Although naysayers, like fossil-fuel competitors, want us to think otherwise, I can easily demystify some common falsehoods about solar energy because progress and continued research proves that the current and future technologies of PV will meet our needs for cleaner power, which definitely is information worth discussing over any dinner party.

First of all most naysayers contend that solar energy cannot deliver any major portion of electricity to the states or the world for that matter. This is a falsehood based on the fact that PV technology can meet the required demand. That a 100-mile-square area of Nevada could supply solar energy to the states with all its electricity (roughly 800 gigawatts) operating reasonably efficient (10%) commercial PV modules.

Land, parking lots and rooftops are available for use to generate enough power. An estimated 17 by 17 miles per state is the required amount needed to produce 800 gigawatts. Apparently, there are enough “abandoned” sites that could be used for solar panels.

Supporters of solar electricity definitely have proven that PV can supply a major portion of the U.S. electrical needs with their projection of an increase of at least 15% of new added electricity capacity in 2020 with another increase of 10% by 2030.

Another falsehood I hear quite regularly is that photovoltaics will never become a huge industry. It’s a boutique business for a small group of privileged consumers.

Quite the contrary, solar electricity is a full-fledged business that has been growing steadily for more than 35% per year over the past 2 years. As a matter of fact, it’s been reported that the U.S.-based industry itself is reaching the $1 billion mark per year and providing 25,000 jobs. In the next two decades the growth rate is expected to rise to the $10-$15 billion level, thus provided 300,000 jobs by 2025. We are talking a major expansion of solar electricity as a tried and true power source.

Another very common falsehood that I hear at dinner party conversations is the PV is too expensive and will not ever compete against all mighty fossil-fuels – the industry will never manufacture the energy that it takes to produce the system.

Do I have a smirk on my face? Yes. This is so far from the truth, it is ridiculous. The overall cost of producing PV modules has dropped from 1980 at $50 per peak watt to as low as $3 per peak watt, presently, bringing the competitive applications to as low as 15¢-25¢ per kilowatt hour (kWh).

One can simply take a look at the market in California. The state incentives and net metering alone have places, PV electricity prices below 11¢/kWh, which is in the norm with some utility-delivered power. Designed for most domestic markets the trend is projected to continue through 2010 for most domestic markets.

Technologically the thin-film modules that are being implemented today payback in one year or even less, which means clean and practically free of overhead energy for the remaining 29-year life expectancy of the modules.

Not only gas prices are soaring nowadays; electricity bills are, too. In some countries, a lot of people have started utilizing electricity sources that bring about more savings. The most common are the so called solar panels, which are able to make use of solar power to produce electricity. Electricity that comes out of solar panels is more popularly known as residential solar energy that can help you save on electricity bills. How the said type of energy is produced is something that needs to be answered.

Panels that bring about solar power actually work in a simple manner: their job is to ensure that the sun’s light is transformed into usable energy that will give their users the electricity they need. This is done through silicon atoms that bond with each other in order to facilitate electron-sharing and therefore help in giving off electricity.

Part of the process of producing electricity through panels that produce solar power is combining silicon atoms with the photons that are produced by the sunlight. Once silicon atoms, their electrons, and the photons are mixed together, electricity is generated. Take note however that for a big amount of electricity to be produced, a lot of solar energy is also needed, which equates to the fact that more solar cells are also needed.

Some people may think that solar power producing panels may be hard to obtain, let alone placed in their homes. The truth, however, is that there are now various manufacturers that offer solar panel kits that come with easy installation and are definitely easy to use. The said kits also come with tools, better known as inverters that enable the production of power for home use.

If you have the desire to purchase solar panel kits, keep in mind that to get maximum benefits and to ensure that the output works properly, have those kits installed by the experts. Though it may be true that those kits are extremely easy to install, there are still some factors that may affect the performance of your finished product such as the roof angle of your residence, the directions the solar panel’s trackers face, and many more.

