Solar Cars Will One Day Be Solar Brokered

Greetings everyone from SunSource Solar Brokers.. It's been a grand seven years that we've been in the energy consulting business for solar brokering to our buyers in the San Francisco Bay Area region. Happy anniversary!

It's the future of solar cars. If there's no such thing as a free lunch, how about a free ride? Think of how wondnoterful it would be if your car could continue running without you spending a dime on fuel. If you drove a solar-powered car, that auto dream would come true. Much like solar-powered homes, solar cars harness energy from the sun, converting it into electricity. That electricity then fuels the battery that runs the car's motor. Instead of using a battery, some solar cars direct the power straight to an electric motor.

Solar cars can accomplish this through photovoltaic cells (PVC). PVCs are the components in solar paneling that convert the sun's energy to electricity. They're made up of semiconductors, usually made of silicon, that absorb the light. The sunlight's energy then frees electrons in the semiconductors, creating a flow of electrons. That flow generates the electricity that powers the battery or the specialized car motor in solar cars. For more details about solar energy, read How Solar Cells Work.

Although you won't find solar cars at any dealerships, people have been building their own models since the 1970s. Ed Passerini who constructed his own completely solar powered car called the "Bluebird" in 1977 and Larry Perkins who drove the "Quiet Achiever" in 1982 both receive nods as the first people to do so. Ford and Mazda have even tested the waters with solar hybrid concept cars. The 2006 Ford Reflex installed solar panels in the headlights, and the 2005 Mazda Senku featured solar panels on its roof to help charge its battery. The 2008 Cadillac Provoq uses solar panels to power accessories, such as interior lights and the audio system.

While the Reflex, Provoq and Senku are merely concept models, cars outfitted with solar panels may be tiptoeing their way into the consumer automotive industry as companies try to find innovative methods for dodging gasoline dependence. French car company Venturi has made one of the most publicized efforts with its unveiling of the Eclectic model prototype at the 2006 Paris Auto Show. The Eclectic combines solar, wind and battery power to run a three-passenger car specifically for city driving. Solar panels cover its roof, and a wind turbine can also catch energy on blustery days. The Venturi Eclectic isn't cut for highway travel, however, since it only goes up to 30 miles per hour (48 kph).

ARTICLE WRITTEN BY JENNIFER COLEMAN OF SUN SOURCE SOLAR ENERGY BROKERS, PROVIDING SOLAR BROKERING, BROKERAGE, AND SOLAR ENERGY CONSULTING SERVICES IN SANTA ROSA, MARIN, SONOMA, NAPA, SOLANO AND SAN FRANCISCO COUNTIES. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT WWW.SUNSOURCESOLARBROKER.COM

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What You Have To Understand About Roof Attached Solar Energy Panels

Anytime the sun is out, your own home's roof is subjected to power from the sun. Why don't you harness that energy, decrease your electricity bill as well as decrease the amount of carbon dioxide you add to the ecosystem day after day? Depending on were you reside, your roof top's direction, plus the load your home's roof will be able to bear, installing photovoltaic cells (PVs) on the roof might be a valuable investment in boosting your home's energy independence.

* What are PVs and in what ways do they function?

Specific components like copper indium diselenide, crystalline and amorphous silicon and gallium arsenide supply electrical power when they absorb light. This is called the photoelectric effect. Solar cells are normally created from a thin coating of this photosensitive material. Sunshine hitting the solar cell raises the level of energy of the electrons within. In an elevated energy state, these electrons can escape from their molecules and produce an electric current. And, the best thing is that this solar alternative energy is free.

* How can you tell if your roof structure is a solid choice for solar cell placement?

Solar cells work most effectively while subjected to direct sunshine. If at all possible, you would set a panel of cells on a power-driven bracket which follows the sun's path across the sky, but that's usually not practical for your roof. The next best thing can be a rooftop mounting in which the roof's slope carries with it an unobstructed southern exposure. Depending on your latitude and the incline of your roof, the PV system installation technician might propose optimizing the angle of your PV modules with an raised mounting rack so that they can collect significantly more light.

