Environment

Is Solar Energy Reliable?

James Bratley asked:

Solar power is becoming a way of life for many people across the globe. From isolated communities to inner city suburbs, solar energy is becoming a very popular choice to better the environment.

Solar energy has been in existence ever since life on our planet began. We have been using the strength of the sun in many different ways, past and present. The more modern technique of using solar energy has been through the use of solar panels.

Solar energy is 100% reliable, if our planet did not receive this energy, or if the energy increased or dropped significantly, then the earth would more than likely struggle to support mankind. However, some methods regarding how we use solar energy are by no means 100% reliable.

The more modern method of harnessing solar energy has been through the use of solar panels. The technology used to turn sunlight into electricity is still in its infancy. Newer and better technologies are emerging every year, and one day we can be hopeful that solar panels could easily support a large household in a reliable way.

Many people have had great success using solar panels to power their home, and this can be down to a range of factors. The main problem associated with the reliability of solar panels is the cost. Due to the more expensive panels been out of the price range of your average consumer, more and more people are opting for budget solar cells, which provide a much lower output, resulting in the disappointment of the consumer.

The people who achieve a reliable and efficient power output from solar cells either integrate these solar panels with a small home wind turbine or ground source heat pump.

The “green dream” is by no means a dream. We do have the technology available to provide 100% of a households power supply, yet cost is the bridge that places the green dream a long way away.

http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com

Contents provided by Blog Kiem Tien

The Truth About Solar Energy

Tina Metcalf asked:

Electricity generated from solar power (photovoltaic – PV) is steadily proving to be a clean, reliable and essential power.

Although naysayers, like fossil-fuel competitors, want us to think otherwise, I can easily demystify some common falsehoods about solar energy because progress and continued research proves that the current and future technologies of PV will meet our needs for cleaner power, which definitely is information worth discussing over any dinner party.

First of all most naysayers contend that solar energy cannot deliver any major portion of electricity to the states or the world for that matter. This is a falsehood based on the fact that PV technology can meet the required demand. That a 100-mile-square area of Nevada could supply solar energy to the states with all its electricity (roughly 800 gigawatts) operating reasonably efficient (10%) commercial PV modules.

Land, parking lots and rooftops are available for use to generate enough power. An estimated 17 by 17 miles per state is the required amount needed to produce 800 gigawatts. Apparently, there are enough “abandoned” sites that could be used for solar panels.

Supporters of solar electricity definitely have proven that PV can supply a major portion of the U.S. electrical needs with their projection of an increase of at least 15% of new added electricity capacity in 2020 with another increase of 10% by 2030.

Another falsehood I hear quite regularly is that photovoltaics will never become a huge industry. It’s a boutique business for a small group of privileged consumers.

Quite the contrary, solar electricity is a full-fledged business that has been growing steadily for more than 35% per year over the past 2 years. As a matter of fact, it’s been reported that the U.S.-based industry itself is reaching the $1 billion mark per year and providing 25,000 jobs. In the next two decades the growth rate is expected to rise to the $10-$15 billion level, thus provided 300,000 jobs by 2025. We are talking a major expansion of solar electricity as a tried and true power source.

Another very common falsehood that I hear at dinner party conversations is the PV is too expensive and will not ever compete against all mighty fossil-fuels – the industry will never manufacture the energy that it takes to produce the system.

Do I have a smirk on my face? Yes. This is so far from the truth, it is ridiculous. The overall cost of producing PV modules has dropped from 1980 at $50 per peak watt to as low as $3 per peak watt, presently, bringing the competitive applications to as low as 15¢-25¢ per kilowatt hour (kWh).

One can simply take a look at the market in California. The state incentives and net metering alone have places, PV electricity prices below 11¢/kWh, which is in the norm with some utility-delivered power. Designed for most domestic markets the trend is projected to continue through 2010 for most domestic markets.

Technologically the thin-film modules that are being implemented today payback in one year or even less, which means clean and practically free of overhead energy for the remaining 29-year life expectancy of the modules.

Contents provided by Blog Kiem Tien

Where Does Solar Energy Come From?

Koz Huseyin asked:

Solar energy is making a big impact today. In the world we live, we have put major strain on natural resources. But, there is a renewable energy source, which is becoming a viable source to meet the needs of humanity, it is called solar energy. But, where does solar energy come from?

Imagine a home that is powered by a residential solar energy system. This home has electric 24 hours a day. You could watch TV all day, keep all the lights on, and not have to worry about an electric bill! So, how does this work? Where does solar energy come from?

In discovering where does solar energy come from, let us consider that we are in that solar powered home. Imagine for a moment that you want to watch TV. You press the televisions power button. Instantly like magic the TV comes to life. It comes on exactly as it would in a home powered by conventionally produced energy.

