Green Energy Surge Protection
The term “green energy” is used to describe any form of energy production which uses fuel sources which are undepletable, natural and do not need to be burned in order to perform the function they are tasked with. Generally, the discussion of green energy refers to three main production methods at the time of this writing. These methods are wind, solar and hydro-electric power. While these processes are quite different in the methods they utilize to produce the final product, they are also also alike in that they turn turbines through the use of a natural element like wind flow, water flow or sunshine. The processes of wind and hydro-electric power production are similar in that turbines are turned through a flowing element moving across appropriately positioned blades. Solar is slightly different in that it uses collection of sunshine to heat liquids within a plumbed system, causing them to expand and therefore flow and turn the turbines. All of these methods use a fuel source which is free and has no limitations as far as quantities available over time.
The production of power using fossil fuels is different in that a fuel source must be mined or harvested from the earth, that source generally being oil or coal. These materials are burned to create the turbine movement producing power, while at the same time producing waste products in the form of pollution. The disagreements with regard to the superior methods of fuel production are generally found in pricing, as the production methods of alternative fuel sources are currently more than those in the fossil fuel sectors. Many are confused as to the high costs associated with alternative energy production, as the fuel source itself has no cost.
The costs of green energy production are found in new equipment purchase, equipment repair and replacement, as well as the costs for the technologically savvy workforce that needs to be in place to create, install and maintain the systems in working order. The cost associated with storage and transport of the energy product is the same no matter which method is used for production, as the product is the same. The discussion of associated production costs comes with the comparison of mining and procuring the fossil fuels compared to the maintenance and repair over time of technologically advanced control equipment once it is in place. The computerized and high tech systems involved in the effective processing of green energy are expensive, and yet have a limited life span because they are often positioned in exposed areas and susceptible to conditions of inclement weather. In addition they are connected to power lines which connect the systems to one another and to the electrical grid. Inclement weather is a major cost factor, with lightning strikes to the exposed equipment being common. Surges produced by a lightning strike damage internal circuitry within the control equipment, both creating hard costs for replacement as well as losses associated with being offline at peak times. These costs can be driven down through a simple technological innovation in the surge protection space, by outfitting the systems with advanced industrial surge protection devices. By essentially shunting the damaging overvoltage produced by a lightning strike, equipment used in the process can be protected, and life spans extended. This and other technological innovation and evolution are the things that will drive down the total costs of production and ultimately make green energy production cleaner, more efficient and cheaper than fossil fuels.
