India Eager to Adopt Solar Power Projects

It is thrilling to learn that India is also adopting solar power as a viable alternative energy source, especially considering the,

• prevalence of poverty – solar energy is less costly in the long run and easier to deploy in far off regions where traditional electricity is not an option,
• high rate of economic development – India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world
• extent of pollution – dependence on coal and petrol as energy sources for thermal power plants has polluted the skyline in major cities such as New Delhi and Mumbai.
• the massive energy demand for the hungry economy – industries need a constant energy supply to grow.

All these factors combine to make the use of alternative energy highly economical in the long run, and among different renewable energy sources, solar power tops the charts because India gets plenty of sun.

These solar power projects are still few and far between but the government, along with the private sector is slowly rolling out photovoltaic systems in urban areas. One such instance is the decision to use solar energy to power water pumps within city limits as the high rate of electricity cuts causes severe water shortage in many localities.

This eco-friendly technique, which uses solar cells to convert sunlight into electricity, will not only help cities go green, but also reduce overall cost of maintaining them (in the long run) and reduce the economy’s dependence on coal.

Read more about this initiative at The Times of India website.

The World’s first solar panel still works!

60 years ago a British science teacher was laughed off by his peers when he said the he could turn sunlight into electricity. He set out to prove them wrong, and after hours in his lab, created a device that used a mineral called selenium (a semi-conductor), to convert sunlight into energy- he had developed the world’s first solar panel.

Although the photovoltaic effect was first observed in 1839 by French Physicist Alexandre Becquerel, it was not until 1883, when Charles Fritts(an American inventor) built the first ever solar cell using selenium( a semi-conductor). Russel Ohl, an American engineer, is credited with creating the first ever silicon solar cell, in 1941.

The solar panel had been stored away for 60 years, all but forgotten until last year when a relative of the Professor came across the project. That’s not even the biggest news, since it was discovered that the equipment, which was built 60 years ago, still worked!

Selenium releases electrons when exposed to sunlight, and the panel channels these electrons to produce electricity. This is very similar to the process used by modern day solar panels, with the exception that solar panels today can generate electricity using indirect lighting in the environment rather than just direct sunlight. When exposed to direct sunlight, this solar panel can produce 1.5 volts of electricity; enough to operate a digital watch today.

The Professor could not have imagined the extent to which the same idea is being applied in modern-day green-energy endeavors. If only he could have seen the growing use of solar technology around the world today, he could have said to his colleagues: “who’s laughing now?’

Church Plans to Go Green by Installing Solar Panels

So far, numerous parties in commercial setups along with private homeowners have taken up solar energy as an alternative energy source, but the idea is still relatively new to places of worship. However, Coventry Cathedral plans to change that by being the first such setup in Britain, and possibly the world, to install solar panels on its roof, according to The Telegraph.

Although the project is far from the implementation stage, it has gained attention because of the leverage it provides to the renewable energy sector. Churches have the potential to positively influence public opinion in and certainly, greater awareness solar power among church goers will go a long way in the fight towards climate change. In other words, this helps tackle the old problem of energy scarcity and global warming from a new angle.

Agreed, the installation of solar panels upon the rooftop will reduce the church’s energy bill, but that is not the main motivation for the project. Typically, users of solar power systems (aka, photovoltaic systems) have three reasons for their choice:

• Financial Concern: Long term reduction in electricity bills
• Environmental Concern: Saving the environment
• Other: the house or commercial setup may be too far away from the national grid to access traditional electricity, hence some form of alternative energy is used, be it solar power technology or wind power technology.

In the case of Coventry Cathedral, the concern is largely environmental and it’s good to know religious setups are interested in this issue as well.

Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity through photovoltaic cells; hence these systems are often referred to as photovoltaic systems as well.

Solar Power Projects in Asia - Asian Development Bank

In an attempts to curtail the negative effects of climate change, the Asian Development Bank has called for a massive investment of $10 billion in solar power to make this technology competitive enough to rival conventional energy sources.

