The Solar, The Energy For The Earth
Safe Energy For The Earth
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Build Own Solar Panel – A Fun Family Activity
Posted on June 18th, 2011 No comments
Image : http://www.flickr.comAre you looking for some fun activities to indulge in this summer? With kids at home, parents are always looking for innovative learning and teaching techniques. So if the children can be thought how to build own solar panels, the activity will prove to be both fun and a great learning experience. This article helps you uncover the hidden secrets behind this simple, yet extremely enjoyable family activity. Read and learn the tricks to build own solar panels.
Materials needed:
1. A copper strip, about half a square foot in length.
2. An electric burner
3. Table salt
4. Hot water
5. 2 alligator clips
6. A small surplus meter with a needle
7. Sand paper
8. A large glass jar (alternatively use a big plastic bottle, with the top cut off)
9. A large scissor with strong blades to cut the copper
10.Sunlight
Procedure:
Step 1:
Cut a strip of copper in a rectangular shape, big enough to cover the burner. Start the burner and let the strip heat. It will soon turn very colorful and gradually turn black. The reddish color is that of cuprous oxide and the black of cupric oxide. Let it heat till the strip is completely dark and the burner is red hot.
Switch off the burner and let it cool. The cupric oxide will flake off as it cools and the beautiful red cuprous oxide will show. When it is completely cool, in about 20 minutes, scrape off all the black particles with a sand paper.
Step 2:
Cut another strip of copper and place them together in the jar, facing but not touching each other. Attach the alligator clips on each strip. With the help of the clip, connect the clean copper plate to the positive terminal of the meter, and the oxidized plate to the negative terminal.
Then add the hot salt water into the jar. The water must not touch the clips, so this must be done carefully. Fill the jar about half way up with the salt water.
Step 3:
Leave the entire device in sunlight and observe the meter. In bright sunshine, the meter should read about 50 microamps, proving that you can build own solar panels that give out electricity!
Overview:
This activity is a great way to inform the children about solar power. While this homemade solar panel will not give out enough electricity to even light up a bulb, it is very educational and interesting. Teach your kids how to build own solar panels and open the doors to new discoveries. Solar energy is the future and every one should know about its benefits.
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Home Solar Power Benefits
Posted on June 16th, 2011 No comments
Image : http://www.flickr.comSolar power systems will turn sunlight into electricity. The silicon wafers will seize photons from the sun and turn this into DC power. This power is then changed in 120 volt AC power and connected and along the present electrical scheme in the house or business office. This can also be connected to the localized electric control grid. As the sun is shinning, you may be able to acquire more electricity then you will consume. Your meter can actually spin backwards. During the night with no sunlight, your house will be utilizing from the utility company. Sort Of like using the utility company as a giant storehouse for your overproduction of electric power. There are a few of different labels the solar power systems are named. The solar energy system, the solar electric systems and the Photovoltaic or the PC systems are really all the same. The solar power systems independently exchange the suns light into electricity. This electricity can then be utilized right away, stashed away in batteries or fed into an electric utility grid system.
The commitment to clean power is a effective financial strategy. Solar electrical systems are quite expansive and present a good investments for the household or business proprietor. This electrical system can deliver affordable electricity and power for years, maybe decades to come. There are some generous incentives of aid off set the initial costs. A good range of local, state and federal bonuses such as grants, rebates, loans, direct equipment sales, leasing and tax credits will help to offset the prices. While it may be difficult to recognize and understand what is accessible, most of the solar energy companies can help make you aware of what is available. Some of the companies will also assist manage the rebate activities for you.
Some of the most effective vendors and installers of the solar power system will tell you that simple is better. The more complex systems will necessitate more technical support and will lessen dependability. Always employ an expert to buy and install the solar power system from. The professional electrician is not necessarily certified or qualified by the equipment manufactures to install the equipment properly. The solar products will include the solar generator, the home solar panels and the solar collector. These are a few of the items you will need to make your home into a solar home that can produce all of your energy needs. The certified companies will maintain the insurance and the proper documentation to protect the home proprietor or business proprietor from any worker liabilities.
A registered company will help to insure how much and what and where. During a site inspection the sales person will help to decide what type of solar power system will preform for your requirements. Also placement of the system is very important. A Solar Pathfinder is utilized to determine the daily and seasonal shades. The cost of or how many solar panels is essential for your location and also how much will this cost. While the solar power systems are developed for decades of unattended use, it is essential to provide for regular maintenance. The panels might need a little annual cleaning.
