Jun 28, 2010
Solar Thermal Energy: Harnessing the Power of the Sun
The video shows the use of solar panel thermal energy for heating in Europe. Examples from Denmark and Spain show the use in different climates. Interviews with users and manufacturers give a good overview of this clean energy technology. The video is provided for free by the Sustainable Energy Europe Campaign of the European Union.
Solar at schools may be ‘dead in the water’ as judge recommends regulation
By Patrick O’Grady
Phoenix Business Journal
Plans to put solar systems on school and government roofs through solar-service or power-purchase agreements may be placed on hold after an administrative law judge said companies offering such agreements should be regulated as public utilities.
Judge Jane Rodda has recommended to the Arizona Corporation Commission that SolarCity and others that supply power to schools, nonprofits and governments be subject to ACC regulation.
SolarCity had filed the case seeking to have the work it does at schools ruled not a utility operation.
“When SolarCity utilizes an SSA arrangement, it is selling electricity to the school, governmental entity or nonprofit and is ‘furnishing electricity’ as included in the definition of a ‘public service corporation’” in the Arizona Constitution, Rodda wrote.
The ruling means the ACC has a host of options in regulating the activity between companies that install solar systems and sell the power as third-party providers, and the buyers of that power.
School officials said this likely would end their foray into solar as a power source.
“If the commission goes along with this ruling, we’re dead in the water,” said David Peterson, associate superintendent of the Scottsdale Unified School District, which was at the heart of SolarCity’s case.
Foster City, Calif.-based SolarCity has used similar agreements in other states, but has not brought them to Arizona because of the constitutional requirement. the company petitioned the ACC to rule that providing the power to schools would not make it a public utility because it fell outside the boundaries of what the law considered.
SolarCity spokesman Jonathan Bass said the recommendation, if approved by the ACC, would end the company’s ability to supply solar to schools. It offers a lease program, but those likely would be cost-prohibitive for schools.
“It would eliminate a component of what we could do, and cost the state jobs,” he said.
Schools, nonprofits and governments in other states adopt solar agreements in which they buy energy from a third party that owns the system placed on their roofs, because it allows them to lower the cost by taking advantage of federal tax credits aimed at spurring solar development.
Other players, such as Tucson-based Solon Corp., have been partnering with schools on such agreements and looking at working in municipal areas. Arizona is the only state whose constitution defines what a public service corporation would be.
Jordan Rose, founder of Rose Law Group PC, said the recommendation could cost schools and governments millions to adopt solar. Rose Law represented SolarCity in its case.
“A PPA/SSA is simply a financing tool, used in every other state in the nation, to allow widespread proliferation of solar,” Rose said via e-mail. “Regulation of these PPA providers would thwart the free market and treat these start up solar companies like monopolies.”
http://bit.ly/c5oYnw for the entire order
Additional information from Rose Law Group
What happened?
The ACC’s administrative law judge made a proposal to the ACC that it is free to adopt, reject or modify, regarding SolarCity’s case before the ACC regarding whether offering a solar service agreement should classify SolarCity as a utility.
What did the administrative law judge propose?
The administrative judge proposes that SolarCity be regulated as an electricity utility, such as APS, SRP or TEP, even though SolarCity does not meet many of the criteria used to make such a determination. For instance, the judge agrees that SolarCity is not a monopoly, it’s pricing is determined by the market, it does not compete with utilities, etc.). As a regulated utility SolarCtiy would come under the full regulatory power of the ACC.
What is the timeline? When is the public hearing?
Interested parties now have the opportunity to weigh in in advance of the public hearing, which will be held on June 29th
What is the effect of the proposed decision?
Were the decision to be adopted by the full ACC, then SolarCity and other solar companies attempting to provide clean, renewable and affordable electricity to places such as schools and hospitals would have to significantly increase the cost of providing such services because of greater governmental regulation.
Furthermore:
- If upheld Arizona will be the only state in the nation to regulate solar PPA providers as utilities.