The targets are tough. As per Reuters, “the ADB wants Asia, home to about two-thirds of the world's population, to add 3,000 megawatts of solar energy capacity by the end of 2013.”

The countries that will be targeted are densely populated and boast emerging economies, hence they are already energy-starved – these include China, India and Pakistan, where some solar power projects are already up and running.

The ADB hopes to create an environment where commercial lending from banks is rife and private investment is encouraged, so as to bolster the industry from the financial perspective. This is vital because currently the cost of setting up solar panels is pretty high and it is only economical in areas where the national electric grid is unavailable.

Nevertheless, research and development in this area has greatly reduced the cost of manufacturing efficient photovoltaic cells (which are used to create solar panels) and further funding promises better returns.

Other financial institutions are beginning to realize the importance of solar energy in Asia. For instance, Grameen Shakti, a microfinance institution in Bangladesh, offers microloans to buyers and suppliers of solar power, and these projects are quite affordable.

Solar Trackers - What Are They and How They Work

Solar panels are plates of solar cells that absorb sunlight and convert it into electrical energy. The efficiency levels at which solar energy is converted into solar power depends on the type of solar panel/module. For instance, the highest known conversion efficiency for crystalline silicon modules is around 25% [Solar power efficiency] and the figure is much higher for thin-film solar modules.

While technology breakthroughs have a lot to do with enhancing the conversion efficiency of solar panels, solar trackers can play a major role too. These are external gadgets attached to solar power systems that track the sun throughout the day to maximize sunlight absorption. These trackers can alternatively hook on to move reflectors and lenses in order to perform the same function.

How Solar Trackers Work

Solar Tracking System

Solar trackers help maximize the sunlight absorption rate by minimizing the angle of incidence at which sunlight hits the solar panels. This in turn improves the conversion efficiency so the highest amount of power is generated from a fixed amount of sunlight during the day.
The diagram shows how solar trackers can move photovoltaic panels horizontally and vertically in order to effectively utilize sunlight.

(Image credit: www.solar-tracking.com)

History of Solar Power

Solar power isn't a very recent technology considering ancient civilizations experimented with different ways to trap the Sun's heat within their homes during winter. However, the solar power as we know it today has its origins in the 1880s when the first photovoltaic cells were created to convert sunlight into electrical power [1].

Naturally, the efficiency level of this cell was minute - around 1-2% which is nothing compared to the current efficiencies that average around 20%. Nevertheless, it laid the foundation for the commercial use of solar power and pretty soon, the first commercial solar powered water heater was invented.

The solar power industry has come a long way since then even though efficiency levels are wanting.  New mechanisms to improve the efficiency level have been experimented with, such as photovoltaic panels that track the sun to maximize absorption, as well as using certain materials to harvest ‘hot electrons’ before they lose their heat [3].

The cost of solar power generation is also a concern as it hinders widespread use. Currently, the technology is only cost-effective for households that do not have access to the national grid. The lower cost of power generation through non-renewable energy is slowly rising and power supply companies are now actively involved in developing alternative energy sources (wind power, hydel, biogass, etc.) The mass production of renewable energy will eventually drive down prices but perhaps greater government support is needed to mass produce in the first place.

Solar Power in Australia

Solar power in Australia is quickly emerging as a viable alternative to conventional electricity and several solar power firms have emerged in the recent years across the country. Australia has installed enough photovoltaic solar panels to produce around 300 MW of power per year, and even though that is a pretty small amount considering the abundance of sun, dry weather and flat land in that region, the figure is quickly growing thanks to several incentives introduced by the government.

Some of these incentives are rebates, feed-in-tariffs and a target set for the economy’s renewable energy production as a percentage of the total energy production – it is said that renewable energy (solar power, wind power, etc.) should be at least 20% of the total energy production in Australia by 2020.

