Solar Panel Prices Likely to Increase

May 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

ALBANY — This week’s move by the federal government to slap higher tariffs on Chinese-made solar panels could encourage more makers to set up shop in New York and elsewhere in the U.S., but also discourage potential customers as prices rise.

“We have people on both sides of the fence on this one,” said Ron Kamen, president of the New York Solar Industries Association, which represents solar equipment makers and distributors, and businesses that install the equipment.

He said Friday that domestic solar panel makers support the tariffs, which would be raised from 31 to 210 percent after federal trade officials ruled that Chinese makers were selling panels in the U.S. below what it cost to make them. “We need to develop a sustainable domestic industry, and have a level playing field to accomplish that,” Kamen said.

But raising tariffs on imported Chinese panels will raise the prices that customers ultimately pay, which could dampen demand, something that is troubling to companies that distribute and install equipment, he said.

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/business/article/Solar-panel-prices-likely-to-rise-3570110.php#ixzz1vKLlduJq

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Transparent Solar Panels – The Good and the Bad

December 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

So what are Transparent Solar Panels and what are the good an bad about them?

Transparent solar panels differ from regular solar panels in that they are felixble and more portable.   They also typically can produce more power than conventional solar panels.  As with regular solar panels you can find transparent solare panels based on capactity, how transpaent they are and a host of other factors.   The advantage of transparent solar panels is that they are a thin film that can be used anywhere from say a window pane to being used in a traditional solar power panel.  When used as a film they elimitate the need for a rooftop space or open space.  Below you will find some of the good and bad associated with transparent solar panels.

The Advantages of Transparent Panels

The main advantage is that they produce more power than traditional solar panels.   Because of the flexibility of the film they can be used in non-traditional locations such as on existing windows or other surfaces that would typically not be good mounting sources for solar panels.

One installed these solar panels will yield increased solar output allowing for better use of our natural resources and reducing our dependancy on other less efficient means of producing power.

The disadvantages of Transparent Panels

The biggest drawback to these is that they don’t perform as well in low light situations and cannot be easily integrated into existing solar installations.  You would more than likely have a higher up front cost due to this if you already have an existing solar setup.

Conclusion

Solar technology is growing in leaps and bounds and in the future we will see an ever increasing use of solar technology.

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Federal Government looking at sites for Renewable Energy Potential

November 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Finally some good thinking on the part of our governent.  

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency along with the National Renewable Energy laboratory in Colorado plan to spend time in the next 18 months assessing 26 site.   These sites include Landfills, brownfields and Superfund sites.

They range from an open pit copper mine in New Mexico to landfills in Arizona, Louisianna and New Jersey.

The potential here is that we can put renewable resouces in places where we can’t really put much else without having to use green spaces to do the same thing.  Imagine a day where the huge covered over mounds of trash provide methane energy and solar power all on the same land.  There are thousands of acres that fall under these conditions.

Hurrah, now hopefully they’ll get it done.

Read More on Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/11/05/feds-evaluate-sites-for-renewable-energy-potential/?test=eim

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Don’t buy solar panels, build them for less

July 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Why you should run like hell from $10,000 and $20,000 retail solar panel systems.  Why not build your own solar panels.  Our DIY Solar panel instructions will get you started.

A little known way to slash your electric bill by 80% or more (or even get off the grid entirely)

How a “technologically retarded” guy stumbledon a way to generate free energy with homemade solar panels

A simple, 5-step process for building your own low-cost solar panels
And how to say “goodbye” to the electric company… and “hello” to clean, FREE electricity!

Learn More Here

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Going Green With Solar Panels

February 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Solar panels are gaining interest among people of in this energy crunched world.

What are solar panels?

They are an array of photovoltaic cells which capture the energy of the solar rays. In simple terms, the solar panels capture the energy from the sun during the day for later use. Solar energy is renewable source of energy and does not get depleted like coal or natural gas. It can be tapped as much as required and used to power all our energy needs. With the invention of solar panels, which has helped mankind tap the solar energy, solar power has become an increasingly powerful source of energy in the last decade or so.

What are solar panels made of?

Solar panels are made of crystalline silicon and gallium arsenide. The same silicon is used in the microprocessor chips. The gallium arsenide is very expensive which also makes the initial investment cost of solar panels high. These panels harvest the solar energy and convert it to electricity. The electricity produced depends on how much of energy is harvested. Roughly, a solar sell of 0.2 m in diameter can create electricity of 2 amps of 2 volts when exposed to direct sunlight at the surface of the equator. However, the electricity production is decided not only by the size of the panel but also by the quality of materials used in making the solar cells. With time as well as with wear and tear, the electricity production capacity of the solar cells comes down.
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Can you save money by installing solar panels?

February 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

As the prices of oil and gas continues to go up and up, the installation of solar panels is giving many families solace and stability. The sun offers an almost infinite source of energy. No wonder so many people are rushing to install solar panels. Indeed, their popularity is increasing so rapidly that manufacturers of solar panels are having difficulty keeping up with demand.

The Two Types Of Solar Panels

Predominantly, solar panels come in two types. There are solar energy panels in the form of ‘solar thermal collectors’.  These focus solar energy into a liquid medium, usually water, heating the liquid that is then utilized as and where it is required. The other type of solar panels is known as the photovoltaic module. These solar panels convert the sun’s energy into electricity, which can then be distributed immediately or stored within a battery to be used later.

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