logo

Search
Recommended Products

Related Links


 

 

Energy Saving Articles

Cities, States and Others Step up Action on Climate, Despite Federal Reluctance
Last year, Pentagon defense adviser Andrew Marshall issued a harsh warning of the consequences of climate change: mass chaos, national security crises and food shortages. If climate change occurs abruptly, the report declared, there could be...

Clearing out hallways
The door and hallway is considered the mouth and throat of the home in feng shui, the ancient Chinese art of furniture placement and energy flow, so if yours is cluttered up with junk, your home is basically choking and you will feel depressed or...

Efficiency Equals Reduction
Efficiency Equals Reduction (400 words) Imagine that if at the grocery store the person bagging your purchases left empty, unused spaces in each bag causing you to carry 10 instead of 5 bags out to your car then into your home. You would be...

Sustainability Today
Sustainability Today Achieving a sustainable lifestyle today is of paramount importance for the health of future generations. The devastation of our natural environment by individuals and corporations who carelessly pollute the water and...

The "Reduce" of Recycle and Reuse
Most of us are familiar with recycle and reusing, but how often do we think of the third R - REDUCE? "Reduce" is probably the most important of the three Rs because, if we reduced, it would limit the need to recycle and reuse. By reducing,...

 
Photovoltaic Systems - Energy from the Sky

As people search for alternatives to fossil fuel energy, solar energy emerges as one of the cleanest and most practical sources of electricity. Solar panels can be installed on rooftops or any area that receives a lot of sunshine. The solar panels consist of a photovoltaic system that converts the energy of the sun into electricity.

Photovoltaic systems have existed since the 1950s but only in recent years has the technology matured to the point of making it a viable alternative to power utilities. Indeed, most solar systems do not replace the utility company, instead they work in conjunction with it to produce extra electricity that can be fed back into the grid.

One of the main problems with solar power is storing it for use during non-daylight hours. Batteries can be used but they are expensive and have a limited life span. As an alternative, excess solar electricity can be fed back to the power utility company for a credit, and then power can be drawn when needed. In a sense, the utility company becomes the storage device.

Most municipalities have legislation requiring power utility companies to


accept electricity produced by solar panels or wind turbines. This system benefits everyone - there is less dependency on fossil fuel power plants and electricity costs are reduced for owners of photovoltaic systems.

Photovoltaic cells produce electricity by using specially treated materials such as silicon that convert light into power. They can be of almost any size and are suitable for providing electricity for small items such as calculators or watches right up to complete industrial complexes. Because they can be wired together, an array of solar cells can produce enough electricity for residential or commercial needs.

The main requirement, of course, is sunlight. This makes solar power most practical for southern areas such as California and Arizona. But it can also be used in more northerly areas as a backup power system. As the technology advances, photovoltaic cells are able to produce usable amounts of electricity even in low light conditions.

About the author:

Ross is the leading author of http://www.alternative-energy-guide.com/