Green Energy WA

Solar panels can be a great help to sailors, keeping vital lights and appliances functioning, even when batteries run low or a generator malfunctions. They

Solar panels can be a great help to sailors, keeping vital lights and appliances functioning, even when batteries run low or a generator malfunctions. They are also a much quieter way of recharging batteries!

Learning how to install marine solar panels will be vital for the sailor who wants their advantages, but first he or she must learn which solar panels are best. Three types of solar cells are commonly used in solar panels, each with its own advantages. The sailor needs to learn these advantages and select the solar panels that are best for the need.

Types of Solar Panels

Solar panels must be kept from shading, as shaded cells draw energy for themselves from other cells.

1. Solar panels using monocrystalline cells have high conversion efficiency, and take up less space, but lack shade protection.

2. Solar panels using polycrystalline cells have even higher conversion efficiency, take up even less space, but still lack shade protection.

3. Solar panels using amorphous silicon cells have lower conversion efficiency, and take up more space, but do have shade protection. This can be especially important on a sailboat.

Marine solar panels are available in both hard and flexible types. Hard solar panels can be attached to the deck, while flexible solar panels might be attached to deck or canvas.

Size and Number of Solar Panels

Learning how to install marine solar panels will include calculations to determine what size and how many solar panels you will need. This information is readily available on the Internet by searching the question: “What size solar panel do I need” on your favorite search engine. The rule of thumb is to allow for 20% more solar panel power than you estimate you will need.

Placement of Solar Panels

Once you have determined the size and number of solar panels needed, you will be better able to determine where they will be placed. The best places depend on the boat’s configuration and size of the panels. Take your time and think it through. Read the instructions that came with your solar panels. You will want to avoid all violations of warranty terms.

The simple answer to how to install marine solar panels is: in the sun. Select locations that will get maximum sunlight without shaded spots.

In placing marine solar panels, consider the use of extra bars/braces to secure the panels. You obviously want them to remain stable.

How to Install Marine Solar Panels

Your marine solar panels should have clear instructions for installation. In addition to those, consider the following.

Most marine solar panel systems have three main components:

1. Solar panels to collect sunlight and produce a charge for you.

2. Charge controller to regulate the charge entering your battery and avoid overcharging it.

3. Batteries to store the energy your solar panels created.

Once marine solar panels have charged your batteries, you can use that energy to run most 12 volt DC appliances. These might include your safety lights, regular lighting, pumps, and fans, as well as small appliances. If you add an inverter, you can also run 120 volt AC appliances such as a microwave, radio, satellite dish, or radio. An inverter is a separate unit, not mentioned above, that transforms the current coming out of the battery into that required by most appliances.

First off, check to see that the system has a voltmeter. If it does not, purchase and install one. This will allow you to check the charge you are getting.

Affix your solar panels securely in place, and connect them per the instructions included in your kit. Use only tinned marine grade wire running from the panels to the batteries. If you are unsure of the wire you are considering, ask questions. Regular automotive wire may look similar, but in marine conditions, it will lose its ability to conduct electrical power.

If you are a keen gardener, you have probably come across solar water features. Below we look at some of the benefits of using them in your garden.

As the experts are shouting louder about environmental melt-down, the amount of solar products on the market over the last few years has significantly increased. This is not only good news for those of us who are determined to be greener within our everyday lives but also for those of us wanting a larger range of products in general. For the gardeners out there, the range of solar products for garden use just gets bigger and bigger. Below we take a closer look at some of the benefits of using solar water features.

There are plenty of different innovative solar water features on the market so what are they and why would you choose them?

Solar water features are usually placed in the garden and involve using the power of the sun to move the water within the feature. They are normally powered by a little pump which derives its energy directly from a photovoltaic cell which converts solar power into electricity. Differing water features which are suitable for solar power usage include, cascading waterfalls and fountains.

The benefits of using solar powered water features include:

An environmentally friendly way of enjoying garden water features

The constant relaxing sound of running water to be enjoyed throughout the sunny days when you are in your garden

Versatility in the number of different materials the feature can be made from, ranging from terracotta to metal

No mains electricity supply needed and so no strain put on electricity bill

An easy way to brighten up a corner of your garden, decking, terrace, balcony or patio

Many solar water features are self-contained which means that you recycle the same water over and over again

 

brought to you by – Green Energy WA

Living in Nevada, the sun is an almost constant companion. This gives Nevadans a unique opportunity to use solar radiation powers for good. In April, a tour of southern Nevada homes shed some light on the subject of solar powered homes. Hosted by the American Solar Energy Society, this Nevada branch of the National Solar Tour explored homes that used both passive and active solar power, thermal hot water systems, and other environmentally features. However, unless you’re a green technologies expert, or took the tour, you may not know the difference between passive and active solar, or how thermal hot water is different than average. Let me help you understand!

