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Health
As early as 2003, scientific research has demonstrated the efficiency and efficacy of therapies formerly known as "alternative therapies". Among other laboratories, Yale have demonstrated medical successes such as a remarkable link between Buddhist meditation, and an increase in cortical thickness (and in the number of brain cells) of patients. Currently, no known pharmaceutical technology obtains that result. Similarly, results have been obtained regarding diabetes treatment using Ayurvedic methods, mixtures of non-refined plants in this case. This report, like many, states clearly that oriental medical practices have not been rigorously researched to this day, and shows a vast potential for improvement of occidental medicine.
Other well-known members of the scientific community, such as acclaimed nuclear physicist John Hagelin, and several private or public clinics, have also obtained promising results, and due to these observations, many laboratories currently investigate different medical traditions with an increasing interest. Furthermore, a number of non-pharmaceutical therapies, such as psychology, have already become mainstream in our societies, due to empirical results and elaboration.
And pharmaceutical therapies often imply many negative side effects, in order to achieve the improvement of one single condition. Clearly, this is far from being ideal, and we believe that, whenever possible, pharmaceutical medication should be limited and replaced. Because of this, and as a response to the increasing challenges of health care worldwide regarding, also, logistics and costs, we have decided to share our long experience with those practices, and provide guidance regarding the choice of one or more non-pharmaceutical therapies, as well as a meta-directory of therapists with consistent success in their respective areas of expertise.
In oriental traditions such as Shaolin Chi-Gong, self-healing is considered the finest and fastest way to heal a person. It is cost-effective, and the easiest method to teach and apply. For these reasons, we have also decided to publish detailed tutorials about self healing as taught in Buddhist traditions.
Directories
Self Healing
Tutorials based on Buddhist medical traditions.
World
Occupational therapy studies and develops appropriate movements to accompany and stimulate the regenerative processes of a patient's body and mind - a better life through better "occupation", learning often overlooked skills like the breathing rhythm suitable for a given movement. Because the body is strengthened through activity, rather than diminished or eroded.
Occupational therapy encompasses practices like physiotherapy, qigong, psychotherapy, and other medical systems based on the idea that activity augments physical and mental function.
Qigong is the ancient Chinese art of using movements, and meditative states, to improve vitality and physical condition. It has been used to heal the finest martial artists for centuries, effectively, is currently being researched with promising results, and promoted worldwide by this association which offers a comprehensive database and directory of therapists and teachers.
America
A private foundation devoted to health in two specific countries, and globally, through a network of fine healers from a variety of schools of thought.
Naturopathy is about offering natural, non-intrusive solutions to health impairments. It is recommended, thus, for long-term changes in lifestyle, and its positive impact on physical health problems such as blood pressure regulation, and chronic diseases like allergy.
We also recommend it as a gateway to other non-pharmaceutical therapies, itself focused primarily on physical symptoms of a pathology, ultimately also stimulating the conscious mind. The American Association of Naturopathic Physicans provides a comprehensive directory, and detailed guidance about practitioners in the United States.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming is a particular discipline, related to both psychology and hypnosis, based on the study of successful communicators. The original observation of common patterns and ideas by successful communicators led NLP founders to exploring and defining models of the mind.
These models allow people to rapidly and easily change unwanted thought patterns and habits, for example, phobias. For this reason, they are used in marketing, sales, management, and as an aid to psychological methods which deal with behaviour and changes in behaviour : NLP is all about transitioning from any state of mind to the desired state of mind.
A portal about acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. Features a directory of over 30,000 therapists, and detailed information about other disciplines of traditional Chinese medicine such as Tuina, Chi-Gong, acupressure, and herbal medicine.
Australia
South Africa
United Kingdom
Psychology, unlike psychiatry, focuses purely on psychological challenges to the well-being of patients. As an advantage over other (American, Canadian, Australian..) national associations of the same kind, the British Psychological Society offers an accreditation process, certifications to support the application of health standards, a broad range of free publications, and a comprehensive directory of practitioners.
Glossary
Terminology
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Chi, Ki, Qi, Ruach, Ether, Energy, Magnetism, Prana - is recognized across traditions as the force which sustains life. It is often defined as the breath of life. We refer to it as "ether" in this directory, and as prana in our tutorial series. The terms energy and magnetism do not refer to the corresponding notions in physics.
