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Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Green Energy Now

America Needs to Work on Green Energy Now.  Save Money, Save Jobs, Create Jobs.  Now is the time to change what we are doing.  If we as individuals don't make an effort now it will never happen.

Government, Oil Companies  and in place energy providers have a different agenda.   They like the status quo as it keeps them in business.   This Earth is ours.  This Country is ours.

Change is needed now.





Don't wait until it is much to late.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Americas Energy Choice Could Be Solar Power

Solar power is the power extracted from the sun's energy, which is the sunlight. As the sun provides us sunlight for free, solar power itself too is a renewable, clean and environment friendly source of energy. With rising concerns about depleting fossil fuels and rise in air pollution, the use of solar power as an alternative source of energy is fast gaining popularity. By harnessing and using solar power at home, it is possible to cut down the cost of power bills and extensive use can even make one totally independent in terms of power requirement. This is mainly because sunlight is available for free almost round the year and the best part is that solar panels and other such solar equipments require little maintenance.

But now, one million dollar question arises- that is why, in spite of so many benefits, are people using solar power only sparingly? The answer to this question lies in the fact that the solar powers are largely inefficient. To counter this problem, bigger panels have to be installed and this makes using them cumbersome. Also, some people prefer not to mess with the aesthetic beauty of their houses. Also, the solar panels do not come very cheaply. Moreover, there is the inherent problem of unable to work at night and providing very little power during cloudy days.

With the depletion of fossil fuels, the scientific community has been urged to understand the urgent need to consider upgrading of existing solar panel technology. Now, with continued research and development in those areas, the solar power systems have undergone drastic changes. They have figured out how to make cheaper solar panels and also improve their efficiency.

One of the major milestones achieved in the solar power technology is the invention of photovoltaic cells. They have gone a long way to reducing the size and increasing the efficiency of the solar panels. In a solar panel, the photovoltaic cells are placed on a steel substrate. Each cell is capable of capturing various spectrums of sunlight. The solar photovoltaic panels have overlapped layering of the cells which makes them an efficient source of producing power. The new solar photovoltaic panels use amorphous silicon thin alloy technology.

This solar photovoltaic panel based on the new technology is not that bulky and can be easily placed on the roof of houses. It is many times more efficient than a regular solar panel. Moreover, they don't look that bad and can be easily implemented without affecting the overall looks of a building.

Another milestone in the road of solar technology is the invention of photovoltaic shingles. They are basically nothing but solar panels which are modified and made into shingles. Photovoltaic shingles can be used as a convenient and aesthetic substitute for large and bulky solar panels. They are implemented in the roofs of houses as normal shingles. They are usually black colored and have the appearance of normal shingles. And they serve the dual purposes of adoring your house as well as harnessing solar power and converting it into electricity for your use. Moreover, they save you the cost of buying extra shingles. In a nutshell, they are good looking solar panels.

Experts have said that the technology of using photovoltaic cells and photovoltaic shingles is a major breakthrough in the harnessing of solar power. Research is going on for further development in the solar power technology and you can expect even smaller and more efficient solar power systems made available in the near future.Author Mr. Pat Hall is one of the managers of the website that offers access to home wind turbines and accessories plus solar power panels and related tools that would enable anyone to create renewable green energy at home or at work easily. Visit windturbinegen.co.uk now for instant access.

Solar Generated Energy for Your Home: How Sunlight Hours and Sun Angle Effect Production (Part 6)

The angle at which the sun hits a solar cell effects the amount of solar energy produced. The following article explains these effects as well as some common residential solar systems characteristics such as tracking and mounting solutions. You may be surprised to find out that reflected light can actually produce solar energy even if you think it may not.

The Sun's Irradiance Throughout the Day

Many graphs and charts, found on the Internet via searching, show a solar cell module's output when it faces south throughout the 4 days following the fall equinox. These graphs most often show a bell curve of the power output, where peak production occurs around 12 to 1pm with a morning ramp-up and a decline as the sun goes down. This is due to intensity of light as well as deflection. As the days get shorter, the total irradiation falls as expected. The sun no longer is directly square with the panels, since it is lower in the sky.

Panel Tracking Devices for Home Solar Energy Systems

The best way to get around this decline in energy output is to place the solar array on a tracking device to keep it in direct sunlight for more time throughout the day. Looking at a sunflower can give you a good idea. The sunflower wakes up in the morning facing due East to catch the morning sun. As the day progresses, the sunflower turns its head to track as much sunlight as possible. It's perplexing why sunflowers grow so tall and sturdy? They soak up as much sun as possible.

There are two different types of tracking systems for residential solar energy units. Often there are alternate methods to mount a solar array. You could mount the solar panels on a fence, a flat wall, on a light pole, but the methods that follow are the most common.

1) Horizontal or flat mount array favors the summer months when the sun is highest.

2) Fixed angle at the optimum tilt angle yields the most kWh for a fixed array over the course of the entire year.

These two types of tracking systems create dramatically more exposure and higher sun hours all year long, but still more in the summer months. This relates to the overall need to calculate and take into account the total amount of energy required per month and per year then average out to the highest electric needs on a monthly basis. All of this data is included with the solar energy sizing estimates.

