Solar energy facts for kids in New Zealand are considered unnecessary by some. When winter hovers over New Zealand, it may seem that day after day is cloudy and grey – especially in some parts of New Zealand. On such days, it is difficult to imagine that solar energy could supply enough electricity for a New Zealand home. Most areas of New Zealand, however, have plenty of solar energy that can be harnessed.

Solar energy can be calculated with a map such as the one on the Sun Wize website. This is called a world solar insolation map. “Insolation” means it is exposed to the sun’s rays. The map shows how many hours of each day a country is exposed to the sun’s rays – in the worst month of the year. In other words, the map shows how much solar energy the country gets each day.

When you find New Zealand on a world solar insolation map, you will see that most of the country gets between 3 and 5 hours of solar energy each day. Remember that 3 to 5 hours is the amount of solar energy in the worst month! On average, counting good and bad days, New Zealand gets approximately 2000 hours of bright sunshine each year.

Solar Energy Facts for Kids

Solar energy facts for kids might include many things, depending on the age of the children involved. A small child of 6 years might understand only simple concepts such as the heat generated by solar energy. Older children of 14 to 17 can grasp the technology of solar panels and generators, and how they convert solar energy to electrical power.

We will not attempt to sort the following facts by age or importance, but simply present them as a collection of ideas to be explored.

* In New Zealand, a solar energy water heating system can save as much as 75 per cent of your family’s water heating costs.

* The word “photovoltaic” comes 2 words. “Photo” refers to light and “voltaic” refers to electricity. A photovoltaic array system changes solar energy collected from sunlight into electricity.

* Cover the roofs of every New Zealand home in photovoltaic (PV) panels, and together they would convert enough solar energy into power each year to supply more than 25 per cent of New Zealand’s needed electricity.

* Solar energy can provide the total electricity needed by a normal three bedroom New Zealand home that is energy efficient.

* Solar energy is quiet, easy to install, and needs little upkeep from the New Zealand home owner.

* Any New Zealand child can, with a little help, build a solar energy stove to cook a small banger.

* Solar energy has been used for many years by New Zealand mums to dry clothing outdoors.

* Germany, a country that is much cloudier than New Zealand, converts solar energy into electricity more than any other country does.

* Solar energy is greater than you might think on cloudy days, since the sunlight that gets through reflects off the bottoms of the clouds.

* Solar energy can turn ocean water into healthy drinking water.

* Solar energy can be used on boats and ships around New Zealand.

* Solar energy is absolutely free to New Zealanders. No other country can charge money for it.

Suggestion for New Zealand teachers: Have a contest to see which group of students can discover the most solar energy facts for kids. Younger children will have fun simply listing solar energy facts for kids. Older students might be required to expand each discovery statement.

Disclaimer: The author receives no compensation from any company mentioned in this article. The information is presented solely for educational purposes.

Two Important Reasons to Switch to Residential Solar Power Systems

Are you seeking to come to understand Residential Solar Power Cost and find a Solar Panel Installation Training Guide that is able to readily point you to DIY Not expensive Home Solar Energy. Persons are worried about the present energy state of affairs of the world, and luckily, technology has permitted a great deal of to change to home solar power systems.

Residential Solar Power Cost: Solar Panel Installation Training Guide The Facts

The cost of oil-primarily based energy is becoming prohibitive and will still be so as supply becomes uncommon. Experts estimate that inside 50 years, the world will run of oil. The use of coal is being discouraged because of its outcomes on the environment while geothermal energy sources are non-renewable. Evidently, these days is the time to start getting serious with discovering alternative sources that are more environment friendly and less inexpensive. There are a lot of around us really just waiting to be utilized. Nature has supplied us with endless supply of would-be energy sources and it is just a issue of employing the appropriate technology, which we do not lack. We actually have known, in fact, that the warmth of the sun, the wind, and water are able to be utilized to supply our power needs.

Residential Solar Power Cost: Solar Panel Installation Training Guide – Why Solar Power?

