For starter, if we look at the cost of keeping a house warm and well light and cozy it is enough to make us flip the other way to the solar power energy system. What about when you run out of electricity, do you enjoy lighting candles well of course we all do sometimes but wouldn’t it be nice if you had a home solar power system in place ready to kick in anytime when you encounter these unpleasant moments. As we all know, the sun does produce and disperses a huge amount of heat on the surface of the earth. A lot of it goes to waste when not used efficiently to our advantage. Solar power can be strong enough to power machinery and it may comes as a surprise to you but the space shuttle uses solar panels faced toward the sun in order to be able to power the shuttle efficiently.
Ok but what about when it snows and rains, when the sky is cloudy and we don’t see a trace of the sun for days. You can safely rest assured that with the amount of knowledge the scientist have about solar energy and all resources made available to them, storing solar energy for rainy days is a walk in the park for them. It is possible to produce enough heat in your solar source to create enough energy to last until the sun shows up again. Solar power is the way to the future, we must educate ourselves, prepare and we need to be ready for it. Right now solar power is primarily used by those who are more aware and worried about our earth’s atmosphere. Global warming is a big issue that we should all be worried about.
Never the less solar power is being used around the globe. It is cost effective to have a home solar power system put in place. You can choose to have a company put everything in place for you while still keeping the old conventional ways to heat your home. You can use solar energy to power your appliances only or heater only. You could also do your own research as far as material needed to implement a solar power system in your home. There are great books, videos, DVD, teaching you how to build your own solar power system.
No matter how you look at it, the advantages of having a home solar power system outweigh the disadvantages, solar power energy is here to stay and will become very popular in household around the world, we are living in desperate times and finding ways to cut expenses to keep a bit of what we earn in our pockets is the way to go. The price it may cost you to have a solar system put in place or to build one yourself will pay for itself in a very short time.
Watch the video related to solar power energy
This is our first attempt at a useable Heliostat for our Fresnel Lenses. In future videos I will have all the information for a DIY system using very easy to find materials. We are developing a controller that is simple to program and can control any type of DC or even AC motors. Once completed I will share some open source information.
Help answer the question about solar power energy
What evidence is there that Solar power/energy is actually 'working'???doing an assignment and need some help…evidence of solar power working in other countries…
About Author
Did you find this article useful? If you did and are interested in learning how to build your own solar power system for very cheap and start generating your own electricity from the sun, visit :
http://bytelan.com/HomemadeSolarCell.htm
Tags: Alternative, battery, cheap, diy, easy, Energy, free, global, Green, grid, home, how, london1817, off, PANEL, PANELS, Power, rick, simple, Solar, Sustainable, system, to, warming
June 16th, 2009 at 7:46 am
here is an idea… using a parabolic mirror, get a fta dish motor and use that with the system you and your nephew are designing to control the motor…
June 16th, 2009 at 7:51 am
hum? neat idea! never thought of that.
Would you need a voltage comparator and relay circuit to control which motor gets the input juice?
In programming languages [C++, Delphi, Java, etc...] this is called “follow me” code. It takes readings, compares them, then adjust and advances an object.
June 16th, 2009 at 8:56 am
The terms solar power and solar energy are often used synonymously but solar power usually refers to photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar thermal technologies that convert sunlight into electricity. In the case of solar PV, the process is direct, via silicon-based cells; in the case of concentrating solar thermal, the process involves heating a transfer fluid to produce steam to run a generator. While PV has advantages in terms of simplicity, the high temperatures produced by solar thermal systems also can provide process heat and steam for a variety of secondary commercial applications (cogeneration).
The utilization of solar energy ranges from traditional and basic technologies (related to food, heat and light) to modern, utility-scale power generation systems.
Saves you money
* After the initial investment has been recovered, the energy from the sun is practically FREE.
* The recovery/ payback period for this investment can be very short depending on how much electricity your household uses.
* Financial incentives are available form the government that will reduce your cost. (visit http://www.dsireusa.org to find out about incentives available in the state you live in!).
* If your system produces more energy than you use, your utility company can buy it from you, building up a credit on your account! This nifty little scheme is called "net-metering".
* It will save you money on your electricity bill if you have one at all.
* Solar energy does not require any fuel.
