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on November 29th, 2011% ![]()
Solar energy advantages and down sides are usually the first factor when thinking about installing a new system. Although the actual advantages and cons of solar energy could be different for various people and various applications or areas, but some of them are the same. Solar powered energy advantages and disadvantages are generally affected by organic incidences, similar to common utility resources. these benefits and drawbacks provide a great place to start for those considering the solar power project for his or her residence or business constructing. Solar energy advantages are many as it is not only economical but also numerous!
Photovoltaics, or the process of renovating light into energy, is a huge industry today. It is mainly simply because researcher, authorities, and educators notice as a trend of the future and get objectives of being capable to completely depart from being forced to use finite assets.
Solar energy panels are usually instruments that turn light into electricity. these equipment are often alluded to as solar panel systems, since natural light is the major supply of power. Solar energy panels can be acquired around a couple of methods, professionally as well as homemade. To put it easily, any solar panel gathers solar energy which is converted into electric power for your residence. Solar energy panels are able to build a flow of electrons or maybe in other words energy as they collect protons from the sun, which will displace neutrons as the building electricity process.
Solar energy panels come in both adaptable and stiff forms. this flexible kinds are best for light, intermittent usage and are not too high-priced. the use of solar panel technology panels is environmentally friendly. Power from the sun panels, also called pv panels, are made of material that concentrate the sun’s rays. when the sun’s rays struck a PV panel, some of the energy can be assimilated by the panel.
Electrical energy generated by solar energy would not cause any such carbon dioxide. Electricity that is produced from coal can result in a substantial amount of waste and pollution. Solar panel technology improves air quality mainly because fumes from kerosene table lamps and other fuel solutions are being used a lesser amount of.
On the other hand, solar power energy does not have any kind of recurrent expenses, alternatively just an up-front expenditure for the specific solar panel system, which in turn produces your own electricity. once the system is set up, there won’t be any more electricity bills. Alternative styles of energy are needed to help prick our dependency on oil, because oil is probably specific and the cheap reasons for oil seem to be running out at least beneath our fresh technological functions.
Oil, on the other hand, is just not renewable. It takes millions of years to form. Gas and natural gas are generally dangerously vulnerable in times of disasters, leaving many starving, freezing and in deprecating problems. At present, oil stores are being depleted for a very fast rate as compared to its time of progress. however, with the use of solar technology, heat and electricity might be more readily provided.Without alternative forms of energy source, we’re facing down a high-end future.
Installation may be expensive and seem like an important step, until you contemplate how much you save for the long term. Consider how much you pay to heat up your property from month to month. Installing a home solar power system on your house is one way to save lots of your money. Decades right after installing a home solar power system you could save lots of money depending on size of technique your household requires.
Investing in solar has never been turned easier, with solar bonuses and solar schemes this pay you for you to currently have electricity generated. Investing in brand spanking new residential solar panels will probably be the most costly, on the other hand in the long run, they are likely to buy themselves.
Shane Green believes that finite energy sources is fast depleting, and so the need for an alternative energy resources arise. he likes to share his knowledge about Solar Energy Advantages, find out more about solar power energy.
on November 29th, 2011% ![]()
It’s not the absorbing of photons that matters most, it’s the emitting of them. that counterintuitive bit of wisdom about boosting photovoltaic cell efficiency is at the heart of work at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) that has led to record-breaking solar cell performances.
According to the lab, the most efficient solar cells on the market today are made from monocrystalline silicon wafers that operate at about 23 percent efficiency – that is, they convert about 23 percent of the energy hitting the cell into electricty. but based on work by the Berkeley researchers, the private company Alta Devices – founded by lead researcher Eli Yablonovitch – was able “to fabricate solar cells from gallium arsenide that have achieved a record conversion efficiency of 28.4 percent,” the lab said.
image via Berkeley Lab
Gallium arsenide is considered a great material for making solar cells because, according to Yablonovitch, it “absorbs photons 10,000 times more strongly than silicon for a given thickness but is not 10,000 times more expensive.” but what the Berkeley researchers focused on was the next part of the process: Sunlight absorbed in a solar cell produces electrons that need to be pulled from the cell as electricity – and if they aren’t pulled quickly enough, the power dissipates, sometimes as heat, further degrading power output.
Calculations by co-researcher Owen Miller showed that if this released energy exits the cell as external fluorescence, it would boost the cell’s output voltage – bringing efficiency closer to the accepted efficiency limit (known as the Shockley-Queisser, or SQ , Limit) of 33.5-percent for a single p-n junction solar cell.
