of hydropower and its practical application in modern society.

There are many different types of alternative energy available today. From solar panels to wind turbines to geothermal energy sources, the renewable energy field is exploding. Nations throughout the world are also coming up with their own ways of reducing usage of polluting and traditional energy sources, with clean hydro energy being a popular solution. Using water as an energy source has been around for ages. With the addition of modern technology, it has become a more efficient and useful resource for generating power for a hungry world.

Hydropower generates about 20 percent of the electricity generated in the world, making it the most widely used alternative energy source on Earth. In the United States, hydropower accounts for about 10 percent of the total electricity produced, which means the US produces the second highest amount of hydropower in the world after Canada. Norway, however, has both countries beat. Although it does not produce as much hydropower as it is a much smaller country, 99 percent of the electricity in the country is produced via clean hydro energy production. Another contender in the world’s best usage of hydropower contest is New Zealand, which produces 75 percent of the electricity in the country via clean hydro energy. Countries such as Brazil and Egypt are also heavily reliant on hydropower.

In the United States, 28 million homes are powered by electricity generated by hydropower. Unfortunately, only 2,400 of the 80,000 water dams in the country are being used to produce electricity. This is a rather alarming fact. If more of the dams were put to use creating power, we would be far less reliant on expensive, polluting, non-renewable carbon fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. One can surmise that the process of converting the dams to hydropower production would be expensive, but the rising price of oil may soon make it a viable option.

Hydropower is a major player in the energy game. Frankly, it should be used even more where possible. Currently, the energy produced via hydropower production replaces the use of 22 billion gallons of oil each year. That is a significant number, but more may be about to come.

Although not a form of traditional hydropower, many are now looking to produce electricity from the oceans. Much like traditional dam turbines, companies and nations are now investigating if it is possible to put turbines in the ocean that are turned via moving currents and tides. The idea is fairly new, so a practical application is unlikely in the very near future. Nonetheless, if the process can be worked out, the energy worries will be greatly alleviated given the massive amount of energy in the ocean.

Compared to carbon fuels, hydropower is a very attractive way to meet our energy demands. Counties such as Norway and New Zealand prove it can be done with the proper planning.

Rick Chapo is with Solar Companies - a directory of solar energy companies. Visit us to read more articles on renewable energy.

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The Advantages of the Hydro Powered Engine

Image a world in which the highways are full of cars but the choking smell of sulfur and carbon monoxide don’t penetrate your lungs and kill you slowly. Imagine a trip of a thousand miles where the gas costs just a few cents. Imagine an engine that never has to be cleaned... and making a hot cup of coffee from the sterilized water coming out of the exhaust. Imagine that the gas station is in your own home, where you prepare as much fuel as you need for your trip, or buying a box of energy in the supermarket. This is the world of the hydrogen powered spark-ignited internal combustion engine... and the technology is already here.

The motor industry has been testing prototypes, and manufacturers like General Motors, BMW, Mercedes, Mazda, Honda and Toyota are all looking at putting these cars on the roads without sacrificing any of the values of dynamism and driving pleasure. BMW even make a sports car that runs on hydrogen that easily goes over 230 MpH. Mazda’s RX-8 Hydrogen RE vehicles are being leased to Japanese companies.

The advantages are clear. Hydrogen is the only known fuel that leaves no pollutants when combusted and is far more powerful than oil. The by-product is water instead of poison gas. But while the technology is here, the cars are not; manufacturers are sitting on the fence waiting to see in which commercial direction the wind will blow.

In the meantime, they’ve taken an intermediate step in the reduction of oil consumption by producing hybrid cars powered by a dual system of electricity and fossil fuels. These use a lot less gas than traditional engines and also reduce pollutant emissions, but they aren’t pretty and they’ve proven to have all the sex appeal of a Star Trek convention. The hydro-engine though is structurally close to the traditional gasoline engines, with just a few modifications. Drivers report that they’re a joy to handle and there’s no need to sacrifice design.

With a bit of luck then, it won’t be too long before we can drive to work, still look cool and enjoy a nice cup of Espresso straight from the exhaust pipe!

This commentary was composed by Urban Neon car lights. heck out our website, http://www.urban-neon-car-lights.com/LED-Automotive-Lights-p-1-c-35.html to see a bit more in regard to custom automotive accessories and to peruse a variety of aftermarket vehicle lighting kits.

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What is a Hydro Powered Car?

What do you think of when you see the term "hydro powered car?" Do you picture the high-tech hydrogen powered cars being developed by companies like BMW? Or do you think of a car that somehow uses water instead of gasoline as fuel? Or perhaps one of those old steam-powered monsters that inventors tinkered with 100 years ago? When I think of a hydro powered car, I think of something slightly different, a cross between an all-hydrogen car and one that somehow uses water as fuel. You can call it a hydrogen-gasoline hybrid. Many people just call it a car that runs on water.
The idea of using water directly as fuel is still science fiction. On the face of it, the idea seems absurd. Yet today you can buy hydro powered car kits that use the hydrogen in water as fuel (to supplement the gasoline) in standard automobiles, resulting in much higher mileage.

Why Should You Care?

This kind of hydro powered car certainly isn't the futuristic all-hydrogen vehicle you may have heard about, or the seemingly magical vehicle that runs on just tap water that we would all love to have. So why should you care about this kind of hydrogen-gasoline hydro powered car? There are lots of good reasons:

If you've bought gasoline recently, you know that the price is high and looks to be heading still higher. A hydro powered car can get much higher mileage than an all-gasoline car, which means big savings on gas.

Gasoline comes with lots of baggage. The West's dependence on foreign oil makes it dependent on countries like Iraq, Iran, Venezuela, and Russia for energy. External hostility to the West, along with internal instability and unrest, make it scary to rely on many oil-producing countries. Anything that reduces Western dependence on their oil reduces the risks.

The sad fact is that Americans have a tremendous reliance on gas and the steady supply of it. Most simply don't live in areas where alternative fuels are readily available. Many Americans must endure lengthy commutes to work, traffic jams and rush hour, not to mention routine errands that can't be accomplished on foot. Public transportation is an option, however many areas of America don't offer such services.

Don't forget pollution. Burning gasoline for fuel pollutes the air. A hydro powered car gets better mileage and so reduces that pollution.

Last but certainly not least, you can convert your own car into a hydro powered car today using readily available parts. You don't need to wait for the ideal hydro powered car to come out of the auto company labs. You can turn your own car into one and start getting the benefits right away.

How Does This Kind of Hydro Powered Car Work?

How can water, the same substance that comes from your kitchen faucet, be used to fuel your car engine? The key is hydrogen. What is water when you go down to the molecular structure? Two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. Get the hydrogen out of the water and mix it with your car's gasoline and voila! a hydrogen-gasoline hybrid car.

Hydrogen is a highly desirable source of fuel because it delivers lots of energy and burns with virtually no pollutants. But cars that run solely on hydrogen aren't ready yet and won't be practical for a while. Using hydrogen as a supplemental fuel is a safe and effective alternative that's available right now.

Hydro powered car kits available today use electricity to convert common water into hydrogen and oxygen in your car as needed. The hydrogen is immediately mixed with the car's gasoline and burned, delivering better fuel efficiency and cleaner exhaust. It is an ideal solution for today's world, and thousands of people around the world have purchased these kits to convert their own vehicle into a hydro powered car.

About the Author:

Bill Mann is a freelance technology writer who helps people benefit from the technology all around us. He is a big fan of alternative fuel systems. He recommends you visit: Hydro Powered Car to learn more about a kit that makes this possible.

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