Archive for the ‘Solar Energy’ Category

Space based solar power

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Advancement in technology and the development of new and innovative ideas has made it possible to use solar renewable energy for purposes other than heating and electricity generation. Renewable solar energy has been used to power rockets and satellites in space. A space based solar power system is a theoretical design for the collection of solar power in space so that can be used on the earth as an alternative power source. For this technology to work effectively a method of collecting solar power in space, a means of transmitting this solar power to earth and a method or device that can receive solar power on earth are required.

The space based solar power technology can use photovoltaic conversion and solar dynamic conversion for converting the renewable solar energy into direct current or electricity. Wireless transmission methods can be used to transmit the solar power from space to the earth. Microwaves or laser radiations are the best methods used for transmission. The solar power on earth is received by using microwave antennae. For the proper reception of solar power as an alternative power source, the antenna size and wavelength must be small.

The space based solar power systems have advantages. One main advantage is that alternative power stores are not needed for the storage of solar power. This is because there is no air in space and so the amount and intensity of renewable solar energy received will be more and it will not be affected by weather conditions as well. These systems have a great potential if used properly.

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How to use solar energy

Sunday, July 12th, 2009

The sun is one of the renewable energy sources that continuously produce a large amount of energy that is called solar energy. The process of atomic fusion takes place inside the sun and releases a lot of energy. The solar energy so produced can be used for different purposes that can be either commercial or domestic.

Renewable solar energy is used in a variety of devices that absorb solar energy and then convert it to a useful form for various purposes. There are several ways in which solar energy can be used. In a solar oven, solar energy is used to cook food. In this oven a concave mirror is used to concentrate the sun’s energy onto the food that has to be cooked. Water can be heated in devices called solar collectors. The solar collectors are mounted on roof tops. It is ensured that they are installed at places where there is sufficient sunlight so that they can absorb solar energy and use it to heat up the water.

Solar batteries are the equipments that use solar energy to produce power. These devices use photocells to produce solar power. In a solar furnace, a number of mirrors are used on sides to form one large concave mirror that can reflect sunlight and use it for heating purposes.

Solar energy can also be used to meet the electricity needs of industries and also for the purpose of heating, lighting and water pumping.

Solar energy is so widely used because it is a renewable alternative energy source that is readily available and reliable.

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Solar Energy- A Green Renewable Energy Source

Friday, June 19th, 2009

Solar energy is the energy obtained from the sun which is an alternative energy resource. The energy is available either in the form of heat or light. Solar energy can benefit a number of people as it can be put to many uses. It is an alternative energy source that is readily and freely available

There are a number of advantages of solar energy. The most important of them is the fact that it is a renewable source of energy whose supply will last till there is sun. It is also a non polluting source of energy. The use of solar cells requires low maintenance and these are long lasting. The devices that use solar energy are easy to install and operate. As a green renewable source, it does not adversely affect the eco-system. Solar energy is also a cost effective alternative energy source.

Solar energy also has many disadvantages. The devices that use this alternative energy resource are very expensive. Adequate sunshine must be ensured for exploring the full potential of renewable solar energy. Many solar energy devices use cadmium which is a highly toxic substance and can cause the degradation of the environment. This alternative energy source cannot be used at night for the generation of solar energy.

Solar energy as an alternative energy source has not been utilized to its full potential. This is because the methods of harnessing solar energy are few and not efficient. New and improved methods must be developed for effective trapping of solar energy so that it can be utilized in a better manner.

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Renewable Solar Energy Projects Run Afoul of California Senator

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

The Mojave Desert is 22,000 square miles of parched land with summer temperatures that can reach 130 Fahrenheit, making it a perfect location for solar energy installations. But on March 23, 2009 Senator Diane Feinstein has expressed opposition to widespread solar energy development in the area. Senator Feinstein “intends to push legislation that would turn the land into a national monument, which would allow for existing uses to continue while preventing future development.”

There are 19 companies that have submitted applications to build solar energy or wind facilities on a parcel of 500,000 desert acres, but Senator Diane Feinstein announced she would introduce a bill setting 600,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management holdings in the Mojave Desert off-limits to solar energy projects. “Such development would violate the spirit of what conservationists had intended when they donated much of the land to the public,” she said. “It would destroy the entire Mojave Desert ecosystem,” added David Myers, executive director of The Wildlands Conservancy, which originally dedicated some of the land to the BLM.

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Solar Energy Companies Working With State

Monday, May 25th, 2009

In January 2009, three leading solar energy researchers writing in Scientific American, proposed that by 2050 the United States could get all its electricity from solar panels in the Southwestern desert. Solar energy companies would require 46,000 square miles — about one-third of New Mexico, America’s fifth largest state. Al Gore repeated this proposal before the Senate Energy Committee in February, although he made the claim that only 10,000 square miles were needed, based on a questionable analysis of a California-based company.

All this may seem like doublespeak, but it’s being put into effect in California right now. The state has adopted a “renewable portfolio mandate,” which says that it must get 20 percent of its electricity from so-called “renewables” by 2020. This leaves solar energy companies in a position of buying anything some budding entrepreneur offers them. Thinly funded companies are furiously drawing up plans to fill California deserts with solar installations, knowing the utilities will have to buy anything they generate.

PG&E signed a large deal with Cleantech America, also based in San Francisco. As part of their agreement, Cleantech America will build a 5-megawatt solar plant near Fresno, California. The company said that when the facility is finished in 2009, it will be California’s largest solar power plant.

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Solar Energy Reaches a Milestone

Saturday, May 9th, 2009

Solar Energy technology firm First Solar Inc reached a milestone in alternative energy innovation by lowering the manufacturing costs of their photovoltaic panels to a mere $1 per watt. This is roughly a third the price of any other company in the industry, which still use standard silicon panels versus First Solar Energy unique cadmium telluride technology. Solar Energy has faced considerable obstacles in developing affordable manufacturing and installation costs. Solar Energy is on average twice as expensive as wind and natural gas, but First Solar’s achievement may signal the beginning of cheap and widespread solar energy and place it at the forefront of the alternative power revolution.

Skeptics still question the viability of solar energy cells, particularly in relation to just how much wattage they can actually generate. Projections of even modest growth over the next decade still conclude that photovoltaic solar energy cells increase a mere 2.5% of the global electric consumption, even with First Solar Energy novel cadmium telluride technology. Furthermore, a recent UC Berkeley study examining the efficacy of different composite materials systems in photovoltaic concluded that the three most common solar energy industry materials: cadmium telluride, silicon and copper indium gallium selenide, all have limitations in terms of abundance and preparation. This drives prices up and severely limits the competitiveness of solar energy in the alternative energy market. However, the study concludes that there is an abundance of lesser-known materials that may not outperform the current top three components in solar energy conversion, but surpass them in both cost-efficiency and overall abundance, thereby negating their inferior productivity. This discovery, coupled with First Solar Energy innovation, has left some industry experts very optimistic about the future of solar power and its potential.

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