Solar Energy

Solar Energy Power Answers at Home

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:40:00 +0000

By: Grant Snider

Solar Power Solutions at Home

With the earth’s energy resources dissipating at a rate faster than they are being built, it is only smart that we use the abundant energy available for free – solar energy. Apart from the easy availability, solar energy aids in controlling pollution. Many of us shy away from installing solar power devices in our homes thinking them to be for the rich and awkward. You will, however, be pleasantly surprised to realize how easy it is to use these energy solutions. Moreover, these will help reduce your energy bills. Lastly, you will be gratified to discover that you are doing your important part to prolong power for future generations.

This brief overview will examine the many possible solar power options available for residential use.

Solar cooker: A solar cooker is a cooking utensil that uses absolutely no power for cooking. You can prepare food for up to 5 individuals in the tiny container. If you are wondering if using a sun oven will reduce the odds of delivering up a varied tasty menu on the dining table, you will be delighted to find out that you cannot only boil meals in the solar cooker but also bank and roast! The only drawback with the solar powered cooker is the longish time it takes to cook. However, given the free source of energy, this is a fantastic benefit for reducing those outrageous bills and saving some energy.

Solar home lighting: A solar lighting system transforms solar energy into electrical energy for your residence and does so without effort. This is accomplished via batteries that are charged with solar energy. So, at night, if you imagine how the lights can possibly be on in your home, it’s because of the solar energy stored in the solar cells. Solar lighting for the home gives free, endless energy with the simple flick of a light switch. Solar energy is not only renewable, but also never-ending. If everybody used the sun’s pervasive energy to light homes and general electricity, the necessity for having daylight savings time would be unnecessary.

Solar heating system: Installing a solar heating system in your residence helps reducing your electricity bill, along with prolonging the earth’s rapidly depleting power. If you are concerned that a solar heating system will turn your quaint home into a funky gadget house or that it will be an expensive investment, your are misplaced. Companies providing solar power solutions for homes make it an issue to install aesthetic heating systems in your house. As per as expenditure is concerned, investing in a solar powered heating energy system is smart because you get a return on your upfront money within 3-4 years, yielding you gloriously free service in the future.

Solar water heater: Another clever idea is to heat your house’s water with solar power. This will save you big gobs of power, quite often by more than fifty percent, and if used in conjunction with another new technology such as under the floor heating, you will soon find that your overall power use in your household dramatically decreases. The primary thing you need to do when considering installing a new water heating system, is to figure out how much hot water you use up. This is vital as you may purchase a system that may not provide your needs, and you’re not going to get any gratitude from your household members if you wind up only being able to operate one hot water appliance at a time, especially early in the day when everyone in the house is trying to bolt out the door. After you have discovered the quantity you use, you will be able to speak to a advisor to discuss whether a solar water system would work for your house, taking into consideration your current water heating tank.

Grant Snider is an Alternative Energy Advocoate who has been researching the latest methods for creating a green lifestyle. He is particularly interested in maximizing the potential of solar energy. You can read some of his discoveries at http://SolarPowerHomeReviews.com

Save Electricity with Renewable Energy- Learn How with Power4Home

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:39:56 +0000

By: Ahmed

The conventional energy sources are depleting fast and this is a worldwide concern at present. You must know that coal, petroleum and forest reserves have been reducing at an alarming rate over the last century. They have not only been used as fuel, but also to generate electricity. And it is because of electricity that most of the technological advancements have been possible. So does the lack of conventional fuels indicate that electricity will be scarce in future? Definitely not, if you consider the fact that renewable energy sources are there to help you out.

As the name suggests, renewable energy sources are those which do not get exhausted. The two best examples of these energy sources are sunlight and wind energy. In fact, you can learn how to save electricity with renewable energy (solar and wind) with the revolutionary Power4Home system. Amazed? Simply read on.

What is Power4Home?

Power4Home is not a gadget which promises to make electricity out of thin air! It is a guide which tells you how to harness solar energy and wind energy to generate electricity at home. This way you not only save electricity produced by conventional means but also can cut down on your power bills. This guide is available in the form of a downloadable e-book which can be yours for less than $200!

What Does Power4 Home Teach You?

The power4home system can enlighten you on the benefits of using renewable sources of energy by:

Giving you specific details of how to build your own solar panels for creating energy from sunlight. Showing you how to create a perfect wind power generator, right at home! Describing how you can install the solar panels or wind turbine at home to start producing electricity. Telling you how to store the electricity produced so that you can use it as and when you require.

You might want to adopt power4home for using renewable energy sources because,

You really want to reduce the power bills which seem to increase every month. The utility companies charge you premium rates for every unit of electricity consumed because they incur high costs in converting conventional fuels to electricity and so must levy the end-user (you) in order to make profit. You are an eco-friendly person and realize the dangers of rapid consumption of fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum for production of electricity. You might also know about the environmental hazards caused by hydro-power projects which require dams to be built across rivers, thus hampering their natural flow. So, you want to switch to renewable energy.

Whatever be your reason, you can benefit greatly by choosing Power4Home. When you want to save electricity why wait for the mega-corporations to utilize renewable energy sources and produce electricity for commercial purposes, when you can create your own power with Power4Home?

Facts about Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is a new concept but it’s rapidly growing in popularity. Here are some facts that serve as an eye-opener for you.

You might be surprised to know that wind power-generation is growing at the rate of 30% annually! Many households all across the globe have adopted solar power and gadgets such as solar cookers are used for preparing daily meals. In some parts of the world, entire villages are powered by solar energy, simply because they do not have access to conventional power.

