Vegetable Electricity: Potato Power

Can your everyday vegetable power a light?  How about a clock?  You betcha.  Looking for a fun weekend project with the kids that just might 'jolt' some excitement into learning?  We gotcha covered.

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Electricity generated at power plant is generally generated from burning fossil fuels.  The heat from the fuel heats up water and the water becomes steam.  This steam then spins turbines which turns a generator (or magnet) and unbalances the charges in atoms and supplies a current of electricity. That electricity then flows through the utilities lines and into our homes.

Batteries are able to generate electricity through a chemical reaction between two types of electrodes (like zinc and copper) and an electrolyte.  The connection of these substances creates a circuit that allows a flowing path of electricity.

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Here's how you do it:

Materials
2 Potatoes
2 Short pieces of copper wire
2 Galvanized nails
3 Alligator clips
1 Piece of sand paper
1 Low voltage clock

Directions

1. Remove the battery from the clock
2. Number the potatoes "1" and "2"
3. Insert one nail into each of the potatoes
4. Insert one piece of wire into each of the potatoes
5. Connect one alligator clip to the copper wire in potato #1 to the positive (+) terminal in the clocks battery compartment
6. Connect the other alligator clip to the nail in potato #2 and the negative (-) terminal in the clocks battery compartment
7. Connect the last alligator clip to connect the nail in potato #1 to the copper wire in potato #2

A pretty neat alternative energy supply right? Talk about going green!

Now, of course, this method of electricity is not that reliable. So we suggest keeping your utility and an energy supplier like IDT Energy for a more reliable source of electricity.

Check out more cool energy related projects on our Pinterest.

Sources: Education.com and teachengineering.org/ 

Throwback Thursday: Electricity Insulators

Have you ever seen these little glass beauties? Perhaps sitting atop a pole? Or perhaps at a garage sale grouped with a number of other random things? Or did you see our post on Facebook?

In 1844 the first telegraph line was installed between Baltimore and Washington. Glass was used to contain the charge made of  copper, carbon, or zinc electrodes. When attaching lines directly to the wooden poles the moisture in the wood and air gave poor results.  Hence the glass insulator pictured above. Similar insulators were used to transmit both telegraph and electricity, however the bigger the insulator, the more voltage it could handle.

Of course, there were many iterations throughout the years, but a type of glass insulator like this was used all the way until the 1970s.  (At some points of history they even used ceramic, a wood/glass combination, and  insulators made from animal parts.)

Energy history is neat-o.  But since these little delights are no longer helping to support our electricity infrastructure, what can we do with them? Well some of them are quite valuable - check out this one, it's worth close to $500!! Or look at the IDT Energy Pinterest to see some awesome ideas that other energy nuts (or just regular crafty people) have come up with.

As a supplier of electricity, IDT Energy doesn't have anything to do with the lines and meters to your house (your utility still takes care of that).  But as energy nerds, we sure to find the history fascinating!

Is Your Garden Water Efficient?

Spring is finally here! It's time to start planning your garden and making your yard beautiful.  We have been scouring the internet, looking for ways to help you make your garden more energy efficient! Water is the most important natural resource that garden needs (well that and sun), reducing the drain on the water supply is very important.

Here are some neat ideas on conserving water:

Install a rain barrel to collect water for your garden. Make sure you water early in the morning before gets to hot. This mitigates evaporation and encourages the roots to grow deeper.

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In fact, mulch your gardens to reduce the amount of moisture needed by helping the soil retain the water.

So many colors. Via

Using plants native to your area also helps reduce the need to water them!

DOE Energy Saving Tips

Via Energy Star

The Department of Energy recently provided nine energy saving tips on refrigerator use. In its Cebu City seminar entitled ‘Electricity Conservation in Schools and Households,’ the DOE gave its presentation. Led by engineer Jan Ramos, the Department’s science research specialist II, it was felt that this was important since refrigerator use is one of the most cumbersome energy consumers in the household.  Accounting for up to a fifth of total energy use. Thus, by finding easy ways on how to reduce it, IDT Energy customers could be making staggering reductions in their bills.

Here are the ideas he promoted:

1. Look for a refrigerator with the highest Energy Efficiency Factor (EEF)
2. Close the refrigerator door as quickly as possible
3. Regularly defrost the refrigerator
4. Ensure the food that goes into the refrigerator has been cooled to room temperature
5. Be sure liquids are covered well – spills cause the motor to work harder than necessary
6. Set up the refrigerator as far away from the stove as possible so the heat does not impact it
7. Do not overcrowd the refrigerator
8. Check for leaking gaskets in the refrigerator on a regular basis
9. Regularly clean the refrigerator’s compressor units and condensers.