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Solar Energy Education – Training For a Renewable Future
Posted on June 14th, 2011 No comments
Image : http://www.flickr.comThe opportunities for those interested in solar energy education are increasing throughout the United States and across the globe each and every year. Renewable energy is a popular topic nowadays thanks to the environmental or green movement across the world. People are recognizing more and more that the environment must be protected and sustained instead of destroyed and used up without a thought given to sustainable and renewable energy resources.
Fossil fuel consumption is rapidly depleting the energy resources we have used primarily to heat our homes, cool our homes, heat and cool water, operate commercial businesses, and to power our appliances over the years. Continued use of fossil fuels at the current rate means we will deplete these resources before they can be renewed again. What is the answer? Renewable energies such as solar, wind, and geothermal, which are renewable and can never be depleted!
Renewable energy sources such as solar are a vital component when it comes to reducing our footprint on the environment and protecting the world around us. The result has been an influx of education courses and jobs that are flooding the solar jobs and renewable energy jobs industry. This is exciting news for anyone interested in becoming part of the positive environmental solution!
College Graduates or Current Professionals Can Get Educated in Solar
Did you know that several colleges and universities are now offering courses and degrees for students interested in pursuing a green energy job? It’s exciting to note that the classes and hands-on training are expanding too! Students can leave college with a degree that will allow them to specialize in a specific area of the solar energy industry and make a good living doing something they love.
Solar energy education is also a means for current professionals to pursue a career in solar technologies. It’s becoming a reality for many men and women working careers such as finance officers, engineers, architects, and roofers to get training to enter the solar industry using the skill set they already possess. Interested in switching careers? It’s not as difficult as you might think if you can find the resources available for education in solar technologies.
What Types of Jobs Are Available in the Solar Industry?
You could perform a number of different jobs in this industry including, but not limited to:
Architect – design solar homes or specialize in designing commercial buildings for solar technologies
Geologist
Plumber
Financial Expert or Consultant
Solar Engineer
Installation Expert – specializing in installation of solar panels and other solar technologies for either commercial or residential applications
Marketing and Sales – use your sales or marketing experience to sell solar technologies to homeowners or businessesThe demand for solar energy jobs and green energy jobs is increasing which means the education required to train people for these jobs is a necessity. Training for jobs in the residential or commercial areas of the solar industry is available through many different sources across the United States and throughout the world.
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Solar Cookers
Posted on June 12th, 2011 No comments
Image : http://www.flickr.comA speeding bullet shot from a firearm travels towards you at somewhere between 1000 to 3000 feet per second. If we blink 20-30 times per minute, that equates to roughly once every two seconds. Hopefully a person standing within 1000 feet of you is off target, because the bullet will be long gone by the time we are finished blinking. A similary impressive speed is the relative speed of sunshine.
Despite the fact that the sun is 93 million miles away from the earth, it takes a ray of sunshine just 8 minutes to reach earth from the surface of the sun (remarkably it takes the formative photon a million years to travel from the core of the sun to the surface of the sun). One of the most effective methods of capturing the sun, is using a simple solar (sun) cooker to exploit the concept of passive solar energy.
Passive solar energy is described in Wikipedia as “Passive solar technologies are means of using sunlight for useful energy without use of active mechanical systems (as contrasted to active solar). Such technologies convert sunlight into usable heat…Passive solar technologies include direct and indirect solar gain for space heating, solar water heating systems based on the thermosiphon or geyser pump, use of thermal mass and phase-change materials for slowing indoor air temperature swings, solar cookers, the solar chimney for enhancing natural ventilation, and earth sheltering”.
Cooking with the using a variety of possible solar cookers remains one of the most antiquated yet most effective forms of free sunshine energy capture known to humanity. Not only is the technique relatively simple, it is also remarkably inexpensive and simply requires an aspirant sun cook to either borrow, build or buy a solar cooker.
Talking about aspirant sun cooks although I never have read any specific mention about solar cooking when reading about the trials and tribulations of the indomitable Huckleberry Finn, I always summarized that he knew a thing or two about solar cookers. Maybe it was the curious company he kept, from his lifetime friend Tom Sawyer, to his new-found, surreptitious companion Jim, the runaway slave, or just the assortment of odd people who constantly popped in and out of his life.
