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NexPlan Recycling & Renewable Energy
Solar Power | Solar Energy | Solar Energy Systems
Solar energy is a renewable resource that is environmentally friendly. Solar energy is energy directly from the sun. Solar energy is the suns rays' solar radiation that reaches the earth. Solar energy can be converted into other forms of energy, such as heat and electricity. Solar energy can be converted to thermal or heat energy. Solar energy refers to the utilization of the radiant energy from the sun. Solar power is used interchangeably with solar energy, but refers more specifically to the conversion of sunlight into electricity by photovoltaics concentrating solar thermal devices, or by other experimental technologys such as a solar chimneys or solar ponds. This energy drives the climate and weather and supports virtually all life on earth.
Unlike fossil fuels, solar energy is available just about everywhere on earth. And this source of energy is free and immune to rising energy prices. Solar energy can be used in many ways - to provide heat, lighting, mechanical power and electricity. Solar energy has a variety of uses. These include running a remote home, water heating, solar energy centers, and efficient fuel. Renewable energy solar energy, uses the sun's light, along with wind and even certain molecules in plants and animals in order to power cars, turn on lights, and keep appliances working. Heat and light from the sun, along with solar-based resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available flow of renewable energy.
The sun has produced energy for billions of years. A photovoltaic cell, commonly called a solar cell or PV, is the technology used to convert solar energy directly into electrical power. Sunlight is composed of photons, or particles of solar energy. These photons contain various amounts of energy corresponding to the different wavelengths of the solar spectrum. Climate conditions like clouds and fog have a significant effect on the amount of solar energy received by a photovoltaic array and, in turn, its performance. Today, people use the sun's energy for lots of things. Because the sun doesn't deliver that much energy to any one place at any one time, a large surface area is required to collect the energy at a useful rate. Photovoltaic energy is the conversion of sunlight into electricity. Only the absorbed photons provide energy to generate electricity. When the material a semiconductor absorbs enough sunlight energy, electrons are dislodged from the material's atoms.
Clean energy sources, such as solar energy, can help meet rising energy demands while reducing pollution and preventing damage to the environment and public health at the same time. Solar energy is an excellent alternative to fossil fuels for many reasons: Using solar energy to replace the use of traditional fossil fuel energy sources can prevent the release of pollutants into the atmosphere. Solar energy uses fewer natural resources than conventional energy sources. Solar energy and shading are important aspects in building designs. Thermal mass is used to conserve the heat that sunshine distributes to all buildings. Daylighting techniques optimize the use of light in buildings. Solar water heaters and provide domestic hot water and heat swimming pools. In agriculture greenhouses powered by solar energy can expand growing seasons and pumps powered by solar cells (known as photovoltaics) provide water for farm animals. Solar power techniques produce water for millions of people worldwide. Simple applications include clotheslines and solar cookers which concentrate sunlight for cooking, drying and pasteurization. Other solar power applications include sunlight for high-temperature material testing, metal smelting and industrial chemical production. Solar vehicles providing ground, air and sea transportation are in experimental stages.
Solar thermal technologies uses the solar heat energy to heat substances, such as water or air, for applications such as space heating, and water heating for homes and businesses. Solar energy is harnessed through the use of solar panels. Solar panels are basically a device that gathers and coverts the solar energy from the sun. Solar panels have been greatly improved in the past few years as more research and studies have gone into finding out more about solar energy. It is something that has to be used more in the coming years. The world's current energy resources are not going to last. Soon there will be no choice, but to find an alternative and solar energy is looking to be one of the front-runners. Solar power can range from simple applications you can do at home to large factories and buildings that use solar power. Using solar power, where and when it is feasible can cut down on greenhouse gasses and lesson the impact of global warming.
Photovoltaic PV Devices / Solar Cells:
Photovoltaic PV devices or solar cells change sunlight directly into electricity. A photovoltaic cell, commonly called a solar cell or PV, is the technology used to convert solar energy directly into electrical power. Solar electric power generated using "photovoltaic," or "PVs," is used in hundreds of applications throughout many parts of the United States and around the world. Solar Photovoltaic PV is a zero maintenance, zero fuel cost electric generator. Photovoltaic principles are used to produce electricity. A solar panel PV panel is made of the natural element, silicon, which becomes charged electrically when subjected to sunlight. PV systems are often used in remote locations that are not connected to the electric grid. The amount of electrical energy produced by a PV array depends on the insulation at a given location and the collector bank orientation, tilt angle, and module efficiency.
