Solar Energy News Daily

Solar Energy Applications in Newer Homes

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

When you go green and start thinking about green energy, there are a number of services like Texas Electricity and the like that offer you green electric options, but did you know that you can also purchase a home with all the materials necessary for solar energy applications. It’s true and we aren’t just talking about big solar panels and cells, there are actual building materials that are ideal for trapping heat and light that are being implemented into the actual construction. And while it seems a little strange and unconventional, there is absolutely nothing strange about saving money.

Most of us who have done our research on solar energy know that there are two types – passive and active. Passive solar energy simply relies on the sun to be shining and nothing more – no panels to capture and harness the energy or fancy arrays. Passive energy redirects light and heat to where it can best heat a home. Active solar energy relies on solar cells and panels that trap and redirect solar radiation for more direct purposes like heating water and air.

Trombe walls, greenhouse glass, solar arrays – these are all things we are starting to see more of in new homes and it may one day be the standard we all rely upon.

How Does Solar Power Pay Off?

admin — Wed, 11 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There are several ways that solar power can pay off for the homeowner, the community, and the world at large. Initially as a homeowner, the payoff is in reduced electrical bills. There was a time when it was considered a detraction to have solar panels on the roof, but that thought is changing with the ever increasing demand for energy. A good candidate house will have a south sloping roof with no obstruction by trees or other objects. If your home does not meet this, it does not count you out from the solar market, you may just have added expenses involved with the installation.

Another payoff of going solar is that if you use less energy than you produce, there is a good possibility that your utility company will by back the excess wattage for redistribution on the electrical grid. There are also several tax incentives for homeowners that agree to have solar installed in their home. The time of day is critical to solar production also. The best time of day and year to reap the benefits is during the summer months towards the afternoon. In the high heat of the day when everyone is running their ac, your solar power generation wil help to keep the carbon footprint in check.

The Future of Solar Energy In The US

admin — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

2010 was a fantastic year for solar power. New advances lowered prices, increased efficiency, and made solar power accessible to a larger group of people than ever before. Combined with increased public awareness and an emphasis on “going green,” this made the growth of solar power skyrocket. According to multiple industry groups and energy analysts, this trend is expected to continue.

What does this mean for the future? Private installations alone are expected to reach 10 gigawatts. That does not sound like much, but it would be enough to power more than 2 million homes. That is also not taking into account the fact that more and more local governments are offering rebates and incentives for homeowners to install solar panels.

On a wider scale, the US government is increasingly aware of the need for alternative energy. Some experts are proposing plans that would hugely shrink our dependence on foreign oil. More and more money is being spent on alternative energy; however, getting enough funding to truly advance the national power system remains a concern.

Overall, the future of solar power in the US seems brighter than ever. It is one of the cleanest and most available forms of alternative energy. It is very possible that soon the US will be getting most of its energy from solar power.

The Pros and Cons of Investing in Solar Panels

admin — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

With all the attention paid to “going green” one way to do your part is to invest in solar panels. All of the energy used on Earth other than that which comes from nuclear power, can be traced in some way to the Sun. The Sun’s rays directly provide phenomenal amounts of power to our planet.
Harnessing a portion of this power and turning it into electricity is the job of a photo-voltaic cell. Put these cells together in a flat panel and you have a solar array or solar panel.
The advantages of solar panels include lack of any moving parts, a relatively constant source of power, and ease of installation for most homes.
Find the right spot for the best source of constant sunshine, set up the panels and get an electrician to attach to your home electrical system. These can power individual appliances, or even power a generator and supply more electrical energy.
The solar panels are great to put on the roof of your RV, and some new cars have them installed discretely on the roof to trickle charge the battery, or run a cooling unit when the car is parked.
The cons for solar panels include the high initial expense, which is lower than in prior years but can still be costly. Also the fact that on a cloudy day they do not supply any power and lastly you have to have a large flat space on your roof to install solar panels, which also are not the best looking home addition.
Solar panels are getting cheaper and better all the time, and with alternate energy rebates and tax incentives, could prove to be a good investment.