This energy is in the form of electric. It doesn’t matter whether it is from solar power, fossil fuels or even nuclear power. It is all the same – electric. The electric in residential solar energy systems doesn’t come from an external power station situated on Earth though. It gets more interesting!

The electric had to come from somewhere, and as we trace back, we find that the electric in the TV came from batteries. These are loads of batteries that hold onto this solar power, which we will come to in a moment.

A battery is like a cupboard. It holds things; most importantly it holds energy in the form of electric. This is important as we will see in a moment, as this source is not a 24 hour power, so we need a way to store it. Batteries make this possible, but where did this solar energy come from?

As we travel further, perhaps to the roof of the residential solar energy powered home or even somewhere else on the property, we will find solar panels. Solar panels are amazing gadgets, as they do something amazing.

Solar panels have a big area. They convert something into electric. But, how did they do this? Light is needed. And solar panels ingeniously convert light into electric. This light comes from a very big power station. In the case of Earth, this power is from our very own Sun.

The Sun is like a humongous power station that constantly does a reaction that lets out light. This light beams to Earth, and a solar powered home can make use of this to create electric around the home. It is truly marvelous, and is going to the basics that most of life on Earth uses – that is to utilize the power of the Sun. As plants do.

Contents provided by Blog Kiem Tien

Is A Residential Solar Energy System And Wind Power Generators In Tandem A Good Idea?

Koz Huseyin asked:

Residential solar energy systems and wind power generators are becoming more popular. More and more people are finding the benefits of generating there own electricity to power there home. There are some situations where you may need both a residential solar energy system and wind power generators. Here we will take a look.

With Solar energy, it can work out good to have in your home, but only if you get a moderate amount of sunlight. This is a similar problem to wind power. Wind power generators are only effective, with a moderate amount of wind.

If you have a lot of sunlight, then a residential solar energy system will be of great benefit, and you will not need to look for alternative sources of energy. Likewise a lot of wind could mean that sticking with a wind power generator may be your best option.

If you find you live in the west of the US, you may have great sunshine, and a residential solar energy system maybe all you need, but what about if you are stuck in a part of the world where blistering sunshine is not a common thing?

In the UK for example, there are summer months with days that are very sunny. Residential solar energy systems are similar to a thermometer. As sunlight is more, and hotter, it means you get more power, less sunlight means less power.

In either case, a deficit will mean you just don’t have power. An option that many homes that switch to wind or solar power decide on is to have a connection to the electric company. This makes a great option, as you can get to have constant electric, and any excess, you maybe able to sell back to the electric company.

If you are in an area that isn’t very sunny or very overcast with clouds, then you may need a wind power generator that can supplement when there is no sun, but a lot of wind. This poses a few extra problems or benefits, however you see it.

Investing in a residential solar energy system is going to be a costly affair. Though the energy you get will be for many years, even decades, it still could mean that you still have to pay for electric, especially if you don’t have the sunshine.

The problem with investing in residential solar energy systems and a wind generator is that you likely have to invest twice the amount of money. This can mean a longer time to make a return on investment.

It is always advisable to seek advice from the company you plan to buy the energy system from, as they can give you an indication of whether you need a residential solar energy system, wind power generator or both.

The benefit with both is that with the excess energy you can, in most cases, sell it back to the electric company. It can be a great feeling, having the electric company send you a paycheck a few times in the year.

Contents provided by Blog Kiem Tien

You Can Help Make Solar Energy Accessible

Tina Metcalf asked:

Solar energy is likely the largest, single answer to this nation’s dependence on fossil fuels. With enough solar energy, U.S. citizens can ignore the threat of Peak Oil, the more visible threat of oil embargoes from Mideast countries, the rising cost of fossil fuels and the air pollution that is making large cities virtually uninhabitable.

Getting to that goal isn’t easy. There are a lot of solar incentives out there, from utility companies sponsoring solar installation to local, state and federal governments offering funding or tax rebates to homeowners installing a photovoltaic (PV) system. Unfortunately, these incentives are all over the board, vary from state to state and even region to region depending on the utility, are rarely publicly advertised to make homeowners aware of their existence, and change from one year to the next depending on the whims of Congress.

Most homeowners, when presented with the 10,000 hoops required to get some kind of incentive package, shrug their shoulders and walk away. Life is complicated enough. If president-elect Barack Obama truly wants to meet his eco-friendly energy goals – five million “green collar” jobs, negative oil imports in by 2018, and 10 percent of energy coming from renewable sources like solar – he will first need to translate this mishmash of incentives into a cohesive, comprehensive and comprehensible national policy.