What you need to understand is that renewable energy might not suffice for your entire power-needs but can bear a considerable portion of your electricity requirements. As a result you can expect your power bills to some down, because you are consuming lesser units of conventional power.

So, if you really want to save electricity with renewable energy, the Power4Home system can be the best way to do it!

If you liked this information you can read here about Power4Home Review, and learn more about saving energy and reducing you energy bills dramatically by visiting my website: Power4HomeReview.com

How to Build Solar Panels – Simple for the Average Joe

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:39:51 +0000

By: Gordon Brown

If you’ve ever done some digging or looked into installing a professionally made solar panel system for your home you’ve probably realized it’s not quite as affordable as you’d hoped. You’d think the cost of green energy solutions for homes would become more affordable in our technologically advanced world. The sad fact remains, solar and other green energy solutions are terribly expensive and down right impractical for the average American family.

Although professional installations are expensive and hardly seem worthwhile, there are far more affordable, yet unknown solutions available to anybody willing to put forth some time, effort, and patience. Do-it-yourself green energy projects are perfect for anybody looking to go green and cut their electric bills but simply can’t afford the lump sum necessary for a professional system.

What it involves…To get things started you’ll need a guide or manual for you to understand exactly what you’ll be doing.

Step 1: Finding the materials.

The first thing we did after reading the manual was go to the store and collect materials. This is easy for the most part and may involve running to a few different hardware stores for the basic supplies. Depending on your method and design, you may utilize different materials. Some are harder to find, especially the solar cells. You probably won’t have a solar dealer near you and neither did we, so you’ll likely have to do a search online. We found a certain online auction site had exactly what we needed in terms of solar cells.

Step 2: Joining the cell

The first step when actually building your solar power system is to join together the individual solar cells in order to create a solar panel. This involves a lot of soldering, a bit of craftsmanship, and a lot of patience. With a little care and practice it became second nature to us. Once your cells are joined you’re ready to build the panel (casing) that the cells will sit in to absorb the sun.

Step 3: Case (panel) construction

There are a million different ways to build a case for your solar cells to sit in. Obviously, the top cover must be transparent to let the sun in, but also waterproof to keep the rain out and condensation out. You must also allow a spot for the wiring to enter the panel. We built ours out of Plexiglas and a wooden frame and then sealed it to waterproof.

Step 4: Wiring

The final step in setting up your solar panel is to wire it into your home so you can utilize the power that it produces! To do this you’ll need a simple DC to AC converter. The converter will allow the DC energy that the panels produce to be turned into AC energy for use throughout your home.

These are the basic steps involved when building your own solar panels. There is a wealth of information out there. One site in particular, DIY Solar Power Guides, provides plenty of articles, videos, and all sorts of information that will allow you to make an educated decision when trying to figure out if DIY green energy projects are for you.

Interested in saving money or going green at home? Check out DIY Solar Power Guides for more information on DIY Solar Power add other green energy solutions.

Tidal Power: Wave of the Future?

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:39:47 +0000

By: Cem Ozcan

Tidal power is using the tides to extract energy to convert into electricity. The tides are the result of the gravitational force between the Earth and Moon. On a daily basis this force pulls up tons of water, thus the tides. The tides are also brought back down, allowing for tidal power to be used twice daily, which would sum to about 10 hours. Tidal power is catching this water when it is at high tide and storing it in reservoir type structures until the time of low tide. During low tide, the water is released, allowing it to flow back out to sea through the turbines, and thus generating power. In order to create a tidal plant, we build a dam, called a barrage, at the bottom of a tidal basin. This includes a device called a sluice, which opens up allowing the tide to come in at high tide. This water rushes past a turbine that is attached to a generator, or in some cases the water pushes air through tunnels that then act like wind through a turbine. When it is time for the tide to go out at low tide, the function of the sluice reverses and the water flows back out through the turbines.

History

Utilizing the tides was first done in the 18th century to compete with windmills and another water technology–water wheels. Water mills were quite popular but became scarce once the steam engine gained its popularity. Tidal power plants have not traditionally been a popular way to convert energy into electricity.

Current Usage

Presently France is the only country that successfully uses the tides as a power source. In their country, tidal power accounts for just about 240 megawatts of power at the world’s largest tidal plant–the La Rance. This facility was constructed in 1966, and is currently Europe’s only tidal plant. This plant provides roughly enough energy to fuel 240,000 homes. Though the energy source is both reliable and plentiful, extracting usable power from it is not.

Future

The comparison between tidal energy now and wind energy 10 years ago has been made. Researchers are hopeful that developments to the technology can be made. One offshoot of tidal power that is currently being researched is the possibility of using the energy extracted from waves to produce hydrogen for fuel or fuel cells. There is hope that this would be used specifically in remote areas such as the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

World wide only about 20 sites have been identified as having the potential to harness the power from the waves. This is due to the fact that between 12 and 18 feet difference (called ’head‘) between high and low tide is needed, and very few areas experience this range of heights. (In the United States one of the only usable sites is at Nantucket, though it is unlikely that they will begin construction due to the unpleasing appearance of the plants)

Another option yet to be completely explored would be to use offshore turbines

(Somewhat comparable to an underwater wind farm.) These would be quite a lot cheaper than building the large-scale bridges and wouldn’t pose such risks to the environment. There are many more potential sites for this type of technology than the current tidal technologies. Some would speculate that these would pose risk to marine life, but it has been pointed out that they pose far less risk than the propellers on ships, as they are both stationary and rotate 10 times more slowly.