Either way, in my mind’s eye, I could just imagine Tom and Huck catching and skinning catfish, and with gay abandon tossing these huge fish over their shoulders and trudging nonchalantly up to the regular Trading Store to barter and procure the necessary material to construct a sun cooker. After all what better way to end one their many frenetic days than eating a well-cooked solar meal out of their solar cooker, from the deck of their raft, of course!
Hillary Rodham Clinton in a speech at Cleantech Venture Forum VIII, on Oct. 25, 2005 said “Clearly, we need more incentives to quickly increase the use of wind and solar power; they will cut costs, increase our energy independence and our national security and reduce the consequences of global warming.”
Whist Hillary Clinton did not mention sun cookers or solar cooking specifically, there can be no doubt that these domestic instruments fall clearly within this remit and have a very specific role to play, not only in the urban first world but as, if not more importantly, in the huge rural tracts that make up the global geographic environment, especially in those countries where sunshine is abundant.
Hopefully in the not too distant future, solar cooking will no longer be seen to be the exclusive domain of poor communities living in remote areas of Africa, alternatively some sort of weird, complex pastime to be pursued by passionate, wide-eyed vocal greenies. Hopefully solar cooking and solar cookers will become somewhat more visible, accepted and enjoyed by mainstream society. Hopefully.
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How Does a Stirling Engine Work and Its Use in Solar Thermal Technology for Energy Generation
Posted on June 12th, 2011 No comments
Image : http://www.flickr.comA Stirling engine is extremely simple heat exchange engine and works by low temperature difference between two metal surfaces. One surface is heated at one end of the engine while other is cooled down on the other end, causing the air to expand near the hot surface (high temperature) and compress near the cold surface (low temperature). This expansion and compression of air within the engine cylinder enables the movement of displacer or piston in upward and downward motion between the two surfaces into a cycle or loop. This efficient heat engine was invented by Robert Stirling in 1816 as an alternative to steam engines at that time and a great contribution in heat engine technology.
Stirling Engine Basics Explained
An ideal model for understanding the basics of a Stirling engine consists of a closed cylinder containing two metal surfaces (aluminium) at top and bottom of the cylinder. A displacer is placed between the two plates which is connected to a flywheel through a wire to transfer mechanical energy during upward motion. When one plate is heated for example; bottom plate, the air near that plate expands and causing the displacer to move upward. On the other hand flywheel is connected to a small piston which takes the mechanical energy from flywheel and push the displacer to aid in downward motion. When displacer reaches top position the small piston moves downward enabling the compress air to fill in the cylinder and push the displacer downward. Making a loop of upward and downward motion of both displacer and piston, resulting in the circular motion of flywheel.
Use in Solar Thermal Technology
In solar thermal technology we use heat energy from sunlight into mechanical energy to drive a generator or turbine to generate electricity. Stirling engine serves exactly the same purpose and they are very powerful solar power generators and produce clean and free renewable energy. Stirling Engines are used in solar thermal technology within solar dishes where a large parabolic reflector directs the sunlight into one focal point where Stirling engine is placed which then runs by using this heat energy from sunlight and giving mechanical energy to generate electricity. Solar thermal dishes are used in both residential and commercial electricity generation. Stirling engine powered solar dishes for residential use are comparatively smaller in size and generate around 1-2 kW of electricity. Whereas in commercial use a large single engine powered solar dish can generate up to 25kW (kiloWatt) of electricity.
Your geographical location is important in deciding if solar thermal engines are best option for you. Solar thermal engines are best choice for users in areas that get lot of sunlight throughout the year and not so good for areas that get lot of snow and less sunlight.
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Benefits of the Solar Panels
Posted on June 11th, 2011 No comments
Image : http://www.flickr.comWho do not wants to save money? Will you purchase a product for $1000 if the same product is available for $500 with same quality, same attributes and the same promises? I know your answer that it is NO. No one would like to spend money unnecessarily. Will you not like to save your dollars by reducing your electricity bill if I tell you how to make and use the solar panels and generate your own power in your home? I know the answer of every good decision maker and it will be YES. Not only electricity bills could be reduced but there are many benefits of using the panels in your home.
Low Maintenance
Low maintenance is required for these panels because these panels neither consume fuel nor have any moving parts that would wear out. The fuel filters are not needed to change because there is no consumption of fuel so there are no fuel filters. The only maintenance work you need to do for these panels is to clean the surface of the solar panels regularly.
