Belize LifeStyle Homes

Belize LifeStyle Homes

Renewable Energy Solutions

As a Sustainable Development Company, Belize LifeStyle Homes is Committed to Renewable Energy Technologies as a cost effective, sustainable solution for primary power, backup power, water heating and transportation. Biomass Power Generation, Renewable Biofuels, Solar Power, Solar Water Heating, Solar EV Charging Stations, Electric Jeeps, Electric Scooters, Electric Catamarans, Electric Vehicle Charging Stations and Wind Power are among the technologies that will be deployed as part of our Renewable Energy Platform.

 

Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development: There is a direct correlation between effective sustainable development and renewable energy. By integrating renewable energy solutions as a vital component of a sustainable development strategy, the resultant combination of the two platforms will increase the success and long term end-user (and environmental) benefits of the project. An environmentally friendly, sustainable lifestyle is inherently connected to the responsible use of renewable sources of energy for power generation, water heating and transportation.

 

Belize LifeStyle Homes is providing the following Renewable Energy Solutions as a very important, integral part of our Sustainable Development Platform in Ambergris Caye, Belize. Click on an image below to explore a specific Renewable Energy Solution.

What is Renewable Energy? Renewable energy is generally defined as energy that comes from resources which are naturally replenished on a human timescale such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves and geothermal heat. Renewable energy replaces conventional fuels in four distinct areas: electricity generation, hot water/space heating, motor fuels, and off-grid energy services. Renewable energy is also referred to as sustainable energy, clean energy or green energy.

 

Major Types of Renewable Energy:

Solar Power

Solar energy, or energy produced by the sun, can be utilized through a wide range of applications, including home and water heating, disinfection, and electricity production. Solar rays include radiant light and heat from the sun that can be converted into energy using heat engines and photovoltaics, cells made of photodiodes that produce direct currents from solar light. Solar panels have gained popularity over the past ten years as additions to homes and offices as they help collect and store solar energy for various uses. Solar energy is an almost inexhaustible source that scientists estimate contains as much energy as all the energy ever available on earth from non-renewable sources. Solar panels and other solar technologies are not currently priced for individual ownership, however improvements are being made yearly to make solar energy accessible for all.

 

Wind Power

Wind power is one of the sources of renewable energy that is showing the most promise for widespread implementation. It has been used since the 800's AD as a means to mill grain and pump water, however its electric implications have been realized only in recent years. It is harnessed through large windmills that generate energy when the blades at the top of the shaft are rotated by air currents. Windmills that produce electric power may be created to provide energy to an entire region or individual home. Harnessing wind power is currently an expensive endeavor, and its modern machinery can be visually and audibly disruptive. However, many communities throughout America are investing in windmills to augment their current power supply.

 

Biomass

Biomass is one of the most plentiful and well-utilized sources of renewable energy in the world. Broadly speaking, it is organic material produced by the photosynthesis of light. The chemical material (organic compounds of carbons) are stored and can then be used to generate energy. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly via combustion to produce heat, or indirectly after converting it to various forms of biofuel. Conversion of biomass to biofuel can be achieved by different methods which are broadly classified into: thermal, chemical, and biochemical methods.

 

Geothermal Power

Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source that is produced from the channels of naturally occurring hot water and steam that flow under the top layer of the earth's crust. The wells that release this air and water can be man-made or environmentally made. Generator turbines are attached to these wells and as the steam and water pass they rotate the turbine which powers the generator. These wells can also be tapped as direct sources of heat and hot water. While geothermal energy is very inexpensive to harness and maintain, it is fairly rare to find channels close enough to the surface they can be tapped and utilized.

 

Hydropower

One of the largest types of renewable energy being harnessed today is hydropower. Hydropower pushes highly pressurized water from local rivers and lakes through pipes that pass the water flow across the blades of a turbine that is attached to a generator. When the turbine spins fast enough it produces enough energy to power the generator, which distributes the energy through transmission lines to houses, businesses, and municipal endeavors like streetlight grids and stoplights. Dams are built along waterways that feed hydropower plants to create a backup source of water should the main waterway lessen in force or the demand for energy increase. While there is some evidence to suggest harnessing waterways for energy production harms natural aquatic life, hydropower is still considered a clean alternative to petroleum production.

 

Tidal Power

Tidal power is a type of renewable energy that utilizes the principles of hydropower to create energy from the movements of the oceans and seas. Tides, or level of ocean water on the shores of land, rise and fall daily in response to the earth's gravitation relationship with the moon and the sun. Tidal energy generators utilize the natural rise and fall of water levels to power generator turbines under the water level as well as create sea dams that refill daily when the tide is high and allow the water to trickle back into the ocean after it passes through a turbine pipe. Tidal energy is in its fledgling stages, however significant government and corporate research is being dedicated to this renewable energy source.