How To Increase The Efficiency Of Solar Panels

admin — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Several people think of solar panel as a sort of investment. However, getting the right components and product will not be sufficient for you to make good profit from your investment.

We are listing below five ways to improve the efficiency of your solar panel:

1. You should install your solar panels at the right place and at proper tilt angle as this helps the panel in getting maximum exposure to sunlight during the day. You can use solar pathfinder to search for the best location that receives maximum amount of sunlight.

2. Any type of shading adversely affects the efficiency of solar panels. The efficiency of solar panel climbs down dramatically even when just one solar cell comes under shade. Therefore, you need to search a place good place without shade to install your solar panel.

3. Remove any dust from the glass surface of the solar panel. You can achieve this by wiping the surface using a piece of cloth at regular intervals.

4. The solar panel efficiency drops with the increase in its temperature. Therefore, you must install panels far away from the roof shingles. There should be some gap between the roof and panels for proper air circulation to remove any trapped heat.

You may be really surprised to know that we can do just little to increase the efficiency of our solar panels.

Even the Have’s Have Naught

www.solarenergynewsdaily.com — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000

In what should sound as an alarm to those who see fossil fuels as an integral part of their livelihood well into the foreseeable future, Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading oil exporter, is now worried about supplying its own oil consumption habits, not to mention the rest of the world. As a result, Saudi Arabian officials are working out plans to reduce their dependency on fossil fuels and make better use of alternative sources of energy. This is following recent estimates that in just 20 years, Saudi Arabia will need to majority of its oil supply to satisfy its domestic demand. As it stands, Saudi Arabia uses approximately 40 of the oil it produces, exporting the remaining 60. Were trends to hold and oil continue to be produced at the same output, based on 2031 figures, Saudi Arabia would only be producing enough oil to sustain itself under current operating patterns, with little to no oil left to export.Accordingly, solar power will provide more immediate relief as the country works to ready itself for nuclear power. Following the plan, developing nuclear energy should come within the decade, while solar relief is much more readily available. Saudi Arabia’s unique topography and landscape makes it a very unique locale on the global energy map. Though blessed with more than its share of extensive oil reserves, the desert nation faces its share of challenges in regards to providing fresh water and electricity to its residents, particularly considering the dearth of natural water resources, often put to use towards both ends. Whether solar and nuclear resources come to fruition, the era of oil excess for Saudi Arabia is likely nearing its final stages. The vast disparity between prices abroad and at home for Saudi Arabians should begin to dwindle in the coming decades, as producers still look to turn a profit and try to curb local demand by raising prices.

Eagles Flying High With the Sun

www.solarenergynewsdaily.com — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 20:55:12 +0000

Everyone knows the Philadelphia Eagles are green, well, except when they wear their white away jerseys or black alternates. But from an environmental standpoint, the Eagles are also among the eco-friendly franchises in the NFL today.Already, the Eagles have solar panels that pump energy into their practice facility, biodegradable utensils, cups and bowls inside Lincoln Financial Field, the most vegetarian dining options of any concessions stand and a cheerleader calendar dedicated to saving the planet.This month however, the Eagles are breaking ground in a new stadium, not on a new stadium, announcing plans to turn Lincoln Financial Field into the first stadium solely supported by solar and wind power. The plan is made possible through a new partnership with Solar Blue, an Orlando based energy company dedicated to providing new and sustainable energy solutions. Ideally, the modifications necessary to this lofty endeavor into practice should be in place by the beginning of the 2011 NFL season. Put into place will be 80, 20-fot wind turbines on the upper rim of the stadium, combined with close to 2,500 solar panels. The turbines account for 15 of the stadiums energy with the solar panels matching for another 15. The remaining 70 will come from a plant run on biofuels and natural gas.The expected changes in power supply should account for 1.6 megawatts of extra energy. To put that into perspective, it takes 7 megawatts to keep Lincoln Financial Field running on Sunday from kickoff to the final whistle. The excess electricity will be sold to local utility companies, adding even more profit in addition to the anticipated 60 million in energy savings over the next 2 decades.The newly self-sustained Lincoln financial field will set the bar for franchise facilities across any of the major sports, up for competition across all literal fields of play throughout the world. Hopefully, teams around the league and around the world will take similar steps in keeping our earth healthy, as large gatherings like sporting events can so easily result in heightened levels of both pollution and energy use.