Reliability and Safety
Reliability and safety are the main factors that a buyer looks for any product he wants to buy. The solar systems to produce power are the types of systems which give 100% satisfaction to the consumers on these parameters. These panels are safe and reliable. If a customer buys a panel then he will not need to buy another for decades. A quality panel can last up to as long as 35 years and the manufacturers are also so confident about their product that they offer warranties of more than 20 years on their product. This shows that these panels are highly reliable and safe.
What the consumers should know about making their own solar panels?
Making your own panel is also not an impossible task but you should know few things if you want to make your own panels. The consumers should know that maintenance is the key to make these systems more durable and knowing this key fact the consumers should regularly clean the dirt that comes to the surface of the panels. The consumers should know that if they will use these systems then their energy consumption will be reduced by 30%. The consumers should also know the process of harvesting the solar cells to turn into solid energy.
If you understand the benefits of the solar panel systems and you are also interested to make your own rather than buying one from the market then you should gather knowledge to make your own panel. If you can do it then you will not only reduce your electricity expenses but you will also save your mother earth by using the Sun, the biggest natural resource of energy for our planet.
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Solar Installations Need Qualified Solar Installer
Posted on June 10th, 2011 No comments
Image : http://www.flickr.comSolar powered installations need to be installed by a qualified solar installer. They can be installed at home or at a business. They can be placed on the roof of your home or they can install in your yard on a stationary site or a tracker. Clean energy can be achieved through solar, wind, or geo-thermal systems. We depend so much upon fuels to run our cars and cool or heat our homes. The change will take time but we must begin now in our homes.
The first place to start is research. Online searches can reveal a load of topics and answer most questions. There are many blogs online that have information on alternative energy which are a great resource and gives good information.
Research is to help people understand what the solar installer is talking about when he comes out to your site. Research is generally to give you an idea of what it is all about. Some counties and cities don’t allow you to install your own systems. In those areas, you need a licensed master electrician to do most of the installation.
Alternative energy can get complicated and is not the simplest way of doing things. It is very important to have a professional look over your site even if you are doing something yourself. There are codes by the National Electric Code designed to protect the homeowner. Some electricians can teach a helper all day how to pull one wire for one direction. But they can’t tell him in one day how many codes that these wires cover in different areas, what code requires, and why.
Solar is a great form of alternative energy that we all must strive for. But you must have a qualified installer. If not, you could have a leaky roof from poor installation, improperly placed, or worst, you could burn down your house. Energy efficient homes need qualified installers.
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Solar Energy Pros and Cons – What You Need to Know
Posted on June 10th, 2011 No comments
Image : http://www.flickr.comSolar energy today is of great importance to people. It provides an alternative source of energy aside from fossil fuels such as oil and gas. Every day, more and more people set up their own solar panel systems at home. Having one nowadays is beginning to be the current trend.
Knowing solar energy pros and cons will, with a lot of help, let you decide when and if you would want to set up one at home. They say that using this kind of energy is the answer to our future energy supply. You might ask why there are those that still rely on power from power companies. Well, as good as it may seem, there are still the pros and cons regarding this.
What is the best thing about this type of energy? It’s free! Among the advantages of solar energy is that it is renewable. There is an abundant supply of energy from the sun waiting to be utilized by humans. It costs lower than other alternative sources. Aside from that, it reduces the risk of pollution wherein from past years, usage of fossil fuels has increased pollution in the planet. Fossil fuels emit carcinogens, carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases that are known pollutants.
Solar energy panels are easy to install and maintain. They are available in varying prices to keep the demand from people of different financial status. With this, people may also sell excess electricity generated to power companies. They are only too willing to accept what you could offer them. Contact your local power company for more detailed information regarding your excess energy supply.
After that, you’re more likely to side with the advantages of solar energy without hearing the other side first. How about its disadvantages? Everything, no matter the use, size and type has its pros and cons. Solar energy has its own.
The first and the most is that the cost of components is high. Though there may be available samples that cost low enough to be affordable. If you know where to find the components at a discount, you’ll have one for a much lower price. Another thing is that not all locations are feasible enough for solar. If you’re familiar with solar farms resembling large-scale building projects, these farms as subject to the so – called “Nimby” syndrome (Not in My backyard). There is the need for efficient storage for “down” times.
