Amazon Green

Monday 26 September 2011

10 Interesting solar powered gadgets (Shahnawaz Naaz 22-09-2011)

solar wheelchair
solar wheelchairsolar wheelchair
‘Go Green’ is the buzz word these days with companies and innovative designers across the world coming up with the ideas of gadgets that are powered by solar energy. These solar powered devices are totally emission free and they operate using solar energy.
Here is the list of 10 interesting solar powered gadgets
1. Solar Powered Bikini
solar bikini
solar bikinisolar bikini
This unique bikini is fitted with small photovoltaic cells which make it work like a solar-powered gadget. Sunlight is trapped by these cells to generate electricity which can be used to recharge small gadgets. So next time when you for swimming you need not worry about battery life of your iPod.
2. Solar Powered Robot for Snow Surfing
solar robot
solar robotsolar robot
The idea of Solar Robot Snow Surfing is the brainchild of researchers at Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College. This robot can move at a top speed of 5mph and it can be used by scientists who are working in Antarctic. The robot has photovoltaic cells which trap solar energy and then generate power to move the robot.

3. Solar Powered Chariot
solar chariot
solar chariotsolar chariot
The Solar Powered Walking Chariot is designed and built by Bob Schneeveis, who is renowned for inventing eco friendly solar-electric gadgets and vehicles. Bob is well versed with robotics technology and rollerblading chariot powered by solar energy and one more example of Bob’s brilliance.
4. Solar Powered Sun Tent

solar rent
solar rentsolar rent
The solar-powered air conditioned New Sun Tent is best suited for those who pitch their tent in desert and warm places. The tent is eco friendly because the air conditioned operates using the energy of the sun. The solar panels are fitted on the roof. The manufacturers of this tent claim that in future they will design foldable tent which can be carried from one place to another comfortably. The tent is priced at around $5000.
5. Solar-powered Wheelchair
solar wheelchair
solar wheelchairsolar wheelchair
A team of researchers from the Southern Taiwan University of Technology has designed and built solar-powered wheelchair which are powered by the solar panels fitted on the roof. The solar panel also protects the person sitting in the chair from rain and sunlight. It is expected that this chair will soon go for mass production. The researchers claim that the solar-powered is cheaper than electric-powered chairs.
6. Solar-Powered Car Kit
DIY Kit
DIY KitDIY Kit
The solar-powered SUNN Solar Electric Car Kit has solar panel to charge the lead acid battery pack. The SUNN can attain a top speed of 25 mph. It has a maximum range of 37 miles. The SUNN is street legal in the US. It has a windshield wiper and disc brakes. Since the car moves at a low speed and that is why you can’t run it on highways. The solar panels are fitted on the front.
7. Solar Hearing Aid
solar hearing aid
solar hearing aidsolar hearing aid
Priced at below $100, the solar-powered SolarAid is a wonderful gadget and is set to become popular when it goes on sale. This unique gadget was created by Godisa Technologies in Botswana. The device is best for those regions where it is tough to find hearing aid batteries. The batteries of this ecofriendly solar hearing aid are recharged every four to six days.
8. Solar-powered Mower
solar mower
solar mowersolar mower
The Automower Solar Hybrid designed and built by Husqvarna is worth $4000. This solar-powered mower will definitely reduce your gardening bills. Solar energy powers this gardening robot which can cut grass quickly.
9. Solar-Powered Talking Bible
Solar Bible
Solar BibleSolar Bible
The solar-powered talking Bible is best for those who want to remain in touch with their religious values while on the go. You can carry this device in a lanyard. This ecofriendly device has a button which allows the user to hear both the old and new testaments by just a push.
10. Solar Powered Bike
solar bike
solar bikesolar bike
As the name suggests, the Solartrike is solar-powered bike with a 10-mile range. The green bike can attain a high speed of 18mph and is perfect for short distance traveling. The bike is available in two models: with a 200W or 400W motor. The solar panel can generate 80 W of power.

(Source: http://www.ecofriend.com/entry/10-interesting-solar-powered-gadgets/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ecofriend%2FWNra+%28Ecofriend%29

Thursday 22 September 2011

Solar Water Pumps

Solar water pumps are currently being used to water livestock, to provide potable drinking water and to irrigate crops. But unlike generator-powered water pumping systems, solar water pumps do not need fuel or even constant maintenance. Solar pumps usually cost less when it comes to operation and offers modular capability for it to be expanded quickly as the demand changes or increases, as compared to windmill or generator water pumps.


