The hot topic nowadays around the globe is “scarcity of power”. As a country moves towards the peak of development, so also does its demand of power. Reports show that there are many homes using electricity more than that used by a small industry! It is because, in the modern, digital lifestyle, each and every appliance like television, computers etc demands huge amount of electricity. However we live in a modern world and hence the usage of these power hungry appliances are inevitable. Joe Cline is a professional real estate broker, investor, and REALTOR with RE/MAX Capital City Austin, Texas. Find out more about Austin Texas real estate and new homes in lakeway Texas.
The fact is that every positive improvement in the society will have a negative impact on natural resources. But in case of power, there are many alternate sources available in nature. Solar energy is a very good substitute for conventional power generation. The reason being, solar energy is clean, has no pollution effects and doesn't use any fossil fuels. The most interesting aspect being solar energy can be generated in home.
How about having your own power station on your roof? It is quite simple and beneficial by using solar power. To start with, solar water heaters can be used in homes instead of old conventional methods, thereby reducing your utility bills and also conserving natural resources like fossil fuels. The solar panels called the photovoltaic cells which can be conveniently placed on the roofs of homes converts sunlight directly into electricity. This electricity obtained by the conversion of sunlight meets all the home's electricity needs. “Hence it acts as your own power station. “Cool power from hot sun”.
A lot of people have tried the usage of solar power at home and found it beneficial and safe. The hot fact is that more than 10,000 homes in United States completely use solar energy to power up their homes. The ill fact is that enough sunlight falls on the Earth's surface every hour to meet the globe's energy demand for an entire year, but the same is not utilized and is wasted.
Still not convinced about the positive effects of solar power in home? By replacing conventional electric water heaters with solar water heaters, one can cut water bills up to 50 percent. And the important fact is, the price of photovoltaic cells, according to the department of energy has fallen by 200 percent in last 30 years. Don’t worry if your solar power unit generates more power than need for you. There are many utility power grids ready to buy the clean power for a higher price.
The bottom-line is, by installing a solar power generating unit in home, the home owner will never have to pay an electricity bill; instead he can become the supplier of clean electricity to the country and “save the Earth from energy crisis”
Solar Power- Power From the Roof
How To Solar Power Your House - More Tips
For those interested in having solar power for the home installed it become critical to examine the companies that provide such panels as well as the process involved with installing the panels. While this is not necessarily complicated of a process many people assume that it will be a wildly difficult installation mainly because they associate solar panels with futuristic, science fiction imagery.
Having An Estimate Performed
Before making a decision on whether or not how to solar power your house is an idea that one should embrace based on cost, it is critical to have a company that provides solar power panels to visit your home and provide an estimate. After all, you do not want to base your assessment on an inaccurate cost so having an estimate of installation performed would probably be the wisest move to make.
Getting estimates from companies that perform solar power installations is usually a free endeavor. They will come out and size up the job and give you a comprehensive checkpoint of what work needs to be done and the cost. Like all similar work of this nature there is no obligation to buy.
Now That You Know
The widespread use of how to solar power your house has been hampered by the mostly erroneous estimates of it's installation and operational costs. As compared to other existing forms of power the costs associated with how to solar power your house are not necessarily cheap, but no where near as expensive as has been suggested. The cost of each individual application and implementation of this technology will have to be based on individual assessments and the plan of usage. This being the case then having the aforementioned cost estimates performed can be valuable in making sure you base your decision on whether or not to use solar power being based on accurate estimates as opposed to wild speculation. You should now have a good grasp on the concerns associated with how to solar power your house.
Solar House Plans For Living Off Grid
The world is committing crime. Every moment of every day, we consume oil. We shed blood, and kill Earth to burn oil as energy. Why? When the same energy is attainable free from the sun! The Technology within the solar industry is here and now. It's ready to take on the largest portion of household energy requirements. The only thing preventing you from capturing your own solar energy is the cost.
Consumers generally have two priorities when installing a solar panel system. First, that the system be economical and second, that the system produce as much solar energy as possible. Some consumers have a cost-is-no-option mentality. In that case, we integrate the best current technology in the solar industry to install a solar panel system producing maximum solar energy by today's standards.
As of May 2008, an efficient solar panel system for a 2000 sq. ft. home costs $13,000 - $15,000 after tax rebates and incentives.
