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on December 2nd, 2011% ![]()
For most people, their cell phone is almost an extension of themselves. they are convenient and mobile, which means they are battery-powered. what if you forget to recharge, or are away from a source of electricity for hours or even days? many have turned to solar cell phone chargers to fill in the power gaps, but have found that there are some downsides to these devices. Simply put, they often don’t work as well as you would like. There are some standouts in this product line, however.
Solar Powered Cell Phone Charger Styles
Solar cell phone chargers consist of small solar panels that charge the phone’s battery over a period of time, just as a 12v solar panel trickle charges a car’s battery. The most common styles are windmill, folding and pocket-sized.
The best-known of the windmill types of charger is the Solio. The three mini solar panels fan out to gain the most of the sun’s rays, while being small enough to fit in a bag or pocket when folded closed. this device gets good reviews, though most note that it must be in full sunlight to charge properly and cannot be placed on its side once opened. it features a built-in battery, which is a nice feature and adds greatly to the Solio’s utility.
Folding solar cell phone chargers have the advantage of larger panels which make them more powerful than windmill types. when closed, they can easily be packed into a bag for transport. A popular brand is the PowerMonkey eXplorer. this line of solar charger is a bit pricey, however, and the PowerMonkey is no exception. Users give this brand stellar reviews on the Earthtech Products site, so if you really need a reliable cell phone charger, these chargers deserve your consideration.
Pocket-sized solar cell phone chargers are by nature smaller than those previously discussed, since portability is their claim to fame. they cost less and take longer to charge a phone, but also come with a rechargeable internal battery. The Freeloader Pico is an affordable example of this type of charger, and claims to recharge a phone in 30 minutes.
How well do they Work?
Most solar chargers for cell phones also allow you to use an electrical outlet and/or your vehicle to cut down on the charge time. That’s because using the sun to charge your phone may be green but it is also very slow-sometimes twice the amount of time is needed to charge a cell phone this way than in the conventional manner. The charger must also be in the sun the entire time, or the charge time will be longer still. most come with suction cups for attachment to a car’s windshield or dash, particularly helpful with the windmill type of charger. Almost every solar power cell phone charger I viewed could be used to recharge other accessories such as MP3 players, Kindle, iPods and various gaming devices. some come with adapters for charging different devices and brands of cell phones, so check in advance whether a specific charger will work with your particular phone.
Most solar cell phone chargers allow for direct charging via your car’s plug-in or an electrical outlet. this is by far the fastest way to charge a cell phone, usually taking only half the time needed using the sun. Consumer reviews note that it is difficult to charge a phone using the car’s dashboard, since the windshield interferes with the sun’s rays; many come with suction cups to allow for direct attachment to the glass, however. Posters on Reddit’s Gadget Guide seem to prefer using a 12V solar panel to power cell phones on camping trips, forgoing the dedicated models altogether. on a more positive note, most of the chargers I saw could be used to recharge other mobile gadgets such as laptops, iPods and e-readers–but then, so can a 12V charging panel
I also came across a June 2011 CNET review regarding cell phones that have a built-in solar charging panel on their covers. The idea seems like a good one, but the reviewer noted that the design results in a much bulkier phone as well as a bulked-up price. These also don’t work very well through glass, and are more difficult to position correctly. The technology is fairly new, though, so perhaps improvements will show up soon.
As usual, there are many who prefer to make their own solar chargers and articles and instructions are easily found online if that is your preference. Check out the site Instructables, where you will find directions from other do-it-yourselfers.
on November 25th, 2011% Energizer 84022 12V Jump start System Review:
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on November 25th, 2011% ![]()
The New York Solar Energy Industries Association (NYSEIA) named Bright Power’s installation at University Ave Consolidated III as the Best Solar Thermal Project of the Year at their 2011 6KC Awards.
Andrew McNamara, VP of new Construction and Renewables was honored to accept the award on behalf of Bright Power’s solar team at the Annual Meeting on September 21, 2011.
University Avenue Consolidated III (UAC III) is an affordable housing development consisting of four properties in the Morris Heights neighborhood in the Bronx, developed and owned by Bronx Pro Real Estate Management, inc.
Bright Power designed and installed four solar thermal systems, consisting of 92 solar panels (over 3,600 square feet of panels). Taken together, UAC III’s four systems make up one of the largest residential solar thermal installations in new York City. The system uses the sun’s energy to provide domestic hot water to residents. Bright Power helped the project apply for over $160,000 in incentives towards installation costs.
The NYSEIA’s 6KC awards recognize the best and the brightest solar projects and industry champions in the Empire State. 6KC stands for 6, K (1,000), C (Celsius). 6,000 degrees Celsius is the rough, rounded-up estimate of the temperature of the surface of the Sun. The 6KC awards were created by NYSEIA to recognize the tangible success of specific projects and individuals, not theories or concepts that have yet to reach the “surface.”
on November 24th, 2011% ![]()
ZWANENBURG, Netherlands & VITORIA, Spain–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AEG Power Solutions, the world’s leading manufacturer of power electronic systems and solutions for industrial power and renewable energy has equipped two 49.9MW solar thermal power plants in southern Spain with UPS systems. Each plant has been equipped with AEG PS’s Protect 3 and Protect 4 UPS. The client receives a reliable, powerful and robust system optimized for every solar field not only in terms of efficiency and direct energy savings far beyond traditional solutions, but they also extend the lifecycle of the plant.