Solar Cells convert light energy into electricity at the atomic level. The most important parts of a solar cell are the semiconductor layers. This is where the electron current is created. There are a number of different materials available for making these semi-conducting layers, and each has benefits and drawbacks. Unfortunately, there is no one ideal material for all types of cells and applications. In addition to the semi conducting materials, solar cells consist of a top metallic grid or other electrical contact to collect electrons from the semiconductor and transfer them to the external load, and a back contact layer to complete the electrical circuit. Then, on top of the complete cell is typically a glass cover or other type of transparent encapsulant to seal the cell and keep weather out, and an anti-reflective coating to keep the cell from reflecting the light back away from the cell. A typical solar cell consists of a cover glass, an anti-reflective layer, a front contact to allow the electrons to enter a circuit and a back contact to allow them to complete the circuit. Solar cell systems are already a very important part of our lives. The simplest systems power many of the small calculators and wrist watches we use everyday. PV power is the cheapest form of electricity for powering these small devices.
PV systems are often used in remote locations that are not connected to the electric grid. When the two surfaces are connected through an external load, electricity flows. To increase power output, cells are electrically connected into a packaged weather-tight module. That steam can then be used to turn a turbine to make electricity. PV systems use semiconductor materials that convert sunlight directly to electricity. Scientists are working to convert sunlight to cheap electricity. They are working with new materials that can make devices used for converting sunlight to electricity cheaper.
Solar Panels:
Home developers are using solar energy as the latest feature in new homes. A solar panel is a collection of solar cells. Lots of small solar cells spread over a large area can work together to provide enough power to be useful. The more light that hits a cell, the more electricity it produces. Solar cells are comprised of silicon which is specially treated so when light strikes it, it causes electrons to flow. It's a direct converter of light energy to electrical energy. Typically, solar panels are mounted flat on the roof, each one generating about 200 watts of electricity when the sun is shining on it. The panels are strung together to form an array. The minimum system is five panels generating approximately 1,000 watts of electrricity. Solar panel manufacturers are designing solar panels with neater and cleaner designs that are more transparent and neater than traditional solar panels.
Solar panels make electricity in all kinds of conditions, from cloudy skies to full sunlight, in all seasons of the year. But they don't work at all during the nighttime. To make electricity available after sundown, the energy must be stored during the day for later use. The usual storage device is a rechargeable battery. Besides solar panels and rechargeable batteries, modern photovoltaic systems are usually equipped with some kind of electronic charge controller. The main job of the charge controller is to feed electricity from the solar panel to the battery in the most efficient manner and to prevent the solar panel from overcharging the battery. The charge controller also protects the solar panels from electrical damage. Photovoltaic panels, like computers and other technologies, are getting cheaper and easier to buy. In fact, many people consider them a great alternative to gas-powered generators or connections to the regular electricity supply. Some countries such as Japan have encouraged businesses and communities to install solar panels on the roofs of new buildings to reduce the need for electricity from other sources.
Many homes and businesses have both a connection to the commercial electrical supply system (often called the "electricity grid"). The solar panels can provide all or most of the building's electrical supply during the day, and the grid supplies whatever other electricity may be needed during the night. In some cases, the panels make more electricity than is needed in the building. Solar panels can also be used to operate traditional air conditioners. As it happens, the periods of intense heat correspond to the periods of peak electricity production from photovoltaic cells. As long as you have solar panels, which generate sufficient to electricity, you can operate air conditioners at no cost.
Solar Lighting:
Solar lights are becoming more common in the home and office. Hybrid solar lighting collects sunlight and routs it through optical fibers into buildings where it is combined with electric light in hybrid light fixtures. Sensors keep the room at a steady lighting level by adjusting the electric lights based on the sunlight available. This new generation of solar lighting combines both electric and solar power. Solar lighting, as well, lights many outdoor decks. Solar lighting often illuminates yards and gardens as well as swimming pools. Solar lights work by recharging during the sunlight hours, and shining bright with that power at night. Solar panels are located on the lights, and these panels collect solar energy and charge a battery with that energy. The battery, in turn, powers the lights at night, eliminating the need for another power source.
