Home > January, 2009
Magnetic forces are among the most potent power sources in the known universe. And just like the force of (1)gravity, magnetic forces are ever-present, constantly at work, and they have a dramatic impact on our daily lives. In fact, were it not for magnetism and all of its inherent forces, our species would not (could not) exist on this planet.
We owe our existence to magnetism
At the center of our small solar system resides a massive nuclear power plant. We call it the Sun. It is a rather puny, mediocre star - as stars go. Still, its constant, countless nuclear explosions create unimaginable forces, one of which is referred to as the ’solar winds.’ By the time these radiation-laden solar winds reach Earth, they are still hundreds of thousands of degrees, and traveling at about 1,000,000 miles per hour. Yes - that’s one MILLION miles per hour. That equates to about 16,666 miles per minute, or 278 miles per second. Were it not for the Earth’s natural magnetism, and massive magnetic field, the solar winds would course unimpeded over the planet’s surface. Remove the Earth’s magnetism and our beautiful blue planet would instantly become an uninhabitable place teeming with intense radiation, unbelievable winds, and temperatures capable of melting or disintegrating almost everything.
Magnetism was one of the first controllable power sources that man became aware of. Then, only naturally occurring magnets were present in the form of (2)lodestone. And while it is clear that humans became aware of magnetism thousands of years ago, it was not until much more recently that the powers were implemented for the benefit of the species. Save for folklore-based applications, the first known practical use of magnetism was in the making of the compass - an invention of the Chinese in the 12th century AD.
An early application of magnetism
The Chinese used lodestones as early as the 4th century AD in a divination ritual called “Geomancy.” Geomancy, which is believed to be of Arabic origin, is about ‘reading’ various natural markings on the ground, or by having someone throw dirt in the air, and then reading the ’signs’ created by the pattern of the dirt after it falls to the ground. There are absolute ties between Geomancy and various religious belief structures. By using lodestones in the practice of Geomancy, the Chinese were able to create exciting, unique readable patterns that were unmatched by any other civilization of the era. Part of the allure of this practice in China was the fact that the dirt could move ‘on its own,’ even after it had hit the ground. Subtle shifts in gentle winds, or small vibrations on the ground were enough to cause the stationery dirt to move - right in front of the eyes of believers.
Prehistoric navigation with magnetism
There is bacterium that is composed of single pieces of magnetite that form a string inside of its microscopic-sized body. It is actually a “living magnet” as the majority of its bulk is comprised of the magnetite pieces. The creation of minerals inside of living organisms is not uncommon. The teeth and bones of humans, for example, are minerals formed by, and inside of, living tissues. These have only recently been discovered, and it took an electron microscope set at 100,000x to see the miniscule magnetite chains. Many animals, including humans, have similar magnetic components. It is widely believed that because some animals are clearly using magnetism for their navigation, such as the notorious homing pigeons, that magnetic tissues and minerals exist for the host’s navigational purposes. Recently, some researchers have started to think it’s there for much more than just helping us find north. It is quite possible that magnetism, for example, guides the directional growth and strength of bones in humans. In humans, by the way, these tiny living magnetic systems are in our brains - and maybe in other places as well.
Oddly, humans still don’t really know how magnetism works - anymore than we know how gravity works. We have equations to express both, and rules to follow regarding both - but we really don’t know how they work. It was not until the mid-20th century that man actually started to get a solid understanding of the rules of magnetism, and ways to implement it. In 1950, the average American household had fewer than five magnets employed. By the end of the century, the average household employed hundreds of magnets. They are everywhere in our culture today - controlling and powering and amazing.
Magnetism and marriage
It was once believed, and not that long ago, that if you placed a piece of lodestone under the pillow of your spouse while they slept, in the morning, they would voluntarily tell all about their illicit, extra-marital affairs. They say all folklore has a basis in fact - one’s mind boggles at contemplating how this one got started…
Magnetism and medicine
Late 1700’s, a Frenchman named Franz Anton (3)Mesmer announced that he had discovered “animal magnetism.” But not the way we use it colloquially - meaning when one person attracts another. Franz Anton Mesmer believed the magnetism of the earth flowed around and through people. If it flowed correctly, you were healthy. If it didn’t, you got sick. He treated people by rubbing them with magnets. He held “séances,” during which the participants sat around a vat of sulfuric acid (H2 SO4) holding lengths of iron. It was said they were “Mesmerized.” As a result of this man’s activities, an entire branch of charlatan-driven ‘medicine’ arose. Magnets were said to be able to cure anything, though their track record in that arena was utterly disastrous.
