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Pros And Cons About Solar Energy

John Tahan asked:

Solar energy has many advantages over conventional power energy. That energy is free and the only expense is from recovering it. The cost of recovering the suns energy is of a very small portion and recovered faster compared with conventional energy. The recovering units are not connected to natural gas or power grids, they stand alone with no fees. The supply of solar energy is limitless. It has no emission gases to harm the earth’s atmosphere, it is earth friendly.

Focusing collectors have a movable mirror, called heliostats, is pointed to the sun and can provide incredible heat, a temperature around 4000 degrees C. This degree temperature is used for a solar furnace in industries and research. These solar furnaces are healthy for the environment. The heliostats are focusing the energy to a boiler that turns water into steam. To produce solar electricity, focusing collectors are used.

These collectors are often used in schools and homes to provide heat using water that is heated in pipes. They cannot provide as much heat as the focusing collectors because of their smaller size. Focusing collectors and Photovoltaic cells, are build with thin pieces of semiconductors, they convert radiation from the sun into electricity. The pros and cons of solar energy are often debated, but the debate always seems to favor solar energy over the conventional method. Solar energy has no restriction on supply and demand like fuel, it is free and it doesn’t pollute the air. It is natural and pure and conducive to greater health.

We can work together in many ways in order to get the best of natural and renewable resources. Using solar energy is not only safe, free and helpful but it is inspiring to others. The expenses to put a solar system together are less than the cost of using other resources for heat, including electricity and gas. By using electricity and gas you may have a low cost at the beginning but in the end you will end up paying all the time for years to come. With solar power you may have a small initial investment to pay to convert your home into solar energy but after that you will have no huge electric bills in your mailbox. You may choose to combine the use of electric or gas for a back up heating source from local companies. Solar power has been available for a long time; it is available today and will be available for us for many years to come.

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How is Solar Energy Used

John Tahan asked:

We simply need to think back of the last time we lost power when we had to light some candles and wash ourselves with cold water. Luckily for us the power came back but what if it didn’t come back. We have to stop thinking that everything lasts forever because nothing does and the sooner we realize that, the better we will be, it is time to start thinking outside the box, and look up high above into the sky and realize that solar energy is here for us to use. It shines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week non stop around the world, it is here now and for a long time to come.

The sun is a very intense ball of fire or gas way up in the atmosphere. We only see it when we are awake but on the other side of the globe others also get the daytime when we get the night. Did you know that some people use a great deal of the heat generated from the sun in order to heat their homes, power electricity and provide hot water to their love ones and businesses. Thinking about all the machinery that runs with electricity, it is hard to imagine running it by rerouting the sun to the machinery. Scientists have started to make this possible by utilizing this free energy to power everything from, home heaters to heating water, from powering home appliances to electronic devices and even the space shuttle is using solar power.

This solar power energy can be redirected and concentrated using special boxes (solar panels) that attract the light during the day to heat water and homes throughout the night. Solar power is becoming very common, extremely important and provides a natural way to heat, collect electricity and heat water with just a little more effort. We live in changing times; in the future we may have no other choice but to look at natural resources in order to have these necessities and conveniences. To have a home solar power system installed or have one made yourself can save you a huge amount of money and the investment you made to modify you house to implement a solar system can pay itself off many times in a short period of time. Solar power is important now and in the future.

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What is Solar Energy?

Anthony Holmes asked:

WHAT IS SOLAR ENERGY?

Since its very creation, the Sun has had much to offer the Earth. Mankind has been able to harvest solar energy. As the Sun shines its rays down on the planet, solar cells collect the light and it is transferred into electricity, allowing you to power almost anything. Solar energy will burn for millennia to come and is considered one of the fastest growing fields in renewable energy sources.

What is solar energy and how does it work? The way solar power works can be explained simply. Solar panels, known as a photovoltaic system, convert sunlight into electricity using cells on the panels that are made of the semi-conductive material crystalline silicon. There are multiple layers that include conductive cells, with the top and bottom layers holding positive and negative charges. When the sun passes through these layers, the electrons become excited and pass through the cells into the circuit to produce the power of electricity. This electricity is DC current that passes through an inverter to produce the common AC current used in your household that can be stored in batteries similar to that found on your automobile. Solar power systems offer many benefits that include free power from the sun, silent running and it is non-polluting. Hundreds of dollars saved on your power bill and installation can cost just a few hundred dollars.

