Your Questions About Solar Energy International

admin answers:

I would address your question by saying that yes, I would certainly install it if I owned a home that I intended to stay in for at least 10 years. I think it takes a while before you make the money back on the installation investment. I wish I had it… Maybe my next house!

Solar Energy Advantages
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. (visit www.dsireusa.org to find out about incentives available in the state you live in!).
If your system produces more energy than you use, your utility company can buy it from you, building up a credit on your account! This nifty little scheme 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.
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 generation 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.
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 independently, 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.
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.

More about Solar energy advantages disadvantages

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.

As you can see there are many Solar Energy Advantages
Disadvantages can be found in any product or system, but it
is important to know that they can be managed in this case.

admin answers:

What you are asking about is not only possible, it has been in use in limited applications for a while. These devices are based on the Peltier–Seebeck and Thomson effects:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peltier-Seebeck_effect

Thermoelectric generators have been used on deep space probes for several decades:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_generator

These devices use radioactive materials as a heat source. The Soviet Union also used similar devices to power remote beacons and lighthouses:
http://www.bellona.no/bellona.org/english_import_area/international/russia/navy/northern_fleet/incidents/31772

There are also small thermoelectric devices designed to work at lower temperatures for common applications:
http://www.dts-generator.com/gen-txe.htm