Category Archives: Solar Power Cost

Are Solar Rebate Programs Working?

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Over the last couple of years we’ve seen the solar industry boom due to solar rebate initiatives. These programs give a residential or business owner money back for solar power installations. Depending on what state you are in these rebates can be of a substantial amount of money, and they have been quite successful.

Not only have these programs increased the amount of photovoltaic systems throughout the US but the average cost of installing a new solar power installation has decreased dramatically from $9 to $6 since 2008. This is a huge difference in price.

This decrease in the cost of solar power is extremely important for the future as at the moment cost for a Kilowatt of power throughout the US ranges from 8 cents to just under 20 cents per KwH. These prices are set to dramatically increase in the upcoming years. Renewable energies however will continue to fall as more and more projects are completed. This will amount to vast savings in the next 50 years .

Not to mention the revenue and jobs solar power projects are bringing in as well. Take Pennsylvania for instance. According to The Mercury, “the share of solar power added to Pennsylvania’s grid increased by 350 percent and brought $1.4 million into the state’s economy in 2009.” As our economy and job market is in recession, generating new technology jobs, while generating clean renewable energy should be a main focus for the US.

We are also seeing a positive trend of schools embracing the need of investing in solar power for it’s environmental and economical benefits.

All in all, renewable energy is gaining more mainstream support everyday.

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New Technology May Cut Solar Power Costs Dramatically

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There’s been a recent and cool new breakthrough in solar power technology. Scientists at NREL have developed a way to use chemicals in order to etch a trillion microscopic holes in silicon wafers. So what does this mean for the solar industry? Actually it might mean quite a bit especially in solar power costs.

The scientists start with a cylindrical wafer of silicon and introduce chloroauric acid which creates nano-particles of gold that then etch into the silicon in such small diameter that it would take 40 of these holes to equal one human hair.

Light comes from the sun as protons and then can be converted into electrons for our use. The problem lies in the fact that the protons bounce off of surfaces and the potential energy is then lost. This is where the tiny little holes come in. Through the addition of these holes being etched into the gray silicon it turns incredibly black which will allow the silicon wafer to capture all the colors of light the sun throws at it.

Now black silicon wet etch technology is not perfect yet, and there are still a lot of studies to do. For one the wafer itself is able to capture more protons then traditional PV reflective surfaces. However NREL’s solar cells made with the solar wafer are still a few tenths of a percentage less efficient then traditional photo voltaic cells. NREL is now working on improving the effiency of the solar wafer.

But with this technology the cost of producing solar cells is greatly reduced, and simplified using the chemical bath, and forgoing a reflective surface. They have also found that the solar wafer requires about a third less of the energy as opposed to adding a reflective layer. Furthermore the solar wafer is much better for the environment as dangerous gases are used in the production of traditional solar cells such as silane, and nitrogen trifluoride. These gases are horrendous to the environment, and therefore cuts down on greatly on greenhouse gases. This will mean a significant drop in the cost for solar roof tiles and other photo voltaic devices.

Visit http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/09/cheaper-better-solar-cell-is-full-of-holes to read the full story.

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Solar Sushi the Best Thing to Happen to Soy Sauce Since the Bottle

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Solar Power Sushi

Renewable Energies Create The Best Tasting Soy Sauce You Can Count On That

Good news for sushi and solar aficionado’s alike. Kikkoman’s soy sauce factory located Folsom California has recently put in a car port solar system to run it’s factory.

Carport solar array installations are becoming more and more popular with businesses as they are
much easier to install, maintain, and make use of space that otherwise would not be used. The solar array installations themselves are mounted in a parking lot and wired to the business taking care of much or all of their power needs.

Another clear advantage for companies is that they will have a clear and well seen example to customers and business partners the level of commitment that the company is going through in order to make better use of clean and renewable energies and utilize state of the art technology to not only save money which will then be passed onto the customer but also the will of the environmentally conscious customer.

