In California Southern California with its more than 20 million residents has the greatest demand for power in the United States. The scarcity of water resources coupled with abundant sunshine and huge amount of available land make Southern California the ideal place to generate solar power.

Solar Power is green energy that helps to reduce greenhouse gas emission thereby lessening the carbon footprint; both President Barack Obama and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger advocate the generation and usage of solar power.

Presently there are 11 large solar thermal farms that are going through the nitty-gritty to get the permits from the California Energy Commission. There is a mad rush to get the approval for these industrial sized projects since Federal stimulus funds, which could amount up to 30% of the projects’ costs, is going to expire by the end of 2010 and this contribution is going to be available only if the projects start by the end of the year.

If all these projects get materialized, the federal contribution towards the costs is going to be nearly ten billion dollars. It is a difficult proposition to balance energy needs and economic benefits without compromising on environmental concerns and therefore, this deadline has created the importance of coordination between different interest groups having billions of dollars riding on these projects.

Some environmentalists want to ensure that these projects take care of all these areas without flouting environmental laws; however, some are of the opinion that a minor amount of habitat destruction is worth the substantial economic and energy gains from these projects. 10 of these 11 proposed solar farms are going to be based in desert areas with one of these in the southern San Joaquin Valley and one of these 11 proposed farms is going to be located around 4.5 miles southwest of Primm Valley, Nevada on the Ivanpah dry lakebed; this is why this project is going to be called the “Ivanpah” farm.

The project would require hundreds of construction workers in the short term and 50 employees in the long term for its operation; therefore, it is going to have enormous economic impact on the Primm area. Once operational, the Ivanpah solar farm is going to generate green energy sufficient to cater to the electricity demands of more than half a million California homes and is also going to provide a big boost to the California utility companies since, under the federal mandate, by the year 2020 these companies would be required to consume 33% of their energy demand from renewable resources.

To comply with the environmental laws that required lessening of damage to desert tortoise and other rare plant habitats, the Ivanpah solar project has been restricted to 3,500 acres, which is a reduction of 12% from the original size. The tight timeline has made the project developers skeptical as to whether the deadline for the federal stimulus is going to be extended or not. Regarding this the California Senator, Dianne Feinstein has proposed legislation; however, since there is no guarantee of an extension, these solar farm projects are trying level best to get approval by the year end.

In a year, the California Energy Commission approves about 7 major energy projects in the state, which typically include natural gas or other energy sources. These projects are creating unprecedented demands on the energy commission, which is stretched to the limit, not only due to the tight deadline for the federal stimulus funds, but also for the employment opportunities that these can bring, once underway.

There are several debates about the two sources of energy, the renewable and the nonrenewable. We produce and use energy from these two sources for various purposes. Energy plays a crucial role in our daily life and we cannot imagine a situation that we go without electricity.

Almost all our utility equipment inevitably need electricity for their functions. However it is appropriate to evaluate the relative advantages and disadvantages of the two forms of energy. The assessment here starts with Nonrenewable energy:

Nonrenewable energy is derived from the earth. It can neither be repeatedly used nor replaced in short period of time. The coal, oil, natural gas, all belonging to the fossil fuels, constitutes this category.

The present technology makes it too easy to mine the coal and oil from the earth-bed to utilize as energy sources. This process is relatively cheap, affordable and widely available. But the main disadvantage of this form of energy that it is irreplaceable and would exhaust from the earth, by prolonged exploitation. This is because the fossil fuel energy is developed from the decayed bodies of animals and plants remaining buried as deposits for millions of years in the earth- bed.

These are transformed into combustible materials that come out as fuels. By constant exploitation at the present level, these deposits may not last long, for the use of the generations. Nonrenewable energy also contributes adversely to the nature, by way of pollution of the environment resulting from carbon emission. The mining and oil production paves for atmospheric pollution and causes climate change.

Besides destroying the eco-system, oil production leads to pollution of our water beds like lakes, streams and wells and destroy the animals and plants in large scale.

So how about renewable energy? The powe produced from renewable sources is termed as renewable energy. The sources like solar power, windmill power, tidal power, hydro power, bio fuel and biomass are the best examples for this type of energy.