Of the 3, the heat of the sun is the most convenient for supplying energy needs of homes.

Energy needs of homes comprise a good proportion of the entire power needs of the earth. Converting to residential solar power systems will considerably reduce our dependence on non-renewable energy sources. This may end in a lot of positive factors that are able to save us a lot of grief later on. Take into account the following advantages that we will get from utilizing solar energy.

Residential Solar Power Cost: 1. Decreasing Energy Charges

With more persons utilizing solar energy to power their homes, the need for non-renewable energy will reduce. This could outcome to long-term reduction in fuel costs because economics tell us that less demand suggests that lower prices. Energy cost is one of the principle issues of households and reduction in power bills continually stimulates the over-economy, as persons will have more money at their disposal to purchase different commodities. What’s more, because solar heat is unlimited, it’ll give a permanent solution to energy problems.

Residential Solar Power Cost: 2. Decreasing Pressures on the Environment

Residential solar power systems will scale back the pressure on the existing conventionally powered power plants, eradicating the need to construct other ones, thus reducing the amount of carbon and different unsafe waste emissions into the atmosphere. This could aid a lot in arresting climate change and global warming, which have brought more frequent and more powerful weather turmoil and have disrupted the traditional balance of the physical environment.

Residential Solar Power Cost: Solar Panel Installation Training Guide – Conclusion

The application of solar energy to power residences remains in its infancy. Although we cannot refute, as the outcomes of environmental degradation and the high cost of standard energy still pose enormous dangers to our lives, we ought to have considered residential solar power systems a while ago. As you are able to observe from the previously mentioned by observing a first-rate online Solar Panel Installation Training Guide you are able to tremendously reduce your Residential Solar Power Cost.

Many of us know that solar energy is good, but few really
understand why.

Therefore, I compiled a comprehensive list of solar energy
advantages and disadvantages that will enable you to make an
educated decision whether on not Solar Power is right for YOU.
Solar Energy Advantages

1. Saves you money

After the initial investment has been recovered, the
energy from the sun is practically FREE. The recovery/
payback period for this investment can be very short depending
on how much electricity your household uses. Financial
incentives are available form the government that will reduce
your cost. If your system produce more energy than you
use, your utility company can buy it from you, building up a
credit on your account! This is called net metering. It
will save you money on your electricity bill if you have one at
all. Solar energy does not require any fuel.
It’s not affected by the supply and demand of fuel and is
therefore not subjected to the ever-increasing price of
gasoline. The savings are immediate and for many years
to come. The use of solar energy indirectly reduces
health costs.

2. Environmentally friendly

Solar Energy is clean, renewable (unlike gas, oil and
coal) and sustainable, helping to protect our environment.
It does not pollute our air by releasing carbon dioxide,
nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide or mercury into the atmosphere
like many traditional forms of electrical generations does.
Therefore Solar Energy does not contribute to global
warming, acid rain or smog. It actively contributes to
the decrease of harmful green house gas emissions. It’s
generated where it is needed. By not using any fuel,
Solar Energy does not contribute to the cost and problems of the
recovery and transportation of fuel or the storage of
radioactive waste.

3. Independent/ semi-independent

Solar Energy can be utilized to offset utility-supplied
energy consumption. It does not only reduce your electricity
bill, but will also continue to supply your home/ business with
electricity in the event of a power outage. A Solar
Energy system can operate entirely independent, not requiring a
connection to a power or gas grid at all. Systems can therefore
be installed in remote locations (like holiday log cabins),
making it more practical and cost-effective than the supply of
utility electricity to a new site. The use of Solar
Energy reduces our dependence on foreign and/or centralized
sources of energy, influenced by natural disasters or
international events and so contributes to a sustainable
future. Solar Energy supports local job and wealth
creation, fuelling local economies.

4. Low/ no maintenance

Solar Energy systems are virtually maintenance free and
will last for decades. Once installed, there are no
recurring costs. They operate silently, have no moving
parts, do not release offensive smells and do not require you to
add any fuel. More solar panels can easily be added in
the future when your family’s needs grow.

