Solar Water Heater

DIGITAL CAMERA 'ADD-ONS' TO BOOST MARKET IN 2011

2011-01-05T16:30:00.000-08:00

Innovations such as GPS technology, are 'driving the consumer to replace and renew their products', according to research company GfK in its latest assessment of the digital camera market.

'Specific connectivities and GPS-functionalities are some of the more interesting topics, and [in-camera] picture manipulation as an add-on is now available to use,' explained a spokesman for GfK Retail and Technology.

'3D is also a key focus of the imaging market, but this will need some time to mature into mass volume.

'Fortunately, these feature enhancements translate to higher average prices, with the consumer currently willing to pay for additional benefits from their imaging products.'

The video capabilities of compact cameras is also pulling in consumers, says GfK.

'Nearly every newly-sold compact camera has video incorporated and around half of changeable lens cameras sold have video options, with a strong tendency towards HD functionalities.'

The Middle East and Africa and Asia-Pacific regions have experienced the highest growth in digital camera sales, notching up a 20% increase in the first nine months of 2010.

In contrast, sales in the United States fell by 2% on the year before.

Solar Energy Trendsetters with Iberdrola Renewables

2010-10-14T17:50:00.000-07:00

Residents in Pinal County of Arizona and Alamosa in southern Colorado are potentially one of the trendiest areas in the nation. And it doesn’t have anything to do with fashion, or celebrity power…but renewable energy.

Salt River Project in Arizona and Iberdrola Renewables partnered to buy 20 megawatts of solar photovoltaic energy in the region from Copper Crossing Solar Ranch.
The 25 year power agreement can potentially provide enough solar energy for more than 3000 Salt River Project residents, a power used from photovoltaic panels.

“From wind power to solar, our partnership with Iberdrola Renewables has resulted in thousands of SRP customers benefitting from clean, renewable energy,” SRP General Manger Richard Silverman said in a statement.

“Iberdrola Renewables is delighted to partner for the third time with SRP, this time for one of the largest utility-scale projects in Arizona,” said Martin Mugica, executive vice president of Iberdrola Renewables. “SRP has been a leader in bringing clean, renewable energy to Arizona, by purchasing the output of the first commercial-scale wind farms in the state and now with this, one of Iberdrola Renewables’ first solar projects.”

Iberdrola Renewables isn’t stopping there. The nationwide wind power project developers also announced plans for a similar sale in Colorado near Alamosa with the Public Service Company of Colorado, an Xcel Energy company. Iberdrola will purchase the company’s entire output of 30 megawatt photovoltaic with facility construction beginning before the end of next year. Announced just a day before the Arizona sale, this purchase would mark the first trial in solar power for Iberdrola.

‘This part of Colorado has been identified as one of the best locations in all of the U.S. for securing energy from the sun, and Iberdrola Renewables’ investment shows the potential for this region of our state, now and well into the future,” said Tom Imbler, vice president for Commercial Operations at Xcel Energy.

Photovoltaic cells to power biological nanorobots inside the body

2010-01-06T14:26:00.000-08:00

As the fields of bionanotechnologies develop, it will become possible one day to use biological nanodevices such as nanorobots for in situ and real-time in vivo diagnosis and therapeutic intervention of specific targets. A prerequisite for designing and constructing wireless biological nanorobots is the availability of an electrical source which can be made continuously available in the operational biological environment (i.e. the human body).

Several possible sources – temperature displacement, kinetic energy derived from blood flow, and chemical energy released from biological motors inside the body – have been designed to provide the electrical sources that can reliably operate in body (read: "Nanopiezotronics – a pathway to self-powering nanodevices").

Recently, the conversion of mechanical energy to electricity on the nanoscale has been successfully demonstrated by using acoustically actuated nanogenerators based on piezoelectric zinc oxide nanowires by Zhong Lin Wang's group (see: "Nanoscale power plants"). These nanogenerators can be used to drive many kinds of nanodevices, but their output powers needs to be further improved to meet the power requirement (at least 1 µW) of biological nanorobots.
Light-harvesting by photovoltaic cells has been conclusively demonstrated as an efficient way to create electricity, and many kinds of solar cells have been developed.

Unfortunately, these traditional solar cells cannot be used directly to power in vivo nanodevices because they mainly absorb visible and/or ultraviolet light – which is difficult to penetrate into biological tissues. On the other hand, light that can easily penetrate body tissue such as near infrared light in the wavelength range from 700 to 1000nm cannot be efficiently absorbed by conventional solar cells.

Solar Air Heater for home and commercial heating

2010-01-06T14:25:00.000-08:00

Solar Heating Air uses the solar radiation in a specific room with the heat from solar panels. There are many possibilities of solar hot air, and we can even build a house with the help of online resources. This is a kind of solar thermal power plant, where the heated air in a bin by the radiation of the sun and can be transferred directly in or on a storage bin as a rock.

The solar cells are used to operate these systems. Solar thermalthe air that is then transferred into a room. The key component of this system includes solar panels, a network of ducts and diffusers. The heated air can operate with or without fan. Without the fan distributes the air through the action of natural ventilation.

In agriculture, the food must be produced, sometimes kept in a warm, especially during the monsoon. The solar heating system works here. You can increase the temperature of the room so thattherefore heated. In this way, the products can continue to be safe and will not be spoiled, as the humidity.

The solar air heater works the same way as does a solar system. The water heater is outside the outdoor theater, so it can capture the sunlight. It is composed of solar cells, in general, but people use a variety of things. Some are equipped with aluminum cans and paint them black. Then they are placed on a plate and form a part. Plates orThe boxes must be drilled to connect with each other, so that air circulates through them. Therefore, the cold air moves through the piece cans and hot air enters the room leads to an increase in temperature.

In this way, the air solar heating is a very economical way to heat a room. Instead of requiring expensive heating systems, the quantity of electricity which is certainly a convenient solution.

Revolutionary Tiny Solar Cells

2010-01-06T14:24:00.000-08:00

Tiny, glitter-sized solar cells have been developed by the Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories. It might turn out to be the perfect alternative energy preference for the holiday season. This project is funded by the American government. The dimensions of the snowflake sized crystalline-silicon photovoltaic cells are merely 14-20 micrometers thick and measure 0.25 to 1 millimeters across i.e. only 10% as thick as regular ones. They also consume an estimated 100 times less silicon to produce the same amount of electricity compared to standard solar cells. Their efficiency level is 14.9%.

The USP of the snowflake sized crystalline-silicon photovoltaic cells is their size. Because of their infinitesimally small size, the glitter solar particles can be installed in a wide range of products needing energy. Another USP of the snowflake sized crystalline-silicon photovoltaic cells is they have the capability to fit into any given pattern shape or size such as fabrics. So they will convert your clothes into solar power generators. If we ponder a bit and visualize these tiny, glitter-sized solar cells can turn a person into a walking solar battery charger if they are fitted into clothing.

Because of their minuscule size they are also less prone to shading and heating effects. Their built-in tiny electrical contacts also make them sturdy and durable. Shade and heat often hinders the performance of larger solar cell performance. The sequin-like solar cell technology hopefully will soon appear on from high-tech items such as satellites to right on down to back-backers’ tents to help recharge electronics. If everything goes right these cells can revolutionize the way solar energy is used.

Central Heating Boiler Scrappage Scheme in England announced

2010-01-06T14:23:00.000-08:00

Today, the Government has launched a new £400 grant for those replacing old and inefficient boilers with modern or carbon efficient models.

Under the Solar Boiler Scrappage Scheme, if you are a homeowner or private tenant replacing a G-Rated or equivalent boiler you could be eligible for a grant of up to £400 to aid with the cost of having it replaced. The Government believe around 125,000 households will initially stand to benefit from the new scheme.

This £400 saving is in addition to efficiency savings which can reduce your heating costs and fuel bill by an average of around £235 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

You can get a quote for a replacement boiler at our brand new Quoter site, HeatingQuoter.co.uk.

Announcing the scheme earlier today, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said “The boiler scrappage scheme will save around £200 off heating bills per year for families that are replacing their old boilers, and in total will save the same amount of carbon equivalent to taking around 45,000 cars off the road.”

You can find out more information on the scheme, and of course get quotes for a replacement boiler, at HeatingQuoter.co.uk. Even if your boiler isn’t eligible for the scrappage scheme we can help you with a rough guide price, and help you find local registered boiler suppliers and installers to carry out the work for you.