“Our UPS’s are equipped with a remote monitoring function enabling easy operation and control over long distances. in addition, they offer maximum reliability and system performance under all environmental conditions, reduced downtime, low system complexity and short commissioning times“, comments Jesús María Rodríguez.”
“We’re really happy that our reliable solutions are being used in southern Spanish solar thermal power plants“, says Jesús María Rodríguez, General Manager and Vice President Sales Iberoamerica. “Thanks to strong collaboration between our production team in Vitoria and our competence center in Belecke (NRW), Germany, we are able to offer a first class local service offering, including, complete back-up solutions, storage, distribution and commissioning.
Manufactured from high quality components, AEG PS power supplies are built for extreme weather conditions and extreme heat as well as seismic activity and other environmental hazards. For easier manageability, the UPS systems are energy efficient and cost effective; they also meet all the requirements for solar thermal systems. “Our UPS’s are equipped with a remote monitoring function enabling easy operation and control over long distances. in addition, they offer maximum reliability and system performance under all environmental conditions, reduced downtime, low system complexity and short commissioning times“, comments Jesús María Rodríguez.
Rodríguez also highlights the skills and experience that AEG PS has demonstrated in many international projects from India to the Ukraine. “Our experienced power protection experts have not only mastered all aspects of safety and risk management, but also impress with the continuity and operational excellence that are the key elements of our business“.
AEG Power Solutions are very active in the field of renewable energy. This allows the manufacturer’s product portfolio to cover the entire value chain in the solar sector. The products range from power controllers and modules in the production of polysilicon to solar inverter solutions, control systems and UPS’s for installations in solar power plants. AEG PS will present some of these solutions in the solar thermal energy field at the ‘International Concentrated Solar Thermal Power “on 29th and 30th November 2011 in Seville, Spain.
About AEG Power Solutions
AEG Power Solutions Group is a global provider of power electronic systems and solutions for all industrial power supplies and offers one of the most comprehensive product and service portfolios in the area of power conversion and power controlling. The two complementary operating business units Renewable Energy Solutions (RES) and Energy Efficiency Solutions (EES) are serving customers worldwide. The RES product and service portfolio consists of systems and solutions for solar power plants like solar inverter, monitoring and control systems as well as power controller. The EES product and service portfolio includes high performance uninterruptable power supplies (USPs), industrial power controller and DC-converter.
thanks to its distinctive expertise, bridging both AC and DC power technologies and spanning the worlds of both conventional and renewable energy, the company creates innovative solutions for smart grids.
AEG PS’ footprint is global including 17 subsidiaries and competence centers around the world, employing 1,650 employees.
AEG Power Solutions Group is the sole subsidiary of the holding company 3W Power S.A. (WKN A0Q5SX / ISIN GG00B39QCR01), based in Zwanenburg in the Netherlands. Shares and warrants of 3W Power are admitted to trading on NYSE Euronext, Amsterdam (ticker symbol: 3WP and 3WPW, respectively). Additionally, the shares are traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: 3W9)
For more information go to: aegps.com.
This communication does not constitute an offer or the solicitation of an offer to buy, sell or exchange any securities of 3W Power. This communication contains forward-looking statements which include, inter alia, statements expressing our expectations, intentions, projections, estimates, and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable evaluation and opinion of the management but are subject to risks and uncertainties which are beyond the control of 3W Power and, as a general rule, difficult to predict. The management and the company cannot and do not, under any circumstances, guarantee future results or performance of 3W Power and the actual results of 3W Power may materially differ from the information expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. As a result, investors are cautioned against relying on the forward-looking statements contained herein as a basis for their investment decisions regarding 3W Power.
3W Power undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein.
on November 23rd, 2011% ![]()
When most people hear the phrase solar panels, they envision photovoltaic, roof-mounted units generating electricity for a home or business.
An older, more widely-used solar application is thermal water heating. these systems are comprised of a solar collector linked to a storage tank and may be active (with circulating pumps) or passive. Useful in all climates, solar water heating systems can, in some regions, supply as much as 85 percent of the domestic hot water energy need.
The two most popular types of solar water heaters are flat-plate and evacuated-tube collectors.
Glazed, flat-plate collectors are housed in weatherproof, insulated boxes. The units are outfitted with a dark plate to absorb heat, which sits under one or more covers made of glass or polymer plastic. Unglazed variants of the same configuration are typically used to heat pools and do not have a cover.
Evacuated-tube solar collectors are made of parallel rows of transparent glass tubes. Each tube is made of a glass outer layer and an inner metal absorber with a fin attachment.
The fin serves to absorb the sun’s rays while also inhibiting radiant heat loss. these systems are smaller and more efficient, but also cost more. in terms of installation expenses, however, flat-plate and evacuated-tube systems are equal.
In direct circulation systems, pumps move the household’s water through the collectors and back into the home. these work best in climates where the temperature does not fall below freezing. Indirect circulation systems move a heat transfer fluid with a high freeze temperature through the collector.
This fluid then moves through a heat exchanger, where the water is warmed before it flows into the home. these systems are best suited for colder, freeze-prone regions.
