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[S699]Solar Energy Solar Panels

by Mahoney, Mah

The demand for the solar energy is on the rise these days. The increased concern about the Global Warming and various widespread forms of pollutions has resulted in growing concern about the alternative sources of energy. There has been observed a dire need for the the non-polluting forms of energy, of which Solar panels is an important example.

Installable anywhere atop the roofs

These days there is a trend on the part of retail houses to use panels atop the roofs of their showrooms for meeting energy needs. The idea behind this is to cut down the indoor operating costs, to ensure the working at cheaper cost levels. Thus switching over to the Solar panels pays back to the retailers in long term in form of savings on the bills of taxes. In addition it is also the deserving contribution to the great cause of environmental conservation and campaigns. The well known eco-friendly aspects of solar energy utilization are well demonstrated in this way.

Printable Panels- A New Craze

Konarka Technologies ,a company in solar energy sector in association with Massachusetts based technology collaboration has came out with a novel type of -Printable solar panels. These panels based on inkjet printing techniques has significantly reduced the manufacturing costs of these panels. The interesting thing about theses panels is that these can be coated or printed directly onto the surface exposed to the sunlight. This has proved a major breakthrough in application of solar energy use methods.

Solar Panel borne cellular phones

Now solar panels are not all about the bulky and spacious frames mounted on stands in open and rooftops. Solar panels has found their way onto straps of cellular phones owing to the efforts of a Japanese team working hereupon. Now there shall be no need to worry about forgetting your mobile phone charger somewhere else, thanks to the solar panels enabled cellular phones. The strap shall contain solar panels to catch solar energy required for function of the gadget. Presently this technology is being provided by Strap-ya and is known as solar charge EC. Such technology is going to make the telecommunication too eco-friendly than the chemical based batteries.

Now solar energy driven space vehicles

Presently great effort is underway on the part of researchers for developing the sophisticated solar panels which can be used for powering space ships. Such panels shall most probably have silicon infused amorphous forms. A contract has been executed between r Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at New Mexico and United Solar Ovonic to collaborate upon the development of airship and spacecraft purpose solar panels. The first lot of solar panels develop[ed by Solar Ovonic has shown light weight properties and is mounted upon stainless steel.

Solar panels on fabrics

The extremely thin and modifiable solar panels are being developed by Japanese companies to suit mimic fabrics. Furthermore such type of solar panels can be desirably colored like cloth, Thus the days of eco-friendly garments is not a distant dream

The green energy trend has certainly picked up momentum in the last year alone. Alternative energy researches that have long collected dust or put in the back burner are now taking the world stage, front and center. One of the leading contenders for this new (and hopefully, sustained) green energy research is finding a way to be more efficient in turning the sun's light into electricity.

The idea that light can be turned into electricity (the process is more scientifically known as the “photovoltaic” effect) is nothing new, but the efficiency of the process has always been a little off. In the beginning, the first solar cell had a conversion efficiency of 1%. This means that only 1% of the light that is absorbed is actually turned into electricity. Today, that rate has come a long way, about 40%. It really isn't comparable (yet) to the way fossil fuels can generate electricity but there are a number of advantages to sourcing electricity from the sun than from fossil fuels, like being environmentally friendly and easily installed.

However, the initial expense in creating the solar panel array can be quite high, especially if one buys a prefabricated panel, and become a victim of shameless profiteering. A single solar panel can go for around $500 to $800, with the most expensive parts being the solar cells (but only because you really need a lot of them). After the solar panel is up and working, maintenance cost is quite low. The problem is that an ordinary house will need more than just one panel.

For every problem, there is a solution. The answer to lowering the costs of installing a solar panel would be to build one from the ground up. There are hundreds of Do It Yourself kits in the market, and these come in different sizes. Should one feel doubtful about their building skills, they could always buy the smallest ones first, which are usually used as educational tools. They cost a lot less and the task would not be as overwhelming.

The next size to try would be the type of solar panels that will power only specific equipment or appliances, like the water heater or the Jacuzzi. After a while, the builder will probably get the hang of it and be churning out panels to cover the roof.

A school DIY kit often costs less than $100, and a full solar panel will cost about $200. Even if they mess up one kit and be able to succeed only on the second kit, they would still be able to save at least $100, though it really is not as hard as it seems. With a bit of practice, anyone can do it.

Another advantage of building the solar panel is the satisfaction of being able to create something useful with one's own hands. It may not be a work of art in the first few tries, but it's really not a beauty contest anyway.

Article Source : How Does Littering Affect The Environment

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Both Mahoney & Cristian Stan are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Mahoney has sinced written about articles on various topics from Sales and Negotiation, Environment and Computers and The Internet. John Mahoney is an expert on reviewing renewable energy equipments and technology. Follow these links to find best gadgets and information on:. Mahoney's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.

Cristian Stan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Forex Guide, Video Games and Forex Guide. Visit HomemadeSolarEnergyPanels.Com to learn about ,. Cristian Stan's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.