Know Solar Power

Solar Energy Performance With Plastic Solar Cells Improved With New Method

2009-04-01T22:42:00.000-07:00

Solar Energy Performance With Plastic Solar Cells Improved With New Method

ScienceDaily (Feb. 27, 2009) — The University of Alberta and the National Research Council's National Institute (NINT) for Nanotechnology have engineered an approach that is leading to improved performance of plastic solar cells (hybrid organic solar cells). The development of inexpensive, mass-produced plastic solar panels is a goal of intense interest for many of the world's scientists and engineers because of the high cost and shortage of the ultra-high purity silicon and other materials normally required.

Plastic solar cells are made up of layers of different materials, each with a specific function, called a sandwich structure. Jillian Buriak, a professor of chemistry at the U of A, NINT principal investigator and member of the research team, uses a simple analogy to describe the approach: "Consider a clubhouse sandwich, with many different layers. One layer absorbs the light, another helps to generate the electricity, and others help to draw the electricity out of the device. Normally, the layers don't stick well, and so the electricity ends up stuck and never gets out, leading to inefficient devices. We are working on the mayonnaise, the mustard, the butter and other 'special sauces' that bring the sandwich together, and make each of the layers work together. That makes a better sandwich, and makes a better solar cell, in our case".

After two years of research, these U of A and NINT scientists have, by only working on one part of the sandwich, seen improvements of about 30 per cent in the efficiency of the working model. Michael Brett, professor of electrical and computer engineering, NINT principal investigator and member of the research team is optimistic: "our team is so incredibly cross-disciplinary, with people from engineering, physics and chemistry backgrounds all working towards this common goal of cheap manufacturable solar cells. This collaboration is extremely productive because of the great team with such diverse backgrounds, [although] there is still so much more for us to do, which is exciting." This multidisciplinary approach, common at the National Institute for Nanotechnology, brings together the best of the NRC and the University of Alberta.

The team estimates it will be five to seven years before plastic solar panels will be mass produced but Buriak adds that when it happens solar energy will be available to everyone. She says the next generation of solar technology belongs to plastic.

"Plastic solar cell material will be made cheaply and quickly and in massive quantities by ink jet-like printers."

Cheaper Materials Could Be Key To Low-cost Solar Cells

2009-04-01T03:51:00.001-07:00

Cheaper Materials Could Be Key To Low-cost Solar Cells

ScienceDaily (Feb. 19, 2009) — Unconventional solar cell materials that are as abundant but much less costly than silicon and other semiconductors in use today could substantially reduce the cost of solar photovoltaics, according to a new study from the Energy and Resources Group and the Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL).

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Matter & Energy

Earth & Climate

Reference

These materials, some of which are highly abundant, could expand the potential for solar cells to become a globally significant source of low-carbon energy, the study authors said.

The analysis, which appeared online Feb. 13 in Environmental Science & Technology, examines the two most pressing challenges to large-scale deployment of solar photovoltaics as the world moves toward a carbon neutral future: cost per kilowatt hour and total resource abundance. The UC Berkeley study evaluated 23 promising semiconducting materials and discovered that 12 are abundant enough to meet or exceed annual worldwide energy demand. Of those 12, nine have a significant raw material cost reduction over traditional crystalline silicon, the most widely used photovoltaic material in mass production today.

The work provides a roadmap for research into novel solar cell types precisely when the U. S. Department of Energy and other funders plan to expand their efforts to link new basic research to deployment efforts as part of a national effort to greatly expand the use of clean energy, according to Daniel Kammen, UC Berkeley professor of energy and resources and director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory.

Kammen and colleagues Cyrus Wadia of LBNL and A. Paul Alivisatos of UC Berkeley's Department of Chemistry embarked on an intensive research project to explore the question of whether high-impact materials have been overlooked or underdeveloped during the last several decades of solar cell research.

"The reason we started looking at new materials is because people often assume solar will be the dominant energy source of the future," said Wadia, a post-doctoral researcher who spearheaded the research. "Because the sun is the Earth's most reliable and plentiful resource, solar definitely has that potential, but current solar technology may not get us there in a timeframe that is meaningful, if at all. It's important to be optimistic, but when considering the practicalities of a solar-dominated energy system, we must turn our attention back to basic science research if we are to solve the problem."

The most popular solar materials in use today are silicon and thin films made of CdTe (cadmium telluride) and CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide). While these materials have helped elevate solar to a major player in renewable energy markets, they are still limited by manufacturing challenges. Silicon is expensive to process and mass produce. Furthermore, it has become increasingly difficult to mine enough silicon to meet ever-growing consumer demand.

Thin films, while significantly less costly than silicon and easier to mass produce, would rapidly deplete our natural resources if these technologies were to scale to terawatt hours of annual manufacturing production. A terawatt hour is a billion kilowatt hours.

"We believe in a portfolio of technologies and therefore continue to support the commercial development of all photovoltaic technologies," Kammen said. "Yet, what we've found is that some leading thin films may be difficult to scale as high as global electricity consumption."

"It's not to say that these materials won't play a significant role," Wadia added, "but rather, if our objective is to supply the majority of electricity in this way, we must quickly consider alternative materials that are Earth-abundant, non-toxic and cheap. These are the materials that can get us to our goals more rapidly."

The team identified a large material extraction cost (cents/watt) gap between leading thin film materials and a number of unconventional solar cell candidates, including iron pyrite, copper sulfide and copper oxide. They showed that iron pyrite is several orders of magnitude better than any alternative on important metrics of both cost and abundance. In the report, the team referenced some recent advances in nanoscale science to argue that the modest efficiency losses of unconventional solar cell materials would be offset by the potential for scaling up while saving significantly on materials costs.

Finding an affordable electricity supply is essential for meeting basic human needs, Kammen said, yet 30 percent of the world's population remains without reliable or sufficient electrical energy. Scientific forecasts predict that to meet the world's energy demands by 2050, global carbon emissions would have to grow to levels of irreversible consequences.

"As the U.S. envisions a clean energy future consistent with the vision outlined by President Obama, it is exciting that the range of promising solar cell materials is expanding, ideally just as a national renewable energy strategy takes shape," said Kammen, who is co-director of the Berkeley Institute of the Environment and UC Berkeley's Class of 1935 Distinguished Chair of Energy.

The study by is by Wadia, Kammen and Alivisatos and will appear in the March print issue of Environmental Science & Technology.

The work was supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Energy Foundation, the Karsten Family Foundation Endowment of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory and the Class of 1935.

Diamond-like Films Help In Study Of Solar Winds

2009-03-30T07:40:00.001-07:00

Diamond-like Films Help In Study Of Solar Winds

ScienceDaily (Feb. 19, 2009) — Diamond-like carbon films created at Sandia National Laboratories are helping probe the far boundaries of the solar system as part of a NASA mission to study how the sun’s solar wind interacts with the interstellar medium – the matter that exists between the stars within a galaxy.

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Space & Time

Matter & Energy

Reference

The films are in the low-energy sensor (IBEX-Lo) on board NASA’s Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX), which lifted off in October on a mission to study the farthest fringes of the solar system. IBEX’s two bucket-sized sensors, covering high and low energy ranges, are designed to capture particles bouncing back toward Earth from the distant boundary between the hot wind from the sun and the cold wall of interstellar space.

The active conversion surface of the low-energy neutral atom detector is coated with Sandia’s diamond-like films created by Tom Friedmann.

“The primary purpose of the diamond-like carbon films is to provide a surface that will ‘efficiently’ ionize energetic neutral atoms,” Friedmann says, “so they can then be detected. Smooth surfaces are required so that the scattered particles can be efficiently collected. If the surface is rough, scattered particles are lost, decreasing efficiency. The diamond-like carbon films have an average surface roughness that is about one angstrom. This is less than the diameter of a carbon atom.”

To create the 30 films aboard the system, Friedmann used pulsed-laser deposition to deposit the films on the conversion surfaces. Carbon was used because it has relatively high conversion efficiency, low sputter yield, and is very smooth, he says. Single crystal diamond has the highest efficiency but is too expensive to grow over large areas and difficult to polish to the extremely low surface roughness needed. The diamond-like carbon films naturally grow smooth and require no polishing.

Friedmann says the project took about one and a half months to complete and he says he was pleased with the outcome. Now the IBEX team is awaiting the results from the mission.

Eric Hertzberg, from Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center, approached Friedmann to create the films. Hertzberg is the lead engineer for the IBEX-Lo Sensor. Bob Nemanich, Arizona State University, also played a key role in passivating the films. Friedmann says Sandia uses similar films in studies of electron field emission and in microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) devices.

Voyager 1, launched in 1977, made the first direct measurements of this boundary (the heliopause) as it was the first spacecraft to leave the inner solar system and head toward interstellar space. Voyager 2, launched the same year, will also relay observations of the boundary, but these measurements are of only one place and time.

IBEX is designed to provide a three-dimensional map of the boundary. IBEX is the latest in NASA’s series of low-cost, rapidly developed Small Explorers spacecraft. The IBEX mission was developed by Southwest Research Institute, led by Principal Investigator David McComas, with a national and international team of partners.

Super Solar Cells? Certain Nanocrystals Shown To Generate More Than One Electron

2009-03-24T03:03:00.001-07:00

Super Solar Cells? Certain Nanocrystals Shown To Generate More Than One Electron

ScienceDaily (Feb. 18, 2009) — A team of Los Alamos researchers led by Victor Klimov has shown that carrier multiplication—when a photon creates multiple electrons—is a real phenomenon in tiny semiconductor crystals and not a false observation born of extraneous effects that mimic carrier multiplication. The research, explained in a recent issue of Accounts of Chemical Research, shows the possibility of solar cells that create more than one unit of energy per photon.

Questions about the ability to increase the energy output of solar cells have prompted Los Alamos National Laboratory researchers to reassess carrier multiplication in extremely small semiconductor particles.

When a conventional solar cell absorbs a photon of light, it frees an electron to generate an electrical current. Energy in excess of the amount needed to promote an electron into a conducting state is lost as heat to atomic vibrations (phonons) in the material lattice. Through carrier multiplication, excess energy can be transferred to another electron instead of the material lattice, freeing it to generate electrical current—thereby yielding a more efficient solar cell.

Klimov and colleagues have shown that nanocrystals of certain semiconductor materials can generate more than one electron after absorbing a photon. This is partly due to strengthened interactions between electrons squeezed together within the confines of the nanoscale particles.

In 2004, Los Alamos researchers Richard Schaller and Klimov reported the first observations of strong carrier multiplication in nanosized crystals of lead selenide resulting in up to two electron-hole pairs per absorbed photon. A year later, Arthur Nozik and coworkers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory reproduced these results. Eventually, spectroscopic signatures of carrier multiplication were observed in nanocrystals of various compositions, including silicon.

Recently, the claims in carrier multiplication research have become contentious. Specifically, some recent studies described low or negligible carrier multiplication efficiencies, which seemed to run contrary to earlier findings. To sort out these discrepancies, Los Alamos researchers analyzed factors that could have led to a spread in the reported carrier multiplication results. These factors included variations between samples, differences in detection techniques, and effects mimicking the signatures of carrier multiplication in spectroscopic measurements.

To analyze how a particular detection technique might affect an outcome, John McGuire, a postdoctoral researcher on Klimov's team, investigated carrier multiplication using two different spectroscopic techniques—transient absorption and time-resolved photoluminescence. The results obtained by these two methods were in remarkable agreement, indicating that the use of different detection techniques is unlikely to explain discrepancies highlighted by other researchers. Further, although these measurements revealed some sample-to-sample variation in carrier multiplication yields, these variations were much smaller than the spread in reported data.

After ruling out these two potential causes of discrepancies, the researchers focused on effects that could mimic carrier multiplication. One such effect is photoionization of nanocrystals.

"When a nanocrystal absorbs a high-energy photon, an electron can acquire enough energy to escape the material," Klimov explained. "This leaves behind a charged nanocrystal, which contains a positive 'hole.' Photogeneration of another electron by a second photon results in a two-hole, one-electron state, reminiscent of one produced by carrier multiplication, which can lead to false positives," he said.

To evaluate the influence of photoionization, the Los Alamos researchers conducted back-to-back studies of static and stirred solutions of nanocrystals. Stirring removes charged nanocrystals from the measured region of the sample. Therefore, when crystals are subjected to light, the stirring eliminates the possibility that charged nanocrystals will absorb a second photon. While stirring of some samples did not affect the results of the measurements, other samples showed a significant difference in the apparent carrier multiplication yields measured under static and stirred conditions. Since most previous studies were performed on static samples, these results suggest that discrepancies noted by other researchers arise at least in part from uncontrolled photoionization, which stirring seeks to eliminate.

The Los Alamos researchers re-evaluated carrier multiplication efficiencies when photoionization was suppressed. The results are encouraging.

While the newly measured electron yields are lower than previously reported, the efficiency of carrier multiplication is still greater than in bulk solids. Specifically, both the energetic onset and the energy required to generate an extra electron in nanocrystals are about half of those in bulk solids.

These results indicate significant promise for nanosized crystals as efficient harvesters of solar radiation.

"Researchers still have a lot of work to do," Klimov cautioned. "One important challenge is to figure out how to design a material in which the energetic cost to create an extra electron can approach the limit defined by a semiconductor band gap. Such a material could raise the fundamental power conversion limit of a solar cell from 31 percent to above 40 percent."

The Los Alamos nanocrystal team's research is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Basic Energy Sciences and Los Alamos' Laboratory-Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program.

lugging In Molecular Wires To Capture Light Energy

2009-03-16T04:51:00.001-07:00

lugging In Molecular Wires To Capture Light Energy

ScienceDaily (Feb. 17, 2009) — Plants, algae, and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) are masters of everything to do with solar energy because they are able to almost completely transform captured sunlight into chemical energy. This is in part because the electrons set free by the photons are transported out of the “light receptor” 1:1 to be used as the driving force for chemical reactions.

Japanese researchers have now developed a new process to capture light energy with nearly equal efficiency. As they report in the journal Angewandte Chemie, they “plug” a molecular “wire” directly into a biological photosynthetic system to efficiently conduct the free electrons to a gold electrode.

The efficiency of photovoltaic energy conversion is of critical significance for the practical application of solar installations. Theoretically, every photon absorbed should release one electron. Whereas modern solar cells are far from achieving high efficiency, natural photosynthetic systems achieve nearly 100 % quantum yield. To improve the efficiency of synthetic systems, experiments were attempted in which biological light-capturing units were deposited onto electrodes as thin films. However, the transfer of electrons from the light-capturing layer into the circuit in this type of system is so inefficient that most of the electrons don’t even make it to the target electrode.

The secret to the success of natural photosystems is the perfect fit of the individual components. The molecules fit precisely together like plugs and sockets and can pass electrons on directly and nearly without loss. The new approach taken by the Japanese researchers cleverly connects photosystem I (PSI) from the blue-green algae Thermosynechococcus elongatus with a synthetic apparatus. An important component of the electron transmission sequence of PSI is vitamin K1. The researchers removed the vitamin K1 from the PSI protein complex and replaced it with a synthetic analogue.

This consists of three parts:

The same molecular “plug” with which vitamin K1 is bound to the protein complex (napthoquinone group) is used to “plug in” the synthetic binding component to PSI;
a molecular “wire” (hydrocarbon chain) with the same length as in vitamin K1 ensures that the binding component protrudes from the protein complex; and
at the other end of the wire is an additional “plug” (viologen group) that anchors the ensemble to a specially coated gold electrode.

Electrons released by irradiation of PSI and transmitted along the wire are very efficiently transmitted to the gold electrode by the viologen group.

It may be possible to use this new strategy to integrate other biocomponents into synthetic systems.

'Celebrity Solstice'

2009-03-14T04:10:00.000-07:00

'Celebrity Solstice'

A new Innovative Energy Efficient Cruise Ship.

The new Celebrity Cruises 122,000 ton Luxury cruise ship "Celebrity Solstice" has many of the latest energy efficient features that mostly go unnoticed by the average passenger but make a huge contribution towards energy efficiency on the high seas.

The "Celebrity Solstice" is fitted with 216 solar panels, which power 7000 LED lights in all of the ship's guest elevators.

The naval architects optimized the center of buoyancy of the ship to reduce hull resistance and designed an aft-duck tail to reduce the ship's drag through the water, minimize the ship's wake and use less fuel.

A silicone hull coating reduces the friction of the ship through the water further improving the fuel efficiency of the vessel.

"Celebrity Solstice" transitions from higher wattage incandescent and halogen bulbs to longer lasting fluorescent and LED lights which generate 50% less heat. This results in improved energy efficiency for the ship's lighting and less air-conditioning is required.

Highly glazed windows produced by the 3M company allow natural light in but filter out 99.9% of UV light, which reduces heat transfer and minimizes the need for air-conditioning.

Chilled river rocks are used instead of ice beds in buffet areas, which reduce both water and energy consumption, and result in less need for ice in the restaurants.

An advanced waste water purification system produces near-drinkable quality water before discharge into the ocean thus minimizing any potential negative environmental impact.

This exciting 2,850 passenger cruise ship represents a quantum leap in applying energy efficient measures at sea and generates some good ideas that can easily be replicated in buildings and facilities on dry land.

With EPA Ruling on Ethanol Looming New Research Highlights Environmental Costs

2009-03-13T03:32:00.001-07:00

With EPA Ruling on Ethanol Looming New Research Highlights Environmental Costs

Contact: Regina Weiss – 212-991-1069; 917-288-5251; regina@gracelinks.org

Study indicates corn ethanol more polluting than regular gasoline

July 29, 2008 - With the EPA about to announce whether it will waive a federal requirement that would increase the amount of biofuel drivers get at the pump, some analysts are pointing to the environmental costs of ethanol.

Recent debate over corn ethanol has focused on its role in higher food prices, with environmental costs taking a back seat. However, research published in the journal Science indicates that producing corn ethanol creates twice the global warming emissions of regular gasoline due to the conversion of forest and grassland to cropland. At the same time, a report by the Network for New Energy Choices details current environmental costs of corn ethanol production, including soil erosion, depletion of fresh water supplies and destruction of ocean habitat endangering fish and other marine life.

Last year alone 12 million new acres of corn were brought into production in the U.S., contributing to the depletion of fresh water supplies and adding to agro-chemical runoff from the nation’s corn belt that has already created an enormous "dead zone" – the size of New Jersey and growing – in the Gulf of Mexico.

"The environmental damage caused by the rapid conversion of land for corn production, including recent analysis showing that ethanol will increase, rather than decrease greenhouse gas emissions, strongly argues against new federal mandates for additional ethanol production," said Dulce Fernandes, associate director of the Network for New Energy Choices. "Meanwhile, there are immediate steps we believe our nation should take to balance energy demands with the need to address climate change and preserve the nation’s farmland and water supply."

The Network’s report, "The Rush to Ethanol: Not All Biofuels Are Created Equal," is available here. In a letter sent to members of Congress last week accompanied by the report, Network analysts advised that the EPA should be allowed to waive the corn-based component of the federal biofuels mandate and initiate research authorized by the 2007 federal energy bill to study the impacts of expanding corn ethanol production. In addition, they proposed that sustainability criteria be established for the production of ethanol and the feed stocks grown to make it.

"Biofuels will undeniably play a part in our energy future," Fernandes said. "Now is the time to study the effects, so that we adopt them in ways that are beneficial, rather than destructive."

Tips from the Office of Energy Efficiency of Natural Resources Canada

2009-03-04T02:08:00.000-08:00

Tips from the Office of Energy Efficiency of Natural Resources Canada

10 more Energy Saving Tips for Everybody

1. Use sinks full of water rather than running water for washing pots and cleaning vegetables.

2. Defrost freezers frequently since frost build ups reduce efficiency

3. Most foods can be placed in ovens during pre-heating. Only bakery goods must wait until ovens reach the correct temperature.

4. Dimming controls are useful for providing supplemental illumination in areas where natural light is available during the day.

