Curing Dust-Bowl Blues With Solar

In Los Angeles, California, the city’s Department of Water and Power (DWP) is eyeing flat, dusty, arid Owens Lake as the potential site for a future mega-solar farm, but the initiative is focused less on clean, renewable solar energy than on preventing the interminable dust storms generated by the dry lake bed.

Owens Lake started to run dry when, in 1913, the city began diverting water from the Owens River. By 1926, the former lake was a shallow hardpan. Today, it ranks as the largest single source of PM10 dust (windborn dust particles smaller than 10 microns) in the United States. In fact, one estimate suggests the lake produces up to 8 million metric tons per year.

The DWP thinks that covering 616 acres of the lake bed with solar panels could cut down on dust storms, which threaten the health of nearby Keeler and Ridgecrest residents by delivering up to 23 times the amount of airborne particulate matter federal levels suggest as safe.

The plan may be a good one, since attempts to achieve dust control by flooding the lake bed have met with limited success, and flooding – at least this year – may be further hampered by a cutback to California’s 2010 water delivery, limiting the state to 5 percent of the water it has normally been allotted over the past 40-some years.

The solar project is backed by $500 million in funding, which buys a lot of solar panels, but the proposal still has to win the approval of the California State Lands Commission, largely because the DWP wants the commission to waive an environmental impact review.

Another project deterrent may be the designation, by Audubon California this year, of Owens Lake as one of the 17 most important avian sanctuaries in the state, and an emerging “wetland in the making” as bird watchers record the return of record numbers of migrating waterfowl to the partially flooded lake basin.

The DWP has promised to continue flooding at least a portion of Owens Lake to appease these environmentalists, and is in meetings with Inyo County officials, ranchers and residents to win regional support for their proposal.

The response of the former is likely to be guarded; the response of the latter looks largely promising as the state eyes renewable energy resources like solar not only as power sources but badly needed boosts to a failing economy. California is in such dire financial straits that Los Angeles recently raided its recycling initiative fund to balance the budget.

Another plus on the project side is that flooding Owens Lake sufficiently to reduce dust uses enough water to supply 60,000 households. If the DWP plan, which proposes to flood a smaller area than normal for dust control, can salvage even a third of that water, it looks like an environmental win-win.

The DWP proposes starting the solar array with a small test plot, to see if solar panels and migratory waterfowl can coexist, and if a field of solar panels can actually help prevent dust storms.

This pilot project would generate about 50 megawatts by 2012, and save 2,460 acre feet of water per year, or enough to provide for about 4,000 households practicing water conservation measures.

“best Solar Panel Power” System © – Best-kept Secrets!

Did you know that “Best Solar Panel Power” System easily enables you to construct your very own power-supply-system? Many users already found out that this technique can successfully operate almost any home-appliance. Follow this report in order to learn more and understand how it can help you.

Some background

What is this “Best Solar Panel Power” System all about? Well, it is about reading one of these easy-to-use guides that walks you through the steps of assembling Solar-Cells which are the most essential component. It may sound obvious, but be sure to choose the right guide; make sure it provides clear information including videos, diagrams, and support. In any case, here are just a few advantage & advices that can help you out.

Main advantages

Finally, when looking for the bottom-line, we easily identify the following benefits:

* Cuts down on the usage of non-renewable enr. resources.
* Should you create more energy than needed; the power-company will actually pay you!
* Enables us to store the produced elect.-power at zero cost.
* Saves hundreds month-after-month.
* Helps our nation on becoming less dependent on external oil suppliers.

Quick tip

Pulling yourself “off the grid” all at once isn’t recommended – do it gradually and slowly, use your new sys. while keeping the ‘Main-Grid’ as backup for possible extreme electricity usage.

Summarizing this article

Using such powerful “Best Solar Panel Power” System opens up an outstanding opportunity for any of us to ‘cut’ our elec. expenses once and for all. We could probably indicate many other advantages provided by this exceptional invention, simply because it brings a real change to this industry. The first action you need to take is to evaluate it so you could explore the various advantages that it provides.