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Chakras - are centers of the etheric body, associated to hormonal glands and nervous activity centers, which regulate the flow of ether through the lower bodies. Each chakra is associated to a set of psychological and physical characteristics.
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Nadis - are interwoven channels which compose the etheric body.
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Meridians - are the equivalent of nadis in some traditional medical systems, particularly those of China. Their places of intersection form minor centers of the etheric body called acupressure points (acupoints) or nodes. Although of lesser importance than chakras, these centers form an important part of therapies based on application of pressure, heat, or puncture.
Categories
[Read more..]
for the physical body
for the conscious mind (etheric body)
for the unconscious mind (mental body)
for deeper emotional trauma (emotional body)
Traditions and techniques.
Acupressure
Acupressure is the practice of manipulating centers of the etheric body, using manual pressure. See also : acupuncture.
Read more about Acupressure [TOC]Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the practice of applying needles to centers of the etheric body (see our classification) in order to stimulate and manipulate the flow of ether. It is similar to all other etheric therapies in that regard, however, due to the precision necessitated by needles, it takes years of practice to be able to accurately evaluate the location of these centers in any patient's body. For this reason, we recommend selecting therapists who have worked with acupressure and/or acupuncture for several years. Acupuncture is officially recognized by the World Health Organization and has numerous benefits, yet may present minor risks, depending on the competence of the therapist.
Read more about Acupuncture [TOC]Anmo
See also : Tuina. While Anmo is the former name of Tuina, modern practitioners of anmo may refer to extended practice, using herbal medicine in addition to treating external symptoms through massage.
Read more about Anmo [TOC]Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy uses aroma compounds from plants to improve a person's health. Many of the essential oils and substances involved are appropriate to treat microbes (in a manner similar to the "Tiger balm" for example), and aromatherapy has other scientifically acknowledged benefits, such as improvements to mood and overall psychological condition of patients. Therapists distance themselves from a commercial and synthetic production and distribution, which they discourage, and insist on preparing and using natural compounds exclusively.
Read more about Aromatherapy [TOC]Ayahuasca
The term Ayahuasca refers to a family of shamanic ritual beverages made using the Caapi, or Yage vine which contains DMT, and a plant with an MAO inhibitor. In many countries, the consumption of DMT and therefore, of Ayahuasca, is illegal. However, in the ritual shamanic context, and only in such a context and under expert guidance, Ayahuasca can be highly beneficial for the treatment of addictions, and conditions which involve a low activity of serotonine receptors, such as depression and anxiety disorders.
Read more about Ayahuasca [TOC]Ayurveda
Ayurveda is an Indian medical system which seeks to prevent ailments by balancing the patient's lifestyle. The impressive body of Ayurvedic knowledge contains over 1000 preparations, herbal or mineral, of which many have been scientifically validated as an aid to the treatment of pathologies as complex as diabetes. Preparations made according to the tradition are highly recommended since, unfortunately, the industrial production of Ayurvedic remedies has caused unwanted incidents in the past.
Read more about Ayurveda [TOC]Buddhist meditation
The Buddhist traditions offer a variety of meditation techniques used to channel ether in order to improve health. These are already used to accompany psychotherapy, and considered for the treatment of physical diseases. See also : Tantra.
Read more about Buddhist meditation [TOC]Chi-Gong / Chi-Kung
Chi-Gong, referred to also as Qigong or Chi-Kung, is the art of managing and channeling ether, chi in Chinese tradition, to improve health and vitality. Chi-Gong is used by martial arts experts in China to heal their combat wounds among other purposes.
Read more about Chi-Gong / Chi-Kung [TOC]Chiropractic
A physical therapy applied through manipulation of the spine, Chiropractic is controversial from the perspective of science, yet commonly used nowadays, and seems to function as a synthesis of acupuncture, and massage therapies. Chiropractic doesn't refer to the etheric body, and has been elaborated in occident, empirically. Yet it can be used to treat physical, etheric, and mental conditions.
Read more about Chiropractic [TOC]Chromotherapy
Chromotherapy, controversial, seeks to stimulate the activity of the etheric body using colors and lights.