This theoretical knowledge was put to work by Alta Devices, which used a single-crystal thin-film technology developed earlier by Yablonovitch, called “epitaxial liftoff,” that squeezes more energy out of the cell. According the Berkeley Lab, the cells “not only smashed previous solar conversion efficiency records, but can be produced at well below the cost of any other solar cell technology.” And it won’t be long before these cells are on the market: Alta Devices expects to have gallium arsenide solar panels on the market within a year, the lab said.
on November 27th, 2011% ![]()
Nov 23 2011 by Alison Lowson, Stirling Observer Wednesday
PILOT schemes to generate ‘free’ electricity in council houses and buildings have been given the green light by Stirling Council.
Solar panels will be installed on a variety of council-owned buildings including schools, offices, houses, a community centre and library to test and monitor their effectiveness including energy savings and potential income generated from Feed-in and Export Tariffs before any large-scale adoption of renewable energy technologies.
Stirling Council Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Environment and Sustainability, Councillor Jim Thomson explained: “there is the potential to generate income for the council by selling surplus electricity back to the national grid and for tenants to benefit from ‘free’ electricity but all avenues must be explored to ensure we have the right technology in place providing the best value.”
The first phase of the pilot schemes will be carried out at St Mary’s Bannockburn Primary School, Bridge of Allan Primary, Newton Primary and the council’s Kerse Road offices.
The second phase will include Bannockburn High School, the Allan Centre, Bridge of Allan Library and Forthbank Stadium. They will be completed by the end of March 2012 to take advantage of the higher feed-in tariffs.
Thirty-five council homes will also take part in pilot schemes with tenants directly benefiting from the ‘free’ electricity generated by the panels. The £100,000 investment by the Council’s Housing Service will include cavity wall and loft insulation before the solar panels are in place.
Money generated from the feed-in tariffs for housing stock pilots will be reinvested in the council housing. The pilot schemes will be monitored over a six to nine month period.
Housing portfolio holder Councillor Alasdair MacPherson added: “this is a very exciting opportunity with the potential to make a real difference to tenants giving them much needed help with rising energy costs.
“by introducing renewable technologies in council homes we can help tackle fuel poverty while contributing to national targets for renewable energy generation and carbon reduction.
“there is also the possibility of using other forms of renewable technology in the future such as Solar Heating and Ground Heat Pumps.”
on November 24th, 2011% ![]() google_ui_features = “rc:10″; //–>
For many people, buying something new makes little sense if they can get something refurbished for far cheaper. Refurbished solar panels tend to work the same way, but they can cost you in the end unless you understand the situation.
Refurbished Solar Panels For Your Home
Some families would love to try running their households on solar energy, but might not be able to afford the large price tag. Outfitting your home with solar panels can run into thousands of dollars, and that doesn’t include all of the equipment and adapters you need to use solar energy to its fullest. Refurbished solar panels can be a great way to defray the cost of using solar energy, and can also add to the green aspect of using solar energy, as you are not just harnessing the sun’s energy, you re recycling as well.
Refurbished solar panels are sold by many different online and offline retailers. Whether you choose to buy refurbished components from large businesses or surplus items, resellers are able to obtain the solar panels and then sell them to you. You also have the choice of buying broken or partially working solar panels, for those people who would rather build their own solar panels cell by cell. there are even online bidding sites that offer a place for hobbyists and home owners to sell their refurbished solar panels, and other resources such as newspapers often yield ads for refurbished solar energy products.
There are a few things that you should keep in mind when shopping for refurbished solar panels. Older panels will most likely be the cheapest; because newer solar panels are smaller and take up less space. People buying refurbished panels will pay more for the newer models. Therefore, you’ll get the most wattage per dollar by buying the older refurbished solar panels. Some solar panels that are listed as broken may only need simple repairs, such as soldering. Cracked glass or condensation under the glass of solar panels, however, means that the panel will not work and it is probably not worth your time to repair it. Even solar panels that are over 20 years old can still be going strong, so you can take a chance on buying much older solar panels if they appear to be in good condition.
Buying refurbished solar panels, however, comes with a major financial catch. there are massive tax incentives to going solar these days. when I say massive, I mean massive. Various government entities offer thousands of dollars in tax credits and discounts. It is almost universally required that the systems must be purchased new for you to claim these benefits. If you purchase refurbished solar panels, you will miss out. Make sure to calculate the savings of buying refurbished panels versus new before making your decision.
