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With the increase in awareness about the depleting natural resources, the lookout for new, renewable, and cleaner energy sources has also gained pace.

Solar energy is one of the main sources of renewable energy. Being clean and free of cost, it can be utilized easily to generate energy. Solar panels are used to harness the sun’s energy, but it does not come without any pros and cons.

Advantages of Solar Panels

1. Accessibility

Solar panels allow you to obtain energy from an alternative source rather than the main power grid. This eliminates the need of having long power lines running to your home. This can prove to be especially beneficial for houses that are located in far off areas.

2. Long-term Efficiency

Once installed, solar panels can make up for their initial installation investment as they do not require any extra fuel to work. This means that you can rely completely on solar panels and see a return on their investment immediately, with no more electric bills. Solar panels also require very little maintenance.

3. Incentives

There are several federal and government incentives available that are offered to those who plan to install solar panels on their homes. This is available in the form of tax credits for homes and businesses. Solar panels also tend to increase the value of a home or business.

Disadvantages of Solar Panels

1. Positioning

It is important to place solar panels in an appropriate place where they can receive the maximum amount of energy from the sun. Solar panels have minimal efficiency in cloudy areas, and can also be less effective in areas where there is heavy tree cover.

2. Initial Expense

The initial cost of installing solar panels can be quite high. Studies show that extensive use of solar panels in homes may not yet be a financially suitable option due to their high costs.

3. Impact of Geography

Rather than depending on the strength of the sunlight they receive, solar panels tend to rely more on the number of hours in the day that the sun is out. Thus, solar panels are less efficient in places closer to the poles.

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A big firm from the Silicon Valley, SunPower, which is famous for manufacturing high-efficiency solar cells, panels, and systems, has recently announced about the launching its new SunPower E19 Series solar panels, which is an innovative product lineup that offers an efficiency of 19 percent or greater.

In case you are wondering, the efficiency figure shows the actual percentage of the sunlight that falls on the solar panel and is actually converted into usable electricity. This also means that the higher the efficiency rate is, the cheaper will be the cost of the solar energy produced.

There are certain companies that have acquired up to 42 percent efficiency while testing their products, but most commercial silicon solar cells fall in the 15 percent range.

The E19 solar panels have successfully accomplished a higher efficiency rate by using 3 percent more surface space per cell and by using such an anti reflective coating that is able to capture greater amount of off-angle light as well. With the help of this coating, greater energy per watt can be generated as compared to a conventional solar panel.

The new E19 line includes a 318-watt, 96-cell solar panel, having an efficiency of 19.5 percent and a 238-watt, 72-cell solar version with an efficiency of 19.1 percent.

It is expected that the E19 product line will be available in the third quarter of 2010, to both residential and business customers in North America and Europe.

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As we are living in a world of scarce resources and unlimited wants, our motive is to maximize our needs within limited resources. Energy is the main requirement of human beings for survival. Since we are living in industrial age and we need power and energy to fulfill our needs. Therefore, human is finding an alternate renewable form of energy and ultimately discovering solar energy to produce electricity.

Solar Power Charger

Thus this finding lead man to invent appliances that uses this form of energy and ultimately discovering solar power charger. A solar power charger stores the electricity that is produced using solar energy. Main idea behind this creation was that the electricity produced due to solar energy was usable during day time only. As the sun sets, you are left with no electricity at night. Therefore, the order of the day was to invent such device that can make the electricity available even when there are no sun rays.

Have you used solar powered calculators? You have probably noticed that these calculators are usable during light time only. If there is no light, these calculators are useless. So it was necessary to design such a thing that can store the significance of this renewable source of power. Therefore, the solar power chargers came into play.

Advantages

With the invention of this device, you can use electricity round the clock. You must be wondering that this is useful invention but its benefits are offset by its huge costs. So, don’t worry about its costs. With just as low as £200 you can enjoy the delight of this invention. Moreover, you can store any form of electricity in these chargers. This invention is being used in i-pods and cell phones as well.

As the time will progress advancement in product design will take place. Most of the companies are using this technology to design their new products, thus making them more efficient. This would be great step towards technological innovation, just like the solar powered calculator was. These charges are available easily in almost all areas nearby you. These are available on retail outlets and you can also purchase them online through different websites.

Technorati Tags: Solar,Power,Battery,Chargers,Energy,cell,technology,renewable

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Using natural energy sources to generate power is gaining popularity everyday, especially among homeowners.

This is extremely necessary to reduce our current, vital dependency on fossil fuels. Apart from the fact that fossil fuels are depleting fast, the increasing amounts of fossil fuels we burn each day is contributing greatly to climate change, causing the pollution of air and surrounding environments.

However, it is possible to save the earth and its resources if we act now by switching to natural and renewable energy sources.