Solar Energy Disadvantages

The initial cost is the main disadvantage of installing
a solar energy system, largely because of the high cost of the
semi-conducting materials used in building one. The
cost of solar energy is also high compared to non-renewable
utility-supplied electricity. As energy shortages are becoming
more common, solar energy is becoming more
price-competitive. Solar panels require quite a large
area for installation to achieve a good level of
efficiency. The efficiency of the system also relies on
the location of the sun, although this problem can be overcome
with the installation of certain components. The
production of solar energy is influenced by the presence of
clouds or pollution in the air. Similarly, no solar
energy will be produced during nighttime although a battery
backup system and/or net metering will solve this problem. See
www.dsireusa.org for details on how net metering allows you to
save electricity and money. As far as solar powered
cars go – their slower speed might not appeal to everyone caught
up in today’s rat race.

To learn more about solar energy, go to http://facts-about-so
lar-energy.com/

You’ll discover …

what solar energy is
how solar energy works interesting facts about
solar energy how much solar energy costs
passive solar energy for homes, and how to build
solar energy systems

There’s a whole section for students, teachers and parents;
whiles homeowners can obtain FREE QUOTES for their solar energy
projects. You’ll find book and product reviews plus some helpful
energy saving tips.

Please email any questions to info@facts-about-
solar-energy.com

The Los Angeles Business Council promises excellent jobs and 600 MW of electricity if the city can institute a solar finance program. The proposed solar finance program would be funded by the Department of Water and Power. It would allow Los Angeles to create 3% of its electricity from the sun and attract solar companies to the area to create jobs.

The program, which has been implemented in Florida and Germany, is already a success. It will encourage business owners and homeowners to install solar on their homes and commercial buildings.

All excess electricity generated can be sold back to the utility company at a set rate for the next 20 years. This allows property owners to ensure their investment. The idea behind a solar investment in California is that you reduce the amount of electricity you consume to get yourself out of electrical tiers 3,4 and 5. By promising a set rate for electricity, property owners can sell their electricity during the middle of the day (when they are producing more than they consume) and buy it back at night. A set rate on purchasing solar ensures that this occurs profitably.

Solar has already created 4,300 local jobs, but investment by the city of Los Angeles through solar finance would further propel the solar industry.

The program will be paid by the Department of Water and Power. It is estimated that the program will cost million a year from its billion budget. Already, the budget includes 0 million for renewable energy programs. By teaming up property owners, Los Angeles can deploy solar with this robust finance program.

How to Choose a quality Solar Installer in Los Angeles

The age of renewable energy is upon us. Going green in one’s daily routine is easier. However, making a renewable energy retrofit on your home can be a chore if you do not know where to begin.

Here are some things to think about when choosing a quality solar installer in Los Angeles.

First, you can always think about looking up a quality solar installer in the Los Angeles Yellowpages. Those professionals tend to be dependable because they wouldn’t be listed in the Yellowpages if they were not dependable. If you don’t use that method to find a quality solar installer, try locating a Los Angeles contractor on the internet. There are many directories that provide lists of certified and experienced quality solar installers.

You must know what questions to ask when you select a quality solar installer. In Los Angeles, there are many quality solar installers; this may result in a bidding war if you decide to contact several. This may not be what you want. Getting the lowest estimate is not the best course of action. Contractors can easily take shortcuts to win your business with the lowest bid or they may not be experienced and are willing to go lower than quality solar installers. You must ask pertinent qualifying questions of your installer to determine if they are experienced and trustworthy. You will naturally gravitate toward a quality solar installer in Los Angeles if they can demonstrate these characteristics.

Ask them to show you all the proper licenses that are required of a solar installer in Los Angeles. Not all electricians know how to install solar and not all certified photovoltaic installers know how to tie in the system to the utility grid. Make sure they are experienced in both or have a team who can do each task competently. In some cases, experience can be interchangeable with formal training. You have to like your quality solar installer but make sure they have the proper credentials.