Choosing solar energy is a step that benefits not only your household, but the whole world. when buying refurbished solar panels, you are also helping to recycle what might otherwise end up in a landfill. given the financial benefits of buying new systems, make sure you calculate the best direction to go for your particular situation.
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on November 23rd, 2011%  CITIZEN PATRIOT FILE PHOTOThe Consumers Energy headquarters in downtown Jackson.
The Jackson City Council is going into the solar power business three weeks before a majority of council members are unseated.
On Tuesday night, the council voted 4-1 to approve an agreement with Jackson-based Consumers Energy to install a 150-kilowatt photovoltaic field at the city’s wastewater treatment plant and sell the power back to Consumers over 15 years.
Councilman Carl Breeding voted no, saying he had not had time to study the agreement and it should go before the new council, which will be seated at the Dec. 6 meeting.
“It seems like we’re jumping into this without seeing how deep the water is,” Breeding said after the meeting.
Councilman Andrew Frounfelker, who works for Consumers Energy, abstained from the vote. Councilman Kenneth Gaiser was absent.
A motion earlier to table the agreement failed 4-2 with Breeding and Councilman Robert Howe in the minority.
Howe and Councilman John Polaczyk did not seek re-election to their seats, Gaiser was defeated in the primary election, and Mayor Karen Dunigan was defeated in last week’s general election by former Mayor Martin Griffin.
After the meeting, Derek Dobies, who was elected to Polaczyk’s seat, said he was glad to see the council take action and it did not need to wait for the new council.
The solar power system is expected to cost about $900,000 and generate about $50,000 per year.
Council members expressed reservations about the cost, but City Manager Larry Shaffer said the city has $3 million in a wastewater account that is only earning 1 percent interest and that could be used to fund the system.
“we think the investment is a wise one,” Shaffer said.
Shaffer promised to keep the council informed, especially if the cost estimate changes. “This is not the last stop for this project,” Shaffer said.
The city is one of three sites chosen to participate in Consumers Energy’s Experimental Advanced Renewable Program along with systems owned by the city of Saginaw and the Blue Water Grill in Grand Rapids.
The agreement must be returned to Consumers by Dec. 2. the city has until October 2012 to get the system up and running.
on November 20th, 2011% ![]()
This guest post was written by Mike Hall, chief executive of Borrego Solar, a San Diego-based solar installer.
By Mike Hall
There have been a number of high-profile actions taken against Chinese companies that export solar photovoltaic modules to the United States, the most recent of which was a complaint lodged with the federal International Trade Commission by seven U.S.-based solar manufacturers.
The companies allege that several Chinese manufacturers have dumped product onto the market by selling it below cost to drive competitors out of business. And although I am not condoning anti-competitive practices, I also can’t support claims that falling module prices hurt the U.S. economy.
After being on a steady decline since 2008, module prices have absolutely crashed this year. And while the pain has been felt industry wide, it has impacted module and cell makers the most. These companies have seen declining sales and shrinking or negative margins. Unfortunately, the coming quarters look to be even more challenging as prices continue to decline and many need to contemplate selling at negative margins to keep the lights on. This is the motivation for the complaint, and it’s a strong one.
While I am not in a position to determine the validity of the complaint, it seems to me that there is something much simpler going on than a concerted Chinese conspiracy to drive U.S. manufacturers out of business.
There is a massive over supply of cell and module manufacturing capacity, as well as an oversupply of inventory. This is true due to a number of economic factors, including the soft global economy; the impact of the euro credit crisis on previously booming solar markets in Germany, Spain and Italy; and an overly ambitious growth forecast that led to record manufacturing capacity increases in 2007 and 2008.
In the end, the reason for the rapid 2011 price drop is likely nothing more than the most classic and simplest of free market concepts: supply and demand. All manufacturers are feeling the pain of this oversupply, as even the healthiest companies are pressured by investors, auditors and management to reduce inventory.
Ultimately, the most important long-term question here is, “How does a module price crash affect the U.S. worker and the U.S. economy?” is it better for our country to impose tariffs on imported solar modules, or continue to allow the laws of supply and demand to pull prices down even at the risk of some local manufacturing? I don’t think I am alone among solar executives in believing that the greater benefits of the lower prices ultimately outweigh the pain that is being felt by a small number of U.S. manufacturers.