So head over to HeatingQuoter.co.uk today and check out the latest addition to the Home Improvement Quotes family.

Middle East/Med Region Could Solar Power World 3 Times Over

2010-01-06T14:22:00.000-08:00

The sunny MENA (Middle East- North Africa) region and its associated countries could solar power the world, Maurice reports. This map-maker left out Israel.

Middle Eastern and North African countries, often referred to under the umbrella term MENA countries, have the potential to create more than 3 times the world’s power needs, according to a new study reported in the Dubai-based Khaleej Times.

Countries that move fast, the study suggests, could have the competitive advantage. Who could take the lead: MENA countries, especially ones located on the Arabian Peninsula, as well as others like Jordan, Lebanon, and Israel could be. These countries are no strangers to the notion of solar energy, and Green Prophet has covered countless articles touting solar energy in the Middle East.

One of the region’s leading solar energy development countries, Israel, has even been asked by the UN to increase its development of solar energy. Despite being an instrumental innovator through companies such as BrightSource or Solel, Israel’s own use of solar power at home more closely resembles that of a developing nation.

The Khaleej Times article pointed out that countries in the MENA region have the “greatest potential for solar regeneration” supplying 45% of the world’s energy sources possible through renewable energy. Renewable energy sources of interest in this region include Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City as well as its hosting of the World Renewable Energy Agency headquarters . Known as IRENA, this center could fuel development in the whole region.

A big problem, however, is under-funding of renewable energy projects, due to a big abundance of oil and other fossil fuels, says Beirut based Ibrahim El Hussenei, a partner in the London based energy project development company, Booz & Company whose representatives were present at the COP 15 Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

Harnessing solar energy

2009-12-02T23:41:00.001-08:00

The design is capable of including the installation of photovoltaic cell technology to harness the sun’s rays as a renewable energy source. Such an approach may be subject to governmental grants to offset the costs of such technology in the increasing interests of promoting sustainable energy sources in Malaysia, and would reinforce the development as the most sustainable hotel project in Malaysia, if not SE Asia. Given the cumulative roof area designated for photovoltaic cells, the energy generated could account for 8.5% of the development’s 7800MWh/year energy requirement, thus contributing to a 10% saving in utility costs.

Modularisation and ease of construction
Modern methods of construction that includes prefabrication and modularisation will reduce the reliance on specialist labour. The modular construction also enables a quicker construction process, saving time and therefore financial burden.

The landscape and its character areas
At the heart of the scheme are the spatial needs of people for their social interaction, recreation, health and well-being, and an ease of movement through the site and beyond. A series of character places facilitate this, ranging from the ‘piazza’ (for meeting and greeting), to the ‘broadwalk’ (for waterfront promenading), to the ‘beach cove’ (for physical recreation or water sport related activities), to the ‘serpentine gardens’ (for visual amenity) to the lustrous ‘oasis’ (a paradisiacal garden retreat). The buildings help define and enclose the spaces in order to create a co-ordinated design solution between social need and built environment.

Implement a Solar Power Home

2009-12-02T23:40:00.001-08:00

A solar power home system is one of the most viable options for you when you are thinking about converting your home energy system from no-renewable to renewable sources of energy. I am saying this because, today we are at a point where the no-renewable resources are fast vanishing. Earlier, we never paid much attention towards the proper usage and lesser wastage of the same and hence we are suffering the consequences. That is the basis; we are trying to strive for alternative energy implementations and you should now that converting solar power home systems into a functioning venture will remain even after the no-renewable resources vanishes.

In the core of such a crisis we cannot afford to remain above it anymore because it is changing us in all ways possible. So, I think the solar power home system as the best possible, alternative home powering operation. With a solar power home system, you would be able to work and use all of your electrical needs including your home theater, kitchen utensils, the refrigerator along with the lights and fans obviously. Solar air heaters will provide hot air options which you can then use whenever you want. Primarily you can run your entire abode on a solar power home unit.

To this extent, take a track today instead of just sitting around and waiting for the government or someone else to do something. Convert your abode into a solar power home. It is neither very expensive nor is it extremely difficult to set up and use. In basis, presently there are many cost effective as well as budget solar powering D-I-Y available which will help you to apply the power of solar energy.

Here are a few benefits that you can get out of solar power.

There is the solar lightning system for your home which will store the sun’s energy and later convert it to electrical energy so that you can light your home at night. Primarily, there are solar cells which overtake the energy of the sun during the day. At night, when you turn on the lights, this solar power gets modified to electrical energy and as a repercussion your solar power home lights up. So, you get energy and freedom from all electricity bills ever.

As we have told previously, the solar water heater is another profit. You can freely cook a delicious meal, use it for bathing, do your laundry etc. There are two types of this solar water heater. One is the loop direct heater type which is appropriate for areas which are not level to freezing while the other uses an anti freeze liquid which keeps the solar energy trapped for later use.

There is also the solar cooker which is mere powerfull and you can cook at any time you want. You just have to keep the sun in your hands and make your house a solar power home.

You can learn more about how to become an independent energy producer at Solar Power Lights visit us now!

Put your mind into it and start taking positive action today towards your economy and planet and you will be bewildered just how things can be corrected and reformed.

New development boosts output of DSSC solar cells

2009-12-02T23:39:00.002-08:00

In a world first, an international research team based in Melbourne, Australia, has developed a way to boost the output of the next generation of solar cells by creating a more efficient dye that makes dye-sensitive solar cells (DSSC) perform better than previous versions.

Scientists at Monash have collaborated with colleagues from the universities of Wollongong (Australia) and Ulm (Germany) to produce tandem dye-sensitized solar cells with a three-fold increase in energy conversion efficiency compared with previously reported tandem dye-sensitized solar cells.

Lead researcher Dr Udo Bach, from Monash, was hopeful the breakthrough would increase the energy generation performance of the cells and make them a viable and competitive alternative to traditional silicon solar cells.

The more efficient type of dye the scientists have created makes the operation of inverse dye-sensitized solar cells much more efficient.

The researchers say that when they combined two types of dye-sensitized solar cell - one inverse and the other classic - into a simple stack, it was the first time they were able to produce a tandem solar cell that exceeded the efficiency of its individual components.

"The tandem approach - stacking many solar cells together - has been successfully used in conventional photovoltaic devices to maximize energy generation, but there have been obstacles in doing this with dye-sensitized cells because there has not been a method for creating an inverse system that would allow dye molecules to efficiently pass on positive charges to a semiconductor when illuminated with light," Dr Bach said.

"Inverse dye-sensitized solar cells are the key to producing dye-sensitized tandem solar cells, but the challenge has been to find a way to make them perform more effectively. By creating a way of making inverse dye-sensitized solar cells operate very efficiently we have opened the way for dye-sensitized tandem solar cells to become a commercial reality."

Disappointingly, in the past DSSC have performed below that of silicon solar cells even after many years of research. DSSC have great potential because of their relative inexpensive and easy methods of fabrication.

Dr Bach’s findings, detailed in a paper published in Nature Materials, are said to be an important milestone in the ongoing development of viable and efficient solar cell technology.

"While this new tandem technology is still in its early infancy, it represents an important first step towards the development of the next generation of solar cells that can be produced at low cost and with energy efficient production methods," he said.

Get a different heating boiler and relax

2009-12-02T23:39:00.001-08:00

The price of gas and electricity has increased dramatically over the past few years. People have started to look for ways to reduce the amount spent on their bills in this era of economic downturn and rising prices. A major part of your utility bills is the cost of your gas central heating. What makes the outlook for reducing charges not too bad is that there are many different ideas for people to try, ideas which help them to achieve a noticeable decrement in the amount of spending on heating their homes, which in return affects the spending on utility bills.

Replace Inefficient Central Heating Systems.

If it has crossed 10 years, it’s past the hill – retire the old central heating solar boiler and install a modern and more efficient gas central heating system. Installing a newer more efficient heating system is a good way to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat your home and so reduce your bills. Older systems can easily be replaced by gas Condensing and Combi Central Heating Boilers.

Certain rebates and grants are obtainable for gas central heating which can help to reduce the costs.

