Fold it up solar panel!

The Foldable Series Flexible Solar Panels are quite possibly the most convenient portable solar system available on the market. Each unit is made to be weatherproof, UV resistant for up to 10 years of continuous use, and provide clean energy for all your portable electronics. This series is ideal for most outdoor activities and the expanded line of different units will ensure that you have the best cell for your purpose.

The units are made to fold conveniently for storage and come with a female cigarette lighter adapter, great for charging electronics. Should you need to charge many different types of batteries, we offer a full line of authorized accessories to accommodate your needs.

http://www.flexsolarcells.com/PowerFilm-Solar-Foldable-Solar-Panels.php

Do I have to mount solar panels on my roof?

Some people don't!

http://solarburrito.com/the-best-solar-power-kits/

Portable Solar Generators

Designed for small events, like weddings, concerts, movie sets, jobsites or remote living situations. It’s the perfect balance of power and transportability. You can tow it behind most 4 or 6-cylinder vehicles and they are powerful enough to run 3,500 watt loads, the PSG Series is perfect for users with light to medium power needs where cost and size are a concern.

http://www.solarlinepower.com/products/portable-solar-generator

Solar Thermal vs. Photovoltaic

It is important to understand that solar thermal technology is not the same as solar panel, or photovoltaic, technology. Solar thermal electric energy generation concentrates the light from the sun to create heat, and that heat is used to run a heat engine, which turns a generator to make electricity.

Photovoltaic, or PV energy conversion, on the other hand, directly converts the sun's light into electricity. This means that solar panels are only effective during daylight hours because storing electricity is not a particularly efficient process.

http://www.solar-thermal.com/solar_vs_pv.html

Slide show on the "Many Uses of Solar Energy..."

http://www.slideshare.net/gagneeshkaur/project-on-solar-energy

World's Largest Solar Power Plant

You might think that as one of the world's top oil producing nations, the United Arab Emirates would have little use for solar energy.

But that hasn't stopped the Middle East state from unveiling the largest concentrated solar power plant in operation anywhere in the world.

The 100-megawatt solar-thermal project in Abu Dhabi will power thousands of homes in the country and, it is hoped, displace approximately 175,000 tons of CO2 per year.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2295717/Who-needs-oil-Worlds-largest-concentrated-solar-power-plant-258-000-mirrors-opens-Abu-Dhabi.html

Desalination Using the Power of the Sun

Solar desalination is a technique to remove salts from water - usually seawater - using solar energy to make the water potable. Desalination has become important in supplying the world’s drinking water;

In the middle of the 20th century, there were about 4,000 cubic meters of fresh water per person per year. Now, globally, we’re down to 1,000 cubic meters per person per year — a level that is defined as water scarcity.

http://www.solaripedia.com/13/370/5018/desalination_oman.html

Top 20 Companies by Solar Capacity

Solar energy is being deployed on a massive scale by the most iconic brands and best-managed companies in the U.S. in order to help lower operating costs and increase profits. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Vote Solar Initiative (Vote Solar) have unveiled a report naming the companies using solar on their facilities in the U.S., ranked by cumulative solar energy capacity.

http://www.seia.org/research-resources/solar-means-business-top-commercial-solar-customers-us

Solar Powered Roller Coasters!

Six Flags to Build New Jersey’s Largest Solar Farm and Become First Theme Park to Be Entirely Self-Powered

New Jersey theme park Six Flags Great Adventure announced that it is partnering with New Jersey-based KDC Solar to construct a solar farm that will provide virtually all its energy needs.

It will be the largest solar farm in New Jersey and will make the sprawling, 2,200-acre Six Flags Great Adventure the first theme park in the country to be entirely self-powered.

http://ecowatch.com/2015/03/28/six-flags-solar-farm/

Solar Panels On Dutch Bike Lane Produce More Power Than Planned

Apparently, solar panels aren't just for roofs anymore.

The Dutch company SolaRoad has long planned to build bike paths and roadways with embedded solar panels, using nominally open space for renewable-energy generation.  Last November, it opened a 230-foot test section of bike path in Krommenie, near Amsterdam.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1098373_solar-panels-on-dutch-bike-lane-produce-more-power-than-planned

Solar Power for rural Africa

A UK-based start-up is developing printable, thin-film plastic solar cells aimed at providing affordable electricity to individual dwellings that have no grid connection, such as those in rural Africa.