In addition, you should be conscious of how much weight your home's roof can bear. Should your roof has two layers of shingles, you most likely shouldn't add in solar panels to that load.

A substitute for solar panels is often a somewhat new solution, "solar shingles". They are shingles into which PV cells are already incorporated. In case your roof ought to be replaced in any event, solar shingles provide the opportunity to achieve two objectives at once.

Finally, PV cells lose performance when the temperature increases. In warmer parts of the country, you could be more satisfied exploring alternate options like wind generators. In regions like Florida or California, public utilities are taking solar thermal electric power plants online. Such systems, although primarily viable only for power plants much larger than the individual home, realistically end up being more advantageous as well as cheaper than PV products when it is hot.

* What components make up a roof mounted Photovoltaic system?

Photovoltaic cells yield direct current, and can be connected in series to increase the output voltage. Though you can get particular appliances for sale that operated with Direct current, most PV platforms distribute electrical power via an inverter. This device transforms the solar cells' direct current to standardized residential AC. The output of the inverter is then integrated into the home's electric system. Scaled-down solutions primarily add to electrical power from the utility, reducing your total monthly bill.

Should you put in a larger system and make your home very energy efficient, and you may often have a excess of electrical power. You can either store it for later on using batteries, or feed it straight back to the electric grid. If you give your excess straight into the electric grid, the electric company may just pay you. This is known as "net metering", and it is the law in at least 35 states. It's intended as an incentive to use alternative energy like solar. It's a good deal for you, and it is a great deal for the utility company because your PV system is most likely to produce excess electrical power precisely when maximum demand occurs. Your surplus generating Photovoltaic system had the ability to help avert electrical power black outs.

* How much will a Photovoltaic installation cost?

While all this
alternative energy, solar power is free, the equipment to handle it or not. The initial expense of the roof attached solar panels can range from 6,000 for a small supplementary installation to 30,000 if not more for a larger "off-the-grid" installation. The capital expense of such a home Photovoltaic system is rather fuzzy, though. It could be preferable to evaluate what you're currently paying out per kilowatt-hour to the amortized per kilowatt-hour cost for the Photovoltaic system. As reported by the U.S. DoE, that price is about 0.25 per kilowatt-hour. In most regions, this is in excess of what the utility companies charge.

That is the not so good news.

The good news is that there exists quite a few state sponsored inducement programs regarding solar technology. Make the most of them, so you could reduce your costs substantially. To get information regarding most of these programs, you should check with the National Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE), put together by the North Carolina Solar Center. The database addresses inducement packages designed to enhance the development of renewable energy.

On top of that, the price of the electrical power your Photovoltaic system creates is insulated from deregulation, rate increases, as well as inflation. This means that amortized twenty-five cents per kilowatt-hour cost will still be 25 cents thirty years from the date of installation. You will never know just what the local electric rate will be?

And there's additional good news. By going solar power, you are reducing the quantity of coal and natural gas burned up at electrical power plants, you will be reducing the volume of CO2 gas we send directly into the environment, and you will be asserting your energy freedom.

Adding solar cells on the roof is undoubtedly an idea whose time has come. Home generated solar electrical power is workable, makes sense, and is within the reach of most homeowners.

Credit: renewable-energy-world.blogspot.com

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Uk Solar Industry Predicts 1Gw Of Installations In The Next Year

We're going to see a lot more of these in the UK.

The UK solar industry now sees a bright future for itself following last Friday's decision by the Supreme Court to refuse the Government permission to appeal on the ruling that solar PV installations registered after December 12 last year and before March 3 this year could qualify for the 43.3p kWh subsidy rather than the 21p rate the Government tried to enforce.

