how does solar power work?
what are the advantages and disadvantages of it?
where in australia is it found
what is it used for?

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Answer by ?
check out these websites they will give you all the information you need:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_energy

http://www.re-energy.ca/

http://www.infos247.com/solar-power/

What do you think? Answer below!

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Answer by wat_more_can_i_say?
did you check websites yet? have you checked schools yet?

What do you think? Answer below!

Then Sun is the source of all life on the planet and without it we could not possibly exist. The Sun is also a fantastic renewable energy source and produces far too much energy for humans to possibly use it all. This makes Sunlight a far better energy source than the fossil fuels that humans burn, polluting the air and causing global warming.

Myths surrounding solar power:

Many people believe solar energy is a fairly recent discovery, when in actual fact; the first photovoltaic cell was built by Charles Fritts in 1883. At this time, the cell was only around 1% efficient, compared to the latest efficiency of solar PV which has now broken records of 40%.

Another common myth is that solar panels only work the weather is sunny. Solar photo voltaic cells still produce energy whatever the weather, this is one of the major benefits of Solar PV. However, the sunnier the weather the more energy the solar panels produce and they do not produce energy prior to sunset.

Why was solar power not used in replacement of fossil fuels?

Solar PV cells have become increasingly popular in the home due to the fall in costs for them to be installed. During the 1950′s, when the first modern photovoltaic cell was produced, it cost around 85 times more to run an appliance on solar power as opposed to fossil fuels. It wasn’t until the late 1960′s, where prices were dropped by a fifth in order to increase demand for the use of solar power.

As of February 2010, it was introduced that people get paid to produce solar powered energy, even if they don’t use it. This is referred to as the feed-in tariff and applies to those with domestic solar PV systems. The feed-in tariff is a government scheme that rewards homeowners for producing clean, renewable energy and is an incentive to reduce the burning of fossil fuels and the effects of global warming. Any electricity the homeowner doesn’t use is fed back into the national grid.

Increase in solar power usage:

Compared to when modern solar PV cells were first invented in the 50′s, they have decreased in price whilst becoming an increasingly worthy investment. This is excellent news for homeowners as electricity bills have significantly increased since the 1950′s, due to technology development and almost every home possessing at least one computer and television. So generating free electricity to power the home using solar panels is a very appealing concept.

Solar power has been here all along. It has become increasingly popular recently due to more people being made aware of our effect on climate change and global warming. Combined with electricity bills soaring, more people are deciding to use an energy source that has existed longer than mankind.

The industrial revolution has brought in an era of a dependancy on fossil fuels and natural gas. Compared to the longer eras of history of the earth prior to us, we only needed a couple of decades to do so much damage to the state of our global environmental system. Varieties of animals have been murdered, our source of safe and clean water is compromised and forests upon forests were demolished all within the search for more fossil fuel. In the dawn of a new era of alternative energy, solar energy brings forth a totally free and by-product totally free source of energy that we can make use. Keep reading to discover much more of solar energy advantages and disadvantages and how it can help us in our fight against fossil fuels and natural gas.

In the event you want free, get solar energy. No person can claim the sun as his own private source of power. It is free for everybody to make use of and consume. The energy produced takes very small effort to convert and there are no by-products to harm the environment. It is most likely the cleanest type of energy you are able to use today. Since the program for solar power can act independent from a communal power grid, this will be the ideal source of power when you’re located far into a remote location. Powering your house independently from the community power grid frees you from power shortages and price hikes, by using just the use of a few solar panels.

There is, however, an additional side of the solar energy tale. Solar panels need to be in big quantities in the event you want to effortlessly and consistently power up a large home. Many solar panel houses do not rely on air conditioning, as this eats up a lot of energy and just completely focus the stored power on the lights, maybe a refrigerator and a few more appliances. If the panels didn’t cost a lot, buying more panels would be an easy answer. And silicon-based inorganic cells are not commercially produced in a larger scale so they still price a bit when producing. The solution that you will need in times of dire crisis may not be solar energy. During, hurricanes, storms, as well as just during the monsoon season, one can’t make sure that the sun will come out. This resource is then deemed as unstable. The power conversion can even be impeded by a volcanic eruption blocking the sunlight from far away. You need to manually set up your system to maximize collection from the sun’s rays since the program that allows your panels to automatically follow the sun all through the day is too costly for normal users. The installation of the panels will also limit the efficiency of energy collection by losing half of the daylight by becoming permanently fixed to only one side of the house.

The solar power advantages and disadvantages have a list that will go on and on. But in actuality, the drawbacks only address problems concerning convenience. The pros definitely outweigh the cons on this fight.