Renewable energy does not cause atmospheric pollution in any manner. It is renewable and efficient and can be produced with locally developed systems. A disadvantage with this energy is that it cannot be economically exploited, stored and reused according to the requirement.

The cost of production will also be exorbitant than the other types of energy, in the present day scenario. It is wrong to believe that the sources of renewable energy always produce clean energy. For example, the wood is a renewable source of energy but when wood is burned in a furnace, the carbons that emit from combustion pollutes the nature.

It similarly happens so, when bio- mass is burned to produce energy. From a comparative analysis, it can be found that the sources of nonrenewable energy are going into extinction by vigorous and irrational exploitation, to meet a major portion of our increasing energy needs.

Hence in the coming years new forms of energy are to be developed that would not pollute the environment. The costs are one of the forbidding factors for exploring the renewable energy at the required level. But the energy generated from solar power will be clean, renewable and possible without exorbitant cost.

A renewable energy source is energy available from natural resources such as sunlight, wind and tides, which are renewable or naturally replenished. As distinct from fossil fuels, which take millions of years to develop, sunlight, wind, rain and water are natural resources available in abundance.

Many people consider the use of solar energy, the widely known clean energy is of recent origin. However, the solar panels were utilized to generate electricity in the 1920s to heat water instead of using costly conventional electrical heating systems.

Renewable Energy from Past to Present

When fossil-fuels were discovered, the use of solar energy was discontinued giving way to the more affordable and dependable fossil-fuels at that time. However, these petroleum products had an adverse effect on the environment causing pollution due to emission of harmful gases and added to that their levels also started depleting.

These factors contributed to the resurrection of renewable energy resources. Currently, solar power plants, wind farms and solar thermal plants are extensively utilized to provide energy to the whole towns and cities. The population using alternative sources of energy has cropped up all over the world with Canada taking the lead as the first country to take pride in having an entire community utilizing only solar power.

Apart from this, the technology is rapidly changing and with that the term, ‘renewable energy’ is being redefined.

The Future of Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is generated when natural resources such as wind, water and sunlight are harnessed though propulsion. However, the movements of humans are also being regarded as clean energy resources. For example, New Energy Technologies is at present carrying out tests to generate kinetic energy from ‘speed bumps’.

The ‘bumps’ are in fact a reverse of the classic ‘motion inhibitors’. These flat panels dip a little into the ground when a car passes over it. The difference in height between the road and the dropped panel causes the bumps.

Under the panel, 2000 watts of instantaneous energy is generated for every car that passes over the speed bump. With 1000 cars passing over the speed bump every day, 2,000,000 watts or 2,000 kilowatts of electric power is generated every day.

During the course of a month, this figure touches 60,000 kilowatts. This is sufficient electric power to cater to 60 homes on an average for the whole month.

This method of generating kinetic energy is not restricted to speed bumps alone. Israel is testing the roadways that generate small amounts of electricity as cars pass over the specific roadway surface. The amount of energy generated is only 400 kilowatts per kilometer (0.6 mile). Although this does not appear to be a significant amount of energy, if the whole of the interstate system of the US were to be utilized to generate kinetic energy, the 75,000 km stretch of the roadways generate 30,000,000 kilowatt of energy.

This undoubtedly is another unique definition of renewable energy. The new concept of treating kinetic energy as a renewable energy is gaining ground all over the world, with Tokyo is installing flooring that harvests power from the visitors who visit subways daily.

Dance clubs are making use of the energy generated from the movements on the floor to produce electricity. Even asphalt is being regarded as the major material for garnering thermal energy in desert climates when roadways can reach very scorching temperatures. There are plenty of sources for supplying new and unique renewable energy solutions to assist us in the transitional phase to shift to more long-lasting and environmentally friendly energy sources.

Even at present, there are numerous new technologies that can facilitate heating the houses, recharge our batteries and illuminate the entire backyard using ‘green’ energy sources.

Most people though interested in switching to solar energy cannot do so due to very high initial investment of money and time. Even though it is a costly affair, but if properly installed and properly maintained, one can recover the cost in few years.