The solar industry is totally unorganized. In a nutshell, here are the ropes that one must jump through in order to receive rebates. Each state has their own certified systems that our able to receive the State tax rebate. Uncertified systems must go through a slow certification process.
In other words, your brand of solar panels may not be rebate worthy in another State (as if it were another country) because that brand has not yet been certified. So, in each State, every solar panel must go through a very long process to become market ready, within that particular State.
A national certification will ease these issues, enable more solar panel installations, and hence drop the price of the technology. Striking the price range of more consumers is key for the solar outfitting of the United States.
U.S. Installation Requirements. Here is the next major obstacle. A Licensed, NABCEP Licensed Contractor must install a State certified solar panel system for you to qualify for the full tax incentives and rebates offered in your community. Unfortunately, there are only 60 new North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners licenses granted annually. That needs to change to meet installation demands.
One of the NABCEP Licensed contractors in our network will guarantee quality and assurance throughout the installation of your system. We will do whatever it takes to get a NABCEP certified installer out to your project to grant you the 30% tax rebate. We will send a certified installation team to your region within six months of your request.
Currently, solar panel installation/distribution companies can operate in California and achieve something remarkable. The phenomenon of selling solar panels at higher retail prices than any other state sells solar panels. But due to the state rebates, Californians pay thousands less for their solar panel systems.
This has caused a clot of solar businesses in the state of California, meanwhile the rest of the country is starving for licensed NABCEP solar contractors and solar panel system distributors to start the grass roots effect in the other 49 states. The demand exists.
How Do Solar Panel (Photovoltaic) Systems Work? A photovoltaic (PV) or solar cell is the basic building block of a Solar Panel (or solar electric) system. An individual PV cell is usually quite small, typically producing about 1 or 2 watts of power. To boost the power output of PV cells, we connect them together to form larger units called modules. Modules, in turn, can be connected to form even larger units called arrays or Solar Panel Systems. In this way, we can build systems able to meet any electric power need, no matter how small or large.
Almost all of today's solar cell modules do not concentrate sunlight but use only what the sun produces naturally, what researchers call "one sun insolation," which achieves an efficiency of 12 to 18 percent. However, by using an optical concentrator, sunlight intensity can be increased, squeezing more electricity out of a single solar cell.
Solar Panel Distribution. As a distributor for several major solar panel manufacturers, we are able to offer our clients the best possible solar panel system solution economically and technologically. We will give you system options based on your economical needs or technological needs for those who desire the best most efficient "cost-is-no-option" system for your home or business.
The solar industry has been unforgiving for many solar panel distribution/installation businesses for the past ten years. With constant technological advancements and a rapid price drop in the solar panel industry, businesses have been caught between a rock, and a hard place owning pallets of out-of-date, over priced, solar panels.
We have found the solution to that problem by collaborating with manufacturers that enable per-job distribution. Many of these manufacturers have research and development laboratories capable of producing new solar panels with higher wattage and module efficiency every few months.
It is crucial that the best possible solar panel system be installed in your home or business for either economic or technological reasons. Consumers generally have two priorities when installing a solar panel system. First, that the system be economical and second, that the system produce as much solar energy as possible. Some consumers have a cost-is-no-option mentality. In that case, we integrate the best current technology in the solar industry to install a solar panel system producing maximum solar energy by today's standards.
Making Solar Power Cheaper Through Net Metering
Solar power is a renewable energy source that is extremely popular, but has a cost problem. Net metering is a concept the government is currently using to offset this problem.
The government tries to promote certain conduct in two ways. First it makes things illegal such as drug use. Second, it creates financial incentives and penalties to try to guide our conduct. Taxes on cigarettes, for instance, are high and try to motivate us not to smoke. Tax credits offered for the purchase of hybrid cars is an example of using incentives to promote an activity.
When it comes to solar energy, the government realizes that there is a cost problem. It tries to resolve this in a number of ways. The first is to offer tax credits for buying solar panel systems. Tax credits are a tremendous financial benefit. They work by reducing the tax you owe dollar for dollar. For instance, you might figure out your taxes for this year and find out you owe the IRS $5,000. If you can claim a tax credit for $2,000, you would end up owing the government $3,000. In short, the credit is much more powerful than a mere tax deduction.