Find More Solar Power Advantages And Disadvantages Articles

Concentrating Solar Power or CSP is actually a solar power technology that creates electricity at a really low cost and may even deliver it even during points of peak demands. CSP has the capacity to produce cheap electricity by employing mirrors to target sunlight and convert it to heat. This is the very explanation why the U.S (DOE) wants CSP to be very competitive in the intermediate power market around the year 2015. Indeed, CSP is among the four subprograms for the Solar Energy Technologies Program or SETP. DOE plans to accomplish this goal by cost-shared contracts using the industry and collaborative efforts.

In CSP, mirrors are employed to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto receivers that may collect the concentrated solar power and convert it to heat. This heat will be used by a steam turbine or a heat driving generator to produce electricity. The resulting electricity could be sold to the market at a relatively cheap cost. Also, this electricity can be accomplished and sold even during times of peak demands. The population is slowly noticing the benefits of CSP. These are practically why DOE desires to improve and utilize CSP.

For the economic cost saving advantages of choosing CSP, DOE is now funding and developing strategies to further operate the low-cost electricity producing solar panel technology technology. Currently, DOE wants to improve the use of CSP across the nation and then make CSP a competitive power source within the intermediate power market. These goals should be made into realization by the year 2015 and by the entire year 2020, DOE wants CSP to be really competitive inside the baseload power market.

The SETP program of DOE, in fact, manages the strategic interest to achieve CSP related goals. This is because CSP may be an aspect of the four subprograms of SETP aiming towards competitive advancements of solar energy products. The other three subprograms are Photovoltaics, Market Transformation, and Systems Integration.

Through SETP, DOE levels up its CSP research, development, and deployment efforts leveraging both industry partners and also the national laboratories. Additionally, DOE really wants to achieve CSP goals though cost-shared contracts using the industry, advanced research at its national laboratories, and collaboration compared to other government departments and organizations to deploy CSP technology. Also, outside companies and research organizations have collaborative efforts with DOE to generate CSP as among the best sources of energy in the near future. Their collaborative efforts include:

Linear Concentrator Systems – this consists of Research and Development or R&D on parabolic troughs, as well as on other line-focus systems for instance linear Fresnel reflectors.Dish/Engine Systems – this collaborative effort includes dish structures, mirrors, and Stirling engines.Power Tower Systems – links to R&D within other CSP areas that happen to be based on heliostats, receivers, and overall systems issues for central-receiver solar plants.Thermal Storage – including R&D on heat transfer fluids and thermal storage materials that will advance CSP systems.Advanced Components and Systems – here is the R&D revolving on the characterization plus the testing of CSP materials, components, systems, along with other cross-cutting CSP technology.

Find out more about the basics of CSP operations contained in the main technology areas.

If DOE will succeed in their dreams, CSP will surely be considered an excellent addition to the supplies of electricity for humans. By the year 2015, if DOE succeeds, humans can have a cheap electricity source obtainable for all.

With energy prices rising and energy resources rapidly diminishing, lots of us have turned to affordable residrntial solar wind power home kits to save money and help clean up the atmosphere. But professional contractors easily charge ,000 or more to install residential solar energy systems, and if you’re like me ,000 is a little hard to scrape together.

That’s why more and more people are just learning to build their own affordable residrntial solar wind power home kits for a few hundred dollars or less.

It is definitely possible to make your own solar panel and install it on your house or in your backyard by yourself, but usually you’ll find that the panels are too small and they just don’t produce enough electricity to power more than a few lights, let alone your entire house.

What’s a family to do? Fret not, there is hope yet and it comes from a man named Michael Harvey and his alternative energy research group called Earth4Energy.

Earth4Energy has put together the most comprehensive and easy-to-follow how-to guide to assembling your own residential solar energy system in your spare time. And the best part is you can outfit your entire house for under 0!

Check out all the information Earth4Energy has compiled and consider getting your family to help put the solar energy kit together. Michael’s instructions actually make it fun, and your family will feel empowered by severing the ties to money hungry utility companies.

Imagine all the things you could do if your utility bill was 80% less than it is right now. Assembling your own home solar energy system easily saves over ,000 a year in energy costs alone. And get a load of this: you can sell any extra electricity that your family generates to the utility companies. Can you see the giant smile creeping across your face as you cash your monthly check from the utility company?

Building your own solar power system is not only a great financial investment in you and your family’s future. It’s also a great investment in the future of the Earth.

So check out all the information, talk about it with your family and get out of the clutches of the utility company by generating your own electricity today! Ditching your utility company will be the best decision you’ve ever made, I promise.

