solar energy generators

Your Questions About Solar Energy Generators India

Robert asks…

How do we stop global warming?

How do we decrease or stop global warming when to run windows vista unltimate and directx 10 video cards we need at least 650watts power supply? Whos at fault?

admin answers:

I think the problem is beyond a few cards kiddo.

We must become more conscious of the effects of our actions on the world. Making responsible decisions is what it is all about. In Europe the latest fad is about the size of your footprints on the planet. It is almost a game there it is so popular.

Here are a few really basic common sense ideas for you. Dump your SUV and get a hydrogen run vehicle. Run your dishwasher only when it’s full, replace air-conditioning and furnace air filters regularly, and adjust your thermostat to a little warmer in summer and a little cooler in winter. You can also set your water heater to no higher than 120 degrees (F); it saves money and is safer. Try low-flow shower heads to use less hot water and wash clothes in cold water. Most detergents today clean just as well in cooler temperatures. Use energy efficient light bulbs. Improve your home insulation. And seal up all the cracks. And my favourite, shower with friends. LOL.

Since all of these save electricity, they save not only resources, but also money for you. It just makes sense.

For you fools who deny the truth of global warming, here are a few facts for you. By the way, they also include some solutions to help east the problems, although there is so much more to do. Saying you do not believe in something does not make it any less real!

Big Business is beginning to look at global warming through eyes blinded by dollar signs. Climate change is replacing tech and bio tech as the major investment theme of the future. Wall Street’s analysts are devising ways to cash in on weather.

Discussions have changed to talk of what a 1-degree rise each year in temperature would do to profits. Global warming is becoming a major market-moving force that represents a generational shift likely to influence how people invest for decades. The world’s biggest financial services firms are investing massive amounts of time and brainpower trying to pinpoint what stocks and sectors will benefit or be hurt by Global warming.

There are at least 74 companies in 18 countries that can profit from changing weather patterns. Global warming will change world economy. There is a company in California which manages the largest pension plan in America that has committed $800 M to invest in clean technology. At this time 90% of global warming is the result of human activity.

Temperatures around the globe could raise 2 to 12 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100. This will result in more intense heat waves, stronger tropical storms and a rise in sea levels that will swamp low-lying cities and farmland. When I was boating through rice fields in India last summer I wondered how these people would survive even a few inches rise in water. Most of the farmers live at sea level.

Corn will be used to create ethanol. The technology is already in use. If corn is used to provide even 10% of the nation’s automotive needs, it would use 35% of America’s corn crop.

Since 25% of all food prices are affected by the cost of corn, we could face a corn vs. Food situation. Farm leftovers can be used to create cellulosic ethanol for fuel. Farm equipment companies should do well because farmers will be rethinking harvesting techniques. They will also retool their machines for the new fuels. Monsanto is working on creating more drought resistant crops.

Energy conversion devices and sun power are becoming buzz words. Windmills. Fuel cells. Solar panels. Several companies are developing types of clean solar panels with the hope of rivaling oil and coal, deemed “dirty” fuels. Eco technology is still too mature to make a lot of money. Solar will only create a tenth of the world’s energy. Technology that makes dirty energy sources like coal and oil cleaner. There will be more money made on the dirty stuff. Nuclear power generators are also on the rise. The new nuclear energy is much cleaner and produces no carbon.

Ethanol, hydrogen, clean diesel, bio diesel fuels hold promise for the future. Hybrid cars are the way of the future. The major car manufacturers are working on increased efficiency. Investing in hybrid vehicles and components and batteries etc will be good investments. Automotive builders are striving to outdo each other in these fields. “Smart cars” are popping up everywhere.

The insurance industry will change incredibly. So many energy and utility companies will all have to face different challenges due to the effects of weather. Suddenly they realize climate and profits are closely related. Investors will start to lean more toward green investments. This movement has been spreading for a decade.

I also think security and protection companies might do well because the displacement of people and shortages could result in an increase in crime.

The world’s demand for energy is accelerating as China and India grow. Heavy construction and engineering companies that build power plants will do well. The smart ones will build ecologically sensitive plants will steal market share. They will find ways to make plants more efficient and cleaner. One technology, clean coal, puts devices in smokestacks that pull the carbon out of the exhaust and plow it back into the soil.

After Hurricane Katrina, folks are rethinking the option of coastal real estate. People will develop an aversion to locations on the water and severe-weather-prone areas. People will flee Florida for the Smokey Mountains for example. This covers Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina. This is already happening. Thousands have begun the process of relocating to higher ground. The high insurance premiums for living near the water will affect property values.

Small parts and components that go into everything from washers and dryers to fighter jets and elevators could play a gigantic factor in curbing energy use. We already have the technology to reduce the world’s power use by 30% overnight. About 11% of the savings could be achieved with efficient electric motors inside washing machines, conveyor belts and other motors that use half the energy of older technology. Another 11% could be saved in transportation using hybrids. The last 8% can be saved with energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs. Currently businesses that focus on energy efficiency are already becoming more profitable.

The wealthier nations are in better condition to deal with these things. It is the poorer nations that will have serious difficulties. Holland could just disappear. A great deal of landmass will also be lost, which will drive up the cost of real estate everywhere.

That is how America sees the future according to Global Warming. In its usual entrepreneurial way, Americans see the silver lining of this problem as an opportunity for positive change and innovative growth. This is all fact, kids. You know corporations do not make such changes without a good reason.

Although global warming is a problem today, there is an equally huge problem that governments do not want their citizens to know about and keep all information suppressed. If this particular topic is not addressed, we will face changes on the planet more deeply embedded not in nature but from within our bodies.