Here are some of the many advantages related to the use of natural and renewable energy sources:

• Renewable energy can be produced from the sun, wind, tides, and geothermal activity, which are all free to use.
• Besides the initial cost of installation, which includes solar panels, wind turbines, and geothermal energy equipment, there are no other costs, and no fuel requirements.

• Anyone who uses energy from renewable sources will be free from any effect of gas, energy or electricity price rises by companies. This means that you can become totally energy efficient and independent, eliminating your dependency on the world’s fossil fuel supplies.
• You can use as much or as little of the renewable electricity of which you generate, without feeling guilty for any wastage.
• Oil, gas and coal supplies are limited and ultimately, they will run out some day. If we have the infrastructure already in place to generate energy from natural sources, this won’t be as much of a problem.

Like everything else in this world, renewable energy has a few disadvantages as well such as:

• The initial cost of installing renewable energy technologies may be quite high.
• Although it is very difficult and unlikely that you will be able to completely replace your current power supply to the use of renewable energy, but it is always possible to put in some effort combine together different energy technologies, such as a wind turbine and solar panel to generate power according to your needs.

Renewable energy technologies are dependent on natural phenomena and cannot be used to generate power everywhere. For example, wind turbines can only be installed in areas with high wind velocity and solar panels in areas with great amount of sunshine.

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Geothermal energy is generated by drilling deep holes into the earths crust, and pumping cold water through the hole. When the water rises back to the surface, it is hundreds of degrees Celsius hot, which is then used as steam to drive a turbine which drives a generator creating power, making geothermal energy one of the best alternative renewable energy sources.

The biggest advantage of using geothermal heat to generate power is that a geothermal system does not create any pollution. Although It may release some gases from deep down inside the earth occasionally, that may be slightly harmful, but these can be contained quite easily.

The cost of the land where you plan to build a geothermal power plant is usually less expensive as compared to other areas that are suitable to construct an oil, gas, coal, or nuclear power plant. The main reason behind this is land space, as geothermal plants take up very little space, so there is no need to purchase a larger area of land.

As geothermal energy is very clean, you will be able to get tax cuts, and there will be no environmental bills or quotas to comply with the country’s carbon emission scheme.

There is simply no fuel required to generate the power, which means that the running cost for the plant is very low as there are no costs for purchasing, transporting, or cleaning up any fuel.

All you need to do is to provide power to the water pumps, which can be generated by the power plant itself anyway once it starts working.

Thus geothermal power stations are an excellent option to provide clean, cheap, simple, renewable power.

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Winter season can upset your budget due to high cost of heat and utilities. However, it is possible to save energy and money by following these simple methods.

1. Stock your refrigerator and freezer properly. Adequate air flow is required for a refrigerator and freezer to operate efficiently. Without adequate air flow, the refrigerator works harder to keep cool. Don’t overstock your freezer and you will save money on energy costs. Turn the temperature setting to the lowest where you can still maintain the freshness and safety of food.

2. Use a toaster oven or microwave instead of the oven. It is possible to cook delicious winter meals in a crock pot. These appliances generally consume less energy as compared to the oven, resulting in lesser cost.

3. Keep the curtains and blinds open, letting in the sunshine instead of using lights. This way you can enjoy the natural energy provided by the sun and your home will also be a bit warmer and, enabling you to save money. Also keep the curtains and blinds close at night to insulate from the cold weather.

4. Keep a check on the drafts, as the drafts around the windows and doors can increase the cost of heating substantially. There are many products available in the market to help with drafts, such as weatherstripping and shrinkable film for windows.

5. Keep the thermostat on the heating system low. Instead of keeping the thermostat high, wear more clothing in layers. This will help to keep you warm. Although you may feel uncomfortable in the beginning, but you will get used to it and will help you to save more money.

6. Clean the furnace filters regularly. This will increase the efficiency of the furnace and lower the cost when the filter is clean. Dirty filter causes hindrance in the air flow, making it harder for the furnace to do the same job, costing you more money.

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The Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM is working towards developing microscopic solar cells, that have the potential to utilize solar power in a unique way.

The minute cells are one-tenth the thickness of traditional solar cells and can be attached to flexible backings, which can be mounted onto any odd-shaped object such as buildings, clothing, or even camping tents, thus using solar power wherever the sun shines.

The tiny cells, which are being described as “glitter-sized,” have been made from crystalline silicon. It is expected that they will eventually be cheaper to make and more efficient than the currently used photovoltaic collectors. Moreover, using the present manufacturing facilities, these cells can be made using far less silicon than traditional solar cells, producing with less waste.

Even thinner than the human hair, the chips have the capability to perform with the same efficiency as conventional cells, that are ten times thicker.

The researchers claim that while providing the same efficiency, they use 100 times less silicon to generate the same amount of electricity. The small size of cells make them less sensitive to overhead obstructions that can cause conventional panels to turn off completely when part of the surface is blocked from the Sun.