This is the reason why lot of emphasis is given on the regular maintenance. Solar technology has many uses and can be widely used ranging from large scale utility plants and also commercial power systems. People also use the roof mounted residential power models and now even the flexible solar portable power panels.

In the present scenario the only answer is solar energy, even most of the satellites are designed to run on solar energy. The selection of the batteries is very important, more efficient batteries mean more efficient power.

The best batteries now available are Photovoltaic (PV) batteries; these batteries have more storage capacity and are quite convenient to be used with solar panels for generating electricity. The variety of power ranges makes it more perfect for the different requirements. These batteries have gained lot of popularity for both uses be at home or workplace.

The solar energy is acquired from the sunlight, and even if the sunlight is not in abundance, use of Photovoltaic batteries makes sense. These batteries work very well in stormy conditions, evenings and also when sunlight is less that is the reason these batteries are also termed as deep cycle batteries.

The discharge of current is very less and store power for a long time, Photovoltaic batteries which are deep cycle batteries are totally different than the car batteries. These batteries have quite long storage capacity and are quite sustainable. These batteries are also available at the local store and are designed in such a manner that the charge capacity is very long normally for hours.

These batteries are integral part of solar energy power system and provide a strong back up, these batteries need sunlight to get started and have to be placed in such a position so that it gets maximum sunlight. There are many diverse products which are low priced which are able to recharge for a two to four batteries with Double A, Triple A, C or D. by the use of Photovoltaic chargers, you are basically reducing the energy fee.

You have liberty to use it as per your need. Portable solar charger has made the life easy for the professionals like photographers, who have to spend lot of time shooting outdoor. Not only boon for the professionals, it has many uses for the people who are thinking of installing solar power system at home.

It does not require lot of space and you can use it in small units. Photovoltaic battery chargers are available for numerous products and are available with different current specification which can be used for variety of purposes.

You can choose one as per your need and the design of your solar panels for storage, you need not worry about the overcharging of these batteries as all the photo voltaic batteries above five volts have a controller which prevents it from overcharging.

Electric energy is something that we take for granted because it is the power that is behind all our household equipment and machines. We hardly give a thought to how we get all this energy.

However, electricity comes with a very high price and it is hard for municipalities to keep up with the rising demand for more and more energy. As a matter of fact, one of the biggest challenges faced by people today is how to provide an energy source that is clean and yet at the same time just as effective and affordable.

There is a whole new cottage industry that has come out of this need and that is green energy technology. These challenges are not easily met, because this newer greener energy needs to be renewable also.

Some see the power of the sum as a no charge resource; and as gift from the actual heavens. Solar power is a popular choice with people, and industries could use it to help them make a profit also. Maybe the time for solar energy to be more fully utilized by society has come. I can imagine solar cells placed in cars to absorb solar power to replace the traditional utilization of diesel and gasoline driven cars.

The power of the sun offers so much more than just a source of energy to run things, it also offers free warmth. We all know that the sun is an efficient energy source because we have all had the experience of being in an unheated room and finding the one spot that has been bathed in sunlit for a while. We relish in the warmth.

More and more people are willing to make the considerable initial investment to add solar panels to their home’s roof in order to help offset the cost of heating their home. In the summer the design features of your house can create natural air flows that will help keep you cool through shading of the sun.

You also don’t have to worry when you have plans on investing in solar panels for your home, or even for your business since it will lock in your electricity rate and that will protect you from rate hikes. Sounds like a win- win situation. It also seems like a really feasible way to provide an electrical source to boats; RV’s, sheds and cabins.

I think we need to look to the manufacturing of solar cells as a new cottage industry to take us into the 21st Century. Factories could create solar electricity with rates comparable to ordinary fossil-fuel derived electricity. I think affordable solar cells can be an ideal solution to our energy problems.

Low-priced solar cells along with batteries will stop our reliance on oil, coal and atomic fuels. I think the time has really come for solar power to take center stage and become the means we use to heat or homes, and move our cars. It will create new industry, promote job growth, and ensure a safer greener future for all.