I speak of Depleted uranium and its effects on the human race and all other living things on the planet. If the environment of earth is ill humanity becomes ill. Our health depends upon its health. The environment is the world around us, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the soil in which we grow our foods. It is exciting to see individuals begin to take responsibility for their footsteps upon the planet even if the movement was only taken seriously once Global Warming began to hurt big business. There are all sorts of wonderful initiatives out there.

However, we can pretty things up, cut down on carbons and become more eco friendly but all of these accomplishments will mean nothing if we do not get to the invisible pollutions that are becoming harder and harder to escape. I am not trying to denigrate these wonderful actions people are taking. We have to begin somewhere and global warming is as good a place as anywhere.

N April of 2003, the World Health Organization said they expect global cancer rates to increase 50 percent by the year 2020. Infant mortality is going up at appalling rates all over the world, an indicator of the level of radioactive pollution. Basically, it’s like smoking radioactive crack. It goes straight into the blood stream and is carried all throughout the body into the bones, the bone marrow, and the brain. It goes into the fetus and corrupts its development. It’s a systemic and a radiological poison.

Winds carry this radioactive dust several miles, contaminating the air and water that innocent humans breathe and drink. These munitions were used in both Iraq wars, Kosovo, and training sessions in Puerto Rico. We have huge dust storms that are a million square miles and transport millions of tons of dust and sand every year around the world.

The main centers of these dust storms are the Gobi Desert in China, which is where the Chinese did atmospheric testing, so that’s all contaminated with radiation, and it gets transported right over Japan. It then comes straight across the Pacific and dumps its sand and dust in North America. The stuff is loaded with radioactive isotopes, soot, pesticides, chemicals, pollution — everything is in it — fungi, bacteria, viruses.

The Sahara Desert is another huge dust center, and it goes up all over Europe and straight across the Atlantic, to the Caribbean, and up the East Coast. Of course, you get it in Texas with those hurricanes. They all originate in the Sahara Desert.

The third region is the Western United States, which is where the Nevada test site is located.

Concentration of the depleted uranium particles in the atmosphere all around the globe is increasing. There are indications that the U.S. Will go in June and bomb the heck out of Iran. U.S. Army ammunition factories have very large orders for those huge bunker buster bombs that have 5,000 tons of DU in the warhead.

Hold your politicians accountable. For both this crime against humanity as well as implementing stronger controls on factors contributing to Global warming. Both of these horrible threats must be dealt with immediately if our grandchildren are to have a planet to live on.

IN A TIME OF DECEIT, TELLING THE TRUTH IS AN ACT OF REVOLUTION!

Jenny asks…

Can we use solar energy to power a whole house in india?

admin answers:

It is all relative – Big House, or Small House?

Yes you can use solar energy.

2 types – generate electricity and/or make hot water.

First work out your NEEDS.
Make a list of all the appliances you will be using – at any one time – read the Watt or Kjoul rating off the ‘appliance info plate – at the back’.
Add to this all the LIGHTS – ie… 10x 60 watt globes = 600 watts

Arrive at a TOTAL POWER for the House – and start costing the SOLAR COLLECTORS available to you to find if you can afford it all.

HOT WATER SOLAR is easy – a tank and a BLACK hose – use convection [hot water rises] and place the Tank on the roof – and the hose below it – then you have a gravity feed to your bath, etc.

SUPER HOT SOLAR WATER – can make steam pressure, to run a turbine blade connected to a generator.. But this is a bit more hassle and high tech.. But simple in concept.

ELECTRICAL STORAGE – batteries – is what you charge up of a day, and run them flat of a night – via an INVERTER – to boost the 12volts (DC battery) – up to 115/240v to run your ‘stuff’.

A small solar collector is okay for your mobile phone or computer – maybe… Check the ‘watts’.

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Your Questions About Solar Energy Generators For Sale

Lisa asks…

Which is the best DIY solar panel/wind turbine program? Real people only, please.?

I’ve been looking at all of the options for installing solar electricity systems online, and I’ve noticed that even the so-called review sites all seem to be part of a sales pitch….haven’t found a single, independent review of any of these products. Has anyone out there actually used any of these (Earth4Energy, HomemadeEnergy, etc.), and if so, how good are they?

admin answers:

If you have noticed that Earth4Energy is a scam (which it is), then you may be amused by my analysis of it at http://www.nlcpr.com/Deceptions6.html

If you want to build a wind turbine yourself (like a good engineer would), then get the following book:

Homebrew Wind Power
A HANDS-ON GUIDE TO HARNESSING THE WIND
Dan Bartmann & Dan Fink
Foreword by Mick Sagrillo

ISBN: 978-0-9819201-0-8
Published by Buckville Publications LLC

You can get this from www.otherpower.com This is a startlingly complete book and it has all the background theory you need too. They explain why, for example, you cant use a car alternator or something from a generator, and then proceed to build alternators from scratch. The references are compete — if you explore them and have the time to read, you will be right up there with the pioneers.

As for DIY solar, you can get the parts (panels, inverters, batteries, charge controllers) individually from many sources and make a system. It will not be cheap. You can’t make your own silicon cells, and probably aren’t up to designing the electronics, can’t make your own batteries etc.

My recommendation is this: Get the wind book. Look through the web sites of some of the better looking solar dealers, and if they seem to be “no bull” then e-mail them and tell them what you want. E.g. An entry level system, 80W panel, battery, inverter and charge controller so that you can make enough power for say, a small laptop. The good ones will be able to tell you what works together.