Finding out everything about how solar energy may be produced and how solar panels may be utilized are usually some ways of motivating people to consider the use of solar power in their homes, offices, shops, etc. Electricity produced from panels that emit usable energy may also be used in street lights, lighthouses, and even in traffic signs. Through the use of solar power, the process of energy conservation is practiced. Take note too that the electricity a user gets from solar panels may be described as reliable and very simple to maintain.

In our world that is bombarded with the rising prices of utilities, specifically high electricity bills, the only way to save a significant amount of money is to look for other sources of energy. Residential solar energy has a lot of benefits that we can enjoy for as long as we learn the right ways to obtain it.

Solar energy is for everyone simply because the sun shines in every corner of the planet. In fact, the history of solar energy can be traced back to the Greeks that were then passed on to the Romans which marked the first people to ever use the passive solar design.

Passive solar design is a way to warm the home based on the dwelling’s design. They may not have had glass windows back then but their architecture made it possible for the people to use the sun’s rays to light and heat indoor spaces. As a result, there was no need to burn food that often which was in short supply.

In 1861, Auguste Mouchout invented the first active solar motor. Unfortunately, its expensive price made it impossible to produce commercially. Less than 20 years later, Charles Fritts invented solar cells which will later on be used to power homes, heaters, satellites and other devices today.

Since what he invented was very primitive, other people experimented on solar energy. One such person was Albert Einstein who won the Nobel Prize for physics in his research on the photoelectric effect which is a phenomenon associated with the generation of electricity through solar cells.

In 1953, Bell Laboratories  which we know today as AT&T labs developed the first silicon solar cell capable of generating a measurable electric current. Three years later, solar cells ran $300 per watt. With the Cold War and the Space Race on, this was used to power satellites and crafts.

But the biggest event in the development of sola energy occurred during the oil crisis of 1973. This prompted the US government to invest heavily in the solar electric cell that was developed by Bell Laboratories 20 years ago. 

By the 1990’s, research towards solar energy came to a standstill as the price of oil dropped in the world market. Funds were diverted elsewhere and the United States which was probably the leader in this form of alternative energy was soon surpassed by other nations mainly Germany and Japan.

In 2002 for example, Japan had installed 25,000 solar panels on rooftops. Because of that, the price of solar panels went down as the demand for it was on the rise. To date, solar energy is growing at a modest 30% per year.

Although there have been improvements in solar energy, its fundamentals are still the same. The sun’s rays are collected and then converted into electricity. Aside from powering homes or office buildings, the technology has been used to power aircraft, cars and boats.

Unfortunately, none of these have been made available yet for public use. We still rely heavily on oil for electricity, gasoline for our cars, fuel for planes and ships.

In fact, the US is one of the biggest oil users in the world. To prove a point, the department of Defense consumes 395,000 barrels per day because of the wars being fought right now in Afghanistan and Iraq which is almost the fuel consumption of an entire country like Greece. 

This has to change because our oil reserves are almost depleted and many experts believe that global supply for these non-renewable resources will be gone before the end of the century. We have to do our share to push for renewable energy and one of them happens to be solar energy.

It is estimated that our natural resources will be completely depleted within the next 150 years. It is because of this that we as a society need to be actively searching for sources of alternative energy.

Alternative energy, whether it is used to replace fuels such as coal, or to reduce our reliance on petroleum based fuels; alternative energy is one of the most important issues facing society today.

The two most common types of alternative energy are:

* Wind power

* Solar power

Both of these alternative energy sources are harnessed from natural resources, and as such are completely free. Only the equipment and technology cost money, and over time as we advance the costs should be reduced.

It is these free sources of alternative energy that we should be pursuing with the most fervency, so that, eventually, energy can be available to all regardless of income. Below we will take a look at these two most common sources of alternative energy.

Wind Power

Wind power, while a free source of alternative energy, would be the most costly type of renewable energy to power our nation. This is largely in part to the fact that we must first place wind turbines across the country, in enough numbers to provide electricity to communities nationwide, even in areas where the wind velocity is not as strong. The cost of building enough of these turbines to harness the wind’s alternative energy would be staggering.