Read more about Chromotherapy [TOC]Crystal/gemstone therapy
While crystals have not been investigated by science (their efficiency is neither proved, nor disproved), they may be used as prisms for ether, and as an aid to the activity of the etheric body. Different crystals will channel ether, for different categories of impairments, and should be worn as jewels, or kept close to the patient.
Read more about Crystal/gemstone therapy [TOC]Fango
Fango, the application of hot mud on the body, may have a temporary soothing effect for some physical, muscular conditions.
Read more about Fango [TOC]Herbalism
A form of occidental traditional therapy, herbalism may be highly effective to treat certain ailments. Cases of adverse reactions have been recorded, due to the absence of formal regulation, and the competence of the therapist, difficult to estimate at first, is the key factor to both the safety and efficiency of treatments. A competent herbalist, however, may offer low cost and non-intrusive solutions to a broad range of impairments.
Read more about Herbalism [TOC]Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a form of lightweight herbal therapy, based on the dilution of plants and minerals into comestible fluids or tablets. In some specific cases, homeopathy is effective, however, scientific evidences suggest that it often acts as a placebo.
Read more about Homeopathy [TOC]Hypnotherapy
Commonly used in psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, through hypnosis, enables direct communication between the therapist, and the patient's subconscious mind. This often allows fast healing of mental and etheric body impairments.
Read more about Hypnotherapy [TOC]Moxibustion
Moxibustion is performed through the combustion and application of moxa, a plant, on vital points of the body. It is an element of traditional Tibetan medicine which acts as an aid to the flow of ether and blood in the organism. It is believed to be a form of early acupuncture, which it probably predates.
Read more about Moxibustion [TOC]Naturopathy
Naturopathy encompasses several methods considered as non-intrusive, and generally, proposes strictly natural solutions to health conditions based on individual characteristics (blood type namely). From a person's diet to massages, etheric therapies, and even acupuncture, naturopathy combines approaches in order to maximize the effect of a treatment.
Read more about Naturopathy [TOC]Neuro-linguistic programming
Neuro-linguistic programming is the "science of perception". While difficult to validate in experimental conditions, NLP offers a set of tools to literally reprogram habits and behaviors through communication, and is used, as such, in management, marketing, sales, drug rehabilitation, and many other areas - including psychotherapy.
Read more about Neuro-linguistic programming [TOC]Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy promotes movement as a healing method, relying on the natural tendency of the body to increase in vitality through activity. Physiotherapy, for example, is part of the disciplines of occupational therapy.
Read more about Occupational therapy [TOC]Osteopathy
Related to Chiropractic, "Osteopathic principles teach that treatment of the musculoskeletal system (bones, muscles and joints) facilitates the recuperative powers of the body." As a preventive therapy, it can also improve the condition of the etheric body.
Read more about Osteopathy [TOC]Physiotherapy
See "Occupational therapy".
Read more about Physiotherapy [TOC]Psychiatry
"Psychiatry is a medical specialty officially devoted to the treatment and study of mental disorders." However, the treatment aspect of psychiatry often involves physical approaches (heavy medication or electric stimulation). In our experience, this is not appropriate for impairments of etheric, mental, and emotional bodies. Furthermore, it is unusually difficult to document therapeutic successes of psychiatry.
For these reasons, we strongly discourage consulting psychiatrists for personal treatment, and strongly encourage psychologists specialized in psychotherapy instead.
Read more about Psychiatry [TOC]Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a specialization of psychology (the science which studies the psyche) which focuses on improving the well-being of patients through an interpersonal relationship with their therapist. As opposed to psychiatry, it is highly effective without involving pharmaceutical medication.
Read more about Psychotherapy [TOC]Qigong
See Chi-Gong.
Read more about Qigong [TOC]Reiki
Reiki is a form of etheric healing developed in Japan in 1922. More recent than similar predecessors like Qigong, or Buddhist and Tantric meditation, Reiki healing is already widely spread.
Read more about Reiki [TOC]Shamanism
Shamanism refers to a broad range of spiritual and medical tribal traditions, including, and not limited, to the Norse, Latin America, Celts, Oriental countries, and aboriginal traditions of America and Australia. Empiric testing over generations, and preservation of a strict legacy in these various traditions, albeit oral, results in surprising effects, solutions and conclusions, mostly, regarding herbal therapy. The following article discusses such results from the perspective of biochemistry.
