Why You Should Start with Energy Efficiency Before Going Solar

Energy efficiency is a way of using all kinds of energies in order to reduce the energy consumption. Energy efficiency is related to adopting green energy technologies. The goal of energy efficiency is saving costs both in energy production and energy consumption. As a rule reducing energy use is also seen as a solution to the problem of reducing global emissions of greenhouse gases.

If you are planning to buy a photovoltaic system, you are supposed to start with increasing energy efficiency of your home or office.

Ok, why is energy efficiency important?

Simply because saving energy is less expensive than producing energy. By improving energy efficiency the cost of the photovoltaic system you are going to install will be reduced.

Reducing electrical consumption can be done in a variety of ways; a specific approach however is to be considered. You should view your home as an energy system comprising various parts related to each other, with each part contributing to the overall efficiency.

The more energy you need in your home of office, the more energy has to be generated by the solar system. This means that to meet your daily electricity needs, you have to buy a large and expensive system in regard to both the initial and maintenance costs. This is valid especially for off-grid systems (for example: RENOGY 150 WATT SOLAR PANEL )most of which are battery-based. It should be noted that cost of a battery bank is between 25% and 50% of the total system cost. The higher your daily electrical consumption, the larger and costlier battery you needs which is not only harder to maintain but has to be replaced every five years.

In simple words, achieving energy efficiency means eliminating all the devices comprising a great part of your electricity bill. ‘Eliminating’ can be done in three possible ways:

– Stop using some of them – also known as ‘phantom loads’ or all devices with substantial stand-by consumption

– Limit their daily use

– Find a less expensive alternative.

The last option means to find a substitute operating on alternative energy, for example replacing your electrical heater by a propane one. Certainly it also means replacing all the incandescent lamps in your home with fluorescent ones thus providing more light at much less power consumption.

You can also do the following specific steps to improve energy efficiency of your home or office as well:
Replace incandescent light bulbs (where most of the energy used turns into heat rather than light) with compact fluorescent ones
Turn off all stand-by loads (a.k.a. phantom loads), such as DVDs, TV sets and computers, when they are not in use
Upgrade your heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems
Replace your old refrigerator and freezer with new, high-efficiency models (either energy-efficient or propane ones)
Replace high energy consumption loads (high-wattage electric stoves, clothes dryers, water heaters, heating appliances) with their propane or natural gas alternative versions. Certainly a solar thermal water heating system is a perfect option
Replace electrical air-conditioning appliances with evaporating cooling systems
Make an external and/or an internal isolation of your home
Utilize your large electrical loads (pool pumps, electrical mills, etc.) during off-peak hours
Install solar water heaters and summer shadings
Utilize devices with timers and other home automation systems
If you live in the U.S., when shopping for electrical appliances, look for devices labeled with Energy Star® label

Solar Powered Gates

Why Solar Power?
A solar powered gate opener is completely self-sufficient and can work miles away from the nearest mains power. If your mains power is above 75 metres away there is a significant saving compared to the ground work and the cost of armoured cable.

Which Solar Panel?
Solar panel technology has advanced over the years and the latest mono crystalline panels are capable of producing electricity with full cloud cover. Some people refer to these as moon light panels. Choosing the right panel is important, our panels have built in diodes to stop them discharging the battery at night.

What else do I need?
A quality leisure battery is recommended, because they withstand being charged and discharged better. We supply a tried and tested marine battery 75Ah for 12V or 2 x 26AH for 24V. The battery is protected by a voltage regulator. here is the best solar gate opener

Mighty Mule MM260 is an ideal gate opener equipped with Mighty Mule’s well-known Dual Sense Technology. It is compatible with 5 watt solar panel and works with two types of batteries: marine and automotive.


★ FEATURES
Gate Length: Up to 12 ft (3.7 m)
Gate Weight: Up to 300 lbs
Gate Type: Single Swing
Warranty: 12 months
AC powered
Solar powered


★ KIT INCLUDES
Mounting hardware
Transformer
Transmitter
Receiver
Installation manual
Single gate opener arm
Control box

How Online Study Can Boost Your Business Skills

People start small business for number of reasons. Perhaps you are skilled in providing a service or in a trade, and would rather do it for yourself than work for a company or you have a passion for a niche and want to sell products relevant to it. Maybe you have a great idea that you think could make a big impact in a certain market, or maybe you have something you do as a hobby like crafting and think you may be able to earn some money out of it. Because there are so many different types of people who go into small businesses these days, the skills that you have starting out may not be traditional business skills. You may be great at what your business actually does, but all that behind the scenes activities such as managing money, HR, marketing and so on may not yet come easily to you. Fortunately, there are number of ways you can pick up better skills online, in whatever areas of business trouble you most.

Online Degrees

Getting a fully fledged online business administration degree with a college like Arizona State University can be one way to really round out your business skills and become a competent entrepreneur. Getting an online business degree allows you to study in your own time, but also gives access to highly skilled tutors who can answer your questions, as well as giving you a very full coverage of all different areas of running a business.

How to Secure Business Premises with Additional Security Lighting

With rising number of computer hacking incidents all the attention is being paid to computer security of businesses. While there is a definite need for online security you should not forget the security of your buildings as well. It is equally damaging if you lose precious items from inside the building instead of online data. You also need to pay attention to the security of your employees who work in the building. Recent incidents of gun violence in the U.S. has increased the need for heightened physical security in and around the building. One of the easiest way to provide this security is by installing security lights to ensure that there is sufficient lighting in all the areas of the building so that the criminals do not take advantage of the darkness to harm your business. There are some important factors you should keep in mind when thinking about installing the security lighting.

Location

Where you install the lighting plays an important role in preventing theft and violence. You should ensure that the following areas are properly illuminated at all times.

1. Premise surroundings
2. Roads leading to the business premise
3. Parking areas
4. Vehicle entrances
5. Employee and visitor entrances
6. Loading docks
7. Outhouses and other surrounding sheds

Who is Liable If an Employee Breaks the Law off the Business Premises?

It is a known fact that some people who break the law, whether intentionally or not, from time to time, while they are doing their job. Some are also noted to be using company resources (such as a vehicle supplied by the company) during the act. In such instances, who is to blame – the offender or the company/employer for who the person is working for? Who is held legally responsible if an employee commits a crime or act, outside of his working premises? Let’s take a look at the facts.

Respondeat superior

There is a legal doctrine that has existed for quite some time now, known as respondeat superior, which is Latin for “let the superior answer.” This essentially means that an employer can be legally held liable for negative acts committed by any of its employees during the course and scope of his employment. Additionally, employers could be held liable for both negligent acts committed by employees, as well as intentional criminal acts. These employees could be full-time workers, part-time, or even independent contractors or temporary workers.

The important thing to note here is if the employee was deemed to be acting in the scope or course of his employment at the time of the act. If the employee was acting due to personal motives, then the employer will not be held liable. Let’s take a look at two examples (or scenarios) with contrasting results.

• Example 1 – A popular pizza restaurant offers a delivery promo, saying that your pizza will be delivered within 30 minutes; otherwise, the next order is free. The pizza delivery guy, in his haste to meet the deadline, hits a pedestrian while driving. The pizza company would likely be liable as a result.
• Example 2 –This same delivery guy uses the company vehicle after the restaurant closes and hits a pedestrian while on the way to a friend’s house. The company would likely not be held liable since the delivery guy was not acting in the scope of employment during the accident.