Generate Your Own Power – Build DIY Solar Power

Many people want to generate their own energy, but they do not really know where to start. Of course you can spend the rent and thousands of contractors ($ 10,000 or more) on commercial solar power systems. Several years ago, nobody knew how to build solar power systems for their homes, thinking that this kind of project would be too difficult for ordinary people. But today there are a number of easy DIY alternative energy that you generate electricity at home at an affordable price. Get Best Make Solar Panel and Make Wind Turbine Guide

The Guide: Top Rated DIY Solar Power Instruction Manual “Earth4Energy” – $ 49.97

The highest-rated DIY instructions on the Web, Earth4Energy is a good choice for this DIY project. This manual was written with beginners in mind, and you do not need any special training. The reason I suggest this is the great instructional videos that take you step-by-step through the process.

The materials: You can build a simple solar panel for less than $ 150 – $ 200

The materials you need for your DIY project can be found at your local hardware store. On average, the parts for a simple panel (including batteries) are priced from $ 150 – $ 200

The savings: Totally Depends on You!

The solar power system under $ 200 that you can make at home, is a portable model and will not generate enough energy to power an entire home. But we can add to this system by several solar panels and a larger battery bank / inverter. By expanding the smaller $ 200 system you can need much more from your homes Energy Power. These systems can save about 50% -80%, and larger systems can eliminate electricity bills altogether.

Savings Example

~ Monthly Electric Bill: $ 120
~ Monthly Electric Bill Minus 60% Solar Power Reduction: $ 48
~ Monthly savings: $ 72
~ Annual savings: $ 864

I hope that the above information has helped to bust some myths about the cost of solar energy. To get more information that will save big bucks every month, please visit Generate Own Power

There are many myths about solar and wind energy. The first is that it is very expensive and out of reach for the average person. But the truth is that if you build your own, it is very affordable. Another myth is that it is complicated to build for the average person. The truth is that there are simply directions, solar and wind power videos videos that have been made for the average person in mind.

How nice it would be for you to live “outside of the grid.” Imagine it. No electricity bills again. Not only you would do something great for the environment, but you would do something great for your family. Would you do it if you could on its own for less than $ 200 to start creating?

My goal is to educate as many people as possible, that alternative energy is something for everyone. It’s time to bust the myths and the average person can begin to solar energy! Get Best Make Solar Panel and Make Wind Turbine Guide

Solar Panels – Lighting for the Beginner

The use of solar energy need not simply be the preserve of those wishing to spend thousands to reduce their electricity bills and carbon footprint. Often overlooked, is the ability of solar power to provide reliable, cost effective power in situations and locations where mains power is unavailable or impractical.

Potential Uses for Solar Lighting

Solar power can be used to provide reliable power in remote locations throughout the year, even in the UK. There are many situations where a mains free power supply may be required. These range from recreational garden lighting through to essential remote communications and street lighting.

Solar lighting is a relatively new concept to most people and yet has huge potential to bring light to buildings where before electrical power was unavailable for either practical or economic reasons.

Solar lighting systems are ideal for stables, farm buildings, remote dwellings, garden sheds, garages, kennels, summer houses, garden studios and offices, log cabins, greenhouses, beach huts, children’s play houses, garden lighting, street lighting… the list goes on and on!

Solar Lighting Benefits

Solar lighting can be put to good use anywhere that the sun shines. The cost often compares very favourably with a new mains power connection or the installation of a generator, and in addition to this the power produced is totally silent and free.

The other great thing about solar panels is that they have no moving parts and as a result are virtually maintenance free. All they need is a bit of a clean once or twice a year to prevent a build up of dirt reducing their output. They usually have a life expectancy of in excess of 15 years and very often come with a guarantee to this effect. In addition to this they produce no polluting emissions and do not to contribute to climate change.

Solar lighting is simple and safe to use and there are complete kits available that make installation a straightforward and fast DIY job. As they run at 12 volts DC, a qualified electrician is not required and building regulations do not apply. Compared to a generator, a solar lighting kit has the added advantages of being totally silent, having minimal running and maintenance costs and is more secure. Criminals find highly portable generators all to easy to carry away and sell on.