Various substances can be used as a heat transfer fluid based on thermal capacity, freezing and boiling points, viscosity, and flash point. Both air and water are options, but both have disadvantages. Air has a low heat capacity and tends to leak out of collectors and associated tubing.
Water has a high freezing point, can cause corrosion, and, if hard, will leave mineral deposits in tubes and pipes. other choices are glycol/water (antifreeze) mixtures, hydrocarbon oils, and refrigerants, although the latter are being phased out due to their damaging effect on the earth’s ozone layer.
Evacuated-tube systems need only the light they receive to perform their task, and continue to function under cloudy conditions regardless of ambient temperature
These are the most popular systems in use in Northern Europe. Typically, they are paired with a back-up hot water supply, either through a two-tank system (joining the solar supply to the home’s existing water heater) or in a single tank arrangement with an alternative heat source.
Unlike the photovoltaic cells that are the focus of so much discussion about the use of solar power for generating electricity thermal solar water heating systems, have a stable, proven track record. They are used in hundreds of thousands of homes around the world. At an opening price of approximately 4,900 euros ($7,100 USD), solar water heating offers an excellent return on the investment for homeowners who are looking for ways to lower their electric bill and use clean, renewable energy.
on November 23rd, 2011% ![]()
For your mobile home, recreational vehicle or boat, a 12 volt solar panel can be a really great way to generate some extra juice. Solar panels are reliable and virtually maintenance free as power supplies go, and convert sunlight into electricity in a very efficient way. in this article we will discuss how these panels work and how you can make the best use of them.
Solar Cells And Their Function
A solar panel is a large assembly of individual cells, and in order to understand the whole, it is important to understand how each part works. an individual solar cell works on something called the photovoltaic effect, which is where a voltage is created in a material when it is exposed to light. any light source can work, but since we are talking about saving energy it only makes sense to consider the sun, and therefore we refer to them as solar cells. The photovoltaic effect was first discovered in 1839, but it has not been until quite recently that we have been able to produce genuinely usable solar cells at a reasonable price.
One of the main problems with getting energy from the sun is that the energy available is directly proportional to the size of the panel. As a result, only very large panels can produce large amounts of electricity. Smaller panels produce less, but can still provide enough power to usefully reduce a household’s electricity bills, and the sheer convenience of cheap and maintenance free power is hard to deny. Because of the issue of size, there is a strong drive towards making solar panels more efficient, but this is something of a losing battle; as the efficiency approaches 100% the law of diminishing returns comes into effect and progress is slow.
Using Solar Panels
A 12 volt solar panel is very common on boats and other mobile applications. They are commonly used as a convenient way to charge the batteries on sailing boats during the day as an alternative to running a generator. this produces a very liberating feeling as you can feel as though you are in control of a genuinely free-energy vehicle – motion from the wind, power from the sun.
You will also commonly find solar panels on urban roof tops. The idea here is usually not to replace grid power entirely, but to supplement it, taking some of the load off the power stations and reducing the homeowner’s electricity bill. in many areas you can apply for financial support if installing solar panels, such as a lower electricity cost per kWh.
Buying 12V Panels
You should carefully consider the amount of power you will get from a 12 volt solar panel before you buy. As mentioned before, the size is directly proportional to the power, and you should be able to find simple equations to help calculate the power produced from the size combined with the time in the sun in your part of the world. so long as you shop carefully and do not expect miracles, these types of panels can be a great addition to your home or mobile vehicle.
on November 21st, 2011% ![]()
Evidence of a potential rout for CSP began to mount earlier this year when a number of projects, such as Tessera Solar’s Calico Solar Project and Imperial Valley Solar Project, were apparently switched to PV after the original proposals for using CSP technology ran into trouble — largely on the back of the tumbling costs of PV.
Most recently, Solar Millennium AG agreed the sale of its Southwestern U.S. project pipeline with an output of 2.25 GW and consisting of CSP projects to solarhybrid AG.
Starting as early as 2013 solarhybrid will use the location to build solar power plants “using state-of-the-art photovoltaic technology,” a statement says. This first project will be the 1,000-MW Blythe solar plant in California.
Under the terms of the agreement, Solar Millennium will receive a significant profit-share upon construction, in addition to being reimbursed the outlay for its entire project investment.
Both companies expect the negotiations to be successfully concluded as REW goes to press and solarhybrid has already paid the first installments on the purchase price. however, the companies have agreed to keep the details of the transaction confidential.
As a result of the agreement, Solar Millennium says it will focus on realising new and already planned solar-thermal and hybrid power plants in Europe, Asia, North Africa and Latin America and expand its respective technology platforms. The company adds that, in the US, it will be available as a project partner as soon as demand for storable solar energy starts growing again, with parabolic trough technology being its specialty.
Indeed, the company just inaugurated its Andasol 3 plant in the Spanish province of Granada.
The completion of the third Andasol power plant on a site measuring some 2 km² has meant the creation of Europe’s largest solar power plant, located in Andalusia, in the south of the country.
With an installed output of 50 MW, its developers say Andasol 3 is expected to generate some 165 MWh annually from its roughly 205,000 parabolic reflectors.
Joachim Ludwig, executive board member with Ferrostaal AG said: “The market potential of solar thermal power plants is immense. That’s why we got involved in Andasol 3 from day one, providing financial backing for the development of the project.”