If you are thinking of a whole home solution, then you have a lot of reading to do. You need to switch to natural gas or propane (no electric heat, electric stove, electric hot water) and absolutely mininize the electrical load.

It would be nice to market a good DIY manual, but with a truthful title like “Generate power at home for more than you are paying now” or “With thirty thousand dollars in equipment, you too can avoid those monthly power bills” sales would be pathetic.

Have fun.

As for “real people” comment, when I see questions like this, I wonder if I am wasting my time because many of the questions are not real either. They are simply created by scammers so that they can add their scam replies and rate it best answer. I find this particilary galling when someone says, “this is for my science fair, and I am 14 years old” and all the answers are Earth4Energy scammers. Other times, I find my comments pasted on fake energy sites with links to pharmaceuticals. It is a mad world out there.

Ken asks…

What are some good green technology carers or job?

I WANA GO GREEN

admin answers:

The Wind Industry
——————————-
Designing Wind Turbines

Wind Analyst (studies wind patterns) They earn approximately $54 to $75 thousand a year!

Wind Turbine Machinist (usually specialise in metal and plastic parts, but also other areas of wind turbine’s structure)

Wind Farm Electrical Services Designer Operator (Makes sure the electrical components of a wind farm operate properly)

Wind Development Director (Massive responsibility for the correct overall functioning of the Wind Farm and oversees well everyone else!)

Wind Power Field Salesperson (You could start as a Representative and work your way up to Sales Manager, maybe even a Executive Position!)

Wind Turbine Drivetrain Engineer (Perform Engineering and Mechanical tasks relating to wind turbines) They make an average of $52 to $62 thousand a year.

Wind Farm Construction Manager (Make $60 to $80 thousand a year!)

Wind Farm Electrical Systems Designer ($30 to $50 thousand a year)

Wind Turbine Generator Builder (Make $15 – $20 an hour)

Wind Power Turbine Installer

Wind Energy Technician (Make $15 – $22 an hour)

Solar Power Industry
———————————-
PV Solar Panel Installer

Solar Sales Person (make $43 to $73 thousand a year)

Photovoltaic – PV Solar Designer

Solar Thermal Installer

Solar Operations Engineer

Solar Lab Technician

Solar & PV Installer-Roofer

Solar Fabrication Technician

Photovoltaic PV fabrication Testing Technician

Solar Radiant Heating Installer

Solar Hot Water Installer

Organic Farming Industry
————————————-

Horticulture/Horticulturalist

Organic Food Production Worker

Arborist

Permaculture/Permaculturalist

Organic Farmer

Nursery Manager

Landscaping

Organic Poultry Farming

Natural Building Industry
————————————–

Star Bale Construction

Sustainable Home Design

Indoor/Outoor Lanscape Architect

Green Interior Designer

The list goes on and on and on!

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Your Questions About Solar Energy Generators For Home

Donald asks…

Is there a way that a wind mill can generate enough electricity to turn the lights on in a house?

I am writing an essay for school and it has to be on everyday life and how you can use alternative fossil fuels to do the same things. So if they are other things you can think of that i can use (wind energy, solar energy, hydroelectric energy, etc), to put in my essay that would be extremely helpful. Thanks!

admin answers:

A good way to discuss it would be to think about using Alternative energy to supplement fossil fuel energy. Aside from hydropower, alternative energy is not consistent enough to be used on a small scale to power a home (like if clouds cover your solar panels, you’re screwed).

If you used all kinds of alternative energy and then supplemented with a generator, then you’d have a really good, and consistent source of energy.

Mandy asks…

how car batterie to for solar system of 5kw and how much roughly cost?

i am planing to have independent solar system at home 5 kwh capacity , how many car size batteries do i need for this system.
with thanks for the answer.

admin answers:

Batteries are only 50% efficient at charging and lose 1% per day. If you can, use net metering and just sell your excess power to the utilities and buy the power you need back from them. How many batteries you need depends on your energy usage ( a figure of 5 kwh is meaningless without the period of time that is over ) and how long you want to run without solar power. Most people design just for diurnal use and fill in with a generator for back up power in an off grid home. But it is possible to consult the weather office and determine how many days in a row you can expect to be without productive sunshine and how many days you can expect to be able to recharge your batteries over. Note that the average North American home uses 950 kwh per month.

You also have to take into account that most systems are designed for just the bulk charge to 80% capacity.

If you are saying that you use 5 kwh evenly over a day and you can expect 8 hours of useful sunshine then considering the 50% charging efficiency of lead acid batteries you would be looking at storing 5 kwh * ( 2 * 16 / 24 ) = 6.7 kwh. A typical car battery is 12 V at 65 AH so it would hold 780 WH, at 80% capacity that would mean you would need 10.73 batteries and you would need 2,504 watts to provide for the 1/3 of the 5 kwh that you use when the Sun is out plus the recharging of the batteries, that would be about 25 of those 100 watt two foot by four foot solar panels which sell for about $250 so with a charge controller you would be talking about a $13,000 system. However, this assumes you have DC appliances. If you toss in an inverter, those can be as bad as 65% efficient so you would have to increase everything by about 54%.

Of course, power usage isn’t even though the day so you should characterize your power use better plus 5 kwh per day amounts to 150 kwh per month which is only 1/6th of typical usage so it may be an unrealistic value.

I would strongly advise that you characterize your power use carefully, consider net metering as that would mean you only have the inverter inefficiency to worry about and not the battery inefficiency. If you must go off the grid, consider DC appliances to remove the inverter inefficiency and consider an absorption refrigerator which could run off a propane tank buried in the yard as food storage can not risk possible daily outages, plus you can run a gas stove top off the propane. Gas ovens are a problem as many have glow plugs which consume 300 watts constantly but if you can find one with piezoelectric lighters or one of the old outlawed ones with a pilot light then a gas powered oven becomes possible. You can also run your backup generator off the propane.