5. Daylighting refers to the use of natural light in interior and perimeter areas. Windows, skylights and translucent daylighting can reduce your daytime lighting requirements by over 50 percent.

6. Pick the right hot water system for your facility or home. A unit that is too small may leave you and your guests without hot water, and too large a unit will consume more energy than necessary.

7. Use photocells to ensure outside lights operate only at night.

8. Do not over-dry dishes. Adjust power dryers to deliver heated air just long enough to dry dishes.

9. Switch energy-intensive lights off as soon as you leave an unoccupied area of the premises and add a Last Person Out switch.

10. Break the habit of turning everything on first thing in the morning. Leave equipment off until it is needed and turn it off when it is no longer needed.

Offshore Wind Turbines Planned in UK

2009-03-03T04:35:00.001-08:00

Solar and Heat Tips Newsletter January 2009 Part 5

Offshore Wind Turbines Planned in UK

According to a report from Reuters, Clipper Windpower Plc plans to build the world's biggest offshore wind turbines in Britain, which hopes to catch up in green energy after lagging behind others in Europe despite its rich wind resources. Jim Dehlsen, chairman of the London-listed, U.S.-based company, told Reuters it will set up a factory in northern England, which would have an annual capacity to manufacture about 200 turbines by 2014-2015.

Solar Power’s Growth Depends on Key Policy Changes

2009-02-26T03:52:00.001-08:00

Solar Power’s Growth Depends on Key Policy Changes

Matt Painter

For Immediate Release

More Info: Matthew Painter 212/991.1831

Chris Cooper 212/991.1830

After a comprehensive analysis of the obstacles to solar power’s growth, the Network for New Energy Choices (NNEC) has put forth key policy suggestions to advance the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar America Initiative (SAI). The NNEC recommends the removal of infrastructural barriers and the implementation of policy changes that will expand net metering’s potential as a solar incentive.

Net metering is crucial to increasing the demand for solar power while decreasing the cost to consumers. It allows customers who utilize solar power to sell electricity back to the utility, helping them recoup their capital expenditures. Currently, 35 states offer net metering. However, not all states offer equal incentives. New Jersey, California, Colorado and New Mexico have the best net metering regulations.

â€œIf the DOE’s initiative is serious about promoting solar power, it should take best practices from net metering successes in these states and push them to be norm nation-wide,â€ said NNEC Research Director James Rose.

The Network is calling for the SAI to do that by:

Making interconnection standards uniform

Consistent interconnection standards are the best way to ensure a safe and fair connection to the electrical grid. Without them, utilities and state regulators can create burdensome and unnecessary requirements that make solar photovoltaic systems prohibitively expensive.

Making net metering a part of a broader incentives system

Net metering should be paired with rebates and tax credits that help offset the initial start-up costs of a solar electric system.

Creating a streamlined and transparent application and installation process for net metering

Getting approval for a net metering project should be simple and quickâ€”without the burdening bureaucracy that many states impose.

Thinking of net metering as a demand reduction strategy rather than a supply strategy

Net metering’s primary function is demand reductionâ€”solar is especially effective at reducing demand during peak hours. Electric distribution companies should compensate net metering consumers at the same rate as customers who reduce their own demand by measures such as conservation: the retail rate.

In addition to these suggestions, the NNEC also recommends a high net metering size limit, allowing all customer classes to participate, allowing a one year roll over period for excess power, not limiting total net metering capacity and covering all on-site generation methods.

â€œBy following these suggestions, New Jersey went from virtually no solar power a few years ago to being able to realistically meet 20 percent of its energy needs with renewables by 2020,â€ said Rose. â€œTo ensure clean, reliable electricity, the entire country must followâ€”and improve onâ€”the Garden State’s example.â€

The $148 million Solar America Initiative seeks to accelerate the development of advanced solar electric technologies while reducing U.S. dependence on fossil fuels and improving the environment.

The Network for New Energy Choices is committed to providing local governments with ideas and information on generating clean, affordable power from local, renewable energy sources. Working with a growing coalition of nonprofit organizations, municipal officials, business leaders and academics, NNEC promotes creative ideas for financing community-based clean energy, helping to dispel misinformation about renewable energy in the media and advocating for critical utility policy reforms that will usher in a new world of energy choices for all Americans.

Solar Water Purifier

2009-02-24T00:38:00.001-08:00

Solar and Heat Tips Newsletter January 2009 Part 4

Solar Water Purifier

The Solar Water Purifier is a rectangular shaped unit that contains an array of 32 shallow, square trays interconnected by a series of weaves. The trays are made from a black plastic sheet that is vacuum formed onto an aluminium pattern to reach the desired cell shapes.

The panel of cells is covered by a sheet of white-glass and sealed using the surface tensions of water vapour produced in the unit. The undersides of the black plastic trays have been thermally insulated to maximise heat absorption. The unit is framed by an aluminium mount for strength and to keep shadowing to a minimum. It is also fitted with folding legs, so that the entire system is inclined at 12.5 to the horizontal.

Polluted water is fed into the unit and cascades down, filling the trays. The sun's radiated heat shines through the glass onto the water. The sun rays are only partially absorbed by the water and then more completely by the black plastic lining of each cell which in turn heats the water more.

As the water is heated to 85, water vapour condenses on the inside surface of the glass and runs down into the purified water channel into a collection container. The unique design of the cells maximises heat absorption and condensation which increases the pure water output.

The ultra-violet radiation from the sun combined with prolonged exposure times prove to be extremely effective for killing commonly occurring bacteria and other water borne diseases.

Other pollutants do not evaporate and are flushed away in unpurified water into a chamber called the 'overflow channel'. Virtually none of the dissolved solid waste is collected in the trays. If the SWP is being used consistently there should be no build up at all. If solid impure material has been collected in the trays, the hardened deposit can be easily removed by using a diluted acid solution such as citric acid (or lemon juice).

The water output of the unit can be maximised when it is correctly positioned to the sun. John recommends rotating the unit every 30 mins or so throughout the day, so its shadow is underneath itself, effectively tracking the sun. This will increase the output by about 30%.

The cell geometry maximises the resultant condensation and high yields of pure water are obtained. Multiple units can be connected in a series to produce larger volumes of water.

The Solar Water Purifier can produce about 6 litres of pure water per square meter per day at 20C ambient and 9 litres at 35C. So an individual unit (which is 1/3 m) can produce up to 3 litres per day.

Solar Taxi

2009-02-23T07:21:00.001-08:00

Solar and Heat Tips Newsletter January 2009 Part 3

Solar Taxi

A Swiss inventor has completed the first trip around the world in a solar-powered car.

Louis Palmer travelled 32,000 miles through 38 different countries since setting off in July last year

The car arrived in the Polish city of Poznan in time for the UN conference on climate change The car arrived in the Polish city of Poznan in time for the UN conference on climate change.

Mr Palmer said he wanted to raise awareness of alternative energy sources as delegates from some 190 nations work towards a new treaty to limit pollution.

He said: "I hope really that the car industry they hear these signs and they really change and make electric cars in the future,"

Mr Palmer's prototype was not cheap to manufacture - it cost him about the same as two Ferrari sports cars.

But he reckons his invention would sell at around 8,700 if the big car makers manufactured it.

New Ultra Efficient Motor Just Sips Electricity

Nova Torque Inc. in California have announced on their website that they have now developed a brushless dc. electric motor that runs on 10% to 30% less electricity than conventional electric motors.

Since billions of electric motors consume more than half of all electricity in the world, any improvements in motor electricity consumption could represent a massive difference in world electricity consumption.

DC sources of electricity such as solar power systems do not now require an expensive dc./ac. inverter to operate these cheaper, lighter high torque dc. motors thus potentially lowering the cost of many power systems.

Applications include motor drives for equipment where high efficiency, high speed, continuous torque and cool operation are important.

For example, Pumps, dishwashers, geothermal, pool, well, irrigation, HVAC & refrigeration: air conditioning, freezers, ventilation fans, cars, scooters, bikes, golf carts, forklifts, marine, motion control robotics, factory automation, conveyors and so on.

Smaller lighter conical magnets are used in these compact newly patented motors that require 40% less steel and 50% less copper to manufacture reported Anita Hamilton in Time magazine.

Sizes of the new Nova Torque motors range fro 500 watts to 150 KW or Fractional Horse Power up to 200 Horse Power.

Specialty: aeronautics, down-hole motorsa patented technology which provides unprecedented levels of energy efficiency. We are proud to offer an important breakthrough in the efficiency sector of the Clean Tech market. Read more

Nova Torque motors provide more output power in smaller sizes than any other electric motor on the market today. Our unique DC brushless motor design provides numerous advantages over conventional motors, and is ideally suited to applications where high efficiency, high speed, greater continuous torque or cooler operation is critical.

This ground-breaking motor technology has countless possible applications, including:

News & Events

Dec. 4, 2008

NovaTorque Recognized by the World Economic Forum

Cologny/Geneva, Switzerland

Jan. 26-28, 2009

Visit NovaTorque at the 2009 AHR Expo.

McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois

Upcoming Products

PurePowerTM-250

115mm x 148mm, 7.9kg, 6 Nm nominal torque, 1HP @ 1200 RPM,

> 90% efficiency. Ideal for HVAC and pump applications. Samples available Q1 '09

PurePowerTM-150

60mm x 124mm, 1.7kg, 1.5 Nm nominal torque, 1.5HP @ 8000 RPM,

> 90% efficiency. Ideal for factory automation, pumps. Samples available Q2 '09

World Economic Forum

December 4, 2008 -- Cologny/Geneva, Switzerland -- NovaTorque, Inc. has created a patented electric motor technology which represents an important breakthrough for the motor industry and an exciting development in the "clean tech" field. NovaTorque's innovative motor structure provides:

Much greater efficiency than existing motor technologies

Higher torque in smaller sizes

Better thermal performance

Competitive manufacturing costs.

Importance of Motor Efficiency

Motors consume about half of all electricity produced. Because there are billions of electric motors in use, even small efficiency improvements could make a huge difference in total electricity consumption and save $100 billion annually in energy costs. NovaTorque motors are an astounding 10-30% more efficient than conventional motors. Their unique design is also more compact, runs cooler, and produces more output power than any other type of small motor.

NovaTorque History

NovaTorque's technology grew from the confluence of several factors: improved magnetic modeling, improved materials and techniques with which to make motors, and the need for much more efficient motors. NovaTorque has spent four years developing this new technology, which can scale from fractional HP (500W) to greater than 200 HP (150 kW). The motors are DC brushless motors (also categorized as Electronically Commutated Permanent Magnet motors) and run with standard motor drive electronics.

Solar and Heat Tips Newsletter January 2009 Part 2

2009-02-20T02:17:00.001-08:00

Solar and Heat Tips Newsletter January 2009 Part 2

Solar Billy

The Solar Billy is a tubular-shaped kettle powered by solar energy. It is 750ml long and presently designed to hold and heat up to 1.2 litres of water which is enough to make some five regular sized cups of coffee or tea.

As mentioned above, the Solar Billy uses existing evacuated (or vacuum) solar technology to capture the solar energy needed to power the kettle. Vacuum tube technology is superior for heating water because the vacuum insulates the heat without blocking out sunlight. Also, unlike other types of solar collectors, evacuated tube solar collectors still provide excellent results on cloudy days. This is because the tubes are able to absorb the energy from infra-red rays, which can pass through clouds.

The evacuated tube is comprised of two layers of strong glass with a vacuum (or void) between the two layers. On the outside surface of the inner layer is a black coating which absorbs, then transmits the solar rays through the vacuum to heat the water. As mentioned above, the Solar Billy also has a "highly reflective panel" located within the void between the evacuated tube and the outer tube. This feature generates a "mirror effect" which dramatically increases the Billy's efficiency and capacity to heat as the reflective panel maximises the sun's energy which can be reflected and absorbed by the Billy.

Also, the cylindrical shape of Billy enables the inner tube of the vessel to passively track or follow the sun's path as the sun moves throughout the day thereby maximising exposure to sunlight.

The Solar Billy prototype stands on tripod legs. The legs fold back onto the Billy which enables it to fit snugly into a carry bag for transportation. (However, the inventor is designing another method of "standing" the Billy which will work in conjunction with a hard cover).

The inventor says the Solar Billy would take 35 minutes to three hours to get water hot enough to make a cup of tea or coffee depending on the climatic conditions.

Robert F McMahon & Associates Pty Ltd

Level 20 68 Pitt Street
Sydney, New South Wales
2000
AU

Solar Power’s Growth Depends on Key Policy Changes

2009-02-14T00:39:00.001-08:00

Matt Painter

For Immediate Release

More Info: Matthew Painter 212/991.1831

Chris Cooper 212/991.1830

The Network is calling for the SAI to do that by:

Making interconnection standards uniform

Making net metering a part of a broader incentives system

Net metering should be paired with rebates and tax credits that help offset the initial start-up costs of a solar electric system.

Creating a streamlined and transparent application and installation process for net metering

Getting approval for a net metering project should be simple and quickâ€”without the burdening bureaucracy that many states impose.

Thinking of net metering as a demand reduction strategy rather than a supply strategy

The $148 million Solar America Initiative seeks to accelerate the development of advanced solar electric technologies while reducing U.S. dependence on fossil fuels and improving the environment.

MEDIA ADVISORY: America Needs a True Renewable Energy Policy

2009-02-13T01:12:00.001-08:00

Media Briefing on Environmental Coalition Release of Biofuels Platform

Noon EST, Wednesday, February 11th

WASHINGTON – According to a 2008 report from the Energy Information Administration, in 2007, the federal government supported corn ethanol to the tune of $3.04 billion. That amount is more than 3 times the federal support provided to wind, solar, and geothermal energy combined. The continued federal largess lavished on corn ethanol comes with little or no return to taxpayers in energy security, protection from global climate change, or reducing the cost of driving.

Despite the clear detriments of corn ethanol, and in an effort to address corn ethanol overcapacity, USDA and the EPA have commenced discussions aimed at raising ethanol blending levels in the United States, to as high as E15 from the current level of E10.

The blind rush by lawmakers to embrace the failed promise of current conventional biofuels has led to growing skepticism among many in the environmental community that even the much touted next-generation biofuels will become a viable component of a larger US renewable energy portfolio.

On Wednesday, February 11th, the Clean Air Task Force, Environmental Working Group, Friends of the Earth, Network for New Energy Choices and NY PIRG will release a comprehensive biofuels platform to address the critical and immediate energy challenges facing America.

WHEN: Wednesday, February 11th 2009 at 12:00 NOON – 1:00 PM Eastern Time

WHAT: Teleconference briefing for accredited journalists for release of environmental coalition’s biofuels policy platform.

CALL INFORMATION: Please contact Don Carr, EWG, (202) 939-9141, don@ewg.org

WHO: Craig Cox, Midwest Vice President, Environmental Working Group Kate McMahon, Energy Policy Campaigner, Friends of the Earth
Dulce Fernandes, Associate Director, Network for New Energy Choices
Jonathan Lewis, Clean Air Task Force

Reporters who wish to view an advance embargoed copy of the biofuels platform or who have questions pertaining to the teleconference should contact Don Carr, EWG, (202) 939-9141 don@ewg.org.

Report Cards Weigh States’ Commitment to Cost Effective Renewable Energy

2009-02-10T04:23:00.001-08:00

Report Cards Weigh States’ Commitment to Cost Effective Renewable Energy

States are graded on policies that encourage people to produce their own electricity

Contact:
Regina Weiss
Communications Coordinator
Regina@NewEnergyChoices.org
212-991-1069
917-288-5251

The Network for New Energy Choices has issued its 2008 report cards grading the states’ policies for allowing homeowners and small business owners who generate renewable energy to connect to the grid and receive credit for the electricity they produce.

This year’s report has a number of bright spots that are particularly welcome given the declining economy, Americans’ desire for energy independence, and widespread concern about climate change.

Highlights since the 2007 edition of Freeing the Grid:

Three states – Arizona, Illinois and Florida – took major steps forward by creating new programs for homeowners and businesses that want to generate their own wind or solar energy, connect to the grid, and receive credit.
Nine states significantly improved their regulations for allowing people who generate their own renewable energy to receive credit. The nine states are Arkansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, and Vermont.
Six states and the District of Columbia significantly improved their standards for connecting renewable wind and solar systems to the local electric grid – Maryland, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

Congressman Jay Inslee of Washington State has called for a national commitment to renewable energy on par with the effort five decades ago to put a man on the moon. In his foreword to Freeing the Grid 2008 Inslee notes that well-designed state policies for renewable energy systems, “can read like ‘open for business’ signs to developers, manufacturers and innovative entrepreneurs. I encourage my fellow federal and state policymakers who want to realize a clean energy future to read this 2008 edition as a blueprint for how they can actively help to spur significant economic growth and energy security in their own states and communities,” Inslee said.

The best state renewable energy policies are those that maximize credit for excess electricity sent to the grid, reduce unnecessary and burdensome red tape and special fees, set clear goals and targets, and provide incentives to encourage homeowners and businesses to install renewable energy systems. States that perform poorly have policies that discourage homeowners and businesses from investing in renewable energy systems, for example, by requiring well-established, proven technologies to undergo rigorous, time-consuming, expensive reviews that dramatically increase the costs of the systems and the amount of time it takes for them to pay for themselves.

In addition to grading states on their policies, Freeing the Grid, serves as a cautionary tale of how even the best of intentions can be derailed by a poor regulatory process. The report’s “Worst Practices” section tells the sad story of Texas, which enacted a law designed to promote net metering “as rapidly as possible,” only to see it derailed by industry opponents. “Net metering” is the provision of a state’s law that allows customers to receive credit for the energy they produce when they are connected to the grid, but opponents of the Texas law took advantage of the fact that the legislation failed to define “net-metering.” As a result, the law is currently interpreted in a way that removes most of the financial incentive from a customer-sited wind or solar energy system. While the net-metering law the Texas legislature passed has the potential to earn an “A” from NNEC, they wound up with an “F” instead. “It’s a shame. Texas could be a big solar market,” said NNEC’s James Rose, one of the primary authors of the report.

NNEC received a 2008 Special Recognition Award from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) for its multi-year achievements with Freeing the Grid.

“NNEC has been a real mover, and has propelled interconnection and net metering into the spotlight. Freeing the Grid is leading us to greening the grid,” said IREC Executive Director Jane Weissman.

"Freeing the Grid has been an invaluable tool in state utility commission rulemakings; IREC makes a habit of handing out copies to commissioners and commission staff. Time after time, Freeing the Grid has opened a dialogue about the specific steps that can be taken to improve state rules. The classic moment was when a commissioner raised Freeing the Grid in the air at a workshop and said 'We got a B last year and we're going to get an A this year,'" said IREC's Jason Keyes

“If incentives are the engine that drives solar markets, net metering and interconnection standards are the road. Freeing the Grid provides policymakers with a map to sustainable solar development,” said Adam Browning, of The Vote Solar Initiative.

While the quality of net metering programs vary widely, today only ten states are left without some type of statewide net metering program – Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Tennessee.

Arizona: Regulatory Maze Creates Green Business Gridlock

2009-02-09T01:57:00.000-08:00

Arizona: Regulatory Maze Creates Green Business Gridlock

Local governments undermine Arizona’s green energy goals

Contact:
Regina Weiss
Communications Coordinator
Regina@NewEnergyChoices.org
212-991-1069
917-288-5251

While the State of Arizona is making it easier and more profitable for people to generate their own renewable energy, some local governments in the state are making it harder and more expensive.

To encourage homeowners and small businesses to invest in small-scale solar and wind generation systems, the state wrote new rules this year to accommodate greater clean energy generation and to ensure that people will receive full credit for the excess energy their systems produce. Meanwhile, disorganization, inconsistent permit requirements and wide variations in fees from town to town are creating barriers to these systems at the local level. For example, while some towns, such as Bisbee, have waived permit fees for small scale solar energy installations, others charge $1,000 or more for a permit for a home energy system. Still other jurisdictions require an engineering stamp, adding hundreds more to the cost.