Even today we are flooded with magical and mystical cures based on magnetism. Unfortunately, they do not bear up well under scientific inspection, or even close scrutiny. But there are some amazing applications of magnetism in modern medicine. The most commonly known implementation of magnetism is surely MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), which allows physicians to see incredibly clear, quasi-3D images of the inner workings of the human body - and without radiation.
The uses and applications of magnetism are constantly growing, and constantly yielding some amazing products and tools. The hard drive in your computer uses magnetism to write and read your files. Magnetism is responsible for the electric motors that run everything from your car’s windshield wipers to your office escalator. Magnetism is used to manufacture traffic light signal changers, such as the industry pioneering Signal Sorcerer - legally used worldwide on vehicles to trigger traffic signals. Magnetism keeps your kitchen cabinets closed, and tells your icemaker when to refill. Magnetic locks are famous for being secure, and magnetic sensors called “inductive loops” sense everything from baskets of goods in automated packing systems, to traffic waiting at intersections.
Magnetic magic
There are places in the world where small hills have large magnetite deposits in them - towards the top. This means that when iron is placed at the bottom of the hills or inclines, it will ‘defy’ gravity and move upward! One such hill in Mexico is said to be able to pull a small car up the hill in direct defiance of the Big G. Needless to say, great legends have arisen over time about these inclines.
The most famous magnetic magic of all is the Aurora Borealis - aka the Northern Lights. Under specific conditions, at the ends of the earth’s magnetic field, one can observe the solar winds passing overhead in a brilliant display of color and light. These openings in the earth’s magnetic field can also be deadly. Records have shown that people, and perhaps even small villages have been sucked up into space by these amazingly beautiful, unbelievably powerful natural phenomenon.
Magnetism and transportation
Magnetism plays such a huge part in the world of transportation that it’s hard to know which things to mention. Magnets are used throughout vehicles nowadays. Of course they run all the electric motors that control windshield wipers, fans, etc. They also are used to control sensors in transmissions, gearboxes, shifters, fuel systems, and more. Motorcycles, mopeds, and smaller vehicles have benefited greatly from the newest applications of magnets. One giant leap for automotive technology has been the invention of magnetic oil filtration systems such as the universal fit Engine Sentry. These little spheres drop into your disposable oil filter, and using the immutable forces of magnetics, provide a wealth of benefits - starting with 2-5 TIMES the engine life. It’s simple, really. The abrasive particles of steel that wear engines down, rob them of power, and are way too small for conventional oil filters to seine out, are effectively plucked from the re-circulating oil. And let us not forget about all those tiny specialty magnets that are at the hearts of all the computer technology inside of our modern vehicles. No doubt, magnetism has made an indelible and eminently worthwhile mark on automotive technology.
The future of magnetism in the world
The sky’s the limit – really! It has been proffered that if a perpetual motion machine is possible, it will run on magnetism. And there is some extremely promising research which implements magnetism to drive starships. It’s an incredible concept that seems to only require some creative engineering. Magnets are awesome sources of power that have unbelievably long lives. If you go to your local hardware store and buy a small ceramic magnet, it will likely retain its power for something like 10,000 years. AND if you break it in half, each half is just as powerful as the other - though the poles will instantly reverse on both pieces.
Magnetism is interesting and amazing. It drives and improves our lives in ways most people never even know. It saves lives, keeps our foods cold, or cooks them, protects our fragile planet, and someday, may be the source of power that drives vast fleets of interstellar vehicles through space - on trade and discovery missions to other worlds. Beam me up, Scotty!