- We believe this is the only instance we can remember where the Sierra Club and Goldwater Institute not only agreed, but felt strongly enough to co-write a letter to The Arizona Republic saying regulation of these PPA’s is bad for Arizona.
- If upheld it will cost schools and governments millions.
- A PPA/SSA is simply a financing tool, used in every other state in the nation, to allow widespread proliferation of solar.
- Regulation of these PPA Providers would thwart the free market and treat these start-up solar companies like monopolies.
- PPA Providers are small businesses, not utility size monopolies. Regulation just piles on expense to the consumer for no added benefit in this case.
- With a utility service the homeowner generally has one choice of a provider and so the government regulates, with solar installation, the consumer has hundreds of choices. The regulation is the market – and that should be enough!
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Jun 24, 2010
No Renewal in Sight for Florida Solar Rebates
Mourning the death of Florida solar rebates
Florida’s Solar Energy System Incentives program was enacted in 2006. It offers a generous $4 per watt rebate for home solar power, up to $20,000 for photovoltaic (PV) systems. That means a 5,000-watt (5 kW) system, costing approximately $40,000, would receive a healthy dose of subsidies between its state rebate and the federal tax credit. The latter credits 30 percent of initial costs — roughly $12,000 in this example — and the state rebate would pay the maximum $20,000, meaning that 80 percent of a 5-kW solar system would be subsidized.
That has made for easy sales by Florida solar contractors, evidenced by the fact that funding for the rebate program doesn’t last long, even with the help of Recovery Act money. But the expiration of Florida’s solar rebates will have a very damaging effect on business. Even the smallest systems eligible for the rebate – 2 kW – garnered an $8,000 state rebate at an overall cost of $15,000.
Admittedly, these rebates are disproportionately high. This is because the program was developed in 2006 and PV prices dropped considerably since then. Solar business owners in Florida understand that, but are disappointed by the total erasure of state solar rebates, preferring, according to one contractor, a slash of the credit to $2-per-watt to keep with the drop in PV prices. Unfortunately its a tight budget year for all states, including Florida, and a prospective rebate-renewal bill died in committee at the state legislature.
Solar incentive programs still available:
There is a ratepayer-funded $24.5 million pool of cash that utilities use to fund energy conservation initiatives.
The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant allows municipalities to apply for grants to fund solar and other energy efficiency initiatives.
Florida law also allows local-level PACE financing programs that fund clean energy projects through individual property tax hikes.
JEA (formerly Jacksonville Electric Authority) offers small rebates for energy efficient new homes and up to $800 for solar hot water systems.
But none of that will make up for the loss of state rebates, which at this point will likely bring Florida’s solar industry to a screeching halt. In some states, utilities pick up the slack, but those states typically have renewable portfolio standards requiring utilities to obtain a certain percentage of renewable power. In Florida, only JEA has such a program. So, until some RPS or new rebate legislation is passed, solar power, along with the jobs and clean energy that comes with it, is on hold in the Sunshine State.
Source: Florida Times-Union (via iStockAnalyst)
Photo Credit: Wallpapers for You & Top News
Walking Lijiang River
Jun 23, 2010
Jun 22, 2010
Portable solar charger in travel
http://www.portable-solar-charger.com
Jun 21, 2010
Outdoor with solar panel
Solar panels can charge for your phone and mp3 equipment, it is indispensable outdoor sharp tool.
Jun 20, 2010
DIY Solar Setup
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step 1Get The LED Out Contest.I've entered this 'ible in the above contest because the Solar Tracker relies entirely on 2 LED's to do it's work. The LED's are directly responsible for adding approximately 40% to the systems output. If either of the LED's were to fail the Tracker would not work.