Read more about Shamanism [TOC]Sound therapy
Sound therapy uses music and sound to vitalize the etheric body.
Read more about Sound therapy [TOC]Tantra
The tantric Buddhist tradition benefits aspects of both Indian therapies, and the rich Buddhist set of meditation and health best practices. It offers, among other benefits, subtle healing massage techniques, and the wealth of therapeutic meditations and etheric approaches common to many Buddhist traditions.
Read more about Tantra [TOC]Theta healing
A recent therapeutic system, Theta healing, while some practitioners have wild, controversial claims about instant results, expands on other etheric and spiritual healing traditions, offering benefits equivalent to more ancient approaches, such as Buddhist meditation.
Read more about Theta healing [TOC]Traditional Tibetan Medicine
Traditional Tibetan medicine exposes characteristics of Ayurveda, namely, regarding inner balance and herbal medication, and Chinese traditional medicine. It is suitable to heal any of the four bodies in our classification.
Read more about Traditional Tibetan Medicine [TOC]Tuina
Tuina is the generic term for an external healing technique of Traditional Chinese medicine, often used in combination with qigong, or acupuncture. Tuina massages, very firm, are recommended to prevent and treat physical diseases.
Read more about Tuina [TOC]Unani
Unani is a Persian medical system, similar to Ayurveda.
Read more about Unani [TOC]
FAQ
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On science and non-pharmaceutical therapies
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Selecting therapies
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Selecting therapists
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Self healing
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Classification
A variety of non-pharmaceutical therapies, some ancient, some recent, are available nowadays. Many of them, while using different terminologies and models, tend to offer equivalent approaches. Some of these therapies, unfortunately, should be discouraged, while others offer consistent results and can be used to successfully heal complex pathologies.
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Important : transition to non-pharmaceutical solutions gradually in cases of chronic diseases such as diabetes, or other impairments which require daily attention. In these cases, make sure changes in health condition are stable over a reasonable amount of time before lowering the intake of pharmaceutical solutions.
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It is advised to select more than one therapy, and address ailments on more than the symptomatic, physical level. In fact, the body's immune system, under optimal conditions (given sufficient time and resources to adapt to a threat), is able to handle all imbalances and challenges. Therefore, a chronic disease, or a tendency to catch a given disease repeatedly, suggest root causes beyond physical symptoms.
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Working on the physical and etheric bodies at once can resolve most impairments. In all schools of thought, including occidental medicine, therapists believe the root cause of many diseases is a combination of mental and physical factors. This has been proved, for example, for back pains (often related to stress), or intestinal difficulties (apparently linked to social anxiety), and is being actively researched regarding other health impairments. For these reasons we highly recommend, for chronic physical diseases, to address the physical condition itself, and also, to explore and heal relevant areas of the conscious mind (etheric body - see our classification system).
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We recommend selecting therapies you feel attracted to. It is easier to progress when the patient and therapist enjoy exchanging and communicating, and selecting therapies which seem consistent with your belief system facilitates this. For example, if you enjoy martial arts, Chinese methods such as Chi-Gong or Tuina might be the way to go, and an opportunity for you to further explore the development of these traditions alongside martial arts.
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Obtain reliable information about the therapies you have selected. In the context of Ayurveda, for example, many scientific research papers are freely available, and the original methodology itself is freely available. A brief look at information specific to the relevant ailment will help you validate the work performed by a therapist, and some of the hundreds of recommended solutions of this tradition could be prepared at home.
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Favour the traditional approach to your healing methods of choice. For example, production of industrial medicines based on Ayurvedic teachings has sometimes caused unwanted incidents, while ritual preparation of such solutions has often raised interest in the scientific community - due to clear results on challenging pathologies. Similarly, the Ayahuasca experience with trained shamen doesn't compare to the occidentalized practice, for the natural context itself influences results.
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Patience and perseverance will help you assess the effect of a therapy. While many of the therapies listed in this directory can be used to rapidly heal simple physical diseases, such as a flu, more complex pathologies require some time and sustained work. Do not persist with a therapy/therapist if you see no noticeable progress over a reasonable amount of time, but do not expect, or demand, a one shot, miracle solution either - from any form of medicine. A wise and experienced healer will rarely promise, or sell, such solutions for they only exist for a few cases, and reclaiming the "one shot fix" might put a strain on genuine practitioners.