Solar panels offer a clean and economical source of energy, which benefit not only individuals investing in them but also the environment. This is because solar panels harness the natural energy of the sun and hence do not have costs of resources involved.

Moreover, they do not cause any kind of environmental hazards which are often seen while using other forms of energy such as coal, electricity, thermal power, nuclear energy etc. One concern that people investing in solar panels could have however, is how sustainable is it as a form of energy in places which are cloudy, or during cloudy seasons.

Cloud cover could affect the availability or intensity of the sun’s rays, especially during specific seasons and in certain parts of the world. Since solar panels produce energy based on the level of light they receive, they will produce power at maximum capacity when the sunlight is bright.

During cloudy seasons, the level of light is reduced and hence though the solar panel will not shut off production of power, the power produced will be diminished. In situations where the cloud cover allows the formation of shadows, the solar panel’s power production could be at about half of the full capacity.

Needless to say, if the cloud cover is very heavy or thick, the operations of a solar panel will be further diminished and could produce very little power. In places which are consistently cloudy throughout the year, solar panels may not be an intelligent solution as they will not work. The good news however, is that cloud cover can actually be beneficial for production of solar power.

Surprising as it may seem, the maximum output of power from solar panels is actually when there is cloud cover which is optimal. This enables power production which can be as high as fifty percent higher than that on a cloudless day.

How this works is that when the sun passes through spaces in the clouds, the solar panels absorb not only the direct sunlight, but also light reflected off the clouds. This enhances the sunlight absorbed by the solar panels considerably and thereby enhances the power production too.

What one needs to keep in mind however, are a couple of simple tips to harness solar energy to the best extent possible:

1. Have a sufficient battery system which can maximise the stored power on days when clouds enhance the light hitting the panels. Also the controller should have enough headroom over the rated panel output power so as to take care of the power surges in such cases

2. Position the solar panels at a tilt towards the easterly direction on days of clear mornings and cloudy afternoons A good example which proves without a doubt that even cloudy places can harness solar power, is that of Germany, which despite being a cloudy country has done a fabulous job in harnessing solar energy effectively.

Germany has Europe’s most modern solar housing project where there are fifty solar houses that produce more energy than they use. The results have been so outstanding that the excess power can actually be sold back to the main grid.

So except in places which are consistently cloudy, and where solar panels would not be beneficial, this form of energy generation is a useful futuristic and proactive way to generate power the world over.

We can use solar power to warm our homes as per our needs and develop our own cheap DIY solar powered air conditioning heater. This is one way of using clean and renewable energy to make our homes weather proof so that we can live comfortably in our homes in extreme winter conditions.

The basic principle of making a solar air heater lies in the movement of air, metal and colors, there are pipes or tubes coated with black paint which are the main components of solar air heaters, the purpose of black paint is that black absorbs heat rapidly, some people may use aluminum because it has high thermal conductivity.

The position of solar heaters is always vertical, and the main portion of the air heater is exposed to sunlight, it would be proper if the entire body is exposed to sun rays. Air enters into the bottom of the tank and passes through the black coated pipes, in this process the heat of the pipes is transferred to the transient air known as convection.

As per the law the hot air moves to the cool area, the pipes which are hotter objects gives off its heat into cooler body thus moving the air. This is basic theory of the science that states that one of the properties of air is that the cooler air moves down and the hot air moves up. This perhaps is the main reason why solar air heaters are made vertically than horizontally.

This is the reason that hot air while moving up enters the vent or tubes which are connected to room or entire house and gives the desired warmth and thus you will feel comfortable during cold winter days.

There is no need of compressors or pumps for such a movement. Everything is being done as per the law of the science by moving hot air upwards without using any additional equipment.

The entire process depends upon the length of pipes and tubes, the more length you have for the pipes and tubes, air will go up and increase the temperature and you will get the desired results. Some people suggest designs such as loops or snake like piping, this makes the movement of air slow and more heat transfer takes place.

But using such designs may result in poor insulation, as the length of the pipes will determine the initial heat acquired by the air.