Also, ask if they have any references of past jobs. It gives you a resume of their work. You can find out if there were any complications with their service on prior projects.

Ask about a service agreement. This states what services the quality solar installer is responsible for and lays out the terms of the deal. You should also ask your quality solar installer what incentives and rebates are available to apply for in Los Angeles.

We hear a lot about so-called renewab

le energy in the modern world. As the effects of global warming or climate change, depending on your preferred terminology become more apparent, the need to find a way to generate energy without damaging the Earth becomes all the more important.
One of the most talked about methods of making energy is solar power. As the name would suggest, solar power involves taking the energy of the sun and using that energy to generate electricity on Earth. While solar power is not a new concept, it is nevertheless looking like it will receive much focus during the search for renewable energies.
Solar power works by concentrating the heat of the sun in a specific place. To do this, solar panels or heliostats are erected in the sun’s glare, where they capture heat. The surfaces of these panels are usually mirrored or shiny, so as to increase the already potent heat of the sun. This heat is then used to generate electricity through a variety of methods; the most common of these is to use the heat to boil water and general steam, which is then used to power a traditional electricity generator.
Solar power is not infallible as a technology, but it is more reliable than was first previously thought. Despite popular conviction, it is possible to generate electricity using solar panels on overcast days, which opens the technologies up to most countries. For solar power to be truly effective, however, the panels need to be placed where they receive continual sunlight and heat throughout the year. For this reasons, countries such as Spain are becoming the pioneers of solar power though their scientific advances will eventually benefit us all.
How Reliable Is Solar Power? With solar power being flaunted as one of the realistic alternatives to the burning of fossil fuels, it is only natural that enlightened thoughts are turning to the reliability of the energy it can create. After all, the sun is an intermittent energy source. It does not always shine, with most countries experiencing cloud cover for large portions of the year. There is also the issue that the sun is only available for, at most, 12 hours out of every 24. Could the world’s energy demands really be sustained from what seems like such an unreliable heat source?
The answer is probably no, which is why solar energy is only being spoken of as one of the options for continued energy production. However, solar energy is one of the most viable of the options mentioned, even if it could not meet the entire world’s demands for energy by itself.
The reason for this is simple; the sun is a constant. The sun will continue to shine for as long as there is life on earth; by the time the sun begins to dim, the earth as we know it will begin to die. Unlike the expendable resources of coal and oil, this makes the sun very dependable it will be here for as long as the world will.
The sun is also relatively easy to ‘tap’ into, as it shines directly onto earth and needs no human interaction for it to work to its full potential. While manufacturing solar panels can be expensive, they are relatively hassle free once created, and the only engineering they require to function is to be pointed as directly as possible toward the sun. This is certainly more viable than having to dig into the earth for coal, or send rigs out to sea to collect oil.
Solar power is, therefore, a reliable energy source. How effective it is a matter of debate, but one should largely assume that much if not all of the world’s demand for energy can be satisfied by our most powerful celestial friend.
Solar Power cutting your energy bills and saving the environment, the concept of solar generated energy has the kind of truths behind it that would make the vast majority of advertising executives salivate.
Firstly, the environmental considerations of using solar energy are huge. With fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, set to run out at some point; there has been a renewed focus in finding sustainable and renewable energy. Solar power has come to the forefront of such discussions as a viable alternative to the old ‘digging stuff out of the ground and burning it’ way of generating energy.
The effect this ability for renewable energy which takes nothing from the earth itself is huge. While solar power will never be able to meet all of the Earth’s energy demands, it should certainly be able to sate a large portion of the populace. By switching to such renewable energy that capitalizes on a natural resource, the environmental impact would be significant.
Secondly and this is where the aforementioned advertising executive would really become excited solar power could save the average member of the population money. By having solar panels installed, people could save as much as 30% on their usual electricity and heating bills.
With every year that passes, the general populace becomes more concerned about their own impact on the environment and their own dependence on fossil fuels. As time passes, these people with particular concerns are looking at utilizing other forms of energy. Once upon a time, seeing solar panels on the roof of a normal home would have been alarmingly unusual, but it is now fast approaching the norm. The average household is now capable of saving the environment and saving money what are you waiting for?
Would Solar Power Save You Money? You’ve probably heard it all before; solar power is the answer to the world’s energy crisis, and what’s more installing solar panels in and on your home will save you money on energy bills. With utility bills, particularly electricity, increasing all the time it’s no wonder that more and more people are seeking alternatives.
So, basically, the blurb is good. Solar power is good, and it is truly a way forward. At this point, with interest piqued, many will begin to wonder if they genuinely can save money and the environment by investing in solar panels.
Solar panels can be placed anywhere; the most effective place for the average household is on the roof, where exposure to sunlight is at its highest. And while you may feel the stories of cut price energy bills are a little bit too good to be true, the simple fact is by switching to solar power you will save money. Yes, everyone.
Solar panels can replace your dependence on electricity and gas two of the most used utilities in any given home. For the first few years what you save will be largely offset by the cost of the solar panels being installed, but most companies estimate that people will genuinely be saving money by their seventh or eighth year with solar panels. Reduction in energy bills could be as high as 30% – no matter what or who you are, from a tiny flat to a large six bedroom detached house.
Purchasing and installing solar panels should be seen as an investment rather than a quick fix for your energy bills soaring.

