Posts Tagged ‘build a solar panel’

The Value Of Renewable Energy Development

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

For most nations almost all energy research and development expenses are usually allocated to nuclear power, that’s without doubt not beneficial given that nuclear power leads to very similar issues as fossil fuels do.

Right now there must be more of a emphasis on renewable energy development simply because it is only approach to take if we wish to live in an environment that isn’t ruled by pollution and greenhouse gases

The study and development costs for nuclear power really should have been spent on discovering a solution in relation to renewable energy. If this was carried out the price of renewable energy technologies would be dramatically reduced and could perhaps be competing within the global energy market today without the need of subsidies and incentives needed currently to push renewable power development.

Many companies have began investing in renewable energy development and it’s seen as the ideal choice of the 21st century. Renewable energy is really a big market and lots of big investors would like to try getting a large slice of the pie and help the environment simultaneously.

Major investors including Richard Branson are investing in order for researchers to find renewable energy resources that can help the world stop using non-renewable fuels Major businesses also have committed to renewable energy and want to bring about change. Including Wal-Mart, GE and Google. Google has actually invested in a 1.6 MW PV system at their head office which offsets about 30% of the buildings typical electricity usage.

You’ll be able to play your part in this development simply by doing all it is possible to incorporate solar power in your homes. You could consider using outdoor solar lights instead of electrical or gas lights, set up a solar hot water system in your house, keep an eye on the future developments in renewable energy, speak to your energy provider to learn how you can reduce your fossil fuel use and by installing technologies which use renewable energy.

The solutions are here - it’s only the electric companies that don’t want you to know these facts simply because then their multi billion dollar companies is going to be making a huge loss.

You should not accept that renewable energy is simply a passing fad – it’s a genuine solution to problems we will all have to face. You can do your bit to help solve the energy problem and reduce you energy bills by understanding and utilizing renewable energy in your home today.

 

Building A Solar Panel

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Sunlight is the most abundant energy resource on Earth, but still remains almost completely unused, this energy is unlimited and has countless benefits.

In a recent estimate, the average national household energy bill was estimated to be $200 per month, that works out to almost $2500 a year. Wasted dollars that could be spent elsewhere if it was possilbe to eliminate or reduce these bills.

Converting solar energy to electricity using photovoltaic cells is one of the most useful scientific breakthroughs in the last hundred years.

By using the DIY solar panel approach you can make very big savings off retail prices. What if you could build your own solar panels for less than $200, it certainly sounds affordable but is it practical?

In a word, yes, solar panels are surprisingly easy to build, if you can do general DIY, then a solar panel project is pretty straight forward. You can build your own solar panels without the need for special tools or materials, in fact everything you need can be found in your local hardware store.

So what about the building time? Well for example, with simple materials, tools and some professional plans, it normally takes about a day to build a 100-watt panel.That panel can produce enough electricity to power a small workshop!

With a little more time spent on a bigger project you could build enough solar panels to meet all your energy needs, reduce your bills by 80 percent or even eliminate them.

When starting out on any DIY project it’s always advisable to get a professional guide with clear, easy to use plans.

Please note, it is important when selecting a guide, that you take you think about your particular lifestyle, energy needs and geographical location to determine which would be the most cost effective and efficient solution for your home.

You can jump straight to one of the best DIY solar panel guides available online.

There is simply a no better time for creating energy self sufficiency for your home, reduce you energy bills & start living your dreams in green.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photovoltaic Cells - 60 Years Old & Still Full Of Energy

Saturday, May 22nd, 2010

Solar cells have been around for almost 60 years. During that time they have evolved from large, expensive, technical curiosities into tiny cells that are affordable & efficient.

Photovoltaic cells originated from the Bell Laboratories in the 1950s as a spin off from transistor technology. The now famous discovery that when the suns rays hit a wafer of silicon it generates a surprisingly large numbers of free electrons. A panel of several silicon strips were made, placed in sunlight, the captured free electrons were turned into electrical current & the first solar battery was born.

Their first real test was in the 1960s with the emergence of space flight & their use as an efficient but very expensive power source for satellites. The development of this exciting technology is accelerating every year. Present day solar cells have evolved from bulky, inefficient panels into very small layers of film that are now twice as conductive & designed to function with less sunlight.

Solar panels since the 1960s have dropped in cost from an astonishing $40,000 per watt to now around just $6 per watt & below £3 per watt in large numbers with state rebates. Worldwide production and use of solar cells has been expanding every year by an average of 48 percent since 2002 & has become the world’s fastest growing renewable energy technology.

Harvesting this energy is more important than ever, it is both a practical & economical solution for supplying energy to homes, factories, farms, as well as an increasing number of personal electronics.

Another popular & important fact is that solar energy is that it can save you lots of money & building your own solar panel is now relatively simple DIY project & cheap to do.

It enables you to take advantage of government refunds & even net metering (a great system where you can sell unused electricity back to the power company) & dramatically reduce your energy bills.

The New York Times way back in 1954 ran the headline that the invention of solar cells would `Lead to the realization of one of mankind’s most cherished dreams’. It was a bold statement to live up to but today solar panels are finally a practical solution to utilizing the sun’s energy, providing a clean, alternative resource that is environmentally friendly & does not contribute to global warming.

If you are interested in building or installing solar panels in your home then there is a wealth of information, advice & guides available online.

There is no need to even comprehend the physics behind solar energy to understand it’s appeal & after 60 years, it’s appeal & advantages are greater than ever.