The fact is that with module prices falling every day, more and more of the system cost and revenue is going to U.S. jobs. This includes solar installers and integrators, and local makers and assemblers of non-module components such as racking, tracking, inverters, and junction boxes . This means that every dollar of government support driving solar adoption (which is still exponentially dwarfed by subsidies and tax benefits offered fossil fuel companies), is creating more jobs domestically than even just three years ago.
The second and more obvious conclusion is that as the price of solar modules declines the overall system price decreases. This in turn results in the price of the solar energy being cheaper and more competitive with fossil fuels. if we can continue to shrink any premium that people pay for solar energy (or better yet even eliminate it), the growth of solar in the U.S. will dwarf its already impressive run over the past decade.
Need proof? between 2005 and 2010 the U.S. solar market grew more than 10-fold, from 79 megawatts to 878 megawatts in annual installations. Mirroring that growth has been a tremendous spike in solar-related jobs. when I started in this industry in 2002, you could literally fit the entire U.S. solar industry in a very large ballroom. Solar now employs more than 100,000 people in this country, including former roofers, electricians and contractors hurt by the soft construction market. This growth has largely been stimulated by falling prices and improved technology. While falling module prices over the last two years has certainly hurt some companies, overall we have created large numbers of jobs in this country and improved the return-on-investment for private and government investors.
on November 20th, 2011% ![]()
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on November 20th, 2011% ![]()
Sustainability high up on the agenda
As an innovative challenger on the Belgian beer market, Alken-Maes sets great store by CSR. This holds for a responsible consumption of its products as well as for an environmentally friendly production technology. Thus, last year the Alken brewery put a cogenerator plant into service that captures heat generated during the production process and converts it into energy.
Alken-Maes also pays a considerable amount of attention to other CSR-related subjects beside typical production characteristics such as electricity and water consumption. these regard for example promoting responsible alcohol consumption and creating a safe working environment for its employees.
6.000 Solar Panels
Today, with the commissioning of almost 6.000 photovoltaic solar panels installed on the company roofs, a new phase has been reached in the field of sustainable production. The installation has been competently executed by SolarAccess , a supplier of high-end solar power systems on the international market, operating, among other countries, in Belgium, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy and Turkey. SolarAccess leases the roofs of the Alken-Maes Company and supplies the brewery with the green current produced by the plant.
The plant’s annual production is estimated at 1.338 MWh. This amounts to the energy consumption of about 440 Belgian families. Together with the cogenerator plant that was taken into service last year, the solar panels produce more than a quarter of the brewery’s energy consumption. The plant is the largest solar power system so far installed on a European brewery.
Installation and mounting
The solar power system supplied and mounted by SolarAccess consists of Sharp solar panels with a capacity of 245Wp each. an important innovation was the SolarAccess Frame applied, an aerodynamic mounting system that enables installation of solar panels and cabling with an exceptionally low additional load and without any perforation on this large industrial roof surface.
on November 20th, 2011% ![]()
You need power, and you want it right now! Watts and Watts of electricity, kilowatts per hour of electricity. Yet the power company keeps raising up your charges, making your power bill far more oppressive than a mid-west summer day just before a thunderstorm lets go of more than enough power to light up a city. where did that thunderstorm pick up it’s power? It’s all Solar energy, naturally. Utilizing a solar panel array, some batteries, and diodes together with switches, you’re sure you can have all of the electricity you require! Solar power is free, alternative, and readily available essentially all over the world, once you’ve got the equipment that can convert it to electricity. exactly what does it take to produce solar power? At the center of any solar energy power system is the solar cell. Cells may be found in various types. A solar cell is a silicon semiconductor, typically square or rectangular and is also available in different dimensions to support many purposes, from little calculator cells, to big cells arranged in arrays that power people’s homes and buildings. any time sunlight hits the surface area, an electric current is generated.
How many Watts?