step 2Learning. Think beyond today.If you spend as much time as I did scouring the web for every bit of information available you'll probably get as confused as I did at first. There's a lot of good info out there but there's a lot of rubbish too. As a rule of thumb the greater the number of people say something, the more likely it is to be correct. Usually. But not always. There are already some "Instr…
step 3Choose your materials wisely.This is the most critical step. As mentioned earlier, the materials you choose to construct your panels with will determine it's lifespan. Don't shortchange your Panels like I did mine There are commercial products available for mounting Pre Tabbed Cells which include "Tedlar"(R) http://www2.dupont.com/Photovoltaics/en_US/products_services/backsheet/tedlarPVF.html .…
step 4Wots Watts?? Tabs?? Which Cells to buy?? Soldering Iron?? Solder??Watts are calculated by multiplying the voltage of the cell by its rated amperage. Simple. Well not really. The formula for say......a panel built using 35 0.55 volt, 3.6 amp cells would be this: Voltage of each cell (0.55 v) X rated Amperage of each cell (3.6 a) X 35 cells = 69.3 Watts . A nice sized panel and well worth the effort. Smaller amperage cells are ob…
step 5Before you Solder.The Cells need to be soldered together in what is called Series , that is, the positive side of each cell connected by tab wire to the negative side of its neighbour (see diagram) To achieve this the (untabbed) Cells all need to be tabbed, that is to have flat Tab wire soldered to the front (negative) side and then to the back (positive) side. The Solder . Buy a roll…
step 6Soldering the Tab Wire to the Cells.This is where all that Soldering practice will pay big dividends. Depending on the cells you've bought and the type of panel you're building you may need to solder Tab wire to the Front, the Back or both. Front busses take more work so I like to do them first. UnfortunatelyI don't have any pics of the process. Ok....your Irons hot so lets go! Apply a small amount of…
step 7Choosing Your Construction Materials.Parts of this step are pretty much a repeat of an earlier step. I have done this to emphasize the importance of materials choice. If you can afford it go for the Tedlar products and the best non reflective glass you can get your hands on and follow the instructions that come with the Tedlar materials. The end product can be mounted on a timber or metal frame. If y…
step 8Building Your Panels.My blog at is pretty much a description of my Panel Building experiences from my first few Panels. In it I give details on joining cells correctly and constructing panels on a tight budget.
step 9After the Panels are Built.Now that you have built and tested your panel/s you need to harness all that Free electricity you're suddenly producing. Solar Controller. The Controller is the brains of the system. Your panels charge your batteries through it and it supplies that power to your appliances. It controls the amount of charge that goes to your Battery Bank and protects your batteries f…
step 10The LED Solar Tracker.Your Panels will produce much (30 to 60%) more electricity when they're kept pointing directly at the Sun as opposed to sitting in the one position all the time. To achieve this you need to buy or build a Solar Tracker and mount your panels on it. You have 2 choices here....you can opt for a "Dual Axis" tracker that will follow the Sun from East to West then, when the …
Trackback: http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Solar-Setup/
Jun 18, 2010
Solar energy history
When politicians start talking about renewable energy, you know we have problems. Solar energy is a significant renewable energy. Here is an overview of solar energy history.
Solar Energy History
Solar energy is simply energy produced by harnessing the sun. It comes in many forms including electricity production through solar panels, home heating through passive solar systems and solar energy packets for powering devices like laptops and RVs to mention only a few platforms.
Historically, solar energy has been used by mankind to produce heat since we first built structures. Without electricity, mankind soon learned to orient structures to capture the heat of the sun during the day and store it in ceramic or mud materials much like a blacktop parking lot will radiate heat after the sun has gone down. Early Greek structures show a particular use of passive solar heating as do Egyptian structures.
The production of electricity using sunlight is a much more recent phenomena. In 1901, Nicolas Tesla was the first person to receive a patent related to solar energy, but he called it radiant heating. He sought a patent for a machine to capture the radiant heat, but nothing much came of the invention.
In 1904, some unknown physicist named Albert Einstein published a paper on the potential electricity production from sunlight. In 1913, William Coblentz received the first patent for a solar cell, but he could never make it work. In 1916, Robert Millikan was the first to produce electricity with the solar cell. For the next forty years or so, nobody made much progress because the cells were highly inefficient at converting sunlight to energy.
In the 1950s, Bell Labs got involved with NASA. Bell was charged with coming up with a solar energy platform to power spacecraft once they were in orbit. The solar energy field would never be the same.
