photovoltaics payback

Posted February 28, 2006 By admin and has no comments yet.

Have you ever calculated how much money you spend on heating and maintaining your pool every summer? If you haven’t, you really should. According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), the average homeowner spends upwards of $2,000 every year on pool heating and upkeep, making it one of the most expensive “appliances” in your home.

First, and most importantly, get a pool cover. While these may seem like a real pain, you’d be amazed at how effective they can be. Shockingly, even if you cover your pool for only half of the summer, you could cut your heating energy consumption by 50 percent! Any conventional pool cover will do the trick, but the best option around is a solar pool cover. These have pockets of air in them which insulate and pass the sun’s heat onto your pool water, further reducing heating costs.

Once you’ve got a cover, think about how you’re heating and pumping your pool water. A solar thermal water heater for your pool is probably one of the best solar investments around. In fact, the amount of money you save on heating your pool water in one year can almost pay for the solar water heating system—in one season! So the payback period on a solar water heater is very short.

A solar water heater comes with many parts, all of which absorb the sun’s energy as heat and pass it along to the water that’s circulated through the system. It usually includes tubing or piping made of dark rubber or copper, which is snaked through an insulated box and often covered with glass. You can install your solar water heater on your roof or anywhere on your property.

You can further reduce your pools operating expenses by choosing solar power to run your water pump. These little systems include a solar photovoltaic panel which collects solar energy and converts it to electricity, which is then used to run the pump.

Together, these three solar products for your pool—a solar pool cover, solar thermal water heater, and solar pool pump—could totally eliminate the regular energy costs for maintaining your pool, making your summer swim completely sustainable! Jump in, the water’s warm.

While we may not think of our pools when searching for ways to increase our green living habits, there are some big-impact things you can do to reduce the energy you consume to keep your pool warm and comfortable all summer long.

About the Author:

Want more information on green living tips and tricks? Sign up for the OrganicAuthority.com newsletter and get your free report How to Shop for Organic Foods on a Budget, brought to you by Laura Klein Green Living Expert.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Save thousands and reduce your carbon footprint with solar pool heating

Energy Payback Time for Photovoltaic Modules

Embodied energy analysis of photovoltaic (PV) system based on macro- and micro-level [An article from: Energy Policy] Embodied energy analysis of photovoltaic (PV) system based on macro- and micro-level [An article from: Energy Policy]
$10.95
This digital document is a journal article from Energy Policy, published by Elsevier in 2006. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.Description: In this paper the energy payback time and CO"2 emissions of photovoltaic (PV) system have been analyzed. The embodied energy for productio...



Categories: solarpower
Tags: , , , ,

photovoltaic vs solar thermal

Posted February 26, 2006 By admin and has no comments yet.

There are many reasons that make solar energy desirable in our generation nowadays. In most states and countries in the world, new homes are having solar panels pre-installed before you buy it. But how does solar energy work? This is a question that has been asked by a lot of interested buyers. It is quite simple really. This article explains how it works:

1) Reaction with sun rays

This is the process whereby the solar panel collects the power it is going to use. With the help of the sun, solar panels store the energy that can be used to power our favorite appliances. When the rays react with the panels, it transfers energy to them. This energy can then be transferred to all appliances we have around our home. The only drawback to this is that the solar panels may not be able to store energy on a rainy or cloudy day.

2) Photovoltaic cells

By definition, photovoltaic cells convert light into energy at the atomic level. A photovoltaic cell, also known as a solar cell, is able to capture the energy transfer and store it. This energy can then be used as electricity to power various appliances. While it used to be rather expensive to produce, widespread demand and usage of photovoltaic cells have lead to technological advances that has decreased cost tremendously. It is now widely available at affordable prices.

3) Solar thermal

Solar thermal collectors are used to transform solar energy into thermal energy, also known as heat. Other usage of such collectors can be to heat up swimming pools, create hot water for residential and commercial usage, or even electric power production. Using mirrors and lenses, heat is focused onto a single focal point, which collects the energy and transforms it into electricity. When solar thermal energy is harvested correctly through solar panels, it can power an entire home for seven hours. It is clear to see how much power, and therefore money, can be saved by using this technology.

Now that you have gotten your answer to how does solar energy work, you need to research more about the different types of solar energy systems. There are many more ways to how solar energy is powering the things that you use every day. Solar energy is the way of the future. In many homes today, people are already using solar energy and they have proven that their bills have been slashed dramatically, while doing their bit to conserve the environment.

You too can start using renewable energy and slash your electrical bills dramatically. To learn how does solar energy work, visit NaturalFreeEnergy.com today and learn how you can save money, and save the earth too!

Solar and Wind Power – Renewable Energy Systems




Categories: solarpower
Tags: , , ,

photovoltaic applications

By admin and has no comments yet.

photovoltaic applications

Electrical power while at anchor is almost a must for most sailors or powerboaters especially if you cruise with family. Power is needed when the Admiral needs to use the blow dryer after taking a hot shower, when hot water is required to do the dishes, or even if you just need to keep the refrigerator cold. A marine solar panel system can quietly and efficiently generate this power for you.

