Top 5 Green Energy Companies From 2008

Thousands of organizations and businesses are going the extra mile and spending the extra dollar to buy utility-scale energy from renewable resources. So much so that the United States E.P.A. (Environmental Protection Agency) compiles a quarterly list of the top green power companies from their Green Power Partnership program which came out in July 2008.

Some businesses take diminutive steps towards a green campaign, but these companies are proving their allegiance to a greener environment by voluntarily spending millions of dollars on clean energy.

Intel purchased 1.3 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in January 2008. This compensates for 47 percent of the companies overall energy use.
PepsiCo purchased 1.1 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in 2007, the equivalent of powering 90,000 homes for an entire year. This accounts for 100 percent of their annual energy use. PepsiCo was named Green Power Partner of the Year in 2007 by the E.P.A.
U.S. Air Force has already purchased 9 million kilowatt hours of electricity this year as of July 2008. They have invested in a number of biogas, biomass, geothermal, solar and wind energy providers.
Wells Fargo has purchased 5.5 million kilowatt hours of electricity from wind energy providers thus far in 2008. They are also a Green Power Partner of the Year in 2007. More than green energy, Wells Fargo has made a number of other commitments to their green campaign including LEED certifying their buildings and offering online account statements.
Whole Foods Market, the past two years has purchased enough green energy to compensate for 100 percent of their energy use, totalling to over 5 million kilowatt hours annually. The company is also investing in multiple other efforts to reduce their carbon footprint on the environment.
Other organizations ranking high on the E.P.A.'s list are Starbucks, Johnson & Johnson and the University of Pennsylvania.

Nick Tart is the editor of four main sites for Worldwide Marketing Solutions. One of which is Great Earth News. GreatEarthNews.com provides information and tips to help you better the world. If you enjoyed reading this article, please check out The Good News Site.

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Green Energy is Much More Than a Pipe Dream!

When talking about green energy, what are we really talking about? In a nutshell, green energy is energy that comes from any one of the following renewable energy sources: wind, Sun/Solar, water/ hydroelectric, geothermal, biofuels and biomass energy. There is no way that you are not going to find some form of green energy in play anywhere in the world at any given moment. This article will discuss how each renewable energy source is considered to be green energy, starting with wind power.

Geothermal Energy

Although geothermal energy is not as widely used as the others are it is a green energy source; as it comes from the movement of the magma beneath the Earth's crust and from the volcanic activity all over the planet. The hot springs that have been created and kept warm all over the planet are clear cut evidence of the geothermal energy that is there for the taking.

Water/ Hydroelectric Power

There is a great deal to be said for the worldwide appeal of hydroelectric power. As a matter of fact, there are not many countries on this planet where water is not being put to use to create the hydroelectric power that is so abundant and is also a source of green energy. The only way we will ever lose this renewable energy source is if our atmosphere gets stripped away and we have to deal with the full brunt of cosmic radiation that will evaporate our water. Hydroelectric power generation is precisely why the Hoover Dam was built in the first place folks!

Sun/Solar Power

You've got to admit that the power that our Sun provides is another readily available source of green energy for anyone who cares to take the time to get some solar panels that will harness this nearly endless supply of the renewable energy that we, as a planet, are beginning to look to. While some solar panels are not that cheap, you can find some that are within your price range. Look at all the solar powered items on the market already!

Wind Power

There are two main reasons why wind power and wind mill/wind turbine generated electricity are considered to be green energy: they will not be gone any time too soon and they do not cause any more pollution to or of the environment around us. There is always going to be a wind blowing somewhere and it really does not matter whether that wind is only a slight breeze or a brisk wind or hurricane/ tornado strength winds. Wind turbines are getting more and more popular as we begin really embracing green energy as a way of life.

For more information check out my Renewable energy blog at Green Energy

For more articles like this visit Green Energy

Mick Purcell

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Ocean Waves As an Alternative Energy Solution

Harnessing the vast power of the oceans' waves has recently gained popularity as a form of renewable energy that does not contribute to global warming. Seventy percent of the world's electricity needs are met by burning fossil fuels such as coal or natural gas, and these methods generate vast quantities of greenhouse gasses. Hydropower has long been considered a renewable alternative, but the current technique for harnessing that power, namely damming rivers, can be extremely damaging to ecosystems, and nearly all of the suitable locations in the world have already been tapped. Now scientists and engineers are learning to harness the unending power of ocean waves, promising electricity generation with minimal environmental effects. None of the current wave power technologies create greenhouse gasses or pollution.

Many different technologies have been developed to convert waves into electricity. Two of the most promising technologies take advantage of the vertical motion of waves. The first of these is a buoy or point-absorber generator. These designs contain a fixed component and a floating component. Waves move the floating component up and down in relation to the fixed component, driving one of several types of systems. An arm protruding from the buoy can be attached to a crank, which then turns a mechanical generator. Similarly, self-contained hydraulic pumps can be driven by the motion of the buoy, then driving a hydraulic motor. Yet another system uses the motion to pump pressurized sea water. This pressurized sea water can then be pumped through a turbine or even pumped onshore to drive osmotic desalination processes. Buoy generators are currently being used in several locations. Finavera has projects in waters off Portugal, Africa, and the North Pacific waters of the US and Canada. Oregon State University has a pilot project off the coast of Reedsport, and CETO, has a project running off Western Australia. The second type of design that takes advantage of vertical motion is called an attenuator, also known as surface-following technology. Pelamis devices have cornered this section of the market, and virtually no other technologies are available. These generators derive their name from Pelamis platuris, a yellow-bellied sea snake, a fitting name considering the generator's long, narrow design, and its oscillating movements. The machine consists of long, buoyant tubes connected by two arms at movable joints. As the waves change the angle of two tubes with respect to each other, hydraulic pumps are compressed and stretched, driving hydraulic generators. These Pelamis generators are being used in the world's first commercial wave farm, the Aguçadora Wave Park off Portugal, and also in the 3MW wave farm off the coast of Scotland.

The remaining wave-harnessing technologies, referred to as terminators, take advantage of the horizontal motion of waves. The oscillating water column design uses the motion of a wave-driven piston to drive pressurized air through a turbine, which in turn drives a generator. Overtopping is suggested for use either on or offshore, and involves funneling wave water into elevated reservoirs. Gravity then pulls water back downward, where it is funneled to drive a turbine, much as in hydropower dams. The most famous of this type is the Wave Dragon off the coast of Denmark. The Wave Dragon includes two arms that funnel and amplify the waves before driving the water into the reservoir. Two very innovative designs, the Oyster and the Neptune, have been developed by Aquamarine Power. The oyster is a large plate mounted to the sea floor, whose back-and-forth motion is resisted by hydraulic arms which run a hydraulic generator. The Neptune uses underwater, bi-directional turbines to harness tidal energy.

To learn more about different alternative energy solutions, visit the alternative energy weblog.

For more information on alternative energies, including renewable energy solutions for your home and business, please visit the Alternative Energy Weblog at http://www.alternativeenergyweblog.com.

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