(1) Early man actually engaged the force of gravity in a number of ways. One way he engaged it was to drive large animals over cliffs to kill them, instead of risking injury in a direct confrontation. Also, a rock or log rolled down a hill, courtesy of gravity, makes and excellent defensive weapon.
(2) Also spelled “loadstone.” Herein referring to: oxide Fe3 O4 - the mineral form of iron known as “magnetite.”
(3) Franz Mesmer’s actions did have one good effect. Because of his readings about the works of Mesmer, a physician named James Braid pioneered hypnosis in 1842. This is largely why some people still interchange (incorrectly) the words “hypnosis” and “Mesmerize.”
Signal Sorcerer is a registered trademark of Iron Horseman Technologiesâ?¢, Tucson Arizona.
Engine Sentry is a registered trademark of Iron Horseman Technologiesâ?¢, Tucson Arizona.
THE SEPTEMBER 2006 ISSUE OF SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN was dedicated to exploring the future of energy beyond the carbon era. The editors share a sobering outlook: ‘Decades may pass before hydrogen-powered trucks and cars relegate gasoline-and diesel-fueled vehicles to antique auto shows.’ Until that happens, we’ll ‘muddle-through’ somehow. (Scientific American: 3)
But why does it take so long for some energy technologies to get from the lab and industrial applications to the service of consumers? Take solar panels, for example.
A high-street electronics chain in London now sells educational solar-power kits for around the £20 mark. Serious, roof-dwelling solar panels that will power equipment in your home sell in DIY superstores at around £2,500. That’s a price-tag for the wealthy or very committed, but at least consumers can push their trolleys past the technology
SOLAR PANELS HAVE ONLY RECENTLY APPEARED on the shelves of retail outlets, so you’d forgive them for posing as new technology. But they’re not. While England was priming itself for what was to become its most famous World Cup, a contributor to the July 1966 edition of Wireless World faced a copy deadline for the magazine. His name was D. Bollen, and he provided a circuit for a solar-powered battery charger.
As he put it: ‘The ability of solar cells to convert sunlight directly into useful electrical energy has been well demonstrated in satellite applications. An advantage of the solar battery is that is allows true, unattended operation in locations remote from a power supply and…promises an outstanding degree of reliability.’ (Wireless World: 343)
Over four meticulously-illustrated pages, Bollen goes on to provide a blueprint for a circuit that will trickle-charge a battery from a solar cell. Bollen shows that you can run something that uses one milliamp of current for ‘2.74 hours’ in a 24 hour period. He leaves us guessing what application he had in mind for this tiny current, but the rig could also have powered the bulb of a toy torch for a few seconds a day.
Still, the circuit is there and the date is mid-1966. Don’t be distracted by Bollen’s talk of ’satellite applications’. His circuit is a million miles from rocket-science - in fact it’s the simplest of the bunch in this edition of a magazine that was pitched at everyone between novice constructor and electronics professional.
Someone with barely any experience could have thrown a demonstration version of this circuit together in fifteen minutes flat. And all the parts were available from specialist suppliers in London and south-east England.
The listed supplier for ‘assorted selenium and silicon cells’ is International Rectifier. I contacted the company to find out how much a similar solar-cell cost at the time Bollen wrote his feature.
A single cell measuring about a centimetre by two centimetres cost four dollars, right up to 1966. In his feature, Bollen describes various combinations between one cell and four, so the most expensive part of his circuit cost between four and 16 dollars, or about $25-100 dollars in today’s money.
World’s first solar-powered car: 1912
But what came back from International Rectifier (IR) proved far more interesting than price information. It turns out that the company had demonstrated the world’s first solar-powered car - a 1912 model of the Baker Electric - as early as 1958. They achieved the stunt by making a high-output solar panel - less than two metres long and just over a metre wide - from a whole bank of little solar cells.
Commercial, industrial and military customers went on to buy solar panels from International Rectifier.
SO WHY HAS IT TAKEN ALMOST FIFTY YEARS for solar panels to reach our shops?
Southface, a non-profit, sustainable-living organisation based in the USA, point out that solar-cell technology has had been uselessly competing against the relative fall in price that occurred in the fossil-fuel market in the nineties.