Less Silicon on the Jersey Shore?

www.solarenergynewsdaily.com — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 22:17:40 +0000

It may seem like a while since the great state of New Jersey made a valuable contribution to modern science, unless of course you count the under-the-influence antics of Snooki, The Situation and Paulie D, testing the utter limitations of human consumption. However, researchers at Rutgers University, New Jersey’s flagship institution, claim to have discovered new cellular properties with the potential to lead to less expensive plastic solar cells.According to the research, energy-carrying particles generated by packets of light can travel 1,000 times further in carbon-based semiconductors than previous reports indicated. What does this mean? The essential benefit manifests in that these new cells can be created in plastic sheets as opposed to the silicon standby. It doesn’t take a scientist or plastic surgeon to understand the basic price differential between the two materials. Plastic solar cells designed with these advancements in mind could ultimately replace the expensive traditional model of silicon solar cells in the photovoltaic process. The end result would not only offer solar energy conversion an new cost lows but also heightened levels of performance, perhaps one day making silicon solar cells obsolete entirely.Though the research provides tangible hope for the spread of solar power capability across budgetary borders, the findings are still relatively preliminary and only time will tell precisely what kind of impact this new technology will have in the coming years.

Solar Look Is So Hot Right Now

www.solarenergynewsdaily.com — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 16:39:45 +0000

To critics who have complained large solar panels are simply unsightly, the fashion world tends to disagree. If it seemed like runway at Portland Fashion Week was beaming with energy, perhaps it’s because the platform was professionally engineered to do so. SolarWorld, this year’s primary sponsor of the event, provided flat black solar panels which were transformed via keen eye for design into the actual strip cat walked by models from start to finish. Sleek, elegant and environmentally conscious found common ground, quite literally, just beneath the feet of fashionistas as surrounding crowds applauded in approval.The set-up itself was not all that energized crowds throughout the event. As designers from host city of Portland all the way across the pond to Paris converged to bring together some of the freshest designs around, crowds lost themselves in a word of style and imagination, while remembering the importance of preserving the world around them.In the otherworldly arena of fashion, the event was not lacking in big names. Last season’s Project Runway winner, Seth Aaron Henderson, helped to put on the event and showcased some of his original work. Joining Henderson were the looks of fellow cast members, Gordana Gehlhausen, Jay Nicholas Sario and Jonathan Joseph Peters. The runway was also open to designers of varying fame from the Northwest and abroad, with Bogata-based Amelia Toro also putting styles on display.

Qwest for Solar Sufficiency

www.solarenergynewsdaily.com — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 20:29:48 +0000

It’s generally assumed you need sunlight for solar energy to be effective. The city of Seattle is out to disprove this notion. Though it may have a reputation as one of America’s rainiest cities, Seattle’s solar ambition far outshines the local climate. If early proposals come to fruition, Qwest Field, home of the Seahawks, is in line to become the largest photovoltaic installed major sports venue in the United States. The already state of the art stadium would receive 600 kilowatts of solar power under the new energy structure, offsetting a significant portion of Qwest Field’s traditional usage. Currently, the 364 kilowatts of sun-supplied energy that powered the Los Angeles Lakers to an NBA title last season reign supreme among American arenas.According to official estimates, Seattle does, in fact, receive enough sunlight to justify a solar energy switch, a particularly popular move in the always environmentally conscious Northwest. Of course, desire only goes so far as many large scale initiatives in the past have fallen short to dreary weather outlook. Hopefully, if the Seahawks solar powered stadium breeds successful results, alternative energy ambition in the Northwest will be make giant leaps forward.The new solar plan will account for an entire 10 of the stadiums energy needs, in addition to raising solar awareness. Complete with informational kiosks and displays on the solar energy process and benefits throughout the stadium concourse, the proposal will not only help provide but promote the use of clean energy throughout the area.