Tidal energy, or tidal power, is a little known and little used energy source. Yet it is a very old energy source, dating back to the middle ages in Europe. Tidal energy is created by the relative motion of the Earth, Moon, Sun, and the gravitational interactions between them. Every coastal region has two high and two low tides in each approximate 24 hour period. A big advantage of tidal energy is its predictability. The size and time of tides can be predicted very efficiently.

Tidal energy is little used around the world. In order for electricity to be generated, differences between high and low tides must consistently reach 16 feet. There are few regions in the world where this occurs. There are currently no tidal energy facilities in the United States although there is potential in the Pacific Northwest and the Atlantic Northeast. (more…)

Purchasing solar panels is no easy task. Every year there are more options, more manufacturers, more installers, but generally lower prices. Provided federal solar rebates are renewed (and the residential rebate cap removed) buying panels will become an even more lucrative investment. But getting started can become very confusing. The solar train is moving fast, with almost daily innovations, but you don’t have to run to catch up with it. As your making the move to solar, take your time. When you start shopping around for solar panels, here are five tips that I hope will help you out: (more…)

As we wade through our present energy crisis, I am hearing a lot more about nuclear energy as a viable option for a green future. And why shouldn’t I? It turns out that nuclear power already provides about 20% of my electricity–a large percentage when stood against solar power’s current numbers. It also turns out that nuclear power is a big part of John McCain’s energy plan.

So is nuclear power clean? Is it sustainable? How does solar power compare? These are just a few questions that immediately popped into my head. So now, I’ll try to answer them: (more…)