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Category Archives: Solar Energy Articles

Solar Panel Installation

Monday, November 22nd, 2010

A solar panel installation is not as expensive as you might think. Solar powered homes experience less pollution, less cost from the electrical municipality in your district, and overall better reliability when it comes to your electrical needs, due to the constantly replenished supply of your electrical current through absorption of energy by your solar panel. Having your own solar panel installed can make it easier to manage your budget and be able to afford the things you couldn’t afford before, and it also helps prevent power surges, and your power will not be interrupted during a blackout....

Solar Power is a Practical Alternative Energy Solution

Monday, November 22nd, 2010

With energy costs rising at a rapid rate and climate change threatening our planet, the adoption of solar power is vital. Using the sun to meet our energy needs is an attractive option because of its many advantages. Solar energy is cheap, clean, and renewable. While solar panel prices were once expensive, prices are now falling, and the federal government and many state and local governments offer financial incentives to use solar energy....

Affordable Solar Panel Kits

Sunday, November 21st, 2010

Solar panel kits are readily available to homeowners. Solar technology has been widely understood since about the 1950s, with the technology appearing in limited business and residential applications at a noticeable rate around the 1970s. Today, solar technology has never been better, more efficient or more affordable. While there is still an up-front investment, affordable solar panel kits provide an easy way to get a system purchased and ensure that you have all the necessary components to create your own green and efficient power....

Comparing Solar Power Systems

Sunday, November 21st, 2010

One minute of full sunlight provides sufficient energy to meet global energy needs for a year. Despite this, current renewable energy use in the US accounts for only seven percent of US total energy consumption. Moreover, solar power contributes a meager one percent to this already meager total.
Why is this? Quite simply, research and development is slow compared to current energy needs and yearly growth with an expanding global population. Fortunately, the sun still shins providing heat (thermal) and light (photovoltaic) energy for our use. Comparing solar power systems should include both forms of solar energy.
Solar thermal technologies continue to move from concept to application. Heating of water dominates the short history of residential solar use as heat storage to augment hot water supplies or outdoor pools. In a solar thermal system, a “collector” transfers the sun’s heat to water passing through the collector’s plumbing on its way to storage or immediate use.
Today the most efficient systems for panels use vacuum enclosed tubes to prevent heat loss. Power plants utilize concentrated solar collectors (mirrors or parabolic dishes) for heat collection to transform water to steam to drive turbine generators.
Photovoltaic (PV) systems improve slowly with incremental increases in efficiency requiring massive R&D costs. Current PV production consists of the mono-crystalline, polycrystalline, and thin film silicon-based panel markets.
Comparing solar power system efficiencies show that most consumer affordable systems range from 5%-19% conversions. Solar concentrators with tracking systems can attain about 34% but the costs limit them to commercial power production. Only 65% efficiency and improvements in production costs can bring this technology to the consumer.
When comparing solar power systems, mono-crystalline silicon panels are the most efficient averaging about 15% but are the most expensive. Manufacturing the desired crystal size and mono-dispersity is costly. However, in comparing solar power systems mono-crystalline panels are best for conditions with less than optimal light. Therefore, if roof size, orientation, or climate is a problem mono-crystalline panels are the best choice.
More easily manufactured polycrystalline solar panels cost less than mono-crystalline systems but are not as efficient and require a larger area. The manufacturing process involves casting molten silicon into block form that goes through cutting procedures to produce wafers for assembly into panels. A polycrystalline ribbon, a thin strip slowly drawn out of the molten silicon, eliminates most cutting costs.
The production of thin film panels is very different from that for polycrystalline panels. Instead of shaping molten silicon into blocks or ribbons, these panels are a thin film of amorphous, non-crystalline silicon spread directly onto various base materials. Although these panels are the least efficient of the three, they have found a market for small power applications such as battery rechargers, RVs, boats, or campsites.
In comparing solar power systems, special note should be made of recent advances from doped-silicon use in a variation of film technology that includes small amounts of more efficient but more costly materials such as copper indium diselenide (CIS) and cadmium telluride (CdTe) added to the mix before film application. These panels can achieve efficiencies comparable to mono-crystalline silicon panels....

Minimizing Solar Panels Cost

Saturday, November 20th, 2010

It is absolutely essential in today’s struggling economy, in the wake of the Great Recession, to minimize costs wherever one can. Installing solar panels would dramatically decrease your monthly energy bill, and lower your household’s overall consumption of non-renewable fossil fuels. Minimizing the *solar panels cost is the next step you need to take under consideration; once you feel having solar panels installed could be right for you....

5 Energy Saving Tips for Your Home

Saturday, November 20th, 2010

Want to save money and cut energy costs? You can do just that by following these 5 simple energy saving tips...

Basics of Renewable Energy Sources

Friday, November 19th, 2010

Renewable energy sources are sources of energy which can be replenished on a continual basis. The energy comes in a variety of forms such as wind, sun, water, geothermal, and biomass (energy derived from certain crops)....

Beginners Guide to Comparing Solar Power Kits

Friday, November 19th, 2010

Solar power kits are becoming more popular across the United States as the prices for energy and electricity continue to rise and people search for alternatives to the status quo. A solar kit is a great way to reduce or even eliminate your energy costs, at least when they are related to electricity, while developing your independence from “the grid” and investing in futuristic and sustainable technology. As a result, there are more kinds of solar kits available for purchase today than at any previous time in history. However, it can be more than a little confusing to sort through the wide range of kits as a beginner. This guide will provide information on things to keep in mind when comparing solar kits....

Comparing Solar Products Is A Great Way To Save Money

Thursday, November 18th, 2010

Many people would leap at the chance to install solar equipment in their homes, but are often uneducated or even misled about the latest technology and its costs. Like all technology, solar products are advancing at a fast pace. If you are thinking about installing solar panels in your home, the best way to educate yourself is by product comparison....

Why is Alternative Energy Important?

Thursday, November 18th, 2010

Many Americans are turning toward alternative energy sources currently, and the technology is developing at an extremely rapid pace to meet consumer demand. There are a number of reasons, ethical and financial, for homeowners to seek out and invest in alternative energy....