Stop throwing money down the drain right now and make your own power with one of these affordable residrntial solar wind power home kits.

1. If you live in an area where wind averages around 8mph then a vertical windmill design is most suited to you. In this article we will look at 2 elements that can help you select the right windmill design, and make the most out of your do-it-yourself wind power project. once you know the average wind speed for your area, settling on a design is easy. For more information about windmills see these sites about building windmills at homeWhen it comes to windmill design there are several considerations that you should make before deciding on the way to build your wind turbine. Windmill Design – Considering Wind Speed the following serious consideration is location. The disadvantage to vertical blades is that they don’t rotate as quick and will not be ready to produce as much power without using a gearbox to extend the rotation at the wind turbine. A vertical turbine has blades that stand vertically from the ground, and a horizontal design is the commonest design ( the turbine configuration that bigger wind farms use ). If you want info on wind speeds, there are links to numerous wind maps on our DIY wind turbine page. A vertical design will take less wind to turn it, and so is more acceptable if there are some things blocking you from getting a 6-foot-diameter turbine up into the wind. Looking to get off the grid? Search for this ” Affordable Residrntial Solar Wind Power Home Kits “One term that has become popular online is Affordable Residrntial Solar Wind Power Home Kits Windmill Design – Considering Location If there are trees or building obstructing the wind, you could be better of returning to a vertical blade design. This part is extremely important if in step one you determined that a horizontal blade configuration was best. With 2 easy concerns you presently have the information you need to select the right windmill design and ensure your wind turbine provides clean power for many years to come. There are a large number of designs that you might go with, the most common being vertical or horizontal, but which you use is reliant upon a couple of factors. Check out this guide which shows you how to build solar panels

The industrial revolution has ushered in an era of a reliance on fossil fuels and natural gas. Our global environmental system has endured a major setback to its situation with only extremely few decades of man’s destruction even when it has survived on its own for ages and ages. Species of animals have been destroyed, our source of potable water is jeopardized and forests upon forests have been killed all in the search for much more fossil fuel. Within the dawn of a brand new era of alternative energy, solar energy brings forth a totally free and by-product free source of energy that we can make use. Read on to find out more of solar energy advantages and disadvantages and how it can assist us in our fight against fossil fuels and natural gas.

In the event you want totally free, get solar energy. No one can claim the sun as his own private source of power. It’s totally free for everyone to use and consume. The energy produced takes extremely little effort to convert and you will find no by-products to harm the natural environment. It is probably the cleanest form of energy you are able to use these days. Because the system for solar power can act independent from a communal power grid, this is the perfect source of power when you are situated far into a remote location. A couple of solar panels here and you are able to power your house independently from the national grid, making yourself independent from all of the power shortages and price hikes.

However, there will usually be a various side of the story. If you occur to live in a big house within the middle of the island, you need to make use of a lot of solar panels to create your home working in a normal condition. The majority of solar panel houses do not rely on air conditioning, as this eats up lots of energy and just focus the stored power on the lights, perhaps a refrigerator and a couple of more appliances. If the panels didn’t cost much, purchasing more panels could be an simple answer. There has to be a bigger scale production for the inorganic silicon-based solar panels to turn out to be much much cheaper for residential use. The solution which you will need in times of dire crisis may not be solar energy. The sun cannot be usually present especially during hurricanes, storms or even throughout the entire season of a monsoon. The solidity of solar energy as a source is now an problem. The power conversion can even be hindered by a volcanic eruption blocking the natural light from far away. You have to manually set up your system to take full advantage of collection from the sun’s rays since the program that permits your sections to automatically follow the sun throughout the day is too expensive for regular users. That is, if your solar panels are forever fixed to only either side of the home, then instantly, you lose half of the efficiency your solar panels can provide you.

The list of solar power advantages and disadvantages go on for mile after mile. But in actuality, the drawbacks only address problems regarding convenience. The pros definitely over-shadow the cons on this fight.

With new breakthroughs in technology it has in no way been simpler or more inexpensive to switch your golf cart to solar energy, and the advantages couldn’t be improved!

The increased gas prices go, the far more persons will search out an alternative usually means of transportation. Solar powered golf cart chargers are not only environmentally-friendly, but will extend your driving time as much as 12 miles every day! And golf carts aren’t just for the golf course anymore.

To make the best choice if solar power is ideal for you it’s finest to collect some facts on the many solutions obtainable currently, along with the pros and cons of every single. We all use our carts for distinctive factors so my demands in a technique may very well be far distinctive from yours, figuring out yourself and your cart it shouldn’t be difficult to choose which method is correct for you once you have a tiny background on solar power and how it translates to golf carts. Aside from all of the rewards you may gain, switching to solar energy is about taking a proactive step in preserving our environment plus the positive aspects to the earth need to far outweigh anything else.