Solar lighting is now the choice for gardens, landscaping and lighting paths. Lighting products typically come in sets of two to six self-contained lights. Each light typically is comprised of a metal or plastic stem with a lighting mechanism on the top. The lighting mechanism uses LED technology and is powered by a small solar panel built into the top of the piece. The lights can be purchased with or without backup batteries depending on your needs.
Outside the home solar lighting can be used for camping, street and traffic lighting, bus shelters and advertising billboards. The applications for solar powered outdoor lighting systems are endless. These units can be used for security and safety lighting, rural area lighting, dock lights, park lighting, parking lot lighting, parkway lighting, walkway lighting, street lighting, transit lighting, and other outdoor area lighting applications. Solar powered traffic warning signals and other traffic lights rely upon sunlight for its power source so the availability of electrical power from the grid is not a factor. The benefits of solar powered lights are that they are affordable and safe. The benefits of solar lighting are numerous. Low energy costs are one major reason, as the sun is well known for providing solar radiation without charge. Solar power products have few moveable parts, which mean that fewer parts exist to break. They last for a long time and require little attention once installed, therefore they require little maintenance. Perhaps the greatest benefits of solar lighting are the environmental benefits. Solar lighting gives off no emissions and does not contribute to global warming in any way. Solar power is a renewable resource. Other energy resources, such as coal and oil, have finite supplies. The power of the sun, on the other hand, will keep on shining, potentially beyond human existence. Solar lights continue working even if there has been a power outage. Because the energy isn't coming off of an electrical grid, power outages make no difference. Solar energy is free and environmentally friendly. As well as saving money, you can play a part in offsetting global warming by using solar energy in your home or business.
Solar Hot Water:
Residential hot water is a significant energy consumer for most households. In fact, hot water is sometimes the largest single energy cost. Using solar energy to provide at least some of the hot water in your household can result in significant. Savings. There are two basic types of solar hot water systems -- active and passive. Passive systems rely on gravity and the natural flow of water from hot to cold. They are simple systems and require very little maintenance. They are durable and long lasting. Solar boilers can be used on their own; they are most often used in conjunction with traditional water heaters, which are powered, by gas or electricity. In this kind of system, the water heated with solar energy can be used on its own if it is hot enough, or as preheated water for the traditional water heater. Pre heated water will also dramatically decrease your energy bill. You can even use solar power to heat your swimming pool.
Today, solar water heaters are becoming more common. Solar collectors absorb the sun's energy to provide low-temperature heat used directly for hot water or space heating for residential or commercial buildings. There are several ways that solar energy can be integrated into a hot water system.
Other Solar Energy Uses Inside the Home:
Solar power can be used in to cook food and sterilize water. Solar ovens are an effective way to cook from both an economic and efficiency point of view. There are three general types of solar ovens. A solar box works as the sunlight beats through the clear top and heats the interior of the box. As the heat rises, it cooks the items inside. A panel oven uses reflective surfaces to focus the sun on a pot to create heat and cook the material inside. A parabolic version is designed to focus the sunlight into the bottom of a concave area upon which sits pots. Some people are using solar energy for indoor lighting. You don't have to have solar panels and other solar energy equipment to take advantage of solar power. Even small things like using a clothesline to hang clothes to dry can cut your energy consumption. Solar power is undoubtedly a viable energy source for your home because it has no recurring cost and a very low, almost negligible, maintenance cost.
Solar Energy to Power Electronic Devices:
Travelers can use a solar charger to charge their batteries. They can also use this type of solar charger to power other small electrical devices like radios, MP3 players, and even laptop computers. There are many varieties of solar chargers available with numerous accessories you can add on. A travel solar charger that operates off of the sun's energy can go anywhere you go. You do not need to have an electrical outlet close by to charge your cellular phone or power your laptop. You can be backpacking in the mountains and have your phone continually charging. If you like to go on road trips you can set your solar charger right on the dashboard and let it charge your batteries or device while you drive to your next location. A portable solar charger does not need any international voltage adapters because it never needs to be plugged into electricity. You will not have to worry about what adapter is used in the country you are going to; just bring your solar charger with you.