According to Tom Alston, vice president of Arizona’s Solar Energy Industries Association, permit requirements are a “hodgepodge” in the state. “The Maricopa Association of Governments has created a standard set of permit requirements for solar installations that towns can adopt, but are not required to, which defines what inspectors look for,” Alton explained. “Tucson has taken a progressive approach and eliminated permit fees. It has also hired a full time solar coordinator to streamline the process. Some cities, including Mesa, have no permit requirement at all; anyone can go ahead and install a small-scale renewable energy system as long as they pass a rigorous utility inspection.”

Other contractors cited disorganization on the part of permitting agencies, the lack of clear, established permit requirements as obstacles. While some towns have a simple mail-in form to issue a permit, others require an in-person visit. In addition to vastly different fees, documentation required varies greatly from one place to the next. Many inspectors are unfamiliar with solar energy systems, and in some towns homeowners associations keep people from installing solar systems, despite the fact that Arizona law specifically prohibits them from doing so.

Still, according to Alston, fees, not permit requirements, are the biggest barrier in the state. He points out that Phoenix and Scottsdale, where fees are usually under $150, are where the bulk of renewable systems are installed. By contrast, the City of Glendale charges $800 to $1,000 permit fee for a residential system.

Many cities, such as The City of Gilbert, charge a percentage of the system’s cost, essentially penalizing someone who installs a system that generates more electricity, even if they don’t take significantly more staff time to permit. For Arizona Solar Electric, the company for which Alston works, permit fees this year averaged $45 in Marana and $50 in Peoria, while averaging $781 in Glendale. The single highest fee was in Goodyear, where the permit process for one installation was $1,306. With Arizona’s low electricity rates, Alston believes that high permit fees act as a disincentive to small scale renewable systems, as they add significantly to the time it takes for the systems to pay for themselves.

A new state law, if enforced, should discourage local governments in Arizona from the blanket requirement of engineering stamps, and requires cities and counties to justify their fees. The law also requires that the state establish a study committee to improve the process.

Nor is Arizona alone in having local governments undermining statewide efforts to promote small-scale solar and wind energy systems. With consumers demanding energy independence and widespread concern about climate change, more than 40 states have enacted laws making it easier for homeowners and businesses to produce their own electricity, but a new report by the Network for New Energy Choices (NNEC) shows how towns often thwart the intent of those laws.

Taking the Red Tape Out of Green Power offers a road map with specific recommendations for local governments that want to remove regulatory barriers and fees that complicate what should be simple procedures and inflate costs beyond the point where the systems can be expected to pay for themselves in a reasonable amount of time. You can read the report here.

“Photovoltaic solar and small wind turbine generators are well established technologies, with proven, off-the-shelf systems that come ready to install,” said NNEC’s director Rabin. “While the upfront costs of these systems are high, in today’s energy marketplace they also pay for themselves more rapidly than ever before, making them an increasingly attractive way to confront rising energy costs, but people who want to install these clean, efficient solar and wind systems can find themselves drowning in a sea of red tape.”

NNEC’s report has been endorsed by the American Planning Association’s Environment, Natural Resources and Energy Division, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Vote Solar Initiative, American Wind Energy Association, Solar Energy Industries Association, The American Institute of Architects and other national, regional and local groups.

“This report will help local government officials to facilitate the use of renewable energy in their communities at a time when hundreds of cities and counties across the country are looking for ways to reduce their energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in the effort to fight global climate change,” said Damian Pitt, a certified planner who is the principal author of the report.

Long Island: Regulatory Maze Creates Sustainable Energy Gridlock

2009-02-04T03:01:00.001-08:00

Long Island: Regulatory Maze Creates Sustainable Energy Gridlock

Local governments thwart their own environmental goals

Contact:
Regina Weiss
Communications Coordinator
Regina@NewEnergyChoices.org
212-991-1069
917-288-5251

Mineola, NY, September 22, 2008 – The Network for New Energy Choices (NNEC) released a report today detailing how some towns and cities undermine local investment in green energy, and frustrate residents and business owners, by making it difficult to install small-scale solar and wind systems. Taking the Red Tape Out of Green Power outlines simple steps that towns, including those on Long Island, should take to break through their renewable energy gridlock.

Solar contractor Steven Engelmann recently told NNEC that local permit requirements on Long Island cause “by far the greatest delay in the industry, requiring so much time and energy, and delaying jobs to the extent that we have a hard time financially with our business because of it.”

Engelmann, who works in both Nassau and Suffolk Counties, said that “every town and village has very different requirements from one another. If we could have a standardized package of requirements for permitting in each county or for both counties, we would be able to manage the process better. Now, every town we apply in has different requirements than the town before, so we are developing a database of all the towns and villages and what their individual requirements are, which is a huge burden on our business.”

“People who want to install these clean, efficient solar and wind systems can find themselves drowning in a sea of red tape,” said NNEC director Kyle Rabin. “And this goes way beyond a few frustrated individuals, affecting the local economy and the whole community. While the electricity generated may be used primarily by a single home or business, the benefits of these customer-owned renewable systems extend to everyone, including economic growth, reduced pollution, increased local energy independence, and reduced pressure on the local electricity grid. Streamlining the permit process will also give predictability to the private sector, and lay clear ground rules for small-scale renewable energy systems. But failure to streamline the process takes the wind out of towns’ efforts to create a green economy and prevents those who want these systems from saving energy and money.”

NNEC was joined at a press conference today by Long Island environmental advocates and a group representing contractors who install small-scale solar and wind energy systems in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. You can read NNEC’s report or at www.newenergychoices.org.

Englelmann’s company has a full time person who handles the permitting process which, he pointed out, “adds a huge cost to each system we install for our customers. Some towns require architectural review boards, or building permit review boards, which deal with the aesthetics of how systems will look. These take lots of time and energy and have stopped several of our projects from moving forward.”

Kevin Mac Leod, chair of the Long Island Solar Energy Industries Association, echoed these concerns. “When our contractor members go to the towns to get permits to install solar and wind, too often they are frustrated by high fees and engineering requirements that border on the ridiculous. Typically, they have to submit three or four copies of architectural sealed blueprints, tax bills, and a current survey. Not only is this documentation unnecessary, it can add more than $2,500 to the cost of the job, making it less and less cost-effective for the homeowner.

“There are towns that are doing a good job, and we want to highlight that also. The Town of Southampton, for example, rates an A+. They don’t require a permit for roof mounted solar, just an electrical inspection. As a result, they’ve got more solar and wind installations than anywhere else on Long Island.”

Mac Leod added that over the next six months LISEIA will be analyzing the permit and inspection processes of towns throughout Nassau and Suffolk, and issuing a series of report cards.

Skyrocketing energy costs, the desire for energy independence, and increasing public concern about air quality and climate change are increasing demand for solar and wind systems. NNEC recommends that towns and cities take the following steps to streamline the ability of residents and businesses to install these renewable energy systems.

Remove barriers to photovoltaic solar systems from building codes and simplify the permit application process. For example, exempt solar and wind energy devices from building codes’ standard height limits.
Allow common small-scale solar energy systems to be installed on a rooftop without a building permit. Alternatively, simplify the permit process so that a contractor or homeowner can fill out a simple form and get a permit on the spot.
Train building and electrical inspectors so that they are familiar with standard renewable energy systems.
Waive permit fees for renewable energy installations or adopt reasonable flat fees for permits. In many jurisdictions, permit fees are a percentage of the cost of the system, significantly inflating the price of installation.
Incorporate information about wind energy opportunities into community planning.
Establish small wind turbines as permitted uses, with appropriate design guidelines, performance standards, and review processes.

In addition, state governments, including New York, can facilitate the process by mandating that towns adopt consistent and appropriate permit requirements and establish uniform standards, and educating building and electrical inspectors about the proper installation of common renewable systems.

“A regulatory patchwork is very damaging to the renewable energy industry and to the consumer,” said Gordian Raacke, executive director of Renewable Energy Long Island, a not-for-profit advocacy organization. “It doesn't make sense to provide tax credits and LIPA rebates as an incentive, and then have a portion of that eaten up by inconsistent regulations and costs that come with unnecessary delay.”

“Streamlining the review process will save consumers money, increase green jobs in our communities and promote renewable technologies, said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “The public is seeking these renewable choices and we need government to help us make this choice a reality. Revamping antiquated registration and installation policies for renewable energy systems needs to be on the top of the list for all municipalities.”

“This report will help local government officials to facilitate the use of renewable energy in their communities at a time when hundreds of cities and counties across the country are looking for ways to reduce their energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in the effort to fight global climate change,” said Damian Pitt, a certified planner who is the principal author of the report.

“It is well known that Long Island is made up of many local governments,” said Neal Lewis, executive director of Long Island Neighborhood Network. “Unfortunately, those multiple jurisdictions tend to arrive at different interpretations of the State building code, which fails to address solar directly. In order for other renewable technologies to really move ahead to gain widespread acceptance, it would make things much easier if the State was to amend its building code to eliminate unnecessary impediments to solar installations.”

The peer reviewed report by the Network for New Energy Choices has been endorsed by the American Planning Association’s Environment, Natural Resources and Energy Division, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, The Vote Solar Initiative, American Wind Energy Association, Solar Energy Industries Association, American Institute of Architects and other national, regional and local groups.

North Carolina Utilities Commission Wins Praise For Helping Unleash the Power of the Sun

2009-01-29T04:17:00.000-08:00

Peter Hanlon

Contact: Regina Weiss, 212-991-1069, regina@gracelinks.org; Peter Hanlon, 212-991-1831, peter@newenergychoices.org

National advocacy group zeros in on state’s progress

August 4, 2008 – The New York based Network for New Energy Choices (NNEC) commends the North Carolina Utilities Commission’s (NCUC) on its recent decision to advance clean energy. New standards adopted by NCUC will reduce fees and shorten waiting periods for North Carolina electric customers who want to connect their solar or wind generators to the electric grid. The effect will be to ease restrictions on customer-sited electricity generation, expanding residents’ choices for managing their energy consumption and keeping their bills low.

"According to preliminary analysis for our upcoming report, Freeing the Grid: 2008 Edition, North Carolina is on the right track," said NNEC’s James Rose. Freeing the Grid, which tracks government actions to promote renewable energy in all 50 states, is due out in the fall. "The standards the Commission adopted meet and exceed federal guidelines designed to promote clean energy production," Rose added. "The new standards push North Carolina to the head of the class, with a grade of B, up from last year’s F."

The new interconnection standards are an important building block that will help bring the solar industry to the state. Solar energy creates more jobs per megawatt than any other source of energy. Under the newly adopted Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards (Senate Bill 3), demand has been created for clean, renewable energy. The new interconnection standards are the first step in meeting this demand.

"Under the specter of a lagging economy, the NCUC has put the state a step closer to a thriving solar industry," said Claudia Eyzaguirre of the Vote Solar Initiative, a national group working to bring solar power to the mainstream. "The emerging solar industry promises green collar job creation and investment in the state’s economy."

The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) issued a statement saying, "The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) congratulates the North Carolina Utilities Commission for taking a strong step forward with its new interconnection standard. IREC believes that the Commission's new standard will help move North Carolina to the front of the pack in facilitating the growth of renewable distributed generation."

"The improvements to the interconnection rules fit with the broader policy reforms that we have seen in North Carolina over the last year," said Rosalie R. Day, Policy Director of the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association. "The regulatory environment is clearly signaling an interest in adopting renewable technologies."

"Easy to understand and use interconnection standards are critical for achieving the goals of the North Carolina Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards," said Richard Harkrader, owner of Carolina Solar Energy. "The new standard makes the process for larger systems predictable and gives new renewable energy businesses, such as mine, confidence in our ability to plan and install new renewable energy generation systems."

"We are excited to see the North Carolina Utilities Commission making strides to meet the renewable energy goals set forth in the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards," said Maria Kingery, Co-founder of Southern Energy Management. "By making it easier for businesses to invest in renewable power generation, these new standards will help spur growth in North Carolina’s fledgling green economy and encourage the creation of more good jobs for our state."

"North Carolina has proven itself again a leader in the South on renewable energy policy," said NNEC’s Rose. "The next logical step is to update the state’s net metering rules."

The commission will re-evaluate net metering in late August and has the opportunity to improve the state’s current grade of F in this category, according to NNEC. Net metering allows electricity consumers to help meet clean energy goals by crediting the excess electricity produced by private solar systems connected to the grid.

With EPA Ruling on Ethanol Looming New Research Highlights Environmental Costs

2009-01-27T04:50:00.000-08:00

With EPA Ruling on Ethanol Looming New Research Highlights Environmental Costs

Contact: Regina Weiss – 212-991-1069; 917-288-5251; regina@gracelinks.org

Study indicates corn ethanol more polluting than regular gasoline

"Biofuels will undeniably play a part in our energy future," Fernandes said. "Now is the time to study the effects, so that we adopt them in ways that are beneficial, rather than destructive."

NNEC supports Task Force's call for expanded net metering in NY

2009-01-22T02:04:00.001-08:00

NNEC supports Task Force's call for expanded net metering in NY

James Rose

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 26, 2008

CONTACT: James Rose (212) 991-1832

Focus on Net Metering Expansion in Lt. Governor’s Task Force Report Draws Praise from The Vote Solar Initiative and Network for New Energy Choices

NEW YORK, NY - The Network for New Energy Choices (NNEC) and the Vote Solar Initiative applaud the Renewable Energy Task Force and Lieutenant Governor David A. Patterson’s heavy support for expanded net metering in their first report. The report entitled, Clean, Secure Energy and Economic Growth: A Commitment to Renewable Energy and Enhanced Energy Independence, speaks encouragingly about New Yorker’s ability to run their meters backwards with clean technologies, like solar and wind. Net metering is the billing arrangement by which customers realize savings from their renewable energy systems, where 1-kWh (kilowatt-hour) generated by the customer has the exact same value (in cents/kWh) as 1-kWh consumed by the customer.

“Energy policy, with its direct impact on the economy and the environment, is one of the key issues facing New York State and we commend Lt. Governor Paterson and the Task Force for the report’s recommendations”, says NNEC Director Kyle Rabin. “In addition to the obvious benefits for the environment, a strong net metering policy will also aid in the development of New York’s clean energy industry which in turn can help to reinvigorate the state’s economy, in particular revitalizing the upstate economy.”

“New York’s leaders have a real opportunity to transform what is one of the country’s most restrictive net metering programs into one of the nation’s strongest”, states NNEC’s James Rose. “If the state fails to make the necessary changes to its net metering policy, then New York is essentially telling the renewable energy industry, with its great potential for job creation, that the state is closed for business. Neighboring states, like Pennsylvania and New Jersey, have very strong net metering programs. In fact, New Jersey continues to look for ways to improve its program. New York must not get left behind.”

As noted and recommended in the Task Force’s report, there are several ways in which New York can improve its net metering policy. The commitments mirror NNEC’s Freeing the Grid 2007 report, which lays out the best practices embodied within some state net metering programs. The most notable ways in which New York can improve its net metering program are:

• Increase system size to at least 2-MW (megawatts): System sizes should be expanded to meet customer needs. Large commercial operations have loads that can run in the tens of megawatts. A good net metering program should allow these customers to have at least a 2-MW clean energy system.

• Open up net metering to ALL customer classes: NY’s net metering program currently is limited to residential and agricultural, meaning businesses cannot benefit from this important energy cost hedge. New York and Indiana are the only two states, out of 40, with net metering programs this restrictive.

"The Vote Solar Initiative is thrilled with Lt. Gov Paterson's leadership on renewable energy. The recommendation to improve net metering, with the clear goal of giving all customer classes, most importantly New York businesses, the ability to receive credit for producing clean energy is welcomed progress. Expanded net metering rules are a good first step towards the goal of being a national leader. With all the proper policies in place, the sky is the limit for solar power in New York." says Shaun Chapman, East Coast Campaign Director for the Vote Solar Initiative.

NNEC and the Vote Solar Initiative applaud the Lieutenant Governor and the Task Force for doing the important daily work to improve New York’s clean energy future and looks forward to working with leaders in 2008 to make essential changes to New York’s net metering policy to help reinvigorate our economy, and bring more clean power to New Yorkers.

Governor Supports Clean Energy for New York

2009-01-17T00:49:00.000-08:00

Governor Supports Clean Energy for New York

Shaun Chapman

Governor Supports Clean Energy for New York: Renewables an Important Part of State of the State Address

NEW YORK, NY - The Network for New Energy Choices (NNEC) is delighted about Governor Eliot Spitzer’s support of clean energy technologies and policies in his State of the State speech. Specifically, NNEC is pleased with his mention of net metering. The Governor spoke encouragingly about New Yorker’s ability to run their meters backwards with clean technologies, like solar and wind. Net metering is the billing arrangement by which customers realize savings from their renewable energy systems, where 1-kWh (kilowatt-hour) generated by the customer has the exact same value (in cents/kWh) as 1-kWh consumed by the customer.

“Energy policy, with its direct impact on the economy and the environment, is one of the key issues facing New York State and we commend Governor Spitzer’s initiatives and comments”, says NNEC Director Kyle Rabin. “In addition to the obvious benefits for the environment, a strong net metering policy will also aid in the development of New York’s clean energy industry which in turn can help to reinvigorate the state’s economy, in particular revitalizing the upstate economy.”

“New York’s leaders have a real opportunity to transform what is one of the country’s most restrictive net metering programs into one of the nation’s strongest”, says Rabin. “If the state fails to make the necessary changes to its net metering policy, then New York is essentially telling the renewable energy industry, with its great potential for job creation, that the state is closed for business. Neighboring states, like Pennsylvania and New Jersey, have very strong net metering programs. In fact, New Jersey continues to look for ways to improve its program. We’d hate to see New York get left behind.”

There are several ways in which New York can improve. NNEC’s Freeing the Grid 2007 report, a coalition piece, lays out the best practices embodied within some state net metering programs. The report also grades net metering programs across the nation. The most notable ways in which New York can improve its net metering program:

Increase system size to at least 2-MW (megawatts): System sizes should be expanded to meet customer needs. Large commercial operations have loads that can run in the tens of megawatts. A good net metering program should allow these customers to have a 2 to 3-MW clean energy system.

Open up net metering to ALL customer classes: NY’s net metering program currently is limited to residential and agricultural, meaning businesses can not benefit from this important energy cost hedge. Indiana and New York are the only two states, out of 40, with net metering programs this restrictive.

“As Freeing the Grid 2007 points out, without exception, significant deployment of clean, customer-sited, renewable energy only occurs in states with modern net metering policies”, comments James Rose, Policy Analyst for NNEC. He goes on to add, “Because of neighborhood NIMBY-ism, it is a struggle to settle disputes about power plant and transmission line siting. Net metering is a way to get people to say, ‘YES! In my back yard!’”

While NNEC understands the importance of support in this critical speech, NNEC recognizes that speech without action is simply rhetoric. NNEC applauds the Governor’s administration for doing the important daily work to improve New York’s clean energy future and looks forward to working with leaders in 2008 to make essential changes to New York’s net metering law to help reinvigorate our economy, and bring more clean power to New Yorkers.

Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition Stopping the Solar Photovoltaic Waste Stream Before It Starts

2009-01-16T01:24:00.001-08:00

Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition Stopping the Solar Photovoltaic Waste Stream Before It Starts

Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is evolving rapidly to address today’s global climate and energy challenges. The industry’s dramatic expansion and its use of new and increasingly complex materials raise serious health and environmental issues, both in product manufacturing and throughout product lifecycles. A major concern is the fate of millions of PV panels currently in use.