While work on Andasol 3 began in 2008, even back in January things looked far more optimistic for CSP as NTR plc announced the official opening of its Maricopa Solar power plant in Phoenix, Arizona.
Four months after breaking ground, NTR’s Tessera Solar and Stirling Energy Systems (SES) unveiled the 1.5-MW project, the first commercial system for the 25-kW SunCatcher dish-Stirling engine CSP technology, designed and manufactured by SES. Maricopa is comprised of 60 of these SunCatcher units.
At that time in the SES development portfolio the first project in the Imperial Valley was 750 MW with the first 300 MW contracted under a power purchase agreement with San Diego Gas & Electric near El Centro, California. The second project, Calico, is an 750-MW project with Southern California Edison near Barstow, California; and Western Ranch is a 27-MW project with CPS Energy in West Texas.
However, in August Dublin-based NTR plc announced its financial results for the year ended 31 March 2011 in which it announced that it has decided to fully write down its solar investment, significantly contributing to losses of €280.2 million. This follows the decision earlier in the year to limit funding to its solar business, SES, “as it has not yet succeeded in attracting third-party investment.” SES continues to seek third-party investors, the company says.
Commenting on the year, Michael McNicholas, chief executive of NTR, said: “This was a challenging year for NTR. We have taken a hard look at all of our businesses and made the necessary decisions to strengthen the group. We have reined in development spend and costs across the group and are driving increased value from the core businesses.”
Subsequently, NTR’s Tessera Solar sold its 750 MW Calico solar power project to K Road Power — less than a week after utility Southern California Edison had reportedly canceled a power purchase contract from the Mojave Desert-based plant.
However, K Road said a subsidiary, K Road Sun, will replace Tessera/SES’s SunCatcher dish-Stirling technology with PV for the majority of the plant — 663.5 MW — although it will apparently use the SES dish-Stirling systems in a second phase of 100.5 MW.
August saw California Unions for Reliable Energy (CURE), a coalition of unions, announce a new collaboration with K Road Calico Solar, LLC. and, K Road also recently announced that Barclays Natural Resource Investments (BNRI), a division of the investment banking unit of Barclays Bank PLC, will make a “substantial commitment to fund the continued development, construction and operations of K Road’s utility-scale solar power portfolio.”
K Road currently has 11 solar power projects in the Southwestern US at various stages of development, totaling nearly 2300 MW. The near-term portfolio includes theCalico project in San Bernardino County, and the 350 MW Moapa north of Las Vegas.
SES and Tessera Solar are now apparently in liquidation.
CSP Supporters
Despite all the appearance of a troubled outlook, CSP is not without some influential supporters. For instance, GE certainly backs CSP, announcing back in August that it is to invest up to $40 million in eSolar, a developer of modular CSP technology, in addition to an existing licensing agreement between the two, signed in June.
As part of the deal Paul Browning, president and CEO of Thermal Products for GE Energy, will join the eSolar board.
John Van Scoter, president and CEO of eSolar commented that the “investment will fund the development of next-generation, modular solutions that enhance the cost competitiveness of solar, such as molten salt storage technology.”
on November 20th, 2011% ![]()
–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GlobalSpec, Inc.:
Who: GlobalSpec, the leading specialized vertical search, information services, e-publishing and online events company serving the engineering, technical and industrial communities.
What: GlobalSpec Events are one-day, live and interactive sessions that connect a worldwide community of OEM suppliers with their target market of technical professionals. At this free online event, attendees can receive education and product information in the areas of photovoltaic and solar thermal systems. By attending this highly interactive event from the convenience of their desktops, participants can learn about developments in concentrating solar power and examine new applications for passive solar. Attendees can also interact with exhibitors, network with peers and attend educational sessions and keep pace with today’s fast-changing alternative and renewable energy marketplace.
When: Wednesday, October 26, 2011, 11:30 AM EDT- 6:00 PM EDT (8:30 AM – 3:00 PM PDT)
- Visit the Exhibit Hall, chat with booth representatives
- Visit the Networking Lounge and interact with other attendees
- Visit the Resource Center and download materials
Where: Free registration online at bit.ly/rliaOf.
Event Schedule
11:45 AM – 12:45 PM EDT (8:45 AM – 9:45 AM PDT)
Keynote: Solar Power’s Sunny Forecast
Presented by Roberta Gamble, Business Unit Leader, Frost & Sullivan
12:45 PM – 1:00 PM EDT (9:45 AM – 10:00 AM PDT)
The World of Solar Energy
Presented by Jim Brennan, News Anchor, GlobalSpec
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT (10:00 AM – 11:00 AM PDT)
EPC in CSP: Capturing the Sun
Presented by Clint Rosenbaum, Vice President of Engineering,Lauren Engineers & Constructors, Inc.
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT (11:00 PM – 12:00 PM PDT)
Concentrating Photovoltaic (CPV) Technology:Refractive Primary Optics Based on All-Glass Lens
Presented by Dr. Hojun Yoon, Director of Solar Cell Technology, Solergy, Inc.