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Your Questions About Solar Energy Generators For Sale

Chris asks…

how much solor energy would be needed to run a air conditioner?

admin answers:

Far more than you can afford.

A 3 ton central air conditioner draws about 7,500 watts. The sun doesn’t shine all the time, indeed you typically get less than 8 hours of usable sunshine for photovoltaics so you have to generate three times the power that you need in order to run the air conditioner around the clock so that’s 22,500 watts. Inverters are inefficient and are more inefficient the bigger they get to the point where motor generators are used with large sale DC to AC conversion, however most solar systems use an inverter so you’ll likely to have 60% efficiency therefore it’s 37,500 watts that’s needed. Air conditioners are ideally sized to meet the cooling demands as closely as possible as a short duty cycle results in high humidity so let’s say it has an 80% duty cycle, that brings the requirements to 30,000 watts. A solar cell costs $1.20 a watt to manufacture in China and $2 a watt to manufacture in the US but by the time a system is installed, it would likely be $5 per watt so your solar panels would cost $150,000. Oh, and you won’t have enough roof space facing the Sun.

If you do want solar powered air conditioning, your best bet would be evacuated tube solar thermal panels running an absorption air conditioner. But this won’t be cheap either and it will probably still require natural gas as a backup source of heat and it would mean completely replacing your air-conditioner.

Sandy asks…

Advice for building a solar generator?

We are moving to a remote location without any electricity, and would like to produce our own. We have read that it is pretty easy to set up solar power, and there are ready-made solar generators for sale. If we build our own, how many solar panels would we need to comfortably power a small cabin, and what other materials will we need to set it up? About how much will this all cost?

admin answers:

A solar electric system consist of in simplest terms a panel, charge controller, battery, and a load “lights, radio, etc”. This system can be expanded on.
The first item you need to consider is the loads, what do you want them to be. How much energy do they consume per hour and how many hours a day are they used. The next is the voltage of the items 12volt dc, 24 volts dc, 120 volts ac. In general 120 volt ac itmes are easier to obtain but in general less effeciant but also have longer life spans then the 12 and 24 volt dc versions.
Example we use 1 light bulb that consumes 20 watts at 12 volt for 4 hours a day. This buld would need 20*4=80 watts of energy per day. Next lets say you had 5 of these light bulbs and they were all used the same amount every day, you would need 80*5=400 watts to run these lights. Next lets say you want 2 days of reserve enegy incase it rains or something 400 *2=800 watts.
These 2 figures help give us the panel and battery size. Lets look at the panels first. We determind we needed 400 watts per day. Look around on the interent and you will find a chart with hours a day of sun light for your area. Lets say your area get 2.5 hours of direct sun per day in the worst time of year you would need 400/2.5=160 watts of panels.
The next figure is the 800 watts of battery. You never want to discharge your battery more than 40% this will reduce your battery life. So lets do the math again. (800/40)*100=2000
Now lets assume your battery back is 12 volts 2000/12=167 amp hour back.
So your system would consist now of 160 watts of solar panels 167 amp 12 volt battery bank a charge controller mounting system for the panels, box for the batteries, and an small fuse or breaker panel to protect all the equipment.
This would be a very simple system but if you wanted to add tv’s radios computer etc. You need to do the load calcs on them add them all together and do the math. Don’t just go out and buy a system someone off the internet sales you it may not be right for what you need.
Something else you will need to see the sun most of the day no shading of the panels. Good luck solar is great.

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Your Questions About Solar Energy Generators India

Donna asks…

Why is solar energy generators are so costly (India)?

When the whole world is speaking about global warming, extinction resources like charcoal for electricity why is the Solar energy generating equipments are so costly ? It roughly takes 15000 INR for 1 fan, 1 tube light, 5 9W CFL bulbs for 1 hour back up.

admin answers:

Solar energy itself may be considered clean and easy to harness, but the materials needed to transduce sunlight into electricity are very expensive.

Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refined_silicon#Purification
Silicon wafers, needed to produce solar cells, are difficult to manufacture. The silicon must be of high purity, which is achieved by a lengthy and expensive process.

There are other possible ways being researched, such as polymer solar cells that don’t require silicon.

Joseph asks…

Where exactly are Obama’s Green Jobs going to come from?

Why build a solar panel here when China can pay their workers $1/day to build the panel?

China controls 95% of rare earth metals to make the generators.

70% of the Green Energy components are already being imported.

So exactly what are blue collar workers going to build here that China can for much less?

We might need a few service techs to check on things but I don’t see millions of new jobs.

admin answers:

He is creating thousands of jobs in China and India.

Sheesh. Everyone is so demanding!

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Your Questions About Solar Energy Generators

Mary asks…

New horizons spacecraft now in a way to fly by Pluto around 2015 is fueled by solar energy alone or what else?