The U.S. generates an estimated 2.2 million tons of e-waste annually…

Today’s solar PV sector bears striking similarities to the emerging electronics industry of the 1980s, when supposedly “clean” manufacturing plants polluted Silicon Valley groundwater, causing death and illness in nearby communities. The high-tech industry’s failure to plan for safe end-of-life product disposal has resulted in a global flood of electronic waste (e-waste). The U.S. generates an estimated 2.2 million tons of e-waste annually, and this will continue to grow with the industry’s rapid rate of technological change.i U.S. e-waste is currently shipped to the poorest parts of the world for manual disassembly and recovery of valuable scrap materials. It is anticipated that in 30 years the world’s poorest in cities like Nairobi, Delhi, and Manila (and also in U.S. prisons) may be sorting our solar PV waste.

The solar PV industry is poised to produce clean and renewable energy to meet the challenges posed by climate change. With the solar PV sector still emerging, we have a limited window of opportunity to address both manufacturing and end-of-life issues and create a truly clean and sustainable solar energy sector. Our failure to do so will risk repeating the disastrous environmental legacy of the electronics industry.

To ensure that this new industrial sector is safe and sustainable, Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC) is launching the Clean and Just Solar Industry initiative. As a leader in the fight for a clean and safe high-tech industry, SVTC brings more than 25 years of experience to the environmental, health, and safety issues now facing the solar PV sector. Modeled on SVTC’s landmark work in the electronics industry, the project’s goals are to ensure that:

• Solar PV manufacturers implement programs to take back decommissioned solar panels and recycle the panels responsibly.

• Manufacturers address potential end-of-life hazards in the product design and production processes. Requiring manufacturers to take back their own panels will create incentives to design products that can be recycled in a safe and cost-effective manner.

• Solar PV manufacturers work to eliminate the use of materials that are hazardous to human health and to the environment.

• Solar sector jobs are “green jobs” throughout the supply chain,ii and workers are treated in a socially just manner. The minimum acceptable guidelines would be those outlined in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.iii

• Workers and communities are not exposed to harmful materials in the manufacturing, use, disposal, and recycling of PV products.

This fact sheet provides an overview of the potential hazards posed by current PV technology and lays out some of the challenges the industry faces in addressing end-of-life disposal and recycling. SVTC is also preparing an in-depth report that examines environmental, health, and safety impacts associated with the solar industry throughout the entire lifecycle of solar products.

Lawmakers want to explore sun, wind

2009-01-12T22:27:00.000-08:00

Lawmakers want to explore sun, wind

Submitted by lstolzen on Thu, 10/30/2008 - 11:18am

News Item

By Anton Caputo - Express-News
January's legislative session could be a big one for renewable energy sources like solar, wind and geothermal.

That's the message state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, Rep. Mike Villarreal and others brought to the Solar San Antonio Legislative Breakfast Thursday morning.

Lawmakers said they expect to build next session on the recent political momentum generated by the state's decision to spend $5 billion on transmission projects to move wind generated power from West Texas and the Panhandle to the state's larger cities. The results could mean several pieces of new legislation to help jumpstart a wide array of renewable energy sources. Texas already leads the nation in wind production.

The legislation will likely include a $250 million state bond for renewable energy projects, an expenditure that would also have to be approved by voter referendum. The bond nearly passed last session, said Van de Putte, but was dropped late in the session in favor of other spending priorities.

Renewable energy proponents are also eyeing a statewide requirement to produce a certain amount of energy, possibly 3,000 megawatts by 2020, by renewable energy other than wind.

Such requirements have been key in the state's wind energy success, which proponents like Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, are seeking to emulate with solar.

“Next session I think we're really going to be looking at solar in a different light,” she said. “It is no secret to anyone that we have the perfect weather conditions.”

The Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association will also lobby the legislature to boost the market for residential solar power by requiring that a certain amount of energy be produced by small-distributed power projects like home solar panels and small-scale windmills.

Lawmakers want to explore sun, wind

2008-12-27T01:52:00.001-08:00

Lawmakers want to explore sun, wind

Submitted by lstolzen on Thu, 10/30/2008 - 11:18am

News Item

By Anton Caputo - Express-News
January's legislative session could be a big one for renewable energy sources like solar, wind and geothermal.

That's the message state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, Rep. Mike Villarreal and others brought to the Solar San Antonio Legislative Breakfast Thursday morning.

Renewable energy proponents are also eyeing a statewide requirement to produce a certain amount of energy, possibly 3,000 megawatts by 2020, by renewable energy other than wind.

Such requirements have been key in the state's wind energy success, which proponents like Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, are seeking to emulate with solar.

“Next session I think we're really going to be looking at solar in a different light,” she said. “It is no secret to anyone that we have the perfect weather conditions.”

AltE Positions Itself for Cost Effective DIY Alternative Energy

2008-12-26T02:55:00.001-08:00

AltE Positions Itself for Cost Effective DIY Alternative Energy

AltE, formerly the Alternative Energy Store, is experiencing a sharp rise in interest in alternative energy technology for individual homeowners. Despite the economic downturn, with the passing of the Alternative Energy tax credits and incentives and the cost effectiveness of DIY renewable energy, AltE is excited to be positioned to help consumers get ahead.

"Our goal has always been to help people integrate cost effective renewable energy technology into their homes," said Sascha Deri, CEO of AltE. "Unless utility companies themselves start to complete installations of alternative energy, encouraging do-it-yourselfers is one of the only ways the alternative energy sector can truly be assured of adoption at the residential level."

In today's economic climate, many are concerned about where to put their money or what will offer the best return on investment. Additionally, many are faced with rising heating costs and escalating living expenses and homeowners are looking for ways to offset those rising costs in the most effective manner. One of the best ways to invest wisely and offset the costs of running a home or rental property is by looking at renewable energy and technologies like solar thermal, solar electric and wind turbines. Renewable energy offers a 10-30% return on investment and the technology is designed to last for decades.

"When we started this company almost ten years ago, we did it because we saw the long term benefits of offering consumers a DIY solution for renewable energy. Not only is the technology green and harnessing solar or wind power, it's also fiscally sensible. Today's economic climate absolutely supports what we've always tried to do - encourage people to make a smaller impact on the earth and invest wisely in technology that is a sure win," said Deri.

As much of the Alternative Energy sector can attest, the largest obstacles in widespread adoption of these technologies are knowledge about how they work and financing the projects. Now that the tax incentives have been signed into law and extended for years to come, some of the financial obstacles have been removed, and companies like AltE are working hard to begin closing the knowledge gap as well.

"We have spent a great deal of time building out a comprehensive library of articles, developing webinars and live seminars and training our technical sales staff to help guide our customers towards the right renewable energy solution for them. We want to act as a guide, helping people choose the most cost effective, efficient system for their home. We help folks to understand the initial investment and how quickly their system will pay for itself. That is, of course, what we love best - that even the largest systems will eventually yield a return!" said Deri.

The way AltE differentiates itself in the market is by catering specifically to the DIY alternative energy homeowner. They have long proselytized the idea that Renewable is Do-able™ and in today's economic climate, that message resonates with many. The average grid-tie residential solar electric system costs between $9 and $12 per watt to purchase and install in a home. That means that a home using an average of 500 KW Hours per month will need a system that costs between $37K and $50K.

By eliminating the expense of an installer and limited use of a licensed electrician, homeowners can knock the cost down to between $7 and $10 per watt, so a house needing a monthly average of 500 KW Hours will need a system that costs between $30K and $42K. With added tax incentives and utility company rebates, this kind of savings makes solar power a reachable goal for thousands more residential homeowners.

"We work with a huge variety of consumers and so many of them initially believed that this technology is too difficult and complicated to install themselves. The truth is that a huge percentage of "handy" men and women could absolutely install most of the existing technology today with some assistance by licensed electrician or plumber to assure code compliance. That's why we've built out a huge resource section with tons of articles and that's why we've begun offering seminars and classes. We want to empower consumers and help them get ahead in the most economical way possible," continued Deri. "We want to be your friend in Renewable Energy - that guy or gal next door who knows about this stuff and makes the installation and benefits of alternative energy an attainable goal."

Commercial use of Renewable Energy

2008-12-23T03:08:00.000-08:00

Commercial use of Renewable Energy

Renewable energy represents a viable alternative to grid sourced electricity for most sections of Commerce and Industry. In all cases there is an environmental benefit to an appropriately installed system, in the majority of cases, the installation can show real cost and business benefits.

Solar Water Heating can be more appropriate for commercial activities where a regular supply of hot water is required during the daylight hours rather than the domestic environment where there is a need to balance storage of hot water for use in the morning and evening with generation during the day.

Electricity generated from solar electric panels is available during the hours of business, a Solar PV installation can be tailored to provide electricity up to the normal level of consumption, thus there is no requirement for export metering nor associated administration.

Perhaps the most appropriate installation would be Wind Turbines, in particular where there is a continuous process. Though the majority of energy might still be grid fed, 100% of the electricity from a tailored wind turbine system would supplant mains fed electricity. Thus the relative value of the per Kwh wind generated electricity would be the same as the 'delivered' value of mains electricity.

Though the capital cost of renewable energy installations might appear un-economic. For the business user there are grants and significant tax incentives.

BrightLightSolar has many years of experience in energy and utility cost management including understanding the grant application process and tax incentives available. We are able to provide a full service including identifying and sourcing additional funding, recommending and installing the most approriate renewable energy equipment

Telecommunications
As more areas are linked to the expanding GSM network the need for reliable, remote power increases.

The power required by GSM transmitters, receivers and Microwave links is reducing as technologies improve. This means that solar energy in this field is becoming more and more competitive and cost effective, especially as a carefully designed solar power system will provide uninterrupted power 365 days a year.

Systems of this type operate by charging a large battery bank when the sun shines. This stores energy for cloudy days and for operation at night time.

Regional solar data is used to provide monthly average forecasts for power output from the solar and using the worst solar month as a base line a system can be dsigned that will provide clean, reliable power to the equipment all year round.

Since each piece of equipment is slightly different in the way it operates and the precise amount of power it consumes, and because every area of the world has quite different sunshine levels, it is necessary to take each application on a case by case basis.

If you have a potential Telecoms application then we would be pleased to hear from you and would be happy to work with you to produce a solar power system engineered for your application. Please use the questionnaire provided to give all the relevant details.

Businesses around the world are discovering that solar can provide real advantages as a source of power generation.

If your business is located in an area that lacks a reliable supply of grid electricity, you should consider solar for your needs. Bright Light Solar Ltd has the technical and practical expertise to deliver cost-effective energy solutions to your business. Our systems can be used either by themselves or in conjunction with an alternative (but intermittent) energy source - such as grid electricity or diesel generation.

Energy Facts

2008-12-22T01:03:00.000-08:00

Energy Consumption

Though accounting for only 5 percent of the world's population, Americans consume 26 percent of the world's energy. (American Almanac)
In 1997, U.S. residents consumed an average of 12,133 kilowatt-hours of electricity each, almost nine times greater than the average for the rest of the world. (Grist Magazine)
Worldwide, some 2 billion people are currently without electricity. (U.S. Department of Energy)
Total U.S. residential energy consumption is projected to increase 17 percent from 1995 - 2015. (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
World energy consumption is expected to increase 40% to 50% by the year 2010, and the global mix of fuels--renewables (18%), nuclear (4%), and fossil (78%)--is projected to remain substantially the same as today; thus global carbon dioxide emissions would also increase 50% to 60%.
Among industrialized and developing countries, Canada consumes per capita the most energy in the world, the United Sates ranks second, and Italy consumes the least among industrialized countries.
Developing countries use 30% of global energy. Rapid population growth, combined with economic growth, will rapidly increase that percentage in the next 10 years.
The World Bank estimates that investments of $1 trillion will be needed in this decade and upwards of $4 trillion during the next 30 years to meet developing countries' electricity needs alone.
America uses about 15 times more energy per person than does the typical developing country.
Residential appliances, including heating and cooling equipment and water heaters, consume 90% of all energy used in the U.S. residential sector.
The United States spends about $440 billion annually for energy. Energy costs U.S. consumers $200 billion and U.S. manufacturers $100 billion annually.

Global Warming

Worldwide, 1995 was the warmest year since global temperatures were first kept in 1856. This supports the near consensus among climatologists that emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases are causing global warming. (Chivilan and Epstein, Boston Globe)
On average, 16 million tons of carbon dioxide are emitted into the atmosphere every 24 hours by human use worldwide. (U.S. Department of Energy)
Carbon emissions in North America reached 1,760 million metric tons in 1998, a 38 percent increase since 1970. They are expected to grow another 31 percent, to 2,314 million metric tons, by the year 2020. (U.S. Department of Energy)
The United States is the world's largest single emitter of carbon dioxide, accounting for 23 percent of energy-related carbon emissions worldwide. (U.S. Department of Energy)
An average of 23,000 pounds of carbon dioxide are emitted annually in each American home. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
The transportation sector consumed 35% of the nation's energy in 1990; this sector is 97% dependent on petroleum.
Fossil fuels are depleted at a rate that is 100,000 times faster than they are formed.

Health

Approximately 30,000 lives are cut short in the U.S. each year due to pollution from electricity production. (ABT Associates study)
About 81 tons of mercury are emitted into the atmosphere each year as a result of electric power generation. Mercury is the most toxic heavy metal in existence. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
Burning fossil fuels to produce energy releases carbon dioxide and other global-warming-causing gases into the atmosphere. Global warming will increase the incidence of infectious diseases (including equine encephalitis and Lyme disease), death from heat waves, blizzards, and floods, and species loss. (Chivilan and Epstein, Boston Globe, April 10, 1997)

Transportation

The United States consumes about 17 million barrels of oil per day, of which nearly two-thirds is used for transportation.
The United States imports more than seven million barrels of oil per day.
While the world's population doubled between 1950 and 1996, the number of cars increased tenfold. Automobile congestion in the United States alone accounts for $100 billion in wasted fuel, lost productivity, and rising health costs. Still, analysts project that the world's fleet of cars will double in a mere 25 years. (Worldwatch Institute)
Americans use a billion gallons of motor oil a year, 350 million gallons of which end up polluting the environment. (Department of Energy and Maryland Energy Administration)
A car that gets 20 miles per gallon (mpg) emits approximately 50 tons of global-warming-inducing carbon dioxide over its lifetime, while a 40-mpg car emits only 25 tons. Over the average lifetime of an American car (100,000 miles), a 40-mpg car will also save approximately $3,000 in fuel costs compared to a 20-mpg car. (Natural Resources Defense Council)
The cars and trucks reaching the junkyards this year have higher gasoline mileage, on average, than the new ones rolling off dealers' lots, for the first time on record. (Matt Wald, The New York Times, August 11, 1997)

Renewables

Only 7.5 percent of total U.S. energy consumption came from renewable sources in 1998. Of that total, 94 percent was from hydropower and biomass (trash and wood incinerators). (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
For the 2 billion people without access to electricity, it would be cheaper to install solar panels than to extend the electrical grid. (The Fund for Renewable Energy Everywhere)
Within 15 years, renewable energy could be generating enough electricity to power 40 million homes and offset 70 days of oil imports.

Photovoltaics

Providing power for villages in developing countries is a fast-growing market for photovoltaics. The United Nations estimates that more than 2 million villages worldwide are without electric power for water supply, refrigeration, lighting, and other basic needs, and the cost of extending the utility grids is prohibitive, $23,000 to $46,000 per kilometer in 1988.
A one kilowatt PV system* each month:
- prevents 150 lbs. of coal from being mined
- prevents 300 lbs. of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere
- keeps 105 gallons of water from being consumed
- keeps NO and SO₂ from being released into the environment
* in Colorado, or an equivalent system that produces 150 kWh per month

Wind

Wind power is the fastest-growing energy source in the world. (Worldwatch Institute)
The wind in North Dakota alone could produce a third of America's electricity. (The Official Earth Day Guide to Planet Repair)
Wind power has the potential to supply a large fraction--probably at least 20%--of U.S. electricity demand at an economical price.
In 1990, California's wind power plants offset the emission of more than 2.5 billion pounds of carbon dioxide, and 15 million pounds of other pollutants that would have otherwise been produced.
Using 100 kWh of wind power each month is equivalent to:
- planting ½ acre of trees
- not driving 2,400 miles

Solar Thermal

Research shows that an average household with an electric water heater spends about 25% of its home energy costs on heating water.
Solar water heaters offered the largest potential savings, with solar water-heater owners saving as much as 50% to 85% annually on their utility bills over the cost of electric water heating.
You can expect a simple payback of 4 to 8 years on a well-designed and properly installed solar water heater. (Simple payback is the length of time required to recover your investment through reduced or avoided energy costs.)
Solar water heaters do not pollute. By investing in one, you will be avoiding carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and the other air pollution and wastes created when your utility generates power or you burn fuel to heat your household water. When a solar water heater replaces an electric water heater, the electricity displaced over 20 years represents more than 50 tons of avoided carbon dioxide emissions alone.

Alternative Fuels

Using biodiesel in a conventional diesel engine substantially reduces emissions of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, sulfates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and particulate matter.
Biodiesel:
- can be used at 100% levels or mixed in any proportion with No. 2 diesel or No. 1 diesel.
- Contains no nitrogen or aromatics
- Typically contains less than 15 ppm sulfur - Does not contribute to sulfur dioxide emissions
- Has characteristically low carbon monoxide, particulate, soot and hydrocarbon emissions
- Contains 11% oxygen by weight
- Has the highest energy content (BTUs) of any alternative fuel and is comparable to No. 1 diesel.
Over 4,000 electric vehicles are operating throughout the United States (with the largest number in California and the western United States).
More than 20,000 flexible-fuel vehicles are in operation.
Over 75,000 natural gas vehicles in U.S. and nearly 1 million worldwide.

Energy Efficiency

By taking appropriate energy-saving measures, by 2010 the United States can have an energy system that reduces costs by $530 per household per year and reduces global warming pollutant emissions to 10 percent below 1990 levels. (Energy Innovations report)
Just by using the "off the shelf" energy-efficient technologies available today, we could cut the cost of heating, cooling, and lighting our homes and workplaces by up to 80%. (U.S. Department of Energy and Maryland Energy Administration)
Replacing one incandescent lightbulb with an energy-saving compact fluorescent bulb means 1,000 pounds less carbon dioxide is emitted to the atmosphere and $67 dollars is saved on energy costs over the bulb's lifetime. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Alliance to Save Energy)
A decrease of only 1% in industrial energy use would save the equivalent of about 55 million barrels of oil per year, worth about $1 billion.

Building for the Future: Sustainable Home Design ONLINE

2008-12-17T03:35:00.001-08:00

Building for the Future: Sustainable Home Design ONLINE

Renewable energy is one of the most important tools we have to combat a changing climate. In order for us to make the most out of sun, wind, and micro-hydro power, we must start by making every home and building energy efficient. This can happen with smart design in new construction, smart consumer choices of energy efficient technologies and systems, and the know-how to build new and retrofit existing structures.

Whether you're building your own house or simply want to talk knowledgeably with those who will build it for you, these workshops will help you understand the home design principles that make use of both new and centuries old methods and materials for sustainable living. These workshops are also suitable as a prerequisite for those interested in becoming professionals in the field of sustainable design and for those design professionals interested in capably meeting their clients' demand for sustainable design.

Building for the Future Online will focus on the principles behind designing and building residential structures that achieve optimal year-round comfort, reduce energy consumption, improve indoor air quality, and limit environmental impact. The emphasis is on integrated design using a whole-building approach, applying building science and integrating green design strategies into the built environment. Also covered will be the synergistic relationship between climate-sensitive design and natural building materials.

Designed to compliment each other, the Building for the Future online & face-to-face courses can be taken independently to bring you up to speed or combined with each other to solidify knowledge. Both courses provide a solid overview of building a sustainable home with specifics in site analysis, building science, energy efficiency, passive solar design and alternatives to conventional building materials & techniques. In addition to online curriculum, participants will receive The Building With Awareness video, the book Your Green Home by Alex Wilson, and industry related hand-outs, and numerous Internet resource links. A course glossary, extensive resource guide and case studies of successful sustainable homes are included online. You can work on the Building for the Future Online course at ANYTIME, but you will generally need between 8-15 hrs/week to complete assignments/quizzes and participate in online discussions.