These “glitter-sized” cells will enable campers, hunters and military personnel in the field to recharge cell phones, cameras and other electronic gear just by walking around in the Sun while wearing special clothing. They can also be used extensively in satellites and remote sensing installations.

Using solar concentrators, which are arrays of microscopic lenses to focus the sunlight, the number of photons striking the cells can be increased, which can further increase their efficiency. The concentrators are cheaper to make and are much more efficient, due to the small size of the cells.

Also, due to the large number of cells in an array, high-voltage output can be generated directly, reducing costs and taking advantage of lower losses due to electrical resistance in wiring at higher voltages.

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If you want to claim federal tax credits in order to make your home more energy efficient, you still have some time.

By incorporating some energy efficient appliances in your home, you can receive up to $1,500 in federal tax credits. Moreover, if you opt for multiple upgrades, you could get more than $10,000, although you’ll also be spending quite a bundle.

However, do read the fine print and find out all the details before you decide about any credit option. There are many federal tax credits that apply only to your primary residence and to existing homes. Furthermore, not all Energy Star appliances qualify, so you will have to do some research, as all the chosen products have to meet specific criteria.

In order to claim 30%, or up to $1,500, for qualified improvements this year and next year , the improvement has to be specific to these areas:

• biomass stoves
• windows
• doors
• HVAC – heating, ventilation, air conditioning insulation
• metal or asphalt roofs
• non-solar water heaters

Do keep in mind that you can only include the installation costs for biomass stoves, HVAC and water heaters.

Also, by installing residential fuel cells or microturbine systems in an existing or new home, you can get a deduction of 30% of the total cost, up to $500 per 0.5 kilowatt of power capacity, through 2016.

You can get the biggest tax breaks by installing geothermal heat pumps, small wind turbines or solar energy systems. This way, you will be able to claim 30% of the costs (including installation) through 2016. This credit will be available for existing homes, second home and new construction.

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Power from the sun is an unlimited resource, and most importantly, it causes no harm to the environment, and is free. This has made homeowners to consider alternative ways to heat and power their homes, using this free source of energy.

The best thing about it is that it is not necessary that the home should be newly constructed to take advantage of the sun’s rays; pre-existing homes can utilize solar power, as well. Here is how:

1. Make a plan of how much you are willing to spend in order to convert your pre-existing home to solar power. You should consider your financial resources and the maximum amount of money that you can afford, but do keep in mind that although the initial installation of equipment can be costly, but it will pay off big in the end.

2. Get a solar panel system for your home. Solar panels are easier to install as they can be placed on the roof of your home. They are made up of photovoltaic cells, which are silicone-based and trap the energy produced by the sun’s rays. This energy is then stored and consumed to power devices that would normally run on electricity.

3. Keeping your requirements in mind, you can also go for a solar powered hot water heater. This will help you save money on your fuel bill, and contribute towards keeping the environment clean as well as hot water heaters produce carbon monoxide in large amount.

4. Use solar powered lights in your house. Instead of using electricity wired spotlights outside, go for solar lights that collect energy throughout the daytime hours, and automatically turn on when it gets dark outside.

5. Use a Solar Air Collector to reduce heating costs in your house during the daytime hours. This will help you to lower your electricity bill during the cold winter months.

6. If you have a pool in your house, you can switch to a solar heating system, to keep your pool warmer throughout the swimming season, for free.

7. You can use solar home batteries instead of disposable ones to operate the small appliances in your home. Energized by the sun, these batteries will always be ready to go when you need them.

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Solar energy is a reliable and never ending source of energy. Although the initial cost of using the solar energy may be high, the high price can be recovered as after the system is installed, there will be no cost of producing the electricity.

Advantages of Solar Energy

• Solar cells are long lasting sources of energy which can be used almost anywhere.
• They are particularly useful in areas where there is no national grid and in areas where there is less population, such as in a remote site.
• Solar cells provide cost effective solutions to energy issues in places where there is no mains electricity.

• Solar cells are totally silent and non-polluting.
• As they have no moving parts, they require little or no maintenance at all, and have a long lifetime.
• Solar cells offer more advantages over other renewable sources; as wind and water power rely on turbines which are noisy, expensive and more liable to breaking down.
• Rooftop power is a good way of supplying energy to a fast growing community.
• More cells can be added to homes and businesses as the community grows so that energy generation is in line with demand.
• Solar cells can also be installed in a distributed fashion, i.e. they don’t need large-scale installations.
• Solar cells can easily be installed on roofs, which means no new space is needed and each user can quietly generate their own energy.

Disadvantages of Solar Energy

• The initial cost is quite high.
• Most types of solar cells require large areas of land to achieve average efficiency.
• Air pollution and weather can also have a large effect on the efficiency of the cells.
• The silicon used in cells is also very expensive.
• Currently, solar energy costs about twice as much as traditional sources i.e. coal, oil etc.

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