Another area where financial incentives are offered on solar is net metering. Net metering is simply the concept of selling energy back to a utility company at the same rate it sells it to you. This concept goes a long way to making solar energy competitive. Here’s how it works.
Assume you buy a solar panel system for your home. Your high energy needs tend to happen early in the morning and later in the afternoon. During the week, you have nominal energy needs during the day when you are at work. So, what happens to the energy being produced by the solar panels during the day? Well, you can sell it back to the utility company. This is called being “on grid”, with the grid being the platform the utility uses to deliver energy to communities. With net metering, the energy produced by your panels is fed back into the grid. Your utility meter literally spins backwards. You are selling electricity to the utility during the day. At night, you draw energy off the grid. The end result is you owe little or nothing to the utility company at the end of the month. This will save you a thousand dollars or so each year.
Net metering is currently a state concept. While over 40 states have laws on the books requiring utilities to allow net metering, there is no federal standard. That may be about to change. Federal law now requires all states to consider whether they wish to enact net metering legislation by 2008. Most are expected to pass such laws. When this occurs, net metering will be a cost cutting solution to the solar power energy problem, making it a more viable energy source for you and me.
Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com - a directory of solar energy companies.Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Chapo
Solar Power – Fun Facts
12 Fun Facts on Solar Power 
* When silicon is taken from just one ton of sand, and used in photovoltaic solar power panels, that silicon can produce as much electricity as 500,000 tons of burning coal.
* In the U.S., there are more than 10,000 homes that get their energy 
* Nearly 200 years ago, a British astronomer by the name of John Herschel cooked food with solar power during an journey to Africa.
* California opened its first large solar power plant in 1982. * Solar power can cut water bills by more than 50 percent each year in a home where a solar model replaces the electric water heater.
* The price of photovoltaic (PV) solar power panels has dropped 200 percent over the last 30 years, according to the Department of Energy. Owners now pay between 10 and 40 cents per kilowatt-hour.
* A study by the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) showed that solar power conditions were close to perfect (99 percent) in San Francisco on June 14th, 2000. On that day, 100,000 customers in that area lost power. Solar power could have provided all they needed. * Another USDOE study showed that the roofs of California's city and county buildings, if covered with solar PV panels, could generate 200 megawatts of clean electricity! Cover California's school roofs with solar power panels, and you add 1,500 megawatts more to the state's peak power supply.
* In California, covering every available commercial and industrial roof with solar power panels could generate all of the electricity needed in that state during the daytime.
* Germany is making the best use of solar power, even though its climate includes many cloudy days.
Anna Hart. Anna Hart, a career educator, invites you to read more of her articles about solar power at http://www.solar-energy-connection.com. Anna has also posted articles on that site about portable solar power. If you are interested in solar power cars, you won’t want to miss her article on the subject.
Source:www.isnare.com
Portable Solar Energy Power Stations
Portable solar energy power stations have many practical uses, which we will discuss later, but what is portable solar power?
Description of Portable Solar Power
Portable solar power is energy generated from sunlight, the generator being of a size and form that can be moved readily from place to place.
Most portable solar power units use photovoltaic panels (PV panels) in one way or another. Some are amazingly small, and can be carried in a pocket, while others must be moved on a flat-bed trailer or truck.
Examples of Portable Solar Power
You may already be using portable solar power without realizing it. The following are examples of different sizes and styles of portable solar power.
1. Pocket calculators have been using portable solar power for years. Expose the calculator to sunlight, and it stores solar power for use. You can then carry this solar power into a field or up a mountain track.
2. Garden lights, or lights around a swimming pool now use portable solar power. If you want to rearrange your lights, or you decide to carry one as a flashlight, the portable solar power goes with you.
3. A multipurpose portable solar power unit is the fold-out solar panel that can be carried in a case the size of your day planner. Wherever you take it, you can open the panel to charge your cell phone battery, GPS, or other similar "gadget" you carry.
4. "Powerfilm" products are paper-thin PV panels – further examples of portable solar power. These products can be easily carried to charge almost all Lithium, NiCad or NiMH batteries. You can recharge batteries for boom boxes at the beach or while camping. You can recharge your digital camera or camcorder while on a hike. As long as you have sunlight, you have portable solar power.
