With tourism declining in Nevada, it’s time to look to diversify our economy. The best way to diversify Nevada’s economy is to tap our sustainable energy resources. Experts claim Nevada is poised to be the next mecca in green energy production. With the state averaging more than 150 days a year of clear skies for solar energy and the abundance of geothermal hot spots, sustainable energy can drive Nevada’s economy for the next century. Read more…
News is starting to percolate that the sun is currently the least active it’s been in decades and the dimmest its been in a hundred years. For hundreds of years now, scientists have used the number of sunspots to trace the sun’s cycle of activity. One cycle is 11-years. Sunspots can be visible without a telescope and are dark areas that indicate intense magnetic activity on the surface of the sun. Such solar storms send bursts of charged particles hurtling toward Earth that can spark auroras, disrupt satellites, and even knock out electrical grids. In looking at the 11-year cycle, 2008 was suppose to be the low point in sunspot recordings with 2009 beginning the climb back upward. But so far, 78 out of 90 days have been sunspot free. Read more…
Back in the 1970’s and 80’s solar panels were all the rage. Coming out of the energy crisis of the 1970’s it was pretty evident that things had to change or we’d run out of energy before the new millennium. Back then the majority of the solar units were large, clunky abominations mounted on your roof that were mainly for heating water. Water could then be pumped through radiant floor heating systems or used anywhere heated water was required. Any energy savings you attained was from not having to heat water in your natural gas or electric water heater.
Things have changed and today’s solar homes are nothing like the ones 30 years ago. Read more…
