As a householder, you will be well aware that energy prices have been rising, and the situation has reached crisis level as many property owners are financially stretched by the effort to keep their homes and families warm. The good news is that there are solutions available to reduce the price of energy for consumers, and technology is playing a big role in delivering those solutions.

Energy costs have been rising in part because the stocks of fossil fuels that we have been taking for granted for so long – coal, oil, and gas – are rapidly depleting. As in any market, supply and demand combine to determine prices, and in the energy market prices have been rising as supplies of fossil fuels become depleted. A consequence of the fall in fossil fuel stocks is that there has been a switch towards renewable energy – solar and wind power being two such examples. Renewables certainly have a key role to play in the provision of alternative energy supplies, but at the household level the capital investment required to install a renewable energy solution can be expensive and beyond your means if you are operating on a tight budget.

Nonetheless, the technology behind renewable energy sources is certainly impressive. Think of renewables, and wind and solar power spring readily to mind, but another renewable solution is biomass energy. You could say that biomass is the oldest form of renewable energy, as it has been available since humankind first learnt of the power of fire.

Energy Crisis & Technology

In recent years, advanced biomass techniques have become more feasible. Biomass energy comes from organic matter, including wood, the residue from crops, and even garbage. Developments in technology are allowing some biomass products to be converted into liquid fuel, which can then be used in trucks, cars, and tractors.

At the other end of the spectrum, some scientists are working on projects to harness antimatter for energy production. Antimatter science is very new but there are those who claim that mixing just half a gram of antimatter with an equal measure of matter would create the same level of energy that was produced by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

Just as technology is driving the development of renewable energy solutions, so too is it playing a part in the availability of energy saving gadgets that you will find much less expensive to buy and install. Energy saving light bulbs are a great example of an affordable home energy savings solution.

Energy cost solutions do not have to be complex. Something as simple as home insulation can go a long way toward helping a typical household cut back on its energy costs. By properly insulating windows, to use one example, you can reduce greatly the amount of heat that is escaping from your property. Wooden shutters are a great solution for preventing heat loss through your windows. In addition, wooden shutters come in many different designs and represent a stylish addition to your home.

In the battle to solve the energy prices crisis, each of us has a responsibility to play our part, and energy conservation begins at home.