Gerald L. Pearson, Daryl M. Chapin, and Calvin S. Fuller start researching different areas related to solar, but not active parts of the NASA project. By luck, they meet and exchange idea. While their individual projects were failures, their combined efforts produce a much more efficient solar cell using crystallized silicon to convert sunlight into electricity. The efficiency rate of the cells is roughly 6 percent, a marked improvement over previous technology. In 1958, NASA launches the Vanguard Spacecraft, which is powered by solar panels.
In the following years, solar energy technology grows in leaps and bounds. Solar panels today are roughly 15 percent efficient, but also much smaller than they use to be. More importantly, companies are abandoning the solar panel platform and coming out with amazing new products. The first are solar shingles that look exactly like regular roof shingles and perform as such. Nanotechnology is also offering amazing possibilities with quantum dots, which are essentially solar panels on the quantum level. Eventually, these dots will be incorporated in things such as paint. Yes, the paint on the walls of buildings and homes will eventually also produce all the electricity needed for the structures.
As this solar energy history demonstrates, man has used solar power for heat for a very long time. Only now, however, are we starting to master the technology to turn it into large amounts of free electricity.
Trackback: http://www.portable-solar-charger.com/blog/solar-energy-history/
Jun 16, 2010
The Solar Energy Facts
Okay, we all know it's a good choice, but why?
Here we discuss Facts about solar energy usage, systems, plus sun related and other Interesting Facts about Solar Energy.
All of which will help you with your decision whether or not to install a solar energy system at your home.
Perhaps you'd even like to save yourself a lot of money and Build your very own solar energy system.
General facts
- Solar Energy is better for the environment than traditional forms of energy.
- Solar energy has many uses such as electricity production and heating of water through photovoltaic cells and directly for drying clothes.
- Solar energy can also be used to heat swimming pools, power cars, for attic fans, calculators and other small appliances. It produces lighting for indoors or outdoors.
- You can even cook food with solar energy.
- Solar Energy is becoming more and more popular. The worldwide demand for Solar Energy is currently greater than supply.
Facts about Solar Energy usage:
- Solar Energy is measured in kilowatt-hour. 1 kilowatt = 1000 watts.
- 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) = the amount of electricity required to burn a 100 watt light bulb for 10 hours.
- According to the US Department of Energy, an average American household used approximately 866-kilowatt hours per month in 1999 costing them $70.68.
- About 30% of our total energy consumption is used to heat water.
Facts about Solar Energy systems:
- A home solar system is typically made up of solar panels, an inverter, a solar battery, a Solar charger controller, wiring and support structure.
- A 1-kilowatt home solar system takes about 1-2 days to install and costs around US$10,000, but can vary greatly and does not take into account any incentives offered by the government.
- A 1-kilowatt home solar system consists of about 10-12 solar panels and requires about 100 square feet of installation area.
- A 1 kilowatt home solar system will generate approximately 1,600 kilowatt hours per year in a sunny climate (receiving 5.5 hours of sunshine per day) and approximately 750 kilowatt hours per year in a cloudy climate (receiving 2.5 hours of sunshine per day).
- A 1-kilowatt home solar system will prevent approximately 170 lbs. of coal from being burned, 300 lbs of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere and 105 gallons of water from being consumed each month!
- About 40 solar cells are usually combined into a solar panel and around 10-12 panels mounted in an array facing due North to receive maximum sunlight.
- The system usually comes with a 5-year warranty, although the solar panels are warranted for 20.
- Relying on the battery back up, a solar energy system can provide electricity 24x7, even on cloudy days and at night.
- Solar panels come in various colours.
- Solar energy can be collected and stored in batteries, reflected, insulated, absorbed and transmitted.
Sun related Facts about Solar Energy:
- Sunlight travels to the earth in approximately 8 minutes from 93,000,000 miles away, at 186,282 miles per second.
- The sun is also the main source of non-renewable fossil fuels (coal, gas and petroleum), which began life as plants or animals whose energy came from the sun millions of year ago.