If you are a british resident, then your chance to qualify for one of the awards is good. These grants can be up to the amount of two thousand seven hundred and are given by the government to help towards things like gas heating system fitting, loft and wall insulation, draught proofing and so on. To receive the award you should either have your own home or you should be living in a private rented house, you should also have be receiving some form of disability benefit or social security benefit. Central heating costs may be discounted by up to three hundred pounds for senior citizens above sixty years of age.

Insulation of your cavity walls.

Approximately 30% of heat loss from a house occurs through the walls, to improve the insulating ability of the cavity you have to use a suitable insulating material. So cavity wall insulation becomes important to reduce the amount of heat loss. As you manage to reduce the amount of the escaping heat by using cavity wall insulation you will notice that you are spending much less on heating your home. By installing cavity insulation in your home’s walls the value of your home can increase, so that is a great advantage for you beside the reduction in your bills, you can also earn more money by selling your home after the modifications than before.

What About Solar Hot Water Systems?.

One of the cheapest and greenest ways to heat the water in your home is to have a British Gas solar hot water system installed. Thinking for a moment of the area of your home that is exposed to the sun, and the time of this exposure you can imagine the amount of hot water you can have without any effort from your side, and you can cover all of your and your family’s hot water requirements.

As you can see there are a number of different things you can do to cut the cost of central heating your home and your water. Along with cost savings, you also have the satisfaction of excellent warmth through environmentally friendly and state-of-the-art technology.

Cost Comparison For Solar Energy

2009-12-02T23:38:00.001-08:00

Doing a cost comparison for solar power is so significant, particularly if you're one of many people who are up on the fence about this and who are actually undecided this is what you need to do. Learning why is solar power cost effective and why or you would need to use it for the maximum amount of your electricity desires as feasible, these are critical things that everybody should be conscious of, and that may be debated in more detail here.

Environmental Benefits

When doing a cost comparison for solar energy, the environmental benefits offered by solar energy are one of the first aspects that you should take seriously. Especially in the world that we live in today, where we are facing such extreme environmental issues such as global warming, there has never been a better time than now to take that step forward and make sure that you are doing a cost comparison for solar energy so that you can start utilizing it in your own life.

There are some huge environmental benefits that come from using solar energy rather than regular electricity, but namely you know that you are not going to be polluting the air and so you are doing your part for the environment.

Savings for You

One of the biggest reasons that people are making the switch to solar energy is because they are fed up with the amount of money that they are having to shell out every month for their electricity bill. This is not surprising when you figure that even for a small home, typically the electricity bill is upwards of two hundred dollars each and every month.

Well when you are doing a cost comparison for solar energy, you are going to want to factor in that you could spend less than two hundred dollars to set up a solar energy system at your home, and after that you will not have any electricity bills to pay. Sounds too good to be true, well this is one thing that is actually true and to do a cost comparison for solar energy you will be able to work with your budget and actually see the amazing savings that you are going to get.

The money spent at first to get the solar power system kit is going to above pay itself off in the final analysis and is easily worth getting.

What is a Photovoltaic Cell?

2009-11-17T16:40:00.000-08:00

A photovoltaic cell is made up of a nonconductor, with one side coated with metal atoms that produce electrons when they are exposed to the sun. The other side of the PV cell is coated with negative electron atoms. If you connect a wires, from each side of the cell, to a device, current will flow when the positive side is exposed to sunlight.

The downside of using a photovoltaic cell is that it can be less efficient than other types of power. A small solar panel can can only power equipment which doesn't require a lot of power. What's more, when you?re outdoors, you can't always expect the weather to cooperate with you.

Chances are, you?ll experience bad days when the sun barely peeks out of the clouds. At times like these you?re solar-powered gadgets will not work. This is the reason why majority of these solar-powered camping gear feature additional energy sources, such as batteries, hand crank dynamos, or the option to charge them from a wall socket when available. There are even solar chargers that can recharge your AA batteries, so that you can later use them to run your small electronics.

Some people enjoy camping in RVs. Solar power can be used to charge the RV?s batteries. Photovoltaic cells can be discreetly placed on the dashboard.

Some people like to take hot baths, even in the wild. A solar shower can be utilized for this task.

Or, by using a solar cooker, you can have hot meals without risking a forest fire.

As you can see, solar camping gear can make your outdoor life a easier, as well as safer. And it can help you to enjoy nature even more ? without doing additional damage to the environment you are camping in.

Anna is provides information on the uses of solar power, solar equipment, and solar technology. To find out more about solar-powered equipment, please visit Solar Power Equipment & Information.

Solar Air Heater for Commercial or Home Heating

2009-11-17T16:39:00.000-08:00

Solar air heater systems use the solar radiations to heat a particular room using solar panels. There are many ways of using solar air heating, and we can even build one at home using help from online sources. It is a type of solar thermal system, where air is heated in a collector by the sun's radiation and either transferred directly to the interior space or to a storage medium such as a rock bin.

Solar panels are used to operate such systems. The solar panels heat the air which is then conveyed into a room. The basic component of this system includes solar collector panels, a duct system and diffusers. The heated air can operate with or without a fan. Without the fan the air is distributed by the action of a natural ventilation system.

In agriculture, the food produced sometimes needs to be kept in warm places especially during the monsoons. The solar air heater works here. It can raise the temperature of the room so that it is appropriately heated. In this way the products can stay safe and will not get spoiled because of the humidity.

The solar air heater works in much the same way as a solar water heater works. The heater is place outside the room in the open so that it can catch the sunlight. It is generally made up of solar panels but people use a variety of things. Some use aluminum drink cans and paint them black. Then they are arranged on a board and fit to a frame. The panels or the cans should have holes in them connecting each other so that the air travels through them. Hence the cold air from the room moves through the cans and the warm air enters into the room causing raise in temperature. In this way a solar air heater is a very economical way to heat a room. Rather than using expensive heating devices that require a lot of electricity it is definitely a cost-effective solution.

Sanyo Delays Increase in Solar Cell Production

2009-11-17T16:38:00.000-08:00

Sanyo Electric has delayed a planned increase in production of solar cells, citing poor market conditions.

In February this year Sanyo began construction of a third factory at its site in Nishikiminami in western Japan, with plans to begin solar cell production around now. The factory has been completed but the start of high-volume production has been pushed back to December next year.

When it begins production the factory will have an annual production capacity of 135 megawatts, which is in line with Sanyo's original plans. That will take total production at the plant, which includes two other factories, to 345 megawatts.

Sanyo is also planning to increase production at its other Japanese solar cell plant in Shimane, also in western Japan, from 130 megawatts to 220 megawatts around April 2010.

The revised plans will mean that Sanyo will end its current financial year in March 2010 with total production unchanged on that of the previous year at 340 megawatts. In the coming financial year, from April 2010, it will first raise production in Shimane and then in the second half of the financial year start up the new factory in Nishikiminami.

If all goes according to the revised schedule Sanyo will finish its next fiscal year with solar cell production of 565 megawatts.

Sanyo is in the process of being acquired by Panasonic in a deal that is expected to close before the end of the current financial year.

ENERGY-DENMARK: Samso Island, Beyond Fantasy

2009-11-17T16:37:00.002-08:00

On the Danish island of Samsø, a model of energy self-sufficiency, even cow’s milk helps reduce emissions of climate changing gases.

Samsø has an area of 114 square kilometres with just over 4,000 people, located in the Bay of Kattegat, in the North Sea, some 120 km west of Copenhagen.

ts reputation as a model of sustainability is due to the fact that it uses wind turbines and solar panels to generate all of the electricity consumed by local residents.

Since 1997, when Samsø won a national competition to become a prototype community in the use of renewable energy sources, the Samsingers, as locals are known, revolutionised all aspects of their daily lives in order to contribute to greater efficiency.
The effort has such a broad scope that even milk production is part of the energy system.

At the time of milking, cow’s milk has a temperature of about 38 degrees Celsius and has to be cooled immediately to three degrees. Some dairy farmers in Samsø connected a heat transfer mechanism to the collection tank to prevent the warmth from the milk from dissipating into the air, and harnessing it instead to help heat their homes.

So far, despite their inventiveness, the farmers have not resolved the problem of methane and other greenhouse gases generated by the bovine digestive system. But they are studying the system used on a model farm on the Jutland Peninsula, which recycles gases and waste from raising pigs and uses them as energy sources and fertiliser to grow tomatoes.