Many companies have plans for large-scale solar in particular because they see new possibilities from the Renewables Obligation Certification scheme (ROCs), which gives two ROCs for each MWh for schemes over 5MW, and under which there is no size limit.

There is even talk of solar farms as large as those found in Europe, up to even 40MW in size, in the south of England. One player predicts 1GW of plant installed in the UK over the next year.

Emma Hughes of Solar power Portal says that "now that the feed-in tariff fiasco has reached a conclusion many are looking forward to working in the UK solar industry in 2012, especially now there is opportunity under the Renewables Obligation."

REC Solar, Canadian Solar, Q-Cells and many others are all of the opinion that if the component prices decline as expected, and energy bills continue to rise, opportunities for ground-mounted solar to become cost-effective will increase.

REC Solar is hoping to double its capacity this year by installing approximately 60MW, a large proportion of which will be ground mounted.

SUPERHOMES

At the domestic and business consumer level, more than anything else the government has done, the installation of panels on so many roofs across the country has got people talking about energy and its importance.

All over the country this weekend, owners of homes who had installed green equipment or upgrades threw open their doors for visitors interested in doing eco-refits themselves.

Besides solar PV systems, visitors to the 'green showhomes' on these tours saw every type of upgrade from simple insulation and draught proofing measures to complete overhauls and rebuilds, involving many types of green heating from woodchip fired boilers to solar water heating systems, and even in one case, a tank which combined four different kinds of heating.

Many of those on the tours had had their interest in the subject first aroused by seeing solar panels on neighbours roofs.

This indicates that a chief aim of government policy has succeeded: increasing public awareness in energy matters, even though investment in photovoltaic technology in this country is not cost-effective at the level of subsidy initially set by the feed in tariffs.

But although many of the thousands of people on these tours knew about the Feed-in Tariffs, a high level of ignorance was revealed about the follow-up schemes, the Renewable Heat Incentive and the Green Deal, indicating the huge amount of work that the Government yet has to do to publicise these initiatives.

The 'Superhomes' tours were organised by volunteers in many towns and cities in England and Wales, either by the network members themselves, or local Transition Towns groups.

Several were oversubscribed, indicating the increased popularity of the subject, further evidence of which was the changed nature of last week's Ecobuild exhibition in London, which was far more upbeat, corporate and mainstream than it had been in previous years, with much floor space taken up by solar and heat pump installers.

Speaking at the Ecobuild exhibition, Energy and Climate Change Minister, Greg Barker said: "This is an aspirational agenda. We know people are always looking to improve their home even in times of austerity. It's part of the British DNA."

John Gaffney, who organised a tour in and around Llandeilo in Carmarthenshire, said "many of the homes we have seen this weekend who have solar photovoltaic panels installed still think it is worth the investment even with the reduced tariff."

"It seems so complicated from the outside, knowing what to do," said one of the super homes tourists, Peter Jones of Llangadog, "But seeing what other people have already done is a terrific help in getting ideas about what is possible in your own circumstances."

A highlight of this tour was a home which had both water and space heating supplied by both a ground source heat pump and solar water heating panels, with the electricity for the pumps supplied by photovoltaic solar panels supported by FITs. "We generate more energy than we need, so we are still actually paid by the energy supplier after we have used all the energy ourselves," said owner Caroline Langdon.

GREEN DEAL RED TAPE REMOVED

Last week, Greg Barker sought to remove doubts that the Green Deal implementation would be delayed, but did say there will be a "managed" roll-out of the scheme, meaning that some aspects will launch before others, chief of which may be the Energy Company Obligation, which is simpler to arrange.

He said that the Government would be responding to the Green Deal consultation in April and secondary legislation would appear "by summer recess".

"This doesn't affect the planned October launch," he said.

He told attendees to the exhibition that red tape was being removed from those who wanted to become accredited installers, including the requirements to have a surety bond in place prior to being authorised; to hold warranties for the 25 year length of the plan when they were longer than standard industry warranties, e.g. for boilers,; and the requirement that installers pay for an Independent Conciliation Service.