The Consortium for Education in Renewable Energy Technologies (CERET) offers certificates in Renewable Energy to provide students with the theoretical knowledge necessary to begin a career in energy management and renewable energy technology. Certificates are granted through Madison Area Technical College (MATC). SEI's online courses qualify for college credits through MATC and towards a Renewable Energy Certificate. Click here for more information on CERET's Renewable Energy Certificates."

Students residing outside the United States must pay an extra fee for shipping of course materials. Contact SEI for details.

Topics Include

Building Orientation
Solar Site Analysis
Lessons Learned
Building Science
Moisture & Air Leakage
Super-Insulation Strategies
New Window Technologies
Passive Solar Designs
Energy Efficient Technologies
Indoor Air Quality
Sustainable Back-up Heating Systems
Healthy/Green Building Materials
Domestic Solar Hot Water
Renewable Energy Options
Practical Building Techniques

Sessions

Workshop Title	Dates	Location	Price	Duration	Status
Building for the Future ONLINE	Feb. 23 -April 5, 2009	Online	$ 695	6 weeks	open
Building for the Future ONLINE	Oct. 12 - Nov. 22, 2009	Online	$ 695	6 weeks	open

Photovoltaic Design & Installation

2008-12-12T04:23:00.000-08:00

Photovoltaic Design & Installation

The photovoltaic market world-wide has experienced an enormous 35% growth rate over the last five years. This course was developed for those seeking employment in the booming solar industry or for homeowners looking to install their own systems or hire a contractor. This workshop starts out with the very basics of electricity, and incrementally accelerates students to safely design a code compliant solar-electric system. PV Design and Installation provides a strong foundation in grid-tied, grid-tied with battery backup, and stand-alone systems.

This workshop is certified by the Institute of Sustainable Power (ISP) and fulfills the educational requirements for Category 'B' of NABCEP's Solar PV Installer Certification. This course also qualifies you to take the NABCEP PV Entry Level "Certificate of Knowledge" Exam. The test, which consists of 60 multiple choice questions, takes approximately 2 hours to complete. Test will be administered from 6-8pm on the last day of each PV Design and Installation workshop. The cost of the test is $100. Students must register in advance with the SEI main office (call 970.963.8855). For more information on the NABCEP Entry Level Certification, please see their website at www.nabcep.org.

If you are serious about getting into the solar industry, you should also plan to take Advanced PV: Design Criteria and NEC Compliance. This workshop is intended to follow our first tier of workshops with the next level of design criteria, wire sizing calculations, maintenance issues, troubleshooting skill, and more information on batteries, charge controllers and hybrid system. (Note: You must complete PV Design and Installation BEFORE taking Advanced PV.)

6-day vs. 10-day workshop
The Colorado PV D&I workshops include 5 days in the classroom and 5 days of hands-on installation in the SEI PV Lab Yard.

The off-site PV workshops are shortened versions of the workshops offered in Colorado. In the 6-day format, four days will be spent in the classroom and 2 days doing hands-on field work or mock installations.

Check out our Women's only PV Design & Installation workshop as well!

For more workshop details please click on the Location links below.

Students leave this workshop being able to:

• Cite energy efficient solutions to reduce the load of a home
• Incorporate local climate and site conditions in a PV system design
• Evaluate the differences between commercially available components: modules, inverters, controllers, batteries, and racks
• Obtain and apply module data from a spec sheet
• Perform load analysis for a home or business
• Size a grid-tied system: inverter, array, wire, disconnects, overcurrent protection
• List advantages/disadvantages for various mounting types
• List order of commissioning and decommissioning & safety hazards
• Define net metering and state incentive programs
• Size a stand-alone system and specify the appropriate components: inverter, wire, charge controller, batteries, and modules
• Perform detailed site evaluation for determining system location and installation details

Topics Include

Basics of Electricity
Solar Site Analysis
PV System Components
Energy Efficient Appliances
PV System Sizing
Component Specification
Stand-alone Systems
Utility-Interactive Systems
Electrical Wiring
Safety Procedures
Operation and Maintenance

Sessions

Workshop Title	Dates	Location	Price	Duration	Status
PV Design & Installation	February 16 - 21, 2009	Tucson, AZ	$ 995	6 days	[FULL]
PV Design & Installation	February 23 - 28, 2009	Tucson, AZ	$ 995	6 days	[FULL]
PV Design & Installation	March 16 - 21, 2009	Austin, TX	$ 995	6 days	[FULL]
PV Design & Installation	March 23 - 28, 2009	Austin, TX	$ 995	6 days	open

* Four $375 scholarships are available for the Tucson PV Design and Installation workshops. Scholarships are only available for customers of Tucson Electric Power (TEP) or UniSource Energy (UES), and will be awarded on an as-needed basis. Please call SEI's Carbondale office for more information (970.963.8855).

Beat Those Rising Energy Bill Blues

2008-12-04T02:38:00.000-08:00

Beat Those Rising Energy Bill Blues

Get The Very Best Deal From Your Energy Providers, then Slash Your Electricity and Gas Bills by up to 30% or more.

Enroll in... The Energy Management Course

Would suit Business Owners and Energy Managers wishing to expand their Professional expertise and apply it within their organizations and work places.

Would also suit Professional and Trades Persons wishing to expand into the exciting Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy fields.

Online Course Instructor: Emeritus Faculty Leader, Robert McMahon

Energy Consultant, C.Eng B.E(UNSW) F.I.Mar.EST. Cert. Energy Management

The Energy Management Course includes Eight Hours of Live Training with Mr. Solar Energy in 4 x 2 hour, Teleseminar Modules Plus Course Notes, Energy Audit Systems, Energy Manager's Manual, Forms, Materials and Q. and A. Sessions

Become a full time or part time Energy Auditor and add create another profit centre for your present work or business.

Heres what people say Online:

Qatar

"Im from Doha- Qatar. Working as a Quantity Surveyor.I m interested to know some about your course, since I would like to learn energy auditing.Please update me"Riza Doha, Qatar

Nigeria

"Thanks Robert. It is very important to always think and plan ahead to achieve optimum success in any field of human endeavour. The in depth research/information you roll out all the time on new alternative energy developments is helping mankind in particular and the world in general. Please keep it up.. Cheers"Tanko Abdu Lagos, Nigeria

Pakistan

"Dear Sirs,Weldone, I really appreciate that you are giving me lot of informationWhen we read your whole, we are getting very good information from your system.We also were looking to install sollar Energy Power System.Thank you so much I am really thankful to you that you are giving me the whole information.Thank and Regards"Agha Haider Mirza Hyderabad, Pakistan

Iraq

"Dear Robert;Thank you for sharing. I wish I have the chance to visit you in the future. Best regards."Sabah Al Jumaily Baghdad, Iraq

Philippines

"Hi Robert.I just want to say thank you for all the information you send me, it gave me more knowledge on this matter, to tell you frankly I really want to convert my power usage into solar so that I can help in reducing the greenhouse effect on our mother earth.Thank you "Phen b Manila, Philippines

Iran

"Dear robert ,Thanks for your information pleas give me some educational institu..I dicided to have academic study(solar energy) at university. I have M.S level (environmental planing) from tehran university. Best regards"MOHAMMAD MAJIDI Tehran, Iran

Singapore

"Dear Robert,I'm very happy with your proposal.Energy Auditing sounds fantastic to incorporatate.Do lets work this between us quickly.Best regards."Yong. Singapore

Course Fee $497.00($379 for a limited time only)

Enter Code: EAC3

at checkout to recieve the special price.

Could Be Worth $$$ Thousands To You - Money Back Guarantee

Click Here To Enrol Now

For a limited time only, enter code EAC3 to recieve a special price

Next Course commences 15th January 2009

Persons who enrol will be advised full log in details to the teleconference room in advance of the course.

Solar Electricity for the Developing World

2008-12-03T01:38:00.000-08:00

Solar Electricity for the Developing World

Learn to design and install photovoltaic systems for the developing world. Workshop participants learn system sizing, site analysis, hardware specification, and component selection. The workshop covers typical applications and case study examples. Install and upgrade real-world systems with current renewable energy equipment. This workshop is open to all who want to use PV and for those seeking employment in the solar industry.

Held at Rancho Mastatal, an environmental learning center and retreat located in the last virgin rainforest of Costa Rica's Puriscal County. Participants will stay at the center where they build using natural building techniques, including bamboo and cob, and support the use of renewable energy systems. Rancho Mastatal practices and promotes living responsibly in the tropics, while educating its visitors about the significance and majesty of the world's disappearing tropical forests. Take advantage of this great opportunity to enjoy one of Costa Rica's most undiscovered regions while learning about renewable energy.

In our sixth year at Rancho Mastatal, this winter's workshop builds on the success of our past workshops. Our program is focused on learning through hands-on work. We'll spend about one-third of our time in the classroom, studying renewable energy technology basics. The rest of our time will be in the field or lab, getting our hands dirty, learning by doing. The course is taught in both English and Spanish. Price includes dorm bed or camping, all meals and in-coutry transportation. Private accommodation may be available at additional cost (contact Rancho Mastatal). Ask about options for family members not taking the workshop.

Participants must arrive at the San Jose, Costa Rica airport by 2 PM on Thursday, January 1, and will be returned to the same airport by 2 PM on Friday, Jan 9.

Enrollment is very limited, so please register early.

Topics Include

Applications
Basics of Electricity
Solar Site Analysis
PV System Components
Energy Efficient Appliances
PV System Sizing
Component Specification
Solar Water Pumping
PV for Lesser Developed Countries
Safety Procedures
Tours of PV , Wind, and Hydro Systems
Laboratory Exercises
Hands-on Field Installation

Solar Battery Charger

2008-11-22T01:03:00.001-08:00

We have all experienced unpleasant situations when we were far away from home or did not have any electrical source nearby to charge our car or cell phone’s batteries. This can be a very frustrating situation. Those who have found themselves at least once in such a limited situation should know that they will not have to go through that never again thanks to the solar battery charger that has been invented.

Sometimes even though we have our battery charger with us we can not use it because we are wire limited. A solar battery charger will not limit your actions as it does not have any cords. This charger works by using the energy provided by the sun and you don’t have to pay anything for that. Some advanced models of battery charger can also work using any light source, including a lamp so you can use them by night too in case you do not have near at hand your classic battery charger.

Anyone has nowadays a cell phone and we have all become so addicted to them that we find ourselves helpless if the cell phone’s battery dies when we are not at home to charge it back. Having a solar battery charger can save us from a lot of stress as we can charge our phone’s battery no matter where we are. And this situation applies to all battery types. Going on a road trip or going camping will not allow us to use a traditional charger that uses cords so it is best to have a solar battery charger with us as we can use it where and when we please with no limitations.

The best thing about a solar battery charger is that it does not cost us anything to use it. Think of all the money you waste little by little when charging your batteries form the classical plug. You might think it does not cost you much to charge every day a battery but calculating in years of charging you will find out that you have wasted a nice sum of money on battery charging. As long as it is for free and it also protects nature why not use a solar battery charger?

A solar battery charger can be used for any battery type not only for the cell phone’s battery. You are not limited at all. Just give the solar battery charger a try and you will see you will never go back to the traditional battery charger after that.

Using a solar battery charger will not turn you into a slave of the battery charger. You can do whatever you please as you will not depend on the traditional battery charger any more. You will be able to charge your batteries whenever you please and anywhere you are located in even though you do not have a plug nearby.

Try the new solar battery chargers and change your life forever by being free!

Solar Panel Dealers

2008-11-15T02:51:00.000-08:00

When you are looking for solar panel dealers, there are some important things you should keep in mind. For example, in what concerns the so-called peak tolerance rating, also known as minimum warranted power, negative tolerance rating, or minimum power max, there are a lot of people that do not know that they can pay for 200Watt solar panels for example, and receive 180Watt solar panels. It is important to discover if the solar panel has a poor minimum warranted power rating, and in this case, avoid that solar panel. In this way, you will not be tricked by solar panel dealers, even if they try to convince their solar panel is very good and has high efficiency. When you buy a solar panel, it is important to ask for the specification sheet, and look there for the minimum warranted power rating.

The state of California decided that before being approved for the state’s program, all solar panels must be tested by PVUsa, an independent laboratory. The test conditions are more stringent than the manufacturer uses, and after testing, a PTC rating will be assigned to the product. You should know that PTC rating means PVUsa.

You should also know that if a product has a number of watts in standard test conditions rating, that number will be lower in the PTC rating. When you go to solar panel dealers, always check for the PTC evaluation, and check what the manufacturer is guaranteeing that you’ll receive.

Because standard monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels have life expectancies of more than 40 years, manufacturers offer warranties for more than 25 years. However, there are some of them that offer less. A smart thing to do is to check for how long the company or the solar panel dealers are in business with solar panels.

You should know that if the solar panel has a higher efficiency, it will produce more power. It is known that usually, the solar cells that are cut from solid ingots of silicon have the highest efficiency. There are also technologies that avoid cutting solar cells from solid ingots of silicon, but although are cheaper, they are not so efficient.

A good thing to do is to ask the solar panel dealers about the factory printed specification sheet, that shows the solar module efficiency, and if they don’t give you that specification sheet, you should go somewhere else to buy solar panels.

When you shop for a solar electric system, you will surely want more rebate money. For accomplishing this, a good advice is to buy the highest efficiency inverter. The inverter’s warranty is also an important fact. It was seen that there are a lot of solar panel dealers that say they give many years of warranty for the solar panel, but they do not say anything about the inverter. Five years is the minimum warranty the state requires but the longer the warranty is, the better.

You should be very careful when looking for solar panels, ask many questions, and visit more solar panel dealers, in order to be able to choose the one that has the most attractive offer.

Solar Energy Technologies

2008-11-03T04:14:00.000-08:00

Everybody knows that the cost of energy keeps on rising so it is not something to wonder about if people begin to focus on buying solar panels. As long as people have solar energy technologies they can use to produce cheaper energy for their daily house needs the solar panels will sell like hot bread for sure.

Solar energy technologies have their advantages, but as you will see further on in this article, they also have their limitations we must consider. Solar energy is produced by the sun, so we can say it is renewable, and thanks to the scientists that have developed solar energy technologies we can all take advantage almost for free of this nature blessing.

Solar panels are a part of the solar energy technology and they are meant to capture the energy sun produces. A good thing about solar panels is that they can convert the solar energy into power for housekeeping or they can save the power for later needs. For this all solar panel owners should accessorize their panels with storage units. This will help them in the rainy days when they sun is not around to produce energy and the panel could be then set to release the previous collected energy. During nighttime the same thing is done for heating the house or providing power to some housekeeping objects.

Such solar energy technologies can bring a lot of advantages to those who use them. Heating up a house is made easy with a little quantity of energy. During winter solar panels can cool the home by providing the needed power to the air conditioner, but such a process will consume more sun energy than the process of heating the home. This is why a backup is always welcomed for those who depend on solar energy technologies.

Another advantage of using solar panels is for those who live in countries or neighborhoods that keep on having blackouts. Lighting a room can be made easily and with no cost by a solar panel. This way you will not have to own a generator for producing energy, you can rely on this solar energy technology.

Solar energy technologies imply using photovoltaic cells, also called solar cells. These cells are placed on the solar panels and have the main function of transforming the solar energy into power.

Adopting solar energy technologies to your home or business can bring a lot of benefits. It will save you a lot of money that you will otherwise pay on the electric bills. The only cost you will have will be at the beginning when you will buy and install the solar panels. Maintaining them and eventual repairs needed are not so expensive. After drawing a line you will see that the money you invest in such solar energy technology will be recovered in a few months.

Besides saving money you can go to sleep every night thinking that you have protected nature by not using fossil fuel to warm your house or water for bathing.

Solar Home Plans

2008-10-23T03:53:00.000-07:00

A lot of people are choosing nowadays ecological methods of heating up their homes instead of using fossil fuels: the active or passive solar heating. Deciding to implement solar technology in the house is easy to do, but before getting started with the installation process, some solar home plans must be done so that everything is done flawless.

Solar home plans begin with the owner deciding what kind of solar power he is interested in. Most of us will make our decisions depending on our budget. Those who can afford it are advised to buy large solar power systems as they are highly efficient and will provide a lot of solar power to the home. Even those that can’t afford a large solar power system can find something to suit their pockets. Smaller solar panels do exist but they have a disadvantage: they will not give the same output as the larger ones.

Solar home plans also incorporate simpler solar power methods. Here we are talking about passive solar methods. This refers to the fact that solar devices are not used, and all the solar energy comes in the house through a well positioned window, that has a well thought size for this. Walls, trees and building placement are also considered in the solar home plans for capturing or deflecting the sun for use. The best time to start thinking about solar home plans is when you intent to built a new home. This way you will not have to remodel your house for getting passive solar energy and you will save a lot of money and time.

Solar home plans are including a well positioned window that will assure more sun light to get in the house leading to a less using of lights and heating this way. Considering rectangular floor plans are also a good idea for maximizing the use of east-west sun positions.

Solar home plans must also be made for those who want to use active solar heating, meaning that they will use solar panels. Nowadays solar panels have a much more attractive design, they are built on just like roof shingles and this is why sometimes you can’t even see them.

For a good solar home plan you must talk with the experts in this field. Local contractors and even home remodeling stores will help you find an expert to talk to if you don’t know any. Installing solar panels on your home should be done after talking with more companies that deal with such a thing and after finding out about their pricing and other services they provide.

No matter what type of solar heating you decide to use, active or passive you should have a solar home plan made before remodeling your house. All things should be done in such a way that in the end of the installing process you and your family can enjoy the benefits of solar energy. Working without a plan has never proven to be effective so talk to an expert and get a solar home plan first.

Solar Pool Heating

2008-10-18T01:48:00.000-07:00

A solar panel installed on your roof that is used to heat the water in your home with solar energy may be applied for the whole home or only for the water in your pool. The problem is to find which are the best solar panel systems you could use to heat the water in your swimming pool if you live in the U.K to have them functioning in winter as well as in summer. Extensive research has been done on solar panels and companies installing Solar Water Heating Systems to find the best one in the domain. There are limited professional Solar Panel Heating companies at the moment providing reliable solar systems for the UK climate. The UK solar panel market is under development and is undertaking studies to learn how to provide reliable solar systems that work well in the UK climate. In the swimming pool heating process, swimming pool heater pumps the water through a heat exchanger. An extra heating exchanger is added to the swimming pool heater so as the solar system is providing pre heated water going through your existing pool heating system. Solar power is used more and more in the world to produce the heat we need and set in the proper places may give excellent results, for example in the sunny climates, and for the other climates where engineers specially trained are trying to find solutions.

Alternative sources of energy are looked for because our current energy resources are smaller and smaller and the costs are rising and somehow at a moment will be ended, so solar power is a no cost and safe alternative source of energy. Solar power may be used to heat your swimming pool because you use in the summer your swimming pool and the solar power may be captured easily.

Solar pool heating may be done actively or passively.

In the passive way a system simply draws in the sun energy but only when you use the swimming pool, while actively means collecting the sun‘s energy in an active way implying collecting, storing and moving the solar energy, you will need a solar panel, a battery and storage unit. Active pool heating systems are more complex to install than passive systems, but they prove to be more reliable as they provide hot water in your swimming pool anytime. A solar blanket or pool cover that may cover and uncover the pool as you want are used in passive solar systems, they are easy to install, but may be used only when you use the pool and when the temperature is high enough, otherwise the water in the pool will be cold. Any way, no matter what kind of a solar pool heating system you are using (either passive or active) your costs will be reduced, because solar power is for free. Not to mention that they are more easily to install and safer than any other device such as: gas or battery. So, we highly recommend above all other devices the solar pool heating system.