5. Flexible PV panels, rugged and durable, give portable solar power for hikers and campers. This portable solar power can be rolled up like a sleeping bag, and then set up anywhere. You can drop it, step on it, dampen it while crossing a stream – and it will still give you power.
6. Larger portable solar energy power stations can consist of one or more photovoltaic panels (PV panels), simple wiring for the input jack, and a battery – sometimes referred to as a power pack. A commercially-produced portable solar power unit like this may also include a small fluorescent light, and a connection to your vehicle's cigarette lighter plug.
Examples of Innovative Portable Solar Power
Portable solar energy can, as we said, be carried with you. It can provide electrical energy when you travel to a remote third world village on business. It can provide military units with necessary electrical energy while they are on the move. It can power a small heater in a winter camping tent, or provide a reading light for campers. It is valuable and convenient.
As our demand for that value and convenience increases, portable solar power is becoming more innovative. Portable solar power is being added to clothing and backpacks. It is being added to handbags. You need never worry about cell phones, laptops or other electronics going dead again. Portable solar power is yours to use, anywhere, free.
Did you know about these products? Some are experimental, but others area on the market.
1. If you want "lady-like" portable solar power, you might choose the "Power Purse" as a lovely accessory. This purse is more than an accessory, though. It can power up small electronics. Designed by Joe Hynek in a handbag competition, this little black bag is covered with laminated portable solar power panels. It has a short plastic handle, and can easily be carried anywhere. Imagine the possibilities.
2. But a purse is not always appropriate. If you're stuck in the middle of nowhere, in a field, you might be happy to have the "Juice Bag" backpack on your shoulders. A Juice Bag is a worldwide patented portable solar power backpack. Flexible ballistic nylon solar panels make it lighter than solar bags with stiff glass solar panels. Take off your Juice Bag when you need to recharge items such as cameras, cell phones, or GPS units. It generates electricity in both direct and indirect sunlight.
3. Portable solar power is also available in a cozy jacket with multiple pockets. Hikers, military personnel, and travelers can fill the pockets with cell phone, GPS, laptop, camera, and other electronic devices. Then slip the 3 ounce portable solar power panel into a special holder on the back of the jacket, and you can generate energy for your electronics.
Portable solar energy power stations make use of these ideas and more. They may be large enough to generate sufficient electrical power for a small village, or small enough to be carried by a child. Whichever it is, portable solar power is definitely "on the go" in many places and in many ways.
Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about portable solar power at http://www.solar-energy-connection.com. Anna has also posted articles on that site about portable solar power for homes. If you want basic information about solar power on cars, you won’t want to miss her article on the subject.
Solar energy: Will It Ever Power Our Vehicles?!
As solar power has matured as a technology, companies have started applying it to more than just houses. Acting as an energy platform for our transport was an obvious application.
As an active technology, one of the first uses for solar power was on NASA spacecraft. Although not used for propelling the crafts, interested parties immediately started thinking about using solar power for getting us around in our daily lives. Alas, there were so many problems with the technology, including efficiency issues, that the idea never really gained much footing. With the massive popularity of hybrid vehicles, companies and research institutes are revisiting the idea.
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.
Quantum dots are a form of nanotechnology that is being developed by numerous companies for solar power applications. This technology essentially tries to create tiny solar robots to convert the sunlight to energy. Millions fit within small areas and the hope is the efficiency conversion rate will go through the roof. The companies are looking to create a platform where the robots would exist in paint. Yep, the paint on your home and car may eventually produce all the energy needed.
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. Put another way, it is a step towards the ultimate goal. Honda does not discuss its research, but is believed to have built a facility solely for this purpose and is dumping money into it hand over foot.
The creation of viable solar vehicles is dependent on the advances of the underlying technology. Solar hybrids should be on the market relatively quickly. The big breakthrough, however, will be when viable commercial applications are developed using nanotechnology.
Rick Chapo is with http://www.solarcompanies.com – a directory of solar energy companies. Visit http://www.solarcompanies.com/articles to read more solar power articles.
The Solar Energy Breakthrough Everyone Missed
When it comes to breaking our oil addiction, solar energy is often sited as a perfect renewable energy platform. There are problems with it from a cost perspective, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.
