The Benefits and Disadvantages of Solar Panels and Wind Turbines

The decision as to whether to use solar panels or wing turbines depends greatly on where you live and the climatic condition of the place. However, in this article, I will discuss mainly on the benefits and shortcomings of solar panels and wind turbines.

The benefits of Solar panel among others are as stated below:

#1
They are easily increased in the long run without much cost. In other words, you can add to the number you have depending on your purchasing power and time. Don't feel that you must install the entire system into your residence all at once, rather, you may chose to be doing it bit by bit till you have a complete installation. No matter the one you set up, you will be required to buy less electricity from the utility company.

#2
It is easy to build and less expensive compared to the commercial solar power systems. You can build a photo voltaic panel quickly for a very meager amount.

#3
It is completely silence. The generator doesn't make noise and it doesn't pollute the environment.

As good and important as this new development is, it has its shortcomings also. Among its disadvantages are:

#1
The photo voltaic panel does not operate at night although you may still be connected to the electrical grid. This means that you will still be able to purchase energy at night and sell the electrical power you generate back to the power company in the day time without hassle.

#2
Its effective functioning will depend on the weather and the climatic conditions. In other words, residential solar energy will function very well in Phoenix than it will do in Seattle.

Wind turbine benefits:

#1
Its maintenance is minimal and cheap once it is installed. You can assembly a very good wind turbine for a very low cost. However, if you can build it yourself, you will not only build it very cheap but also doesn't need to purchase it commercially.

#2
It generates electricity 24/7, whenever the wind blows.

Wind turbine is also with its own shortcomings. The cons of it are:

#1
It causes bird hazard if it is installed on top of the roof. Birds always fly into the blades and are killed or get injured.

#2
Compared to the residential photo voltaic that is completely silence, wind turbine generators are noisy and can pollute the environment.

Finally, there is none you choose between the two types that you will not enjoy the benefits. You will have lower or no electricity bills and there will be less carbon dioxide emitted to the atmosphere which will save the environment from pollution
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The Top Benefits of Using House Solar Panels

In almost every part of the world, energy conservation is one of the vital things to consider. The scarcity of non renewable energy resources has led to the task of finding more and more alternatives sources of energy. Some examples of renewable energy are: hydropower that converts flowing water into usable energy, biomass or bio-energy produced from converting agriculture and wood products into usable energy, geothermal energy that uses the power of steam coming out from earth's surface and it is used to rotate a turbine that power electric generator, wind energy that is produced using wind vanes and/or windmills, and solar energy that uses Photovoltaic or PV cells to absorb the solar power using solar panels and converts the suns energy into electrical power. Solar energy has provided benefits in most residential commercial and industrial establishments. House solar panels has already been proven effective and cost efficient energy source.

Because the solar energy emanated from the sun is free and it can reduce energy consumption expenses, it is a far better option to use in residential establishments than any other alternative resources of energy. House solar panels provide a lot of advantages. Aside from the fact that the sun is always free, it is environment friendly, clean, sustainable and renewable form of energy. It does not need any major maintenance job and do not emit any substance that might pollute the air. Although the initial cost for installing the system is considerably expensive, the savings that you will receive in the long run will cover it up. Using solar energy is a long term investment and one should not expect for immediate results.

The use of photovoltaic cells has been proven reliable that its practicality and functionality even reaches beyond home use. Smaller PV cells are mainly used to provide power for house solar panels and other solar powered products like calculator, flashlights, cars, and many others. With enough solar energy available, a household owner can now have the privilege of using its output energy to run the electrical appliances and light the entire house. It may also be used for heating and cooling water resources for showers and pools. Large types of photovoltaic cells has been a vital source of energy to power the whole towns like the Baramati in India and Mullumbimby in Australia.

Solar energy is said to become a hit in the future when it comes to alternative energy resources. Other natural resources like oil and natural may deplete but the sun will always be available. Even businesses nowadays are embracing the idea of using solar energy panels to provide electricity. The application of solar energy using house solar panels promises not only a sustainable environment but also a better future.

Almost all budget conscious homeowners are looking for House Solar Panels and have an eye with regards to the increasing demand for alternative energy source. The wide selection on the House Solar Panels are some of the examples of the available house products that can give solar energy source.

Solar Power Motor Vehicles For The Future

You can now get a considerable variety of machines, appliances, gizmos and gadgets operated by solar energy. There's also numerous residences, houses, industrial facilities and businesses powered by alternative energy sources. Solar powered cars have also risen in popularity as men and women became more aware of the numerous positive aspects of the renewable energy resource. It is possible to save thousands of dollars in petrol costs every month by selecting a solar powered vehicle. You have to understand the different available benefits and alternatives first. Here are several more details about how you can get the very best type.

The Solar Method

For some regions of the world, the totally solar powered car might not be possible, because of the lack of sunlight. For other regions of the world it may possibly be the only choice available.

