Posts Tagged ‘home improvement’
Energy Efficiency For Existing Residences
Older houses sometimes suffer from the problems that have led to this green building movement. Previous homes are usually drafty and poorly insulated. Windows in older homes are nowhere close to as functional as modern ones. Additionally, finish materials like paints, cupboards and furniture are normally manufactured with glues that contain formaldehyde, a known-carcinogen. These factors combine to create a house that’s neither energy economical nor healthy for occupants.
Easy steps can be taken to improve a home’s energy efficiency and indoor air quality. The primary place to start out is with Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs. A single CFL can save $thirty over its lifetime; they use seventy five% energy and last regarding ten times as long as an incandescent. Insulating water lines is mostly a half-day project and will be accompanied with a water heater insulation wrap. Air sealing is another very low-price, high payback project. Use an exterior grade caulk and/or non-expanding foam sealant to shut holes caused by pipes or gaps in framing. These three comes may take a single Saturday and payback will be virtually instantaneous.
Along with air-tightness, insulation is the only greatest issue in a very home’s energy performance. Air sealing an existing residence combined with a lot of insulation will greatly improve efficiency. A lot of insulation typically starts within the attic: twelve inches of insulation, or R-38, could be a minimum. Check to determine if floor systems are insulated. Floor cavities should be fully filled with insulation, the a lot of, the better. Puzzling over new siding? Insulation can be added to the outside of walls. Insulation is what holds heat in throughout the winter and keeps it at bay throughout the summer.
A next tier of enhancements would start with appliances; an Energy Star rated refrigerator uses forty% less energy than the typical model sold in 2001. Carpet is a major supply of pollutants, allergens and dirt and will get replaced with solid surface flooring to improve air quality. Windows and doors that are additional than 10 years recent can usually be greatly upgraded. These ought to be put in weather sealed on the exterior with peel-and-stick flashings and air sealed on the within with non-expanding spray foam.
Once an existing residence has had a full energy efficiency upgrade, then it’s time to consider renewable energy resources. The sun is the foremost abundant known supply of energy and powers all life on this planet. Its power will be harnessed with a solar hot water heater or a solar electric system. Solar water heating is the foremost cost effective renewable energy system: water heating bills ought to drop from fifty%-eighty%. Solar electric, photovoltaic, or PV for brief, is a nice approach to take the sun’s energy to power a house. New solar technology emerges often but crystalline silicon solar cells still dominate the market. Renewable energy can cut back power bills however only when maximum efficiency has been attained.
Many options are offered to house owners of existing residences to increase their homes energy efficiency and indoor air quality. These improvements can economize and also the health of loved ones, friends and family. The impact of these decisions is additionally so much reaching. Electricity for this region comes mainly from the dirtiest fossil fuel: coal. Mountaintop removal is horrible! This is often the observe of leveling a mountain, mainly in West Virginia and Kentucky, and dumping the dirt into a valley. Duke Energy offers NC Inexperienced Power; as very little as $four a month will support alternative energy sources. Simple changes will have nice impact!
To save energy at home is to indirectly save money and heavily reduce home expenditures. Read more home made energy Go Save Power for more information about saving energy at home. Learn more about home made energy and acquiring energy efficient homes. Click here for home made energy review.
Harnessing Solar Energy – The Sustainable Power Of The Sun
For thousands of years Man has been aware of the power of the sun – it has continually been thought-about as a great source of energy and been considered a spiritual thing. It is maybe quite stunning then that solely a fraction of the planets energy needs are being met using this form of power, providing we have a tendency to currently have the ability to harness solar energy to run several things such as solar cookers, solar lights, hot water systems, and many alternative types of equipment and machinery.
Once we suppose of solar energy, many of us think of the difficult items of kit that are needed to convert the power into usable energy, and whereas that is true if you want to power some lighting as an example, many of us build use of passive solar energy in the shape of skylights or windows without giving it a second thought.
It is true that so as to actually develop a helpful supply of active solar power, there is an amount of technology to be installed, but don’t let that put you off, it’s nowhere close to as difficult or inefficient as it absolutely was some short years ago. You’ll now get one thing straightforward like an outside solar powered light which comes as a whole all in one unit. The solar cell is constructed in to the prime of the unit which in turn converts the solar rays into lightweight that can be emitted at night. Hell… you don’t even have to change them on and off anymore, they need in-engineered timers – things are much simpler than they used to be.