Although the transfer of heat from the milk to household heating is just a small component in the Samsø community’s energy system, it illustrates how hard the Samsingers are willing to work towards living in harmony with nature.

The centrepiece of the system are 11 wind turbines, which generate an average of 28,000 megawatts annually. That’s enough to meet the community’s electricity demands, supply the island’s entire public transportation system, and have a surplus of 10 percent to sell to other regions of Denmark.

The income from those sales is reinvested in the local renewable energy system.

It’s not that the Samsingers have given up their cars and other usual modes of transport. For example, the three ferries that connect the island with the mainland consume 9,000 litres of petroleum per day. Even so, Samsø sells more clean energy to the continent than it purchases in fossil fuels.

The community is interested in experimenting with electric cars. ”The distances here are very short, less than 50 kilometres,” said Søren Hermansen, director of the island’s Energy Academy and a pioneer in the local environmental revolution.

”If the battery of an electric car can store up energy for, say, 120 kilometres, then that would mean we wouldn’t have to sell our clean energy and we would use it here,” Hermansen told Tierramérica.

Farmers have adapted their tractors and other vehicles to consume ethanol or other fuels distilled from locally grown plants, like canola.

Samsø also has four generators that run on the combustion of hay, which is abundant on the island. The generators are especially efficient because they produce both heat and electricity. Many homes have installed solar panels, geothermal heating, and solar boilers.

Solar Energy Initiatives secures land to build a 100 MW solar park in California

2009-11-17T16:37:00.001-08:00

Solar Energy Initiatives-owned Solar Park initiatives announced that as a part of their campaign "RENEW THE NATION," it has signed a contract to secure land for designing, constructing and operating a solar park in California. This is all part of the initiative to make solar thermal and photovoltaic (PV) technologies more available. The financial aspect of the park and engineering, permitting construction, operations and maintenance will be the responsibility of Solar Park Initiatives. The solar panels and balance of system for the project will be obtained by Solar Energy Initiatives.

Zoning, permitting, EPA approvals and other such preliminary activities are soon to begin, with estimates point to the end of 2010. The 100 MW project is to be constructed over a span of three years, with the contract covering 25 years with an option for renewal.

Solar Energy Initiatives' CEO, David Fann, stated, "This endeavor represents strong validation that Solar Energy Initiatives and Solar Park Initiatives’ synergistic relationship is extremely capable of securing large scale contracts and expanding market presence. We believe that as Solar Energy Initiatives and Solar Park Initiatives continue to grow as market leaders and establish credibility with municipalities and landowners that both companies will secure additional contracts, increase our earnings and achieve our primary goal of improved shareholder value. Combined with our previously announced solar park in Western Texas we now have a combined 400 megawatts worth of projects that will begin in the next eighteen months."

Optical Photovoltaic Cell Testing System from CRAIC Technologies

2009-11-10T23:31:00.000-08:00

CRAIC Technologies, the leading manufacturer of UV-visible-NIR microscopes and microspectrometers, is pleased to announce the QDI 2010 PV™ microspectrophotometer. The QDI 2010 PV™ instrument is designed to measure the transmission and reflectance of photovoltaic cells whether they be the traditional crystalline silicon, one of the thin film variety or such components as super- and substrates. Even protective glass and concentrator modules can be analyzed.

The QDI 2010 PV™ also enables the user to determine thin film thickness of microscopic sampling areas on both transparent and opaque substrates. This powerful tool also has a host of other functions. It can be combined with CRAIC Technologies proprietary contamination imaging capabilities to locate and identify process contaminants. As such, the QDI 2010 PV™ represents a major step forward in metrology instrumentation available to the photovoltaic industry.

"Many of our customers want to test the quality of photovoltaic devices for rapid quality control of their products. The QDI 2010 PV™ microspectrophotometer was built in response to customer requests for a powerful, flexible metrology tool that can test a number of different aspects of many different photovoltaic devices" says Dr. Paul Martin, President.

The complete QDI 2010 PV™ solution combines advanced microspectroscopy with sophisticated software to enable the user to measure transmissivity, reflectivity, and luminescence. It will also be able to determine the thin film thickness by either transmission or reflectance of many types of materials and substrates. It can also be used to measure the transmissivity and reflectivity from many of the components used to manufacture PV cells such as concentrators. Due to the flexibility of the CRAIC Technologies design, sampling areas can range from over 100 microns across to less than a micron. Designed for the production environment, it incorporates a number of easily modified metrology recipes, the ability to measure new films and materials as well as sophisticated tools for analyzing data. Other features such as contamination analysis are easily added to this instrument.

Solar air heater

2009-11-10T23:30:00.000-08:00

Just as is the case in solar water heating systems, solar air heater systems can be passive, active, or a combination of these two methods. The simpler the system, the easier and cheaper the system will be. However, in colder temperatures or when retrofitting a building, you may be forced into using more active systems. Passive systems either directly absorb the sun’s heat, or uses materials that store the heat then release it into the home. Active system use collectors, then circulators to get the heat throughout the desired space. Your geographical location, budget and uses of your heater will influence what kind of system you will purchase.

Solar power has grown in popularity as energy process continues to rise and the Earth’s natural resources continue to dwindle. In addition to purchasing the solar heating systems mentioned above, purchasing solar panels and hooking them either into an on- or off-grid electrical system with your utility provider is another options.

Money saved in the long run over these devices can be a huge draw to purchasing these devices; so don’t be dissuaded about the upfront price. Once the initial purchase is made, little maintenance is required, and the savings you will experience will pay off the device in the long run and could even make you money. In addition, there are many local, regional and government incentives out there that reward people who use solar power technologies.

Happy solar-cell scientists

2009-11-10T23:29:00.000-08:00

A series of joint sub-projects and work-packages has enabled the scientists to develop a new, less expensive grade of raw material for solar cells. And the best news is that the new modules are just as efficient as current solar cells.

The EU’s three-year FoXy programme has come to an end. The research group is very satisfied, and the EU Commission is handing out praise.

SINTEF has coordinated this major programme that rejoices in the long name: “Development of solar-grade silicon feedstock for crystalline wafers and cells by purification and crystallisation”, which has been simplified to “FoXy”. Together with ten other participants from various European nations, the scientists have been developing a “good enough” grade of silicon for solar cell production.

And there has been no lack of results: a series of joint sub-projects and work-packages has enabled the scientists to develop a new, less expensive grade of raw material for solar cells. And the best news is that the new modules are just as efficient as current solar cells.

Less pollution

“We are very proud of what we have done,” says Marisa Di Sabatino of SINTEF Materials and Chemistry. “Many people before us have been working on solar energy, but our results are actually quite important.”

The ambition of the programme has always been to develop a new material that would make future solar cells both at least as efficient as those of today and cheaper than them.
“We started out from metallic silicon that contains around 1% impurities – which is not good enough for use in solar cells. We attempted both to reduce the impurities in the metallic silicon and to cut down the amount of impurities that are already in the raw material by means of heat treatment, for example,” explains Di Sabatino.

Direct route

The research group managed to shorten the long production process currently employed by most solar cell manufacturers by adopting a simpler, more direct route. They managed this by using a special smelter and a kiln that removes trace of carbon.

The scientists used pure carbon that contaminates the silicon far less than coke or coal, as well as ultrapure quartz from the Norwegian County of Nordland.

This process is much less costly and energy-intensive than the conventional chemical process.
“With today’s solar cells, the energy used to produce them is paid off in the course of two years:. With the new materials, the payback time could be as little as six months,” says Di Sabatino.
Understanding the relationships

Impurities in silicon cause problems. For example, silicon recycled from industry contains boron and/or phosphorus that can alter the electrical characteristics of the material. Other contaminants can, for example, lead to the formation of poor-quality particles that in turn mean less efficient solar panels installed on our roofs.

However, the project group concluded that even if contaminants are present, we can still produce good-quality material with the aid of special procedures that reduce or eliminate them. It is just a matter of understanding how things fit together, so that things can be done in a better way; and the results of FoXy have helped the researchers towards a better understanding of what takes place in the process.

For example, the FoXy scientists have patented a new, more stable, passivation process – a high-temperature treatment process that protects the surface of the solar cells, making them more efficient and resistant to temperature changes.