There are single axis tracking solar systems that track the sun from east to west. There are also dual axis tracking solar systems that track both from east to west and up and down, following the sun's altitude and azimuth to optimize production throughout the season. In the winter, the sun is much lower in the sky than in the summer therefore solar energy systems that can tilt up or down have a greater chance of catching all of the sun's energy.

Forms of Sun Irradiance

The sun reaches the solar panels in various paths, not just directly from a sun's beam being directly overhead. Because of this fact, there may be good generation of solar electricity on even overcast days or when you would not think the sunlight is of proper intensity.

There are three types of irradiance. 1. Diffuse Irradiation: Scattered light comes from the whole sky. Diffuse light from the sun does not exist on blue sky days where there are not clouds. On the other hand, it is found a lot in areas of smoggy or cloudy weather.

2. Direct Irradiation: A beam of sun light goes straight from the sun to the solar module and directly interacts with the solar cells

3. Reflected Light (i.e. the Albedo effect): This is light that is reflected or scattered by the ground or nearby surfaces like trees or other buildings. Snow gives off a lot of this albedo light and grass or dirt gives off very little.

Sun Path Diagrams and Home Solar Energy Systems

A sun path diagram plots the position of the sun throughout the year. This is very useful when designing and installing solar arrays, to optimize the performance by determining the best angle and to avoid shadows from trees, vents, other buildings, etc. Understanding where the sun traces across the sky at your home, allows you to place your solar energy unit in the correct location. You can also determine if you may need to supplement your solar power system with a tracking device.

Expanding Options for Residential Solar Energy

New solar energy technology is continually coming to market that takes the idea of solar power to a new and simpler levels. Homeowners, while it is very useful to know the nuts and bolts of solar power systems, do not have to know the level of detail as presented in this article. New solar technology and home solar panel rental services provide energy efficiency and better control of power consumption. These solar power rental programs enable electric services that are more responsive, more reliable, and more renewable.


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At Solargies (Solar Energies), our objective is to spread the adoption of renewable solar energy as rapidly as possible. Daniel Stouffer is writer and promoter of green energy. Learn about Renting your own Solar Energy system at: => http://www.solargies.com/Solar_Rentals.htm

Cheap Home Solar Panels: Reuse & Recycle To Save Money

While it's not difficult to find information on how to put together a cheap home solar energy system, many experts forget to mention an easy way to save even more money when you do it yourself. Salvaging used solar panels is a great way to build an eco-friendly home while recycling perfectly good solar equipment in the process.

Used solar panels can be found on auction sites like eBay and classified ad sites like Craigslist or Kijiji - be warned, you should most definitely ask the seller questions about the condition and location of materials to avoid scammers. Also, don't forget to factor shipping into the cost of recycling solar panel parts!

Refitting used solar equipment to build low cost panels doesn't require as much skill as one might think. With basic do-it-yourself skills and common tools, most people will easily be able to repair and reuse components from pre-owned and even broken solar generators.

As always, do first things first. After you've purchased your used solar panels you will need to free the photovoltaic cells from the base which they are mounted to. Next you can inspect the solar cells for any loose connectors, cracked panels and moisture damage. These issues are quite common and usually the reasons why most homeowners deem their solar panels to be defective. This equipment can usually be repaired quite easily with a little re-soldering of the joints to strengthen the connections.

Replacing broken PV cells require a little more effort as you will need to replace them with similar or exact components as the original. It is important to note that if a solar cell is broken, and this is the only problem, most will still work though the overall power output will be reduced.

If cheap home solar panels are what you desire, then harvesting used parts is a great way to save money on your DIY solar panel project. Used panels can often be picked up for next to nothing, and if you're lucky you might find a local contractor who is willing to unload a lot of used parts and panels for free!

Whether you're paying for used panels or they were given to you, identifying the problems is where most of your time will be spent. As long as you know this going into it, cheap home solar panels are often right around the corner! If you run into problems finding good used parts, consider contacting contractors who specialize in solar panel installation. Most will be willing to cheaply sell or even give you used panels just to get rid of unneeded inventory.


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Alison Wood brings you ideas to live a green life and in the process save money. If you want to start making some substantial savings on your power bills then check out this easy step-by-step guide to building your own solar panel => http://www.solarenergydiyguide.com/

For more information click here

Green Power Easy Review-The Easiest,Cheapest Way to Convert your Home to Solar or Wind Power

Many people these days are looking for alternative energy solutions to combat rising electricity prices and to reduce their impact on the environment.

To buy a complete alternative energy system and have it installed could cost you $15,000 to $20,000. The great news is that there are now excellent do-it-yourself guides like Green Power Easy, that make it simple to convert your home to solar or wind power for as little as $200 to $300.

Being passionate about sustainable living practices, I have been looking for alternative energy guides for some time . I have purchased two guides in the past, but as a female do-it-yourselfer, I found them to be a little too technical at times and found it difficult to understand some of the instructions. I didn't feel confident enough to get started on the solar conversion I had planned.

Having recently purchased the Green Power Easy series of guides, I must say they are the most comprehensive and easy to understand guides I have ever come across. Most importantly it's the first time I've seen a guide that teaches you how to convert your whole home, easily, to solar or wind power.