The most argument used against the utilization of solar energy as a mainstream source of sustainable power, is the shortage of sunshine at night. While that was a serious issue a variety of years back, solar technology has moved on leaps and bounds, to a degree where storing solar energy, to be released at the hours of darkness, is currently an economically viable option.
Like many areas of life it typically takes an instant of crisis for people to start out seriously looking out for alternatives to the standing quo. Solar energies ‘crisis’ dates back to the early 1970′s, when the globe was plunged into chaos by OPEC oil embargo. We have a tendency to face a fair larger level of threat nowadays from global warming, thus it can be attention-grabbing to see just how way the technology takes us this time.
To find out a lot of regarding indoor solar lights and different varieties of solar equipment, visit the author’s website. You may notice many attention-grabbing articles outlining how to cut back consumption and practical ways in which for reducing the price of running several items of home equipment such as the inground pool solar heater.
To save energy at home is to indirectly save money and heavily reduce home expenditures. Read more green diy energy Go Save Power for more information about saving energy at home. Learn more about green diy energy and acquiring energy efficient homes. Click here for green diy energy review.
Save The Atmosphere Using Discount Solar Panels
One in every of the most price-efficient and easy ways to induce different energy for your house is to explore solar power. Solar energy is on the market (relying on your location) most of the year, and provides free, reliable energy to your home. Till recently, putting in a solar power system, with its solar cells, and alternative parts was expensive, time consuming and difficult.
It is now in the realm of the do-it-yourselfer to create and install a solar power system. You’ll be able to build discount solar panels with some straightforward directions and materials you can find at most any home center. You now not want an engineering degree or access the area program to create your own system.
You’ll be able to save a ton of money by building your own discount solar panels and installing them on your home. You save the price of hiring contractors, any paying for the labor of installing the panels. Briefly, you’re trading your labor and materials over hiring someone. Because of the advances in solar technology, solar panels for the house are simple to put in and will be up and running in as very little as a weekend.
If the D-I-Y route isn’t for you, you’ll opt for to have your system installed professionally. If you decide on this route, you will have to think about if you’re going to have your home for a while and calculate the come on your investment. It may take years for your solar power system to buy itself. You may notice a quicker return using discount solar panels and putting in them yourself.
There are various sources obtainable for finding discount solar panels. A fast search online will reveal many manufacturers of elements and materials also several guides for building and installing your solar panels.
Once your system is up and running, you must see a drop in your utility bill. There are other money incentives as well. You may see a drop in what you owe at tax time. The govt has deductions and rebates obtainable for those who use different energy. You will see an increase in the price of your home furthermore, therefore your investment in your home will grow.
Saving money, however, hopefully isn’t the only goal. Energy production n is one of the most important sources of pollution in the world. By fitting your solar power system utilizing discount solar panels, you may be doing all your half to assist save the environment. Thus it works for everyone, you economize along with facilitate save the environment.
To save energy at home is to indirectly save money and heavily reduce home expenditures. Read more magnets 4 energy Go Save Power for more information about saving energy at home. Learn more about magnets 4 energy and acquiring energy efficient homes. Click here for magnets 4 energy review.
Use Solar Energy To Power Your House
The cost of a solar cell panel is a major hindrance for many folks who wish to shift over to the present nice kind of renewable supply of energy. However, wanting at the large variety of homes in America who have opted for solar power, it’s obvious that solar panels will save the average household a great deal of cash when put next to the high value of standard electricity. Allow us to discover how to make solar power at home and see how a home solar cell panel will prevent money.
Will Solar Power My Whole House?
Usually the solar panels you see on rooftops and terraces have an output rating of around a hundred to 300 watts. These cost around $400 to $1500, and in some cases, could value even more. So, calculations reveal that you’ll pay around $4 to $half dozen for each watt of power output. This seems to be a considerable quantity of money for many of us, however, once they are up and running, they’re free. Home solar panels will even be wired together so that solar power will run your entire house.
Build Electrical Solar Panels And Save
There are other costs associated with solar panels when you want one for your home. The installation prices, the worth of the elements, and numerous other prices want to be considered. Therefore you have got to ask, how much does solar panels save the average household and is it value the money you will pay up front. Adding all the costs up, for each watt of output rating, the value of a solar panel involves roughly $eight to $10.