Is it possible to send the spaceship entirely working over solar energy?

admin answers:

New Horizons is powered by a Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator. Most spacecraft are indeed powered by solar panels linked to a bank of batteries, but that would not be feasible for New Horizons. The sunlight in the outer Solar System is too feeble for solar cells to be effective. Although they are powered by the decay of Plutonium-238, they are not nuclear reactors. They are pellets of plutonium dioxide encapsulated in a heavily armored container to prevent the plutonium from escaping in the event of a launch vehicle failure that results in a crash or explosion. Plutonium 238 has a half-life of 87 years and because it emits mostly alpha particles, it it not very dangerous unless it was inhaled or ingested from a radiological point of view. Indeed, only lightweight radiation shielding is required for an RTG. Plutonium is however also a very poisonous heavy metal, which is why NASA builds as strong a container for the RTG’s as possible to reduce the risk of Plutonium escaping. That is one reason it is put in RTG’s in the form of an oxide and that is vitrified to further contain the Plutonium. Inside them are devices called thermocouples. As the Plutonium-238 decays alpha particles and heat are released. The heat is converted by the thermocouples to generate electrical power, which operates all of New Horizon’s systems. The advantage of this system over a nuclear reactor is there’s no way for it to melt down or go “runaway.” They cannot explode, nor can they cause a massive radiation release because the amount of fuel they carry is very small. Plutonium-238 cannot be used to build nuclear weapons either. They are compact, radiation proof and will generate power for decades no matter how the spacecraft is oriented with respect to the Sun. As they Voyagers have shown, they will operate even in interstellar space. They gradually produce less and less electricity over time, and eventually New Horizons will not have enough power to run it’s instruments and it’s other systems. At that point it’s mission will end and New Horizons will become mankind’s fifth piece of interstellar space junk as well as time capsule.

Steven asks…

Would it be possible to derive electrical energy from roads heating up during the day?

Just an idea that occurred to me during a conversation today. Solar energy is becoming pretty trendy these days, and it seems to be that with how hot roads get, they are basically solar panels. Admittedly thermal rather than electric, but would it somehow be possible to turn this heat into electricity? It seems to be a rather vast untapped resource if so.

admin answers:

Its complex, and expensive, but a great idea. I’ve thought it before.

The only way to do it is to use a thermal cycle with a refrigerant. You need to embed a heat exchanger (tubes) in the road. They need to be able to withstand temperatures, thermal flexing, salt, mechanical loading from cars. There are some issues to overcome.

If you use the right medium it undergoes a phase-change at the operating temperature of a road, that sucks up a TON of energy. You pump in a liquid, pump out a gas. With hot gas you can either run it through some sort of generator, or use it to heat something else up then run the something else through a generator.

So you might think of putting fins on the coils and making them more like long lines. Here in Phoenix AZ the hot summer sun only radiates 1kw/sq-meter. You can compute from the radiation coefficient and the temperature of the pavement what part of that is re-radiated away. Its likely significant. Bottom line: to get meaningful power you must have large area of pavement soaking up light.

There is a good book in thermal system design by Boehme from the 1980’s. You could find it, check it out using inter-library loan, and then put the idea as something in a science fair. If someone likes it, they could support your work, if not you can still earn glory and scholarships. A good heat transfer text would also do you pretty well.

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Your Questions About Solar Energy Generators For Sale

Joseph asks…

I need information resources for a hybrid solar/wind system?

I am building a small cabin (500sf) where grid power is not available. I need information not a salesman’s pitch. Anybody have any experience?? Thanks!

admin answers:

Your hybrid system would have to depend on the location where you are building your cabin. If sun is abundant all year around, solar powered system is advisable. Solar cells are not so expensive now as before. If the wind in the area is normal, there are inexpensive designs for a wind powered system. Both system has to store the power in battery banks.

Both system may easily be used in tandem storing energy to a single battery bank provided that your storage (battery banks) has enough capacity. Too much capacity would also mean higher cost. So the battery bank should just be enough to last until the next charging time (or cycle) normally every day.

Check your planned power requirement and match it with the system you might need.

For emergency cases, you must have a small engine driven generator set for lights and whatever emergency equipment you might have, just in case your batteries run out of power.

For suppliers of these system(s), you should check first for any local distributors and manufacturers closest to your cabin. It would make a difference at maintenance ( or other after sales services).

Jenny asks…

I wanna use golf cart batteries but which one?

I found this system on the internet
http://www.wholesalesolar.com/system/solaredge-8-trina-solar-panel-gridtie-system.html

and i know its already grid tied but still i wanna add in some batteries for emergency situations and people keep suggesting golf cart batteries. What voltage of golf cart batteries should i purchase? they keep saying that the voltage used by the solar panels, the batteries and the inverters must be the same but i dunno how to determine the voltage used by the solar panels in the link above.

admin answers:

Hey Stefan, actually, you can build up a, “hybrid,” solar/battery/grid tie system like you’ve described here with parts off the shelf, but I don’t think you’ll find that package already made up at Whole Sale Solar. You could give them a call and tell them what you want to do, they should be able to give you a quote on what parts are necessary and what the price would be.

First of all, all golf cart batteries are 6 volt, but the best one is made by Trojan. They are made in California, the model no. Is Trojan T-105. Each one holds 220 amp hours at 6 volts, has 3 cells, and weighs 80 pounds. We only have 4 of them in our hybrid system, really just enough to keep the basic loads in our home running overnight during power outages until the solar array comes back up in the morning. There are other golf cart battery makers, like Interstate for example, but you’ll get the best longevity from a Trojan. Our home has been powered by the wind and sun for 11 years now, we’ve been through lots of batteries in our day, trust me, the Trojan will hold up best. Look in the phone book for a place that sells and services golf carts, they go through batteries by the truckload, that’s where we found ours. There is a great book at the library on battery charging, I’ll list it below.