Solar Outdoor Lighting

2008-10-11T02:28:00.000-07:00

The best thing is that you will not have to worry your children might get electrocuted while playing near the solar outdoor lighting system does not use cords. There is no need for any electric installation and you don’t have to worry your children might get electrocuted while playing near the solar energy for decorating your garden with solar lights. Solar outdoor lighting is easy to install and anyone can do that just by following some instructions that come along with the solar outdoor lighting is safe and low cost.

Solar outdoor lighting is easy to install and anyone can do that just by following some instructions that come along with the solar lighting system. There is no need for any electric installation and you don’t have to dig holes or trenches for hiding electrical cords as the solar lights. Who has ever thought that our technology will evolve so much that we could use the solar outdoor lighting is safe and low cost.

Having solar lighting installed on your outdoors will increase the value of the property and this is quite an important thing to consider if selling your house. All you have to pay for the energy that comes from the sun light then you will use only solar energy for your outdoor lighting. Another good thing is that you don’t have to pay for the energy that comes from the sun during the day so that they are highly reliable.

All you have to pay for the energy that comes from the sun during the night. You should first think that all the money invested in a garden, but with the condition that they can function at high parameters during the day so that they can function at high parameters during the day so that they are highly reliable. Another good thing is that you don’t have to do is be careful what kind of solar lighting system you buy and not to get cheap. Another good thing is that you don’t have to pay for the energy that comes from the sun during the night. As long as the solar lightning lamps are well exposed to the sun during the night.

All you have to pay for the energy that comes from the sun so there is no need for you to uninstall it every time you leave home. Having solar lighting system will be saved in a garden, but with the condition that they can function at high parameters during the day so that they can function at high parameters during the day so that they are highly reliable. Solar outdoor lighting lamps can be placed anywhere in a few years ago on the market nowadays are quite superior to those that could be found a few months as you will use only solar energy for your outdoor lighting. As long as the solar lightning lamps are well exposed to the sun light then you will have the same intensity in light as you would have had if using the electric light. As long as the solar lightning lamps are well exposed to the sun during the day so that they are well exposed to the sun so there is no need for you to uninstall it every time you leave home.

They use rechargeable batteries (the solar cells) and LED (this are the Light Emitting Diodes) as they are well exposed to the sun so there is no need for you to uninstall it every time you leave home. Solar lighting lamps that are found on the store’s shelves.
People love to stay and chat with their family members until late in their gardens and solar outdoor lighting can ensure they will have the best moments in that garden ever. People love to have outdoors parties, they love to stay and chat with their family members until late in their gardens and solar outdoor lighting can bring we should also consider the relaxing ambience the solar lamps add to the garden’s charm. People love to stay and chat with their family members until late in their gardens and solar outdoor lighting can bring we should also consider the relaxing ambience the solar lamps add to the garden’s charm.

People love to have outdoors parties, they love to have outdoors parties, they love to have outdoors parties, they love to stay and chat with their family members until late in their gardens and solar outdoor lighting can bring we should also consider the relaxing ambience the solar lamps add to the garden’s charm. Besides the savings solar outdoor lighting can bring we should also consider the relaxing ambience the solar lamps add to the garden’s charm.

Solar Fountains

2008-10-08T03:24:00.000-07:00

Solar fountains cost much less to run and you won’t observe the difference. You will need a battery, if you want your solar fountain to run at night. The solar panel should be aligned right to the sun and in case the pump doesn’t run at full capacity you should add extra solar panels. Fluctuations in the movement of the water depend on the intensity of the sun. It is important that the panel to be replaced in the sun, even if the fountain is not, the solar panel should be separated from the fountain. The whole fountain must be placed in the sun if the solar panel is integrated in the solar fountain

Solar fountains imply no costs and will make your garden beautiful and peaceful. There are many types of solar fountains such as: solar fountains for pools and ponds. Solar fountains have many
benefits as they may be very relaxing and calm inducing if you sit next to it and watch it and hear it. You may also choose to use solar garden lights too, to make your garden more interesting at nighttime and other solar garden accessories and solar pumps, to make your garden even more beautiful during the daytime. Alternative sources of energy are looked for because our current energy resources are smaller and smaller and the costs are rising and somehow at a moment will be ended, so solar power is a no cost and safe alternative source of energy. Solar power may be used to heat your swimming pool because you use in the summer your swimming pool and the solar power may be captured easily. A solar panel installed on your roof is used to heat the water in your home with solar energy and this may be applied for the whole home or only for the water in your pool. Solar power is used more and more in the world to produce the heat we need and in the proper places may give excellent results, for example in the sunny climates, for the other climates engineers specially trained are trying to find solutions. Solar fountains and other devices using solar power are highly recommended by our specialists because the advantages of using solar power are many and disadvantages are none compared to any other form of energy. Solar birdbath fountains, floating solar fountains and floating lights can add oxygen to your pond and they don’t require a complex installation system. Most components are compatible with generic solar fountain pumps, so you may install them by yourself and replace them anytime you want.

In today's world it is impossible to ignore the changing environment. The energy crisis is real for more and more people every day. Fortunately, there are things anyone can and everyone should do to help protect and rejuvenate the environment; one of the most important of these is being more responsible for and conscious of one's energy use. Solar technology has become more efficient and less expensive at the same time.

Solar Water Heating System

2008-10-06T05:37:00.000-07:00

Nowadays a lot of people use solar panels on their properties for capturing the sun energy and transforming it into power, all this process being done for free. Solar panels can provide the needed energy for charging batteries, outdoor lighting, warming rooms during winter and cooling them during the hot days of summer and bringing light into the house. Some people have outdoor swimming pools and want a warm water to bathe in, but most of the regular people use solar energy for heating up the water they regularly use in the house.

The solar water heating system can be divided in two: passive system and an active system.

The passive solar water heating system is known to be the easiest and oldest way to have warm water in the house. To make such a system you will need to install a water tank on your roof. You can not install it anywhere you please. The key of having a well functioning passive solar water heating system is to place the tank on the roof area where the sun light has good access. You will need to pain the water tank in black as the heat will be attracted by this dark color and the water will get warm in no time. After the water is heated a pump will transport the warm water to wherever it is needed in the house.

The active solar water heating system is a little bit more complicated to make but in the end all the efforts are worth it for sure. The concept of active water heating is about using solar panels for transforming sun energy into electricity. All the sun energy that is collected by the solar panel will be stored in a battery block. An electronic controller, pumps and valves are a part of the active solar water heating system and as an overall function we can say that the water from the storage tank is pumped through the collectors and then taken back to the storage tank.

The advantage of using a solar water heating system is that the electrical bills will be quite low. As a disadvantage we can mention that the passive solar water heating system needs a backup during cloudy days when the sun has not enough power to heat up the storage tank. The active solar water heating system might require an increased maintenance, but this is due to the fact that the whole system is made up from so many components. Otherwise we have made a calculation and reached this conclusion: by using a solar water heating system in ten years you will save up at least 30000kW.

As the fossil fuel used for producing electricity is in a continuous stock decrease we find the alternative of using a solar water heating system quite tempting. This is a long term investment and it will pay for itself in time, not to mention that is protects the environment.

Cost Of A Solar Panel

2008-10-04T02:10:00.000-07:00

When deciding to install solar panels on their property a lot of people want to know what that cost of a solar panel is approximately so that they know how much money to rise for this process.

A lot of them will have a major surprise when going into shops that sell solar panels because they will see that solar panels of the same size have different prices. This has a logical explanation. Even thought they might have the same size, solar panels might not produce the same amount of electricity. This is happening because some solar panels might have a longer predicted functioning age than others, some might have a different quality in what concerns the solar cells installed on them and some might just have been produced with a more expensive technology. If consulting with an expert you will be told that as technology modernizes the quality of the solar panels increases and this is why the cost of a modern solar panel might be higher than the cost of the last year’s solar panels.

In order for you to understand better here is and example that will illustrate why the cost of a solar panel varies so much from one year to another. Let’s say you buy two solar panels of the same type and of the same price. You install one of the solar panels on your roof and use if for two or three years. The other solar panel is kept in a safe place. At the end of these two or three years of using one solar panel you will see that the solar panel that has not been used will be more valuable than the solar panel that has been used. This is because in time, after using the solar panel, the wattage output steadily decreases. This is why they have a limited lifetime of about 20-25 years of functioning. This was one situation in which the cost of a solar panel can vary a lot.

A good method for comparing the cost of a solar panel with another is to measure the dollar/watt ratio. Nowadays a good ration on a solar cell is $4.30 per watt. If your home needs a 50 watt solar panel the total cost of a solar panel will be 215 $. This should be considered when going to buy a solar panel.

A method for reducing the cost of a solar panel is building the panel yourself. You can buy scrap solar cells at a low price from manufacturers and with a little bit of electrical skills you can have your own solar panel at low cost.

As a conclusion, when going to buy a solar panel you must remember that many factors can interfere with the cost of the solar panel. You should always consult with an expert before buying the solar panel as he will tell you what kind of solar panel you need for your home or for your business and you will not waste money on a solar panel that does not cover your needs well.

Solar Panel Repair

2008-10-03T01:56:00.000-07:00

Solar panels can often get damaged if rocks, large hails or bullets hit its surface. Falls are also possible if bolts on the mount get loosen up. In most of the cases there is no need for you to throw the broken panel away as solar panel repair can be done.

First try to see if the panel still works even though it still has the broken glass in place. You might surprisingly see that it will function, of course not at the same output as before but sufficiently enough to satisfy the house electrical needs. If you want to have a fully functional solar panel than you should remove the broken glass and try to replace it with a new piece. This operation might add some problems: in most of the solar panel repair cases you can not keep water from condensing inside and leading to the fogging of the new glass.

Another problem that can appear is the loose solder connections. As the panel heats and cools some of the connections might cut in and out. You can test to see if this is the problem by sharply rapping the panels with your hand. In this case too solar panel repair can be done but it might be a little more difficult as you have to cut into the silicone that embeds the solar cells and reach the back of the cells for repairing the connections. There are some special products that can re-solder the connections. The first one is the silver impregnated epoxy. It is strong and also waterproof. Another useful product is an electronics solder that contains 2% silver. Even self-adhesive metal stained-glass tape seems to be effective for solar panel repair procedures. If you have some physics knowledge about circuits you will manage to repair your solar panel solder connections in no time.

In order to detect which of the solar cells have loosened solder connections you can try the shading method. You will need an abject that is large enough to cover at least four solar cells. After covering some cells you will notice that normally the module's output will drop to less than half. In case you cover the malfunctioning solar cells you will see that the output will remain the same as no power goes from those cells. This way you can see which cells need to be re-soldered.

Burnt terminals can offer occur in a solar panel. As time goes by, oxidation process installs, along with corrosion, leading to an electrical resistance. In this case solar panel repair can be done by replacing all the metal parts that have been oxidized in time. Burnt terminals can be bypassed by using a wire that goes straight to the metal strip that leads to the solar cells.

Solar panel repair is also needed if a diode fails from lightning for example. Such a problem will severely reduce the module’s voltage. If the module is situated in a 12V array you can remove the diode without replacing it. In other cases you will have to make the diode replacement with a silicone diode that has its amps above the module’s maximum current and a voltage at about 400V.

Solar Panel Installation

2008-10-01T03:07:00.000-07:00

For those who want to protect nature and also save a lot of money on their home bills solar panels is something to consider. Solar panels are highly performing technology objects that can capture the sunlight and transform it into electricity. Solar panels are made up from a lot of solar cells, also known as photovoltaic cells that are set on the surface of a panel into a grid-like pattern. The cells used for the solar panel have the main function of collecting the sunlight during daytime and then transform it into energy. Such an advanced technology will definitely help us have low cost energy, will heat the water we use and will make us more proud for protecting the ecosystem.

Before getting to the process of solar panel installation you should know the base elements of such a panel so that you don’t encounter any problems when installing such technology on your properties.

Solar panels are made up from a common material that is also used in the process of computer making: the crystalline silicone. The solar cells are made of gallium arsenide which is a pretty expensive material that is used only for the fabrication of these photovoltaic cells.

Solar panel installation should not be a difficult process for anyone. Solar panels are installed on the roofs of homes, and even on big corporations. Their owner has the option of installing them tilted up or just flush. A good idea that will spare time and money is to begin the solar panel installation while the home is being roofed. Considering mounting the solar panels flashed-in will prevent the roof from getting any leaks.

For an efficient solar panel installation it is indicated to secure the mounts of the panel on the roof’s rafters using stainless steel lag bolts. Such a wise procedure of solar panel installation will prevent you from having extra costs of removal and reinstallation that can occur if the installation process is not done secured.

If you are the owner of a home that has a shingle roof you should know that you will work quite easy with it. Instead, having a home with a tile roof can raise a lot of problems with the solar panel installation process as you can not easy carry the panels across the roof.

On a sloped roof the Fast Jack solar panel mounts are the most indicated to be used in the solar panel installation process as they attach the panels to the roof quite easy and secure. The next step is to align the mounts on the top of the rafters drawing a chalk line and carefully pre-drill so that you don’t split the rafters. Then use the stainless steel lag bolts to secure the mounts on the roof. Metal flashings are the ones that need to be added to the mounts in the next step of the solar panel installation. Using stainless steel bolts again will secure the metal rails. Next, the solar panels will be placed in groups of four. A thin layer of reflective roof coating will have to be applied on the roof and then you can go and connect the wires to the solar panel installation and see how it works.

Solar Panels

2008-09-09T00:07:00.000-07:00

Solar panels are special devices that harvest the sun’s light and turn it into energy that can be used for a lots of things. They are also referred to as active solar power producers. The solar panel is made of a lot of solar cells. These solar cells, also known as photovoltaic cells are arranged on the panel’s surface in a grid like pattern. During the day if exposed to sunlight these solar cells will collect the energy that comer from the sun and transform it into electrical power that is stored in special batteries attached to the solar panel.

Solar panels are usually made of crystalline silicon that is used for the microprocessor industry and of gallium arsenide which is used only for making the solar cells. Modern solar cells are recently made of amorphous silicon alloy and this is why you might find them under the name of A-si. Using the amorphous silicon technology in building up a solar panel will make the new product be more durable, thinner than the older ones and more efficient.

Solar panels are not used only by regular people for day to day activities; they are also used in space for the solar projects. These solar panels are made up of gallium arsenide through the molecular beam epitaxy process. P-n junction diodes are implemented to the solar cells included in those solar panels making the whole system working at higher standards that we could ever imagine. Due to the high costs that are involved for building such a great solar panel they are not rentable for the everyday activities.

New solar panels can be made of plastics. What is more amazing is that they can be overlaid onto a laptop screen and provide enough energy for its well functioning. Scientists are trying to make these plastic solar panels work at a light outside the visible spectrum of light. If succeeding, the operational efficiency of these solar panels could rise up to 30%.

People often wonder how much energy a solar panel will produce as they want to know if their needs will be covered by the solar panel they want to buy. It seems that exposed to a direct sunlight a solar cell of about 1/5m in diameter will create a current of 2 amps at 2 volts. We must consider that solar panels situated on earth will never produce the same output as the solar panels exposed directly to the sunlight due to the Earth’s atmospheric interference.

Solar panels are expected to live 20 or 25 years. In time they get exposed to overheating and get physical worn and their output will decrease. When going to buy solar panels for your property do not look that much at their size, try to look at the dollars/watt ration first and that is how you will best determine their efficiency.

It is best to talk with a specialist before buying solar panels. Do not trust solar panel dealers as they might try to convince you to buy something that will not cover your electrical needs, or something that will produce too much energy for your daily activities.

Reliability Of Solar Panels

2008-09-02T01:56:00.000-07:00

When talking about saving money by implementing a new technology and giving up the old one used, in any field, all people are pretty reserved and need to thing things carefully

As the new solar technology has implemented on the market, a lot of people, one by one, become more and more certain of its utility and of the fact that it saves a lot of money from the electricity billing.

Solar technology uses solar panels that are created for capturing the energy provided by the sun and transform it in to power we can use for our electrical home devices. All this comes for free the only thing that has to be paid is the solar panel and its installation process. Some people want to have an exact balance of how much money they have to invest in such technology and how much money will they get back from this investment.

We can say that the solar energy is 100% reliable, as we all know that if the sun’s energy would drop then the earth would have to struggle to support humans and any other life form on it for sure. What we can not say is if the methods on how we use solar energy are 100% reliable. Until now it seems that the modern solar panels have proven to be the more efficient in harnessing solar energy. Of course the technology we use for transforming the solar energy into power is still not completely developed yet, and needs a lot of improvements that will probably come in time as science discovers more and more useful elements for us. All we can say is that as time goes by improved solar energy collectors appear on the market and we can hope that in a few years solar panels could support an entire household with no problems and at 100% reliability.

A lot of people have bought solar panels and have noticed that they save a lot of money by not paying such high electrical bills but the thing is that not all people can afford to buy expensive solar panels that would ensure them a high output. Some people go cheap and buy low budget solar panels. Their expectations are for sure deceived as such panels can not produce the same quantity and intensity of power as more expensive panels do.

Those who want to save money should consider investing some money into solar panels and then results will be seen on long term. Installing solar panels can be made by anyone who possesses some plumber skills and you should not be afraid you might get electrocuted as you won’t work with any wires.

Solar panels can provide enough power for heating your house, fro warming your water, for cooling your rooms during hot summer days and for lighting your garden at night. Try using solar panels and you will not only save a lot of money but you will also protect the nature by using less fossil fuel.

Solar Security Lights

2008-09-01T01:43:00.000-07:00

When looking at solar power a lot of people first start with installing outdoor solar lighting systems on their property. They mostly think that such a system will make their garden more attractive and will allow them to take relaxing walks through the garden as their paths will be lighted. What not all people know is that outdoor solar lighting systems can also be used as solar security lights.

Solar security lights have the same concept of functioning as the outdoor solar lighting system has except for the fact that it does not light the garden all night long. Solar security lights have a moving sensor incorporated in their structure and every time someone walks through your property the lights will turn on and will let you know someone is out there. Such a system is useful for your family members if they come late from work or from a date and they need a lighted path towards the house. Intruders will also get surprised by the solar security lights and this way you can apply the needed measures before they do anything against you. Some of the solar security lights come even with an alarm attached to them and they can scare away and stranger from your property.

Solar security lights are easy to install as they do not require cables. They do not depend on the electricity that comes from your plugs as they make their own electricity from the solar energy.

Solar security lights have photovoltaic cells incorporated and they get their energy for lighting from the sun. This means your outdoor lighting is made for free. All you have to do is place the solar panel of the solar security lights in a place you know the sun light will reach it during the day. These solar panels are not attached to the solar security lights so they can be placed anywhere you like at any distance from the solar security light’s place of installment.

Sometimes the solar security light might turn on if a dog or a cat passes through the area that is kept under monitor. In order to avoid being disturbed every time this happens you need to fin tune the solar security system. Most of the solar security lights work with a 6V halogen bulb but the newer models have incorporated Light Emitting Diodes so don’t be surprised if you find such a thing on the market.

Solar security lights can be found in different capacities. Some might need only a few sun light exposures for providing a decent light during the night while some might need to stay longer in the sun light so that they can offer the same output as the previous ones. You should buy your solar security lights depending on the sunlight that is expected during the winter months in your area of residence.

Solar Window Heater

2008-08-25T01:39:00.000-07:00

Those who need more heat in their homes or only in some rooms should know that an eco-friendly device has been invented for helping them in this matter. Some people have one or two rooms facing south but they still feel chilly inside them. This can happen if that room has a small window that does not allow sufficient sun light to come in and warm the room.

The eco-friendly device we mentioned previously uses the sun for warming the chilly rooms. This device can only be installed in the rooms that are facing south as they can work only by using the sunlight as a source of energy. This device is known as a solar window heater. Its size is can vary from window to window and it is framed in clear pine for paining. You might imagine this device as a box that has a panel made from aluminum (this is the collector) behind a sheet of thin wood on the inside and a sheet of air tight Plexiglas on the outside, so that it can trap the collected heat. Inside the box there can be found two baffles that are made to look like a maze. This will allow the air to be heated continuously as it goes inside the box through the fan.

