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Fuel prices are on the rise. The price of petrol at the pumps has peaked to record highs, and some experts are warning that the record could be broken intermittently over the next eight years.

So it seems that high costs are going nowhere. And the current price of fuel is one very accountable effect of the decline in the world’s oil and fossil fuel reserves.

Not only are current energy systems harming the environment, then; they are also hitting consumers where it hurts. More than ever, the need for sustainable energy - and demand to have it implemented.

Renewable and sustainable power can reduce the price of energy consumption on a national and personal level; supply and demand dictates that - if the systems were fully implemented - sustainable energy would more than likely be sold at a cheaper price than current fuel prices, and those who install it for personal consumption can see money saved through energy saving itself.

So, as the government steps up its production of sustainable power - and families begin to develop similar systems for their own houses - it is important to know what types of energy are out there.

Here, then, is a brief introduction to the main types of sustainable and renewable energy.

Solar Power:

When most people think of sustainability, they think of solar power. It does exactly what it says on the tin; ‘photovoltaics’ - the most common method for gathering solar energy, and more commonly known as ’solar panels’ - absorbs solar rays from the sun, and convert them into electricity. So it is possible to light and heat your house with solar power.

Wind Power:

This, as you would expect, is less easy to install for individual houses. It converts wind into electricity through turbines, but it takes a number of turbines in unison to draw out substantial amounts of energy. It accounts for 19% of Denmark’s annual energy output, and also has a fairly substantial output in Portugal in Spain. That said, wind power currently only counts for 1% of the world’s total electricity usage. Plans for Europe’s largest wind farm have been granted approval, and is to be built in Scotland.

Bioenergy:

This takes various forms, but can generally speaking be characterised as energy that is converted from biological sources. So wood, manure or straw are all common raw materials for conversion into bioenergy. A sub-type of bioenergy is biofuel, which uses the same process, but has fuel rather than electricity as an end product. The same can be said for biogas, which breaks down the raw materials and is redistributed as gas.

There are other sustainable energy sources available, but these three are the main types, and they are the ones that most of the world’s governments have implemented, begun developing, or have plans to in the future.

So, with oil prices going up, and world governments looking to invest in sustainable power, get ready to swap coal plants for solar panels and oil depots for wind farms.

Chris Woolfrey is the sustainable power expert at EcoSwitch The environmental social network.

WILIBOX ports embedded Linux wireless platform with enterprise
and telecom grade feature set to a widely available 802.11
hardware platforms

Kaunas, Lithuania - November 23, 2005 - WILIBOX, embedded
Linux and IEEE 802.11 specialists ported the embedded Linux
software platform WILI-S to an affordable 802.11 hardware
platform based on Atheros System on Chip.

The combination of highly functional WILI-S software platform
and industry standard mass produced hardware opens new horizons
for the wide deployment of 802.11 networks implementing
functions and network structures earlier available only on
expensive enterprise and carrier grade wireless devices and
pushing enterprise/carrier grade wireless networking equipment
street price to sub $100 level.

The Demo version of WILI-S for Atheros AR2313 chipset based on
Wistron Neweb CA8-1, CA8-4 802.11 a/g hardware is available for
download and evaluation on www.wilibox.com site. The
evaluation guide provides information for quick evaluation of
WILI-S functionality on CA8-4/1 including step-by-step
instructions on how to upload WILI-S and how to backup and
restore original CA8-4/1 firmware.

WILI-S on AR2313 supports up to 16 multiple BSSID (Virtual AP),
per BSSID security settings, including WEP/WPA/WPA2 PSK and
Enterprise (RADIUS), 802.1X, intra access point user isolation,
per BSSID VLAN tagging, WEB login, dynamic white and black lists
for walled garden forming and guest access, IP routing,
bridging, stateful inspection firewall. Secure WDS capabilities
together with WILI-S client mode (STA) functionality in open,
WPA/WPA2 PSK and Enterprise modes make WILI-S a platform of
choice for wireless CPE, PtMP bridges. The extensive client mode
(STA) support on the affordable hardware platforms allows
incorporating 802.11 networking capabilities into telemetry,
utility metering and multimedia devices.

More information on the features and application scenarios can
be found in WILI-S User’s Guide, which together with the sample
configuration files is available for download on company’s WEB
site.

WILI provides functionality and flexible management options for
the large-scale Enterprise, ISP and Wireless Public Access
networks. The platform is targeting WISPs, telecom operators and
OEM, ODM manufacturers.

WILI-S is available immediately under flexible licensing schemes
starting from single device license and ending with royalty free
platform acquisition. Our experienced team of software
engineers, which have developed and support WILI-S software,
will customize and expand WILI-S user and management interfaces
as well as will provide integration services of WILI-S based and
customer’s 802.11 networking equipment on the request under
attractive conditions.

About WILIBOX:

WILIBOX is a leading wireless networking specialist providing
embedded Linux software platform for 802.11 wireless networks as
well as flexible management system for WISPs, telecom operators
and OEM, ODM wireless devices manufacturers. WILIBOX is a
privately held company located in Kaunas, Lithuania. Find more
information at www.wilibox.com.

WILIBOX Contact

press@wilibox.com

+370 37 759007

WILIBOX, WILI and RCMS are trademarks of WILIBOX company. Other
brands and names are the property of their respective owners.