Our system uses a 1.4 kw solar array made up of Kyocera 120 panels, and has a Southwest Windpower H-40 900 watt wind turbine. The array and turbine all charge our 24 volt battery bank (using 4 golf cart batteries wired in series) through separate charge controllers. The solar array uses a Xantrex digital C-60 controller, and the wind turbine has its own, like most genny’s do. The heart to the system is the Xantrex SW-4024 sine wave inverter. It can stand alone, using battery power to feed AC power to your home, like ours did for years, or tie with the grid and parallel feed, like we have it doing now. The inverter has multiple connections, output, grid connection, generator, battery, and so on. It is programmable to sell/buy from the grid, and automatically switch to stand alone to keep your house running if the grid goes down, as long as your batteries have power. Since you’ll be charging them from the solar panels, this will work fine.

There are probably other inverters today that can do this same thing, but you have to have one labeled, “Utility Interactive.” A utility tie, or, “Grid Tie,” inverter only works with the grid, and a stand alone or, “independent inverter,” only works with the batteries and your loads, but an interactive inverter can do both simultaneously. I’ll warn you that they are not cheap, last time I checked that inverter was a little over $2,000 USD. This is why most of the grid tie systems do not use them, by listing a less expensive grid tie inverter, and then leaving the batteries off the parts list, they can reduce the total system cost by over 30%. It’s up to you what you are willing to pay for.

What I would do first is spend some time educating yourself on all of this. There is a great magazine that gets into the nuts and bolts of this stuff, and has lots of advertisements from vendors like Wholesale where you can shop for prices and kits. Also consider taking the time to get to one of the energy fairs listed in the back of the mag, we did 12 years ago, and this is where it got us today. The magazine liked some of our system so much they ran an article on our place several years ago. If you subscribe, you can check out articles and write ups on lots of peoples homes that work like ours. In the end, you might decide not to get involved at all, and that’s fine, but at least you will be well informed. Good luck Stefan, and take care, Rudydoo

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Your Questions About Solar Energy Generators

Thomas asks…

Is there a solar electric generator? I heard a company in Chicago has manufactured an electric generator that?

I am looking for a company that manufactures electric generators that uses solar energy.

admin answers:

Erm – that would be a electric solar cell then.

James asks…

is there an alternative for solar panels that can collect and convert solar energy into electricity?

A solar panel is a device that collects and converts solar energy into electricity or heat which can be used by (for example) nearby buildings. But is there any device that acts like a solar panel?

admin answers:

Besides the silicon type, there are a couple of types:

1. The reflector type of solar power, which uses a mirrored dish to focus sunlight to boil water to drive a generator.
2. Using sunlight to heat a thermocouple which drives a current.

Both of these are larger than your typical solar cell and are not really that efficient – yet.

A solar cell is the only thing that converts photonic energy into electricity, although they can be made of silicon and other materials.

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Your Questions About Solar Energy Generators For Home

Donald asks…

need help with my science home work questions?

1) describe 2 different ways to convert solar energy into electrical energy.
2) what problem exists when you use either solar or wind energy to generate electrical energy?
3) describe the nessary conditions for the use of tidal energy to generate electrical energy.
4) what is nuclear fusion? how does it differ from nuclear fission?
5) nuclear fission reactions take place is a large, sturdy tank. why is it impossible to use the same type of vessel for nuclear fusion reactions.

admin answers:

1. Solar energy can be converted to electricity in two ways:
Photovoltaic (PV devices) or “solar cells” – change sunlight directly into electricity.
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.

2. The amount of sunlight that arrives at the earth’s surface is not constant. It depends on location, time of day, time of year, and weather conditions.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.

4. Nuclear Fusion- the process by which multiple atomic particles join together to form a heavier nucleus.

Nuclear fission is the splitting of the nucleus of an atom into parts (lighter nuclei) often producing free neutrons and other smaller nuclei, which may eventually produce photons.

5. An electrode structure is comprised of a pair of electrodes provided in a reaction vessel for causing a nuclear fusion reaction with deuterium or a deuterium compound in a gaseous or liquid state, at least one of the electrodes having a surface portion which is made of a reactive material for nuclear fusion reaction and a base which is tightly connected with the surface portion, wherein a heat exchange medium is introduced from a heat exchange device into the base and out from the base to the heat exchange device after heated by nuclear fusion reaction.

Sandra asks…

What is alternative energy and what are some examples?

I need a few examples of alternative energy and what it is.

admin answers:

Alternative energy is a term that refers to methods of generating energy that are not the usual method (i.e. Fossil fuels). There are many forms of alternative energy, but, as energy is conserved, you have to ask yourself where the energy comes from (and the answer is always “the sun”). You should always be careful when you look at energy forms, because some of them just won’t work – like the idea of putting water in your gas tank that another user has suggested (thermodynamics shows that these ideas won’t work).

The sun undergoes nuclear reactions which result in the release of photons (beams of light that have energy associated with them). Alternative energy forms just capture the energy from the sun in different ways (actually, fossil fuels also got their energy from the sun a long time ago).

Here are a few alternative energy sources and how they relate to the sun:

Bio-fuels: We can grow plants (such as algae, corn, sugar cane) which collect the photons from the sun and use the energy in the photons to create sugars. We can harvest those sugars and and turn them into liquid fuels such as ethanol.

Solar Energy: This technology directly harnesses the energy of the sun by absorbing photons through photovoltaic solar cells and which create an electrical current when they absorb a photon. Additionally, you can use the energy of the sun to thermally heat an object, which is referred to as solar-thermal energy.

Wind Energy: When the photons from the sun hit the air in the atmosphere, that energy can cause the generation of wind. We can harvest the wind energy by using turbines which spin when the wind hits them. The spinning motion is used to turn a generator which produces electricity.