There is little doubt we have a looming energy problem in the world. While gas prices may seem high now, things look particularly grim over the next 60 years. Oil exploration is at an all time low while at the same time emerging economies such as China and India increase the demand on existing supplies. Throw in population growth of approximately another 3.5 billion people over the next 50 years and we are definitely staring down the wrong end of a energy shotgun. Of course, this doesn’t even begin to account for global warming issues.
To get off fossil fuels, most are pointing to renewable energy sources. These platforms run the gamut from wind turbines to tidal farms in the ocean to solar energy and beyond. Of these, solar is probably the best known, but most problematic. At least, that was the case till 2006.
Solar power is a wonderful thing. It is clean in all senses of the word. The power source, the sun, is free and should be around for a few billion years. In fact, the sun bathes the Earth with enough energy in one day to meet our world wide power needs for a year. That being said, solar has always been handicapped by one thing. We cannot harness the power of the sun.
Solar panel systems work by using sunlight to stimulate a chemical process in silicone cells. While a novel concept in the 1950s, the system never has been efficient. In the 60s, a solar cell converted about four percent of energy in sunlight to usable power. Today, most systems are about 12 percent efficient at best. This lack of efficiency has led to a serious problem. You need a large number of cells covering a large area to gather enough energy to power a home, town or city. Economically, the process just is not feasible when compared to most other energy platforms. As you might imagine, most solar energy research is devoted to figuring out ways to convert the sunlight more efficiently.
In 2006, a stunning breakthrough was made in solar cell efficiency. In joint research with the Department of Defense, Spectrolab, Inc., produce a solar cell that converts more than 40 percent of the sunlight into energy. If you don’t think we have an energy problem, consider the fact that Spectrolab is a subsidiary of Boeing. Boeing and the Department of Defense working on solar energy? Yes, we have a looming energy problem.
Regardless, the new solar cell approaches the conversion process from a new angle. The idea is to build a multilayer cell. Each layer of the cell is designed to catch the energy in one spectrum of the sunlight and let the others pass through. While it may sound simple, the process is very complex. Regardless, the defense industry…err Spectrolab…pulled it off.
With a 40.7 percent efficiency, we are talking about a three fold increase for these cells. This equates to a much smaller number of cells and corresponding space being needed for solar energy platforms. This, of course, lowers the cost of systems. Is it enough to make solar competitive without government subsidies? No one is sure yet, but it might be. More importantly, Spectrolab believes the efficiency can be improved more as further research is done on the cell.
With such a major breakthrough, it is to bad nobody noticed!
Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com - a directory of solar energy companies. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Chapo
Solar Energy Risks To Health
Solar energy health risks are seldom mentioned. That may be partially due to the limited use of this source of energy. It may also be due to the lack of research in this area. Some have begun to study solar energy health risks, however, and if one researches long enough, a few estimates are available.
Thermal Solar Energy Health Risks
Solar energy health risks are inherent to the design and installation of most thermal energy systems. These are the systems designed to heat water and air for household use.
Solar water heaters complete three basic operations before delivering hot water to your faucet or your heating unit:
1. collect sunlight and convert it into heat energy.
2. circulate fluids that transfer the heat energy to a storage unit
3. store the hot water until you need it
The solar energy health risks with such a system usually occur in the storage units. Some units allow for the growth of allergenic molds and fungi.
If proper materials are used for the storage unit, however, these solar energy systems present few, if any, health risks. Their advantages are that they are far safer than most fossil fuels or nuclear power - they have no emissions and do not pollute the air.
PV Panel Solar Energy Health Risks
The solar energy health risks associated with photovoltaic (PV) panels occurs before the panels are put into use on the consumer's home. PV panels are the panels used to collect solar energy from sunlight and convert it into usable electricity.
The manufacture of PV panels requires the use of toxic materials. Silicon dioxide is mined from sand or quartzite and reduced with heat to pure silicon. Materials released during refining are the main health risks. Several steps in forming the photovoltaic cells utilize toxic materials. These are sprayed on the cells, and can readily be inhaled.
It is estimated that solar energy health risks associated with producing PV panels per unit energy may be between 11 and 21 deaths per quadrillion joules of energy produced.