Obviously there are other ways to generate energy: running the engine(s) or running an onboard or portable generator. Both of these methods obviously require expending energy in order to make energy. This is done in the form of burning fossil fuels. What if you were able to get the energy for free and then convert that free energy into usable AC/DC power? With a marine solar panel system you can and as an added bonus, if you have even the slightest bit of mechanical aptitude, you can design and build the system yourself.

Now don’t get me wrong there are a variety of pre-packaged marine solar panel kits currently on the market and the choices seem to be growing every day. Take a look at your local chandlery or even search on-line; you will find an abundance of kits available priced anywhere from $700 on up dependent upon the size of the panels. However, with a couple of free weekends and some of that mechanical skill mentioned previously, you can design, build, and install your own solar system for just a couple of hundred bucks. Keep in mind that even if you were to buy an “off-the-shelf” system, there will more than likely be modifications required in order to make it usable for your boat.

The start of any DIY project would be to determine what is required to complete the task. In this case extra precaution would need to be taken because your completed solar panel system must be suitable for harsh marine environments.

First you need to determine the total wattage needed to suit your cruising style. Add together all the power consumption (in amps) that you would need while at anchor then divide the total amps by 2. This will give you the wattage needed.

Also to consider is the type of panels to incorporate into your design. For example, monocrystalline photovoltaic cells are highly efficient electrical generators that take up minimal space but lose efficiency in low light or indirect sun conditions. Polycrystalline cells uses even less area but still loses some efficiency in low light conditions. The other option would be to use amorphous PV panels which have lower overall efficiency while using more area however, they do not lose efficiency in low light conditions.

I don’t know about you but where I boat in the Pacific NW, our cruising months are generally from April through August and we usually don’t have to worry about cloudy weather during that period however your mileage may vary dependent upon your geographic region.

Regardless of which direction you decide to take, please keep in mind that there should be at least a general understanding of how power is generated using a marine solar panel system. My advice is to do the research and plan your project carefully to avoid any miscues. Once you have completed the project and stand back to admire your work, know not only that feeling of self-accomplishment but also know that you are not only saving money (to buy more fuel or beverages) but you are also being a better steward of our environment.

I am an avid boater in the Pacific NW and am constantly seeking ways to improve my experience while out cruising with family. If like me you have an enthusiasm for DIY projects and wanting to be environmentally conscious, building a marine solar panel system meets these goals. For more information on how you can build your own system even if you are a complete DIY novice, take a look at http://www.altenergysolutions.info. Safe and happy boating to you!

The future of electronic materials in photovoltaic applications – SpecialChem Learning on Demand

Tripp Lite PV150 PV 150W 12V DC to AC Portable Inverter with DC Auto Power Outlet Tripp Lite PV150 PV 150W 12V DC to AC Portable Inverter with DC Auto Power Outlet
$26.00
12V DC - 120V AC - Continuous Power:150W...
Tripp Lite PV375 PV 375W 12V DC to AC Portable Inverter with DC Auto Power Outlet Tripp Lite PV375 PV 375W 12V DC to AC Portable Inverter with DC Auto Power Outlet
$40.97
12V DC - 120V AC - Continuous Power:375W...
Tripp Lite PV3000HF PV 3000W 12V DC to AC Permanent Mount Inverter Tripp Lite PV3000HF PV 3000W 12V DC to AC Permanent Mount Inverter
$389.95
Everlasting topiary is a fanciful tribute to easters classic symbol; looks lush and lovely year after year. Adds classic elegance to your easter decor! weight 0.8 lb. Polyresin. 4 x 4 x 10 high.......
Practical Photovoltaics: Electricity from Solar Cells Practical Photovoltaics: Electricity from Solar Cells
$9.16
Practical Photovoltaics, the now-classic reference on solar electricity, offers a unique combination of technical discussion and practical advice. Physicist, lecturer, and solar-home dweller Richard Komp explains the "how" and the "how-to" of PV, while providing valuable information on the industry, new developments, and the future. The book is a comprehensive guide to the theory and reality of so...
Thin Film Solar Cells: Fabrication, Characterization and Applications (Wiley Series in Materials for Electronic & Optoelectronic Applications) Thin Film Solar Cells: Fabrication, Characterization and Applications (Wiley Series in Materials for Electronic & Optoelectronic Applications)
$164.58
Thin-film solar cells are either emerging or about to emerge from the research laboratory to become commercially available devices finding practical various applications. Currently no textbook outlining the basic theoretical background, methods of fabrication and applications currently exist. Thus, this book aims to present for the first time an in-depth overview of this topic covering a broad ran...
Supramolecular Soft Matter: Applications in Materials and Organic Electronics Supramolecular Soft Matter: Applications in Materials and Organic Electronics
$52.70
The pivotal text that bridges the gap between fundamentals and applications of soft matter in organic electronicsCovering an expanding and highly coveted subject area, Supramolecular Soft Matter enlists the services of leading researchers to help readers understand and manipulate the electronic properties of supramolecular soft materials for use in organic opto-electronic devices, such as photovol...

Electricity from Sunlight (Hardcover) Electricity from Sunlight (Hardcover)
$59.44
A lively and authoritative account of today`s photovoltaic (PV) technology and its practical applications.This book covers areas including:a brief history of PV and the current international scene;the scientific principles of so...


Categories: solarpower
Tags: , , , ,