- Solar energy is responsible for weather patterns and ocean currents.
- Clouds, pollution and wind can prevent the sun's rays from reaching the earth.
Other Interesting Facts about Solar Energy:
- Da Vinci predicted a solar industrialization as far back as 1447.
- In one hour more sunlight falls on the earth than what is used by the entire population in one year.
- A world record was set in 1990 when a solar powered aircraft flew 4060km across the USA, using no fuel.
- Fierce weather cost the world a record $130 Billion in the first eleven months of 1998- more money than was lost from weather related disasters from 1980 to 1990 ($82 Billion).
- Researchers from the Worldwatch Institute and Munich Re blame deforestation and climate change from Earth warming for much of the loss. The previous one-year record was $90 Billion in 1996. Source - Associated Press, November 28,1998.
- About 2 billion people in the world are currently without electricity.
- Accounting for only 5 percent of the world's population, Americans consume 26 percent of the world's energy.
- Electric ovens consume the most amount of electricity, followed by microwaves and central air conditioning.
- Third world countries with an abundance of sunlight and a population currently without electricity, represents the fastest growing market for solar energy, with the largest domestic market being the utilities sector.
- Shell Oil predicts that 50% of the world's energy will come from renewable sources by 2040.
Jun 15, 2010
Cheap Energy with PSC solar Panels
Researchers and scientists are putting on endless effort to make the sources of energy clean and green. There are many devices in the market that run on solar energy. The alternative energy atmosphere is charged with anticipation and excitement. But till now one of the biggest dampeners in green energy scenario is the prices. Fossil fuels are available cheaply all over the world. But solar, wind, geothermal or biofuels are still expensive and out of reach of commoners.
The University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory Mirror Lab has paid attention to this particular aspect. They have produced the first prototype of a solar device that will hopefully not be outrageously priced. The device’s inventor Roger Angel’s expectations will ultimately generate electricity from the sun at a price akin to the cheapest fossil fuels. That’s what manufacturer and consumer both want. Every manufacturer aims for profit and all end users want to save money.
Roger Angel’s prototype makes use of mirrors. These mirrors are arranged in such a way that 21 segments form an array in a parabola on a lightweight aluminum frame. This arrangement helps in focusing the sun’s light on a small solar cell. Its first prototype is supposed to be shipped next week to Raytheon Missile Systems. This design could be used to build portable solar generators for battlefield deployment. This fact is reveled by Eric Betterton. He is a UA professor of atmospheric sciences and he is also the principal investigator for the project.
The prototype costs around about $300,000 to engineer and assemble, with its mirrors forged individually in the mirror lab and hand-coated. This project is undertaken by the UA with grants from Science Foundation Arizona. Angel who is the Mirror Lab’s founder and director, said the device uses only about $200 worth of glass and ultimately could be mass-produced for $1,500. It is estimated that at that price, the device would produce energy for $1 a watt. This is as cheap as coal-burning electrical plants.
The trip with Portable Solar Charger
What is worse than being away on a trip, at a ballgame or just at the office and realizing that you don’t have anywhere to plug in your mobile device? You see the last bar of power and panic starts to settle in because you are about to be cut off from the outside world. Worry no more because the portable solar charger PSC-solar.com is going to give you all the solar power that you can handle to charge up your devices.
There are a variety of portable solar power devices on the market already, but few of them are as convenient as the portable solar charger PSC-solar.com. PSC-solar.com has introduced a solar battery that is able to literally be put into your pocket and taken anywhere you need it. It will provide power for anything from iPods to video cameras and everything in between that you can think of.
The portable solar charger PSC-solar.com takes a mere four hours to get fully powered and is then ready for use. Power up whatever you need and then the natural sunlight will recharge your device for its next job. When tested, it was able to fully charge an iPod for two complete cycles before the portable solar charger PSC-solar.com needed to take another charge.
As consumers look for ways to become more portable, the portable solar charger by PSC-solar.com gives them a very viable option. No longer are you tied down to any specific location because of your electronic devices, at least not as long as you have a portable solar battery.
