WHAT IS RENEWABLE ENERGY? PART4

Renewable energy, often referred to as clean energy, comes from natural sources or processes that are constantly replenished. For example, sunlight or wind keep shining and blowing, even if their availability depends on time and weather.

While renewable energy is often thought of as a new technology, harnessing natures power has long been used for heating, transportation, lighting, and more. Wind has powered boats to sail the seas and windmills to grind grain. The sun has provided warmth during the day and helped kindle fires to last into the evening. But over the past 500 years or so, humans increasingly turned to cheaper, dirtier energy sources such as coal and fracked gas. 

Now that we have increasingly innovative and less-expensive ways to capture and retain wind and solar energy, renewables are becoming a more important power source, accounting for more than one-eighth of U.S. generation. The expansion in renewables is also happening at scales large and small, from rooftop solar panels on homes that can sell power back to the grid to giant offshore wind farms. Even some entire rural communities rely on renewable energy for heating and lighting.


Written by:  Samih 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Types of Ships. Part19

Image
Types of Ships Cargo ships are classified into various types on the basis of purpose, size, type of cargo etc. The economic factor is of prime importance in designing a merchant ship. Every owner wants maximum return on their investment which means a ships construction not only depends on the current economic necessities but the factor of future adaptability also plays a part. From the preliminary design of a vessel due for construction, the following information can be obtained: 1.      Dimensions 2.      Displacement 3.      Stability 4.      Propulsive characteristics and hull form 5.      Preliminary general arrangement 6.      Principal structural details A layout of the various ship types and their subdivisions will be listed out, covering a wide range of all vessels in operation.  The type of ship plays an important role in deciding the above mentioned parameters. Types of Ships Ships are mainly classified into the following types: 1. Container Ships 2. Bulk Carrier 3. Tanker Sh
Read more

Maintenance part17

Image
Maintenance Running checks should include: Gear box - oil level; inspect for leaks around casing; ensure pins and bolts in mechanical linkages are secure. Shaft bearings - check oil level in bearing sump; leakage through end seals; temperature of bearing. Stern gland - a leaking stern gland is a normal routine and is adjusted as a matter of course. See stern tubes in section above. Propeller shaft - check noise level to determine whether it is increasing. Regular maintenance schedules will include: Gearboxes - Adjust clutches and operating mechanism, clean filters and clean oil coolers. Drive train  Engine and shaft bearing moutings, loose shaft coupling bolts (perhaps due to mis-alignment) may need to be tightened. Mis-alignment of intermediate bearings will show up by overheating of the bearing. Survey servicing and repair schedules will include: Weardown survey- Allowance is determined by the manufacturer, but rules of thumb range from 3% of diameter as due for replacement to 6% bei
Read more

Black Smoke from the Funnel: What to do? PART24

Image
​ Black Smoke from the Funnel: What to do? Black Smoke from the funnel is a sign of poor maintenance and malfunction of the machinery. It is a serious issue as it violates Marpol 73/78 Annex VI and can lead to inspections and detention of the ship. In a ship with multiple machines the identification of the faulty unit is a difficult task. The reasons black smoke is wrong are:                                    1.       It indicates that shipkeeping and maintenance is not proper and up to the mark. 2.       It indicates the lack of competency of the engineers. 3.       It is polluting. 4.       It increases the risk of an uptake fire. Marpol Annex VI has set standards for air pollution and the sulphur content of the exhaust gases. Back smoke indicates that the combustion is incorrect. It suggests a bad fuel efficiency and an increase in the fuel consumption. Causes of Black Smoke The dark color of the smoke is caused by suspended fine carbon particles due to incomplete combustion taking
Read more