Instead, a new Green Deal Ombudsman capable of handling complaints will be appointed.

"REMOVE STAMP DUTY"

UK Green Building Council chief Paul King has called the Government's handling of the solar FITs "catastrophic" and said it is now crucial that the Government instills confidence in businesses preparing for the Green Deal.

This weekend, many visitors on the superhomes tours expressed fears that if they invested in renewable heat systems that the tariff rate for these would be reduced in the future. Many appeared unaware that tariff rate reductions did not affect those whose installations had met the deadlines.

In this respect the public perception arising from the solar FITs fiasco has been extremely damaging.

To rebuild confidence, and create more publicity, Paul King has called on the Government to link the Green Deal with stamp duty and council tax, making less energy efficient homes pay more through the tax system.

He said it didn't matter if the implementation of the Green Deal was delayed if it meant that its integrity would be preserved and the fine detail was in place and did not have to be amended subsequently.

He said: "I would much rather delay it rather than go and blunder it as it will take 10 years to get it out of the public consciousness.

COLLECTIVE ENERGY PURCHASING

In a further bid to engage consumers with energy purchasing, today, Ed Davey has written to all of the energy suppliers asking them to support collective purchasing schemes as another way of helping householders engage easily with the electricity market and bring prices down.

He wrote: "I want to make it easier for consumers to club together and use their collective purchasing power to engage with the market and to get good deals on their gas and electricity."

This was a key part of the Consumer Empowerment Strategy that Ed Davey launched as a Minister in the Department for Business Innovation and Skills last year.

He said particular you want to see schemes that reached out to "include more vulnerable customers and people who don't shop around for their gas and electricity".

The purpose of the letter is to encourage all energy suppliers to engage with these organisations on their ideas.

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Denmarks Solar Cell Production Can Now Be Followed Live Online

"

Solar installed on an eco house in Denmark.

By Anders Lorenzen"

In the last few years, solar PV in Denmark has accelerated due to subsidy schemes making homeowners invest in the technology. While around 500 megawatts that have so far been installed is still far from reaching the capacity of wind power which Denmark are far more known for, the trend of homeowners to instal solar is set to continue.

The Danish grid Energinet minute for minute live tracks the electricity output from the country's wind turbines, power plants and CHP plants as well as calculating the total electricity consumption and whether Denmark is exporting or importing electricity and calculating the total CO2 emissions from the electricity being used.

But due to demand requests to see what the Danish solar cells are producing, they have now been added to the live electricity monitoring. This means as well as keeping an eye on the electricity levels from Denmarks wind turbines, you can now do the same thing for solar cells.

Energinet says that it can, for the first time, publish exact online measurements of the generation from Denmark's approx. 90,000 privately-held solar cell plants.

Henning Parbo from Energinet's department for Market development explains:

"A great deal of companies in the electricity business have requested solar cell figures.They have requested improved information on how much electricity the solar cells generate. In their experience, it has become more difficult to predict the electricity consumption, and they are certain that the solar cells have played them a trick'

Energinet gives some evidence to how rapid solar installations have been growing, saying that up until 2012 there were 4,100 solar systems, but today there is approximately 90,000.

On average Solar produces 2% of the Danes, electricity - though during some really hot days in July that number was 13%.

"Sub edited by Charlotte Paton"

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Denmark: largest offshore wind farm opened

Worlds longest wind turbine blades produced and transported in Denmark

Source: our-green-energy.blogspot.com

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Nabcep Certification How To Get It What Its Worth

This is a presentation I gave this week in Cleveland at the ElectroExpo. The audience was pretty small, just fifteen folks attended, so it turned into an intimate conversation rather than a formal presentation. An honest discussion about business, renewable energy, and education is right up my alley, and I walked away with some really valuable insights about the benefits and challenges people face when they get into solar and think about NABCEP Certification.

WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT NABCEP CERTIFICATION FROM THE AUDIENCE

* NABCEP CERTIFICATION CAN HELP A NON-P.E. GET PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE. I had never heard this before. An electrical contractor with lots of residential PV experience won a project doing a commercial rooftop system. With no professional engineer on staff they couldn't get professional liability insurance for the projectuntil they hired a NABCEP Certified PV installer. Have you ever heard of anything like this?

* STUDENTS AT TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOLS REALLY STRUGGLE WITH THE NABCEP ENTRY LEVEL EXAM. A really passionate high school instructor in the audience, who I know must be a great teacher, shared that none of her high school students have been able to pass the NABCEP Entry Level Exam. Zero. HeatSpring has a 96% passing rate on that same test, and only difference is who takes our courses. We cater to very experienced professionals, while she's starting from scratch. What she's doing is way harder, and we agreed to continue to stay in touch and brainstorm ways she can move the needle with her kids.

* THE CASE FOR SMALL ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS GETTING INTO SOLAR ISN'T OBVIOUS. Every year the solar industry puts up huge growth figures, but the rising tide doesn't lift all boats equally. One contractor shared his story of getting his family business into solar in 2008 and the ups and downs they've had along the way. Why hasn't it been fruitful? Ohio's incentives have fluctuated a lot, which has made it hard to plan. An employee got NABCEP Certified, then left. His customers kick him out the door when he talks about paybacks longer than 3 years.

* SMALL GUYS CAN STILL WIN THE LONG GAME. Two small contractors shared stories about solar projects they won because of longstanding customer relationships. If you have a small firm with a good reputation, here's the model: tell all of your customers that you do solar on a consistent basis. Don't be pushy - be consistent. Solar has a funny way of bubbling up in people's minds and unpredictable times, and you just want to be the person they call when they're ready.

WHO SHOULD GET THE NABCEP CERTIFICATION: MY SUMMARY

* Go get the PV Entry Level Exam if you plan to stick around as an employee for a couple years and want some upward mobility.

* Pursue the PV Installation Professional if you're confident your business will be around for a couple years and want to be one of the best, winning competitive projects.

The post NABCEP Certification: How To Get It, What It's Worth appeared first on HeatSpring Magazine.

Reference: renewable-energy-dummies.blogspot.com

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How To Make Solar Panels For Home Build Solar Panels At Home

HOW TO MAKE SOLAR PANELS FOR HOME How would you like to reduce your electric bill? How would you like to have no electric bill at all? Then let me introduce you to renewable energy. One of the most reliable sources of renewable energy is solar power. Unfortunately, to have a solar power system installed professionally is way too expensive for most people, even those who are truly environmentally conscious. In addition, it could take a decade or more before your energy savings match your initial investment. There is, however, an alternative. Say goodbye to professionally installed solar power and say hello to homemade solar panels. The most cost-effective way to take advantage of the power of the sun is to build solar panels at home. Sounds crazy? Not at all. Building your own solar panels is the most cost-effective way to harness the power of the sun. Don't be frightened by the unknown, this is not as daunting a task as you may think. Actually, with the proper instructions it is easy to do. So easy, your children can even help and you can turn it into an enjoyable family project. Also, the components aren't complicated at all. HOW TO MAKE SOLAR PANELS FOR HOME Most of the parts you will need can be found at a hardware store. If you want everything rolled up into a nice neat package, and you have a few extra bucks, you can choose to buy a solar panel kit instead. These kits will contain everything you need to generate your own electricity from the sun. You can start off by making a few small solar panels which could power some small appliances. Or, you could go full throttle and build solar panels to supplement or even replace your home's existing power supply. So how do you start? Well first and foremost you need to find quality detailed instructions. After that you are off to the hardware store to get your supplies. Then, when you have some free time, you start the assembly process and eventually install the system. If you build solar panels at home you will not only save money but you will also be helping the environment. HOW TO MAKE SOLAR PANELS FOR HOME