* It's not affected by the supply and demand of fuel and is therefore not subjected to the ever-increasing price of gasoline.
* The savings are immediate and for many years to come.
* The use of solar energy indirectly reduces health costs.
Environmentally friendly
* Solar Energy is clean, renewable (unlike gas, oil and coal) and sustainable, helping to protect our environment.
* It does not pollute our air by releasing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide or mercury into the atmosphere like many traditional forms of electrical generation does.
* Therefore Solar Energy does not contribute to global warming, acid rain or smog.
* It actively contributes to the decrease of harmful green house gas emissions.
* It's generated where it is needed.
* By not using any fuel, Solar Energy does not contribute to the cost and problems of the recovery and transportation of fuel or the storage of radioactive waste.
Independent/ semi-independent
* Solar Energy can be utilized to offset utility-supplied energy consumption. It does not only reduce your electricity bill, but will also continue to supply your home/ business with electricity in the event of a power outage.
* A Solar Energy system can operate entirely independently, not requiring a connection to a power or gas grid at all. Systems can therefore be installed in remote locations (like holiday log cabins), making it more practical and cost-effective than the supply of utility electricity to a new site.
* The use of Solar Energy reduces our dependence on foreign and/or centralized sources of energy, influenced by natural disasters or international events and so contributes to a sustainable future.
* Solar Energy supports local job and wealth creation, fuelling local economies.
Low/ no maintenance
* Solar Energy systems are virtually maintenance free and will last for decades.
* Once installed, there are no recurring costs.
* They operate silently, have no moving parts, do not release offensive smells and do not require you to add any fuel.
* More solar panels can easily be added in the future when your family's needs grow.
More about Solar energy advantages disadvantages
Solar Energy Disadvantages
* The initial cost is the main disadvantage of installing a solar energy system, largely because of the high cost of the semi-conducting materials used in building one.
* The cost of solar energy is also high compared to non-renewable utility-supplied electricity. As energy shortages are becoming more common, solar energy is becoming more price-competitive.
* Solar panels require quite a large area for installation to achieve a good level of efficiency.
* The efficiency of the system also relies on the location of the sun, although this problem can be overcome with the installation of certain components.
* The production of solar energy is influenced by the presence of clouds or pollution in the air.
* Similarly, no solar energy will be produced during nighttime although a battery backup system and/or net metering will solve this problem. See http://www.dsireusa.org for details on how net metering allows you to save electricity and money.
* As far as solar powered cars go – their slower speed might not appeal to everyone caught up in today's rat race.
June 16th, 2009 at 8:57 am
Advantages:
-Non-polluting
-Renewable
-Low Maintenance
-It does't produce carbon dioxide
-The energy source(sun) is free
-Solar power systems do not produce any noise
Disadvantages:
-Cost a lot of money
-Weather Dependent- efficient solar energy collection is dependent on sunshine
-Solar energy cannot be produced at night
-Takes up land space
June 16th, 2009 at 10:13 am
I have a cost effective solution build a tracking system. 2 axis 4 bearings simple electronics and works.
June 17th, 2009 at 5:29 am
Very expensive. Have very little power. Forget about headlights and AC because solar is not practical and never will be and is only for gimmicks and hobbies. Obama talks about it a lot but hes just playing on people's ignorance to sound sool. Only work in bright daylight.
June 17th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Environmental issues are important and sustainable energy is high on that list.
However, for it to move from a philosophical discussion to practical mass applications every one needs to be involved. The masses talk the talk but do not walk the walk in many areas.
So from a purely consumer point of view, they worry about their own pocket book.
Advantage:
1) One time cost of the system. (Engineer your solar system correctly and you may have no power bills.)
2) No worry about rising power cost.
Disadvantage:
1) High initial startup cost. ($40K of solar panels on your roof hurts the pocket book)
2) Uncertainty of new technologies. (I know many of them have been out for years but just not implemented greatly – so some people still worry needlessly)
3) Wind turbines make noise – I kind of think is sounds cool but some people complainabout the looks and sound of them.
4) Wind turbines can kill birds. – Sad but true- Solutions may be fourth coming to negate this.
5) Water turbines need rain. – Good companion with Solar Cells
June 17th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Advantages:
1) Completely environmentally friendly; no pollutants are released when the energy is generated.