Solar energy health risks from PV panels are very slight once the panels are produced and installed on the consumer's home. This type of solar energy is known for reliability and low maintenance. The home owner seldom needs to be involved in any repairs, and thereby cuts solar energy health risks.
Passive Solar Energy Health Risks
Passive solar energy provides safety and health. A new building that maximizes this technology can reduce energy costs by nearly one half. How?
1. Warming indoor air in a house through vertical, slanted windows facing the sun. The windows capture maximum solar energy from the sunlight.
2. Collecting solar energy in adobe or stone walls and floors, and then releasing it into the air as the temperature falls.
3. Collecting solar energy in a sun space, much like a greenhouse built on the sunny side of the home. This heat is sent into the home with proper ventilation.
4. Holding water in black roof tanks until needed, cutting the working time of the home's hot water heater.
5. Using clerestories - rows of windows near roof peaks that catch sunlight and bounce it through the building. The sunlight reduces the need for electric lights.
In Summary
Solar energy technologies present few, if any, health risks for the end user. Their use can reduce the health risks presented by other energy sources, providing cleaner, safer, more cost effective energy.
How to Qualify For a Home Solar Energy System Rental
The American homeowner has the option to produce their own renewable energy from the sun and keep the energy savings every month. Homeowners who follow the steps and complete the requirements have a good chance of getting a residential solar energy system installed on their home on a rental basis.
To be Evaluated for a Home Power System: * Be the t
itle holder of the home, provide at least 1 year but preferably 2 years of electric bills, have good exposure to the sun, qualify and finish a site evaluation, and be able to wait up to 1 year for the system installation.A solar panel manufacturer is working to remove the barriers to wide-scale solar adoption in the United States. Its business model is to rent all of the equipment needed to power a residential home. There is an energy auditing process and required feasibility study to better determine suitable locations. Unfortunately, homeowners may not qualify to have a system installed. The requirements related to sun angle, energy consumption, and a few other things listed here must be met. Below is the minimum requirement that you must comply with in order to rent a solar system.
You must be a homeowner. Unfortunately, people who rent or lease are not qualified to rent a solar electric system. Only homeowners who hold title or have a mortgage on their can have a solar rental system installed. This has to do with legal and insurance related issues. You must own your house before a system such as this can be installed. However, renters and other homeowners do have the ability to purchase their systems out right from hundreds of solar manufacturers and installers. The point of this solar article is to highlight the steps and requirements process to enable the average American homeowner to rent a solar energy system not purchase one.
You must be a current residential utility customer and you must maintain your interconnection with the utility. If you fail to maintain your connection with your local electric utility, this may be grounds for default in the solar rental agreement, and your solar energy unit may be removed.
You must maintain a dedicated residential telephone line. Again, if you fail to maintain a connection with your local telephone service, this may be grounds for default. You have your solar energy unit removed. There are other options other hard, land lines such as Internet-based, WIFI phone services but it is often easiest and most cost effective to utilize a normal phone connection.
Your house should have a roof with enough space to accommodate the solar unit as well as have an unobstructed, south facing flat or sloped roof. This may not always be necessary. However, in order to ensure that you are eligible, this prerequisite should be researched completely.
Step Six - Live in an Area with Net Metering
This solar rental program is presently limited to U.S. states that offer grid connected alternative energy systems. The service areas and the first to have installs approved are those located in the states and local utility areas that have net-metering laws. Grid tied or grid connection is the law in dozens of states that request that utility companies give the homeowner credits for the solar energy generated from home solar energy units. Net-metering laws do vary state by state. If is best to do some further research with your state government to ensure your state offers net-metering.
Concluding Considerations & Tips
* Research service availability and net metering laws for your state before you go to the trouble of reserving a system.
* There is a substantial waiting list of interested homeowners. A homeowner can request to have a site evaluation and suitability study completed if they wish. The actual system installations may be 1 or 2 years from the time of system reservation; if the above mention prerequisites are completed.