Hydro-electric: When the sun hits water, it can cause the water to turn into a gas and later that gas can result in rain. If the rain occurs at a high enough elevation and gets held behind a dam, the water now possesses a high potential energy due to the energy from the sun. That energy can be turned into electrical energy by converting the potential energy of the water into kinetic energy which is then used to turn a turbine in a hydroelectric dam.

I came accross a new, proven and tested home made wind power system and solar power system which eliminates our electricity bills. It was written by a Renewable energy enthusiasts Michael Harvey the diy called Earth4energy. You can get your copy to save energy and help environment while eliminating your power bills. Get it from here: http://homemadeenergyreviews.blogspot.com/

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Your Questions About Solar Energy Generators India

Susan asks…

Is it costing Germany the renewables more than the nuclear?

Renewable energy is very expensive, and it takes more energy to produce than energy that could be recovered. So I think Germany is making a mistake by phasing out all the nuclear plants, because nuclear is cheaper.
Please tell me your thinking about this, and please include facts !

Thank you 🙂

admin answers:

It is a Pro situATION
PRO: The Fuel Is Free, Abundant, and Perfectly Clean. Through nuclear fusion reactions that are taking place a nice, safe distance (93 million miles) from Earth, the sun provides our planet with 6000 times more power than we’re consuming. Though the low latitudes receive more direct sunlight than those closer to the poles, places as far north as Germany and Canada do quite well.

PRO: Distributed Energy: Solar is “The People’s Power.” Solar energy is ideal for deployment at the consumer level, on the rooftops of homeowners, office buildings, etc. This reduces loss of power in transmission from utilities, while reducing the overall importance of those utilities in our lives.

PRO: Solar Comes in Many Flavors, Each of Which Is Advancing Technologically. There are many different technologies by which the sun’s energy is directly converted to electricity via photovoltaics, some of which have the potential to be extremely easy to install, e.g., thin-film, which can be sprayed on windows – transparently.

Wind turbines have three basic parts: the blades, the pole and the generator. Three large, propeller-like blades are mounted on top of of a tall pole, and when the wind blows, it turns the blades. The energy produced powers the generator, which creates electricity that you can use in your home. If the turbine produces more energy than you need, it can be fed back into the power grid.

Europe has been producing energy from wind for years, especially Germany, Spain, Denmark and France. Many other countries such as China and India also produce wind energy. The US has a lot of catching up to do, but as these renewable energy systems become more popular, they also become more affordable.

Wind Energy Pros
•Wind energy is clean, and harnessing it does not produce any harmful by-products.
•Wind is free and 100% renewable.
•Turbines pay for themselves within a few years.
•The power company pays you back if you produce extra electricity.
•Tax incentives may be available from local or the federal government for those who install wind turbines.

Wind Energy Cons
•Upfront costs are high.
•You must have enough land to accommodate a turbine.
•Not all geographical locations are suitable for wind turbines; check your local wind speed averages.
•Building codes may restrict turbine installation.
•Wind turbines make noise and some people (possibly your neighbors) find them to be ugly.
•Turbines typically operate at only 30 percent capacity (but to put that in perspective – solar panels operate at only 15 percent efficiency).
•Blades have been known to kill birds.
•Turbines can be damaged in lightning storms.

Donald asks…

why india has not been able to take up solar energy power generators and devices at a faster rate?

admin answers:

That fully depends on the budget that India has. Indian Govt. Is also not that interested in developing nation’s facilities.

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Your Questions About Solar Energy Generators For Home

Donna asks…

What companies are the best in supplying Alternative Energy Generators(Solar, Wind…)?

Hello,

I was wondering if one day I wanted to buy good products for generating energy from alternative resources like the Wind power and the Solar power, which companies are the best in supplying those kinds of generators?

I’m not just thinking of small generators for homes, I’m thinking of a bigger level too. Like for big industrial companies or even National level!

Thanks a lot for your expertise exchange 🙂

admin answers:

Mr. Solar
Specializes in renewable energy products including solar panels, batteries, solar kits, and other items.
Www.mrsolar.com
Kyocera Solar
Network of solar energy companies answering the growing worldwide demand for reliable, economical, solar-generated electrical power.
Www.kyocerasolar.com
Big Frog Mountain
Manufacturer of solar panels, wind generators, inverters, batteries, and other renewable energy equipment.
Www.bigfrogmountain.com
Sierra Solar Systems
Engineers solar electric and solar pumping systems worldwide.
Www.sierrasolar.com

Charles asks…

What do you think would happen if a virtually free source of energy was discovered?

If individuals and businesses suddenly became self sufficient in terms of electricity and transportation, lets say an ultra efficient solar or fuel cell was developed, how would the government compensate for the sudden massive loss of tax revenue? Would they tax the production and ownership of such an energy source at such a rate as to make its ownership financially prohibitive? Would they follow Oregon’s example with their planed requirement of GPS units in cars, tracking the distances you travel, then tax you for every mile you drive? Would some sort of meter be required on every solar array or generator in homes and businesses?

What do you think the political and economic repercussions of such scenario would be?
@cob bollum “it will never be completely “free”, it’s physically impossible.”
I’m not suggesting a way around the laws of thermodynamics. I said ultra efficient. An ultra efficient way to capture the suns energy and store it for instance would be a source of “free” energy, other than it’s initial purchase and any maintenance required.
@James L Those are my thoughts as well, however I do not see government giving up their control so easily despite the economic windfall such a development could precipitate. Perhaps i’m a pessimist, but I do not see them trading control and revenue for just more revenue, even if that revenue had the potential to be much greater.

admin answers:

It seems typical for government to find new methods of taxation. That is the only thing they do with efficiency and perfection.