Advantages and Disadvantages:

Once constructed, it is a free source.

No greenhouse or other gas emissions.

Reliable.

Inexpensive to maintain.

Tides are very predictable.

Needs to be close to the coast.

Not a continual energy supply throughout the day.

Not aesthetically pleasing.

Tidal power has the potential to one-day account for one fiftieth of our total power consumption, so they could never solve our current energy dilemma. They could provide assistance, but never more than that–we could not totally rely on this technology. The greatest drawback is that we know little about the effect this has on marine life. There is always a potential threat to the natural ecosystems when we disrupt nature’s processes, and the ocean is no exception. The reduced tidal flow that Tidal energy systems cause has environmental impacts on tidal basins because they decrease the flow of the tides and also silt buildup. There is speculation that if we use this technology to a great degree the tides will slow down, posing a great treats to the ecosystem.

C. Ozcan – is the author for Site Insaat Inc. Please visit Turkiyede Mimarlik ve Müteahhitlik Şirketleri for more information about Turkish contracting and construction services in Turkey.

Solar Pathfinder – What Does This Instrument Do For You?

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:39:45 +0000

By: John Greenspan

lar Pathfinder is a simple shade analysis tool that is used by professionals and hobbyists. You can use it to determine the amount of shade that a particular spot will experience over various times of the day or year. As the data is in graphical form, so you can easily make sense of it at an instant.

With a Solar Pathfinder, you can instantly locate the best position to install your solar panel. Experts recommend that solar panels should be exposed to unobstructed sunshine during the crucial period (from 9am to 3pm) so they can be fully utilized to generate electricity for the household. This can be done by placing your solar panels in a spot where there is little or no shading during this crucial period. The easiest way to do this is to use a Solar Pathfinder.

Another popular tool is the Solmetric Suneye. This instrument is rather user friendly, but is much more expensive than the Solar Pathfinder. This will set you back by at least $1,500…yet there is a cheaper option.

Why Do We Need To Use A Solar Pathfinder?

A proper instrument like a Solar Pathfinder can save you lots of time and guesswork. Moreover it is easy to use and is reasonably affordable.

If we do not use any instrument to determine shadow positions, we’ll need to observe their movement from dawn to dusk — this is certainly not an efficient use of time. This is a waste of time! Moreover, these positions shift (slightly) through different seasons because of how the earth rotates around the sun.

But why do we care so much about the extent of shading? You may not realize this, but the effect of shading is devastating to solar energy production. Even if your solar panel is slightly covered under a shadow, the power output can drop drastically.

Consider this…if you shade only one solar cell out of the entire solar panel, your energy production is likely to drop by a third. If you’ll only cover a row of photovoltaic cells, your electricity output reduces by a huge 90%. This means your solar panels have virtually stopped working!

Therefore when installing your solar panels, shading is your first and most important concern.

But is it worthwhile to use a solar pathfinder? Perhaps we should ask ourselves if we could determine shadow positions without the use of a scientific instrument… In fact, the additional electricity you’ll be able to generate quickly covers the cost of the Solar Pathfinder. This is especially true for large systems.

After all, you’ve invested money and effort on your solar cells, batteries and inverters… Are you going to sacrifice a potentially significant part of its energy output just to save a few bucks? I hope not!

In case you are thinking of installing solar panels without a Solar Pathfinder, drop the idea as soon as possible. Because guesswork will eventually cost you dearly! You may be concerned about the cost…or you may be worried about the complexity of the instrument. The fact is this instrument only costs $249 and you’ll probably take only 15 minutes to learn how to use it.

Whatever it is, if you’re without a Solar Pathfinder, I’m confident of this — you cannot even begin your installation… Without this instrument, you’ll be lost!

To use a Solar Pathfinder, you simply have to bring it to the spot you feel is most suitable for installation. Then you’ll need to level the instrument and point it to the right direction with the help of an in-built compass. The plastic dome will show you a paranomic view of the entire area together with the regions affected by shading over different times of the day or year.

You can record your readings by using a wax pencil (or grease pen) to outline the shape formed by the shadow. You can also use your digital camera to take a snap shot. (I prefer the second approach – it’s instantaneous!)

The effects of shading are exceedingly damaging to solar energy production. Therefore you have to eliminate the guesswork — which can be very costly — and use a scientific approach to put up your solar panels. Among all known techniques, the easiest and cheapest way is to use a Solar Pathfinder.

John Greenspan is an expert in do-it-yourself solar panels and has build several solar power generators over the years. Are you interested in building DIY Solar panels? Pick up your FREE “How To Build Solar Panels” eBook at => http://www.diysolarpanelsworld.com

THE CHALLENGES OF MARKETING INNOVATION FOR A BETTER SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:39:34 +0000

By: CISSE DAOUDA

INTRODUCTION

Marketing is about selling people more. So can sustainable marketing really work?

- Marketing comprises a set of skills that generally enable companies to sell more stuff to more people to get a greater share of the market. These skills are usually portable: it doesn’t matter what’s being sold to whom in what marketplace. The social and environmental impact of the stuff that’s being marketed remains, for the vast majority of people in marketing, until recently, largely irrelevant. The idea of sustainable marketing is inevitably sort of ridiculous.

- Sustainable development comprises a set of ideas, principles, values, mindsets and practices that enable individuals and organizations to improve their quality of life in ways that simultaneously protect and enhance the Earth’s life-support systems, in other words, without destroying the planet. At the very least, it can mean consuming in more environmentally and socially responsible ways; for some, it means consuming less.