Solar panels installation can be on your rooftop, in your side yard, or they can mimic roof shingles or glass facades. Some panels pivot so that they follow the sun’s rays across the sky. This last choice provides you with the most amount of sunlight to collect. No matter which area you live in, solar energy can help produce electricity for your home or office. Energy is stored so that even on cloudy or hazy days you can benefit from solar energy. Some areas can allow you to install a solar system that produces so much power that you could even go off-grid while selling back an overabundance of energy to the power company. Local governments offer incentive plans for going green.

What is solar energy? It is the universal gift to our planet that will help allow us to dismiss our dependence on fossil fuels. It is the universal gift that allows life to thrive and continue until the Sun itself burns out. Much can be done for your home, office and planet if you go this route and produce power from our guardian angel, the Sun.

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Understanding of Solar Energy Usage (chapter 1)

Alexander Lunev asked:

e person, being asked about solar energy usage, will describe solar panels (photovoltaic converters), what can be observed at many households and business properties these days. However, to truly imagine benefits of green solar energy, we should first understand its nature and the ways how solar energy can be produced and used. There are two major parts of solar energy reaching Earth surface: infrared radiation and light. Other significant part of solar radiated energy is represented by UV, X-rays and high energy particles. Those are, fortunately, being cut off by Earth ionosphere and atmosphere, and not reaching the Earth surface in considerable amounts.



     Infrared radiation is generally being converted into heat by passive converters (heaters), and used mainly for hot water production. There are many households, especially in California, Florida and other sunny regions, where electric water heaters are being rarely used even during winter period, due to implementation of Sun heat collectors. Other way to benefit from green solar energy is just do not waste it. Another words, use the building design and materials well insulating interior from exterior. We can lower our energy needs and build an energy efficient structure by integrating south facing windows and materials that retain heat, like bricks and wall panels.

     The most well known solar energy usage is generation of electricity using semi-conductor, converting energy of sunlight into the energy of charged particles, used further to produce electric current. (The above sentence looks complex. However, it has been borrowed from grade 7 school physics book). One square meter of solar panel is capable to produce approx. 100 Watt of power, depending of sunlight conditions. Electric power is being accumulated in the batteries, to be used during night hours. Efficiency of solar panels is frankly not very high: 10-22% depending on manufacturer and sunlight conditions. This fact leads to quite a large surface area, required to produce substantial amount of electricity. Solar power setup requires an electronic charge controller, batteries and power inverter to produce an alternative current, used to power majority of home appliances.

     To be continued…

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Can Solar Energy Efficiency Stop Climate Change?

Joshua Creighton asked:

All throughout the news and the internet, global climate change has been rearing it’s ugly head more and more often.

The ice caps are said to be melting at an alarming rate, the sun’s rays are getting hotter, and the ozone layer may be in it’s death throes. What can the average person, including you, do about it all? Solar energy efficiency may be the answer you’re looking for.

Solar energy efficiency should begin with the basic solar panel. Solar panels can come in two different forms, photovoltaic or thermal, but photovoltaic solar panels are the ones used most often in residential homes.

Solar panels technology has led the charge over the past couple of decades to get affordable and durable solar panels into the hands of the average citizen, and this had led to an increase in alternative energy usage.

Solar energy efficiency itself cannot stop climate change. This should be obvious to anyone who’s been paying attention to what’s going on – but, it can do a lot to help.

Using solar panels technology itself is a personal declaration that you’re sick and tired of using environmentally hostile forms of energy, and that you support the research and discovery of newer, alternative energies that will help the planet, and not be a hindrance towards it.

Solar panels, systems and individual, are just a good step in the right direction. After using solar panels technology for a little while, you’ll begin to notice other areas in your life that deal with energy and need improvement. It could instill in you the desire to drive a hybrid car, or cut down on travel and oil spending altogether.

Others will see your use of solar panels and will want to buy solar panels for home improvement. There are a myriad of possibilities out there, but it all starts with you first.

It will take a lot more effort to curtail climate change, and the possible shortages and disasters that it may entail for the future. Becoming energy independent and using solar energy efficiency will go a long way in ensuring that you’re doing your part to help the environment, and that you’re conscious of the troubles that are currently inflicting the planet.