Features Of Solar Water Pumps 

With the advancement in technology, most solar water pumps nowadays have more improved features such as the following:

- Submersible solar pumps that can pump up to 200m heads.
- Pumps that are capable of pumping larger water volumes.
- Low maintenance requirements for as long as 3 to 5 years.
- Good performance that requires fewer solar panels but can still pump the same amount of water.
- Some solar water pumps can be backed up using a genset to generate electricity for addition water using the same pump.
- Good quality and more reliable pumps.
- Very simple to install.
- Requires very minimal attention since they are self-starting.
- Solar water pumps are good when used in boreholes as the can pump water the whole day.
- Weaker boreholes can be used effectively using a low volume pump as it pumps 8 to 10 hours per day.
- In several cases, a solar pump is considered as an ideal solution when it comes to diesel options that require operating funds, maintenance, and fuel for logistics, installation and de-installation.
- Tracking arrays can easily be used to increase the daily pumping rates of water.
- Solar water pumps can offer clean solutions as it does not pose any danger of contaminating the borehole.
Theft of solar photovoltaic panels has become a problem and so solar pump owners should know how to take preventive measures to avoid such incidents.

Solar Water Pumps Are More Cost Effective In The Long Term

Cost comparison was conducted for both solar and diesel water pumps based on the range of pumping heads as well as the range of daily flow rates. On the comparison conducted, all-inclusive costs were also taken into account. The operating costs, replacement cost, maintenance cost, initial upfront cost were all included in the comparison. To fairly compare the solar pumps against diesel pumps, all -inclusive costs should be calculated to get a more accurate result. The all-inclusive cost may usually take a long-term approach and should be calculated in a period of over twenty years, which is the minimum life expectancy of the solar panels as well.
The result of the comparison has shown that diesel pumps are almost 2 to 4 times more expensive than solar pumps in a span of 20 years, while pumping the same amount of water on average per day. So before buying water pumps for your home, make sure to do a little research. If your research and calculation show that you can save more when using solar water pumps, even with the cost of solar panels included, then it will be much better to opt for these types of pumps instead of the diesel dirty water pumps.
Solar water pumps are considered a more practical choice since it is cost effective in the long run, and does not need any means of energy-source aside from the sunlight that is generated using solar panels. To verify your cost calculations, you may wish to consult people who have used solar pumps and those who are using diesel pumps for more accurate comparison.

(Source: http://www.aboutpumpsguide.com/solar-water-pumps.html)

Wednesday 21 September 2011

Solar Power May Already Rival Coal, Prompting Installation Surge (By Ehren Goossens)

Solar panel installations may surge in the next two years as the cost of generating electricity from the sun rivals coal-fueled plants, industry executives and analysts said.
Large photovoltaic projects will cost $1.45 a watt to build by 2020, half the current price, Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimated today. The London-based research company says solar is viable against fossil fuels on the electric grid in the most sunny regions such as the Middle East.
“We are already in this phase change and are very close to grid parity,” Shawn Qu, chief executive officer of Canadian Solar Inc. (CSIQ), said in an interview. “In many markets, solar is already competitive with peak electricity prices, such as in California and Japan.”
Chinese companies such as JA Solar Holdings Ltd., Canadian Solar and Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. are making panels cheaper, fueled by better cell technology and more streamlined manufacturing processes. That’s making solar economical in more places and will put it in competition with coal, without subsidies, in the coming years, New Energy Finance said.
“The most powerful driver in our industry is the relentless reduction of cost,” Michael Liebreich, chief executive officer of New Energy Finance, said at the company’s annual conference in New York yesterday. “In a decade the cost of solar projects is going to halve again.”