Also these wind turbines are very unsightly and would ruin very beautiful and scenic parts of the country. It should also be noted that they only produce power 1/8 of the time that they are running. That is not very efficient, but we are on the right track, things just need improvement.

Another problem I see with wind turbines is the amount of profit many companies stand to make for putting them in. Individuals are making millions off of this and that is just not right when our well-being is at stake.

However, if you’re interested in using wind power as your own source of alternative energy, it is a viable option. Many farms and rural communities use these wind turbines to power themselves. In smaller numbers, the cost of building the turbines pays for itself relatively quickly. But wind energy is only one form of alternative energy. Next, we will look at using solar power as an alternative power source.

Solar Power

Solar power is alternative energy derived from the power of the sun. Solar energy is also completely free, except for the cost of installing the equipment necessary to convert the sun’s rays into usable electricity. This equipment is becoming less and less expensive every day. Solar power generally ends up paying for itself within the first few years.

The equipment needed to use solar power as an alternative energy source for your home can be bought at virtually any home improvement store, and can usually be installed in just a few hours. If you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself, there are a great number of contractors available who can install your solar panels and generators for you.

Regardless of which type of alternative energy you choose to use in your own home, the fact remains that we must find a renewable source of energy soon, or be at risk of losing the few natural resources we have left to burn. Contact your Congressman today, and ask what is being done to find a good source of alternative energy; and what you can do to help.

Solar energy has many advantages over conventional power energy. That energy is free and the only expense is from recovering it. The cost of recovering the suns energy is of a very small portion and recovered faster compared with conventional energy. The recovering units are not connected to natural gas or power grids, they stand alone with no fees. The supply of solar energy is limitless. It has no emission gases to harm the earth’s atmosphere, it is earth friendly.

Focusing collectors have a movable mirror, called heliostats, is pointed to the sun and can provide incredible heat, a temperature around 4000 degrees C. This degree temperature is used for a solar furnace in industries and research. These solar furnaces are healthy for the environment. The heliostats are focusing the energy to a boiler that turns water into steam. To produce solar electricity, focusing collectors are used.

These collectors are often used in schools and homes to provide heat using water that is heated in pipes. They cannot provide as much heat as the focusing collectors because of their smaller size. Focusing collectors and Photovoltaic cells, are build with thin pieces of semiconductors, they convert radiation from the sun into electricity. The pros and cons of solar energy are often debated, but the debate always seems to favor solar energy over the conventional method. Solar energy has no restriction on supply and demand like fuel, it is free and it doesn’t pollute the air. It is natural and pure and conducive to greater health.

We can work together in many ways in order to get the best of natural and renewable resources. Using solar energy is not only safe, free and helpful but it is inspiring to others. The expenses to put a solar system together are less than the cost of using other resources for heat, including electricity and gas. By using electricity and gas you may have a low cost at the beginning but in the end you will end up paying all the time for years to come. With solar power you may have a small initial investment to pay to convert your home into solar energy but after that you will have no huge electric bills in your mailbox. You may choose to combine the use of electric or gas for a back up heating source from local companies. Solar power has been available for a long time; it is available today and will be available for us for many years to come.

Renewable energy is not a new concept. While it may appear to be a rather fashionable topic of conversation in certain circles, renewable energy initiatives have been with us since the dawn of man. There is some debate about the accepted definition of renewable energy, but it can be loosely defined as a form of energy that is essentially inexhaustible. Furthermore, the resource is continually replenished by various natural processes identifiable in the natural world.

One key distinction to make when discussing the concept of renewable energy is that of sustainability. One could make the argument that, in the long term, fossil fuels are a renewable energy resource. While the logic stands on its own, this is a failed notion. The central difference between fossil fuels and other forms of renewable energy is that fossil fuels are being depleted at a rate faster than they can be replenished. For this reason, fossil fuels cannot be considered truly renewable. They are simply not sustainable, due to the accelerated rate of consumption.