Active solar technology is the one that most people may be familiar with. It involves having a solar panel that collects the sun’s energy and converts it into electricity. These have a battery where energy is stored, so electricity can still be used at night, and, to a certain extent, on cloudy days. Solar panels are an excellent way to make electricity, especially in remote areas. While they are moderately costly to set up, and do require some maintenance, they provide reliable and free electricity, even in climates far less sunny than Nevada’s.

Passive solar technologies are far older than active ones, and involve utilising the natural heat and light the sun creates, without converting it in any other way. Have you ever noticed that after a long, hot day, south-facing rocks, pavement or brick and adobe buildings will radiate warmth? They have spent the day passively collecting solar energy, and are releasing it. Some materials are better at absorbing and storing that heat energy than others. For example, wood insulates, meaning it will block temperatures, whereas stone will absorb and release temperatures. Homes that are built to take advantage of passive solar are often constructed of brick, adobe or concrete. Cob is another passive-solar-friendly and ancient building material that is going through a revival of sorts. It is made of sand, clay and straw, similar ingredients as adobe, but adobe is baked into bricks and stacked, whereas cob structures are free-formed while the material is wet. Passive solar homes usually have a lot of windows lining their south walls, and less so their east and west walls, with little to no windows on the colder north sides. These windows do two things. First, they provide natural light inside the home, one aspect of passive solar. Second, they allow heat to come into the home. If the home has a stone tile floor and even walls, that tile will absorb the heat, releasing it later when the outside temperature drops.

Passive solar homes can be designed to be cool in summer while using the sun to warm them in winter. For example, if shutters are closed during summer months, the home will remain much cooler. Also, the height and angle of overhang can be considered to maximise the windows exposure to low winter sun, but minimise exposure to the high summer sun. Alternatively, I saw an interesting example of someone planting deciduous trees on the south side of their home. In the winter, the trees had no leaves and so let in a lot of light and heat. In the summer, their thick greenery provided shade that kept the house cool.

So that is the major difference between active and passive solar technologies. Since passive solar is essentially free, it would be wise for any architect or home designer to take it into consideration when building new homes. Well designed passive solar homes can greatly reduce their electrical energy needs. And while active solar is brilliant technology, it still takes many resources to create. Plus, it may be superfluous in an area with an existing electrical source.

As for thermal water heating, it too is a very simple concept. Home made thermal water heaters can be as simple as an outdoor water tank painted black, but that’s a little crude for most tastes. However, there are a variety of styles out there. Some have panels that are metal painted black and enclosed with glass, with copper pipes filled with water running through them. This water will heat, and is then pushed by gravity into an insulated storage tank. Some solar water heaters use a similar set-up but with tubes filled with anti-freeze that are then hooked up to a heat transfer loop, where water in a storage tank is heated. Whatever system you use, thermal water heating is surprisingly affective.

There are a lot of ways to take advantage of the sun and use less electricity. Check out next year’s National Solar Tour to see them for yourself.

 

Article presented by www.gewa.com.au – Green Energy WA

ENERGY RECOVERY SYSTEMS – THE FUTURE
Without doubt one of the most exciting progresses in the industry today. Energy Recovery. Our technicians will show you how you can turn all the air exhausted energy into money, simply by using the exhausted air/gas to power the turbine. Its the future and we have it today. Call Green Energy WA now!

Green Energy WA has now a dedicated site to this subject. Come visit us here! http://energyrecoverysystems.com.au/wp/

ABOUT WIND POWER

Wind is a form of solar energy. Winds are caused by the uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the irregularities of the earth’s surface, and rotation of the earth. Wind flow patterns are modified by the earth’s terrain, bodies of water, and vegetation. Humans use this wind flow, or motion energy, for many purposes: sailing, flying a kite, and even generating electricity.

The terms wind energy or wind power describe the process by which the wind is used to generate mechanical power or electricity. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power. This mechanical power can be used for specific tasks (such as grinding grain or pumping water) or a generator can convert this mechanical power into electricity.

So how do wind turbines make electricity? Simply stated, a wind turbine works the opposite of a fan. Instead of using electricity to make wind, like a fan, wind turbines use wind to make electricity. The wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes electricity.

Types of Wind Turbines Modern wind turbines fall into two basic groups: the horizontal-axis variety, as shown in the photo, and the vertical-axis design, like the eggbeater-style Darrieus model, named after its French inventor.

Horizontal-axis wind turbines typically either have two or three blades. These three-bladed wind turbines are operated “upwind,” with the blades facing into the wind.

Sizes of Wind Turbines Utility-scale turbines range in size from 100 kilowatts to as large as several megawatts. Larger turbines are grouped together into wind farms, which provide bulk power to the electrical grid.