To start with, it’s wise to figure out how much electricity you need to produce. The easiest method to figure out how much power you need is by calculating Watts. Lights plus home appliances are typically rated by how many Watts they use. for instance, to produce the electrical power you need for that ac unit you installed during last summer’s massive heat wave, you have to know how many Watts it needs. A little air conditioner needs approximately five hundred Watts; medium and big units will use 1000-1500 Watts or more. By adding up the number of Watts you use hourly, you’re able to work out your current consumption. how can you be sure the number of Watts you will need for your whole house? Simple, look at your power bill, or simply telephone the electricity provider and figure out the total number of kilowatt hours (kWh, 1000 Watts per hour) you will normally use every month. an appliance which uses 1000 Watts, left on for one hour, will use 1 kWh. The average cost of one kWh can vary from about 8 and 20 cents in the United States. Generally cells utilized for home arrays are 4, five or even 6 in., and produce approximately two watts of power, under ideal (direct sunlight, warm temperature) conditions. Cells are usually mounted on frames of wood or metal in sets of 18, 36, or 72, putting out thirty six, 72 and 144 Watts (at two Watts per cell) respectively. A seventy two cell module lists for around $500-700. for do it Yourself solar power systems, you save much more cash by purchasing the solar cells and making the panels yourself. What does it take to make a panel your self?
Do it Yourself how to construct Solar Power Panels at Home
Building solar panels at home hasn’t ever been so easy. Cells are sold online for around $1 each, frequently with other parts included. A package deal of seventy two cells, plus a diode, that keeps the electricity flowing in only one direction, and wire for connecting it all up is available for $100 or less! If you also purchase a frame for $40, you will save a lot of money compared to $500- 700 for each built module. That’s a possible cost savings of $360-560 per module! Pretty much all you will need for making your own personal solar panels at home is just a bit of know-how, some basic tools, and good instructions. take a look at this article’s resource link to see a comparison graph and report on do-it-yourself solar panel manuals. The manuals offer a thorough overview of the fundamentals of a pv system, from the solar cells, to the electrical wiring and framework, to inverters and battery packs, and much more. how much are you able to actually save on your electricity bills?
Saving Money on your Energy Bill
It’s easy to start small and increase your system while you learn, but will it genuinely save you money? The answer is yes, and no. Sure your electricity bill will get reduced while you increase the solar power capacity to your system, but you have to think about how much power it is possible to purchase with the money you spend on components. Going solar is an investment, therefore it will take time to make back the upfront cash you invest. Things to consider are the cost of the tools and materials, and your time and energy when compared to the amount of money you can save with regards to your power bill in time. Just as important, however, is definitely the satisfaction of owning a solar pv system that you set up yourself, and the enjoyment of cutting open your electricity bill and seeing it get lower and lower. You could possibly even be allowed to sell power back to the power company and get a check instead of owing them! Keep in mind however, if you’ve built the system yourself, the power company may not let you sell power back for safety, because most diy home owners aren’t accredited electricians, and the system is not UL listed. Consult your nearby utility company for regulations. The fulfillment you will enjoy from listening to your air conditioner kick on, as you settle back and take it easy guilt free, realizing that you won’t owe the electricity company a cent for the electricity, is probably the most satisfying reason of all to make your very own solar energy system.
DIY Green Power DIY Solar Panels Homemade Solar Panels DIY Green Power, Solar Panels
on November 19th, 2011% ![]()
Solar energy is a new power source that has great potential for use in homes. it can provide a large amount of cheap green energy once the panels have been setup. this will help you to drastically cut down your electric bill. they can also be made very cheaply, if you learn to build your own solar panel system.
In many homes solar power has become a popular source of energy. People who have their own panels are making the most out of the sun’s light. when the sun’s rays hit the panel the energy from it is converted into electrical power. this power can be used to provide energy to everything in your house. Like many others if you learn to build your own solar panel system you will be saving hundred of dollars on your electricity bill every month.
There are many good advantages to using solar energy for power in your home. besides some of the common reasons like helping to save the environment and tax rebates there are other great reasons to use solar power for your home. Below are 3 great reasons why you should learn to build your own solar panel system. these are the major factors to consider whether you want to create your own diy panels.
Reason #1- the first reason why you should make your own panels is because of all the savings to your electric bill. this is probably the most common and most convincing reason why people create their own panels. Without a bill or with a reduced energy bill you can put that money toward something more useful rather than paying your electric company.
Reason #2- the second reason why you should create your own is to add value to your home. the panels would be an asset to include with your house because if you ever decide to sell it you can sell the panels with it. Adding solar energy panels to your house will raise to it’s value, which is good news for anyone who was hit by the 2008 housing crisis.
Reason #3- the third and final reason on why should use diy solar power for your house rather than buy it from an electric company is because you will never have to worry about a rising electric bill. this can really take a burden off of your back because you will no longer have to worry about electricity cost rising.
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