But Southface believe that major orders of consumer solar cell units in countries such as Japan may finally signal the start of an era when solar cell production will benefit from economies of scale.
I hope so. In the meantime, it’s anyone’s guess how long will it take for the consumer-led technology revolution to swat our energy problems.
©Alistair Siddons, 2006
Solar power is becoming a way of life for many people across the globe. From isolated communities to inner city suburbs, solar energy is becoming a very popular choice to better the environment.
Solar energy has been in existence ever since life on our planet began. We have been using the strength of the sun in many different ways, past and present. The more modern technique of using solar energy has been through the use of solar panels.
Solar energy is 100% reliable, if our planet did not receive this energy, or if the energy increased or dropped significantly, then the earth would more than likely struggle to support mankind. However, some methods regarding how we use solar energy are by no means 100% reliable.
The more modern method of harnessing solar energy has been through the use of solar panels. The technology used to turn sunlight into electricity is still in its infancy. Newer and better technologies are emerging every year, and one day we can be hopeful that solar panels could easily support a large household in a reliable way.
Many people have had great success using solar panels to power their home, and this can be down to a range of factors. The main problem associated with the reliability of solar panels is the cost. Due to the more expensive panels been out of the price range of your average consumer, more and more people are opting for budget solar cells, which provide a much lower output, resulting in the disappointment of the consumer.
The people who achieve a reliable and efficient power output from solar cells either integrate these solar panels with a small home wind turbine or ground source heat pump.
The “green dream” is by no means a dream. We do have the technology available to provide 100% of a households power supply, yet cost is the bridge that places the green dream a long way away.
http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com
Many of us know that solar energy is good, but few really
understand why.
Therefore, I compiled a comprehensive list of solar energy
advantages and disadvantages that will enable you to make an
educated decision whether on not Solar Power is right for YOU.
Solar Energy Advantages
1. Saves you money
- After the initial investment has been recovered, the
energy from the sun is practically FREE.
- The recovery/
payback period for this investment can be very short depending
on how much electricity your household uses.
- Financial
incentives are available form the government that will reduce
your cost.
- If your system produce more energy than you
use, your utility company can buy it from you, building up a
credit on your account! This is called net metering.
- It
will save you money on your electricity bill if you have one at
all.
- Solar energy does not require any fuel.
- It’s not affected by the supply and demand of fuel and is
therefore not subjected to the ever-increasing price of
gasoline.
- The savings are immediate and for many years
to come.
- The use of solar energy indirectly reduces
health costs.
2. Environmentally friendly
- Solar Energy is clean, renewable (unlike gas, oil and
coal) and sustainable, helping to protect our environment.
- It does not pollute our air by releasing carbon dioxide,
nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide or mercury into the atmosphere
like many traditional forms of electrical generations does.
- Therefore Solar Energy does not contribute to global
warming, acid rain or smog.
- It actively contributes to
the decrease of harmful green house gas emissions.
- It’s
generated where it is needed.
- By not using any fuel,
Solar Energy does not contribute to the cost and problems of the
recovery and transportation of fuel or the storage of
radioactive waste.
3. Independent/ semi-independent
- Solar Energy can be utilized to offset utility-supplied
energy consumption. It does not only reduce your electricity
bill, but will also continue to supply your home/ business with
electricity in the event of a power outage.
- A Solar
Energy system can operate entirely independent, not requiring a
connection to a power or gas grid at all. Systems can therefore
be installed in remote locations (like holiday log cabins),
making it more practical and cost-effective than the supply of
utility electricity to a new site.
- The use of Solar
Energy reduces our dependence on foreign and/or centralized
sources of energy, influenced by natural disasters or
international events and so contributes to a sustainable
future.
- Solar Energy supports local job and wealth
creation, fuelling local economies.
4. Low/ no maintenance
- Solar Energy systems are virtually maintenance free and
will last for decades.
- Once installed, there are no
recurring costs.
- They operate silently, have no moving
parts, do not release offensive smells and do not require you to
add any fuel.