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT (12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PDT)
Harvesting Solar Energy from Asphalt Pavement
Presented by Dr. K. Wayne Lee, Professor and RITRC Director, University of Rhode Island
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM EDT (1:00 PM – 3:00 PM PDT)
- Interact with Attendees and Exhibitors in the Exhibit Hall and Networking Lounge
- Presentations available On-Demand
About GlobalSpec, Inc.
GlobalSpec, Inc. is the leading specialized vertical search, information services, e-publishing and online events company serving the engineering, technical and industrial communities. GlobalSpec users benefit from domain-expert search engines, a broad range of proprietary and aggregated Web-based content, nearly 30 online events, and more than 60 e-newsletters – helping them search for and locate products and services, learn about suppliers and access comprehensive technical content. SpecSearch®, GlobalSpec’s trademarked search technology, allows users to search by specification more than 180,000,000 parts in 2,300,000 product families from more than 40,000 supplier catalogs. for suppliers, GlobalSpec offers highly filtered sales and marketing opportunities, product promotion and brand advertising platforms, including the GlobalSpec Ad Network, and a wide range of e-media advertising and marketing solutions.
GlobalSpec, SpecSearch, the Engineering Search Engine and the Engineering Web are registered trademarks of GlobalSpec, Inc.
on November 20th, 2011% ![]()
This short article is all about a call I got yesterday, and the price I was offered for panels per Watt! $.78 (78 cents USD) per watt. Sure, you know the advertisement above is sucker bait, why would you ever attempt to build a panel when they are nearly giving them away right now!
You saw your Government use your money to fund the housing Market to death, now you can take advantage of their efforts to fund the Solar Energy Market to death, and of course it’s your money they use… again! Following is how you might take advantage of yet another diaster they created.
It’s likely prime time to make decision to invest in Solar or not. You could buy at fire sale prices thanks to Politics. and there’s no paperwork, and no hurdles to jump over. Yes! You can literally buy at prices below the manufacturer’s cost of production and transport to their warehouse. should this be any surprise to you? Isn’t it exactly the same as the >People< in Government meddling in the housing market? didn’t they do it to win the popular vote?
Just yesterday, a house and acerage that was on the Market in Enumclaw Washington for $1.2 million, was sold for $380,000. Slice it any way you want, the root cause was people in government running a ‘give away’ program, and of course they did it with our money. Freddie and Fanny was totally empowered to help win votes. even the Indian Immigrant driving a cab bought a home twice as grand as mine! zero down, no interest, no citizenship, who cared, it was your money they were loaning out.. and now we watch them duplicate the effort in Green Investments.. and get away with it, you know there’s little chance anyone will go to jail.
If you buy the spoils of the real estate collapse, you may find yourself paying high property taxes.. who knows what these people will do to remain in power next? certainly, they won’t stop telling young voters who have no clue… that they won’t be passing out free candy this year.. or will they?
There’s several ways to invest in Solar, first, you need to know if you live in a decent area for solar PV, and you need calculate the KWHs you might collect, and know the basis for your investment. It’s one thing to deceive others, as many in Government do, but to deceive yourself? That’s NOT something a DIYer does.. Haven’t we learned you are best off investing the time to understand a mechanical or electrical device BEFORE we attempt to fix it? We need do the same with our personal investments. Remember that gizmo you took apart where the little spring popped that small part into the deepest recesses of the junk in the corner of your shop! the warning about that spring was in paragraph three of the page up had up on your work station… remember?
Here’s the Solar Play.. and how you might go about it…
If you buy a professionally installed Solar system for the fortune they charge, you might receive a contract to sell back the power produced for what seems like a very favorable price. The DIYer passes up his opportunity to do his own install and to buy equipment at going out of business prices. We are left to wonder about the value of the dollar in 10 years, remember the 70s and what happened to our dollar? If that contract is not tied to the going rate of a KWH, what will your investment be worth?
The DIYer’s best play is to buy components at fire sale prices, and use his skills to add value. That’s where Solar Panels appear to be right now thanks to Government meddling. But, you don’t buy panels at any cost and make a decent return if they are stored inside your barn. You need a plan to put them to work unless you choose to speculate on the panels rising in price, and that’s a gamble.
But what about all the other important pieces you’ll need? An inverter, Batteries, wire, material to support the panels, a controller?
I’d consider designing a system that expands and evolves as you go.. consider a roof full of panels with proper gauge of wire leading to a panel where you can configure the panels from series or parallel operation as you need in the future.
Let’s say you own an automotive repair shop, with a great southern exposure, the angle of the roof is close to what you need to fix the panels at, so your DIY fabricated racking is minimal. To start out, you could use an inexpensive Modified sign Wave inverter to power your overhead lighting and possibly more, and if you have a lot of hot water usage, you might use an electric element in the lower part of the hot water heater as a ‘dump load’ perhaps even a separate tank ahead of the electric one? if you live in a dry area, solar power might be used effectively to run a swanp cooler and fans. From here expand your system.
Before you invest, know that one person I know had his homeowner’s policy canceled because he built an ugly wooden structure that looked like scaffolding attached to the house. The Insurance agent knew nothing about solar, but he knew it looked unprofessional and he canceled the policy!