Some of the more popular renewable energy resources include sunshine, water, and wind. Solar energy refers to the energy that is collected from sunlight. This form of energy is captured using a photovoltaic array, more commonly known as a solar panel. The solar radiation is captured by the photovoltaic array and converted to direct current (DC) electricity. From there, the direct current electricity must be converted to alternating current (AC) for use in most applications. The converted electricity is then stored in a battery for use at a later date.

There are also various forms of energy that exist in water. One of the most commonly acknowledged is that of hydroelectric energy, but there are a number of others including tidal power and ocean thermal energy conversion. Hydroelectric energy generally employs the use of a dam, wherein the energy of the water flow is captured and used to power a turbine. The turbine then generates a supplementary form of electricity. Tidal power attempts to make use of the natural energy potential of tidal activity in the oceans and seas. In simple terms, the high tide is captured and fed through a turbine to generate electricity. Ocean thermal energy conversion attempts to exploit the variances in water temperature, from the warmer surface water to the cooler deep water, resulting in a cyclic heat engine.

Wind power is one of the oldest accepted forms of renewable energy. It has been used for centuries as a source of power, dating back to the creation of the sailboat. The innate potential of wind power was realized a number of years later in the form of a wind mill. In this instance, the kinetic energy of wind is used to drive a turbine which, in turn, generates electricity. Wind energy possesses immense potential for sustainable energy generation, and a number of large-scale development projects are currently underway throughout the world.

One of the greatest challenges facing humanity is to discover a way to reduce our reliance on unsustainable resources, like fossil fuels. Most, if not all, modern industrial societies rely far too greatly on fossil fuels and increasingly, this is becoming an undeniable reality. Wars of conquest are being waged to secure what is left of the world’s oil reserves. If only the resources of the powerful nations were channeled into developing sustainable energy alternatives, as opposed to driving a war machine bent on dominating the oil markets. Our modern way of life is going to undergo some difficult times in the very near future, if this reality continues to be ignored. Ask yourself what you can do to make a difference. You might be surprised at what you can accomplish.

If you’re concerned about your mother earth and the atmosphere in which you are living then it is the right time to act. It is necessary to act if we are well-determined to give a clean and idyllic planet to out future generation. It is only possible with the joint efforts of all the human beings existing on this earth.

A study estimates that mankind will face an excessive shortage of energy resources in the upcoming period of time. It is basically because the present sources of energy are limited (non-renewable) and will unable to meet the requirements of the population pressure of the future.

The limited sources of energy normally include the supply of natural gas, coal, petroleum, etc. to meet the needs of industries, various sectors and the common man. It will now take millions of years to attain the same stage where one can avail the same quantity of renewable sources which people were using to meet all kinds of needs some decades ago. In addition to this, an excessive use of the burning fuel is also promoting the threat of global warming in the entire planet.  

What can be a sensible solution to the problem when in the upcoming decades we will lose all the major but limited sources of energy after doing immense amount of damage to the atmosphere in which we and all the other species survive?

We can get a better answer to this question with the help of renewable sources of energy. It is a matter of debate since past whether the non-conventional sources of energy are proficient enough to meet the ever increasing demand of energy throughout the world.

It is a fact that most of the people including a great margin of researchers and scholars not only believe but guarantee that non conventional sources including wind, solar, tidal and geothermal energy can be more competent to the rising needs of the mankind in contrast to the traditional conventional sources of  energy. One better source of renewable energy is solar wind.

Like all the other renewable sources the best part of going for the renewable energy solar wind is that you can avail one more means by which it is possible to generate good amount of energy without polluting the atmosphere of earth. Like other renewable sources of energy you can avail all kinds of information about renewable energy solar wind with the help of internet. There are some of the good sites available on the internet which can provide necessary services on renewable energy solar wind for free! One such site is Enerlix, formerly known as Energyportal24.