The idea of sustainable marketing is, therefore, sort of suspect. The marketplace is greener now than ever before and will become even more responsive to products and services promising environmental responsibility well into the 21st century. The reasons are many. People are worried. In the 1980’s, environmental calamities dominated the news. Almost daily, headlines trumpeted oil spills, toxic-waste dumps, and nuclear meltdowns. A hole punctured the ozone layer, a garbage barge searched in vain for a dumpsite; apples were not considered safe to eat. The issues were no longer in someone else’s backyard far-away, but in our own. The environment rose to the top of the public’s worry list.

MARKETING INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABLE MARKETING

Nowadays, businesses that fall short of developing effective value propositions have difficulties in taking advantage of market opportunities that are characterized by uncompromising market forces such increased competition, shortened product lifecycles and more sophisticated and variable customer demands. It is a disconcerting fact that many, if not most, businesses struggle to develop sustainable, innovative value propositions that help them sustain their market positions.

Marketing innovation and sustainable development are today’s hottest topics of our planet among intellectuals. Why not harness the creativity and innovation of one of the oldest professions there is to move forward our societies onto a much more sustainable footing? Humanity has been known to tackle far more challenging tasks, anywhere from placing a man on the moon, to persuading people to buy aloe vera toilet paper, as Steve Hilton from Good Business often illustrates. Surely, therefore, bringing together these innovators and persuaders needed to make the world more sustainable should also be possible.

Will we assist to less growth with marketing sustainability? Not really. I think if it is well done, it could mean better, smarter and much more efficient ways of buying and making stuff. What if marketing sustainability is just a pipe dream when consumers are largely ambivalent about the green credentials of the products and services they buy, and certainly find it difficult to pay ‘green premiums’? We don’t think it will be. If done properly, it will appeal to personal values and allow that twinge of “I would really like to do something”.

However, I have to notice that efforts by the odd responsible company are not nearly enough to make producer and consumer change stick. A much wider collective effort is needed if we are going to be successful at reversing unsustainable patterns of consumption and production, considering most of us are not willing to sacrifice Aloe Vera toilet paper for banana leaves. If marketing can turn “lead into gold”, then it has the potential to make sustainable development a household word, a universally recognised way of adding both social and economic value. Marketing can create, influence and change target audience attitudes, beliefs and perceptions. In a nutshell, marketing works; that’s why companies do it. A more interesting question is how can it be used to reinforce sustainable development?

I have to mention that although sustainable development and marketing innovation are the 21st century most discussed topics, they are conflicting concepts. Today’s evolution about these topics is to set a challenging sustainable development benchmarks for every element of the marketing mix and build intrinsic brand value in and through sustainable development. Through engaging companies from a range of sectors that are both already active in sustainable development and have high brand awareness, as well as leading media and communications agencies open to new opportunities, we hope to build wider competencies in sustainable marketing within the profession and more broadly in businesses.

MARKETING INNOVATION

Much of the discussion about marketing and sustainable development focuses on developed markets; on the levels of consumption amongst the world’s richest people and the changing nature of their preferences. Companies face fierce competition for growth in developed countries whilst, in contrast, the most disadvantaged people in the world represent a market with enormous potential. And if the world’s population expands in line with current predictions, over 90% of people will be living in (what are now) developing countries within 30 years. It is no surprise, then, that marketers are increasingly interested in the opportunities amongst the world’s poor, which may involve addressing their basic needs. But is this wishful thinking, or are there compelling commercial reasons for business to pay attention to developing markets? As the term sustainable development enters the business mainstream, the responsibility for managing social and environmental issues is slowly shifting from the corporate fringe to an important business function.

The implementation of communication strategies is a marketing innovation. Not only does the company inform the general public of its efforts to reduce its environmental impact, but in addition, it listens to its clients and tries to gain acceptance of its employees. A sophisticated form of the communication strategy consists of taking part directly in the development of restrictive measures (emission standards, branch agreements, etc.). This effort seems to show a proactive approach to companies on the environmental question, but on the other hand, it could be a way to impede environmental progress by means of a lobbying policy.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a company in possession of a good (or poor) fortune must be in want of innovation. Yet, by all accounts, some 40-90% of innovations fail in the market. In this elective we examine the drivers of market adoption, taking the perspectives of both ‘objective reality’ and the ‘perceived reality’ of the players in the decision. We then offer some suggestions for bringing innovations more successfully to market.

Invention and innovation have proven to be crucial components for the development of modern societies. However, 1.3 billion people who currently live on less than a dollar a day do not enjoy the benefits that many modern inventions have brought. At the same time some key new technologies are known to have caused enormous damage to the global environment.

SUSTAINABLE MARKETING

Increasingly, business is investing in sustainable development strategies, often not fully embraced by their marketing departments.

The result of this means that mixed messages are being transmitted to shareholders and stakeholders alike. There is a real need to join sustainable development business strategy with the marketing departments that drive that strategy forward.

Because marketing influences the development of products and services, as well as the communication methods used to influence consumer behaviour, it is at the axis of one of the most challenging issues facing business today: addressing the current unsustainable levels of production and consumption in an uncertain world.

There are two key approaches to marketing and sustainability. One seeks to embed sustainable development within a company’s core marketing strategy from innovation to the market. The other aligns opportunities for marketing and advertising with the values of sustainable development, either overtly or covertly.

Why is it now that people think about sustainable marketing?