The overall rating for home solar systems falls into the vary of approximately one,000 watts to 10,000 watts. With our calculations so way, such a system would value you around $eight,000 to $10,000. If you rigorously compare your monthly electricity bill and realize that you are spending around $one,000, then a system value $36,000 to $50,000 is advisable. Most people select a solar system for their home inside this range.
Bear in mind that a lot of states in America provide rebates and tax savings on your solar panels. These rebates and tax savings can bring down the price of the complete home solar power packages to approximately fifty percent of the first price.
Do Homemade Solar Panels Work Terribly Well?
Although the setup and installation costs of a solar power system for your home appears to be high, the result of the investment thought of over the years is terribly sensible and solar power will eventually power your entire home. Once you pay off the number you have got invested for the solar power system, there will only be savings and profits in store for you. The pay-off period usually lasts for a mere couple of years, once which you’ll be in a position to fancy free and uninterrupted electricity.
You’ll be able to reduce your electricity bills up to ninety percent. You’ll be able to even detonate the grid, and never have to get electricity from the govt., which suggests that no power bills. You can even dump any extra electricity you produce to the ability board, or you’ll store the power in batteries and sell them within the market. This can help you make a smart profit on high of saving cash on your electricity bills. The price of conventional electricity is sure to rise. This means solar panels will save the average household thousands of greenbacks or additional and solar power will even earn you more profits within the future. So discover how to make solar power at home work for you.
To save energy at home is to indirectly save money and heavily reduce home expenditures. Read more energy 2 green Go Save Power for more information about saving energy at home. Learn more about energy 2 green and acquiring energy efficient homes. Click here for energy 2 green review
Saving Money Through Energy Potency
The most effective way to lower your utility bills is to increase the energy potency of your home that’s to cut back the number of energy you use. Increasing energy potency will not should be a rich or complicated business. There are many cheap and painless things that the typical person ought to do to make their homes more efficient.
Many people don’t notice it, but a heap of the electronic gadgets in your home like computers and high-definition TV sets still draw electric power after they are turned off. Such phantom power can value you some more greenbacks on your electrical bill a month.
Eliminating phantom force is easy all you have to do is to plug your electronics into surge protectors or power strips. These are devices that mix an extension cord and an electrical outlet. The profit to surge protectors is that they thoroughly shut off the flow of electricity to devices when there turned off.
This will reduce your utility bills and defend your devices. Several people don’t notice it, however surges of energy can occur in through the ability lines and damage your electronics. By absolutely switching off the power, surge protectors eliminate this threat and improve your electronics last longer.
Surge protectors will be purchased at any discount store and electronics stores like Radio Shack. They typically price but twenty bucks, however they can cut back energy usage and save electronics.
Another means to avoid wasting money is with fluorescent lightweight bulbs, the strange looking bulbs that look as if they comprises twisted glass. Fluorescent bulbs use a heap less energy and put out as much or more lightweight than an ordinary lightweight bulb. These bulbs value additional than ordinary light-weight bulbs but they last a ton longer.
The value of fluorescent bulbs is now falling to levels close to standard bulbs. A one that is willing to shop around should be able to find them at costs solely a dollar or two more than commonplace bulbs. Additional to add icing to the cake, many stores supply rebates on fluorescent bulbs that can save consumers money as well.
Individuals should not overlook everyday wisdom measures to increase energy efficiency as well. Turning off lights after they don’t seem to be needed could be a glorious methodology of reducing some energy use. It is conjointly attainable to use motion sensors; these are devices that flip off the lights whenever no one is on the road in a room.
Reducing the thermostat some degrees will save you hundreds of bucks on your heating bill. One suggestion is to turn down the thermostat, when an individual leaves the house or after you depart for a time empty homes don’t need heating, however many folks do each day.
There are programmable thermostats that may be set to flip down the heat, during different times night and day flip it up at others. Installing one among gadgets and programming it to flip down heat at midnight when you’re sleeping or in the day, when you’re at work will save you masses of bucks on heat. There are plenty of primary and easy steps that the typical person can do to increase energy efficiency and reduce utility bills.
To save energy at home is to indirectly save money and heavily reduce home expenditures. Read more magnets 4 energy Go Save Power for more information about saving energy at home. Learn more about magnets 4 energy and acquiring energy efficient homes. Click here for magnets 4 energy review.