Emergence of Alternative Energy

“President Bush has a plan. He says that if we need to, we can lower the temperature dramatically just by switching from Fahrenheit to Celsius” –Jimmy Kimmel, on fighting global warming

This joke certainly reveals a lot about the background of climate change as well as anti-global warming activists. To begin with, we all know temperatures have been rising slowly, where 2010 was one of the warmest years in recorded history. We saw devastating floods in Pakistan, Australia and Brazil and deadly fires in Russia – it doesn't take much thinking to realize they were partially influenced by rising global temperatures.

Anti-Global Warming Activists have also been delaying progress in this area, and the above joke hints that. While this blog will not comment on President Bush’s policy about climate change, we do realize that there are plenty of players in the media as well as the state, who present obstacles when promising policies are brought to the table.

Despite this, alternative energy is getting plenty of attention and climate change lawsuits are becoming more popular. Sure, nobody had won such a case and it would be very difficult to hold companies responsible in this case, and that is what makes the trend interesting.

Whatever may happen, it sure is a relief that different forms of alternative energy are on the rise, whether it be solar power, wind power, hydel power or even efforts to reduce carbon footprints while relying on traditional electricity.

Wind Farms in California

What did the California wind farm say when it met Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger?
- We’re big fans of yours!

The joke is amusing, whether you support the Republicans or the Democrats, and it also aptly informs us about the existence of alternate energy in the state of California, where wind farms produce a little over 1% of the entire state’s energy (figures from 2004).

There are over 10,000 wind turbines in California and a majority of them are located in Altamont Pass, Tehachapi and San Gorgonio. These wind turbines naturally generate plenty of jobs for Californians; according to estimates from the 1990s, wind farms created over 5,000 direct and indirect jobs, and drew over $3 billion in private investments.

Wind turbines are commonly used by small farms and homes where access to the national electricity grid is limited. Solar power systems are also regularly relied upon in these areas.

Although the idea of clean energy from wind farms seems appealing, they do cause environmental harm, especially to migratory birds as they get killed by the spinning blades of these turbines. Once the farms have been constructed, there really is little that can be done to prevent such harm to birds, but conservatories may be made to protect the species if threatened with extinction.

Solar Power for your RV

RV solar power is for those who are on the go. If you are a regular traveler then you will love RV solar power. Imagine you never having to stop to recharge. Read on..

RV road trips can be a lot of fun. You have your whole family, or all your friends, and you’re headed to wherever you’re going in a completely self-sufficient vehicle stocked with everything you need to eliminate stops.

Completely Stocked For Everyone’s Needs

You have a bathroom, a kitchen, and even a TV or two. Many RVs now have many other electronics that make riding in one much like moving in a celebrity tour bus; all your needs are taken care of. However, with all of these added perks comes the need for more electricity, which means you have to stop every now and again to recharge.

As you use all of your electronics, such as your TV, your stove to cook or even a hair dryer if someone is getting ready for the day, it all takes juice. Wouldn’t it be great if you could power your RV with the natural rays of the sun?

That’s right, you can now get your RV outfitted with RV solar power panels. RV solar power panels absorb the natural rays of the sun, that will beat down on your RV during the day, and then it will power it at night. This will completely eliminate the need for stops to recharge. You will constantly have enough juice for all your electric needs and you got it all with RV solar power.

Ask your RV dealer if you can get RV solar power installed on your model. If you don’t yet have an RV and you’re in the market to get one, ask the dealer if you can get RV solar power for the RV you’d like to purchase or lease.

Just understand that you’ll likely pay a little extra, as RV solar power is a perk. It saves you time and money and, therefore, as with anything, you must pay extra for it.

However, no matter what you pay for it, it will come back to you many times over as you travel to and from various destinations. You can eliminate stopping for recharging and you can spend more time at your destinations instead of traveling to and from them.

RV solar power should be on every RV and soon it will. If your’s doesn’t, or if you’d like to inquire about one that does, call your local RV dealer and ask about RV solar power.

Exerpted from: http://solarlpower.com/solar-power/what-is-rv-solar-power