In situations where remote buildings are used to house horses, farm animals or pets, having effective reliable lighting is essential for routine tasks such as feeding, mucking out and most importantly to aid good husbandry and care of the animals. In these situations a solar lighting system makes winter and morning tasks easier and safer to carry out. Solar lighting can also provide light for extended periods of time in the case of an emergency, for insyance if an animal is giving birth, or if an animal needs to be examined by a vet.

How Solar Lighting Works

Solar photovoltaics (Solar PV) is the process of capturing the energy from the sun and converting it into electricity. Solar lighting systems capture energy from the sun with a solar photovoltaic panel and then store it in a battery until it is required to power the lights.

There are three main types of solar panel widely available on the market today : monocrystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous. Most solar lighting systems use polycrystalline panels as these provide the best balance in terms of price and efficiency.

Using a solar lighting system needs a slight change in mindset from our usual gung-ho attitude to using mains power! The power that is taken from the battery, when the lights are switched on, needs to be replenished from the Solar Panel when the sun shines. You may have noticed that the sun doesn’t shine every day(!), so the battery is sized to ensure that there is enough power stored on a sunny day to provide power for a series of overcast days. The size of the solar panel and battery therefore, should be dictated by the estimated typical daily requirement for light and the estimated daily provision of sunshine. In general terms, the lower the requirement for power, the cheaper the system.

Most solar lighting systems use low energy lights and very often run these as at 12V rather than the usual mains 230V as this is the most efficient way to use the stored power. If 230V lighting or power is required this can be achieved with the use of an inverter that can be bought separately and easily added to the system.

Providing lighting for 2-3 hours per day in the winter and in excess of 7 hours per day is very easily achievable at a cost effective level in the UK. Extended requirements for power in the winter months can add significantly to the cost of a system, but this often still compares favourably with the cost of installing a new mains power connection. In situations where winter demand for power is high, it is often cost effective to add a small wind turbine to help with winter battery charging and to keep the cost of the total lighting system down.

The time of year has a major effect on the amount of sunshine we receive, so winter lighting requirement tends to be the starting point for designing a system.

Conclusion

Solar lighting is a practical solution to the lighting requirements of many people who have buildings that cannot be served by mains power or where the provision of mains power is prohibitively expensive. DIY kits are available that are relatively cheap and are simple to install or, for more complex situations, bespoke systems can be designed and installed.

The solar energy used does not contribute to climate change, produces no pollution, and is completely silent. Solar panels have no moving parts, so they are reliable and virtually maintenance free. And to top it all, there are no running costs, so once installed the electricity doesn’t cost you a penny.

“diy Solar Power Electric” System © – it is Simply Amazing!

You probably already know how irritating can expensive electricity-bills be, well, finally it doesn’t have to be that way – “Diy Solar Power Electric” System can amazingly cut most of that cost for you. Amazingly or not, this technique requires no more than a weekend to get it done. Need more information? start reading this article and find out more about the benefits that it provides.

Quick introduction

It all begins with Solar-Panels – the most important element of any “Diy Solar Power Electric” System, by using one of these popular guides, you’ll be able to assemble them with your own hands. Take your time when choosing a guide; check what others say about it, does it provide clear information, videos, illustrations etc.? Anyway, here are some important benefits and tips that can help you to know a little more about this topic.

Important benefits

This solution undoubtedly provides several key-benefits:

* One-time investment that lasts for life.
* Uses Wind-Power as a backup when having long periods of cloudy days.
* No need to remember to switch off the lights each time we leave the room.
* Powers up basically any appliance at home: fridge, washing machine, computer, TVs, lights and more.
* Uses natural and clean resources.

Tip

In order to optimize it, make sure to place the solar-paneling unit in a spot that gets the most sun at all times of the year.

On the bottom line

These exciting solutions not only save us thousands each year – this advanced “Diy Solar Power Electric” System even creates an extra source of income. Different users would probably find various pluses provided by this exceptional ‘machine’, simply because we no longer need to rely on others to supply these needs. Now is the time to take action – it is recommended to watch it in action so you could truly experience the various opportunities that it brings.