Installation Boom

Installation of solar PV systems will almost double to 32.6 gigawatts by 2013 from 18.6 gigawatts last year, New Energy Finance estimates. Manufacturing capacity worldwide has almost quadrupled since 2008 to 27.5 gigawatts, and 12 gigawatts of production will be added this year. Canadian Solar has about 1.3 gigawatts of capacity and expects to reach 2 gigawatts next year, Qu said.
“You have to get better at it as well,” said Bill Gallo, CEO of Areva SA (CEI)’s solar unit. The French company could shave another 20 percent from the cost of making its concentrating solar thermal technology, and the same proportion from building and deploying plants, he said.
Electricity from coal costs about 7 cents a kilowatt hour compared with 6 cents for natural gas and 22.3 cents for solar photovoltaic energy in the final quarter of last year, according to New Energy Finance estimates.
Comparisons often overstate the costs of solar because they may take into account the prices paid by consumers and small businesses who install roof-top power systems, instead of the rates utilities charge each other, said Qu of Canadian Solar.
“Solar isn’t expensive,” he said “In many areas of the solar industry you’re competing with retail power, not wholesale power.”
Rooftop solar installations also will become cheaper, the executives said.
“System costs have declined 5 percent to 8 percent (a year), and we will continue to see that,” SolarCity Inc. CEO Lyndon Rive said in an interview. The Foster City, California- based company is a closely held installer and owner of rooftop power systems. 

(Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-05/solar-energy-costs-may-already-rival-coal-spurring-installation-boom.html)

Monday 12 September 2011

Cheaper options for solar power (By Hussain Ahmad Siddiqui | InpaperMagzine)

RAPID development in solar energy technologies has made it an alternative to fossil-fuel power generation in many countries.
But Pakistan does not have to depend on borrowed ideas for generating bulk solar power at a high cost, when other economical options are available.
In a bid to overcome electricity loadshedding, the Punjab government has moved to tap possible energy resources for power generation on fast-track basis. An agreement was signed by it in July last year with a German firm to establish a 50-mw solar energy unit at Jalalpur Pirwala, Multan, apparently without conducting any project feasibility study. The first-ever solar farm costing $150 million, was to be installed within six months. But there is no physical progress achieved as yet.
Likewise, the government of Sindh has allowed an independent power producer (IPP) to construct a 50-mw solar power generation unit at Dhabeji and allotted 150-acres land to the investor at a nominal cost. The project, for which an agreement was signed by the sponsor with the same foreign company during the same period at a total cost of $125 million, was scheduled to generate power commercially by December 2011. So far, no construction activity has been undertaken at the site.
Both the projects are based on solar photovoltaic (PV) system and are proposed to be connected to the national grid. Seemingly, the projects are non-starters for a number of reasons. First, solar thermal electricity is the most expensive among other renewable energy resources.
In case of hydropower, and even wind energy, availability, reliability and affordability of power is comparatively much higher, since solar units usually attain the rated output only for about two hours a day around noon.
Also, capital cost is higher. Cost per mw for these solar projects works out to be $3 million, whereas hydropower costs $1.5 million and coal-fired $1 millon per mw, according to international markets.
Second, solar technology selected is not appropriate for on-grid application as its adoptability to the existing grid remains problematic, and in some cases, disruptive to the grid.
The power generation occurs only when sunlight is strong, weather not cloudy and supply to grid fluctuates broadly resulting in irregular, intermittent feed.
Third, the plant module, technology selected and foreign partner are apparently not suitable. The German company specialises in commercial and residential PV systems, having individual installations of maximum one megawatt only, and not having a utility-scale system.
There are no references for large-scale utility projects either in Germany or in export market. It has recently completed a 463-kW commercial project in the UK (equivalent to meet energy requirements of 125 homes on yearly basis).
Primarily, there are two solar systems for generation of electricity using solar energy – directly, using PV system, which is the most common, and indirectly, utilising concentrated solar power (CSP) system. By the end of year 2010, global installed capacity of solar PV power was about 40,000 mw. Germany alone ranked as the world leader in the field has installations of 17,370-mw cumulative capacity.
Normally, the maximum size of a solar electric system is of 20-mw capacity. The Sarnia Solar Project in Ontario, Canada has just become the largest PV solar power plant in the world with the recent quadrupling of its size from 20-mw to 80-mw capacity. The CSP technology is employed for large-scale power generation and has the ability to store energy as sunlight generating strong heat that, in turn, is used for power steam turbine.
The CSP technology, commercially developed in the late 1980s, is now proven and has an installed capacity of over 1,000 mw world over. There are four types of CSP plants: (i) parabolic trough, (ii) compact linear Fresnel reflectors, (iii) dish Stirling (parabolic) and (iv) solar power tower. International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that technology could be developed as a source of bulk power in peak and intermediate loads by 2020 and further, in base load, by 2030. Thus, within two decades the CSP technology might be able to compete with coal-fired power generation.
Currently, Mojave Desert of California has the world’s largest power plant, of 354-mw capacity, based on the CSP technology.
Now, Abu Dhabi plans to develop a 100-mw solar power plant adopting the CSP technology. Construction of the plant, which would cost $600 million, is scheduled next month.
Pakistan has abundant solar resources, while almost half of its population is devoid of electricity connectivity. There are about 40,000 villages with more than three million households that are without access to electricity and will remain so for long if allowed to depend on grid connection. Nevertheless, low-technology solar option offers long-term solution for electrification in these far-flung areas.
Based on PV, stand-alone solar systems are being used economically as a source of electric power for remote areas not connected with the grid. By the year 2010, a total of about 650 kW of PV have been installed for village electrification in Sindh and Balochistan. In addition, another 4,500 houses in Dalbandin (Balochistan) have recently been energised with solar power.
Moreover, stand-alone solar systems in the range of 600 watts to 5 kW have been installed in Sindh under the prime minister’s initiative.
Various NGOs have also electrified 485 houses in the FATA, about 2,000 houses in the AJK, and 12 solar panel systems of combined capacity of 3,600 watts in ten villages of Ziarat district (Balochistan). Other applications of solar energy in these areas are solar space heating, water heating, lighting, cooking, process heating, water pumping and telecommunication, etc.
The trend is being followed in urban areas. Besides street lights, a number of public and commercial buildings, including mosques, hospitals and parks, have been illuminated through solar energy. List covers the Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum and two systems of 180-kW each on grid solar system in Islamabad.
A number of solar thermal appliances such as solar cookers, solar water heaters and solar lights have been introduced in the country. Punjab also plans installation of tube-wells to be operated with solar energy at a cost of Rs1.36 billion.
Large-scale solar thermal power generation cannot play, and should not be allowed to play, a significant role in meeting power demands mainly for the reason that immense potential exists for hydropower and coal resources, which are abundant and cheap, and comparatively have many advantages for development under local conditions. This potential is required to be harnessed optimally and speedily. Simultaneously, solar PV system also needs to be developed further.