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Tourist Rich Small Island With Big Energy Strategy

COUNTRY FEATURE: ARUBA

See interview with Prime Minister Mike Eman

Aruba is a small Caribbean island of just 193 sq. km located 30 km north of Venezuela. A former Dutch colony, in January 1986 Aruba gained status aparte, removing itself from the Federation of the Netherlands Antilles. It gained autonomy over its internal affairs, but remained part of the Kingdom of Netherlands. Commercial and economic matters are handled by the national government, while the Netherlands retains political control over Aruba's diplomatic relations and defence.

Aruba has a small and open economy. The island possesses few natural resources and is heavily dependent on imports, including food and manufactures. Its main industries are tourism, offshore financial services and transport (mainly shipping). Until recently, the economy also relied heavily on a major oil refinery but it closed in 2012. Tourism grew rapidly from the early 1990s and, as a consequence, tourism-related industries - particularly construction - boomed, contributing to strong economic growth and to a low unemployment rate. Over 80% of the economy depends directly or indirectly on tourism, making Aruba the second highest tourism-dependent country in the world.

The global financial crisis in 2009 and the shutdowns of Aruba's oil refinery temporarily in 2010 and more permanently in 2012 led to an economic contraction but the economy grew again in 2013. The recovery was backed by a strong growth in the tourism sector, and in 2014 the economy has continued to be supported by a steady upswing in tourism and tourism-related investment. Economic output could be boosted sharply again if efforts to partially restart the oil refinery are successful.

The incumbent prime minister, Michiel Eman of the Arubaanse Volkspartij, isserving a second consecutive four-year term that will run until September 2017. The government holds 13 of the 21 seats in the legislature. Its greatest challenges remain improving the island's volatile economic performance and stimulating employment growth.

Economic policy is simultaneously focused on stimulating tourism growth, with projects to boost investment in this sector, and on economic diversification to achieve sustainable growth and to reduce the risks caused by Aruba's great dependence on tourism. The authorities are pursuing a new growth pillar anchored around the renewable energy sector and the promotion of knowledge- and technology-intensive industries. Taking advantage of Aruba's location and abundant solar and wind resources, the government has a strategy aiming to make Aruba more dependent on renewable energy; to turn it into a gateway between South America, the United States and Europe for commerce and investment, and to establish research laboratories.

The Prime Minister has pledged that the government will seek a transition to 100% renewable energy sources by 2020. In recent years Aruba invested US300m to build a 20-turbine wind farm rated at 30mw that meets 20% of the island's power needs. It replaced its old electric turbine with more efficient models, and is building a solar panel park. Between 2006 and 2013 Aruba reduced its imports of heavy fuel oil from 3,000 barrels per day to 1,700 barrels, saving some US50m a year. The construction of a second wind park due for completion in 2016 will mean renewables will provide half of the island's energy needs.

In April 2014, the government signed a partnership agreement with the international lighting company, Royal Philips, to revamp the island's entire public lighting system by completing an in-depth assessment and providing solutions for public buildings and outdoor lighting systems. As part of the agreement, public buildings will be retrofitted with LED lighting to realize the benefits of energy efficiency. Philips will design a tailored solution for outdoor living that allows Aruba to maximize energy efficiency and improve current lighting levels to international standards. Philips estimates sustainable lighting could result in initial energy savings of 50-80% and lower annual CO2 emissions by 3,000 - 4,000 tons.

To demonstrate its commitment to the development of sustainable tourism, the authorities have entered into an agreement with the KLM airline to demonstrate the viability of aviation biofuel. For six months from May 2014, 20 KLM flights between Amsterdam and Aruba and the neighbouring island of Bonaire will be powered by biofuel. The airline declared that the flights represent an important step towards proving that more sustainable aviation is possible.

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