Single small turbines, below 100 kilowatts, are used for homes, telecommunications dishes, or water pumping. Small turbines are sometimes used in connection with diesel generators, batteries, and photovoltaic systems. These systems are called hybrid wind systems and are typically used in remote, off-grid locations, where a connection to the utility grid is not available.

Wanting to save energy is always a good idea. Indeed, electricity generation, according to the methods of production, can be added to the list of factors that deplete the planet. The financial aspect is also taken into account, and electricity prices, like most other energy sources (especially fossil fuels like oil, which we derive most of our fuels) end to always increase.

In response, more and more solutions are emerging; the most famous one is that of the purchase of photovoltaic panels. But even if subsidies are available to assist in this investment, this is an option that is only available to those who own a home that enables the installation of such panels. Tenants, living in apartments or whose roof exposure is not appropriate will not benefit. Fortunately, alternatives exist for those who cannot afford a photovoltaic kit.

The wind generator is a particular alternative for the proud owners of large gardens, but not only! Indeed, there are now small models that can be installed on the house roof to produce at least part of the electricity consumed by the household. Newer models are more productive while being quieter, and allow for constant use in particularly windy areas, even if they are not sunny.

But for those who cannot afford to invest in such facilities, there are still alternatives to save electricity on a daily basis. Ideas abound, and manufacturers creativity and competition offered u really ingenious gadgets and practices. For example, a solar battery, which is recharged by placing it directly in the sunlight, will charge many electronic devices such as mobile phones, mp3 players or even, for a little more powerful model, your laptop. By the same principle, you will also find battery chargers or laptops equipped by a solar panel. That said, the system of the outer solar battery is preferable since a single battery allows you to charge many devices as long as you have the necessary adapters. A solar backpack can also fulfill this role.

Besides photovoltaic electricity generation, there are other ways to utilize solar energy, for example by using solar thermal panels, which can heat water in your home, or devices like the solar cooker allowing you to cook entire meals with nothing but solar energy, for a much healthier food than the one you can get with a barbecue, well known for introducing harmful elements in food!

Basma Jalloul – International Green Energy Correspondent – 07/03/2012

Google announced in November 22, 2011 the termination of seven projects, including an improvement of solar energy.

As the search engine had then announced that it published the data from the research projects abandoned “Renewable Energy Cheaper Than Coal” (RE <C, for “renewable energy cheaper than coal”), a project announced four years before.

Promise kept, with the publication yesterday of a blogging company (dedicated to open source) data and code for the project REHopS (heliostat optical simulation) software to simulate heliostats (solar devices turns).

Among the published data and codes, says Google, we can find enough cheaper heliostats designs, as well as wind measurements made for thirty days with ultrasonic anemometers and some data obtained in a heliostat NASA wind tunnel.

700 Million Euros Invested In Renewable Energy

Important detail: contrary to what several papers announced last November , Google has not ”abandoned renewable energy,” but its own research in this area.

The company has in fact neither given up investing in this area (more than $ 915 million - 700million - mainly in 2011 and in solar and wind power) nor increasing the share of electricity it consumes from renewable sources - 25% in 2010, 30% in 2011 and 35% expected in2012.

Basma – International Green Energy Correspondent – 02/02/2012

Being in the business of solar energy, we see a lot of new and exciting products long before they hit the store shelves. We attend a lot of tradeshows and industry conferences, and it never ceases to amaze me how passionate people are about their newly-developed applications. While it is nowhere near the end of the year, we felt we would share some of these amazing products with you, our loyal readers.

One of the most interesting products we have seen this year comes out of a university in UK. It is being called the “Sun Trap”, and it is garnering a lot of excitement in the world press. It is not exactly a revolutionary idea, but it certainly is an innovative use of existing technology. It is a handbag designed using photovoltaic material as an exterior, while the interior of the purse is lined with electroluminescent material. When the bag is opened, the interior lights up! It is powered by a small battery that is continually charged by the sun throughout the day. No more searching for your keys in the night!

Another fine product that we see as being incredibly practical is the solar panel for notebook computers. This an incredibly handy tool for those people who spend a lot of time outdoors. We have all had situations when we are far from an outlet and the laptop dies. Isn’t that the worst? Well, this product has the potential to solve that problem…so long as a light source is available. I plan on taking mine on my next camping trip!

There are also some awesome new products designed for use in your yard or garden. I am particularly keen on some of the great garden lighting systems that have recently been released. These are basically small lights that are used to illuminate garden paths and walkways. They are charged throughout the day by the sun, and they stay lit well throughout the night. There are also new solar powered rodent repellers that are an excellent alternative to using chemicals or traps to keep rodents out of your garden.

These are just a few of the exciting products that have seen the light of day. Engineers and inventors around the world are working to develop some wonderful new products. It is very refreshing to see that people are devoting time and effort into developing sustainable energy applications. It is only a matter of time before all energy products are designed with the interests of sustainability in mind.