What if, for example, instead of searching DSIRE’s (Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy) map for your state, then searching the more than 100 entries for a program that matches your qualifications and expectations, you could simply rely on the fact that state, regional and utility incentives all offered a specific program?

Better yet, what if an agency of the federal government, like the U.S. Department of Energy, took over all incentives and offered a flat rebate not subject to change every time Congress was in session? Can you imagine the numbers of individuals who – currently stymied by a maze of regulations and stipulations – would flock to install solar energy panels? I can, and it would give the solar energy industry a boost not seen since Henry Ford first introduced an affordable automobile.

You can make this happen by writing your representative and demanding a uniform, timeless, renewable energy incentive program. Better yet, join a social networking site and start your own petition, or contact renewable energy advocate sites (the American Solar Energy Society is a good start) and ask them to start a petition asking Obama and his transition team to develop such a program.

The future of solar energy is you, and tomorrow is already here.

Contents provided by Blog Kiem Tien

Solar Energy Explained – A Simple Guide

Science has proved that our Sun is a huge burning mass of whirling gases with tremendous heat. The heat is so intense that any object approaching within thousands of miles of the sun’s radius would instantly vaporize. The rays of Sun when they reach the earth bring with them the heat latent it them. This heat is diluted when the rays of Sun disperse in the whole atmosphere. But it is possible to concentrate the rays by a magnifying glass to such a point that the latent heat in them also gets concentrated so much that the object placed at that point starts to burn. In using a magnifying glass in the sunlight, what we effectively do is we trap the solar energy present in the sunlight and focus it at a point to produce heat. Read the rest of this entry »

Utilizing Solar Energy – Unlimited Advantages Of Using It

The advantages of solar energy outweigh those of conventional energy. The sun is freely available as natural energy as the only expense we have is installing the equipment to harness this energy for use. We can recover the costs needed to use the sun’s energy much faster than it takes to recover from using conventional energy. Instead of connecting to a gas or electricity by linking up to power grids, the recovering units stand on their own, and there is a limitless amount of solar energy for supply. It is also safer for the earth’s atmosphere as there are no gas emissions. Read the rest of this entry »

Solar Energy Goes Through the Roof!

While solar farms and tax credits and fresh energy policies push their way to the solar forefront, rooftop photovoltaic systems have been lagging. Those within the solar industry may be boasting a predicted annual growth rate of 50%, but until local businesses and citizens are able to embrace solar energy over fossil fuels, the prediction may be just that. Read the rest of this entry »

The Importance of Solar Energy to our Everyday Lives

Daily headlines make everyone aware of the dangerous situation in which our environment must operate. The human population has historically overtaxed its natural resources and today we are seeing the long-term effects of this selfish behavior. While many people try to reduce their “carbon footprint” by recycling, spending their money in more effective ways and eating a more “earth friendly” diet, one of the most important practices we should all begin is improving our energy efficiency. Read the rest of this entry »

Solar Energy – 3 Great Ways Countries Can Benefit

Solar energy is one of the renewable energy resources that are advancing as a way to get energy in the future. Of all of the renewable energies, solar is the one that is used the most. It’s clean, efficient and readily available. There are two ways solar power can be converted to be used in the mainstream. The first way is what you see on your tiny calculator. This is called the photovoltaic effect when light energy is converted into electricity. The other way to use solar energy is by heating a transfer fluid (many times oil) and combining it with water to create steam, which moves a generator. Read the rest of this entry »

List of Everyday Devices That Use Solar Energy

Solar power is an interesting technology. People have been using products with solar power panels since they were children and don’t even realize it. Remember those tiny little calculators with the black strip. Whenever you held your finger over it, the screen would disappear. That was solar energy. Read the rest of this entry »

How is Solar Energy Produced?

How is Solar Energy Produced

In this day and age of growing technology, scientists are working diligently to find ways to harness solar energy in order to power the Earth. Producing cars and products powered by solar energy will reduce the emission of harmful gasses and chemicals into the atmosphere. Our Earth is a precious commodity and we need to take care to protect it. Read the rest of this entry »

Solar Energy Explained

Solar energy is transmitted to the earth in portions of energy called photons, which interact with the earth’s atmosphere and surface. It takes about 8 minutes and 20 seconds for the sun’s energy to reach the earth – this solar energy comes from within the sun itself.

The sun is one big ball of gasses – mostly helium and hydrogen. When the hydrogen atoms combine to form helium, it generates energy. This process is called nuclear fusion. The sun radiates an enormous amount of energy every day, more than what people can use. Read the rest of this entry »

Home Power Articles

Articles on Home Made Energy