(Source: http://www.dawn.com/2011/09/12/comment-and-analysis-cheaper-options-for-solar-power.html)

Photovoltaics among fastest growing industries in the world by Staff Writers Ispra, Italy (SPX) Sep 08, 2011

Photovoltaics among fastest growing industries in the world Brussels, 5 September 2011 -The tenth edition of the JRC PV Status Report indicates that in 2010, the photovoltaic (PV) industry production more than doubled and reached a world-wide production volume of 23.5 gigawatt (GW) of photovoltaic modules.
Since 1990, photovoltaic module production has increased more than 500-fold from 46 megawatts (MW) to 23.5 GW in 2010, which makes photovoltaics one of the fastest-growing industries at present.
Photovoltaics is a method of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity. It is one of the most promising technological options to realise the shift to a decarbonised energy supply.
Current solar cell technologies are well established with sufficient efficiency and energy output for at least 25 years of lifetime. This reliability, in addition to the increasing potential of electricity interruption from grid overloads, and the rise of electricity prices from conventional energy sources, add to the attractiveness of photovoltaic systems.
In 2010, the world-wide photovoltaic production more than doubled, driven by major increases in Europe. For 2010 the annual market volume of newly-installed solar photovoltaic electricity systems varies between 17 and 19 GW, depending on estimates. This represents mostly the grid-connected photovoltaic market, as there are no reliable estimates available for the non grid-connected market.
The report, published by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) shows that with a cumulative installed capacity of over 29 GW, the European Union is leading in PV installations. By the end of 2010, European photovoltaic installations provided more than 70% of the total world-wide solar photovoltaic electricity generation capacity.
The photovoltaic industry has changed dramatically over the last few years. China has become the major manufacturing centre for solar cells and modules followed by Taiwan, Germany and Japan. Amongst the twenty biggest photovoltaic manufacturers in 2010, only four had production facilities in Europe, namely First Solar (USA, Germany, Malaysia, Vietnam), Q-Cells (Germany and Malaysia), REC (Norway and Singapore) and Solarworld (Germany and USA).
A special feature is the dramatic price reduction for solar modules by almost 50% over the last three years. This can be explained by the evolution from a supply to a demand-driven market and the resulting over-capacity for solar modules. Business analysts predict that investments in PV technology could double from euros 35-40 billion in 2010 to over euros 70 billion in 2015, while they expect prices for consumers to continuously decrease.
Even with current economic difficulties, the number of market implementation programmes is still increasing world-wide. Examples of such measures to promote the use of PV technology include renewable portfolio standards, and feed-in tariff tax incentives. Coupled with the overall rising energy prices and pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, this will continue to keep demand for solar systems high.
In the long-term, growth rates for photovoltaics are expected to remain high. The study concludes that in order to maintain the high growth rate of the photovoltaic industry, different pathways have to be pursued. There is a need to reduce the material consumption per silicon solar cell because the cost of silicon is one of the main price factors of such solar cells.
In parallel, the manufacturing of thin-film solar cells should be increased and the introduction of concentrated photovoltaics (CPVs) should be accelerated. Concentrated photovoltaics (CPVs) is a new technology which substitutes semi-conductor material with cheaper concentrating lenses, typically of plastics.