As mainstream marketing is changing and as we enter a ‘third age’ of branding, the context for brands is changing irrevocably. The first age of branding was the age of functionality, where product purpose was legitimised through trademarks. The second age was the age of aspiration, meaning brands served a self actualising purpose. The third age of branding is the age of reconnection, that is, solutions-oriented branding. Empowering consumers to make the world a better place through the products they buy. For example, if we take the case of the refrigerators, we can say that in 1950’s, somebody could easily be convinced to buy a refrigerator just because it looked cool in his/her eyes, but in today’s uncertain world, we might ask ourselves about the impact of the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that our refrigerator is emitting and demand a more environmentally friendly refrigerator.

So, if today’s successful marketing is about appealing to personal values and delivering consumer empowerment, then surely the time is right to inject sustainable development into the marketing mix to help address some of the gritty issues currently facing our planet.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Today’s fast technologies innovation and invention have made people worry about their living environment. Although they need improvements for the household equipments they are daily using, they started asking themselves about the future of the world. Based on this, we have to mention that marketing innovation is developing with consequences for humankind. In this 21st century, sustainable development remains a term which many marketers have become accustomed to hearing alongside jargon such as stakeholder engagement and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Sustainable development is a compelling idea for many people. It is concerned with how business can contribute to some of the most significant challenges that the world faces today; from climate change and biodiversity, to working conditions and health amongst the poorest in the world. But marketing managers have struggled to translate these ideas into viable commercial propositions into marketing strategies that create competitive advantage, build trust or develop new business opportunities.

Moreover, marketers have often faced criticism for being part of the problem for pushing the consumption of unsustainable products and lifestyles.

Sustainable development is becoming a key strategic issue for companies. With growing pressure from global warming, natural resource depletion, widening social gaps, legislation, societal pressures, and the evolution of consumer expectation, the role of marketing within an organization is changing dramatically. Consumer demand for “ethical” products and services is increasing and the marketing is a lever for innovation to answer to this new demand. Social and environmental values are now elements of a brand, marketers need to tackle these issues. Sustainable development is the practice of protecting the environment while improving living standards for all, and invention and innovation is key to its success. Invention and innovation for sustainable development isn’t just about developing new technology, but includes new processes and new ways of solving old problems. Creative thinking is the rubric. Creative thinking has always been integral for improving well-being.

Despite the fact that people everywhere have an innate ability to be creative, rich countries are not doing enough to stimulate and harness invention and creative thinking, and poor countries tend to stifle innovation and creativity outright. This is typically due to a combination of factors: insufficient financial resources, lack of role models, education systems that don’t inspire or value creativity, and social/political environments that discourage creativity, invention and entrepreneurship. Sustainable development has different meanings and implications in different parts of the world. Julia Marton-Lefèvre, executive director of LEAD International, an organization dedicated to leadership for environment and development in a workshop on “invention and innovation for sustainable development” held in November 2003 said to understand the challenges and ramifications “not only in London and Paris and New York, but also in tiny villages in Nigeria and Indonesia and China.” Sustainable development is for all countries, not just developing ones. Based on what she said, I can mention that while rich countries need to develop alternative sources of energy and other technologies that reduce their own impact on the environment, poor countries need to develop their own innovation capacity, in order to address their own particular needs.

CHALLENGES FOR MARKETERS TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Companies create competitive advantage by understanding the shifts in society; from technological innovations such as the 3G communication system to the unwinding consequences of events such as May 12th China earthquake. These trends are the foundations of marketing strategy, and the emergence of sustainable development as a matter of public and corporate concern is one such change in the marketing environment. In recent years, hundreds of companies have developed ethical policies or mission statements. These initiatives appear to be grounded in market realities. For example, a Weber Shandwick survey of 8,000 consumers in 2001 indicates that 80% of high-education/high-income people in the USA have considered switching brands when a company was negatively portrayed in the media in respect of social responsibility issues. But today, the question for marketers is: is there really an opportunity for them to use sustainable development as a lever of brand innovation, rather than the greenwash?

Marketers rightly insist that appealing to sustainability values will not overcome a fundamental weakness in product quality, yet with excellent products there is evidence that social and environmental aspects can be used to differentiate or create a profitable niche. For them, Sustainability values can be a successful differentiator; a key part of the functional and emotional attributes of a product or service. Many of marketers argue that integrating sustainability values into a brand can contribute to market growth. As one professional has commented, “As long as performance, price and place are right, then corporate responsibility can become a differentiator, although a significant price premium is not possible.”

Nowadays, a lot of businesses have tried to differentiate specific products on the basis of their social and environmental impacts. For example, Toyota has used celebrity endorsements to promote the environmental credentials of the Prius, their hybrid fuel car; it has also approved plans to use more distinctive badging on its hybrid Highlander and Lexus models. And niche businesses (increasingly joined by mainstream retailers) supplying fair trade coffee and organic products have targeted consumer concerns regarding working conditions and chemical pollution in the food supply chain, often using eco-labels and social labels to enhance the consumer understanding of their products.

The opportunity for differentiation is perhaps more significant in the business-to-business sector. Business-to-business companies are increasingly identifying opportunities to position their products and services in the wider context of their social and environmental impact as well as their cost and functionality. As one marketer has suggested: “Corporate customers are more interested in these issues than individual customers” Another marketer has confirmed the basis of this business-to-business market: “The challenge is what do customers care about: sometimes it is just price and delivery, but functionality can include aspects of sustainability, like reducing your customers’ waste so their operations run better, helping them deal with and/or eliminate regulatory issues.”