At Solargies, we plan to make the right Eco-friendly, green solutions available to the American homeowners. My role involves the leadership, communication, and the education related to the adoption solar energy system rentals. We provide homeowners the option to rent a solar electric system and avoid the huge, upfront investment in solar technology. Learn more at: => http://www.solargies.com/solar_panel_rentals.htm
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Stouffer
How Wine and Chocolate Create Solar Power
What do you get when you mix chocolate and wine? In the case of Clean Solar, Inc., you get solar. Silicon Valley Entrepreneur, Randy Zechman, is the founder of City Chocolate Fountains (the largest chocolate fountain rental company in the United States). Jeff Ritchey is a San Jose native and wine guru. He is a wine consultant for Pichetti Winery, San Saba winery, and has two of his own labeled wines. Together, they are the co-founders of Clean Solar, a Silicon Valley solar installer and integrator.
Randy Zechman will readily admit that he is a serial entrepreneur. Just over a year ago, with two successful businesses in his portfolio: City Chocolate Fountains and World 2 Do, Inc., Zechman was ready for a new challenge. Zechman and a friend of eight years, Jeff Ritchey, an award-winning winemaker, regularly attended a monthly Bay Area speaker series with a group of friends. After every speaker they would end up at a local restaurant debating the subject matter of that night’s speech, global warming and the health of the earth were often the center of those debates, which resulted in them seeing Al Gore speak at the State of the Valley conference in early 2007.
After seeing Al Gore speak on solutions for protecting our planet, Zechman began to research the solar power industry. Ritchey, while continuing to grow his label, Sensorium Wines, was also showing increased interest in the green movement, realizing that green technology was an ideal fit with his knowledge in geology, winemaking and construction.
Zechman knew that the scientific and construction skill set that Ritchey could bring to the table would be the perfect compliment to his business and marketing skills, which led him to approach Ritchey about starting a solar power company.
Zechman and Ritchey met weekly for 6 months, discussing the in and outs of the business and making sure that their ambitions would not get in the way of their friendship. “We had a heart to heart regarding our friendship versus business. We both believed we could manage both and that our friendship would not get in the way.” says Zechman.
“We’ve been friends for eight years and never thought about getting into business with each other, but this presented the right opportunity. With the market timing, our passion for doing something good, Randy’s sales and marketing experience and my technical and construction abilities, we figured it was a natural fit.” says Ritchey.
Clean Solar Inc. quickly became a reality and is now the Bay Area’s leading solar installation company. The fuel for their business growth is in the form of state rebates through the 10 year, $3.4 billion California Solar Initiative. While silicon is still in short supply, the rebates offer customers a chance to significantly lower the installation cost of a solar power system. Zechman and Ritchey are committed to staying ahead of the curve and being early adopters of new solar technology as it comes on line. “We want the Clean Solar team to stay abreast of the latest advancements in technology, maintain certifications, and educate ourselves in order to provide our customers with the knowledge they need as a solar owner.” says Zechman.
Isaac Riggins is a solar consultant for Clean Solar, Inc. He can be reached at 888-551-7652 or http://www.cleansolar.com
Great solar - Bicycle video
Look this amazing video:
This very interesting bicycle-man figure is at the main entrance of a high school. It runs on solar energy only, harnessed with the help of a solar panel. Free energy . . .
The Incredible solar Bicycle-man ! ! ! Running On Solar Energy. - The most amazing solar videos are here
Wishing for Practical, Affordable Solar Power
Solar power has been available for decades. Safe, relatively clean energy, but the cost of the panels has long been too high for the average consumer. They're also the one problem with solar energy, for those wondering about the relatively clean energy part. But the recycling of them should improve over time.
Many people would love to go solar in their homes. It's a practical energy source in many places, even ones where you wouldn't expect it to do all that well. And in places where homes aren't built near a pre-existing grid, solar power is often much, much more reasonable than having wires run out.
The fact that energy prices have been steadily rising also helps solar energy appear more reasonably priced. The cost is almost all upfront, which is perhaps the greatest challenge. A good solar power system sufficient to heat the average home in the United States runs many thousands of dollars. However it also offers tremendous savings over time.
Some people even generate enough excess to where they sell electricity back. It doesn't bring in much money on the average, but you must admit that having the power company pay you has an appeal, especially if you aren't paying them anything anymore.
Is solar power ready to take off at long last? It could be. We've been hearing for a long time that the day would come when solar power became affordable, something the average family could do, rather than something strictly for the affluent and environmentally aware.
States are becoming more interested in encouraging solar power as well. Many offer rebates or tax incentives to homeowners who install solar panels, and some are starting to look at businesses as well. May as well put those rooftops to good use, after all!