A favorite Alternative Energy Friend ended up in a contest with his local authorites, they were just unfriendly to his idea of experimenting with AE, so he ended up buying an old van and using it to mount the panels to. It sits in the yard looking far more ugly than his origional plan but legal the next contest came when he wanted to put up a wind turbine, the authorities objected, so he bought an old truck with a boom and man lift to mount his wind turbine on. I don’t suggest you do this, but I do suggest you fully research before you buy.. and.. take advantage of the fire sales on the way. I bought some Outback MPPTs for about a third of retail price, I have one in service, and I’m very happy with the performance..
This is the end of the article, what follows are more musing and rants about A.E. .. book mark this page an return in two years..
Most who frequent here have some years under their belts, we are old enough to know the cycles of the markets, we’ve seen commodities go high in price, and then back down again. But perhaps there is something new in the air?
It wasn’t that long ago that German Politicians were faced with the problem of pacifying a huge voter block demanding a Greener Future. the result was FEAR….. fear of being voted out of office by people who have no clue about energy, how to meet their demands?
German Politicians responded with a Government subsidy that paid nearly 100% of the cost of installing a Solar PV system on a German residence. When it’s free, who cares how the investment is maintained? who cares if a tree sprouts in front of your panel array and grows to give your patio needed shade in the summer?
Yes, it’s now history, and we watched the Germans create an incredible demand for solar panels, and we need ask, who doesn’t want to buy when it looks free? The cost of Panels rose, as it always seems to do when demand goes up. soon the panels were over $6 a watt, and if you have the business sense God gave a chicken, you might realize the German public is now carrying that debt.. instead of free, they essentially drove up the stock price and bought at the highest price we’ve seen thus far, brilliant! It reminds me of the Tanks Germans built in WWII, some were so heavy, they couldn’t take them across bridges to where they needed them… but now we Americans attempt to copy what they do, the powerhouse within the EU, perhaps the only one? We are left to ask.. what might have happened if they left German Citizens to make their own Solar Investment decisions?
Today, we can order Solar PV panels for a fraction of the price, can you believe .78 cents USD a watt! and a lot of it has to do with a destroyed industry. Artificial demand, or even one big order for a product has destroyed a lot of companies in the past, whether it be widgets or tooth picks, and huge spike in demand can wreak havoc on entire industries! many of these failures have to do with people in power attempting to remain there by doing the popular thing which is often the opposite of the smart thing.
Imagine yourself as a retailer buying a mountain of PV panels at less than half the street price! $2.99 cents delivered! Wow, how could you lose?
But, let’s look forward a little, we know the uninformed are unwittingly driving up the price of electricity through their insane votes to place wind farms in already Green Energy Hydro Markets, and effectively taxing themselves into expensive energy. (Example Washington State). It may be a self full filling prophecy.. that the life blood of our economy becomes expensive…. yes, you were wise in locating in an area blessed with abundant green hydro, but it doesn’t mean your elected officials can’t ‘sell off’ the advantage. Remember Montana Power? the eight percent dividend people earned on their stock every year for how long? Yes, it was the CEO who traded off a large interest in the company for the crap on wall street that had seen a 30% rise in price value in just one year!
People in Washington State, like the present Governor and others in Politics are effectively dong the identical thing Montana Power did..they are selling off the golden goose, and forcing the rate payers to invest in power plants that will never provide a return on >their< investment! the real winners are the foreign entities that build the equipment, and all the palms that get greased up front. It’s popular with the kiddies that vote, but soon they’ll understand it has become their heavy burden, it will be proven a diaster shortly.. just like the housing market!
Here’s my thought, lead and copper have been high, not all that long ago, I bought >new< surplus deep cycle batteries for less than the current scrap lead price per pound! Copper is still high, but we need ask.. will commodities cycle?
My conclusion…if you ever considered PV, if you are wise enough to look up your area with the ’on line’ PV tools and know you could effectively make a return on investment on PV…. Now might be a good time to buy. You will effectively be taking advantage of the Government Subsidies in the smart way, you will be buying the spoils created by an insane Government subsidy that created spoils for less than the manufacturer was delivering the panels to the distribution facility for!
Today, I’m sure you can visit websites of Politicians and popular environmental sites, where they praise their own efforts for forcing PV and other green energy investment. In reality they helped to destroy an industry, and they hope you aren’t smart enough to follow the string. The reality is.. I know people in the Solar Industry who were doing quite well BEFORE government intervention. At present, the larger jobs are government installs, and of course, we the tax payers are footing the bill, so it really doesn’t matter if the investment is viable does it? Most of the PV solar business has had the life squeezed out of it..
Consider buying your PV panels surplus now, and shop carefully for the other components, there a number of ‘going out of business sales’ and those large lead acid fork lift batteries might be on the action block, calculate the weight of the electrolyte, the steel case, and bid on it according to scrap. Remember, there are several technologies of batteries, you likely want the old designs that have been giving some off gridders more than 25 years of service. You will be taking advantage of the Government’s meddling in the Market, by buying spoils created by their bad decisions driven by their desire to remain in power at any cost to you.
Last night I was talking to a Friend, California came up, one for the larger economies in the world, they are deeper in debt than Greece, worse off than Italy by a large measure and some say they’re too big to fail Fact is they have already failed!
It reminds me of a boat being too big and too well-built to sink, we know where the Bismark lays, We know where the Titanic lays… if only we could magically levitate them though the front gate of the local scrap dealer.. think of the value of the copper alone!