With this technology you can warm your home without using electricity, coal or any other energy source. This will be a huge contribution to the environment. This winter, build your own solar air heater with these tips and enjoy the winter in cozy warm homes.

DIY Solar Air Heater Guide

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The recent recession which has created financial problems for millions across the world, thus people are looking at various means to cut down their expenses. The rising electricity bills and also other bills, people have started looking at various alternatives which can save them money.

This the reason why many home owners have shifted to solar power, which was invented long back and has given an opportunity to cut down on their power consumption. Anybody who is interested in getting more information about solar energy for home can get it within few seconds using internet.

There are plenty of information available on the web which can be used to gather information about solar energy and its installation. Complete information like the installation cost, maintenance and any other details are easily available on the internet.

It might be a discouraging factor to know about the initial installation cost of a home solar energy system is very high. The material and other component required for the installation are very expensive, be it solar panels or solar cells.

But if you calculate your energy bills, the installation cost can be recovered in few years and it will prove to be a money saver in the long run. This will not only give you neat and clean energy but you can save lot of money.

Another important factor is that you can use it as much as you like without having to worry about huge energy bills, the only expenditure is few dollars on maintenance which is easily affordable. The only thing you can do is to mentally prepare yourself for initial investment which is quite high and forget it; the maintenance cost after that is not that high at all.

You will never have to run out of energy supply as it is available in abundance as long as the sun is shining above the sky. The electric charge produced by the Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels is clean and does not contribute to the pollution. This way you contribute to the environment by not increasing your carbon footprint therefore preventing the planet from getting too hot to live.

The setting of a solar power system at home is quite simple; you can set up the entire system yourself by following the instruction on the internet. There is lot of guidance and helpful tips available which can be utilizes when you plan to set up the solar system.

The material and other components required are easily available in the market; the only thing is that you have to bear the initial purchasing cost.

Installation of a home solar energy system can be fun and educational also. You can even involve your family and friends in the process. They will enjoy it because they get to use clean energy courtesy of Mother Nature. Your worry about the rising power bills gets eliminated and at the same time you do not have to bother about curtailing power consumption in your home.

This would be quite helpful for parents who have kids continuously playing games on the computer or watching cartoon channel on the television. Installing solar power system is really a wise investment, though the initial cost is high but at the same time you enjoy many benefits.

Installing a solar panel on your roof helps you save hundreds of dollars a month on your electricity bill. By producing your own electricity at home using a Photovoltaic (PV) solar panel, your electricity bill can be reduced by 80%.

Installing a solar panel is not as costly as you might think. If you can build your own solar panel, its cost will just be around $200 per panel. And the good thing is that you don’t need prior experience and any special skill in building a solar panel and installing it on your roof.

With such a small investment and a great economic benefit, it is not surprising to see that an increasing number of people are now building their own solar panels.

To start with, you have to assemble a solar panel by soldering multiple solar cells together. All the components you need to build a PV panel are available at your local store which supplies solar accessories. Depending on your home energy requirement, 10 – 15 sets of 16 volts solar panel would be sufficient for your needs. The parts needed to build your PV system will not cost you more than $150 for individual panel.

Then there is the battery to be purchased. What you’ll need is a series of deep cycle batteries. Choose a lead or deep cell acid battery whose output is 12 volts. Link a couple of batteries together to make your battery bank to store the electric charge generated by the solar panels.

Other important components you need to buy are the DC meter and the DC input. The DC meter and the DC input help to measure and transfer the electricity produced by the solar panels into the battery and supply electricity for your home needs.

Then there has to be a converter to convert Direct Current (DC) into Alternate Current (AC) for your appliances at home which mostly run on AC. Connect the DC input and the DC meter to the battery with insulated wires. It will be safer and easier if you connect the wire to the negative terminal of the battery first.

Once the wire connections are complete, your solar panel is ready for use. Place the panels outside at a place where it gets the maximum amount of sunlight. Initially, it will take around 8 hours to get the battery fully charged.

Once your home solar setup becomes operational, your electricity bill will start to drop. By installing a solar power system at your home, you are not only saving money but also helping the environment to be clean.