Why Magnetic Generators Facilitate You Save Money And Solar Power Has Failed
A magnetic generator isn’t a well-liked approach for folks to create home power. Solar power is a lot of a lot of known and talked about. If you went around the planet you’d most likely realize plenty of homes that have some quite solar device hooked up that creates its own electricity or they will even use a solar energy device to form power. Sounds sensible, right? You’d assume thus however solar power extremely hasn’t delivered on the promises it created when it first surfaced decades ago. Individuals dream of a method they’ll produce inexperienced energy and solar power seemed prefer it would allow us to do that, however, it simply never happened. Just why then has solar power didn’t deliver what therefore several folks were anxiously trying for? The core of the matter is in how solar power works. The technology is the crux of the issue and in contrast to magnetic generators that are low tech but still manage to be terribly economical, solar power is the complete opposite.
Solar power is very high tech. The solar panels that are involved will price thousands of dollars. This is often probably the largest problem with using solar power as an alternate home energy solution. Positive, you can hook up some solar powered lights or a solar water heater and harness the power of the sun that method, but are you actually making any significant savings? Having some solar powered lights around the house is not going to place an enormous dint in your power bill. At best you may probably save some bucks per month and that’s it. The sheer cost of putting in enough solar panels to make electricity is the problem. The savings you stand to gain are minimal compared to simply the fee you will must pay to urge everything done by installers. Are you actually seeing any savings? Is it value waiting probably twenty years or more to determine some kind of pay off? Most people would respond with an explicit no.
You do not must use high tech equipment to make home electricity. There’s a motto, keep it simple silly, and that rings true when you observe what magnetic generators are capable of. Electromagnetic generators use a number of the foremost simple and basic technology you’ll find. Magnets are around since early Greek days and they’re by no means advanced when compared to solar panels. A magnetic power generator can conjointly be created using terribly basic bits and items that can set you or anyone back but $100. But, despite being so low tech and basic in design, a magnetic generator is in a position to deliver where solar power and many alternative various energy devices fail. They can provide real and visible savings to your power bill. Expect anywhere from a minimum of thirty – fifty% and probably more.
A magnetic generator will provide what solar power promised, clean home electricity and serious savings on your bills. Electromagnetic generators are simple to setup and will be put in by anyone around the world using commonly found parts. A magnetic power generator is bound to amaze you when you study how efficient and cost effective they really are for creating your own home power.
To save energy at home is to indirectly save money and heavily reduce home expenditures. Read more earth 4 energy review Go Save Power for more information about saving energy at home. Learn more about earth 4 energy and acquiring energy efficient homes. Click here for earth 4 energy review
Energy Potency In Your Home Workplace
Leaving workplace equipment on twenty four-7 is not a good means to cut back energy costs. Nevertheless, several people do this in their home workplace as a result of it takes too much time to turn them on and off. Energy potency is important in your home workplace as abundant as anywhere else in your home, and you’ll still save time whereas reducing your electricity bill.
Turn Off Devices
Leaving computers and printers on continuously is expensive. This will make you use a ton of kilowatts per year. The simple act of shutting off your devices can lead to huge savings. It is not enough simply to put your electronic devices on standby. The electricity is hidden when you employ standby power, but it’s still being wasted till you actually shut off your electronics.
Energy Audit
The primary step to reducing the energy you utilize in your home office is to try to to an energy audit. Look at everything that you simply plug into a socket, as well as phone chargers. You can purchase a plug-in Kill a Watt meter to measure the amount of electricity that each piece of equipment is using. It will even measure the amount of electricity on standby power, which still uses energy, even though the device is not in use.
Sleep Mode
You’ll build your computer a lot of economical by putting its sleep and idle modes to the lowest settings. This can decrease the quantity of energy you utilize while working, because it will switch to sleep and idle modes quicker.
Replace Devices
Another choice is to interchange inefficient equipment to cut back your energy use. You may even qualify for tax deductions or rebates for getting new, economical equipment.
Standby Mode
The devices to be a lot of watchful of are those that you do not use as abundant as your computer, such as printers and scanners. These are on standby a ton, but you’re still wasting electricity over time when you keep them in this mode. If you’re having hassle remembering to shut them off, try using smart power strips, just like the Wattstopper. The way this works is that you plug your computer into the main line and plug printers, copiers and scanners into the secondary line, which you will have to manually power up as a result of of its separate on/off switch.