You won’t be able to generate this energy at night so you need a way to store it. Batteries are the best energy storage choice there is. Solar panels, depending on size, can use up a lot of space. Getting your hands on these batteries at a low price is easy. Sometimes you may grab them for free. Weather conditions also contribute to the amount of energy that can be generated.
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How to Make Residential Solar Power
Posted on June 9th, 2011 No comments
Image : http://www.flickr.comThe need for alternative sources of energy has become more and more pressing day by day. Cost and supply of conventional fuel have gone out of whack and the effect of their wastes and emission on the environment going from bad to worse. If ever there was a time for alternative solutions for power, now is it! Actually, clean and renewable energy sources have been around for a long time: hydro, wind and solar power.
Each of these sources has its strengths and setbacks. Between them, solar power is the most suited for the household. Once installed, solar power systems are practically maintenance free. The average lifespan of solar panels is more than thirty years and they come in all shapes and sizes, blending very well into all varieties of buildings both aesthetically and functionally. Of course, it’s emission free, silent and runs on sunlight for fuel and sunlight alone.
Solar power is increasingly making an impact on modern society on several fronts but residential solar power users are where it has gained the greatest penetration. These folks are by and large forced into the situation by the cost and emission concerns associated with non-renewable energy. Technology-based lifestyle also cannot afford to continue to be at the mercy of power outages and residential solar power provides just the answer.
There are a number of ways to make use of solar power and residential solar power generators are the most popular means. The concept is straightforward and powerful. Sunlight energy is simply harnessed through solar panels and converted to electrical power by the circuitry in the power generators. They are then wired onto the mains of the house for consumption and also possibly interconnected to the grid where excess electricity produced can be sold.
It’s safe to say that most homes can benefit from having a residential solar power generator but a feasibility study is recommended to determine for sure. If you want to make solar power at home, the foremost factors are sunlight and neighbors followed by orientation, structure and shading of the house. Be sure that the solar panels are able to access sufficient sunlight without running foul of local ordinances or neighborhood covenants. On the plus side, net metering by the grid supplier and tax incentives by the state are commonplace nowadays.
Although solar power can generally supplant the grid-supply, most households employ it as a complement or backup. Its primacy in powering the home is an individual matter of comfort and preference which can best be determined by actually trying it out. Small-scale residential solar power generators are very affordable nowadays or they can even be built from scratch by DIY (do-it-yourself). Guides and handbooks are abundantly retailed on the internet and those who are handy can save more money than they spend.
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Solar Energy Facts Today
Posted on June 8th, 2011 No comments
Image : http://www.flickr.comDoes the rise in gas prices make you think about solar energy facts? Do you want to know more about solar energy and how it can benefit you? You may also be interested in wind power. Get some ideas today, and see how knowing more solar energy facts can help down the road.
While it is true you can get solar panels on the web for about $3200, that is a lot less than panels installed by a contractor that can be as much as $20,000 for one installation. You should expect prices to come down as more and more people invest in solar. In fact, the cost of manufacturing photovoltaic cells drops by 3 to 5% per year and government subsidies have increased. This makes solar energy more and more affordable. While the energy output of a 1KW solar energy unit is equal to burning 179 pound of coal, that coal also releases 300 pounds of carbon dioxide. A solar cell that delivers 19 to 56 Watt per square meter will save a lot of carbon. The end of 2005 saw about 5,300 mega watts of power from installed solar panels.
A lot of solar energy is lost as it falls through the atmosphere, clouds reflect some of it and then there is energy lost by the solar panel in conversion. Even so, the average power conversion in the US is between 3 and 9 kWh (Kilo Watt Hour) per square meter per day. If the people of Australia could capture all of the solar energy they receive, they would have 2000 times more energy than their present need! Still, you can live anywhere in the world and take advantage of the sun’s power.
One of the big issues of solar and wind power is getting it distributed to every person and place on earth. There are many political decisions that have to be made and debated as we do this. The US consumes at 25% of the world’s energy but has 5% of the population. There are other countries on earth that have a lot of solar energy if it could be collected. The problem is they don’t have the capital up front to make the investments. We may not be able to solve that as individuals but it will help if we are more efficient in using our resources.
In short, we all need to investigate solar energy facts and learn everything that we can. We do not want to be dependent on energy sources the rest of our lives. We all should realize that dependence on fossil fuels and the way they are ruining our environment are not good things. Get informed and get going on your own solutions to energy use.