Today’s challenge for marketers to achieve their goals by integrating marketing innovation with sustainable development is to build trust with customers, consumers and society.

Reputation – the goodwill that an organization has acquired from its past performance – is the foundation of future success, the basis on which a business will be trusted in years to come. Companies remain among the least trusted institutions in society, with some businesses particularly vulnerable to pressure group campaigns and consumer boycotts. As a result, many marketers are asking themselves how to minimize the risk of criticism from stakeholders, and whether sustainable development has a role to play in these efforts. Perhaps more positively, they are also wondering what part their companies’ ambitions and achievements on social and environmental issues can play in building and maintaining trust with consumers, customers and society as a whole.

Some marketers are also concerned that reputation and trust may not be sufficient to preserve their brands in the longer-term: current patterns of consumption are not sustainable, and so customers and consumers must be educated in order to protect or secure the resources on which business is based.

Products with sustainability attributes will only appeal if they are clearly consistent with the values and activities of the company.

Many people care about the social and environmental impacts of business. Yet people trust companies when they believe they are acting according to their values, and not just because it happens to make sense in that particular instance. Credibility comes from the confidence that a business will continue to behave ethically in the future: a business will gain little reputational benefit – and more likely harm – from helping a community if local people see the contribution as a short-term ‘bribe’ that will be withdrawn as soon as its immediate objective is achieved. Marketers have a critical role in building trust. In particular, they can help to create inspiring communications, which are honestly based on the abilities of the organisation and the resources that it can realistically devote to enhancing its social and environmental performance.

However, reputation and trust may not be sufficient to safeguard a brand. To succeed, marketers must lead the path towards more sustainable consumption.

International policy makers are paying more and more attention to some of the greatest challenges to society and the environment. For example, UK previous Prime Minister Tony Blair placed poverty in Africa and climate change at the top of the G8 agenda for 2005. These issues are critical to the long-run success of business. In short, companies cannot operate effectively in societies and economies which fail to protect and support the production and consumption of their products and services. Business needs reliable access to sources of raw material, safe working conditions for production, storage and distribution, thriving consumer markets, and safe mechanisms for the disposal of product waste. There is much that governments must do. But if consumers aren’t switching to more sustainable products, then it will also fall to business to break the current patterns of consumption. And it is often the marketer who will be best positioned to create this connection between business and consumers.

CONCLUSION

Purchasing organic or fair trade produce is now very easy, but making purchasing decisions about other products such as mobile phones on environmental, social or ethical grounds remains difficult. Innovation for sustainable development would inevitably lead to new product-service systems. Current consumer culture with its emphasis on ownership as a status symbol creates significant barriers to the acceptance of these new product service systems.

Although new products and services may be essential for future growth and profit,

companies must survive today to be around tomorrow. Short term financial objectives tend to focus companies on making incremental improvements that keep sales up, keep customers happy and satisfy city analysts rather than the more radical approaches that would promote innovation for sustainable development.

Transforming today’s companies into sustainable innovation stars is not a simple case of creating a new sustainable innovation tool. Product and service innovation is part of a much wider innovation system and is affected by conditions as wide ranging as government leadership on sustainable development and organisational structures within companies. Addressing the barriers to integrating sustainable development into product and service innovation, therefore, requires change to take place across the entire system; from the introduction of new tools into the immediate product development process to the integration of sustainable development objectives into innovation policy.

Sustainable development specialists (and those with equivalent positions or responsibilities) are no longer just responsible for the management of philanthropic initiatives, community engagement programs or environmental impact assessments.

Instead, in leading companies, these managers are expected to act as agents of change: to develop the structures, systems, ways of working and personal values that will support the organisation’s sustainable development objectives; and to encourage others in the company to act as enthusiastic agents of change.

References

- Aggeri, F., Pezzet E. and Alii (2005), “Organiser le Développement Durable”, Paris, Vuibert

- Asselineau, A. and Pierre Piré-Lechard (2008), “Développement Durable et Entreprise Responsable : Une voie pour l’innovation de rupture ”, Communication présentée lors des 3èmes journées Neptune, 1ère université : Réalités et Prospectives du développement durable organisationnel, ERMES, IAE de Toulon, Observatoire du développement durable, Université du Sud-Toulon-Var, Toulon, 13-14 Novembre 2008

- Bridgewater, S. and Peter Doyle (1998) “Innovation in Marketing”, Business and Economics

- Buisson, J. (2006) “La Responsabilité sociale de l’entreprise”, Economie et Management, N°119, Avril.

- Commissariat général au développement durable (2009) “Stratégie nationale du développement durable 2009-2012”, Ministère français de l’écologie, de l’énergie, du développement durable et de l’aménagement du territoire

- Cravens, D. (2006) “Strategic Marketing global challenges and Opportunities”, Handbook of Business Strategy, Vol. 7, Issue. 1, pp.63-70

- Fuller, D.A. (1999) “Sustainable Marketing”, Sage Publication, London-New Delhi

- Guignard, S.and Claire Prendleloup (2008) “Le développement durable”, Agence de l’environnement et de la maitrise de l’énergie, Service Valorisation des informations et des connaissances

- Harribey, J.M. (2004) “Développement ne rime pas forcément avec croissance”, Le Monde Diplomatique, Juillet

- Hauser, J., Gerard J.Tellis and Abbie Griffin (2006), “Research on Innovation: A Review and Agenda for Marketing Science”, Marketing Science, Volume 25, Number 6, November-December 2006, pp.687-717