Eight19, a Cambridge University spin-off firm, is named after the eight min, 19 s it takes sunlight to reach the Earth. The company believes that sheets of the lightweight plastic thin film will slash the cost of transporting and installing solar panels compared with conventional silicon-based solar panels or glass-based thin-film solar cells. This should make it more affordable for farmers and villagers in remote areas, who can fix the sheets to their roofs to power homes that do not have electricity.

http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/2012/mar/13/reeling-in-cheap-plastic-solar-film

Japan Is Turning Abandoned Golf Courses Into Solar Power Plants

Japan has been searching for an alternative energy source after the 2011 Fukushima disaster made nuclear energy an unattractive option. With the rise of abandoned golf courses, they came up with the perfect solution: solar farms.

 

http://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news/1245/Japan-Is-Turning-Abandoned-Golf-Courses-Into-Solar-Power-Plants

 

 

Farmers Cultivate Crops and Solar Energy

San Diego, Calif. -- Farmers in Japan can now generate solar electricity while growing crops on the same farmland.

This co-existence or double-generation is known as “Solar Sharing” in Japan. The concept was originally developed by Akira Nagashima in 2004, who was a retired agricultural machinery engineer who later studied biology and learned the “light saturation point.”

The rate of photosynthesis increases as the irradiance level is increased; however at one point, any further increase in the amount of light that strikes the plant does not cause any increase to the rate of photosynthesis.

By knowing that too much sun won’t help further growth of plants, Nagashima came up with the idea to combine PV systems and farming.


http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2013/10/japan-next-generation-farmers-cultivate-agriculture-and-solar-energy.html

Solarized Barns and Garages are becoming popular!

 

These days, many people are adding solar panels as not only a renewable energy source but also a way to save money. We’ve seen solar panels on garages becoming an increasingly popular option. Garage solar additions are economical & ecological.

From powering just a few energy-efficient lights to running the meter backwards, a solar-electric, or photovoltaic (PV), system can scale to meet your needs. Solar barns have many benefits, including: independence from utilities, money savings, and increased home value, not to mention being an environmentally friendly, renewable resource. There are often financial incentives for solar as well, like state or federal government programs and tax credits. Plus, with a big enough solar array and during minimal draw, the homeowner can actually run the meter backwards, where the solar power generated is output to the grid so other residents on the grid can use it. Then when the homeowner needs the power for his own needs, he draws it back off the grid.
 
http://www.thebarnyardstore.com/blog/detail/?id=269

 

Shade for your patio while saving energy!

Solar Panel Patio Covers

http://www.gosunpro.com/olive-branch/solar-products

 

Sunpro’s solar panel patio covers can be installed as a freestanding structure, or attached to an existing structure. These patio covers are the perfect way to maximize your energy savings while providing shade to your family.

A Guide to Common Solar Energy Terms

EnergySage makes going solar as easy as booking a flight online with our tools for calculating your solar savings and comparing quotes from pre-screened solar installers. But shopping for solar can still feel like a confusing process with all of its new terminology. EnergySage has developed an index of solar energy terms to help you decode solar jargon and better understand your options.

http://news.energysage.com/a-guide-to-common-solar-energy-terms/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Video explaining Solar Loans

https://www.energysage.com/solar/financing/solar-loans

What is Net Metering?

Net metering allows you to sell excess power produced by your solar system back to the utility company at retail prices. Solar Energy Systems will recommend the optimal utility rate plan for you based on your electrical production and consumption patterns.

Net metering is a special metering and billing agreement between you as the solar system owner and the utility company that allows you to buy and sell energy in the form of electric credits.

When your solar system generates more power than what your home or business can immediately use, your excess power flows back to the utility grid and your meter literally spins backward! When you use more power than is being produced, the meter runs forward as normal.

Net metering customers are charged only for the “net” power that they use over a designated time period. Most utility companies will credit you for the power you generate for up to a year, but unfortunately, they will not send you a check for the net excess electricity production.

http://solarenergysystemsllc.com/slider1/

Should I replace my roof before installing solar panels?

A few items to take into account when considering whether or not to replace your roof before you switch to solar: the roof’s age, its condition, and the costs involved for repairs or replacement.
There are a few signs you may know about already to determine the condition of your roof without even climbing up a ladder. Those signs include:

• Leaks or stains in the attic or walls
• Mildew
• Dark “dirty-looking” spots on the roof
• Excessive energy costs due to insufficient ventilation

Professional inspection

If you are unsure or haven’t seen any of these signs, that’s probably a very good thing. Either way, you’ll definitely need a professional to assist you in further assessment. Your solar contractor can recommend a good local roofing company to work with and most reputable roofing contractors provide free estimates, so there should be no additional cost for the assessment.

http://www.thesolarco.com/should-i-replace-my-roof-before-installing-solar-panels/

Will Solar Panels Make My Roof Leak?