Solar Energy comes to Crete

2009-11-10T23:28:00.000-08:00

Solar energy in Crete still remains unused, excluding the numerous solar boiler on the tops of the houses. This fact is about to change soon though, with the creation of the largest thermosolar plant in Europe, at the southeastern corner of Crete, at the Municipality of Lefki.

Municipality of Lefki is one of the smallest municipalities in Crete, with limited income, as the tourism is low and the landscape doesn’t allow much of agricultural exploitation. It is located at the most remote area of the southeastern Crete, south of Zakros, and east from Makry Gialos. The municipality consists of areas such as Xerokambos, Ziros, Goudouras and other small villages.

This remote area in Crete was chosen for the largest investment on solar energy so far, with the creation of a thermosolar plant that will be established in Agia Triada, covering a total area of 100 hectares, generating energy of 20MW.

The international company NUR-MOH won the contest held by the Municipality of Lefki. The company will provide the Cretan network with the produced electricity and will be paying 796,000 Euros on an annual basis to the Municipality.

Except for the rent, the Municipality will be receiving the 3% of the gross income, as the law suggests. A great number of new working positions will be open, while several landscape projects are to be launched. The thermosolar plant will also operate as a park open to the public. The Mayor of Lefki suggests that this is an investment of significant importance for the Municipality that will boost the development and utilization of natural resources. It is an investment that will enhance and make the area known, encouraging the use of eco-friendly technological solutions.

According to the signed agreement, the contractor will build and administrate the thermosolar station that will provide the area with at least 20 to 25MW. The plant will be able to concentrate the solar energy with the help of mirrors, will heat the water and will produce steam that will set in an electric generator/ tourbine in motion. The electricity will be sent to the existing network of DEI (public power corporation of Greece), who will be buying the generated energy.

Solar power execs bullish on 2010 despite earnings

2009-11-10T23:27:00.000-08:00

Executives from solar power companies see clearer skies in 2010 for the beleaguered industry, even as quarterly reports from heavyweights like First Solar and SunPower have disappointed investors and dragged down shares.

The industry has struggled to emerge this year from tight credit markets, a global glut of panels, and falling prices.

"I think we're already in the middle of a turnaround. We've kind of gone through the low point of the recent past," said Steven Chan, Suntech Power Holdings' chief strategy officer, in an interview with Reuters.

Executives from Sharp, BP's solar unit, and other solar power players shared similar optimism about the sector's outlook in 2010 at the Solar Power International conference being held here this week.

The industry, which grew at a clip of more than 40 percent for several years, has suffered in the recession, but solar companies kept a bullish attitude on growth next year.

Executives cited various forces that could drive growth in 2010, including U.S. stimulus funds for green projects, extended tax incentives and new financing.

"I call it a warming up," said Ron Kenedi, vice president of Sharp Solar Energy Solutions Group, in an interview at the conference.

Kenedi said work on government projects has been a "bright spot," while BP Solar Chief Executive Reyad Fezzani said new subsidies in markets like India will spur industry growth and that Italy has built up a lot of momentum.

Fezzani predicted the sector could grow globally 50 percent next year and warned that pent-up demand could even spark fresh supply issues.

"It may be that the supply chain may get tight again...Quite frankly the way this market can shift from long to short and back remains the biggest challenge," Fezzani said during a panel discussion at the conference.

He cited reports that companies that make inverters are running short on inventory, and Suntech's Chan said his company was juggling how to allocate panels among its customers amid good signs for sales for the first quarter of 2010.

Inverters convert the direct current produced by solar cells into alternating current compatible with the U.S. electrical grid.

While panel prices have tumbled about 50 percent over the last year, companies said that the decline is slowing or has even stalled.

Chan said panel prices have been stable in the fourth quarter and they will decline about 8 percent to 10 percent in 2010.

Small, Low Speed Wind Turbine

2009-07-08T11:12:00.000-07:00

Most of us want to reduce our carbon footprints but currently most of the alternative energy products are simply unavailable for urban population that lives in metros. But gradually the scenario of alternative energy is changing and manufacturers have started thinking from common person’s point of view.

Recently EarthTronics, which is based in Muskegon, Michigan, has developed a wind turbine that can be used by individual homes. EarthTronics also claims that it can operate at speeds as low as 2 miles an hour. Consequently, homeowners this fall will be able to buy a wind turbine at hardware stores that tackles the small wind industry’s bete noire: slow wind. This turbine is named as Honeywell Wind Turbine and it will be distributed through Ace Hardware stores in the U.S. It will be sold for $4,500. WindTronics developed the turbine and licensed the technology to buildings systems giant Honeywell.

Energy and exergy analysis of a solar air heater

2009-06-18T21:16:00.000-07:00

Solar air heaters are simple device to heat air by utilizing solar energy and employed in many applications requiring low to moderate temperature below 60ºC, such as crop drying and space heating. In a solar air heater, the fins or obstacles located in flow area increases the heat transfer coefficient and output temperature of air. Accordingly, collector efficiency increases too.

This paper presents an experimental energy and exergy analysis for a new flat plate solar air heater (SAH) with several obstacles (Type I, Type II and Type III) and without obstacles (Type VI). The measured parameters were the inlet and outlet temperatures, the absorbing plate temperatures, the ambient temperature, and the solar radiation. Further, the measurements were performed at different values of mass flow rate of air (0.0074, 0.0052, 0.0016 kg/s). Solar air heater having free (Tip IV) and fixed obstacles (Tip I, Tip II, Tip III) is compared to flat-plate solar air heater as well as each other in terms of energy and exergy efficiencies and dimensionless exergy loss ratio.

After the analysis of the results, the optimal values of efficiencies (energy and exergy) is Type II of absorbing plate in flow channel duct for all operating conditions and solar air heater (SAH) supplied with obstacles appears significantly better than that without obstacles (Type IV). The results show that the largest irreversibility is occurring at the flat plate (without obstacles, Type IV) collector in which collector efficiency is smallest. At the end of this study, the energy and exergy relations are delivered for different SAH

Renewable Energies in the USA: US: 100 New Nuclear Power Plants by 2030

2009-06-16T11:09:00.000-07:00

While solar, wind, and biofuels have been garnering the lion's share of public and political attention in plans to remake the nation's energy portfolio, some nuclear energy advocates, including Senator Lamar Alexander, want more emphasis put on nuclear energy. In a speech last week at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Senator Alexander called for the nation to open 100 new nuclear power plants by 2030. Do yourself a favor by visiting NPR.org and downloading the first hour of the last Science Friday. I just listened to it after jogging (great weather by the way). A really intelligent discussion of the future of nuclear energy in the US ranged from the waste storage issue to microreactor technology to financing.

Even the geekiest of Green Nerds (I was called a to-be-newborn-solar panel the other day by a colleague) probably needs some time away from green tech talk a few minutes a day, especially with all the slop that is bombarding us these days at checkout counters, in brand campaigns and on the news. So, I know the last thing you want to do is head out for that morning run, pop in the ear buds and have a clean tech podcast as your accompaniment (although it is fun, and seriously, when else would you do it between projects and newsletters and phone calls and emails and ...); but, the conversation here - which included an MIT Prof and former DOE Under Secretary (Moniz), a NRDC egghead (Cochran) and a scientist - is worth your time.

There is some interesting pro-reports out there, like this one:

An interdisciplinary MIT faculty group decided to study the future of nuclear power because of a belief that this technology is an important option for the United States and the world to meet future energy needs without emitting carbon dioxide and other atmospheric pollutants. Other options include increased efficiency, renewables, and carbon sequestration, and all may be needed for a successful greenhouse gas management strategy.

The study examines a growth scenario where the present deployment of 360 GWe of nuclear capacity worldwide is expanded to 1000 GWe in mid-century, keeping nuclear's share of the electricity market about constant. Deployment in the U.S. would expand from about 100 GWe today to 300 GWe in mid-century. This scenario is not a prediction, but rather a study case in which nuclear power would make a significant contribution to reducing CO2 emissions.