Unfortunately, not all states do this yet. It sounds like they will soon! There is federal legislation requiring states to consider adopting net metering standards by 2008. How this works from state to stat can be tricky, but since 40 states already have net metering, which allows customers to sell excess electricity back, paying only when they need more than they produce, things are looking better all the time.
Solar power is starting to fare better politically too. While it still lacks the funding of the coal or oil industries, it has popular backing. That does make a difference.
Choosing solar power still isn't the easiest thing. As with other home improvements there's a lot of paperwork, plus finding a reputable contractor with good solar panel installation experience. But things are definitely looking up.
Stephanie Foster runs http://www.seriouslysolar.com/ as a resource for people interested in solar power. Visit http://www.seriouslysolar.com/advantages.php to learn more about the advantages of solar power.
Solar Power Systems From Leading Companies
There are hundreds of different companies that are able to supply solar power equipment. These companies have increased in popularity due to people wanting to protect the environment. By using solar power you can protect the environment by not having to burn fossil fuels. The amount of fuel that we have available is limited and they are quickly running out, by using solar power you are conserving the natural resources.
The most important part of any solar power system is the solar panels themselves. Huge companies such as Big Frog Mountain, Solar Cell Sales and Mr Solar produce a fairly basic kit which contains a solar panel, batteries and everything else you would need. You will not need any other specialized equipment like an air compressor. There are a few very large companies such as Kyocera Solar Power, these are made possible by the popularity and demand for such systems.
You will also need to purchase inverters and batteries from one of these solar power companies. One company called evergreen solar produces photovoltaic modules, these are used in very big solar installations. Photovoltaic or PV is the name for the way the energy is converted from light into electricity.
Another really useful use for solar equipment is heating. Solar Attic and Go Solar Company produce, design and install solar heating equipment to your home. After sales support is also available from these companies, and most are very friendly. You can also purchase solar heating equipment to heat swimming pools.
The Wireless Solar Process
Some solar power companies have pioneered wireless solar power, one such company is known as SunWize technologies Inc. By doing this you can create environmentally friendly power without much effort.
Solar energy can also be seen on race cars, space craft and even airplanes! Solar power companies all around the world produce silicon solar cells which are used in such applications. A company known as Nanosolar creates roll prints of solar cells which are much thinner than silicon, 1/100th thinner to be precise! Solar technology also finds itself at home in remote locations, particularly on livestock farms.
You will be able to find wholesale solar distributers, and retail shops. One useful wholesale distributor is www.solardepot.com. The retail solar stores are the ones that you should look out for if you want to buy equipment for your own home. Large systems are often only for industrial use, however you will find that many companies make smaller systems suitable for private use.
Commercial buyers may also be interested in solar powered street lights, billboards and parking lots. Many other companies have produced products which are aimed directly at personal use, from calculators, to laptop computers.
Jack Blacksmith pens almost entirely for http://www.insidewoodworking.com, a website on the topic of cordless compressor, cordless air compressor and different problems. Writing for publications on cordless compressor and 12v air compressor he expressed his know-how on the subject. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_S._Blacksmith
Build Your Own Solar Car
In the post from re-energy they gave an idea for solar car that you can built yourself.
A single solar cell is able to produce only a small amount of electricity. But solar cells can be
For this project, you will be using the electricity from solar panels to power a small car. Your challenge will be to build a solar car that travels as fast and straight as possible.
Solar cells connected in series (in a long chain, positive to negative, etc.) will increase the voltage of the panel. Solar cells connected in parallel (all their positive terminals to one wire, and all their negative terminals to another wire) will increase the current, or amperage of the panel. In most large commercial panels, the individual cells are connected both ways, with rows of cells in series to raise the voltage of the panel, and then those rows connected to each other in parallel, to raise the amperage.
the exact instructions are here.
You can test your car by placing it in bright sunlight, or under a bright (150 watt or greater) light bulb. The wheels should begin to spin quickly. If the wheels are turning the wrong direction, switch the wires connected to the motor. This will reverse the direction of the motor. You can make small adjustments to the angle of the panels, the alignment of the wheels, and the position of the motor to reduce friction, increase the power from the panels, and improve the speed of your car.