The EPA states “For each and every 1.0 kilowatts of electricity generated by fossil fuel energy, virtually 2.five pounds of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. Utilizing solar energy instead of fossil fuel energy on the golf cart reduces the CO2 released into the air by 452 pounds per year.”

I’m not going to go into an extended drawn out write-up on the benefits of solar power in relation to the environment, most all of us already knows most of our energy sources usually are not only poor for the earth but are also depleting at an alarming rate. So, you should already have an concept that solar power is by far a single from the most effective forms of power as well as a single from the fastest progressing.

Now, how does solar energy apply to running a golf cart? Solar panels for golf carts have already been about for rather some time and had been originally made from glass. Seeing that they 1st came around have already been quite a few breakthroughs in each technologies as well as the use of diverse materials to not just a lot more solar absorption but to also make additional economical less complicated to use solutions.

The original glass panels are still broadly offered, even so they are high-priced, heavy, and in my encounter have a tendency to break readily. Created in a single solid piece they should also be shipped flat and consequently shipping on them is usually quite costly, as common ground services can’t ship them! Glass panels have to have direct “peak” sunlight to charge. So, following a specific point in the day or in cloudy climate they cease charging and also you simply run in your battery power. Glass panels also have be twice the watts to evaluate to some of the newer films!

One of the newest and greatest technologies out there at this time uses “Amorphous Silicon” to create a three layer cell. Exactly where each and every layer is tuned to a various frequency of sunlight, allowing the cell to convert extra from the solar spectrum into electricity. This “Triple-Junction” cell achieves a greater conversion efficiency and seems to deliver extraordinary quantities of power the additional your cart demands!! The initial or active best layer captures a portion from the solar spectrum, the remaining sunlight then penetrates towards the second layer which captures an additional aspect from the spectrum, after which the remaining light is then passed towards the third layer and final layer. This offers the cell the capacity to convert much more from the solar spectrum into electricity, achieving higher efficiency!!

Amorphous silicon cells are produced up of silicon atoms inside a thin homogenous layer rather than a crystal structure. Amorphous Silicon absorbs light extra efficiently than crystalline silicon, so the cells can be thinner. Also known as “thin film”, Amorphous Silicon is usually deposited on a wide range of supplies each rigid or versatile. Making it ideal for any curved surface or to enable folding. Amorphous cells are less efficient than their crystalline based counterparts, with a typical efficiency of about 6%, they may be considerably less complicated and less expensive to create!

From a golf cart standpoint I doubt any individual will ever see a mass created crystalline product, if there was a single made the cost would probably far exceed that of which a regular consumer could afford. Added to that, a golf cart does not call for as very much energy to run as say a house, so a thin film technological innovation produces extra than enough power for the carts demands!

Earth Care Goods Inc. makes an great thin film Amorphous Silicone solar golf cart top that installs in minutes straight in your current best. Voted a single from the “Best New Items From the Year” at the 2009 PGA Merchandise show in Orlando, now everyone can simply and economical convert their golf cart to solar energy!

The peel & stick design of Earth Care Merchandise solar golf cart tops makes it less complicated and more economical to go green. The unique silicon panels are flexible and lightweight, and almost unbreakable. Even a golf ball can not break them! This is the only solar golf cart process available that can make this guarantee. Switching to a solar energy system will improve your carts range between charges, extend battery life, and extra. All while doing something great for our atmosphere.

The secret of this process is in the patent pending 3 layer “Amorphous Silicon” solar panels that are every single tuned to a diverse frequency of sunlight, allowing the cell to convert additional of the solar spectrum into electrical energy. This “Triple-Junction” cell achieves an increased conversion efficiency and seems to give extraordinary amounts of power the more your cart demands!

The Thin Film Amorphous Silicon Solar Process was designed to charge a 12-24-36-48-72 or 96 Volt battery technique by supplying a minimum of 1.35 amps constantly to a 36 or 48 Volt battery bank (extended tops 2-3 amps minimum). This new technological innovation of two and three separate thin line panels has the potential to deliver up to 3-5 amps. In some studies people have went days, weeks, and even months without charging!

These revolutionary panels are able to develop watts constantly during direct sunlight, under artificial/fluorescent lighting, in cloudy or shady conditions, and even during rain or stormy weather! For just about every hour the leading is charging in peak sun, the original charge will maintain its distance, 1 additional mile will be added when driving on flat terrain.