The study offers a number of recommendations for making the nuclear energy option viable, including:

* Placing increased emphasis on the once-through fuel cycle as best meeting the criteria of low costs and proliferation resistance;
* Offering a limited production tax-credit to 'first movers' - private sector investors who successfully build new nuclear plants. This tax credit is extendable to other carbon-free electricity technologies and is not paid unless the plant operates;
* Having government more fully develop the capabilities to analyze life-cycle health and safety impacts of fuel cycle facilities;
* Advancing a U.S. Department of Energy balanced long-term waste management R&D program.
* Urging DOE to establish a Nuclear System Modeling project that would collect the engineering data and perform the analysis necessary to evaluate alternative reactor concepts and fuel cycles using the criteria of cost, safety, waste, and proliferation resistance. Expensive development projects should be delayed pending the outcome of this multi-year effort.
* Giving countries that forego proliferation- risky enrichment and reprocessing activities a preferred position to receive nuclear fuel and waste management services from nations that operate the entire fuel cycle.

The authors of the study emphasized that nuclear power is not the only non-carbon option and stated that they believe it should be pursued as a long term option along with other options such as the use of renewable energy sources, increased efficiency, and carbon sequestration.

The Benefits Of Using Solar Water Fountains

2009-06-12T11:52:00.000-07:00

Do you love water fountains? Get solar water fountains for your garden’s d?cor. You will be mesmerized by the grand elegance of solar fountains. Solar power is the source of energy of these fountains. Previously, solar energy was very expensive. Solar power was earlier only used by big industries or by those who had top-notch devices. Now, the solar panels are not so expensive and these panels are even used for running solar powered water fountains very effectively.Following are some of the major utilities of using solar water fountains.

Eco-friendliness of Solar Fountains

Luxury items generally means consumption of more power. Running high-end water fountains mean using constant power supply.Constant power supply increases demand of substances like coal, which has serious impacts on environment. Thus, polluting power toll is rising constantly and we need to do something to save power.

Contribute towards environment by saving power. Use solar water fountains that run on solar energy and get equal benefits. Small steps make a big difference. With the elegance of solar fountains you are saving several watts of power.

Power consumption

Power consumption is heavy during the spring and summer periods. Usage of electrical devices shoot up during these period. This results in serious impact on power supply and several areas even experience power cuts. We must also take initiative to save power and make a small but effective difference.

Such effective small step would be installing a solar water fountain. These solar fountains are equally beautiful and elegant like the other fountains but the main advantage is these fountains save power.

Useful Fountains

Maintenance and usage of these solar fountains are so simple. No extra weather proof cord is required neither there is any need for creating any link with any power point. Changing position of solar water fountain is comparatively much easier than the other variety of fountains. What you need to do is just drain the solar fountain and move the cords and solar panel in the right manner. You can enjoy the elegance of solar fountains by placing it anywhere where it can get sunlight. The size of these fountains is so portable that it can be moved easily according to the requirements.

Cost-Effectiveness Of These Fountains

Enjoy the elegance of solar fountains also because they are cost-effective. You can find many varieties of these fountains and the price factor is also varied. These fountains require solar panels which are not expensive at all.

Solar Fountains Are Not Rigid

Solar fountains are not necessarily need to be used for gardening. Though the solar water fountains are mainly outdoor fountains but there are indoor varieties also. Indoor solar fountains can wonderfully grace up your interiors but you must ensure that the area gets sufficient sunlight. Not just summers, when the fountains can easily generate charge. Solar water fountains are also effective during the winters. Thus, these solar fountains are very flexible and its elegance can be enjoyed even after summers.

How To Build a Solar Hot Water Heater To Save Over 30% of Electrical Bills

2009-06-09T15:05:00.000-07:00

When you learn how to build a solar hot water heater, you are looking forward to saving over 30% of your electricity bills in your home.

The installation of a solar hot water heater not only saves energy or power bills, but also controls global warming. Homeowners may install solar heaters at their home. It has become a tough time for all these house owners who have been worried on the alarming rise of energy rates and the enormous demand for energy which the power companies are facing difficulty in meeting the expectations. Let us look into solutions that will save the planet, save our money and save our energy.

A different approach needs to be adapted for solving this problem. Looking at such situation lot of energy saving guides flooded the market with numerous ideas on how to save energy or build an energy generator at home. Solar hot water heaters simply absorb the energy from the sunlight that is free to use. This energy is converted to electrical energy that is used for the heating purposes. In earlier days the same concept of heating water was used but with a different approach. The water was getting the heat from the warmth of the sun.

Today with latest technologies and advanced inventions, there several economical way to generate the power to heat the solar hot water heaters installed at your home. The parts for the making of the heater can be easily found online and all the materials cost less than $100. It is considered a one time investment that will provide you a lifetime’s saving. The energy from the solar hot water heater is non pollutant as no gases are evolved. This makes it a system that goes green and controls the global warming.

Helix Wind Turbine for street lamp

2009-06-01T16:41:00.000-07:00

Helix Wind Turbine for street lamp. Spire wind turbine for street lamp use or for boat use.

Solutions to Global Warming

2009-05-29T16:02:00.000-07:00

That’s the conclusion shown by data recently added to the Chicago-based Center for Neighborhood Technology’s Housing and Transportation Affordability Index. CNT took a look at 55 metropolitan areas around the United States, and found that, in terms of transportation choices, urban living definitely belongs on the list of solutions to stop global warming: “When measured on a per household basis, it found that the transportation-related emissions of people living in cities and compact neighborhoods can be nearly 70% less than those living in suburbs.”

What does this mean for you?

* If you’re concerned about your carbon footprint, urban centers provide more transportation options because of their location efficiency: walking, biking, and public transportation are all viable. Take a look at your own metropolitan area to see the difference.
* If you’re just concerned about saving gas, urban centers are also a better deal. CNT’s Gas Cost Impacts show lower gas spending the closer you get to downtown.

A Solution that Can Save You $5,000/year

The savings, both in terms of carbon emissions and money, can be significant: CNT President Scott Bernstein notes that you can save up to $5000/year.

The study only addresses transportation costs; if you’re thinking about a move to the city, but are also concerned about the environmental impacts, emissions from buildings should also play into your calculations.

Solar Cells Are Competitive

2009-05-29T15:58:00.000-07:00

Solar electricity has a future: It is renewable and available in unlimited quantities, and it does not produce any gases detrimental to the climate. Its only drawback right now is the price: the electric power currently being produced by solar cells in northern Europe must be subsidized if it is to compete against the household electricity generated by traditional power plants.

At "Laser 2009" in Munich, June 15 to 18, Fraunhofer researchers will be demonstrating how laser technology can contribute to optimizing the manufacturing costs and efficiency of solar cells.

Cell phones, computers, MP3 players, kitchen stoves, and irons all have one thing in common: They need electricity. And in the future, more and more cars will also be fuelled by electric power. If the latest forecast from the World Energy Council WEC can be believed, global electricity requirements will double in the next 40 years. At the same time, prices for the dwindling resources of petroleum and natural gas are climbing.

“Rising energy prices are making alternative energy sources increasingly cost-effective. Sometime in the coming years, renewable energy sources, such as solar energy, will be competitive, even without subsidization,” explains Dr. Arnold Gillner, head of the microtechnology department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology in Aachen, Germany. “Experts predict that grid parity will be achieved in a few years. This means that the costs and opportunities in the grid will be equal for solar electricity and conventionally generated household electricity.” Together with his team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen, this researcher is developing technologies now that will allow faster, better, and cheaper production of solar cells in the future. “Lasers work quickly, precisely, and without contact. In other words, they are an ideal tool for manufacturing fragile solar cells. In fact, lasers are already being used in production today, but there is still considerable room for process optimization.” In addition to gradually improving the manufacturing technology, the physicists and engineers in Aachen are working with solar cell developers - for example, at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg - on new engineering and design alternatives.

New production technologies allow new design alternatives

At “Laser 2009” in Munich, the researchers will be demonstrating how lasers can drill holes into silicon cells at breathtaking speed: The ILT laser system drills more than 3,000 holes within one second. Because it is not possible to move the laser source at this speed, the experts have developed optimized manufacturing systems which guide and focuses the light beam at the required points. “We are currently experimenting with various laser sources and optical systems,” Gillner explains. “Our goal is to increase the performance to 10,000 holes a second. This is the speed that must be reached in order to drill 10,000 to 20,000 holes into a wafer within the cycle time of the production machines.”