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We have observed the resolution of extremely severe impairments, typically, reconstruction of nervous tissue over a few months, yielding recovery from paralysis : we do believe that whenever there is living tissue to work with, an appropriate combination of therapies can restore full capabilities. But we also believe patience and perseverance are needed to obtain these results.
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Choose therapists who work out of compassion. Compassion is the single most important characteristic of health experts, and this is true across traditions. The priority of your therapist should be to make quality health care available to as many people as possible. This ensures their dedication. Generally, their pricing formula reflects this choice, with low to medium fees and, in cases where long term support is needed, accommodations, and for some of them, compensation being left to the patient's appreciation.
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Trust experience, not diplomas. While many occidentalized schools have appeared and do deliver licenses, such licenses do not, in most cases, reflect the actual competence of a therapist. This is partly due to the lack of public teaching methodologies, which are being defined at the moment for therapies like acupuncture. It is therefore advised to seek for recommendations, or try to assess the personal experience of the therapist with related disciplines (acupressure and Tuina for acupuncture practitioners, for example - see our glossary for more).
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Be wary of over-commitment. While we firmly believe that wherever there is living tissue, healing can restore organs to full capability, "one shot" solutions apply to rare cases, and methods and techniques exposed in this guide generally involve a latency between application and effect.
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Be wary of under-commitment. Therapists who pretend they can't heal you might be trying to avoid the responsibility of fully carrying through with their assistance. In reality, whenever there is living tissue, there always is a way to improve the condition and completely recover.
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Be ready to actively take part in the healing process. Devoting one to two hours a day to any regular activity which supports health in general, and a specific condition, is easy (for example, by applying health care principles to nutrition) and beneficial. See our self healing tutorials for more.
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Take recommendations from your favourite therapists. They generally know a few competent colleagues, often, from complementary backgrounds.
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The Chakra System - the essential element of many healing traditions.
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Chakra cleansing overview - how to prepare one's own chakra system for self-healing.
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Pranic breathing - an additional technique for wellness and self-healing.
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Self-healing and healing basics - general guidelines and a case study.
To highlight which therapies are suitable for a given category of impairments, we use the four icons described here. The classification we propose is based on the Buddhist models of individuality, as well as Carl Jung's model of the human psyche.
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The physical body is the "action body", the one intended to directly interact with its environment.
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The etheric body, or astral body in non-pharmaceutical healing traditions, represents the conscious mind, and is tightly interconnected with the physical body. Reportedly, actions performed on either of the physical or etheric bodies directly impact the other. However, alterations of the etheric body generally must be repeated and sustained for some time in order to "sink into" the physical form, whereas alterations of the physical form immediately reflect on the etheric body.
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The mental body represents unconscious impulses. Analytic psychology refers to the sum of these impulses as the unconscious mind. These are the individual drives which cause the creation of conscious forms (ideas), then transposed to actions by the physical body.
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The emotional body represents all emotions which provoke mental impulses, and reflects the collective unconscious - the common trends underlying all responses of living beings, and of a given species. For example, the desires for friendship, kinship, and partnership, Universal.
Nature
All over the world, we have recently witnessed catastrophes, within a few months, which outreached most occurrences measured in the past. Several crucial species are in danger, and nature conservation has clearly become a concern and a top priority for humankind as a whole.
Because in order to survive as a species, the very laws of nature state we have to achieve fitness - a matter of "survival of the fittest" as observed by Darwin.
And in our days and times, for the billions of sentient specimens on the planet, this fitness expands beyond the individual existence. it is not a law which applies to one person amidst a group anymore, it is a law which applies to complex, interconnected structures we define as societies.
Vegetation
Changes effected by a single person, relayed by high-end communication devices, are immediately accessible to the whole, impacting the whole, radiating to organizations which can amplify their original effect. As we adjust our ways - then reflected by hundreds of millions of our peers - we become able to alter the boundaries of nature and define them. And this freedom implies responsibility.
Clearly, fitness, nowadays, is achieved by finding ways to produce resources in harmony with the existing environment. Because if repeated and echoed by our peers, only actions conducted in harmony with the environment will STAY safe and remain viable as they become global processes. If ten million people act to recycle one plastic bottle each - ten million plastic bottles will have been spared. If the same persons spare ten kilowatts a day...