2) Renewable. The sun is going to last longer than we are.
Disadvantages:
1) Solar panels take up a LOT of space, especially since you need many panels to power just one building.
2) The panels themselves are not that cheap, so it's not financially viable for many homeowners.
June 17th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Why do you need a computer or complex electronics to track the sun?
I think a system with 2 very small solar cells and a motor are enough. ( a bit difficult to explain writing)
- the positive side of the panels are connected together to the plus side of the motor. so the 2 cells are working against each other. the one who receive more sun light produces more power and turns the panel it’s way, until both have the same power (facing the sun).
this system is very simple, light and self powered.
June 18th, 2009 at 3:40 am
It's a pretty small amount right now. The power companies don't want to invest in it because they're stuck in old ways of thinking about things. They look for ways to generate power at a central location and then distribute it to users. That model is a problem for solar because it would require large amounts of land for solar arrays to to generate bulk power.
Solar works better if it's generated in a distributed manner – In other words we need solar panels on every roof in America! Again the power companies are stuck in old ways of thinking, because they can't figure out how to make money that way, but there are other companies that are trying different business models.
Citizenre is a company that manufactures and rents solar panels to consumers for use in residential or industrial areas. Your rental fee is calculated based on the amount of power that the solar panels generate and you use. You pay the same amount per kilowatt as you would buying it from your utility company. If the panels generate more power than you use, it's sold to your regular utility company and you get a credit on your electric bill.
More information at:
http://www.upgradetosolar.com/
June 18th, 2009 at 7:10 am
Linux
June 18th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Ubuntu linux FTW
June 18th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Solar power, hydroelectric, geothermal, and wind energy are very clean and and equally important renewable source of energy.
The advantages are the green factor and renewable sources. Also I believe that a shift toward these types of energy sources Solar in particular will lead to power systems becoming more distributed. I won't go so far as to say that that is an actual advantage but many would . It has a whole set of problems and rewards in of its self.
The disadvantage would be unreliability. This will change much as newer methods are adopted as standard power production methods.
while some would say they are an eye sore I would say no more than any other type energy plant.
At present oil/coal/wood is easy to get at, abundant, and the world is driven by it. There will be a slow shift towards other types of power as they become cheaper and more reliable. You can bet when there are other cheaper forms of energy that are as reliable as current systems they will usurp current power production methods.
June 18th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Advantge: you (we) would not have to use the earths resources for energy (heat, travel, etc).
Disadvantage: you (we) have limited/different sunlight in different regions of the world. Areas south of the equator will flourish, while areas like Canada could suffer. Even Alaska, could do very well for 1/2 of the year. But then when alaska ends up with their 6 months of night (dark) the ywould suffer from a lack of solar energy.
June 18th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Yea linux rock’s
June 19th, 2009 at 6:10 am
First of all, look for existing incentives from the federal and state government. Federally, there is a 30% tax credit and some states offer as much as $5.00 per Watt rebates. You can get more information here: http://www.desireusa.org
Secondly, there are some up and coming technologies that will offer better economics than PV panels in the near future. Check out http://www.infiniacorp.com/
http://www.sandia.gov and http://www.nrel.gov
Third, for the kind of project you describe, it really comes down to financing. This will be easiest if you are planning to build a new community. Find a lender (bank or government) that will allow home-buyers to roll the solar energy system into their mortgage. This practice, along with a healthy rebate, helped to make Japan the PV capital of the world a few years back.
On a larger scale, many states are enacting renewable portfolio standards which legally require utilities to generate a certain fraction of power from solar, wind or biomass. RPS programs are also described on the DSIRE website listed above.
June 19th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Here’s my freznel cooking some chicken. It’s a very similar setup to Dans.
img(dot)photobucket(dot)com/albums/v606/Cyberdactyl/Telescope/Cookin.jpg
img(dot)photobucket(dot)com/albums/v606/Cyberdactyl/Telescope/lens1.jpg
img(dot)photobucket(dot)com/albums/v606/Cyberdactyl/Telescope/lens2.jpg
June 19th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Youtube added a space in album and telescope in the link. Remove them. Also (of course) replace (dot) with a period.