Installing solar panels on the roof is the most cost-effective way to deliver solar energy to your home. Given that the materials and panels themselves are often under warranty for 25 years or more, those panels should provide decades of money saving clean energy to your home.

But will they cause leaks in the roof? No.

Modern solar technology is installed using time and lab tested equipment that is designed to protect the roof. Yes, installers will need to make holes in your roof to attach the solar panels securely, but they will be using special attachments that cause the water to run around and away from the penetrations. This is made possible by the fact that water very predictably runs down your roof. The attachments either have a raised barrier, that diverts the water around the attachment point, or create a ‘dimple’ that helps create a reliable seal between the roof material and the attachment point.

In fact, solar panels actually help protect the roof they cover from the harsh and degrading UV rays of the run.

http://understandsolar.com/will-solar-panels-make-roof-leak/

Solar Panels Are Cheaper Than Ever, So Why Aren’t You Getting Them?

Solar power used to be a prohibitively expensive technology, but recently, the cost of residential solar panel systems has dropped … by a lot. And what once seemed like a futuristic option is finally taking off.

When plugging in numbers, Nelson warns potential buyers against focusing on a “payback period,” or how long it will take to recoup the cost of the investment. “That’s a very shortsighted approach, especially in the case of a long-term investment.”

Just think, the next time you enjoy a beautiful sunny day, you could be enjoying the knowledge that you’re saving money on power—and contributing to a healthier planet.

http://www.realtor.com/advice/solar-panels-cheaper-than-ever/

Are energy dollars bouncing off your roof? Get solar and put them in your piggy bank!

Save money on your electricity bills

Each year a typical home solar PV system produces about 40% of the electricity a household uses - directly reducing your bill by that amount.

http://www.spvsolar.com/questions.htm

Thomas Edison quote about solar energy from 1931

http://natgrp.org/2014/04/09/10-huge-lessons-weve-learned-from-solar-power-success-in-germany/

Video on why a farmer switched to Solar Energy

Using the Sun to Power Your Farm

http://www.paradisesolarenergy.com/who-uses-solar-energy/agriculture/

Throughout history, farmers have harnessed the power of the sun to grow crops and feed for livestock. In recent years, an increasing number of farmers are looking to the sun again, only this time to provide energy to power their farming business.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxTVfo5ag2I&feature=player_embedded

 

 

 

 

IKEA is really into Solar!

 

Ikea has been a big investor in alternative energies and, as can be seen by the photo below, many of their stores are powered by solar.

 

http://www.maxkeiser.com/2014/12/a-silver-lining-in-solar-energy-demand/

 

 

 

Solar's future is looking bright as the average cost of city-provided energy increased 37%. Increasing numbers of homeowners are therefore looking to solar as a viable energy to power their homes.  Solar photovoltaic effect was first identified 175 years ago. It seems that, in the 21st century, it is poised to go mainstream.

 

Solar Shingles: Protect your roof while delivering Solar Power to your home!

Solar shingles blend right into your asphalt shingles, protecting your roof while they deliver the sun's power to your home.

Photovoltaic shingles are a form of shingles that function as solar panels. They lay flush with your roof and help protect it from the elements, just like standard shingles. Wires run below the shingles across your roof to batteries or right into your home's electric panels, helping to offset the amount of power your home uses.

 http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Photovoltaic_Shingles

Double Duty: A parking lot uses space to park cars and generate solar power!

Lockheed Martin joined Florida Governor Rick Scott, Duke Energy President of Florida Utility Operations Alex Glenn and other local officials to celebrate the powering up of its 151,400 square foot solar array covering the parking lot at its facility near Clearwater, Florida. The project represents Florida’s largest, private solar array.

The solar project will generate 3.33 million kilowatt hours per year resulting in $6.5 million in savings over 25 years. The covered parking will not only provide shade for more than 500 cars, but it will also slash greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent.

http://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2015/10/lockheed-martin-installs-floridas-largest-private-solar-array/

Why brownfields need an online marketplace for solar redevelopment

The landscape is dotted with the remains of bygone developments—places where factories churned out products and ships docked to receive them, for instance—which today are often considered brownfields.