Read more information about Solar Power and wind energy here:

http://www.tinyurl.com/26q3yaz

Three Things to Contemplate when Purchasing a Home Solar Power Kit

Are you searching for the right knowledge of what to consider when buying a Home Solar Power Kit. If you are thinking of installing a solar power system in your your house to cut back your electricity bills, then a Home Solar Power Kit is just what you require. However ahead of deciding to get a kit, there are few things that you have to consider.

Buy Home Solar Power Kit Factor 1. Building and Location

A massive house means that a great deal investment. Though a solar power system supplies a large amount of benefits, amongst them significant savings on electricity bills and freedom from power outages, you have to consider investment recovery times. You could not be coming up with to stay long in the house; within which case, you can decide for a house that’s partially solar-powered.

The quantity of electricity created by solar power systems depend essentially regarding the quantity of solar panels put in. Make sure, ahead of buying your kit, that your roof is large adequate to facilitate the quantity of solar panels needed for producing electricity to run most of your major appliances. Along with the roof, another factor that decides the facility of the solar power system to produce the chosen quantity of electricity is whereabouts. The panels needs to receive direct sunlight a minimum of six hours a day. This means, after all, that the roof needs to be facing the proper direction. You could in addition need to remove trees blocking the trail of sunlight. Make sure that the do-it-yourself solar power kit you buy have the answers to all potential questions.

Buy Home Solar Power Kit Factor 2. Installation

Needless to say, a do-it-yourself solar kit requires your capability to install the solar panels yourself. Installing the panels does not need any exceptional technical abilities, just that you are skillful working at rooftops. Most will discover working in roofs with drastic slopes greatly unpleasant. You could attempt locating someone skillful at such things.

Buy Home Solar Power Kit Factor 3. Discovering the Proper Do-It-Yourself Solar Power Kit

Discovering a kit is straightforward. The Web is swamped with businesses providing all types of solar kits – every claiming to be the best. There are a few things that you can do to make sure that you buy the one which will work for you. The first question to ask of kit vendors is the sort of help offered. Do they supply help in determining the full load of your house as well as the dimensions of solar power unit required? Do they supply consistent help, such as phonephone help in the building and installation of the unit? Is there any warranty for the equipment utilized?

Buy Home Solar Power Kit – Conclusion

There’s no denying the imperative require to find renewable sources of energy. There are a large amount of paths, nevertheless perhaps the finest and easiest is to buy a Home Solar Power Kit.

