One of the more frequently asked questions about solar electric systems regards battery power. More specifically, the amount of battery power needed for a specific system and how to calculate that need. Well, as it turns out, that is a fairly easy question to answer. It all depends on your daily power usage, in watts.
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Archive for September, 2008
Rural Madagascar Clinics Get Solar Power
Posted in September 30th, 2008
Imagine going to a clinic and having whatever operation or whatever medical procedure. Now that is scary enough right because anything bad that could happen could happen. Now imagine doing that but going to a clinic which does not even have electricity. Very, very scary.
Now it may be scary for you but that is reality in some of the rural clinics in Madagascar. But things are changing now that solar power has been giving power to these rural clinics. Says Elisabeth Razafindrataka, one 53-year-old resident of the place, “My 13 children were born in the old hospital by candlelight; my daughter is fortunate to have given birth in these conditions.” She even did say that before, you had to bring candles if you were to give birth at night.
Solar power has been given to these clinics four years ago and people have become very thankful. After all, rural clinics in the country actually do see around 400 patients each month. That’s a huge amount of patients. And when some emergency arises, it’s good to have electricity.
Tags: Madagascar, rural clinics, Solar, solar-power
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Solar Panel Power Source and Wind Power: Energy Hybrid
Posted in September 30th, 2008
When it comes to alternative energy source being combined for better and more efficient power production, one combination that really has a great potential is the solar panel power source in combination with the wind power source. This type of solar power and wind energy is definitely becoming a power solution especially in places where the ready availability of conventional source of power and energy is a problem.
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As electricity in many remote areas can become quite unreliable and not always available 24/7, there should be a energy back up if power is needed all the time. Fortunately, existing for quite some time now is one of the most popular power alternatives that one can obtain to work towards complementing the conventional electric power from the local power grid – this is the solar panel power source.
Wind power, on the other hand, is another type of clean and renewable source of energy. Wind power can be effectively combined with the power coming from solar panels, with the former acting as an efficient back up to the latter. This is effectively going to work as a power hybrid, much more than if the solar and wind power sources are tapped separately. One effectively complements the other. For example, if it is a non-windy and sunny day, the windmill will not be able to generate power; however, the solar systems will work for power generation.
Locations that are off-grid are the best places where the wind and solar panel power source system can be utilized. The power hybrid is ideal for small homes, schools and farms. The panels can be directly mounted atop the wind mill tower, where they can receive the maximum amount of sunshine.
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$40 Million Raised in First US Carbon Credit Auction Fueling Investments in Solar Energy
Posted in September 30th, 2008
The United States just had it’s first cap-and-trade greenhouse-gas auction which raised nearly $40 Million dollars. This money in turn will be used to fund reduction or avoidance of CO2 in end-use energy efficiency in the building sector using solar (among other technologies).
Auctions like this one have been scheduled to occur quarterly and are being fed by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) which requires all fossil fuel-burning power plants in a 10-state Northeaster US region to buy credits to offset the carbon they emit. This first auction is part of a series that is being used to model a national program which is still under development. Participating states include: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Programs like this foster innovation in solar technology as solar panels in new and existing buildings would provide energy, long term cost savings, reduced greenhouse gases, as well as carbon credit which is earned in the auction. This additional source of fiat value created by the carbon credit system trickles back down to R&D being done as solar technologies expand into building technologies.
The value demonstrated in this first cap-and-trade auction was $3.07 per alloted ton of emissions. This market driven price is up from the minimum set price of $1.86. Most of the bidders in this premier auction were power generating companies who burn coal or natural gas to generate electricity.
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