Being informed about the problems is one thing. Taking action against them is in a whole different ballpark altogether.

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Step by Step Solar Energy Classes

Aurelia asked:

Solar power systems for home come in a wide variety of types and sizes. One of the first things you’ll need to know is exactly how you’ll be using your free energy. The PV cells of a solar array absorb the sun’s ultraviolet rays and convert that energy into electric current… but that doesn’t mean you can use it right away. The ‘juice’ created by the photovoltaic process is direct current (DC) and needs to be changed to alternating current (AC) before it can be used for your household electric needs. This requires the use of an inverter. There are some uses for DC current within the household, but most solar power in homes consists of electricity that’s been already transformed into a more standard usable form.

The next thing to consider is how you’ll be gathering this free, clean, renewable energy from the sun! When most people think of home solar heating panels they think of those great big monstrosities that used to clutter rooftops back in the 70’s and 80’s. Those ugly eyesores did little to promote the industry, and if anything they hurt the image of solar energy for decades to come. Luckily in today’s world, advances in PV cell technology have made it so that you can harness the sun’s rays in a multitude of new ways.

Rooftop solar panels installation is much simpler, easier, and a LOT more attractive these days! Panels are smaller and better looking, and they can be mounted flush to the roofline. Solar shingles are another way to go… you can build entire home photovoltaic systems that look the same as asphalt shingles or ceramic glazed roofing. By tiling the top of your home with thousands of these tiny cells, you can harness free green energy year-round. These systems go up easily with just a few solar panel installation classes, and in a few days or even hours you can begin lowering your electric bills while making the planet a cleaner place to live.

Solar heaters for pools are another popular do it yourself project. You can install a diy solar pool heater in just a matter of hours, saving you hundreds of dollars over the summer in pool heating costs. Either the sun warms water in an insulated tank, or a vacuum tube system is utilized to make the most of the day’s UV rays. Water tanks can also be used in the home – for showers, dishwashers, washing machines, or anywhere hot water is required.

You can even take solar energy classes that will instruct you on the guidelines of step by step solar system setup. From determining the angle of installation to drilling the struts that will support the array, one of the best ways to learn is through watching home solar panel kit videos. The visuals and knowledge obtained by learning from these videos will give you the confidence to begin solar panels installation on any scale project, small or large. You don’t have to have previous experience with any type of green energy – the instructions are all that you need.

And when it comes to installation, usually only a few small tools are required: a laser level, a chalkline, a drill and a socket set. In most cases connectors will snap together, but you may also need a soldering gun. The hardware that comes with a home solar power kit is designed to attach to the backs of your PV panels and then be bolted or clamped right to the mounting struts. In many cases these mounts will be adjustable so you can tilt them toward the sun no matter which month it is. This allows you to maximize your solar exposure as the sun changes position (relative to your roof) throughout the year.

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Some Facts about Solar Energy

Solar energy is for everyone simply because the sun shines in every corner of the planet. In fact, the history of solar energy can be traced back to the Greeks that were then passed on to the Romans which marked the first people to ever use the passive solar design. Read the rest of this entry »

Getting Green to Help Mother Earth, Solar Energy Facts

A lot of people think of these large panels on the roof of homes, when they think of solar energy and solar power. Let’s talk about some other solar energy facts. Although it came to light, so to speak, in the 1960s, solar energy has advanced and can be used for everything from warming our households to fueling our cars. Solar energy is free. Our electrical energy bills get higher each and every year. We can take this solar power using Earth4Energys kit for a fraction of what it cost us for electricity. We hear that the environment is having troubles with global warming, green house gases, but solar power if we decide to use and invest in it, is positive for the environment. Read the rest of this entry »

Home Solar Energy System – Why You Should Consider A Home Solar Energy System

I’m fairly certain that the majority of people would like to be free from the costly grip of the power company, and in turn be able to reduce their monthly bills. The problem is that most of us don’t know how to do this. But what if there was a step-by-step guide that could demonstrate exactly how to build your own cost-efficient, home solar energy system? Would you want to check it out? I’m assuming the answer is yes, so I will continue on. Read the rest of this entry »

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