powering an outdoor living space solely with propane

Did you know that you can power your entire outdoor living space with nothing more than propane? That's right! Everything from the cooking appliances to the lights can be powered using propane. Our blog will show you all about utilizing propane for light, energy and heat. You will get some ideas that can inspire you to create a space that doesn't require electricity to be run whatsoever. We plan to show you all of your options and present you with unique ways to create an outdoor living space that you, your family and all of your friends will envy and want to spend time in.

Bio Energy | Moving Beyond The Sun And Wind

Environmental Articles

As residents of this planet, people have all known for some time that they need to seek out alternative sources of fuel as the population increases. Fossil fuels, like natural gas and coal, are finite resources. They will eventually disappear. While both solar energy and wind power are viable and eco-friendly options, there are many more solutions available that are worth exploring further.

1. Energy Crops: These are quick growing, low maintenance crops that are harvested with the sole intent of converting them into biofuels, like bioethanol. One problem with energy crops, however, is that they compete with food crops for both land and water. While hardier varieties are in development for use on previously untillable land, water is a finite resource and solutions are needed that don't put a further strain on our existing resources. 

2. Biofuel Recycling: As restaurant employees clean dirty dishes, greasy residue is washed off and into the municipal sewer system, putting a strain on the wastewater treatment plants and clogging pipes and sewer mains along the way. To prevent wear and tear on their system, many states mandate the usage of grease traps, which separate out the greasy debris from the rest of the gray water.  The traps are generally emptied and cleaned by a professional company. The grease as well as used cooking oil are filtered and processed into a biofuel used in automotive applications. Yes—a car that runs on used french fry grease.

3. Methane Capture: Landfills have been been troublesome for decades. Not only are they an eyesore, but they smell and are bad for the environment. However, the nation throws about five pounds of trash in landfills per person every day! Until this wastefulness is addressed, the idea that landfills can provide another source of energy is interesting. Scientists have found a way to capture the methane, a harmful greenhouse gas, that is created from decomposing waste and harness it into a viable source of energy. This is a win-win because not only is the recaptured methane burned to create electricity, but burning it also prevents the harmful build up of methane in our atmosphere, reducing the damaging effects on our ozone layer.

4. Thermochemical Processing: In the 1985 classic, 'Back to the Future', the famous last scene shows Doc refueling his time traveling DeLorean by shoving trash into a rear mounted reactor. Thermochemical processing is bringing the country closer to that reality. Companies now take MSW, municipal solid waste, or your basic garbage and transform it into transportation fuel. The unique process is approved by the Departments of Transportation and Agriculture and creates a gas that is clean, low carbon, and -- obviously -- renewable.

5. Geothermal: Geothermal is the grandfather of this list, having been around, in one form or another, for over 10,000 years when Native Americans used hot springs for cooking and bathing. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, scientists discovered that cracks in the earth had super heated air from the magma below and learned how to convert the steam released into clean, renewable energy. By harnessing the steam, they built electric plants that could power the surrounding area. Over 100 years later, we have less than 60 geothermal plants in the United States. Whether we were lulled into complacency by fossil fuels or simply unsure of how to proceed is unknown. However, it is expected that the world will turn to geothermal power for up to 20 percent of its energy by the year 2050, up from the current one percent it uses now.

From cars running on french fry grease and every day trash to Mother Earth giving us steam for energy, the possibilities for bio energy are bright. For more information, contact a company like Tierra Environmental & Industrial Services.

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11 August 2016