- Jaffro, V. and Anne-Gaël Girrard (2008), “Responsabilité Sociale et Développement Durable, comment construire un modèle d’innovation et de collaboration pour les entreprises ” www.biggerthinking.com/sustainability/innovation

- Kates, R.W., Thomas M. Parris and Anthony A. Leiserowitz (2005) “What is Sustainable Development? Goals, Indicators, Values and Practice”, Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, Vol.47-Number 3, pp.8-21

- Lambe, P. (2003) “Marketing Innovations”, www.greenchameleon.com

- Lawrence, G. (2006) “promoting Sustainable Development: the question of Governance”, Research in Rural Sociology and Development, Vol.11, pp. 145-174

- Longhurst, J.W.S., Stephen A. Dalton and David C. Gibbs (1995) “Towards a sustainable future: Promoting Sustainable Development”, The Environmentalist, Vol.15 Number 4/ December 1995

- OECD (2001) “Sustainable Development: Critical Issues”, Policy Brief-September 2001

- Patris, C., Gerard Valenduc and Francoise Warrant (2001) “Technological Innovation fostering Sustainable Development”, Report on a Research Project at the Federal Service for scientific, technical and Cultural Affairs (SSTC), under the Levers for sustainable development programme

- Reynaud, E. (2006) “Le développement durable au cœur de l’entreprise. Pour une approche transverse du développement durable”, Dunod

- Taylor, J. (2002) “Sustainable Development: A Dubious Solution in search of a problem”, Policy Analysis Number 449- August 26, 2002

CISSE DAOUDA
International Trade Ph.D.Candidate
Zhongnan University of Economics and Law-Wuhan-CHINA
Tel:0086-13429878747
E-mail:cissedaouda2008@hotmail.com

Home Solar Power System – Excellent Alternative for Home Energy Resource

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:39:25 +0000

By: Darren Chow

Have you ever considered installing your own solar power system on your home? The use of solar energy has been considered as a very cost-efficient way of providing energy for home utilization. Since solar energy is free and considered as a renewable resource, you can greatly reduce your electricity bills. The amount of power generated by this power system depends on the wattage and total number of used solar panels. The amount of sunlight that the panels can receive can also determine the electricity that can be produced.

There are some cases in which you can earn instead of spend when using these home-based solar power energy kits. If the solar panels produce a lot more energy than what you need for your home, you have the option to sell them to energy companies. Aside from being very useful as a home energy resource, these solar panels can easily generate income without excessive effort. The electricity that you can produce can be sold to a nearby utility district.

When deciding on setting up a solar power system on your home, there are several pointers to consider prior to the installation. You may want to determine the duration in which you can benefit on the solar panels that you would install. Installing one on your home can be very beneficial if you are planning to stay on your home for a long time. However, if you have plans of moving out in the near future, you may want to give a second thought about purchasing a solar power system installation kit.

The space to where you would place the solar panels is also to be prepared before the installation. These solar panels requires at least six hours of direct sunlight for maximum efficiency in generating electricity. Due to the mere fact that the solar panels totally depend on direct sunlight, you may want to consider placing the photovoltaic system in a space with maximum sunlight exposure.

If you have difficulty on installing the solar panels on your roof, you still have the option of hiring an expert to do the installation for you. You surely do not want to expose yourself to potential danger by just climbing on your roof unprotected. Several people specialize in installing these energy devices on roofs. They would be certainly glad to help you about the installation of your solar panels. Aside from the convenience, you are also ensured that the solar panels are placed correctly and optimized for maximum sunlight exposure.

Looking for the right type of solar power system kit for your home can be very easy if you browse some helpful websites on the Internet. Several instructional materials such as e-books and journals would surely help you in acquiring these innovative home energy solution.

If you are interested in using solar power to produced electricity at home, click here to learn more.

20 Watt Solar Power – Have You Heard The News ?

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:39:25 +0000

By: Jason Gilford

If it happens to be that you are interested about 20 watt solar panels, then by all means, take a few moments to look over the following – it will surely greatly increase what you’ve learned about incorporating solar electricity into your life. What if i told you that there is a groundbreaking solution that creates useful electricity for you and your family from ordinary sunlight at a cost you can’t afford to pass up – surely you’d want the facts? Keep reading the following article.

Before the new technology came along, incorporating a solar power system into your home’s energy grid was seen as an undertaking that was out of the reach of most people, while many hoped that one day it would become more accessible. Nowadays, people frequently perform Internet searches for 20 watt solar panels, which is evidence that interest in solar energy is expanding, and there are many who look for innovative solutions in this fast-growing domain.

The latest news in this field is that this technology finally became accessible and inexpensive enough for everyone to be able to take advantage of a lifetime supply of no-cost clean energy. This technology has been around for a long time, but few people had the money to invest in getting set up with it; there was no choice but to keep on with the status quo and buy all our electricity, while paying these high bills month-by-month.

As you proceed to researching on 20 watt solar panels, It’s important to learn about a recent advancement in this area: an experienced renewable energy expert wants to expand the use of green energy by showing you how to build your own solar panels and a complete solar power system, through the use of simple and inexpensive materials that can be found anywhere. It’s actually the case that there are thousands of users across america and around the globe that already use this method not only to produce free and clean power supply, but even get paid by the power company for the extra power that they produce. Since it’s both cost-effective and environmentally-friendly, the revolutionary solution is bringing major – and long-awaited – changes to energy production as we know it.

Enjoy FREE and UNLIMITED solar-based electricity…forever!

Watch this SHOCKING Video!