At a time in our history when our maturity allows us to create and modify features of our environment, we MUST learn to do so responsibly, in order to reap the benefits of this freedom - and avoid becoming victims of the consequences of bad environmental policies and practices.
References :
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/11/plant-family-values/
http://www.cell.com/trends/plant-science/abstract/S1360-1385(03)00302-9 
Wildlife
Biodiversity is, in and of itself, an important resource. The variety of existing species can inspire our researches and lead us to new tracks in a broad range of activities, for example regarding medicine and new therapeutic solutions.
Because evolution and ecology depend on complex processes, these processes and their components should be preserved. For example, we have seen that the industrial processing of species and meat, since it creates bacteriologically and genetically active environments, "gene soups", also favors mutations and the development of new viruses, and other biological threats.
The example of bees is compelling also : who would have imagined that such a tiny and common animal could be vital to the whole agricultural industry? Without bees, many plants cannot reproduce themselves. Without bees, droughts would rapidly devastate even the greenest areas of our planet. A single element is clearly necessary to the function of the whole of its environment. A single species can make a difference of this magnitude.
While it is crucial to preserve biodiversity and this fragile balance, in many ways, we keep diminishing it, destroying it, thus reducing our own range of options for survival - and exposing ourselves to potential health problems, or large scale biological catastrophes.
Just as there are ways to protect vegetation, and to benefit from sustaining its development, there are ways to support and co-exist with wildlife. Dolphins are an excellent example of potential "partners for the future" : they are known to save lives spontaneously, and their ability to heal complex ailments still startles scientists.
Other species, some spiders and caterpillars namely, still hold the secrets of subtle materials and pharmaceutical products : can we afford losing assets of this importance? Can we afford losing even one of the treasures of nature which surround us? No. Our own survival depends on the survival of the entire ecosystem we evolve in. We can play with its boundaries and nature, as long as we do not dislodge components from their intended purpose (as discussed in this article about Shamanism and molecular biology).
We should preserve its subtle characteristics, and learn to use them productively, without destroying specimens - because, ultimately, destroying living species damages ourselves and our societies.
In addition to bees, another recent example of such self-defeating abuses is found in Japan. In Taiji, the tragic way dolphins are slaughtered and consumed led to a massive mercury intoxication. And this is currently continuing, until we all decide to put an end to similar excesses. Until we decide that we deserve better than mercury-packed meat obtained by processing a species which could - literally - save our lives.
To conclude this talk, we would like to quote a simple, and self-explanatory example of the wise and harmonious use of natural resources to create prosperity : Willie Smitts re-growing a rainforest in a few years. We believe this is the standard we should set for the well-being of our planet, and ourselves.
Energy
Saving money and energy the easy way
Due to the current challenges of demography and renewable energies, a small investment in new equipment to reduce energy costs might prove worthwhile, for consumers worldwide. Because saving energy is also about saving money. And it has become easy with the help of several technologies and public grants and initiatives.
Not only do some technologies offer possibilities for unlimited energy (for example, geothermal power), companies and individuals can already proactively reduce their electricity and heating bills, and prepare for a future where more effective systems will consume less, and work in harmony with the environment. At best, in some cases, some consumers might even find ways to earn from their domestic energy production. We offer, in this article, guidelines to help you make the most of these emerging technologies.
Key advances
Key advances and research in energy technologies
Globally, three key advances can help us achieve a low, smartly distributed, and entirely sustainable energy consumption : Geothermal Energy, Smart Energy Grids, and LED lighting solutions.
Geothermal energy
Geothermal power is produced using the internal heat of the planet, converted to electricity. There are two categories of geothermal power installations : one recovers heated fluids close to the magma of our planet, for large scale usage. A similar small scale approach can be used to simply recover heat stored in shallow grounds, for households or small factory heating needs.
One of the benefits of geothermal energy is that small scale installations may be used to directly address one of the most important challenges of energy economy : heating. One of the problems of geothermal energy is that it must be deployed with caution, and might need carbon capture to prevent pollution, as large scale plants may cause a small amount of vapors to be released into the atmosphere. See
National Geographic : Underground power and
Wikipedia : Geothermal power for more information.