Solar Energy in Business:
Solar Power Plants indirectly generate electricity when the heat from solar thermal collectors is used to heat a fluid, which produces steam that is used to power generator. A photovoltaic cell, referred to as a solar cell or PV, is the technology used to convert solar energy into electrical power. Many office buildings use solar energy for heat and electricity. Solar power can provide electricity for many applications. In addition, more and more businesses are realizing the benefits of utilizing solar power for electricity to offset their utility-supplied energy consumption.
Greenhouses that use the energy from the sun can help grow many plants, including crops used for food. This is one area that should be explored more, especially in areas that have food shortages. Vast greenhouses that use sea water for crop cultivation could be combined with solar power plants to provide food, fresh water and clean energy in deserts and other climates that generally have poor crop yeilds.
Solar farms describe facilities where many photovoltaic (PV) systems are centrally located. Solar farms are built to power residential customers and well as business and help on the burden on traditional electrical power grids. For example European scientists are calling for the creation of a series of huge solar farms - producing electricity either through photovoltaic cells, or by concentrating the sun's heat to boil water and drive turbines - as part of a plan to share Europe's renewable energy resources across the continent. This is happening in North America as well. For example in Ontario, the largest solar-panel system in Canada can currently produce 100 kilowatts, or one-tenth a megawatt of electricity when the sun is shining strong, Within the next few years, more than 400 megawatts of solar projects could be built in Ontario, composed mostly of sprawling 10-megawatt parks. The millions of solar panels needed for these projects would be built by various companies. They would also give Ontario one of the highest concentrations of solar power generation in the world.
Many businesses are emerging as a result of solar energy initiatives. These companies employ many people in North America and throughout the world. There are many companies that manufacture and install solar cells, solar panels and other solar energy products.
Solar Powered Vehicles:
Vehicles getting all of their energy from the sun are not a viable option at this time or for the near future. The problem is you simply can't produce enough energy to meet the power needs. Until technology is developed to make the sunlight conversion process much more efficient, there really is not an answer to the problem. This technological advance, however, may not be far away. In the meantime, solar power applications are being developed with a focus on hybrids. The basic idea is to use solar power to provide energy to the batteries powering the hybrid cars. Honda is believed to have built a facility solely for the purpose of hybrid solar powered vehicle innovation. The creation of viable solar vehicles is dependent on the advances of the underlying technology. High gas prices and climate change issues will drive the solar hybrids introduction into the market in the future.
Benefits of Solar Energy:
Solar power is in the midst of a boom in the United States and other countries around the world. High-energy costs are one reason. But what may be more important are generous government and power company incentives and rebates, as well as tax credits that make solar systems affordable to many more people and businesses. Solar power is friendly to our environment because no fuels are combusted, which means that emissions associated with generating electricity from solar technologies are negligible. The most common technologies used to actively convert solar energy into electricity are photovoltaics and concentrating solar power solar-thermal, which includes parabolic trough systems, the lowest cost solar electric option for large power plant applications. Though we can capture solar energy, concentrate it, store it and convert it into other useful forms of energy, solar technologies must be further developed and profitably marketed to successfully harness the sun's power on a large commercial scale and to provide cost-effective, reliable energy services.
Solar thermal technology replaces the fuel in a traditional power plant with heat produced from solar energy, and has great potential to produce utility-scale power that is cheaper than coal. More and more residential and commercial customers are realizing the benefits of utilizing solar power for electricity to offset their utility-supplied energy consumption, to provide back up power or to operate independent of the utility grid. It can diversify our energy supply, reduce our dependence on imported fuels, and improve the quality of the air we breathe, offset greenhouse gas emissions, and stimulate our economy by creating jobs in the manufacturing and installation of solar energy systems. Solar electricity could help cut up to 1.6 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2030, equivalent to the emissions of 450 coal-fired power plants, stated an energy expert from Greenpeace International. Clean energy sources, such as solar energy, can help meet rising energy demands while reducing pollution and preventing damage to the environment and public health as well as lessening the impact of global warming. Tackling climate change requires a revolution in the way we produce and use energy. Solar energy is a major part of this solution.
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