In closing, anyone that pays money for the construction plans to build a PV panel deserves to be fleeced, but the real problem is these same uninformed people vote!
And why the mention of DIYer in the title?
I suggest you study the price of PV panels and equipment, look at the subsidies offered, and then consider what it takes to have the panels professionally installed and certified for any kind of rebate, subsidy, or other compensation, it’a a HUGE increase in cost over what a DIYer can install for, and do it in steps where you need not pay any interest.
Perhaps you need look at who is promising the return or subsidy, whether it’s tied to the face value of the dollar, the potential for inflation, and other things that could happen.
I know one guy who bought a rather small PV Array installed for $100,000.00, contract in hand to sell the KWHs back to the power company at a good rate with a cap per month. It would be interesting to pencil out what you could DIY install the same PV plant for today. what happens if inflation duplicates the Jimmy Carter years? what will he buy with those returned dollars in 10 years? the cost of repairs, will his equipment be discontinued, who will service it? how likely is it that the key supplier of the Solar Equipment was driven into Bankruptcy already via Government meddling? Perhaps there’s a promise made by your Government to use your social Security money to rescue his investment if things go sour? ….lucky you!
As we make assessments of Government promises, we need reflect on their past promises, social security put in a lock box? sure thing! They just pulled a half billion out and handed it to Solyndra.. Ohh you say you’re tired of hearing about that? Well, you’ll eventually find out that most of (your forced investments) by the DOE are just like it..you are on the hook, not the person who heads the DOE. Yes, the same money you paid in via your social security deductions were handed over to companies who were contributors to political campaigns AND who had exceedingly flawed business plans to make a product to be sold at a price the market can not afford to pay..
Investing now under the terms of rebates might be a disastrous decision compared to doing your own project and buying at fire sale prices when the opportunity arises.
We have a Government that has no problem running guns, (of sure.. they’ll do what is necessary to save face on the surface, but the fall guy will likely be well paid for the fall, and you’ll never notice he’s living so well after he takes the fall. Buying votes, robbing social security, all kinds of grants to supporters, forcing you to pay for it all, and now forcing you to join their healthcare plan, and younger people will line up for it! An Assistant Coach took advantage of kids at Penn State, some of our politicians do a similiar thing with our kids, they have no idea they’re being screwed.
There’s only one logical play if the voters continue to vote for the impossible dream like California, Greece and Italy. if you are there and can’t move, You must become as independent as possible. A big part of this independence might come through selling off what will be too expensive to own in a few years, that might be a large home in the south, or one in the North that no one can afford to heat in 10 years. maybe you sell the American dream before politicans sells you? got a big gas guzzling boat? A house with an energy bill twice as big as the mortgage payment? maybe it’s time to find a new owner?
A battery idea.. some large fishing boats have decent size battery banks, these are the same batteries used in off grid locations. many of these boats change the batteries out after a good fishing season, they can’t risk less than flawless performance, and if the year was good, perhaps the accountant will tell them they need more investment in the boat to keep from paying the FEDs too much? look for oppurtunities to buy good batteries from those entities who purchase fresh battereis at intervals.. you’ll need to offer more than the scrap man.
As I close, I am so happy with my decision to power our place in the central mountains of Washington off solar. Puget Sound Energy has a transformer at the front of the property, I met with the rep in the area, and he told me how it was going to be.. I could place my house up front and close to that power transformer, and eat the dust off the gravel road, or pay thousands for a transformer, buried wire, and labor to run a distance greater than 200 feet. I thought of all those minimum bills when we weren’t there, over 15 years now.. times 12 months, and the never ending payments for ever…
I used Outback components, I did the install myself, a friend helped me set the solar mounts, the rest was pay as I went. The system has met every demand I’ve placed on it. The outback equipment was designed and sold by people who know Solar Power inside and out. I bought outback equipment because it works so well for folks in the outback in Oz and Kiwi Land, and here in North America. my investment will prove far wiser than the political victory at the Wild Horse Wind Farm, our children love all those big white monsters that don’t seem to be making power when I drive by.. couldn’t they at least paint them earth colors so they don’t mar the landscape?
comments, scroll down, I’d love to hear it..
have a great day….
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on November 18th, 2011% ![]()
SEVILLE, Spain, Nov. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ –Abengoa, the international company that applies innovative technology solutions for sustainable development in the energy and environment sectors, recorded sales of euro 4,784 million for the first nine months of 2011, an increase of 42% compared to the same period in the previous year. EBITDA rose by 41% to euro 744 million compared to the same period in 2010.
Profit after tax was euro 211 million, an increase of 45% over the previous year. Excluding the impact from Telvent and the mark to market of derivatives in both periods the increase would have been 105%. The generation of operational cash flow in the first nine months of the year totaled euro 938 million, while at the end of September 2011, consolidated net debt was euro 5,814 million.
Abengoa’s dedicated and ongoing commitment to geographic diversification in new markets continues to be one of the key factors in its growth, in which international activities now account for 76% of total sales. it is worth noting the increase in the Americas, which now account for 52% of the company’s sales, especially Brazil and the USA, which generated 24% and 18% of total sales respectively.
by segment, sales in the Engineering and Construction business grew strongly, increasing 32% to euro 2,156 million. EBITDA also increased strongly, rising by 54% to euro 264 million, with margins of 12.2% compared to 10.5% the previous year. These figures include euro 184 million and euro 18 million in sales and EBITDA due to the application of IFRIC 12 from September 1, 2011 to the Spanish solar-thermal plants. The order book was worth euro 7,529 million at September 30, 2011, equivalent to more than two and a half years of sales.