Affordable Solar Energy

The cost of obtaining solar energy is decreasing. The cost of solar energy systems and the cost of solar energy panels is more reachable than ever before. Essentially, the cost of solar energy panels is less in price and produce more electricity. This is only natural to occur seeing the trend of technology. Things such as the cost of installing solar energy starts off expensive and then gradually drops. The cost of solar wind generators can be found for less than 0.00, while an the cost of an entire solar energy system can be purchased for less than ,000.00.

There are many prices to think about based on your needs. Whether you are looking for a solar water heater, solar panels, solar wall heaters (0-0.), or generator, price ranges can peak at 00.00 or less for the heaters, or more based on what you are buying, like the panels which go up with wattage.

The years of the big spenders having the solar energy is pretty much over. Prices of solar energy have come down to earth so much that even the normal everyday homeowner can get in on it. Residential solar energy costs are getting lower all the time. You can search many invaluable websites that have everything from solar panels, to solar wind generators, storage, the entire solar energy system itself. Some things are pricey, yes, but overall, what I have seen out there is fairly reasonable, and when it is installed, there is just something very appealing about it that makes the initial upfront cost worth it.

Costs of solar energy will involve the purchase of solar energy panels which can generate 50-500 watts a piece, the solar energy generator for transforming solar energy into electricity usable by the homeowners. Solar energy panels can power many things in your home. Think about all your lights, and their individual wattage. Calculate the watts generated by a solar panel. These are some of the things you need to think about. A home solar energy system can be explained by a professional, as they assess your needs. They can further explain all the energy assessments needed fro configuring your home solar energy system.

Their are many things you can do to put into practice for saving energy. If you do not ahve a home yet, pick up some of the energy saving light bulbs that all utility companies offer for free! Leave your AC on when needed, and program it in cycles when you’re not at home. There are appliances, lights, computers that can be turned off or on low to conserve energy. When you do get that dream home, your mindset will be energy saving and hopefully cost savings on solar energy!

Whatever your decision. do your homework. Study solar energy, its benefits, non-benefits, the pros and cons. Ask yourself, will it become a necessity in the future? Should I just invest in it now? Do not jump into it blindly. Remember, knowledge is power. Use it to your advantage.

So you’re asking yourself how does solar power work? Well, the concept of turning the power of the sun into useful electricity was conceived over a hundred years ago and has been steadily improved ever since. Even though there are several ways to achieve this conversion of sunlight to electricity in a commercial setting, it was the invention and subsequent improvements to photovoltaic technology that has made it feasible for residential installations. These modern solar power systems consist of a small collection of components that work together to harvest the sun and supply it to your home. By apply a few simple solar power basics and using this free solar power, you can lower or even eliminate your monthly power bill. Many of these systems can pay for themselves in a few years and will continue to deliver this free solar power for decades to come. If you are asking yourself the question “how does solar power work?”, you only need to do a little research to understand what’s involved.

How Solar Panels Work

The first component to consider when trying to understand solar power basics is the solar panel itself. These panels are typically mounted to the roof of a home, but could also be located on a pole or ground frame nearby. They need to have adequate sunlight exposure throughout the day and should be facing south for the best possible production of solar power for your home. So how solar panels work is that inside each of the panels is a collection of solar cells that are able to produce a small electrical current when exposed to sunlight through a process known as the photovoltaic effect. Even though this current is small for each individual solar cell, when they are connected together in a group their output can be quite substantial when generating solar power for the home. Most homes have a group of these solar energy panels in the system that can generate all the power their home requires.

Solar Power Inverter

These solar panels generate a DC current as part of their conversion process that needs to be converted to AC current before this electricity can be used by your home appliances. This is accomplished through the use of a device called a solar power inverter. The inverter is connected to your home’s electrical system and converts this DC current to AC current and supplies it to your home when your home solar power system is active. If your home solar power system is generating more power than you are using, the inverter will send the excess power back up the power lines to the local utility and generate an energy credit for you. This credit can be applied to the power you’ll need to buy back energy from the local utility company in the evenings when your system is inactive. If you size your system correctly this back and forth trading of power should cancel each other out and you’ll be left without a power bill each month. The solar power inverter is also the part of the system that switches your home between solar power that you are producing during the day and utility supplied power you are purchasing in the evenings.