In case you find the instructions given here is insufficient, you can search on the internet for more detailed and easy to understand instructions on DIY solar panel projects.

Producing electricity at your own home using either wind generator or solar power is beneficial on different counts; you can save money and you can help prevent further degradation of environment. Both wind and solar are renewable and clean sources of energy.

To be successful in producing electricity at your home, you must follow the correct installation procedure. If you depend on instruction available on the internet to make you’re your own solar panel, make sure that the instructions are provided by someone who knows the inside out of solar energy production.

Home DIY Photovoltaic Building Guide

If you are looking for a DIY Photovoltaic panel construction guide, check out the Homemade Energy program created by Ben Ford.

The program comes with High Definition (HD) instructional videos and pdf files on the step by step process needed in making a PV panel on a limited budget. Click on the link below to visit Ford’s web site right now.

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As everyone is aware, electricity was invented in the early 1900s. In the beginning, many people could not use it as most of them at that time did not have electrical connections for supply of electric power to their residences. Even when it was used, it was only for lighting electric bulbs. Subsequently, heaters and stoves were introduced.

Cotton mills and other factories that run on electricity were soon established. Currently, with ever growing demand for electric power, researchers and industrialists began to look for alternative sources of power.

Many people may not be aware that Canada occupies number one position in power generation in the world, The United States of America purchases electric power from Canada because of heavy demand in that country. In fact, California is among the states in the US that purchases maximum electricity from Canada.

Canada built a hydroelectric power plant in the northern province of Quebec to generate electricity. They were under the impression this power generation plant would produce sufficient power to meet the requirements of future generations as well.

With rapid growth of population, Canada constructed three more hydroelectric plants. Hydroelectric power plants convert the potential energy from water into electrical energy. Such plants are suitable where plenty of water is available.

Dams are constructed over rivers to stop the flow of water and form a reservoir. The reservoir stores the water flowing down the river. This water at a height is rerouted to turn turbines to generate electricity.

When power plants are built the entire area is submerged as the level of water has to be raised. While people in some parts of the world have not even heard of electricity, some others have surplus power.

There are also several countries that are facing acute shortage of electric power. Apart from hydro-power, there are several other alternative sources of electricity, such as solar energy harnessed from radiant light and heat from the sun, wind energy and electric power from waves.

Solar power electric generation depends on solar cells or Photovoltaic (PV) cells. Photovoltaic cells are normally silicon-based units that absorb sunlight. A number of solar cells are assembled to build solar panels.

Several solar panels are combined and interconnected as one piece of equipment for higher power generation. Energy from the sun stimulates the electrons in solar cells to generate electricity.

The solar power produced is in the form of Direct Current (DC). However, Direct Current is not useful in that form for all common purposes such as lighting, heating and operating various equipment and therefore, it is converted into Alternating Current (AC) with the help of an inventor. Alternating current is normally at 120V.

Most appliances can be operated at this voltage. Solar energy can also be utilized for heating at home or for swimming pool using ‘Solar Thermal Technologies’, also called Active Solar Systems.

In solar thermal technology, solar radiation is converted into heat and it involves the usage of pumps or fans for active transfer of heat either for storage or distribution directly for use. The most important part of an active solar system is the ‘solar collector’.

The purpose of a solar collector is to absorb the radiant energy from the sun and convert it into compatible heat. Different varieties of collectors are available for conversion of solar radiation, classified based on the type of application and temperature requirements.

Unpolished metal or plastic flat plate collectors are employed where high temperatures are not required, as for instance for heating swimming pools at residences and for heating air for ventilation in commercial and industrial buildings.

Polished flat plates and vacuum tube collectors are utilized for medium range temperature needs, such as for hot water at residences, space heating and cooling the premises.

‘Concentrating collector’ is another type that centers the sunlight on a much smaller area. These collectors are used for applications where higher temperatures are required, as for example, in industrial process heating, absorption cooling and comprehensive solar thermal applications to produce steam for power generation.

One way of effecting savings in day-to-day life is to install a solar panel system at home. This will not only reduce expenses on electricity but also contribute to the environment by generating pollution-free solar energy.