Visit: EasyFreeEnergy.com

Solar Pool Covers and Reels for In-Ground Pools

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:39:24 +0000

By: Brenda Masten

With today’s concerns about the economy and the environment, the use of solar power to heat in-ground swimming pools is becoming increasingly popular among pool owners. However, while many people may wish to use the sun to heat their pool, they may not want to expend the time and money required to replace their entire heating system. In such circumstances, solar pool covers and reels for in-ground swimming pools provide an excellent compromise. In-ground solar pool covers use heat from the sun to increase and maintain a pool’s temperature, allowing pool owners to enjoy significantly reduced heating costs as well as several other benefits.

In-ground solar pool covers appear similar to bubble wrap in that they feature thousands of tiny air pockets. However, these covers are constructed from far more durable and specialized material than bubble wrap. The tiny air pockets on solar pool covers magnify the effects of the sun’s heat on the water and also serve as insulators. Some in-ground solar pool covers feature a special silver bottom layer which reflects sunlight back into the swimming pool and works together with the clear top layer to maximize the cover’s heating effects. Certain brands of solar pool blankets also utilize a unique hexagon design of the air pockets which minimizes the space between the bubbles, thereby further enhancing the cover’s heat retention and transference capabilities.

The design of the best available solar pool covers for in-ground swimming pools not only incorporates advanced technology but remarkable durability as well. Constructed from tough resins with UV stabilization, these covers are built to last and to provide solar heating year after year. In addition, high-quality solar blankets feature reinforced, flat-lying seams that will resist wear and tear and withstand repeated folding for many years of use. Since these covers are available in a variety of different thicknesses, it’s also possible to have the benefit of further enhanced durability as thicker covers offer greater strength and toughness.

Since pool covers can be quite large and cumbersome, especially for just one person, the easiest way to deal with them is by attaching them to in-ground solar pool reels. There are several different types of in-ground solar pool reels available including manual reels, electronic reels and water-powered reels. Water-powered pool reels attach to a standard garden hose and feature water-driven pistons that will automatically reel your solar cover in or out. Many in-ground solar pool reels are on wheels and can easily be moved out of the way whenever necessary. All types of these pool reels allow pool owners to use and handle in-ground solar pool covers easily and conveniently.

Solar pool covers and reels for in-ground swimming pools provide a long list of benefits and advantages. Perhaps most notably, in-ground solar pool covers help to raise and maintain water temperatures. In fact, using a solar pool blanket can raise the temperature of your pool up to 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, by preventing heat from escaping your swimming pool at night or whenever it’s not in use, solar covers can keep your pool warm while reducing your heating costs by up to 70 per cent. At the same time, you will also be helping the environment by relying more on the sun’s energy and less on non-renewable energy sources.

Using solar pool covers and reels for in-ground swimming pools also makes it easy to prevent water and chemical evaporation. By significantly lowering the amount of chemicals lost through evaporation, you will be able to save money on chemical costs and will have to spend less time balancing your pool’s chemical levels. Another great advantage of using solar pool covers is the fact that they prevent leaves and other debris from getting into the swimming pool. When a pool cover keeps your water cleaner, you won’t need to spend nearly as much time and effort vacuuming and skimming your pool before you swim.

With so many great advantages to be enjoyed, pool owners will be happy to know that solar pool covers and reels for in-ground swimming pools can be used with pools of all different shapes and sizes. Solar pool covers are available in a wide variety of sizes and many can be easily cut to fit the shape of any pool. Whether you have a kidney shaped in-ground pool or an unusual, custom shaped pool, you can still take advantage of the many benefits of solar pool blankets. Best of all, in-ground solar pool reels and covers provide an excellent and very economical way for pool owners with many different budgets to invest in solar power.

Brenda Masten is an experienced pool owner. She provides information about solar pool covers and reels for in-ground pools. She explains how to save money on pool heating by using solar pool covers and reels for swimming pools.

Solar Power Energy at Home – Save Thousands

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:39:24 +0000

By: Baguiobizz

There are three feasible energy providers other than crude oil and coal. They are the wind, sun(solar power), and nuclear plant.

The solar energy is a free source of electricity. We basically receive sunlight everyday so it is wise to put sunlight into good use. Unlike gasoline, solar energy does not produce a by-product that harms the environment. The solar energy will let you save more, do more and conserve more. You can have a solar generator at your own home right now.

Save More

Installing solar panels at your house may be a little expensive at first. But once you get to run the equipment, you will be able to spend a little or no money in the next months.

Do more

Since the electricity you receive is from the sun, you have the opportunity to use more electricity at lesser cost. This ensures productivity.

Solar energy at home allows you to make a solar cooker. A solar cooker basically cooks food without the need of fuel. The small container can cook meals for up to 5 people. You can boil, roast, bake, and even fry in it. Food may take time to cook in the solar cooker but given that it saves me on the fuel, I’d rather catch the opportunity.

Solar home lighting allows you to store solar energy for later use. The solar panels have cells that trap the energy and are readily utilized when you need a light.

During those cold nights, you might just want to avail of the solar heating system. Today’s solar heating panels are aesthetically pleasing so you can decorate your house with it without looking like a laboratory. It is a bit expensive but your investment will return in 3 to 4 years and you will enjoy a free hot bath after that.

Conserve More

By using solar energy, you will help in preserving the non renewable sources of energy. You also save the environment from pollution caused by burning of fuel. It’s time to move today while it is not yet too late.

Discover how you can lower your electric bill by up to 80% – Home Built Wind Power Generator