Solar Power Battery

The last component that some solar power for homes systems include is a set of batteries. These are completely optional in your system, but if installed they can store the excess power your system produces during the day for later use at night. Some homeowners use this power first in the evenings before switching to utility supplied power to lower their energy bills even further. Other homes keep this reserve of power separate for use in the event of a power outage in their area. This way their home can still be powered by the energy stored in their batteries until the local power is restored after the blackout. I hope that answered your question about “how does solar power work?”

Introduction:

Global warming impact to our quality and cost of living is large and very catastrophic. Homeowners are well aware of the increasing energy costs to heat, cool and illuminate their homes. The increasing costs of oil and other fossil fuels are daily headlines. The insatiable demand for energy to fuel world growth guarantees that the cost of these limited fuels will continue to increase. Political/economic forces will determine the rate of increase for fossil fuels. In addition, the increasing cost of global warming using fossil fuels is slowly being recognized.

The world is slowly beginning to understand the urgent need for renewable energy sources. However, each of these alternative energy sources brings major advantages and disadvantages. An example is wind generated energy. Wind energy is available to the whole world and generates electricity competitively with fossil fuels. The technology is understood and easy to apply. But, there are big objections to a windmill in “my back yard”. Also, the number of birds and bats that will be crushed with wind power generation is not a warming thought. Wind technology will be a component of our energy solution. However, because of the above concerns, we need other major solutions to meet our demand for energy sources.

This search leads us to solar energy. The amount of sun energy striking our world in one day is sufficient to supply our energy demands for a year. We will not run out of this source in the foreseeable future. The major barrier to harnessing solar energy has been cost and convenience. For example, drying clothes in a dryer is easier than hanging clothes on an outside line, thus convenience precluded efforts to find more energy efficiency. We can convert solar energy to electricity but with a major capital cost. Greater acceptance and use of solar energy will lead to lower cost.

Solar Energy:

Energy from solar energy can be divided into two major categories:

Passive Solar Energy: This technology ranges from clothes drying in the sun to solar heating for hot water and many other passive techniques. All are important for our present and future quality of life. The technology is well understood and can be implemented as economics and space conditions allow.

Active Solar Energy: One of the active solar energy technologies is converting solar energy directly into electricity. It is called photovoltaic cell or PV. This is a device that converts light into electricity using the photoelectric effect. The first working solar cells were constructed by Charles Fritts in 1883. These prototype cells were made of selenium and achieved efficiencies around one percent. The silicon solar cell was created in 1954. The solar cell has benefited from the development of silicon semiconductors.

Physics of Active Solar Energy:

The physics of photon to electricity conversion is well understood by physicists. The basic model is of a photon from the sun which strikes the cell material and excites electrons that emit electricity. This model is simple compared to the complexity of modern day semiconductors. The major variables of PV electrical generation are cell material and impurities in the cell material.

Manufacturing Technology for Active Solar Energy:

Primarily single crystal, high purity silicon has been used to generate photon to electricity conversion. The manufacturing techniques for single crystal silicon and limited quantities of pure silicon impose a high cost for PV devices. Shortages of refined silicon have been hampering production worldwide since late 2004. This shortage persists to this date and has slowed PV growth. New materials are starting to come forward which should lower the PV materials hurdle.

Efficiency growth of Active Solar Energy:

Since the silicon PV invention in 1954, cheaper fossil fuel prices largely removed solar power from the public consciousness. Annual growth of electrical generation by PV ranged from 10 to 20% percent throughout the 1980′s and 1990′s. Worldwide installation of PV reached 1000 megawatts in 1999. Manufacturing costs for PV arrays has been dropping 3 to 5% over the recent years. This cost drop began to expand the use of PV electricity generation. Total peak power of installed PV was around 6000 megawatts at the end of 2006. Installed PV is projected to increase to over 9,000 megawatts in 2007. The average lowest retail cost of large photovoltaic arrays has declined from .50 to .00 per watt between 1990 and 2005.