- More solar panels can easily be added in
the future when your family’s needs grow.
Solar Energy Disadvantages
- The initial cost is the main disadvantage of installing
a solar energy system, largely because of the high cost of the
semi-conducting materials used in building one.
- The
cost of solar energy is also high compared to non-renewable
utility-supplied electricity. As energy shortages are becoming
more common, solar energy is becoming more
price-competitive.
- Solar panels require quite a large
area for installation to achieve a good level of
efficiency.
- The efficiency of the system also relies on
the location of the sun, although this problem can be overcome
with the installation of certain components.
- The
production of solar energy is influenced by the presence of
clouds or pollution in the air.
- Similarly, no solar
energy will be produced during nighttime although a battery
backup system and/or net metering will solve this problem. See
www.dsireusa.org for details on how net metering allows you to
save electricity and money.
- As far as solar powered
cars go - their slower speed might not appeal to everyone caught
up in today’s rat race.
To learn more about solar energy, go to http://facts-about-so
lar-energy.com/
You’ll discover …
- what solar energy is
- how solar energy works
- interesting facts about
solar energy
- how much solar energy costs
- passive solar energy for homes, and
- how to build
solar energy systems
There’s a whole section for students, teachers and parents;
whiles homeowners can obtain FREE QUOTES for their solar energy
projects. You’ll find book and product reviews plus some helpful
energy saving tips.
Please email any questions to info@facts-about-
solar-energy.com
You may be surprised to learn how solar energy extraction has been around for over 100 years, and during the industrial revolution, the sun was used to produce steam which would then drive turbines generating power.
The technology we use today does not rely on steam, but the charging of electrons contained within solar cells made of semi-conductive material. So, we can learn by this, that solar technology not at all in it’s infancy, as many people currently believe. We should have much more confidence in the energy we are able to harness from the sun, and use this on a much larger scale.
Everyday, more energy hits your average rooftop than the energy which comes into your home through wires. This shows you the huge capacity that solar energy has to offer.
Many people agree, and rightly so, that the best source of natural energy out there (the sun) is hugely underrated. Solar energy has the potential to provide a home with a free (or a significant boost to a) power supply all year round.
New technologies are making solar panels increasingly efficient regarding power output, durability, and their ability to harness much more solar energy on dull and cloudy days. This makes a solar panel a very good option for integration to any household.
An ever growing number of people concerned about our environment, and the future effects of global warming, have found great success in installing a solar panel and home wind turbine mix. This provides a more stable energy supply, as in the summer your solar panel can shine, and in the winter your small wind turbine will provide that extra piece of mind.
The only reason that should stop you, or put you off the idea of home energy production is the initial cost. Many people cannot afford the initial investment needed, but if you can, the future benefits regarding your extremely low electricity bills will be well worth the investment.
http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com/solar_panels.html
The price of a barrel of oil has never been higher ($62.00+ in
summer 2005 even before the chaos caused by Katrina). Some say
this is a temporary spike, but more and more analysts are
agreeing that this kind of pricing is here to stay. World
consumption is at an all time high and given the new thirst for
oil in China and India it is unlikely to diminish. According to
International Energy Outlook, global demand is expected to
continue to increase by as much as 59% in the next fifteen
years.
Already, consumer energy bills have been increasing on average
6.5% per year for the last thirty years in the United States.
Given the dramatic rise in the cost of producing energy using
traditional non-renewable resources, this rate is bound to be
overtaken by unheard of price increases in the very near future.
And for consumers who are becoming more and more environmentally
conscious, the thought of the millions and millions of tons of
CO2 and other bi products being released into the atmosphere
annually through the use of fossil fuels in creating energy is
very alarming.
It is a no brainer that our reliance on oil to create energy
leaves us very vulnerable. There are renewable technologies that
produce energy, but the problem has been one of cost
effectiveness. It has always been cheaper to supply energy using
fossil fuels, and consequently, renewable sources such as solar
or wind power have not taken off. But the situation now appears
to be changing. More and more, our consumption of energy is
outstripping supply. The grid can barely keep up with demand and
rolling blackouts are no longer just a concept. No wonder
governments are looking for alternatives. And no wonder everyone
is talking solar once again.