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Your Questions About Solar Energy Generators India

Paul asks…

What’s the most earth friendly car on the market today? Also is there any solar powered cars in the works yet?

I think that having solar powered cars would be amazing you hear about people trying to make them possible and then the idea just fades away. I guess that would be a big upset for the gas company’s or maybe it’s just impossible…. Any why, what is the most earth friendly car on the market right now and what is it powered by?

admin answers:

A problem with solar is the energy conversion is so low that to be affective the cells must be put into huge frames on large land areas. These are solar farms that convert the Sun’s energy into electricity.
The most earth friendly vehicle is made in India and are used as delivery trucks. They run on compressed air. Here in the states, a complete electric car that can travel 200 miles on a charge is called a Tesla sports car and costs over $100,000. Here is the problem, it runs quietly and efficiently on electricity but where does this power come from? Much of our electricity comes from heavily polluting coal generators. See the problem?

David asks…

why use of solar energy has not worked for India so far?

It is widely accepted that use of solar power for domestic purposes in the country like India can share the burden of power crisis to a great extent. Govt. apathy may be the reason?

admin answers:

Solar panels or cells requires silver lining which needs more capital (money) and the output is very less for each solar plate.It also requires lot of maintenance because of direct exposure to environmental conditions.Any how, the solar generators or solar lamps are now coming into market abundantly;But as you said to resolve the power crisis,I think it would take more time….

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Your Questions About Solar Energy Generators For Sale

Sandra asks…

What home energy saving scams have you found?

open4energy has published a list of home energy scams to help energy conscientious home owners avoid being taken advantage of. They range from down loadable plans to build a magnetic generator, a solar panel or a windmill, to energy saving plug in gadgets, to full blown sales promotions for kvar power factor correction units which have negligible savings capabilities for even the biggest homes.

Each one we find is another community we can protect!

admin answers:

The most common website I encounter is DIY solar panels. The claim is that “for under 200 dollars you too can build your own solar panel and save thousands” I do not dispute the validity of that claim. I do take issue with what they don’t say. There are some building code violations to say the least. I have posted a blog on this very issue, and will continue to do so on a weekly basis. It is my goal to bring clarity to the cyber solar world. Check out my post “To build or not to build that is the question” at http://www.solarmandan.com.

P.S. Maybe we could post links to each other”s sites.

Ruth asks…

How much does it cost to put solar panels on a house? ?

I want to be more green and if I get the panels will I still have a regular electric bill?

admin answers:

Yes, and no.

My cottage is primarily solar powered. However, we’re only there on weekends, and we’re only powering a small fridge (the biggest power draw, by far), televisions, stereos, lights, a water pump, and that kind of thing. For the more powerful items (vacuum cleaner, air conditioner, power tools, washer and dryer) we use a gasoline generator. Our water heater and stove are propane.

We have an array of seven solar panels, and two battery banks.

Obviously, we don’t have utility bills for our cottage.

We will soon replace the solar panels with more efficient ones. Currently, there are 85W panels on sale for $500 CAD. We will buy as many of those as we can afford. We recently had to replace one battery bank.

At home, we currently have a geothermal heating/cooling system. That cuts our energy use for heating and cooling quite a bit. That’s reflected on our utility bill. (Because we’re not in the city, we have our own well, plus a septic tank. So, our only utility bill is for electric.)

My husband and I have discussed it many times and, based on our experience with our cottage, we don’t think we’ll try to do a “whole home” solar system.

Typical estimates for panels, batteries, inverters, etc., to run a typical city home are in the $17,000 range. But with our cottage experience, we know that the real monkey wrench with solar power is STORING that power. And we’ve had more battery problems than we anticipated. Once the batteries are no longer holding charge well, they have to be replaced…and they’re expensive….and heavy…and have to be disposed of as hazardous waste. Our cheapest batteries are probably $200 each. We also use more expensive / bigger 6V batteries. We may even, one day, switch to the huge, very expensive 2Vs.

In any event, I find that the best way (for us) to incorporate solar power into our urban home will likely be panels which will provide power when the sun is shining, but still be on the grid for night time, bad weather, and times of excess power use. That will eliminate the expense and problems of batteries and power storage (and limiting power use, so as not to run down the batteries).

In some places, the excess power you create with solar panels can be put back into the grid, and the local power utility company will pay you for it.

So, for me, based on my experience, that’s what I think I’d do, when it comes time to outfit our home with solar panels. Using only solar power for the bulk of our living at the cottage is great, but we do have to be mindful of how much we’re using. Once the stored power drops below a certain point, the inverters won’t work, and you have to either go without power, or turn on the gas generator. I wouldn’t want that hassle at home.

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Your Questions About Solar Energy Generators

Robert asks…

How to build a free source of energy?

Ive decided i want to use my free time to build something useful like a solar powered energy generator, or wind powered turbine to produce free energy, does anybody out there know of any FREE sites that teach you step by step how to build any one of these? Also what are your thoughts on these machines?

admin answers:

Build either of these
1. Solar powered generator
2. Wind turbine
3. Tidal flow turbine
4. Magnetic generator
5.geothermal energy source

Chris asks…

Where to buy an affordable Solar System in Saudi Arabia?

Does anyone knows where to buy an affordable Solar Energy Generator for the use of homes or remote farms in Saudi Arabia? I would appreciate solutions in the Eastern part of Saudi better. Does anyone knows if the technology now is practical in Saudi and do you have any information on people who have used these on small scales like homes?

admin answers:

Have you considered building your own?

Resources and parts to build them are pretty common place these days. There is lots of info around on how to do this.

Try http://www.squidoo.com/howto_gogreen

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