Enerlix can be advantageous to you in many ways. It is counted among the superb market places for the environmental technologies. Enerlix is a site which is highly supportive to the user. With the help of navigation bar available on the site one can get in touch with all kinds of information including news, press releases, and events on all the topics including renewable energy solar wind technology. You can gain good information as well as submit your own opinion in the form of content for free. You can avail free online tools, articles, and publishing events after registering with Enerlix.  

The United States Department of Energy has devoted itself to the cause of renewable energy promotion with its creation of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden Colorado.

This renewable energy program facility offers programs in a wide variety of renewable power topics which span the various green energy resources such as wind, water, sun, biomass and even nuclear. NREL also conducts ongoing research and development in the areas of energy efficiency and renewable power. Each area of research is further enhanced by functions that cut across the various programs and reach out to industries for partnerships. These collaborations on renewable energy could include the transfer of technology, energy analysis and the integration of the various programs of each collaborator.

The 12 program areas of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory are wind and hydropower technology intergovernmental projects on weatherization the technology of solar energy industrial power efficient technology the technology of fuel cells, hydrogen and building infrastructures geothermal technology the technology of vehicles and the Freedom Car energy management by the U.S. federal government energy-efficient building systems biomass and analytic studies. Each of these NREL programs is conducted by technology management experts whose capabilities and expertise span the programs wide renewable power technology range.

The Analytic Studies Program at NREL studies a wide variety of renewable energy analysis to support the programs and initiatives in place at the Lab. It also works with the Department of Educations Office for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy EERE as well as the energy analysis community at large. The labs Office of Energy Analysis integrates this analysis and supports its functions and the functions of the various research programs and centres of technology throughout the NREL.

Those who study renewable power analysis do so in five major interest areas. They look at the technologies involved in renewable energy, the benefits of the initiatives, and the markets for renewable energy, the policies that affect its implementation and embracement, and the analysis of the various programs. Many research programs are covered that include assessments of life cycles, vehicular systems, Web-based applications to assess renewable power possibilities and programs. The aim of this analysis is to understand how technology, policy, markets and the various software applications can interactive to the success of expansive and continuing renewable energy programs.

The study of biomass is an important ingredient in the renewable power implementation. Biomass offers a terrific opportunity to make use of sustainable as well as domestic resources for the production of power and fuel and the meeting of chemical needs through plants and t he material derived from them. Biomass starts with grasses, trees, biological material and agriculture. These can be used as renewable energy, either solid or through conversion to liquid or gas. These can produce electricity, chemicals, fuel or heat.

An important part of this NREL program is the development of energy-efficient and cost effective biomass technology that will reduce the U.S. dependence on oil from foreign countries, while it grows rural economies in our own country and improves the quality of our air.

Perhaps one of the most effective ways through which young people can learn about alternative energies would be to use PicoTurbine kits, books or even projects. This company, called PicoTurbine, is the main promoter of alternative energies, a company that has created awareness throughout the whole world of the numerous benefits of the large scale usage of such energies. The environment needs to be protected and alternative energies definitely take into account this aspect. Therefore, if humanity wants to benefit from the environment in the future, then active steps of protection need to be enforced.

PicoTurbine devices work on several concepts; for instance, they actively incorporate the knowledge on alternative energies and make sure people are remembered once in a while, of this approach. The company receives a lot of feedback from customers, thus modifying its solutions to traditional energies in a way young people seem to find fit. Therefore, young people get to put their hands directly on real life situation and be able to make a change. A suggestion the company has received was to conduct experiments on wind energy production, by using the common known picture wire necessary for the heating elements. PicoTurbines has also noted that when people think about wind energy, they generally conjure up the image of cold energy and therefore, are surprised to see in reality the benefits of this technology. A suggestion for the projects was to give the opportunity to young people to engage into group based projects and thus, conduct their own discoveries and pose their own questions to lead them to the creation of their own, virtual energy plant, capable of producing real time energy. The groups will then be able to see whether the experiments were efficient and which one of them was able to produce the biggest amount of electricity or the smallest amount of electricity. They could be then able to modify the projects once again and come up with revised versions of what they are working on.