Sales by the Concession-type Infrastructures activity, which primarily includes electricity generation and transport, rose by 41% to euro 322 million, with an EBITDA margin of 72%.
This increase was due to the start-up of 200 additional megawatts of power in the solar-thermal plants in Spain and Algeria. it should be noted that Abengoa obtained a second federal guarantee from the US Department of Energy worth $1.2 billion. The guarantee will help the construction and start-up of the Mojave Solar Project, the second solar-thermal plant that Abengoa is constructing in the USA.
Lastly, the Industrial Production area, which includes the industrial recycling and bioenergy businesses, increased its sales by 54% to euro 2,306 million. This figure was driven by a rise in commodities prices in the three regions where the company operates and higher sales in the USA and Europe in the bioenergy division, as well as a rise in volumes and margins in the industrial recycling business. furthermore, the third federal guarantee from the US Department of Energy was finalized during the third quarter, which will enable financing for the construction and start-up of a second generation bioethanol plant in Hugoton, Kansas, with a 90 million liter capacity.
in the third quarter of 2011, Abengoa gave entry as a shareholder to first Reserve Corporation, one of the largest private investment funds in the energy industry. This alliance represents a major strategic and financial endorsement for Abengoa, among other issues, because the agreement was reached after an exhaustive due diligence process by first Reserve, resulting in a final investment of euro 300 million in newly issued unlisted Class B shares. first Reserve’s investment is a show of confidence in Abengoa’s current and future value, although what is more important is that this perfect alliance will enable the company to carry on undertaking new projects that generate value for all the company’s shareholders.
Abengoa has continued to promote its projects in R&D+i, with programs focused on demonstrating the feasibility of solar-thermal plant technology using superheated steam, designing and installing a pilot plant using molten salt technology and gas receivers, completing the tests to increase the storage capacity of the plants, while also reducing the cost of the components. in bioenergy, a new fermentation process has been validated at demonstration scale, which increases the margins of first generation bioethanol, while second generation bioethanol has been successfully produced from corn stalks and straw residues at the plant in Salamanca. Finally, improvements have been achieved in validating and designing a new and more efficient remineralization process in desalination plants.
Lastly, Abengoa decided to increase guidance for 2011. The new guidance for 2011 revenues is set in the new range of 6,800 M euro – 6,900 M euro and 1,040 M euro – 1,060 M euro for EBITDA.
Manuel Sanchez Ortega, CEO of Abengoa, said, “In such an extremely complicated environment, I am pleased to be able to share the excellent results that our company has been able to achieve once again. These results are the reflection of the effort and commitment of the people that make up Abengoa.”
He added, “This quarter we have continued to grow our revenues, EBITDA and cash generation. we keep progressing in all of our projects and R&D efforts. we were able to welcome first Reserve into our capital structure and manage to close the sale of our participation in Telvent. Our liquidity position was increased and the net debt reduced. to sum up, we comply with our commitments with both our clients and shareholders.”
Details from the Results Presentation Conference
The CEO, Manuel Sanchez Ortega, and the head of investor relations and reporting, Barbara Zubiria Furest, will hold a conference today to present the results, which will be simultaneously broadcast via the internet at 6.30 pm (Madrid time), 5.30 pm (London time) and 12.30 pm (New York time).
to access the conference please dial +34 91 788 93 03. The conference can be followed live via Abengoa’s website. we recommend accessing the website at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the conference to be able to register and download the audio software required to listen.
A recording of the conference will be available on Abengoa investors’ webpage approximately two hours after the conference has finished.
Note: all figures used as a comparison with 2010. Do not include Telvent.
about Abengoa
Abengoa (mce:ABG) is an international company that applies innovative technology solutions for sustainable development in the energy and environment sectors, generating electricity from the sun, producing biofuels, desalinating sea water and recycling industrial waste. ( abengoa.com )
Communications Department contactPatricia Malo de Molina MelendezLoreto Gonzalez GoizuetaTel: +34 954 93 71 11E-mail: communication@abengoa.com
Investor Relations contactBarbara Zubiria FurestTel: +34 954 93 71 11E-mail: ir@abengoa.com
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, which may be preceded by words such as “believe”, “expect”, “possibility”, “anticipate”, “plan”, “intentions”, “assumption” or similar expressions, and includes statements relating to our forecasts for the 2011 tax year.
This declaration of intentions reflects current business expectations as at the date of this press release, and implies certain risks and uncertainties. Abengoa’s real results may differ significantly from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements due to numerous factors.
Abengoa does not intend, nor does it assume any obligation, to update or revise its forecasts in this press release following its publication date.
Due to the aforementioned risks and uncertainties, and the possibility that the real results may change due to variations in the assumptions on which certain forecasts are based, investors must bear in mind that the results, events or developments disclosed in any forecast in this press release, may not occur, and that the real results may significantly vary from those outlined in this document, including those described as “forecasted, expected, set, planned” or similar.
Copyright (C) 2011 PR Newswire. all rights reserved
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