Energy Storage – Essential to Renewable Energy

Electric energy storage has becoming a more dominant topic of the overall energy management discussion primarily because of the: Increased production of electric vehicles being plugged into outlets for recharging every evening, Advent of net-zero homes, and Expansion of intermittent solar and wind generation into the mainstream of energy supply options. As these factors begin to take on greater...

Extraterrestrial Energy – Moon or Sun Power

Control Room for Nuclear Fusion The search for viable forms of clean alternative energy continues as each potential solution carries with it significant shortcomings: Nuclear power presents environmental challenges, in the disposition of high and low level radioactive waste or in the event of a nuclear accident (e.g. Chernobyl), The sun can be impacted by the presence of clouds, Winds are...

Impact of Renewable Energy on Electric Transmission

Renewable Energy Impacts Transmission Grid Wind Power - Alternative/Renewable Energy The anticipated increase in renewable electric power generation (particularly wind power) will most likely be satisfied by the trend toward non-utility companies building only transmission facilities.  These trends are: Largely driven by the advent of independent power producers (IPPs), vertically integrated...

Are Renewables Mainstream?

Figure 1-Wind Farm There is a prevailing view is that renewable electric power generation in its many forms is entering the mainstream as a viable alternative to the more traditional fossil fuel alternatives. Assisted by the ever increasing list of states with renewable portfolio standards (RPS), and continuing advancements in technology to enhance affordability, wind and solar generation are...

Introduction to Thermal Technology

With the pending threat of continually rising natural gas prices, alternative energy technologies are taking on greater significance. This article on thermal technologies explains how  the natural tendency of heat to travel from hot to cold is leveraged to turn heat into useful energy. Thermal Technology – Beyond Photovoltaic Panels Figure 1-PV Panels Photovoltaic (PV) panels are used to...

Solar Shingles

Solar shingles are an integrated photovoltaic (PV) product that directly generates electricity from sunlight and in some cases converts electricity to heat. They are made of the same material used in conventional solar panels: Wire Photo sensitive waterproof product Material to generate electric current in sunlight Like solar panels, solar shingles generate electricity. But, unlike solar...

Spray-on Solar Panels

Solar Panels According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), by 2020 photovoltaic (PV) technology will represent 15 percent of the energy consumed in the U.S. and the National Center for Photovoltaic (NCPV) expects that 10 percent of the power produced during peak times will be by solar energy. Solar energy is plentiful, clean, and renewable. In fact the amount of energy provided by...

Solar Panel Cleaning

Solar Panels Installing a Photovoltaic (PV) system represents a huge investment, but one that many feel is worth the price both financially and environmentally: PV systems convert sunlight into electricity without producing air pollution or hazardous wastes. In a typical year, fossil fuel plants produce 2.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide, as million tons of sulfur dioxide, and 7 million tons of...

Solar Energy at Night

The energy emanating from the sun can be converted into electricity by using: Photovoltaic Cells where semiconductor materials absorb photons and releases electrons, or Solar-Thermal Turbines that generate steam from the sun’s heat, spinning a turbine to produce electricity. Since cloudy days and nighttime limit the practical conversion time of the sun’s energy, traditional applications of...

Solar Panels – The Asphalt of the 21st Century?

With the increased focus on renewable energy, solar panels, which are more formally referred to as photovoltaic cells, are becoming more widespread in: Roofs of homes, reducing the amount and cost of purchased electricity, Roofs of hybrid cars, powering its air conditioner and thus placing less drag on the gasoline-powered engine, and Calculators and small electronic devices. There are thoughts...