Solar Hot Water – How Big a System Do You Need to Supply Your Home Hot Water Needs?

When considering Solar Hot Water (SHW) systems,it also pays to look at your home water usage.  While it is great to save money on a solar hot water system, it seems unreasonable to continue wasting a valuable resource.  Water supplied to your home has take energy to store and pump it to your door, no matter whether its is from a reservoir or ground water. So, rather than choosing a storage or heater unit on size, take a look at your real needs.  However, the fact is that a SHW unit can likely provide most if not all of your needs if properly sized and set up.  Even snowy climates an benefit from solar hot water units.  When you combine a solar hot water system with solar power, you can make very large savings on power consumption.  The great thing is, that if you are handy, DIY solar projects, either hot water or solar power, are quite achievable.

If we consider the number of people in the home, we can work back to typical usage volumes and from there to the size of the storage unit and the solar collector area.
A storage tank of  200 liters (50 to 60 gallons) is about right for up to three people if used with some awareness of your usage.  Larger systems of  300 liters (80 gallons) suite three to four people. With bigger families, you will need larger storage or possible some kind of “booster” to make up nay “solar shortfall”.  Depending on what you set your systems temperature at and the temperature of the incoming water, your system will need to reflect the size of the collector.  If you are living in snowy climates, the colder water takes more to heat and there will be heat loss unless the unit is properly insulated.

What does this mean in terms of collector sizes?  It is typical to allow about 2 square meters for each person up to 2 people, and after that you add one square meter for each person.  This allows for the seasonal variation of sun hours and solar heating. Lets face it, having a little more solar hot water capacity is always welcome especially when the heating is free.  The added cost of the extra collection unit adds little to the overall installation.  If you live in snowy climates or areas of lower sun intensity or hours such as the lower northern or southern latitudes, then you would always err on the bigger size of collector.

Did You Know That DIY Solar Power Systems Are Cheaper Than Installing Commercial Solar Panels?

Using solar energy and converting it to an electrical power that we can use is an idea that appeals to many. The sun, being an alternative source of energy, is never depleted unlike the fossil fuels that power the world today. Converting solar energy into electricity does not produce carbon emissions, making it an environmentally friendly endeavor. And once the solar system is installed, operational and maintenance cost is very minimal. Thus, we can conclude that solar power is the next best thing to having free and green electricity.

But we all know that to be able to rid our homes of the monthly electric bills and completely live off the grid, we must spend a hefty amount to install commercial solar panels atop our roofs, which can supply 100% of our regular electricity consumption. And a lot of people who are dreaming of free electricity are taken aback by high upfront installation cost.

So does the dream of solar powered-homes remain true only for those who can afford it? It seems not.

A growing community of hobbyists, particularly those concerned with finding green, safe and renewable energy sources, is one in saying that DIY solar power system is possible and it doesn’t have to cost that much. This is done by using small, inexpensive but highly efficient solar panels, batteries, an inverter, a few wires, cables and other electrical components. And what made it cheaper is the fact that you’re doing all the work.

But of course, this doesn’t mean that you can start unplugging your house from the energy companies and go solar all the way once the project is completed. Most of these DIY solar system kits are small-scale and can store and generate only enough power to light a bulb for a few days, run a laptop computer for 2 days or a 20-inch TV for a day.

But the real advantage here is the long-term benefit. Solar panels, even those that are DIY, can last up to 20 to 25 years, with only a slight reduction in efficiency. What this means is you can enjoy 20 to 25 years of free electricity at a fraction of the cost of commercial installations. And these DIY solar power kits are usually upgradeable. You can buy more components later and integrate them with the existing system to be able to harness more solar energy and deliver more electricity.

Today’s Plans and Building Guides

Green, solar and energy efficient home plans, projects and building guidebooks Today’s Plans and Building Guides

DIY Solar Panels – The Pros and Cons of Building Your Own Solar Panels

Believe it or not, you really can build your own solar panel system for your home. DIY solar panels are a good option for those who enjoy building things with their hands, and would rather put in some work on their own time instead of outsourcing a professional company to build and install their solar panels for them.