In 1985 annual worldwide solar power system installation
accounted for 21 megawatts of power. By 2004, this had
multiplied to an incredible 927 megawatts in new installation
power production alone. The demand for solar produced energy
over the last several years has increased annually about 25%,
although in 2004 sales were up a whopping 67% from the previous
year.
There are several reasons for this increase in popularity for
all things solar powered. Beyond the obvious environmental
considerations and the privilege of not having to rely on power
from a grid that is aging and stretched to capacity, solar is
getting cost effective. While traditional energy production gets
more expensive, technological advances are making solar power
cheaper. In 1980 the cost of harvesting energy from the sun
stood at about $100 per watt. Literally a hundred times more
expensive than the going rate of electricity, these systems were
not economically viable. By 1999 however, technology had reduced
this to about $4 per watt and costs have continued to decline by
about 5% per year since. The Return on Investment is becoming
very attractive for many commercial organizations and consumers.
Efficiencies have been realized in several technologies. The
inverters that transform the collected DC energy into usable AC
energy used to deliver only about 65% efficiency. 35% of the
collected energy was lost in the transformation process. Today’s
transformers are so efficient they deliver up to 96% of
collected energy into usable AC current.
Photovoltaic technology has also made solar collection far more
efficient. Twenty years ago, only 5% of the sun’s energy hitting
a solar charging panel was harvested. This figure is now in
excess of 15% and will continue to climb as more efficient
compounds are designed and introduced in the manufacture of
these photovoltaic panels.
All levels of government are increasingly looking at solar to
provide stable, cost effective and environmentally friendly
power. 35 states now have some kind of rebate program for
homeowners that install solar power systems. And this is not
just the southern “sunny states”. While California is the clear
leader in promoting solar powered energy solutions (a program
introduced in 2003 is promoting the introduction of solar
powered energy systems into a million homes over the next
several years) New Jersey and New York are next in line for
solar investment.
At the municipal level, many jurisdictions have introduced solar
solutions for traffic and streetlights. 50% of the energy used
to run the City of Sacremento’s water purification plant is
solar. NASA uses solar powered energy systems in many of its
buildings. And governments are not using solar just because it
is good for the environment and sets an example for commercial
entities and consumers (although these benefits cannot be lost
on them!). They’ve concluded that opting for solar systems will
save them hundreds of thousands of dollars.
With so many rebate programs today homeowners are coming to the
same conclusions. Once the initial return on investment is
recouped (as early as 4 to 6 years with the rebate programs in
California for example), solar users don’t have any additional
energy bills, almost no maintenance to worry about and are not
slave to an electrical grid that is becoming more and more
fragile as demand outstrips supply. No wonder solar power is
getting attention!
Solar power is still more expensive than traditional energy
production methods, but the gap is narrowing every year. Solar
power applications are also multiplying at an amazing rate.
House heating, solar pool lighting and heating, hot water tank
heating, calculators, flashlights, solar garden lighting and on
and on. Solar is clean, it’s efficient and it’s here to stay.
It is no secret that the sun can be harnessed to provide a source of energy for homes and businesses.
The sun is a powerful star. It supplies us with energy, through a process called nuclear fusion, and sustains life on our planet Earth. Solar energy, or energy from the sun, has existed since prehistoric times when men would magnify the sun’s energy in efforts to start fires.
The sun is a valuable resource that radiates enough energy on the United States in one day to meet the nation’s needs for one and a half years. Since it is a free, clean and renewable source of energy, it is an energy source that will play a vital role in our future.
Using the sun’s energy for our energy source seems like an easy solution to having an energy supply forever. Harnessing the suns energy is where the problem lies. The sun’s rays shine all over the world and not in just one spot. Although it takes only 8 minutes for sunlight to travel to the earth, trying to catch the rays over such a wide area can prove to be tricky. Also, the energy in any one given place will vary due to factors, such as, clouds and weather conditions.