Brownfields are sites that may require environmental clean-up prior to redevelopment.
Still, because brownfields are often vacant or merely strewn with rubbish, they appear to solar advocates as land ripe for development. Another type of brownfield, the capped landfill, is frequently seeing new life as home to solar installations.

http://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2016/03/brownfields-need-online-marketplace-solar-redevelopment/

140-year-old horse track installs solar on stable roofs

Since the race season is restricted to summer months only, the Dresden Agricultural Society, which runs the raceway, started to look for ways that could add “a steady revenue stream to the operations even during the time the track was idle,” Lucille Laprise, the President of the Dresden Agricultural Society says.

With southern expose and no obstructions that would cause shading, the six horse barns were an ideal location for solar panels.

http://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2016/03/140-year-old-horse-track-installs-solar-stable-roofs/

How is the utility grid like a backup "battery" for a Solar Home?

When you're producing more electricity than you're consuming, you're sending electricity back into the utility grid.  Your electric meter spins backwards, saving you money on your electric bill.
 
When you're not using the solar energy that your system is harvesting during the daytime, you're giving it back to the utility company as a credit towards your electric bill.
 
The utility grid is kind of like your "battery," because you use electricity from the utility company to power your home at night when it's dark.

http://www.gogreensolar.com/pages/solar-components-101

How Long do Solar Panels Last?

http://solarenergyfactsblog.com/how-long-do-solar-panels-last/

When you buy solar panels for your home, it’s likely that the ‘lifetime’ of the system means the warrantied lifetime — 25 years. That’s how long the panel manufacturer guarantees a certain power output, and is generally the timeframe in which energy savings numbers are calculated.

However, testing shows that after 40 years, solar panels retain 80% of their rated power output.

That means that you could get much more out of the array than installers or panel manufacturers are willing to guarantee. It’s interesting to consider how many other products offer a 25 year warranty.
Over the system lifetime, panels lose about half a percent of efficiency per year, which means that after the warrantied 25 years they’ve lost a total of 12.5%. Panel manufacturer’s can’t claim the same power output at this point, so warranties naturally expire. After 25 years, a 10 kW system becomes an 8.75 kW system, and a 4 kW system becomes a 3.5 kW system.

The Lifetime of a Solar Panel: How long do solar panels last exactly?

The type of solar panel you have, as well as weather conditions and how well you maintain the panel, will affect how long it lasts. Crystalline panels last longer than thin film (see solar shingles and Different Types of Solar Panels), and will produce energy longer. Crystalline panels often have warranties for around 25 years.
Since solar panels don’t have moving parts, they have less wear and tear than other types of equipment, and that helps prolong their lifetime. Other parts of a solar system, like batteries, may occasionally need to be replaced, but the panels themselves should not have to be.
Solar panels do lose a little bit of efficiency (see solar panel efficiency) as they get older, but there are ways to maintain panels to make sure you’re getting the most juice out of them as possible. Keep tree limbs trimmed so they don’t start to shade panels or drop leaves on them. If you live in a very windy climate, you’ll have to take a little extra care to keep dust and dirt off the panels. Similarly, if you live in a snowy climate, you’ll want to gently brush snow off the panels to keep them functioning well.

How can a Solar Electric Company provide power at night?

Sitting in the Nevada  desert, the new Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project is covered with more than 10,000 mirrors, each the size of a small house, that track the sun throughout the day and focus it on a receiver filled with molten salt. The salt, heated to almost 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, stores the energy as heat, so it's always ready when it's needed. When the grid needs power, the heat in the salt is released to turn water into steam, which drives generators to make energy. That can happen whether the sun is shining or not. http://www.fastcoexist.com/3057288/this-huge-new-solar-farm-near-las-vegas-provides-power-even-at-night

How can solar energy be used at night?

Well, to use the energy from the daytime sunlight at night, you have to store it.   If you do not have the means to store it, and you are connected to the electrical grid, (shown below) you do not have to be concerned about storing it because the electrical grid will supply you with all the power you need at night and during cloudy days.

The Electrical Grid (shown above, source is below) http://www.clearcreeknetworks.com/2014/05/02/electrical-grids-101-an-introduction-to-utilities/

The nice thing about being connected to the grid is that if your home produces more solar energy during the day than you actually use, the electrical grid will take that excess energy from your home, use it for other customers, and give you a credit on your electric bill to lower the cost of being connected to the grid!