On the Importance of Developing Solar Power Technology

Having solar panels installed in your San Diego home helps the economy of California, and the United States in more ways than one. First of all, the nonrenewable sources of energy that the US consumes are costly and are imported from other parts of the world. On the other hand, investments in renewable energy are utilized for spending on materials and worker skills mostly based within the state or country. In this manner, jobs are created and local economies are given opportunities to grow.

Second, as long as the US remains dependent on other nations for energy resources, it would always compromise its security and economic policies. In fact, interests on the sun, as a source of light energy that could be converted to electricity has been around since the 1860s as the fears of the depletion of coal crept onto societies of that period.

Interests in developing solar energy again were renewed more than a century later in the seventies beginning with the Yom Kippur War, where American assistance to an attacked Israel caused Arab countries to proclaim an oil embargo. In the late 1990s, concerns about global warming became one of the prominent reasons for developing solar and other sustainable forms of energy.

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On the Many Benefits of Installing Solar Panels

Gone are the days when sunlight was dismissed as a mere source of heat. With the invention of the solar panel, mankind can now utilize sunlight as an alternative source of electricity. More and more people are realizing the many benefits of having solar power breathe life into their appliances and other machinery. This is why power companies that offer solar panel installation services are starting to emerge.

Homeowners who are using solar panels are more likely to save money. Unlike electricity rates that continue to fluctuate at the slightest market disturbance, the price for solar power will not surge since the energy source – which is the sun – will not be waning in the near future. Residents will also be able to fulfill their role as responsible citizens with the help of solar panels, as they would no longer have to rely on dirty fossil fuels like coal, gas, and oil to survive.

With solar power in his grasp, one can stop depending heavily on foreign energy. Doing so has caused a dent in the nation's national security and economy. As such, turning to solar energy may be a solution to this growing problem, as it has the potential to stop the ascent of the demand for energy. There is also a chance that the probability of foreign wars, price spikes, and disasters related to energy issues will significantly drop through the power of the sun's light.

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Getting the Right Amount of Amps for your Cells

An array of solar cells positioned atop your house can help reduce your energy bills. However, these solar cells must be properly installed and oriented to follow the sun's track across the sky. Clear weather permitting, solar cells have the potential to pump much electric energy into your home or building. However, an extensive array of photovoltaic (PV) cells can be tricky, as far as the amount of power you need is concerned; therefore you will need to compute the amperage.

First, study the documentation in your solar power system for the panel's maximum rated power in watts and the maximum voltage or Vmp. Divide the maximum wattage against the Vmp to get the total number of amps produced when the panel's at maximum capacity.

You will have to hook up the panel to a digital multimeter set to direct current voltage, and list down the voltage readout. Turn the multimeter to resistance-measurement mode, and list down the number of ohms. Divide the voltage against the number of ohms to get the actual number of amps produced by the panel at normal capacity.

The number of amps generated by each panel will give you clues as to how much power your appliances actually need. This can help you and your contractor figure out how many solar cells are needed in case you're interested in a full array.

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California's Solar Output Up by 26 Percent

With a 26 percent increase in solar utilities in 2012, California reached the halfway mark of its 3,000-MW goal. According to the Public Utilities Commission, the state has enough solar panels to produce more than 1,600 MW of solar energy, good for powering around 150,000 homes. Much of this increase is attributed to rooftop solar utilities, which contributed an additional 400 MW to the total solar energy production of California. Only time will tell whether or not the state can meet its goal by 2017.

The California Solar Initiative (CSI) is the biggest solar energy program in the United States in terms of budget: almost $2.4 billion, mostly for rebates. At least 30 percent of the cost of installing solar utilities is returned to homes and business. The CSI encourages homes and businesses all over the state to harness the power of the Sun, contributing to a broader plan of sustainability.

For the CSI to be able to meet its goal by 2017, the already-high demand for solar panels and utilities must remain at its current state. With the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station shutting down altogether by 2014, state officials have to make up for lost power, which amounts to more than 1,600 MW for all three reactors. Fortunately, homeowners and business owners will have the benefit of producing their own power with solar utilities.

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Solar Power vs. Wind Power

Renewable energy is clean, affordable and infinite. It doesn't produce emission and can help imaintain clean air and water. The two most common forms of renewable energy are solar power and wind power.

Solar Power

Solar energy is used to generate electricity which can be used to power many household appliances like the air conditioning unit, heater and range. It is collected and converted during the day when the sun is at its peak; and used the most at night. Harnessing solar energy reduces carbon footprint because no fossil fuels are burned. It's most cost effective when power or electricity rates go up.

Wind Power

An example of one of the common ways to harness wind energy is the wind turbine or windmill. Wind turbines have blades more than 200 feet high which are moved by wind power to create electricity. They provide unlimited clean energy as opposed to energy from fossil fuels.

Wind turbines, like solar panels, are efficient but environmental restrictions can limit their installation. While solar panels can be placed on roof tops and can blend with the urban landscape, wind turbines are not that easy to put up. Since these are huge structures, they are not fit in densely populated urban places so they are rarely a good power alternative in the city.

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How Solar Cells Power Your Devices

The hype over solar energy has been going around for decades, and technologies that use them, like calculators, solar cars, and solar lamps, are now a common thing. The dream is to someday harness all the energy that the sun radiates to the Earth to lessen demands for electricity; but for now, powering individual devices would do.

Solar cells are used for many things, but not a lot of people truly understand how sunlight is converted into electricity. The answer to that question lies within that small box of black panels you see on your calculators.

Solar cells, which are also called photovoltaic (photo means light and voltaic means electricity) cells, directly convert light into electricity by using semiconductors like silicone. When light enters the panels and hits the cells, the semiconductors knock off a few portions of light and absorb the rest. The absorbed portion is turned into energy and is then to a free flowing electricity by knocking off a few electrons.

When the electricity starts flowing, it is guided by an electric field produced by the solar cells. This current is than tapped by metal contacts that guide the electricity to power a  particular device.

For devices that demand a lot more power, a battery may be installed in the system to hold the power provided by the solar cells. An inverter that would regulate or convert the energy may also be used.

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Superman, the Supreme Solar Panel

Superman is one of the greatest and most popular comic book superheroes ever. However, few know the reason why he wears red underwear outside his costume. The answer is found in the era when this fictional character was conceived—the 1930s. Back then, circus strongmen wore underpants over skintight spandex to signify their super-strength and endurance. Joe Shuster, the original Superman artist, literally drew inspiration from this strongman ideal, and  this article of clothing had stuck (and refused to be undressed) ever since.

Another piece of trivia may surprise people: Superman is a solar battery. All his powers depend on solar energy, absorbing and converting it into fuel, pretty much like solar installations. In the real world, the process of converting solar radiation to current electricity to generate electrical power is called photovoltaics, or PV, In this method, solar panel semiconductors, commonly made of silicon, generate electrical power by converting solar radiation.

These rectangular panels can be installed on the roof as roof tiles, flat-roof mounted or ground mounted. Using solar energy has many benefits, including free energy, zero greenhouse emission, and reduced carbon footprints.  Although solar energy is still quite expensive and its storage technology is still in its infancy, it will soon save man from destroying himself, something even Superman can't do. Call your local solar installation company to discuss with you this energy saver.

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