A solar vehicle is identified as an electric vehicle that's powered only by solar energy. The power is gained through solar panels on the outside or the top of the vehicle. PV or photovoltaic cells change the energy of the sun directly into electrical power. Solar vehicles are not utilized as everyday transportation devices presently. These are generally still utilised in engineering tests and exhibition practices, usually backed by private or government agencies.

Solar cars usually merge the different technology found in bicycle, aerospace, automotive and renewable power companies. The design of the solar vehicle is limited by the energy level placed into the auto. Virtually all solar cars were created with the objective of solar car races. They're now increasingly being developed and made for day-to-day use. Solar cars are normally equipped with the gauges comparable to standard cars. The driver has to watch the gauges closely to see potential issues and keep the vehicle operating smoothly.

Solar cars make use of PV cells to transform sunshine into electricity. 51% of sunlight actually enters the earths atmosphere. Unlike solar thermal energy which transforms solar energy to heat for business or household purposes, PV cells can directly change sunlight into electrical power.

Gathering Solar Power

The solar array is produced of many photovoltaic solar cells that convert sunlight into electricity. To create an array, the PV cells need to be bundled together to build modules which are placed together to make an array. The bigger arrays can create more than 2 kilowatts or 2.6 hp of power.

This photovoltaic array may be fitted in a variety of ways. Just a few ideas are horizontal arrays can be fitted in the form of a canopy. Vertical arrays could be installed in the form of incorporated or free standing sails to also have the advantages of wind power. Flexible solar arrays can be tilted around the travel axis to improve energy once the sun is low and to the side. Integrated arrays could cover the whole surface of the vehicle with solar cells. Remote arrays could be completed by creating photo voltaic arrays at various intervals along the side of the road. The trailer array might be accomplished by retro-fitting current vehicles, however there would certainly also be the problem of balance with this thought.

Put Into Practice

The first industrial electro-solar hybrid car, called the Venturi Astrolab has been around since 2006. Some companies in May 2007 also made changes to a Toyota Prius to work with solar cells to produce up to 240 watts of electrical power in the sunshine. Golf buggies are shown to have very practical uses if operated by solar power. The Solartaxi was also recently unveiled. And a solar powered car has traveled around the world, or 50000 kilometers in just eighteen months.

Electric Aircraft - Future of Air Travel...

One of the biggest expenses in operating an aircraft is the fuel bill. This is really high at the moment with the price of aviation gasoline the same as the fuel for your car. The other repetitive expense is the cost of maintenance for the engine. So what if you do without an engine and buy a glider? Well, you still have to get it into the air by towing or winching and there is a lot of dependence on the wind for the timing and length of your flight.

But, the answer may have been found to these problems with the aircraft that made its debut at the Air Venture show at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It is the Electra Flyer-C which has the flying attributes of a glider combined with the power of an electric motor to launch and power the flight. The motor runs from a Lithium Battery which then drives a 45 inch diameter propeller. With a top speed of 90 MPH and a cruise of 75 MPH this compares well with other small single engined aircraft. The duration of up to 2 hours is low but as this is a new technology the battery and motor efficiency will no doubt be improved and better endurance will result. A full charge can be done in as little as 2 hours and the manufacturer thinks it will cost of 60 cents on your power bill. The other saving is there is little maintenance compared to the traditional piston engine.

So, if you are interested in being on the cutting edge of 'green' flying visit their site and learn more about this innovative technology. If commuting is not for you then how about the Sky Spark? This low wing twin seat battery powered aircraft holds the speed record of 250 Km/hr! Now that will be the one to have when you are late for the office. Of course if there is no rush then the Solar impulse would be the one to choose. This aircraft has 11,000 solar cells which charge lithium polymer batteries, these in turn power the electric motor and the 11 foot diameter propeller. Although not fast it is able to sustain long flights with a 24 hour flight on solar powered batteries on 8th July 2010. The aircraft is planning to circumnavigate the world in 2012.

So get with the program and go green.
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Eco-Friendly Solar Airplane

In the year 1999 history was made when Bertrand Piccard made the first non-stop journey around the world in a hot air balloon. Eleven years later; Piccard is making history again as the Co-founder of the Eco-friendly Solar Impulse; which is a Switzerland led solar powered airplane development project. The recently debuted carbon fiber Solar Impulse airplane has officially ushered in a whole new Green era of cutting edge solar powering technologies. The energy efficient Solar Impulse airplane triumphantly glided into the Payerne airfield in Switzerland; making it the first airplane to ever complete a 24 hour non-stop flight; fueled only by the natural power of sunlight.

CEO and pilot Andre Borschberg performed the Eco-friendly Solar Impulse test flight; putting to action those advanced energy efficient solar technologies that he, Piccard and their team had developed. The advanced technologies designed into the Green Solar Impulse airplane needed to not only harness and convert the sun's energy to sustain the airplane during its day-time flight; but also needed to incorporate high performance energy efficient batteries that would convert and store the extra solar energy needed to power its night-time flying hours.