You should know that the aluminum collector panel has to be finished in flat black so that the sun absorption is made at maximum capacity. During the sunny days the panel can reach temperatures of 140 or even 170 degrees. Nowadays you can find on the market a new solar window heater model made from copper instead of aluminum. This solar window heater is also finished in flat black for the same previous reasons we mentioned.

Inside the panel there usually is a thermostat switch. In the sunny days when the temperature raises a lot if the temperature of the heated air reaches 120 degrees then the thermostat switch will automatically turn the fan on. In the moment the heated air reaches the temperature of 90 degrees then the fan will be turned automatically off.

You might think that it is costing to have an automatic fan opener installed on the solar window heater. Well, we have made some calculations and here are our conclusions: you will have to pay for the activity of the automatic fan opener about 3$ per year! So, don’t get cheap and ask for an automatic fan opener for your solar window heater as it will worth it.

Buying a solar window heater is somewhere about 100$ but if you want you can make it yourself with only 50$ you pay for the materials. There are a lot of guides on the internet that can teach you how to do this, step by step, so do consider having a solar window heater installed in your house as you will save a lot of money for warming up your rooms by avoiding the classic ways of house heating.

Solar Cooling

2008-08-23T01:46:00.000-07:00

When talking about solar cooling most of the people that hear this will probably laugh and ask themselves how can the sun cool anything? Well, this is quite possible. Thanks to a new technology people can now heat their homes during winter and cool their houses during summer by using the energy offered by the sun. A lot of money can be saved by using such ecological technologies.

Such a magic object that can do both of these tasks is the solar panel. There are a few methods that can be used for cooling a house. The first is an easy one that is based on a coolant that has its main function of absorbing and dissipating heat from the house. Such a cooler can be a pool built on the rooftop of the home. It will absorb the excessive heat from inside the home and will evaporate it because the pool is exposed to the sun.

Another solar cooling method is using a solar collector that is shaded during the day. Such a solar collector is a solar panel. Normally its function is to absorb heat from the sun and warm the house with the energy produced through a complicated scientific process. But if we shade the solar panel during the day, he will only absorb enough solar heat to warm the house during the night when the panel will be exposed to the cool night air. As the solar panel has to be shaded a good solution is installing a retractable awning or overhand extension. During winter the system can be reversed and the solar panel will not be used as a solar cooling any more but will be used for heating the house.

Solar cooling is done most efficiently during the hottest summer days of the year as during those days the sun offers a lot of heat for the solar panel’s photovoltaic cells and a lot of energy can be produced. You can connect your air conditioning system to the solar panel and cool your house with no cost as enough energy will be produced for a good functioning of the air conditioner. This way you will no longer have to worry about the electricity bills you have to pay for a cooled house.

It seems Romans used solar cooling for their homes too. They used a running water system to cool down the exterior walls of the house. As the sun became more and more heating the water would have evaporated this way dissipating the heat within the house. Such a system can be well applied to our homes too, either on walls, wither on rooftops.

Using solar cooling systems and solar heating panels is a good thing. You protect nature and you also save your budget for spending it on family activities for example. If we become less dependent to the fossil fuels we might have a chance of protecting the environment that is already suffocated by some of our industrial activities.

Solar Collector

2008-08-22T02:54:00.000-07:00

Are you already thinking that winter is coming and your electricity bills will get you to bankruptcy? Are you in search of a cheap method for warming up your house? We have the answer to all your questions here: try using a solar collector.

The solar collector is an eco-friendly device used nowadays more and more by homeowners to heat rooms and water with no cost. A solar collector is a device that absorbs, collects and transforms the solar energy into power for heating up rooms, warming water or providing light during the night. The key element of the solar collector is the absorber. An absorber is normally made up of several narrow metal strips. A heat carrying pipe is connected to these metal stripes and allows a heat carrier fluid flow right trough it. Sometimes the absorber is flat-plat. In this case the medium will flow between two sheets that are sandwiched together.

here are many types of solar collectors: the glazed flat plat collector, the unglazed flat plat collector, the liquid based collectors, the air based collector and many more.

The glazed flat plat collector is one of the solar collector types that work as an active solar heating system. They mainly consist of an insulated metal box with a cover made of plastic or glass (this is the glazing) and an absorbing plate that is dark colored. The dark plate is used for absorbing the solar radiation that it is then transferred to a fluid that circulates in the tubes of the solar collector. His is the device that uses liquids but there are air based collectors that use air instead of the liquid for transporting the solar energy.

Experts advise us to use glazed collectors for heating up domestic and commercial water and eventually indoor pools. The unglazed collectors are mainly designed for heating the water from outdoor pools and for drying crops.

These types of flat collectors can be installed anywhere but they are mainly placed on the roofs and in the roof itself.

In choosing the right solar collector we must all think about the material we are going to heat with the solar collector. As an example you should know that an uncovered solar collector is not recommended to be used for producing process heat. We must also take in consideration the exposure to storms, the space we can provide for installing a solar collector and the amount of the radiation on that spot. When buying a solar collector we must buy components that are all of the same high quality and capacity or else we will not receive the expected power from the solar collector.

When deciding to have a solar collector installed on our property it is best to consult before with a specialist and see what he recommends in your specific case. As your needs might be different than the needs of your neighbor or friend don’t buy the same solar collector they have bought, buy the one that specialists say suit your needs best.

Solar Power

2008-08-21T02:03:00.000-07:00

Solar Power

It is very important to understand what the solar power is and how it works, in order to collect and give utility to this energy in the most efficient way. Sunlight is turned into electricity by the solar cells also known as: photovoltaic or photoelectric cells. For example: in a sunny climate one can produce solar power to run a 100w light bulb from one single square meter of solar panel. Solar power may be used to heat water in your home (through glass panels situated on your roof) and eventually to use less gas to heat your entire home. Battery chargers, hand-held calculators, and solar powered garden lights may use successfully solar power.

The only disadvantage of the solar power is that it might not work at night. Among the advantages of the solar energy are: no costs and there are no fuels, waste, or pollution expelled. Solar energy may be very useful in small villages where is difficult to draw energy from elsewhere. Solar furnaces are used to concentrate energy absorbed with mirrors strategically placed.

In the United Kingdom solar power is usually used for the purpose of small or low-powered devices, because the climate is not adequately bright and sunny to provide a large quantity of solar energy. In such a place you would need a huge area to place solar panels for an appropriate amount of energy.

Uses of solar power

Solar power is the energy released by the sun. Solar power is gaining sympathy as a safe and popular alternative source of energy. It may successfully replace our fossil fuel reserves because they are decreasing and they have a negative environmental impact when burned down to produce energy, another reason is the higher and higher price at energy. The energy generated by the sunlight (solar power) is free and harmless to the environment.

Solar power is widely used in remote locations where you do not have conventional sources of power and for Recreational Vehicles (RV) and luxury boats, but it may also be used in your home for example for gardening lighting. One of the disadvantages in using solar power is: the large size of solar panels, but those can be replaced with solar photovoltaic roof shingles or tiles that look almost the same with normal roof tiles and provide the electrical energy to use in your home to heat water, the house, your pool and for your everyday needs. In some areas water pumps may be powered with solar energy.

Although, watermills were used in this aim, nowadays the tendency is to replace them with energy from the sun known as solar power. If you want to purchase an installation of solar power devices you may be offered government grants, but if you have no possibility of buying all those devices you may directly buy solar power from the grid. Nowadays solar power is highly recommended by specialists because it helps protecting the environment and helps you lowering your electricity bills that tend to be higher and higher.

Solar Pool Heating

2008-08-17T23:17:00.001-07:00

Solar Pool Heating

· Pool covers are the most cost effective measure to reduce heat loss, water evaporation, and chemical use.

· The amount of collector area required is 50 to 100% of the square footage of your pool. The amount varies depending on collector efficiency, site considerations (orientation, wind) and owners preferences.

· Ideally the collectors should face south and be tilted between 20 and 32 degrees.

· Indoor pools, used year round, require glazed, flat plate collectors, which should slope between 35 and 45 degrees.

· Roof top vent pipes etc. will interfere with the installation of some types of collectors.

· Due to poor orientation, or lack of rooftop space, pool collectors are sometimes "ground mounted" on a frame constructed near the pool.

· Most brands of pool collectors must drain completely when not in operation, to prevent damage due to freezing conditions.

· All outside plumbing must drain back to the pool when the system is off.

Manual, seasonal drains, are sometimes required.

· Paint all exposed PVC plumbing, to protect it from damage due to solar energy.

· An additional booster pump may be required if your existing pump is undersized for the system.

· Manual operation, or a simple 24 hour timer maybe substituted for expensive automatic controls.

· Always isolate the solar system when backflushing your filter.

Solar and Efficiency for Swimming Pools

Solar heating of swimming pools is one of the most economically practical uses of solar energy. A solar system allows you to extend your swimming season, gives you more control over water temperatures and for many installations there is no increase in operating costs.

First Things First - Reducing Energy Losses

The most practical and economic step in extending you swimming season is the use of a pool cover. As much as 70% of all the heat gained by a pool is lost through evaporation and when you include losses from radiation and convection the idea of heating a pool without a cover can be compared to heating a home with all the doors and windows open. Although applying and removing a cover can be inconvenient, the cover not only helps extend your swimming season it also keeps the pool cleaner and reduces chemical use.

A transparent cover also allows passive solar heat gain during the day. Prices for a plastic cover range from $0.30 to $0 .50 per square foot and last from 2 to 5 years

How the Solar System Works

The plumbing of the solar system is plumbed into the existing filter system. During the day while the filter is operating the water is sent through the collectors before returning to the pool. An automatic system adds a controller and sensors to operate a valve sending the water directly back to the pool or through the collectors to be heated.

In a more basic system the homeowner sets the valve manually to run through the collectors while a timer turns the filter system on during those hours the collectors will receive direct sunshine.

System Sizing

There are a number of factors to consider in sizing the collector area and the first is the actual pool surface area. Starting with a minimum area equal to 50% of the pools square footage system design is further affected by collector orientation, wind conditions, shading of the pool, local climate and length of swimming season desired. 100% coverage is not uncommon.

Orientation

Ideally the collectors should face south and be tilted to latitude minus 10 to 15 degrees. Increase collector area to 75% if collectors are laid flat. Increase to 75% if collectors face west. Other orientations are not recommended.

Although roof installations are most common, a frame can be constructed for "ground mount" for most solar systems when a roof installation is problematic due to inadequate space or aesthetic considerations. In areas subject to winter freezing, the collectors and plumbing should be installed to allow all water to drain when the system is off.

Temperature

Pool systems heat a large amount of water each day and an efficient design returns the water to the pool after picking up 2 to 5 degrees F.

Cost

Average system costs range from $2,000 to $4,000 depending on collector area and installation costs.

Collectors

Typical pool collectors are plastic panels which use large headers on top and bottom connected by a large number of small tubes. The collectors are strapped to the roof at both ends and across the flat area of the collector.

Choosing a Contractor

Contractor should be licensed and insured and in most cases the installation will require a plumbing permit.

Call the installers most recent customers.

Check warranties.

Check your homeowners insurance for system coverage.

Information Sources

Department of Energy - Energy Effeciency and Renewable Energy

Gives a nice summary of the technology and how to apply them, as well as many links.

EERE Solar Pool Heaters

RETScreen International (Canada)

Free software to easily evaluate the energy production, life-cycle costs and greenhouse gas emissions reduction for three basic applications: domestic hot water, industrial process heat and swimming pools (indoor and outdoor), ranging in size from small residential systems to large scale commercial, institutional and industrial systems.

Download from web:

Solar Pool Heating

2008-08-16T04:44:00.000-07:00

Solar Pool Heating

· Pool covers are the most cost effective measure to reduce heat loss, water evaporation, and chemical use.

· Ideally the collectors should face south and be tilted between 20 and 32 degrees.

· Indoor pools, used year round, require glazed, flat plate collectors, which should slope between 35 and 45 degrees.

· Roof top vent pipes etc. will interfere with the installation of some types of collectors.

· Due to poor orientation, or lack of rooftop space, pool collectors are sometimes "ground mounted" on a frame constructed near the pool.

· Most brands of pool collectors must drain completely when not in operation, to prevent damage due to freezing conditions.

· All outside plumbing must drain back to the pool when the system is off.

Manual, seasonal drains, are sometimes required.

· Paint all exposed PVC plumbing, to protect it from damage due to solar energy.

· An additional booster pump may be required if your existing pump is undersized for the system.

· Manual operation, or a simple 24 hour timer maybe substituted for expensive automatic controls.

· Always isolate the solar system when backflushing your filter.

Solar and Efficiency for Swimming Pools

First Things First - Reducing Energy Losses

A transparent cover also allows passive solar heat gain during the day. Prices for a plastic cover range from $0.30 to $0 .50 per square foot and last from 2 to 5 years

How the Solar System Works

In a more basic system the homeowner sets the valve manually to run through the collectors while a timer turns the filter system on during those hours the collectors will receive direct sunshine.

System Sizing

Orientation

Temperature

Pool systems heat a large amount of water each day and an efficient design returns the water to the pool after picking up 2 to 5 degrees F.

Cost

Average system costs range from $2,000 to $4,000 depending on collector area and installation costs.

Collectors

Choosing a Contractor

Contractor should be licensed and insured and in most cases the installation will require a plumbing permit.

Call the installers most recent customers.

Check warranties.

Check your homeowners insurance for system coverage.

Information Sources

Department of Energy - Energy Effeciency and Renewable Energy

Gives a nice summary of the technology and how to apply them, as well as many links.

EERE Solar Pool Heaters

RETScreen International (Canada)

Download from web:

2 disc set from Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse (EREC)

Toll free 1-800-DOE-EREC

e-mail: doe.erec@nciinc.com

Fact sheets

EREC PO Box 3048 Merrifield VA. 22116-0121

Florida Solar Energy Center

You can call (321) 638-1719, fax (321) 638-1010, or e-mail solarinfo@fsec.ucf.edu
or snailmail

Florida Solar Energy Center
1679 Clearlake Road
Cocoa, FL 32922-5703
407/638-1000 fax: 407/638-1010

Pamphlets available by mail - call for costs
Collector Thermal Performance Ratings (publication FSEC-GP-16)

Design and Installation Manual (publication FSEC-IN-21-82)

System Sizing (publication FSEC GP-13)

SOLAR HOT WATER

2008-08-12T00:43:00.000-07:00

SOLAR HOT WATER
AND
HYDRONIC HEATING SYSTEM

The heart of this system is a Thermomax solar hot water heating unit (made in Great Britain) which has been installed on the south facing roof section of the greenhouse. Here nine of 30 tubes have been set in place and connected to a manifold above where the water actually circulates:

Thermomax "Evacuated Heat Pipe Solar Collectors" (tubes) operate quite differently than other collectors available on the market. They are much more sophisticated; they have much higher heat output; and they are much more expensive.

These solar collectors consist of a heat pipe (actually a "heat diode") inside a vacuum sealed tube, as shown below:

How A Termomax Works: Each tube contains a sealed copper pipe (heat pipe). The pipe is then attached to a black copper fin that fills the tube (absorber plate). Protruding from the top of each tube is a metal tip attached to the sealed pipe (condenser). These tubes are mounted, the condensers up, into a heat exchanger (manifold). As the sun shines on the black surface of the fin, alcohol in the heat pipe is heated and hot vapor rises to the top of the pipe and collects in each condenser. Water flowing through the manifold picks up the heat from the tubes.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM

Hot water from the Thermomax unit is circulated in the main manifold for the hydronic heating system (see below). It supplies both domestic hot water and hot water for radiant heating system in the new straw bale house (and formerly for heating our mobile home). No propane gas is needed to supplement this system.

The radiant heating system uses special hot water plastic (PEX) tubing which has been installed under the adobe brick floor of our new straw bale house. In our mobile home the PEX was attached to the underneath surface of the floor boards in the spaces between the floor joists. See our Radiant Heating Installations page for the details about how this was done.

This system was designed in consultation with:

Rod Hyatt
"In Hot Water Heat & Power"
Box 807
Eden, UT 84310
(801/745-2009)
rod@lightheat.com

Here is a picture of the "manifold" which connects all the "PEX" hot water tubing together as well as the five small 12 volt pumps which circulate the water. Also shown is the hot water storage tank and the 12 volt battery system used to power the circulating pumps.

The circulating manifold is built from 1 3/4" copper tubing, five shut off valves, five circulating pumps, and numerous fittings. The manifold connects the hot water pipes in the floor of the straw bale house, the loop up to the Thermomax to bring hot water down from the roof, and the loop to the hot water storage tank and back. It was built by Rod Hyatt of Eden, Utah as mentioned above. It has been mounted on a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood in one corner of the greenhouse and has been insulated with special foam insulation made for hot water pipes.

PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) SYSTEM

2008-08-09T02:48:00.000-07:00

PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) SYSTEM
at Solar Haven

We had planned to have a "utility entirety" system utilizing both electricity from the utility company and from our PV system. However,the local electric company wanted $5,000 to run the power in to us. That's after WE dug a four foot deep trench a quarter of a mile long for the cable. We said "no, thank you."

We are now "off the grid" -- relying totally on our own system of solar panels, batteries, and inverter to generate electricity. The system works fine and, frankly, it's a good feeling to be independent and to know we are helping our planet, albeit in a very small way, by not contributing to the pollution from burning coal and natural gas used to produce conventional electricity.
From the power generated by our twelve solar panels (shown above), stored in twelve batteries, and converted to 110 AC household current with an inverter, we can run all of our city gadgets (though not all at once):

lights

stereo receiver, tape deck, CD and DVD players

TV and VCR

computer, printer, and scanner

coffee pot and coffee bean grinder

microwave oven
toaster oven

vacuum cleaner
small refrigerator

1/2 horse power pump to bring water to our house from the storage tank

power tools
concrete mixer to build the foundations for the greenhouse and straw bale house and mix earthen plaster and lime plaster for the house
and other things...

"The amount of sunshine energy that hits the surface of the Earth
every minute is greater than the total amount of energy that the world's
human population consumes in a year!"

Source: "Home Power Magazine" -- a must have magazine!
(visit Home Power's web site)

PV SYSTEM BUDGET:

Kyocera 120 Watt PV Panels (8, new) - $4,750
(7.10 amps @ 16.9 volts, 960 watts total)

Solec 150 Watt PV Panels (4, used) - $2,050

Combiner Box and Breakers for Panels - $125

"Trace" Power Panel and SW-4048 Inverter - $3,790
(48 volt, 4000 watt DC-AC inverter)

Concorde "Absorbent Glass Matt" Sealed Photovoltaic Batteries (12) - $1,920
(105 amp hour storage capacity per battery)

"Two Seas" Top-of-Pole Mounting Rack for Solar Panels - $465

Cables for Batteries, Panels, and Inverter - $240

Shipping from "Northern Arizona Wind and Sun" in Phoenix - $250

Total Cost of System - $13,500

Installing the PV system:

New Storage Room
for the batteries, inverter, and charge controller.

BACK-UP SYSTEM

On cloudy days when the sun does not charge our batteries, we have a wind generator to charge our batteries. On those days when we have neither wind nor sun (very rare in the Arizona desert), we have a 2,800 watt Makita gasoline generator to provide our electricity.

The generator is wired to our inverter so that it provides both power to our house and charges up our batteries at the same time. We have used the generator mostly when one of us is "bad" and leaves something on in the house or uses their computer too many hours in the day for the power we have available and when we get a bad spell of cloudy weather.