For more energy saving tips visit IDTEnergy.com and view Energy Saving Tips in the 'Resources' Tab.

Energy-Efficient Homes

One way of saving money on utility bills is when purchasing a property, to seek out efficient, net-zero homes. Today, these are substantially dropping in price. For example, the first net-zero home to be built in Buckeye, is owned by the Ploesers who now enjoy substantially lower utility bills. What this means is that everything in and out of the house is energy-efficient as well as energy-saving items built into the home. This makes a huge difference as, until now, these items have been added on. When it is within the actual building, the savings one makes will be much bigger.

How It Works

These net-zero homes use the sun when it’s shining to create even more energy than one would ever need for their home. This means the utility meter goes backwards and actually earns credit. When the sun goes down, at night, when one needs energy and the sun isn’t shining, that credit can be used. Ultimately, in the winter therefore one can make money and it can be used for the summer and their utility bills will still remain low.
So these homes – that at one point were quite costly – are now seriously worth considering for their affordability, environmental-friendliness and utility saving strengths.

Managing Heating and Cooling Costs

According to IDT Energy, a New-York based energy provider, "the best way to manage your heating and cooling costs is to conserve."
Energy conservation and money-saving tricks are a hot topic in almost every community as the seasons change and heating and cooling costs rise. IDT Energy offers some tips:

• Lower the thermostat and dress warmer. As little as 1 to 3 degrees (F) makes a noteworthy difference in energy consumption.

• Lower the temperature on your electric water heater to 120 (F) degrees and turn it off when leaving for extended periods of time. It is important to note that electric water heaters can be set on timers, but gas heaters must be set manually.

IDT Energy and Seasonal Utility Bills

It is important to consider the different options of paying one’s utility bills.

According to Geoffrey Rochwarger, CEO of IDT Energy, Inc.:

Geoffery Rochwarger - CEO of IDT Energy

“While consumers are often tempted by fixed rate, long term contracts, there are many sound reasons to avoid such offers. Looking at the past winter, for instance, offers a clear indication of why variable rate choices offer better opportunities. The winter of 2011 was dubbed “the winter that never happened.” The surprisingly mild weather offered consumers the potential to save on their winter energy bills. Additionally, prices for commodities have fallen, so the small amount of energy that consumers used was cheaper than it has been for many previous years.”

Check out IDT Energy's options with two free months of electric.

Hot Water Systems and Energy Savings

Electricity bills are about to go up as the season changes and temperatures drop. One of the biggest domestic energy guzzlers is the electric hot water system.

 According to SwitchWise: “If you have an electric hot water system with a storage tank then you are well on your way to having a shocking power bill. If you are unlucky enough to run your electric hot water on a single (peak) rate tariff then you could be looking at $70-$100 per month for your hot water. If you are fortunate to have an off-peak, hard wired electric hot water system on an off-peak tariff the running cost would be a lot lower, at $25-$40 per month. “To reduce the amount of power your hot water uses look at turning down the thermostat setting. Decreasing your thermostat 5 degrees could reduce your electricity consumption by up to 5 per cent. Around 60C seems to be the minimum level advised by health experts to ensure no bacteria build up in your system.”  

Wind Farms and Energy Conservation

Energy conservation is a rising topic among companies and individuals. Offices, schools, stores and homes can all benefit by minimizing energy use. National Geographic explains a bit about conservation and wind energy as a new power source. Wind farms can be a disturbance in residential areas, but several solutions have been brought forth, including smaller turbines, placing the farms far from communities, and of course, energy efficiency and conservation.

Heating Costs and Energy Saving

One of the largest energy consumers in the home is heating. Winter months, therefore, often result in high energy bills. In fact, heating accounts for 35-50% of annual energy bills in colder regions.

There are several ways to reduce heating costs. First, it is important to fully seal the home from the weather; this alone can reduce energy use by 15-30%. Hire a professional if you don’t feel confident going over your home by yourself.

Next, make sure to use energy efficient heaters. Central heating systems are often the most expensive, so make sure to always use a thermostat. Radiators and space heaters should be set with timers or thermostats as well. These allow you to turn off the central heating when only specific rooms are in use. Make sure to turn off all heating devices when the house in empty.