Power Strips
You’ll use power strips for chargers still, to avoid the standby problem. When you turn off the start the ability strip, you chop off electrical power to the chargers or different equipment plugged in. You’ll be able to use power strips all around your home, to plug in everything from kitchen appliances to televisions. Solar power is another option for chargers. These are created of tiny solar panels that you embarked on in the sun to come up with energy. As an example, the Sunny Flower solar charger will charge the batteries for your cell phone or electronics that use batteries.
To save energy at home is to indirectly save money and heavily reduce home expenditures. Read more home made energy Go Save Power for more information about saving energy at home. Learn more about home made energy and acquiring energy efficient homes. Click here for home made energy review.
Turn Out Solar Power From Home
Manufacturing solar power at home can cut your electricity bills by up to ninety p.c and includes a lot of advantages. If you find out how to supply solar power at home, you’ll bring considerable changes to your life. Here is some data that you may need so as to higher acquaint yourself with this unconventional kind of energy if you’re designing to opt for it.
Learn How To Turn out Solar Power At Home
Solar energy does not cause pollution. It’s safe, and a lot of cheaper than alternative types of standard energy sources. It is a vast source of energy and will not cause any environmental harm, like affecting the ozone layer. This fuel is not a non-renewable supply of the planet’s energy resources (like coal, petroleum, diesel, crude oil, kerosene, etc). For all these reasons it is termed as a green fuel. By going green, you’ll be able to save our planet from more environmental stress.
If you think about the forms of uses for solar energy, you will be amazed. Except for getting used for electricity, it can be used to heat water, cook food with solar cookers, centralized air conditioning, solar cars, solar buses, solar trams, and several more. You’ll be able to even use it in solar powered calculators, attic fans and even to heat up swimming pools. Solar power can be stored in batteries and used in a while when it’s required. There are a number of different appliances that have been specifically designed to run on solar power. This makes solar power very versatile as a source of energy.
If you look at the record of solar power, it’s become terribly popular during a considerably little quantity of time. The most reason for this is often the high price of solar electricity, that is still increasing each day. Electricity is measured in kilowatts: one kilowatt is equivalent to 1,000 watts. To light up a lamp with a 100-watt rating through ten hours, you’d be using one kilowatt-hour, or 1KWH.
Use Solar Energy to Power My House
A solar power unit for your home can ideally contain a charger controller, a battery, an inverter, solar panels, support and wiring structure. It takes concerning 3 days to install a one-kilowatt solar power unit in your home, and it will cost you approximately $10,000 to line up and use solar energy to power your house. The best place to induce the correct value of fixing your home solar power unit is that the retail store where you bought the unit.
A careful thought of the area that might be needed to set up 10 to 12 solar panels should be made. There must be enough house on your terrace to fit this setup. Consider no less than one hundred square feet of free area.
Depending on whether or not it’s cloudy or sunny, you’ll be able to generate up to 750 kilowatt-hours to 1,600 kilowatt-hours per annum. The system should ideally be a 1- kilowatt unit for such a group up. You want to think about all this info before you propose to choose home solar power.
To save energy at home is to indirectly save money and heavily reduce home expenditures. Read more magniwork Go Save Power for more information about saving energy at home. Learn more about magniwork and acquiring energy efficient homes. Click here for magniwork review.
Power4home Kit Review
Power4Home Kit Review Summary
I will discuss John Russel’s Power4Home kit together with what the merchandise contains, the guarantees it makes to the consumer and finally, if these promises are fulfilled.
Power4Home Kit Review: What does it contain?
Briefly, the Power4Home kit may be a wind and solar power guide that gives directions regarding creating cheap, homemade solar panels and wind turbines. Once built, these panels are used to form electricity from sun and wind energy. The electricity is to be utilized by the user for powering half or all of the home.
The Power4Home kit provides 2 reasons for its existence. 1st, as a means for the average person to create their own power and lower their power bills. The second reason they offer may be a approach to stop using fossil fuels and utilize green, environmentally friendly technologies; like solar and wind power.
Power4Home Kit Review: The guarantees it makes.