Smart energy grids
Smart grids are the "Internet of Energy". Through a system of smart meters, which make the energy consumption of any home appliance visible to the grid provider, and to special electronic devices, the goal of such systems is to evenly use all available energy on a network. Smart grids route and dispatch electricity according to needs and usage.
This includes domestic energy (produced by domestic users, for example using idle solar panels, or wind or water turbines), as well as many larger power plants - mostly using sustainable and clean energy sources.
The vision, being actively developed, is an abstract and uniform "energy cloud" rather than households connected to limited "batteries". Any and all energy sources can then be plugged back into that cloud to refuel it.
The drawback is complete transparency for energy and grid providers, since the whole network is aware of energy consumption at device level. Clearly, users should be cautious about the conditions set forth by their preferred providers and demand an even cost, based on volumes, never on device types or other specific details.
Types of renewable energies used on smart grids :
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Geothermal power - Read more about small scale geothermal power
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Wind power - Read more about small scale wind power
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Water power - Read more about micro-hydro energy
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Solar power - Read more about small scale solar power
See also the European
Supersmart grid and the
American Smart Grid initiative, for examples of continental policies on the development of smart grids.
LED lighting
LED light allows huge savings while increasing the overall quality of lighting, for companies and households alike. Thanks to the investments and efforts of many organizations, LED technology, still slightly expensive for the public today, will be available at low prices a few months from now.
A variation of LED, using separate red and blue components, allows indoor growth of vegetables and plants, with performances superior, for a 90W installation, to a regular 400W sodium lamp.
Many companies already use LED systems to reduce their costs for large scale lighting, and the technology further extends to television and monitors, promising important savings on electricity consumption for the years to come. See the
Philips Color Kinetics showcase for more information.
Other possibilities
Solar energy
Solar energy, as shown in this video, is suitable, in some areas, for industrial usage and public distribution, and can be extended to all exposed surfaces on the planet. Home owners and companies, depending on their office locations and structure, should also consider using
solar windows.
For an accurate estimate of the capacity of a solar installation, we recommend measuring energy levels over the course of a year, or referring to recent figures, if available, for the target location. See charts and tools for solar potential calculation. Finally, many other domestic applications of solar energy can be considered, for example, swimming pool heating systems.
Wood and biomass energy
Biomass and wood, when used appropriately, represent an important resource - as demonstrated in this example, where regular fuel boilers are replaced by biomass boilers, vastly lowering the corresponding carbon footprint. Some countries like Denmark already extensively, and publicly, use biomass power for an important part of their energy needs.
The drawback of biomass energy is that it can be depleted, through excessive use and deforestation. To avoid this, energy sources such as the geothermal solution, shallow or deep, should also be considered when using wood or biomass power.
Read more on biomass boilers.
Water power
Water power is a promising, clean energy source, based on using water movements, tides and waves, to produce electricity. Because of the amount of water on our planet, this technology has the potential to provide infinite, environment friendly energy.
Another advantage of water power, even for households, is that production rates remains relatively constant over time (while solar and wind power production rates vary depending on external factors). If there is running water on your property, a
micro-hydro installation could cover an important share, and in some cases even, the whole of your electricity consumption.
Wind farms
In some areas, wind farms are an interesting solution for industrial energy needs. On the other hand, while domestic wind turbines are evolving, they still require favorable conditions to perform adequately. Thanks to public figures and tools, US residents can rapidly estimate how well a domestic wind turbine would serve them. If figures are not available, as in the case of solar power, we recommend measuring wind speeds on site for a year before investing in actual equpiment.
Even if domestic usage currently is limited, the wind power potential of the planet exceeds our energy needs, and large scale farms may produce enough electricity for thousands of households. For this reason, in many countries, the development of wind farms, and the distribution of domestic turbines are supported by public grants, like other clean technologies listed above (geothermal, solar, and water based - and in some areas, biomass also).
Carbon capture
Carbon capture is a tool to mitigate the small environmental impact of geothermal power, and generally, carbon levels in our atmosphere. By injecting vapors freshly emitted by fossil fuels or other sources back into the ground, it can also help heat conservation and assist geothermal power plants in reducing their carbon footprint. Read more on carbon capture.
Hybrid cars
Hybrid cars have become an interesting alternative to regular cars, due to the recent variations in petrol prices. They are competitive with many standard models, and offer several long term advantages to their counterparts (reduced maintenance and fuel costs). See this detailed guide to hybrid cars for more information.