The kit effortlessly installs in minutes straight in your current leading, increases the range of your vehicle, extends the life of your batteries, saves 452 lbs per year of CO2 emissions, and allows you to take advantage of great tax rebates for switching to solar.

Solar will also extend the life of your batteries by keeping them at a continuous charge! Active charging reduces sulfur content of the lead cells in batteries, sulfur buildup is the number one particular cause of battery failure. If a standard set of batteries lasts four years, the solar roof panel really should extend the cart’s battery life an additional two years or much more.

This method comes having a great warranty: 3 years on the panels and 5 years on the controller! The manufacturer even reports people employing their panels up to the 20 year mark with no problems or replacements. Compared to the older glass style that always seemed to break, that’s amazing.

Additionally, As of January 1, 2006 an investment tax credit of 30% went into effect for utilizing solar energy (IRS Form 3468 line 2b allows for a 30% tax credit for investing in solar). The solar panel and batteries are all considered part of a solar system on a vehicle. So, in addition to the solar credit you will be able to write off approximately 5 per year in your battery technique!

If you have got an EIN# and choose to write off your cart as a lease or purchase over a 5 year period, you might achieve up to 155% of your investment back! Or you can chose to basically take the deduction in the end of the 1st year, and receive the one time credit of 30%. In addition you can be able to write off approximately 5 per year on your battery technique. Individuals will receive the 30% 1st year credit and also the yearly battery advantages.

In addition, if you purchase a new set of batteries in the same time you purchase your solar process, it is our understanding that you get to deduct the full amount of those battery costs. Some states may permit additional tax credits and sales tax exceptions such as California, Arizona, and Florida!! Please check with your CPA and local state for extra information.

Switching to solar power is an excellent choice that allows you the freedom to get a lot more out of your golf cart, without sacrificing anything. You always have your batteries as backup when and if it’s best to need to use them. Knowledge is energy and solar might be confusing with all the possibilities offered, I hope this has helped give you a start in outlying some of those selections. Make the best selection for oneself and also the atmosphere and, “Go Green!”

Solar and wind power have certainly become the two most popular options in the search for a renewable source of energy. They definitely are not the newest ideas that are available as both have been in use for quite some years now. There still are some arguments, however, on the overall capacity and true potential of the two power sources as no one has yet been able to fully overcome the difficulties involved. Nonetheless, there are many questions and conclusions about which of the two would be a better investment, more energy-efficient, and cause the least detrimental effects on the environment in the long run.

Cost-Effective? One of the main concerns regarding solar and wind energy is the cost involved in constructing the plants and structures that are needed. But this is not the only factor that needs to be considered when trying to achieve a definitive conclusion as to which is really more cost-effective. The amount of energy generated, maintenance costs, and consumer payout also have to be recognized. A detailed analysis was facilitated by an energy company in Canada that compared the cost-effectiveness of solar and wind energy. This study concluded that wind power is slightly more cost effective than its solar counterpart. The test was conducted over a course of one year and wind power proved to cost just over less per kWh produced.

But the results are still open to debate, as since both are renewable sources, they would continually produce energy with only costs of routine maintenance. Therefore, in due time, the cost per kWh for both systems would continually decrease.

Energy Generation. Aside from cost, when comparing solar and wind power, the amount of energy generated needs to be examined in detail. A solar panel can generate 350 milliwatts per day from a 70 milliwatts per square inch panel exposed to the maximum amount of sun for five hours. This would mean that to power a regular household, a solar panel that is 285 square feet is needed. The same amount of energy though can be produced by one vertical wind turbine.

Another key point would be the maximum amount of energy that can be generated in one day under less than optimum conditions. Solar power is obviously hampered by nightfall and cloudy weather, whereas wind power’s limitations would in some way be geographical, as it needs to be positioned in an area that has constant access to wind.

Environmental Impact. Indeed, energy from the sun and the wind are highly environmentally friendly, one of the main reasons they are considered as the best sources of renewable energy. Nonetheless, there are still some risks involved. Wind turbines have generated a reputation for being unsightly and a great hazard to birds. On the other hand, photovoltaic cells require a huge amount of space, which can potentially harm the environment because of the need to clear big spaces of land. But because solar panels can be incorporated into already existing structures, like rooftops, this factor is less significant.

As the quest intensifies to find a more independent and clean source of energy for our society, the debate on which is a better option between solar and wind power may increase accordingly. However, ultimately, experts believe that the results would be best if both were used to complement the other. It really is not a matter of which is better, as we would be able to achieve more when the two are combined as compared to having them function as independent systems.