Portable solar power has been coming to the forefront over the last few years and is now beginning to explode on the market. People are starting to finally realize that one of the greatest sources of natural energy can be 100% free if you have something that allows you to capture it. The portable solar power charger PSC-solar.com is a perfect example of this as after you pay for the device, you no longer have to buy batteries or use electric to charge your device. It will pay for itself in less than a year.
PSC-solar.com has really made an impression with this device and there is finally something that can be considered reliable in regards to portable solar power. While there are similar devices, very few of them offer the charge time or true portability that the portable solar battery charger PSC-solar.com does. This is a must have gadget and one that will probably shake up the portable solar power niche.
How to use a portable solar system
In the warm March, I am fortunate to be invited to attend a large-scale outdoor activities in Australia held in April, when I prepare this outdoor activity gladly and view the web page to consider what portable belonging should be taken with in my journey, incidentally, I found a set of a portable solar charger equipment from website http://www.portable-solar-charger.com, it seems very attractive, and I let myself ordered one from that website, after I received this solar equipment and opened the box, I found that this equipment is consist of many parts, solar panels, exclusive battery, input line, output line, multiple connecting tips, USB multi-purpose battery charger, 4 choice USB Ni-H Battery charger and a user manual.

My first impression of this solar charger equipment is that the design of solar panel is very humanization and comfortable, it is designed with many buttons so that I can carry it with any style I like, either short belt or long belt to suit for my package and taste. By the way, I also listed below advantages to share with you:
Firstly, the cosmetic of solar panel looks very tough, the weight is light with proper size, quite easy to carry, the whole feature without glass or any other fragile crystalline, it is difficult to broken and reliable to be used as a backup charger when we are on business, traveling or field operation.

Secondly, the exclusive battery with high quality finishing, the hand feel is quite well indeed, the black design qualified it as an elegant product and deserve to own one as well.

Thirdly is the multiple connecting tips, the solar charger collocates 6pcs tips to fit for various types of cell phone, NOKIA, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Motorola and others. In fact, if your cell phone connector is same as one of those tips is ok for charge task.

At here, I can give everybody a brief handling instruction for your reference first, maybe you will interest in it.
Instruction 1:
- The solar panel receives the sunlight to make power directly.
- The solar panel charge for the exclusive battery through input line.
- The exclusive battery charge for the cell phone or other portable equipment through output line.

Instruction 2:
- Cell phone and other small digital products can put into the pocket which behind the solar panel for charging.
- The solar panel charge for cell phone or other portable equipment directly through output line.


Instruction 3:
This solar charger equipment collocate the USB multi-purpose battery charger, 4 choice USB Ni-H Battery charger, they can charge for most of the cell phone, digital camera, MP3, MP4, GPS, interphone and outdoor headlamp.
The exclusive battery can charge for the USB multi-purpose battery charger and Ni-H battery charger through output line and it also can be charged by the USB jack of PC.
After I researched a lot from this solar charger equipment, personally, I think this equipment is very suit for outdoor hikers, explorers, climbers, workers, travelers to ensure the communication, emergency power supply and battery maintenance, it can not only easily carry on the back or fix on the package to charge during the travelling process, but also can stand on the ground for elactricize task and it only takes 3-4 hours to full charge a 6600mAh exclusive battery.
From the user manual I learned that the solar panel is prohibit to impacted, bent, squeeze, and scratch. The solar panel surface should keep clean, if any dirt on the solar panel surface will affect the power effect. The exclusive battery should put in the dry and shady place, it is forbidden to disassemble heat up or throw it into the fire. But I think it is very easy to comply, and after own this equipment, I no need to worry when the electric energy exhausted and have no way to contact others when out of doors, because this solar equipment can induct the electric energy of the battery into the cell phone or other communication products to ensure me keep in touch with my friends and relatives any time and anywhere.
This is my own opinion on this equipment, I shared this to everybody to hope you can like it.