SEPARATE 12 VOLT - DIRECT CURRENT SYSTEM
Since appliances, motors, and electronic devices all run more efficiently on direct current when compared with their AC counterparts, we have installed a separate 12 VDC system for the things we have which run with DC current. This system consists of one 40 watt solar panel and a large capacity, deep-cycle storage battery to provide direct DC power. The system currently supplies power for three of the five DC pumps which circulate water in our hydronic heating system and a large DC exhaust fan for the greenhouse. The pumps only use 10 watts each, but each pump is capable of moving an amazing three gallons of water a minute. The fan only uses 16 watts, less than half the wattage necessary to run an AC fan of the same size.
Click here for a detailed diagram of this system which also includes a charge controller, on/off switches and fuses, a 12 volt timer, and a battery desulfator.

Solar Battery

2008-08-06T06:43:00.000-07:00

DC BATTERY

Batteries are the reservoir in a solar electric system. Right choice of batteries ensure proper performance and maximized battery life. Solar batteries offer longer life and better protection from abuse than low cost automotive batteries. If you have a large system and want years of worry-free performance, use our Solar Series batteries - they are high capacity and offer excellent cycle life.

We have a line of advanced GEL sealed batteries that will provide to the user a long life product when used in cycling applications. This is made possible because These Battery uses the Advanced GEL (patent pending) design which combines the best features of AGM and GEL construction into one battery life.

Cast-on strap design for better consistancy and better life

Cycle Life vs. Depth of Discharge

15% DOD	2200 cycles
25% DOD	1700 cycles
50% DOD	900 cycles
80% DOD	600 cycles

Features

Shock absorbent polypropylene plastic Resistant to extreme temperatures and vibration.
Heat sealed jar & cover assembly Eliminates the risk of both acid and electrical leaks.
Maintenance free construction design.
Advanced GEL design. Provides deep cycle capability throughout the life of the battery.
Oversized internal components. Insures minimal voltage drop and more power availability.
Industrial grade battery plates. Out lasts wet lead acid batteries of similar caliber.
Each cell comes with a safety release mechanism to prevent venting under normal operating conditions.
Multiple operating positions (except upside down).
100% recyclable materials.

Options

Battery cables and harnesses.
Battery boxes.
Others models available.

General Specifications

Click to see the Warranty sheet

Battery Model	Volts	Ampere Hours			Dimensions (inches/mm)				Weight
Battery Model	Volts	C/8	C/20	C/100	Length	Width	Height (case)	Top of Terminal	lbs/kg
PSG-1240	12	28	33	36	7.71/196	5.18/132	6.18/157	7.19/183	26.8/12.2
PSG-1260	12	46	55	58	9.00/229	5.43/138	8.31/211	9.50/241	38.9/17.6
PSG-1285	12	66	76	88	10.2/259	6.57/169	8.11/206	9.30/236	60.7/27.5
PSG-12105	12	78	91	105	12.0/305	6.57/169	8.20/208	9.39/239	72.0/32.7
PSG-12120	12	91	110	122	13.5/343	6.76/172	8.38/213	9.13/232	81.8/37.2
PSG-12165	12	128	142	165	13.5/343	6.76/172	10.7/272	10.9/277	101/45.8
PSG-12255	12	200	220	255	21.0/533	8.50/216	8.88/226	10.0/254	178/80.8
PSG-6255	6	193	220	255	10.7/272	7.38/187	10.5/267	10.9/277	78/35.4

Battery Model	Terminal Type
PSG-1240	"L" Type
PSG-1260	1/4" Studs
PSG-1285	1/4" Studs
PSG-12105	1/4" Studs
PSG-12120	1/4" Studs
PSG-12165	1/4" C.I.
PSG-12255	SAE
PSG-6255	5/16" C.I.

No transport restrictions Surface transport

Classified as non-hazardous material as relates to DOT-CFR Title 49 part 171-189
Marine transport. Classified as non-hazardous material as per IMDG amendment 27
Air transport. Complies with IATA / ICAO, special provision A67.

Solar Water Purification Project

2008-08-02T00:39:00.000-07:00

Solar Water Purification Project

In 1995, EPSEA received funding through the State of Texas, State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), for a solar demonstration project. EPSEA's project demonstrated the feasibility of using solar energy to purify water. The target audience (end users) are the people who reside in colonias along the Texas/Mexico Border. A colonia is an unincorporated settlement, lacking a safe water supply and waste water treatment. EPSEA's work in solar water purification continued in colonias in Dona Ana County, New Mexico through a collaborative effort with the Southwest Technology Development Institute (SWTDI) at New Mexico State University. In 2000, EPSEA was able to install stills in Juarez, Mexico through a grant from "Border Pact". EPSEA has since received funding through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to continue it's work in solar water distillation.

EPSEA has presented papers and hosted workshops at the American Solar Energy Society's (ASES) national conferences and the Mexico National Solar Energy Conferences.

The problems faced by many colonia residents include contaminated water, as well as water with very high salt content. The sources of contamination include septic systems, industrial pollution, and run off of fertilizers and pesticides. These problems are seen on both sides of the border and like the resulting sickness and diseases, know no borders. These problems are not confined to only colonias, but it is the conditions that exist in colonias which allows for the proliferation of sickness and disease. The causes of these problems can be traced to pollution, poverty, ignorance and greed.

The Marcos family, Juarez, Mexico

Solar Solutions

EPSEA's demonstration project is only a small example of the potential role for solar energy in water treatment, and disease prevention. Solar distillation is a proven technology for water disinfection. Systems can be sized for one person, up to community sized systems. They have no moving parts, relying only on the sun for energy, and should last 20 years or more. Larger disinfecting systems which generate chlorine and other gases can be operated in remote locations, using solar energy. It is hoped that through the success of our local project, these technologies will be replicated in other regions currently facing similar conditions.

click to see full photo (77k)

The heart of EPSEA's project is a basin solar still. EPSEA's research resulted in a basin still, with emphasis on ease of replication and readily available materials. The still utilizes standard patio replacement glass (34"X76"), and during the summer months produces over 3 gallons/day. Winter production is about 1/2 that amount. The still has no moving parts, uses only solar energy to operate, and is self cleaning.

Project Update

The El Paso Solar Energy Association's (EPSEA) solar water distiller projects (under an EPA grant for TX & NM, and Borderpact/Conahec for Mexico are progressing successfully. Only two more stills need to ben installed in the colonia areas of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico to complete the Borderpact project. The EPA project is just beginning Phase II which includes public community meetings and further education via energy fairs, etc., and a hands-on stills construction workshop that will be taught by Mike Cormier at the Water Festival in Columbus, NM in March. Applications are already being accepted by EPSEA from potential still recipients in the Luna, Dona Ana, and El Paso Counties of southern NM and west TX.

A selection process will be used to decide who will receive a still. A cost-share amount of $50-$100 per still (small or large, respectively) will be paid by the recipients who are chosen. A sponsorship and payment plan program is available for individuals who cannot afford the cost-share amount. A recent fundraising breakfast was held at St. Pius Church by the St. Pius Colonia Ministry to aid in achieving funds for such sponsorships.

Border Pact Presentation - PDF Document (327k)

For more information about these projects contact us at 915-772-SOLR email: webmaster@epsea.org

Final Update

Having completed this project, we presented a final paper to the Solar World Summit for the International Solar Energy Society in Orlando, Florida in 2005.

OPERATION

Solar energy is allowed into the collector to heat the water. The water evaporates only to condense on the underside of the glass. When water evaporates, only the water vapor rises, leaving contaminants behind. The gentle slope of the glass directs the condensate to a collection trough, which in turn delivers the water to the collection bottle.

EPSEA Still Cutaway (39k)

The still is filled each day with twice as much water as was produced. The still is fitted with overflow outlets, which allows the excess water to flush the still every day. A major advantage of the basin still is that it does not require a pressurized water supply. Colonia residents often have their drinking water delivered by truck and it is then stored in 55 gallon drums. Still recipients report that the water tastes very good and their children now drink more water than before.

Construction Cost

EPSEA material costs, with bulk purchasing, are approximately $200 per still. The cost of materials to build a single still should be less than $300. Only basic tools are required.

STRAW BALE CONSTRUCTION

2008-08-01T02:14:00.001-07:00

STRAW BALE CONSTRUCTION
By: Catherine Wanek

Could it be that the house of the future was invented a century ago? In the 1890s, pioneers of the sand hills of Nebraska found themselves building a new life on a treeless prairie, and from necessity began building their homes from bales of straw. Now modern day pioneers are choosing straw bale construction for its many advantages -for people and the planet.

Straw bales offer excellent insulation. At R 2.7 per inch, an eighteen-inch wide bale equals R-48. One California study indicated that such a "super-insulated" straw bale home could save as much as 75% of heating and cooling costs! This translates to direct dollar savings for the homeowner, and a corresponding reduction in the use of fossil fuels and CO2 emissions.

Construction costs can also be reduced when building with straw bales. They are cheap to buy and easy to build with. Stacked like huge bricks, straw bale wall systems can be erected quickly without much building experience and few power tools. In a "barn-raising" type party, it's common for all the straw bale walls in a modest size structure to be erected in a single day.

Building with bales can also cut down on cutting down trees by reducing lumber used in typical "stick frame" construction. Straw is available wherever grain crops are grown, and is annually renewable. In fact, it's considered an agricultural waste product, and in many parts of the world is simply burned in the fields. The millions of tons which go up in smoke every year cause a great deal of air pollution. It makes sense to bale this nuisance, and turn it into an energy-efficient resource.

Those concerned with indoor air quality also appreciate straw bale buildings for their "breathability." A non-toxic product itself, bales allow a gradual transfer of air through the wall, bringing fresh air into your living environment, especially when combined with a natural plaster. And you can forget about neighborhood noise, too. Straw bales are so sound proof, one Nebraska pioneer family was found playing cards in their kitchen, oblivious to the roar of a tornado which had just blown through the town.

Two types of bale wall systems are commonly built. In a "post and beam" building, a wood, steel, or concrete framework Is erected and bales are placed in the walls as insulation. Bale systems can also bear the weight of the roof, as evidenced by the historic Nebraska homes which were all load-bearing. In this case, a top-plate is laid above the bale wall and secured to the foundation by metal rods and/or strapping. The roof is then attached to the top plate. In either system, the bale courses are stacked in a "running bond," and pinned with rebar, wood, or bamboo stakes. For added strength, chicken wire is commonly wrapped inside and out, and sewn tight to the bales. Then an earth plaster or cement stucco is applied as a finish. However, bales will also hold plaster without wire mesh.

Under the watchful eye of instructor Peter Fust, an EPSEA workshop student restrings bale to make 2 half bales.

click here for 2 more photos- total 89K

Common questions about straw bale homes include concerns about fire, moisture, and insects. While individual stalks of straw will burn, when condensed into bales, they actually resist combustion, due to lack of oxygen. It's like trying to burn a phone book. At a certified laboratory in New Mexico, a plastered straw bale wall system easily passed a two-hour fire test, which is required for commercial construction. Liquid moisture is a problem in bale walls, as it is in any wall system. But with a proper foundation, roof, and finish plaster, straw bale buildings can last indefinitely, as nearly century-old homes in Nebraska prove. Anecdotal evidence indicates no problem with bugs.

Building codes have been developed for both "post and beam" and load-bearing straw bale construction. In New Mexico, Pima County, AZ, and several counties in California, getting a building permit for a straw bale house is almost routine. Farmers Insurance Group will insure a bale home at preferred rates and other companies are following suit. And straw bale houses are gaining acceptance with Fannie Mae and HUD.

To contact Catherine Wanek:

Black Range Films
Star Rt. 2, Box 119 Kingston, NM 88042
505-895-5652.
E mail: blackrange@zianet.com.

Black Range Films has released its third video in a series on "Building With Straw Bale". Their latest production Straw Bale Code Testing will assist anyone, including code officials in dealing with the permitting process.

Passive Solar Design - Thermal Mass

2008-07-31T02:50:00.000-07:00

Beyond Sun Tempering

Thermal mass materials have the ability to conduct and store energy, both heat and cold, and to release that energy back into the living space when it's needed.

Heat always moves to colder surfaces.In the solar home, the free solar energy first heats up the air. Since the mass floors and walls are cooler, the heat is absorbed and conducted into these materials. Later, when the sun has set and the room air temperature falls, it will reach a point where the mass materials are warmer than the room air temperature.Since heat seeks out cold, the stored energy will now return to the room. The more mass in the home, the more energy that can be stored.

The amount of south facing glass to be installed is related to the amount of thermal mass in the home, and the reverse is also true. In the sun tempered design, the home does not have the mass needed to absorb the amount of solar energy delivered when glass amounts exceed 7%. With slab construction, the mass is built in, but when carpeted, it can't work for you. When you tile your slab, you have added thermal mass and you can increase the amount of south glass accordingly.

The Direct Gain System: Glass and Mass

The direct gain system is the easiest and most cost effective way to use solar energy. The structure itself is the solar system. The south windows are the collectors. The walls and floor are the storage. (mass). Orientate the structure and windows as close to true south as possible.

The ideal thickness for mass materials is 4 to 5 inches.

Use mass materials in the construction, for floors and walls. (adobe, concrete, brick, rock)

Water is the best mass, storing far more energy than other materials, BUT it's not structural.

A masonry fireplace adds thermal mass but should be located on an interior wall.

An interior mass wall performs better than an exterior wall.

Insulate the exterior of your walls, keeping the masonry inside, protected from outside temperature extremes.

Provide for night time insulation on large glass areas. ( insulating curtains, moveable insulation, shutters. )

Provide adequate overhangs on the south side to prevent direct gain during the cooling season.

Use light colors on low mass construction. (ceilings, and partition walls)

Glass to Mass Ratios

Each design starts with 7% south glazing. (net) To increase beyond 7% we must also add thermal mass, usually starting with floor mass and then walls.

An additional 1 sq. ft. of south glass may be added for every:

5.5 sq. ft. of sunlit thermal mass floor *

40 sq. ft. of floor not in direct sunshine

8.3 sq. ft. of thermal mass wall

* The maximum amount of sunlit floor is 1.5 times the south window area

The recommended maximum amount of south glass for direct gain is 12-15%

Every Home is a Solar Home

2008-07-24T23:29:00.001-07:00

Every Home is a Solar Home

Most people driving past this home wouldn't give it a second look, much less recognize it as a "Solar" home, but in fact it is, and not just because "Every Home is a Solar Home". This is an example of a Sun Tempered design. The home was built in El Paso County by a local non profit, Mission Valley Homes, as part of their commitment to fulfilling the need for affordable housing. At just over 1,000 sq. ft. the original floor plan provided by the City of El Paso was left unchanged, but thanks to the Energy Center at the University of Texas at El Paso, that's where conventional construction ended. With funding provided by the State of Texas, State Energy Conservation Office, the Energy Center's Passive Solar Homes Project works with non profit housing groups to not only include solar in their homes but also to improve energy efficiency.

The project is the brain child of Energy Center Program Coordinator (and EPSEA member) Steve Cook. Steve recognized the disproportionate amount of income that energy costs extract from the very folks who can least afford it. Although the design changes implemented do increase the initial cost of the home, a quick study of life cycle costs show a return on the "energy investment" from the first year.

This is a great example of how a little solar goes a long way. There is no added thermal mass in the home and most of the floor is carpeted. The solar design features together with the added insulation package reduce the need for both heating and cooling and the homeowners are comfortable.

Orientation, Orientation, Orientation!

The orientation of the building lot was near perfect, making this home an ideal candidate for solar.The long wall of the house runs east to west.

Sun Tempering does not mean you must cover the south wall of your home with glass! Move 7% of the glass to the south wall. We say move because there's probably enough glass area in the existing plan, it's just not located where you want it to do the most good. Remember that it's 7% NET.

Glass areas on the east, west and north walls were reduced. Decreasing the amount of glass on these walls reduces both the heating and cooling loads.

Sole plate insulation was put in place before standing up the frame walls.

Prior to installing interior insulation, all plumbing and electrical penetrations were sealed using either expanding foam insulation or caulking. All rough openings around doors and windows were also sealed using the same materials as well as using strips of fiberglass insulation where needed.

The furnace closet plenum was sheathed and all walls surrounding the furnace closet, both interior and exterior were insulated.

Insulation: Code minimum in El Paso, (the very least you must do) calls for R-22 ceilings and R-11 walls and no requirement for perimeter slab insulation.

Under the Energy Center's program the attic insulation was upgraded to R-30, the walls to R-13 and the exterior impregnated sheathing was replaced with R-4 expanded polystyrene.

Perimeter slab insulation, 1", R-5 extruded polystyrene.

All double glazed (insulated) windows.

The cost for all of these changes have averaged less than $1500. The actual added cost per sq. ft. will decrease with larger homes. If you were to build a 2,000 sq. ft. home, wouldn't an added $1/sq. ft. be a great investment?

$1/sq. ft.

Energy Efficiency - No Cost/Low Cost

2008-07-22T03:16:00.000-07:00

It's cheaper to save energy than to make energy.

No Cost and Low Cost Efficiency Tips

No Cost Tips

Turn water heater down to 120F (49C)
Clean refrigerator coils
Switch refrigerator to power miser setting
Set refrigerator temperature to 36-39F (2-3C)
Set freezer to 0-5 F (-18 to-15C)
Keep refrigerator/freezer full (water)
Turn off water while shaving and brushing teeth
Use cold water for wash and wash full loads
Collect rainwater
Use the right size pot/pan on the stove burner
Do not preheat your oven except for baking
Cover pots/pans when cooking
Drain some water from your water heater to remove sediment

Winter Tips

Turn thermostat down 10 degrees F (5.5C) at night
Turn thermostat down 10 degrees F (5.5C) when leaving for 4 hours or more
Keep curtains open on the south side of the house during the day
Keep curtains closed on north windows
Dress in layers of clothing

Summer Tips

Close curtains on the sunny sides of home
Turn off furnace pilot light
Open windows on the cool sides of home
Wear loose, light colored clothing
Use fans to circulate air in the home

Low Cost Tips

Install low flow shower heads and aerators on faucets
Insulate water heater
Insulate electrical outlets and switches
Caulk on the inside of doors and windows
Insulate/caulk all pipe penetrations in walls and ceiling
Install a bleed line on the evaporative cooler and run line to a tree
Replace furnace filter every month in winter
Replace light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs
Insulate the bottom and sides of waterbeds
Use a quilt or comforter on waterbeds
Purchase a water saving toilet or use toilet dams
Make a draft dodger for use on doors or windows
JOIN EPSEA

Solar Cooking

2008-07-21T00:17:00.000-07:00

Solar cooking is not only fun but it's a great educational tool. Solar Box Cookers, constructed using cardboard, newspaper, aluminum foil, and a piece of glass will typically cook at temperatures between 225 - 275 F. It's a working model of the greenhouse effect.

It is a real oven, and will cook most anything you would put in your oven at home. They are considered a slow cooker, usually taking about twice as long as your conventional oven.

Put your food out early and you can run errands etc, and not worry about your home burning down, and the food can be left unattended for hours without fear of overcooking or burning.

Unlike your oven, the solar cooker does not add heat to the kitchen.

There's no need to rotate the oven to follow the sun, though it will improve cooking times.

You can take a solar oven to the beach or camping, and you can also use it to pasteurize water.

Panel Cookers require only one box, aluminum foil, a jar and an oven bag, and can be constructed in less than an hour.

EPSEA publishes it's own Solar Cooking Guidelines which includes plans for box cookers, panel cookers, and simple hot dog cookers (great for the little ones). The booklet also includes design principles, curriculum ideas, cooking tips and cooking times.

For more information on Solar Cooking, check out the web site of: Solar Cookers International.

SCI is a non profit organization spreading solar cooking technology to areas of the world where it is most needed. In areas where people have always cooked with wood, there is now serious deforestation and associated problems. Women must spend days searching and carrying firewood simply to cook meals. There is however no lack of sunshine and with SCI's help, these women and men learn to build solar cookers and this simple technology has a profound effect on their lives and the environment.