The history of using solar energy began in 1890’s when solar water heaters were used in the United States. Solar water heating requires a storage collector and a storage tank. Flat plate solar collectors are mounted on rooftops. Pipes carrying water are pumped through these collectors. The tubes are painted black so they will get hot quicker. As the heat is collected the fluid in the tubes get heated. A storage tank holds the hot liquid. This helps with central heating and cutting fuel costs. Solar heaters became popular when natural gas was expensive and burning wood and coals were burdensome. It’s popularity diminished with the discovery of an abundance of natural gas and oil deposits. Now they are making a comeback to replace the depleting fossil fuels that had taken its place.
Solar energy can be in the form of heat energy or light energy. The technology of photovoltaic, or PV as it is commonly called, converts the suns energy into electric currents through the use of solar cells. These electric currents can be used instantaneously or stored for later use. The PV cells consist of pieces of silicon under a thin piece of glass. They have both a positive and negative charge. Simple examples of this are the solar powered calculators that are common today. More complex examples are solar panels placed on roofs. This consists of using thin film solar cells as rooftop shingles, roof tiles, and even glazing for skylights. Unfortunately, the cells generate only about one sixth of the sun’s energy into electricity. This means bigger arrays are needed and along with this come larger costs.
Solar thermal power plants use the sun to heat fluid, which in turn, is transferred into steam similar to fossil fuel burning plants. The steam is transformed into mechanical energy in a turbine and electrical energy from a generator. The downfall is solar plants cannot produce energy on cloudy days.
It is expected the next few years will see millions of households using solar energy. As research continues and processes improve, using our sun as a renewable energy source will produce efficiency and cost savings. So, let the sun shine in and take full advantage of this warm energy source where you live.
Solar cells are devices that have been designed to tap into the solar energy which is abundant on the surface of the earth during daylight. You would have seen small solar cells at work in your calculators, watches and other such devices and could have observed that some of these contraptions seem to be running on these solar cells alone, forever, as though they never need any other source to derive power from, as along as there is sunlight.
The solar cells we see everyday are also called Photovoltaic cells or modules-usually frames with groups of solar cells tightly packed and arranged in a systematic way. Photovoltaic are special materials which have the ability to convert sunlight into electricity. Hitherto used exclusively for space and related applications, it has now been extended to almost everything from water heaters to automobiles.
Photovoltaic cells are constructed using semiconductor material – materials which have the ability to conduct electric current. Silicon is one of most common materials used. When sunlight hits the solar apparatus, the solar cells absorb the heat and the electrons are let free or kicked out from their lodging places within the atomic structure of the semiconductor material. The electrons duly freed, thus begin to flow leading to an electric current. If two metal plates can be attached to the points of flow, electric current could be drawn out.
Earlier solar cells found use only for generating power for satellites out there in the space. Today, they are here in use for even less exotic applications like solar water heaters, cookers, calculators, watches and a few automobiles too. Solar cells could be used to provide electricity for your home or office too. However, while the operating costs of your power expenditures would come down drastically, you need to be aware that the installation and the solar cell set up itself is outrageously expensive. Since you would be using this power primarily to run your major appliances, you might have to find alternatives.
It is a matter of time before the energy from the sun is harnessed into a full-time energy source that could be used to produce electricity. It is already quite popular, but then, there are a few problems associated with this technology. The heat rays from the sun keep fluctuating and it could be snowing or raining sometimes. The warmer areas on earth are fine, but how do we help the colder areas? The lack of uniformity and reliability on the solar heat rays has remained a challenge for harnessing this technology.
If you think solar power and solar batteries aren’t the wave of the future, you may be missing out on some exciting possibilities. America is just now starting to take action in the way of policy changes and R&D funding to move away from energy produced from fossil fuels. On August 21st 2006, Governor Schwarzenegger signed the solar power bill that aims to make California the biggest producer of solar energy in the world by 2018 through the installation of 1 million rooftop solar batteries on residential homes, office buildings schools and farms.