PV materials have also been improving in recent years. The most recent materials approach is to process discrete cells on silicon wafers cut from multi crystalline ribbons which form thin films. This approach is the least expensive of known technologies. This group of technologies includes amorphous silicon cells deposited on stainless-steel ribbon, cadmium telluride (CdTe) cells deposited on glass, and copper indium gallium dielenide (CIGS) alloy cells deposited on either glass or stainless steel substrates. The efficiencies of these new materials are currently at 20%. Many researchers are working to improve the efficiencies. An added advantage of the new thin films is that they are flexible and are currently being used in roofing materials.

Current Trends in Generating Active Solar Energy:

Commercial businesses like Google, IBM, BJ’s Wholesale, Estee Lauder, Kohls, Target, Tiffany & Co., Wal-Mart are installing PV solar energy. From “big box” discount giants to high end commercial businesses PV solar energy is finding acceptance in 2007. The most recent retail-outfitter to become part of this trend is Macy’s, which announced earlier this month that it will install solar powered systems on 26 stores throughout California. These leading companies are turning to solar power because it makes good business sense and supports their environmental initiative. Creative financial arrangements allow these companies to afford the upfront capital costs and payback their loans with energy savings. So what does all this mean to the average home owner? PV Cost per Kilowatt (kWh):

In the California market, where state incentives and net metering are in place, PV electricity prices are dipping below 11/kWh, on par with some utility-delivered power. Moreover, according to the U.S. PV Industry Roadmap, solar electricity will continue this trend and become competitive by 2010 for most domestic markets. The outlook is very positive for PV generation of electricity. Once the capital investment is made, the cost of PV electricity is equivalent to fossil fuels and will continue to decrease.

Cost of PV Installation:

The cost of installation is the major barrier that has to be overcome for widespread PV acceptance. Around 59% of world solar product sales installed in the last five years were applications that are tied to the electricity grid. Solar energy prices in these applications are 5-20 times more expensive than the cheapest source of conventional electricity generation. This premium is well beyond the reach of the average home owner.

Fortunately, there are financial models coming forward to enable the consumer to finance PV solar installation and pay for this installation with the electrical savings. In order to make these financial models successful, federal and state incentives are needed and the installation should be connected to the electrical grid. These connections allow the home owner to sell back electricity when excessive amounts are available and to receive electricity when solar conditions do not allow sufficient electricity. Only fifty percent of our states have modernized to allow on-grid PV solar energy.

Berkeley, California is leading the way to enable it citizens to save electrical cost and meet environmental needs. Here is how their plan works. A property owner hires a city-approved solar installer, who determines the best solar system for the property, depending on energy use. Most residential solar panel systems in the city cost from ,000 to ,000.

The city will pay the contractor for the system and its installation, minus any applicable state and federal rebates, and would add an assessment to the property owner’s tax bill to pay for the system. The extra tax would include administrative fees and interest, which would be lower than what the property owner could obtain on their own, because the city would secure low-interest bonds and loans. The tax would stay with the property even if the owner sold, although the owner would have to leave the solar panels. The property owner would save money on monthly Pacific Gas & Electric bills because electricity generated by the solar panels would partly replace electricity delivered by the utility. After the assessment expired, the solar panels, of a simple technology that requires little or no maintenance, would continue to partly replace PG&E electricity.

The Berkeley plan is a map for the rest of the world to allow us affordable electricity and meet our responsibilities to the environment.

I have a BS and MS in Metallurgical Engineering. Thirty six years spent in the development of semiconductors. Business experience in start up business plan. Currently, an oyster farmer and interested in helping the environment by deploying solar energy. Please visit my Web Site http://www.charlestonenvironmentalhelp.com

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