(Source: http://www.solardaily.com/reports/Photovoltaics_among_fastest_growing_industries_in_the_world_999.html)

Friday 9 September 2011

New fuel discovered that reversibly stores solar energy By Yun Xie

Since the 1970s, chemists have worked on storing solar energy in molecules that change state in response to light. These photoactive molecules could be the ideal solar fuel, as the right material should be transportable, affordable, and rechargeable. Unfortunately, scientists haven’t had much success. One of the best examples in recent years, tetracarbonly-diruthenium fulvalene, requires the use of ruthenium, which is rare and expensive. Furthermore, the ruthenium compound has a volumetric energy density (watt-hours per liter) that is several times smaller than that of a standard lithium-ion battery.
Alexie Kolpak and Jeffrey Grossman from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology propose a new type of solar thermal fuel that would be affordable, rechargeable, thermally stable, and more energy-dense than lithium-ion batteries. Their proposed design combines an organic photoactive molecule, azobenzene, with the ever-popular carbon nanotube.
Before we get into the details of their proposal, we’ll quickly go over how photoactive molecules store solar energy. When a photoactive molecule absorbs sunlight, it undergoes a conformational change, moving from the ground energy state into a higher energy state. The higher energy state is metastable (stable for the moment, but highly susceptible to energy loss), so a trigger—voltage, heat, light, etc.—will cause the molecule to fall back to the ground state. The energy difference between the higher energy state and the ground state (termed ΔH) is then discharged. A useful photoactive molecule will be able to go through numerous cycles of charging and discharging.
The challenge in making a solar thermal fuel is finding a material that will have both a large ΔH and large activation energy. The two factors are not always compatible. To have a large ΔH, you want a big energy difference between the ground and higher energy state. But you don’t want the higher energy state to be too energetic, as it would be unstable. Instability means that the fuel will have a small activation energy and be prone to discharging its stored energy too easily.
Kolpak and Grossman managed to find the right balance between ΔH and activation energy when they examined computational models of azobenzene (azo) bound to carbon nanotubes (CNT) in azo/CNT nanostructures. According to their calculations, placing azobenzene on carbon nanotubes will stabilize both the ground and higher energy states. There is a decent energy gap between the two states, meaning a good ΔH. Second, stabilizing the higher energy state means that the activation energy is large enough to give the photo-excited azo/CNT material a relatively long half life (over one year).
In terms of energy storage, the azo/CNT nanostructures outdo lithium-ion batteries. Kolpak and Grossman calculate that the azo/CNT system will have volumetric energy densities of about 690 watt-hours per liter; lithium-ion batteries range from 200 to 600 watt-hours per liter. For comparison, azobenzene alone has a volumetric energy density of only about 90 watt-hours per litter.
Kolpak and Grossman’s proposed azo/CNT system could be adapted for use with other photoactive molecules, as it appears that placing them on carbon nanotubes enhances their energy storage properties. This is perhaps the most important result from their work.
While Kolpak and Grossman have presented a promising new approach to making solar thermal fuels, there are potential drawbacks, and the fact that they haven't actually created the substance isn't even the most substantial. The energy stored in the azo/CNT system can only be released as heat. If you want to use the stored energy to power electrical devices, you would need to convert the heat to electricity. This adds a step that requires more equipment and can result in energy loss during the conversion.

(Source: http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2011/07/a-new-fuel-that-reversibly-stores-solar-energy.ars)

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