Greener Tomorrow

There is a limit to some of the earth's resources, especially those from which we make electricity. Much electricity depends on the burning of fossil fuels, which are starting to run out. It would take thousands of years to make any more fossil fuels, so once they are gone that's it.

However, there are other ways of generating electricity, such as using the heat and light of the sun to create or generate the power we need. The sun is renewable – it rises every morning and provides heat and light to all of mankind. Learning how to harvest and store this heat and light has taken some time, but doing so has contributed to making the world a greener place.

The simplest and most effective way to harvest solar energy has been with us for ages; campers would know about the simple black polythene shower bag that is hung from the nearest tree each morning, and by evening the sun has sufficiently warmed the water contained in it to provide a warm shower for the happy camper. Collectors of solar water heaters work in the same way. Situated on your roof, they collect the heat of the sun and use it to heat water, but in this case the water is stored in a tank. Solar and hot water solutions have a tank and collector options to best suit your home.

One thing is for sure, using solar energy to heat our water is certainly contributing to a greener world. By investing in a solar electricity system you will be generating your own electricity and turning your home into a mini power station. Now that is the first step to a greener tomorrow. For more info visit www.chromagen.com.au.

About the Author

Olga Masters is based in Brisbane and is an Energy Conservation specialist working with the industry for 20 years in the field of energy conservation using Solar energy.

1. What is the difference between diesel fuel and gasoline?
2. What are the benefits and problems with diesel fuel?
3. The pros and cons of going diesel
   

Hydrocarbons – compounds composed of carbon and hydrogen.

Hydrocracking – a severe, high temperature, high pressure refinery process that converts heavy black oil into gasoline and diesel fuel by cracking or breaking up larger molecules, in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst.

Hydrotreating – a refinery process that reacts a fraction of crude oil with hydrogen at high temperature and pressure, in the presence of a catalyst, to improve colour and odour, and reduce sulphur content.

Low sulphur diesel fuel – fuel that contains less than 500 parts per million (0.05 wt per cent) sulphur, required for on-road applications, and may be used off-road.

Lubricity – The property of diesel fuel that lubricates moving parts in fuel pumps and fuel injectors to minimize wear.

Off-road diesel fuel – refers to diesel fuel that is used for off-road purposes (i.e., mining, farming, marine, etc.). Off-road diesel fuel is frequently dyed red or "marked" to show that it is exempt from provincial road taxes.

Regular sulphur diesel fuel – fuel that contains less than 5,000 parts per million (0.5 wt per cent) sulphur, may not be used on-road, and is usually used in off-road applications such as farming, forestry and marine.