PicoTurbine has even been implemented in school curricula; teachers are now starting to instill in the senses for their pupils the appreciation for the environment and the awareness for alternative energies. Children are being taught that alternative means solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric or biomass energies that can produce considerable quantities of electricity under given conditions .when combining alternative energies we are decreasing the dependence that countries have our traditional energy derived from fossil fuel. Foreign oil supplies are getting more expensive by the day, therefore it would be much less costly to produce the nation’s own importer and if possible, then become the importer of energy. Judging from long terms effects, alternative energies are certainly less expensive that fossil fuel energies.

The company has also encouraged the sales of wind farms as well as solar arrays; these products are penetrating the market at growing rates and they are already becoming best sellers. To give you one example of how time has helped reduce the total cost for certain things, tale photo voltaic cells. Twenty years ago, they were evaluated at one thousand dollars per cell; now, each one of those cells costs only four dollars. Therefore, economists and specialists in alternative energies have denoted that it is possible to have the kilowatt being sold at one dollar, in 2015. thus, one needs to imagine the extraordinary impact that alternative energies would have on the entire world. Fossil fuels are starting to use their popularity, mainly because they damage to a large extent the environment and the air we are breathing. Thus, many cases of asthma attacks and pneumonias have been reported recently and the risks of developing allergies is extremely elevated. Such long term effects can even lead to cancer, therefore, it is advisable to switch to the alternative because this would mean no pollution, more protection to the environment and less money spent on energy costs.

Solar energy consists of the light and heat emitted by the sun, in the form of electromagnetic radiation.

With today’s technology, we are able to capture this radiation and turn it into usable forms of solar energy – such as heating or electricity.

Although one could go into technical dissertations on the subject of electromagnetic radiation, how it is converted into solar energy, and the exact qualities of its electromagnetic rays, this is not something the average person needs or wants to know.

But in order to be able to benefit from the use of solar energy, there are a few facts you should know. Knowing these facts can assist you to make sound decisions, when looking at the use of solar power as a clean energy source for your home, RV, or whatever the case may be.

Environmental Facts about Solar Energy 

All life on earth is dependent upon solar energy. In fact, without solar energy, there would be no life at all. Even the lowest life forms, such as plankton and microbes, need solar energy (in the form of sunlight) in order to survive.

Solar energy is completely environmental friendly, producing absolutely no carbon emissions or other harmful byproducts whatsoever.

Solar energy can be used successfully and cost-effectively just about anywhere on the planet. You do not need to live in a tropical or desert climate in order to benefit from the use of solar energy. Solar power has been used successfully in many cold climates and even in the polar regions.

Every area of the United States of America receives enough sunlight to benefit from and make use of solar energy and solar technology.

Currently, the cheapest and most effective way of using solar energy in your home is through the use of solar water heating systems. In fact, solar water heating systems have been commercially available in the United States for over a 100 years.

Solar energy can be used for heating homes effectively in cold climates, as well as in warm climates. In fact, for decades now, solar heating has been in use several cold-climate northern European countries.

Solar energy technology has advanced to the point where it can be now be a viable and cost-effective replacement for regular grid-electricity.

Solar energy is rapidly increasing in popularity – so much so that the demand for solar-powered gadgets is currently greater than the supply.

Facts about Solar Energy Usage

Solar energy can be used to provide electricity, heating and hot water for homes.

Solar energy can also be used to heat swimming pools. Many pools in Scandinavia and Europe are in fact heated with solar energy.

Solar Energy can be used to power vehicles, such as solar powered cars, and even a solar powered airplanes. NASA has successfully designed, built, and tested an airplane which is powered wholly by solar energy.

A few examples are: solar battery chargers, solar flashlights, solar calculators, solar radios, solar-powered attic fans, solar power backpacks (to recharge batteries for small devices), hybrid solar chargers (for cell phones, satellite phones, and more), solar-powered garden lights … and much, much more.