Homeowners who outfit their homes with solar batteries will not only benefit from lower energy use costs and higher home resale value, but under Schwarzenegger’s new law, they can sell excess power back to their utility company for a profit. Despite all of the evidence pointing to the positive aspects of power generated through solar batteries, including a commitment of $2.9 billion dollar commitment by the California Public Utilities Commission, many people still believe that solar batteries are ineffective for producing adequate power. In this article, we will explore the 3 most common misconceptions and facts surrounding home solar power and the solar battery.
Misconception #1 – I would need to live in a hot area of the country in order to benefit from a solar battery
There are two types of solar panels. One produces heat by absorbing heat from the sun. The other type, solar batteries, use Photovoltaic principles to turn the light from the sun into energy. These solar batteries are made of silicon which becomes electrically charged from the sunlight. The sun is always shining, even in the wintertime which means that solar batteries work year round-even when it doesn’t feel hot outside.
Misconception #2 – Using a solar battery will not make that much of an impact on the environment
Unless you believe that reducing greenhouse gasses by 3 million tons for every 1 million homes equip with solar panels isn’t a big impact, this misconception is simply untrue. The removal of 3 million tons of greenhouse gasses is roughly the equivalent of eliminating the harmful greenhouse gas emissions of 1 million cars. Multiply this by the total number of homes and residences in the US, and the impact is critical move for a growing population.
Misconception #3- Solar batteries cost more than they save
While it is true that solar batteries do involve more upfront costs than simply plugging into the grid, it’s important to look at costs over the long term to get an accurate cost perspective. Solar batteries can continue to produce power steadily for 50 or more years. Once your batteries are installed and producing power, there are no more costs involved with taking energy from the grid. And while grid energy may be affordable now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be in the future. We have seen how quickly a limited supply and demand can impact the cost of gasoline.
What’s more, if the rest of the US follows California’s lead, excess electricity can be sold back to the energy for a profit. Solar batteries also open up new possibilities in home ownership; allowing people to build private getaways and vacation homes in remote, low land cost areas that are off the power grid. With the increased longevity and lower cost of today’s solar batteries, homeowners owe it to themselves to explore the possibilities of solar power and to rethink their paradigms about energy costs and homebuilding possibilities.
Solar power is generated when energy is extracted from the suns rays through the use of photovoltaic cells (commonly referred to as solar cells). These cells convert photos (from the suns rays) into electricity, and this process is known as the “photovoltaic effect.”
Many people are beginning to invest in such technologies to avoid rising electricity prices and to help our environment. If every home could be fitted with solar panels, then the strain on power stations would decrease dramatically, which means we wouldn’t be left as dependable on fossil fuels as we currently are.
There are many alternatives to solar power, so why should we invest our money into solar technologies, rather than lets say, home wind turbines, or a geothermal energy system? To answer this, we shall look at the advantages and disadvantages of the technologies above.
Solar Panels:
Advantages - widely available, relatively easy to install, very significant output, a solar panel will pay for itself in two to three years, lifetime of 20 to 30 years, modern cells can harness power on cloudy days, can bring power to remote locations.
Disadvantages - costly to begin with, older technologies won’t work too well if cloudy.
Wind Turbines:
Advantages - fairly cheap for a home turbine, can be used in harsh conditions.
Disadvantages - totally dependent on the wind, small output, larger turbines can be noisy, wind farms are seen by many as eyesores, larger (more effective) turbines can be very expensive.
Geothermal Energy:
Advantages - can aid in the heating of hot water, save money on running your boiler, can supply effective underfloor heating, heat from the ground can be relied upon.
Disadvantages - have to lay hundreds of meters of piping underground, hard to fix a leak, expensive, longer time to heat water than a boiler.
So there we have the advantages and disadvantages of each. Assuming you do not live by a rapid stream or running river (which rules out hydroelectric power), then as you can see from the above text, solar power is your best option. Solar panels offer many more friendly factors and less disadvantages than other technologies.
A proven method is to have more than one of the above technologies installed around a home (all three would be a dream, but also leave a large hole in your wallet). So if you have the spare cash, are interrested in saving money on future electricity bills, care for the environment, and would like to be less dependent on fossil fuels, why not take a deeper look into the world of renewable energy resources.
http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com/solar_panels.html