The authors Peter and Jen Lowe, provide well written step-by-step instructions on how to build solar panels and wind turbines, and how to connect them to other components to complete your home conversion. Professionally designed illustrations also help to show you how to complete each step. There is nothing too challenging here for the average DIYer, but if you are not that confident about doing things like soldering, sawing, drilling and wiring, you may have to enlist the help of a handyman friend.

Green Power Easy comes as a series of ebooks and videos comprising of:

1 The EASY DIY Guide to Solar and Wind Power
This is the main ebook of 140 pages that teaches you:
What alternative energy is all about.
How to choose which alternative energy solution is best for your home.
How to design and build your own solar panels.
How to design and build your own wind turbine.
5 ways to wire your energy system into your home.

2 The EASY IMPLEMENTATION Guide
This is your guide to designing an alternative energy system that will reduce or eliminate your power bills.
You will learn:
How to calculate your current energy needs.
How to use those calculations to design your alternative energy system.
6 steps to take to ensure your system works for your needs.
How to calculate your energy storage needs.
How to design an energy storage system.

3 The EASY REBATES Guide
This shows you how to take advantage of green rebates of up to 75 %, available from federal, state, and local governments.
It includes information on:
US federal, state and local rebates.
Canadian federal and provincial rebates.
Information for UK and Australian members, and information for other countries.

4 The EASY PARTS ORDERING Guide
Learn where to source parts that you can afford.
You will learn:
How to find solar cells to build a panel for less than $25.
How to get a turbine generator for less than $40.
Where to get batteries for $5 and much more.

5 Supplementary VIDEOS
Easy to follow videos that build upon what the ebooks cover.

6 Optional Green Power EASY TV SERIES
A monthly video series that includes further instruction, new DIY ideas, and ideas on how to start your own alternative energy business.

You can purchase all of this for under $50 ( look for the special offer), which in my opinion is unbeatable value for money.
I believe this is the top product in this market at present, and would recommend it to everyone who wants to build their own solar or wind power system.
The authors offer a 60 day money back guarantee to give you ample time to look through all the material.

If you are still undecided, take a look at their Free Alternative Energy Report, which tells you more about the product and shows real case studies of systems that have been built. They also offer 2 free samples from the Green Power Easy TV series.

For a second opinion, take a look at alternative energy engineer, Miller Britzke's, reviews of the top five guides for DIY Alternative Energy



































Residential Solar Panels - Comparison Between Homemade Solar Panels And Commercial Ones

Residential solar panels is the perfect solution to reduce a family's dependence on fossil fuel. Many folks will call up a contractor to supply and install their solar energy panels. However, a group of DIYers claim that DIY panels are far better than commercial ones. Is there any truth to their statement? Let's investigate...

If you want convenience, ready-made commercial panels are undoubtedly the best. Within a day, your contractor can mount all the photovoltaic panels on your roof, run the cabling and install all the other parts of the solar power generator. After they're done, you'll only have to pay them and you are ready to use renewable energy from that point. Pretty straightforward. However, the cost of hiring these professional could have burnt a hole in your pocket if they are not deep enough. What do I mean?

A complete solar power installation can easily set you back by at least $30,000 to $40,000. Considering the benefits above, some household may be able to part with this kind of money. But this is not true for everyone. In fact, most homeowners will have to take a loan against the photovoltaic equipment. Thus they will have to pay more due to the interest accrued.

As cost is a major concern for most people, many are turning to making their own photovoltaic generators. By combining several solar cells mounted on a frame, they are able to make a decent power-generating panel that can produce electricity for their home. After constructing a number of these panels, these DIYers are able to be independent from their local power station.

If you happen to wonder how difficult it is to build your own solar power generator, go to the Internet to do a little research. You'll find it's as easy as following simple, step-by-step instructions from DIY solar guides that you can buy for less than $50.

Making your own photovoltaic panels is definitely the most affordable option. With less than $200, you are able to build a piece of photovoltaic panel that works for you as long as it is day. The materials needed are commonly found from your local hardware retailer or from Internet sites such as eBay. They are also relatively cheap.

The downside about building a DIY solar power system is the time and effort involved. After all, if you had no experience building photovoltaic panels before, you need to start learning - and this involves a little time. But if you are able to roll up your sleeves and apply a little elbow grease, you'll acquire an asset that costs far lesser than commercial panels. The payback period will also be dramatically shorter.


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John Greenspan is an expert in do-it-yourself solar panels and has build several solar power generators in his spare time. Are you interested in building DIY Solar panels? Pick up your FREE "How To Build Solar Panels" eBook at => http://www.diysolarpanelsworld.com

For more information click here
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How to Build a Solar Heater - Make Homemade DIY Solar Heaters

Solar heating systems are quickly invading the market. People continuously appreciate the benefits of having solar powered heaters: from hot water heaters, pool heaters, and air heaters. Moreover, a lot of people have taken to explore the ways of learning how to build a solar heater. Their familiarity with how solar panels work have given them impetus to take a stab at crafting a solar powered heater that will serve their purposes.

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