The Power4Home kit claims that if users follow the directions contained inside the guide, they will be able to build their own wind turbines for below $a hundred and fifty and solar panels for but $200. Power4Home says that by using these homemade panels and turbines, shoppers will be able to avoid wasting considerably on their energy bills or maybe dispose of them for good.
Power4Home offers the promise that they can additionally explain how users will find deep cycle batteries at no cost. Deep cycle batteries are used to create a battery bank that’s used to store further energy created by the solar panels or wind turbines. This stored energy is tapped when needed. Additionally, Power4Home says it provides additional information about using alternative Green Technologies to save lots of a lot of money on bills. The merchandise conjointly provides shoppers with a lifetime membership, access to updates and technical support.
Power4Home Kit Review: Does it keep its’ guarantees?
If the client follows the instructions contained among Power4Home, it is attainable to form solar panels for less than $200 and a wind turbine for less than $150. The directions are easy and fairly straightforward to follow. A novice ought to be ready to complete the panels and turbine without a lot of difficulty. If successful, the panels and turbine can help scale back power bills because the user finally ends up using less electricity from the power company. It is necessary to recollect that to considerably cut back bills, additional than one solar panel or wind turbine can be necessary.
Power4Home will go into other green technologies that, in theory, can reduce power bills even more. Users can also learn where to get free deep cycle batteries, receive a membership and have access to technical support after the guide has been purchased.
Power4Home Kit Review: Conclusion
If judging Power4Home on the basis of promises made versus guarantees kept, it fulfills what it says it will. It’s after all another and cheaper manner to create and install a solar power or wind energy system for the home. It will require work on the part of the buyer. This product does what it says and the buyer should not have any complaints. Once completing this Power4Home review, I suggest the product.
To save energy at home is to indirectly save money and heavily reduce home expenditures. Read more magniwork Go Save Power for more information about saving energy at home. Learn more about magniwork and acquiring energy efficient homes. Click here for magniwork review.
Why Turn Out Solar Energy From Home?
There are a couple of options for you when you wish to get solar power for your home. You’ll purchase a solar panel from a store, which is sure to be terribly expensive. It can cost you around $ten thousand to $one hundred thousand depending on the dimensions of your solar power unit. The opposite option is to get hold of a ‘build yourself’ solar panel kit, that will value you around the $250 mark.
Solar Power is Environmentally Friendly
For each modification in the globe, one person had to steer before the others joined. Even if you think that you cannot change the case all by yourself, do not worry. When folks realize you enjoying the great advantages of using solar power, they will follow your example. Solar power is clean and will not cause any pollution. It does not exhaust the world’s natural non-renewable resources of energy, hence serving to to conserve the eco-system. Using solar power can make the world a cleaner and better place to measure in.
Selling your Electricity
Thus far you have had to abide by the principles and pay the bills to the state electricity board. Now you can change this situation. If you generate additional power than you consume using solar electricity, the surplus power can be sold to the state electricity board and you can earn a hefty exploit it. The electricity boards are invariably wanting to urge power, and hence they can be additional than happy to get the electrical power from you. You’ll additionally charge up solar cells and sell them within the local markets to form a lot of money.
Cut Down Electricity Prices
Although the solar panels might need a substantial amount of space where they’ll be founded, and additional thus if there are a selection of solar panels, the results will be very rewarding. You’ll be able to save up to 90 p.c on your power bills. Once you complete the installation aspect of a solar power unit, you’ll be able to eventually go completely off the grid and never must pay power bills. You’ll be able to relish free and uninterrupted power while not worrying regarding the costs.
Solar Electric to Power My Entire House
Solar energy isn’t used only for electrical power generation. It can additionally be place to a number of alternative uses that are as a lot of important. You can use solar energy to cook food, light solar bulbs, heat water, run solar buses and solar trams, run a centralized cooling or heating system and much more. Appliances like solar powered calculators, attic fans, etc. also are other examples that show you the wide selection of use for solar power. This makes solar energy very versatile.
Solar energy can change the atmosphere of your home into a cleaner and safer one. With the quantity of cash you save, you’ll fancy the great experience of going green.
To save energy at home is to indirectly save money and heavily reduce home expenditures. Read more earth 4 energy review Go Save Power for more information about saving energy at home. Learn more about earth 4 energy and acquiring energy efficient homes. Click here for earth 4 energy review