Programmable Thermostats
Heating is one of the most important ways in which we consume energy, and can easily be managed by installing programmable thermostats. They allow a proper balance of heat when and where it is needed in an apartment, and an appropriate configuration allows savings of about 15% of an average household's heating bill - every year. Learn how to setup a programmable thermostat in this video.
Solar ovens
In some areas, solar cooking may be an interesting alternative to using standard or microwave ovens. Solar ovens come in different forms, generally, easy to assemble - even from spare parts. The finest of these ovens rival commercial electric ovens - and they are suitable for sunny areas, or for barbecues. They practically have no impact on the environment. Read more about solar cookers.
Measuring costs
It is important to be able to measure costs in order to reduce them. One has to know what to optimize, before choosing technologies and establishing a budget. And this holds true, under different processes, for companies as well as individuals or families. The following guide seeks to help you measure your domestic or industrial energy consumption.
Device categories
According to official energy consumption statistics, most of the energy consumed by individuals and companies is used for heating and to change temperature, of places or single items. All technologies which cause great variations in heat also cause the most important energy costs. Lighting is next, multimedia appliances such as computers, television, or sound systems, follow, and transport should also be considered.
As we will see, it is important to estimate the entire energy consumption of a household or company before defining an energy budget. We will evaluate solutions to reduce consumption for each category in the section about "Reducing costs".
How to measure energy
Energy is generally measured as kilojoules, or "kilowatt hours" (we recommend measuring them over a year) which should be visible on bills, or available from energy providers. Appliances such as boilers, also, come with monitoring equipment, allowing energy companies to perform their own measurements. You should collect information from these sources, as detailed as possible, about your own energy consumption over a year in order to define improvements which will meet your personal needs. See the following Kilojoules to Kilowatts x hours converter to help you calculate your yearly energy consumption.
Google Powermeter
Google Powermeter is a simple and free energy monitoring software, which can be used to watch the energy consumption of one's appliances, even remotely over the Internet. It is compatible with available measurement tools and devices, namely, AlertMe and TED Electricity, and can be adapted to other energy meters.
One of its advantages is that it is transparent to the end user, as opposed to similar applications which send data exclusively to the network provider. A free, reliable, fast, portable way to collect information about energy consumption, Google Powermeter is an important effort to define standards for energy and smart grid technologies.
Managing costs
Defining an energy budget
After having estimated your yearly energy consumption (see previous section), consider all available technologies to reduce it, and set a goal for yourself. Do you want to cut your bills in two? Three? Which options are available to you to achieve this result? Will a thermostat help? Can you afford a wind turbine or solar energy at your location? Set reasonable targets for improvement, draft an "action plan". And head over to the next section to read more about how to make it happen.
For companies
Following what we have discussed in previous sections, the first improvements to consider are :
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Best practices and internal policies on energy.
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Heating. - Can your company improve heating regulation or benefit from shallow geothermal installations?
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Calculate your LED light budget. - for example using the free tools by Philips.
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Calculate your solar potential.
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Calculate potential wind power in your area.
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Consider geothermal power for some areas.
Typically, for factories, as in the Masarang example.
For households and individuals
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See our "additional recommendations" section.
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Consider using programmable thermostats to manage heating.
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Consider using shallow geothermal power for heating.
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Estimate your LED light budget.
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Calculate your micro-hydro potential.
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Calculate your solar power potential.
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Calculate your wind power potential.
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Consider specially designed tools, such as these environment friendly kitchens.
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Consider low energy appliances.
And of course, in both cases, enjoy your savings.
A few simple habits can greatly help lower the energy consumption of a household :
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Shutdown all appliances which are not currently in use (completely).
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Close doors and windows in rooms where the heating or air conditioning are active.
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Use pressure cooking whenever possible.
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Use sunlight whenever possible.
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Clean and maintain appliances, such as light bulbs or fans.
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Turn off the lights whenever possible.
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Avoid using external air in air conditioning systems.
These apply to corporate environments as well, where best practices may yield important savings, while helping preserve the environment.
Conclusion
Many options exist, today, which require public attention and an initial investment, yet hold the potential to offer infinite, cheap energy to every person on the planet. The power? truly is in our hands. We hope this guide will help you make informed choices about energy savings.
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