It took seven years of planning for the team to develop the Eco-friendly Solar Impulse airplane. The solar powered airplane has the wingspan of a Boeing 777 (207 feet) and comes in at about the weight of a midsized car. The powered solar airplane is equip with 12,000 solar cells and was designed with a single seat cockpit.

Andre Borschberg, a former Switzerland fighter pilot, took off in the solar powered airplane equipped with an emergency parachute, the plane's advanced Eco-friendly solar cell technology and a sophisticated energy efficient computerized monitoring system. He was able to effectively navigate the plane through thermal winds and turbulence; all the while enduring freezing night time temperatures. Andre Borschberg prevailed by completing the first successful flight of a fully solar powered airplane; lasting 24 consecutive airborne hours. The energy efficient Green aircraft was able to reach speeds of 75 mph and soared to heights of 28,000 feet. At the end of his Eco-friendly flight; Andre Borschberg brought the historic Solar Impulse airplane in for a graceful touchdown; effectively bringing home a perfect landing for this record-breaking solar plane Green legacy.

Hundreds of cheering Eco-friendly supporters awaited Andre Borschberg landing this cutting edge solar powered airplane; many of which helped to balance the Green airplane upon landing so that it did not tip and scratch up its wings. An unexpected success came from the recorded data that had the airplane ending its flight with more than 20 percent extra solar energy being collected than was originally expected. The onboard advanced computerized system monitored operations and optimized energy efficiency during the flight.

Andre Borschberg had this to say shortly after landing the energy efficient Solar Impulse solar powered airplane: "Everything went very well, it's really unbelievable," Andre Borschberg went on to say; "We demonstrated it is feasible to fly day and night; which means this technology can be used to save energy and to produce energy, and that's exactly what we wanted to show."

Some of the Solar Impulse airplane's ongoing primary goals have been to develop advancing energy efficient technologies, develop renewable and sustainable Eco-friendly fueling sources and to build an aircraft designed to only use solar power; all of which is geared towards a successful Green flight around the world. Although this event was only a milestone in the grand scheme of things; the test flight of the Solar Impulse airplane has shown positive and successful possibilities for bringing that ambitious ultimate goal closer to a reality.

This groundbreaking Green technology and advanced design shows tremendous Eco-friendly potential for future sustainable and renewable air travel alternatives. It is with this revolutionizing cutting edge Solar Impulse airplane that we can now see, firsthand, the potential possibilities being inspired by the innovative challenges of transforming, storing and managing solar power. This further encourages the theories that it may indeed be possible for an airplane to fly indefinitely; powered only by energy efficient, sustainable and renewable solar energies.

Excitement and anticipation is already focused on the team's next solar powered airplane; of which is to be built incorporating all the Green knowledge, data and improved Eco-friendly technologies that made this successful flight possible. Their next and more advanced solar powered airplane is expected to be ready by 2013. It is being specifically designed with high hopes of being able to travel around the world with only five stops along the way.

The Solar Impulse Aeroplane - Environmental Friendly Flight

In a world almost entirely reliant on fossil or other non-replaceable fuels (such as uranium), the idea of finding a replacement source of energy can be hard to fathom on such a scale. Solar panels and wind turbines can produce electricity, yes, but they can't effectively power a car or a plane, can they?

That assumption is about to change. With the unveiling of the Solar Impulse, an aeroplane powered entirely by solar energy, the limit of solar power's usefulness has been challenged - particularly the world's assumptions about its basic fundamentals.

The main limitation that solar power has always faced is the fact that solar panels can only work while the sun is in the sky. This means that during the day, the energy must be stored in batteries; all very well if you're only using the power to turn the lights on at night, but not very useful if you need to, say, fly a plane day and night.

Despite that, this is exactly what the Solar Impulse plans to do in its attempt to be the first solar-powered aircraft to fly around the world. And its amazing design - a wingspan the size of a Boeing 747, and the weight of an average family car, means that it can continue to store ample energy to keep it aloft during the night, even while it flies through the day.

Unveiled in June 2009 by Bertrand Piccard (one of the two men who first flew non-stop around the world in the Breitling sponsored balloon Breitling Orbiter 3, and the man who initiated the project,) and Andre Borschberg, the Solar Impulse HB-SIA will have made its first test flights by the end of the year, with an all-night flight over Switzerland planned for 2010. A second aircraft, the HB-SIB, will be built to make the 2012 flight around the world in five stages, each of which will last several days.

This is the culmination of six years of work for the team, a triumph of science, technology and the imagination and passion to keep going. And therefore it is only natural that esteemed watch manufacturer Omega should have been one of the sponsors for the project; it is a work of equal dedication to the intricate design work of a finely-tuned watch movement. The watch industry is also notable for many environmental interests from manufacturers across its spectrum, with many becoming carbon neutral and supporting initiatives across the world.

Omega's pioneering spirit also fits the theme of the Solar Impulse's mission, and Stephen Urquhart, Omega's President, said he hoped Omega would continue to work towards developments in sustainable energy. For an industry whose most prestigious and luxurious products can be powered simply by the swinging of the wearer's arm as he goes about his business, this is not an impossible dream.