DIY solar panels definitely have their pros and cons. I’ll list out some of them for you to consider.

Pros of Building Your Own Solar Panels:

1. Saves You Money!

The most obvious advantage of using DIY solar electricity by building your own solar panel system is that it is going to save you a great deal of money off of your monthly energy bill. Exactly how much you cut from your utility bill is hard to say, because it depends on the size of your home, the size of your solar panels, and their efficiency. Most people cut at least 10% off of their bill with a small kit, and can end up eliminating their electricity bill by expanding their DIY solar panel system.

The really cool thing about a large solar panel system is that you may end up actually using less energy than you produce, and the electric company would end up having to pay you for putting extra electricity back into the grid. How awesome is that!?

2. Be Kind to the Earth!

Solar energy is one of the few energy sources on our planet that is 100% clean and limitless. Most electricity today is created by burning coal and other fossil fuels, which put harmful pollutants back into their atmosphere. Solar energy will never end, and will never harm the Earth.

Cons of Building Your Own Solar Panels:

1. It Can Be Difficult

If you don’t know what you’re doing, it can be really hard to find all the necessary parts, assemble them correctly, and then wire everything correctly so that you’re actually able to use the electricity that is produced.

2. You Have to Start Small

Unless you are extremely ambitious, you should probably start by building a small DIY solar panel system, which isn’t going to create a great deal of electricity. Although, you can always add on to it in the future.

Approximate cost of a DIY solar panel system: $200 or below. You can build a solar electricity system for under $200, easily.

Where to find the necessary parts and instructions: I suggest going with a good DIY solar panel guide. There are a lot to choose from, and most can be purchased online for about $50. I would recommend going with Green DIY Energy or Earth 4 Energy. Those are the two best DIY solar panel guides today. They have everything you need to get the job done right. I personally purchased and used Green DIY Energy; it worked well for me.

Solar Light Save Community $75,000

Turtle Rock, a small sub-community in the larger development known as Palmer Ranch, may be the first community in the United States to adopt solar technology for its street lights.

Solar street lighting has recently turned up in some far-flung and unlikely places, most notably Tanzania, Dubai, Afghanistan and Nigeria, but Turtle Rock is, as far as we know, the first place in Florida (and the first place in the U.S.) to use it extensively.

Palmer Ranch, Sarasota’s largest master-planned community, covers 10,000 acres and consists of eight communities, of which Turtle Rock is one. The actual number of street lights in Turtle Rock is 175.

This year, the community of retirees and young families was facing a $75,000 bill for its natural-gas street lighting. A switch of some kind was inevitable. Solar street lighting may have come as something of a surprise to a few residents, but once the solar investment tax credit ($60,000) was applied, costs came down significantly and opposition faded.

Bob Knickerbocker, who sits on Turtle Rock’s homeowner’s association board, calls it a “green” first that is saving residents a lot of money, which makes everybody happy in these lean times.

More important, solar street lighting is relatively maintenance free. A pole supports a photovoltaic (PV) panel, and above that is a battery. At the end of the day, energy stored in the battery from the PV panel lights an LED (light-emitting diode) bulb. The ones in Turtle Rock are rated at 7 watts, but LED lighting is more direct, so the actual illumination is about twice what the gaslights were producing. Most important, LED bulbs last about 25,000 hours, as compared to 1,200 for a standard 100-watt incandescent bulb. At 10 hours per night, this is 7 years between bulb changes.

The final cost? About $120,000, but the new lights also give off zero carbon emissions, which means Turtle Rock is reducing its emissions footprint by about 420 tons. This is equivalent to taking about 70 cars off the road.

The system was installed by solar industry pioneer Tom Harriman, who got his solar license in 1982. Harriman, past president of the Florida Solar Energy Industry Association and an innovator in alternative energy training, has been recognized by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) as a solar industry leader. EDF is a U.S.-based nonprofit environmental advocacy group.

Over his lifetime working as a solar installer, Harriman says, he has personally reduced CO2 emissions by almost 2 million tons.

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