The tiny holes in the wafer - their diameter is only 50 micrometers – open up undreamt-of possibilities for the solar cell developers. “Previously, the electrical contacts were arranged on the top of the cells. The holes make it possible to move the contacts to the back, with the advantage that the electrodes, which currently act as a dark grid to absorb light, disappear. And so the energy yield increases. The goal is a degree of efficiency of 20 percent% in industrially-produced emitter wrap-through (EWT) cells, with a yield of one-third more than classic silicon cells,” Gillner explains. The design principle itself remains unchanged: In the semi-conductor layer, light particles, or photons, produce negative electrons and positive holes, each of which then wanders to the oppositely poled electrodes. The contacts for anodes and cathodes in the EWT cells are all on the back, there is no shading caused by the electrodes, and the degree of efficiency increases. With this technique, it may one day be possible to use unpurified “dirty” silicon to manufacture solar cells that have poorer electrical properties, but that are cheaper.

How to Save Money on Air Conditioning Bills

2009-05-29T15:55:00.000-07:00

It costs you more money and uses more energy to heat and cool your home than any other system in your home. Typically, 44% to 50% of your utility bills pays for heating and cooling your home.

Regardless of the type of home comfort systems you have in your house, you can save money and increase comfort by properly maintaining and upgrading your equipment.

Keep in mind that an energy efficient air conditioner alone will not have as great an impact on your energy bills as using an approach that involves the entire house. If you combine proper equipment maintenance and upgrades with appropriate insulation, weatherisation and thermostat settings, you can reduce your energy bills by up to 50%.

General Cooling Tips:

* Use house fans. House fans help cool your home by circulating cool air throughout the house. They are most effective when the outside air temperature is cooler than the inside and when operated at night. An attic fan can blow away hot air that accumulates in the attic. This can go a long way to help the efficiency of your air conditioning system.
* Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible. By maintaining a minimum difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures, you’ll lower your overall cooling bill.
* Don't reduce your thermostat setting to a colder temperature than normal when you turn on your air conditioner. This will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling and unnecessary expense.
* Set the fan speed on high, except in humid weather. When it's humid, set the fan speed on low.
* Consider ceiling fans to help spread the cooled air more effectively through your home without greatly increasing your power use.
* Keep lamps and TV sets away from your air conditioning thermostat.
* Shade air-conditioning units by planting trees or shrubs, but make sure you do not block the airflow. A unit operating in the shade uses up to 10% less electricity than one operating in the sun.
* Close shades or curtains on east, south, and west-facing windows during the hours when the sun’s intensity is at its peak. Open curtains and windows during early morning and overnight hours when the air outside the home is cooler.
* Turn off the air conditioner if the house (or air-conditioned rooms) will be unoccupied for an extended period. Use a programmable thermostat to turn Air off and on automatically when you know the house will be unoccupied.

Here are a few more steps you can take to substantially improve your home’s energy efficiency.

Take a Holistic Approach to Total Home Energy Conservation
To achieve the maximum in total home comfort and energy savings, we recommend that you step back and look at the big picture of energy consumption in your villa. The fact is, your total home comfort and efficiency is the product of many systems: heating, cooling, lighting & electrical, plumbing and possibly others working together. It is the interplay between these systems, combined with the size, age, physical features and location of your home, and even your lifestyle, that combine to produce the total energy efficiency of your home. Changing or upgrading one system, without considering the other factors will usually result in some improvement, but may not deliver the maximum possible benefit.

If you’re building a new villa, or considering a major remodel or system upgrade, consider an Integrated Systems approach. It may cost a little more now, but will undoubtedly save you a bundle over time. Skilled engineers and technicians will look at the big picture when designing a solution for your home.

Keep your water-heater tank in tiptop shape

2009-03-30T09:02:00.000-07:00

Whether you have a standard gas or electric water heater or a newer, tankless water heater, regular maintenance will help keep it running strong and efficiently. Here are some tips to help keep it in peak condition.

The minerals in your water supply will cause most of your problems. For tank-type water heaters, you will need to drain the tank periodically to remove the mineral deposits, which separate from the water and remain inside the tank. This is easy to do by just hooking up a hose to the front of the tank and letting some water and minerals drain out into your house drain or outside. You don't have to cut off the gas, electricity or water to do this. It's a good idea to place a hose end cap on the water tank faucet when you remove the hose and turn it off. This will prevent drips.

If you have a tankless water heater, you can turn off the water supply to it and remove and clean the inlet filter on the tank. Scale and mineral deposits can build up here as well and restrict water flow.

You should check both types of heaters once a month for leaks so you won't have any surprises. There are some easy-to-install alarms that will sound if water hits them. These can be placed next to your water heater to alert you to leaks.

Your tank-type water heater might benefit from an insulating blanket. They are made for different sizes and configurations, both for gas and electric, and are wrapped around the unit to keep the water inside hot longer. Make sure you don't cover up the vent, T & P valve or controls.

Another item that can be added to a tank-type water heater is a timer. This enables you to have it cut off when you are not using it, like when you are at work all day, and have it cut back on during times when you will need it to heat up.

These are just a few simple things you can do to keep your water ready when you need it. If you aren't a do-it-yourselfer, find a good plumber who can do these things for you on a regular basis. You'll save money, and your water heater will last a lot longer.

Get a handle on things: Hauling around a stepladder is pretty easy to do, since most are made of lightweight material and not wood anymore. But they still can open up while you are carrying them, and it can be tough to know just where to grab one. We suggest installing a handle on the side. Locate the center of gravity and install a simple screen-door handle right on the side of the ladder. You can run a bungee around the ladder and hook both ends on the handle to hold it together. Then you can carry the ladder with just one hand on the handle if it's light enough. You even can use the handle to hold a tool or something that will hang on it once you are set up to work on the ladder. A simple handle? We think not!

Turn to hose for help: Planning a landscape can take a lot of time, and even more money. But if you are just trying to get a nice layout for your shrub beds, do it with a garden hose. The hose is flexible, and you can lay it out on the ground where you want the edging to be. You can adjust it as much as you want until you get it just right. Use spray paint to mark the exact line on the ground, and then start the fun process of digging!

Super hints

• Use your leaf blower to dry your pool deck, wooden deck, front walk, car, patio furniture and lots of other things. This tool has the power to get the job done quickly and easily.

• Always remember to cover up drains when working in an area where you might drop a tool or piece of hardware. It can be hard to replace something that goes down a drain while you are working, not to mention what it could do to the drain!

Q. I need to glue several tiles back onto the side of my pool. What kind of glue should I use?

A. With the water below the tiles, make sure the old adhesive is off the side of the pool and the back of the tiles. Then use a good-quality tile adhesive that is waterproof. Make sure you give it plenty of time to set up, and then grout to match your existing grout. Your pool-supply dealer might be the best source for adhesive and grout.

Q. I have noticed that we are getting a moisture buildup in our attic during the summertime. Is there a good way to keep this down to a minimum to avoid mold and mildew?

A. You could take a look at your attic ventilation. You might need more. Soffit vents are great for letting fresh air in, and gable vents, roof vents or ridge vents will move the air out. Powered vents will help even more. Make sure you have no water leaks, such as can happen with air conditioners if they are located in the attic. Also make sure household vents and dryers are not vented into the attic.

Q. I am getting a buildup of ice around my freezer door. What can I do?

A. This usually means you have a leak around the gasket of the door. To see if you have a leak, turn on a flashlight, set it inside the freezer and close the door. Turn off the kitchen lights and look for light around the door edges. To correct the problem, start by cleaning both the gasket and the door surfaces. Then rub a little petroleum jelly around the gasket for the best seal. Then you can test it again. If the cleaning didn't correct the problem, you should replace the gasket.

Reader tips

• I had to glue a couple of large sheets of wood together. I found that a great way to spread the glue was with a paint roller. I used a short-nap roller, and the glue went on quickly and evenly. I was able to get good adhesion, and the project came out great. I highly recommend the roller idea, especially when you are trying to get glue down quickly.

• I found a great way to get the glue that I was using into the joint of the chair. It was really hard to figure out how to get the thick glue into such a tiny crack, but this really worked. I just put a straw into the glue bottle and then placed my finger over the top of the straw to hold the glue in until I was over the hair joint. Then I placed the straw into the small gap and blew the glue, with my mouth, into the joint. The clamping was the easy part. Apparently I did get enough glue inside, because the joint seems secure now.

• When we bought office furniture for our home office, we found some good used equipment. One item we bought was a rolling file cabinet. I took the cabinet off the rolling frame, though, because having it move around turned out not to be such a good idea. I turned the rolling frame into a pretty good shop dolly by just cutting a piece of plywood to fit the frame. The wheels and frame are really strong, since they were meant to support a metal file cabinet full of papers, and it comes in handy for moving furniture and other items in my shop and around the house.

• I always make sure to clean the rims of my paint cans before I seal them back up. If you leave paint around the rim, it makes it really hard to open the can up the next time you use it. Also, I put a thin layer of petroleum jelly along the rim before closing it back up. This gives you the best seal on the can, and also makes removing the lid easier.

• The damage from our leaking water heater in our lake house was not horrible but did require some new flooring in the hallway and one bedroom. The house is in a remote area, so having people come out to measure, do estimates and install the flooring was practically impossible. I took detailed digital photos with my camera and gave those, along with the measurements, to the salesman and was able to get his pricing without having to get him to come out and do it in person. Thank goodness for my digital camera. He was able to get the right stuff there with the installers and get it in all at once.

Shoptalk

• Fireflies or lightning bugs bring back a lot of pleasant childhood memories, and Firefly Magic Firefly Lights are a really neat addition to your landscape. The tiny lights flicker and fade randomly, just like the real thing, but they are powered by the sun. Solar energy is stored during the day on AA batteries, and your yard comes alive at night. Visit www.fireflymagic.com to see them in action and to learn more about the products and where you can purchase them. If you need more, information, you can call the company at (877) 834-7335.

• Instead of throwing away old cooking oil, you can use it in the shop for things like blade lubrication on rakes, shovels and hoes. It also can be great for removing rust when used with some steel wool.

• Black and Decker came out with a really innovative new wrench that adjusts automatically. You no longer have to turn a dial or even hold it in place while you use the wrench. You simply push a button, which you can do with the same hand that is holding the wrench, and it automatically cinches up to the bolt or nut and stays put. The hardened steel is super strong and tough, and the smaller-size wrench is easy to get into tight areas. The AutoWrench is available at home centers and hardware stores.

Solar water heaters on aluminum roofing underway

2009-03-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

A new device that will enable homeowners to save some energy through the use of aluminum for their roofing is soon to be introduced in the country.

Total Aluminum Systems Limited, which disclosed this, said the device, solar water heaters, would be installed in roofing projects.

It added that the heaters would be offered free to all its old and new customers.

This, the company said, was part of its diversification programme being embarked upon in collaboration with North-South Aluminum Products Limited.

The new products are expected to be in the building materials market next month, it said in a statement obtained on Friday.

It stressed that the innovation was part of the company’s programme to adapt to changes in the economy due to the global economic crisis, which would allow homeowners make tremendous savings on energy.

It explained that the solar water heaters came with all ranges of the roofing sheets, including the popular step tile.

The products, which have flexible designs were said to be available in a wide range of colours.

The solar water heater is mounted on the roof and blends into the roof design.

The firm described the solar collectors as very thin, which could be flush mounted on a roof.

“From a distance, they look somewhat like a skylight and provide 70 per cent of hot water needs of households.”

The product, already in use in countries such as Germany, Malaysia, India, China and Turkey, has reportedly cut down energy use at homes and offices.

“We expect Nigerian households to adopt the products as part of their cost cutting measures to counter the global meltdown, “ the firm said.

The Managing Director of the company, Chief Frank Owelle, said that the product would be inaugurated simultaneously in its manufacturing plants and depots in Lagos, Aba, Port Harcourt, Umuahia, Owerri, Onitsha and Abuja.

He deplored the incursion of sub standard roofing products into the market, and advised prospective homeowners to patronise only well established aluminum roofing sheet manufacturers.

He also challenged the Standard Organisation of Nigeria to monitor the market to flush out all sub standard products manufacturers.

Owelle explained that genuine long span aluminum roofing products were pre-coated, long lasting, leak proof and affordable while substandard products would fade easily on installation.

According to him, Total Aluminum is partnering with North-South Aluminum, the largest aluminum roofing company east of the Niger to ensure that quacks in the roofing industry are eliminated, as well as give solar water heaters wide distribution.

Oncor expands solar perks to water heaters

2009-03-30T08:59:00.000-07:00

Oncor is offering cash to any household that uses technology to heat household water with the sun, sort of like sun tea.

The power-line business of Energy Future Holdings announced Monday that it’s expanding a solar-electricity incentive program to include solar water heaters.

With the Oncor incentive on top of a federal tax credit, it can take less than 10 years for the water heaters to pay for themselves in terms of utility-bill savings.

Oncor spokeswoman Carol Peters said the company set aside $2 million for the incentives, or between $600 and $1,500 per installation, for the next four years.

The water heaters, which cost $8,000 on average, can cut average electricity use by as much as 250 kilowatt hours a month, according to Jim Cika, manager of solar products for Velux America Inc., which makes solar water heaters. Cika’s systems could trim a North Texas utility bill by around $30 to $35 a month.

“It really compares well with investing money in a CD or even in the stock market,” said Mike Bell, head of EnergyShop, a solar installation company in Carrollton that’s participating in the Oncor program.

“It’s much safer,” he said, chuckling.

Solar water heaters use a roof panel, filled with antifreeze, to collect solar heat. The antifreeze cycles through a tube that coils inside a water tank, transferring the solar heat into the water.

The solar panel can heat up to 80 percent of a household’s hot water; the rest is heated by electricity or natural gas.

Oncor will pay only for systems in homes that use electricity to heat water, and thus relieve electricity demand.

Bell and Cika said business is good for solar energy equipment thanks to a federal tax credit that pays for 30 percent of each installations, as well as local incentives.

It’s a rare bright spot in the recession, and money from the federal stimulus bill could help even more.

“I think right now, with the uncertainty of the stimulus package and how the money is going to be distributed for some of these things, it’s slowing things down a little bit” for solar installation demand, Cika said.

Bell said he expects to hire two to four more people this year to install solar equipment for his company, which employs 10.

Solar panels wait for sunny outlook in Singapore

2009-03-30T08:56:00.000-07:00

SINGAPORE (Reuters Life!) - For a country that's right on the equator, relying on solar energy in Singapore seems like a bright idea. Try and get off the grid, however, and it quickly loses its shine.

The tropical city-state's per capita greenhouse gas emissions are similar to Europe, and it imports all its fuel, which on paper makes solar power attractive.

"There's a lot of roof top space in almost any housing -- why not have an array of solar water heaters?" said Yatin Premchand of the Singapore Environment Council.

But in reality, solar panels are so pricey it makes little economic sense to get off the grid.

The bulk of Singapore's almost 5 million people also live in high-rise buildings, rather than houses, which makes putting up cells on the roof nearly impossible for individuals.

Solar power garnered increasing attention as oil prices soared last year and as Asian governments are under pressure to help curb climate change.

Singapore is trying to become a hub for the clean energy sector, having attracted Norway's REC to build the world's largest solar manufacturing plant. It hopes the sector will create 7,000 jobs by 2015 and add S$1.7 billion to the economy.

But these solar panels will be exported and the government has provided few local incentives or targets to use solar power, unlike European countries such as Germany.

The cost of solar panels are falling amid the economic gloom, but are still considered pricey at approximately S$50,000 ($32,870) for a solar module that generates 10 kilowatts per hour (kWh), enough power to provide for a family of four.

This means it would take 16 years to break even compared to buying electricity on the grid, said Frank Phua of Singaporean solar manufacturer Sunseap Enterprise. So it's no surprise few commercial buildings use it either.

Manufacturers said the government will have implement a tariff system that allows users to sell solar energy back to the grid for up to four times the buying cost, in order to attract households or private firms to install panels.

"The positive element of using clean energy is the holistic PR and esoterical value, but it doesn't work in terms of cost benefit," said Premchand.

Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB), which looks to increase foreign investment, told Reuters the country would only use solar power when its price hit parity with the cost of buying it from the grid, which it said could happen next decade.

"Singapore is very much focused on the innovation know-how," said Goh Chee Kiong, EDB's clean tech director. "We would like to think we are in a good position to scale up very quickly."

A recent pilot project saw a handful of government housing blocks covered in enough panels to power lifts, lights and water pumps, but at a cost of S$600,000 for seven blocks.

Solar water heaters on aluminum roofing underway

2009-03-26T10:25:00.000-07:00