I think this is really important, as a consumer I try to use products and lean towards companies that are environmentally responsible as it shows to me a commitment to it’ customers wants and needs. Why is this you might ask? Well to me it’s no longer a world without options. My meaning is that if their is a company who offers you a product then you better believe that there is plenty other company’s offering the same product or service. It’s up to these companies to ensure safe and better business practices to it’s customers. Personally I always take into consideration who I’m doing business with, and just offering a product is not good enough anymore, you need to be offering me a product that I know is good plus the knowledge that I, as in me, am not supporting the destruction of the Eco system out of association.

This is something we will be seeing more and more of and I think it is part of good customer service to not just think of me as money but as someone with needs and ideas.

The Kikkoman carport solar system will generate 150,000 kWh annually and all the renewable energy not consumed will be sold back to the grid which will lower the solar power costs considerably. So next time you’re at your favorite sushi bar rejoice in the fact that the sun was influential in the making of that soy sauce your plunging your unagi in!

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California Solar Power in Full Effect Ya’ll

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California Solar, No Doubt About It.

California Solar Power

Way to go California! It seems San Jose has reached first place with reidential solar power systems and commercial installations, along with several other California city’s close at it’s heel. California solar power is on the rise and hopefully will not be slowing in the future.

Several years ago California adopted a state plan called the California Solar Initiative. The program encourages homeowners, business’s, non-profits, and local government to install solar panels on roofs and surrounding areas. The goal of the initiative is to have 1,750 new megawatts of solar energy installed in the state by 2016.  So far there has been 726 megawatts of solar energy installed or are in pipeline taking care of 42% of the initiative.

According to new data, since Jan. 1, 2007, to July 7, 2010, San Jose installed 14.9 megawatts of solar power on residential and commercial roofs, followed by San Diego with 11.3 MW and Fresno with 9.2 MW, according to an annual report released by the California Public Utilities Commission last week.

This came as no surprise to San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, who was quoted as saying in the Mercury News “I’m not surprised that we’re high up the list,” Reed said Wednesday. “We’ve got some major solar installations in the city — including at eBay, Cypress Semiconductor and the San Jose Unified and East Side Union High School districts.”

San Jose is blessed by an average of 300 sunny days a year and is a perfect candidate for Mayor Chuck Reeds vision of a “green city.” The mayor’s platform has been has leaned heavy on green initiatives and renewable energies. The Mayor has also had solar panels installed on his own home.

San Jose is in the number one slot for now but as far as solar energy projects in the pipeline San Diego is first with an astounding 25.1 megawatt pending installation, followed by San Jose with 17.9 and Lancaster with 16 MW.

Advantages and disadvantages solar power

The advantages are that solar power is clean and renewable. So what are the disadvantages of solar power? Well for now solar power is still at a premium. The goal of the California Solar Initiative is to help reach “grid parity” which is the point where solar energy is able to compete with less costly energy production methods like coal and natural gas. The more solar power systems America installs the less solar power cost is involved.

What do you think of California Solar Power and the states initiative?

California solar initiative top 10 cities
1. San Jose “” 14.9 megawatts
2. San Diego “” 11.3 MW
3. Fresno “” 9.2 MW
4. Bakersfield “” 6.3 MW
5. Santa Rosa “” 4.9 MW
6. San Francisco “” 4.4 MW
7. Chico “” 4.4 MW
8. Richmond “” 4.3 MW
9. Visalia “” 4.1 MW
10. Livermore “” 4.1 MW

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Solar Power Airplane Takes Flight

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Solar power efficiency has in the past been a major hurtle for the industry. There are so many things we could use solar energy for that for the moment we are just not capable of generating enough power for. However one hurtle has just been flown over.

That’s right flown over, man has gained much from flight. It is something that has always captivated us. To be able to break free of our terrestrial shackles and defy gravity. It’s a wondrous thing and because of it we are able to visit tropical paradises, bring aid to desperate people in need of help, and export and import goods from all over the world.

So what does solar power have to do with this? All right I’ll get to the point. The first ever solar powered night flight was successfully concluded on July 7, 2010 by André Borschberg a Swiss Air Force fighter pilot. The Solar Impulse HB-SIA solar-powered airplane was in the air for 26 hours and was powered only by solar power and battery backup system. The Solar Impulse is equipped with panels containing solar power cells that convert the sun’s energy into electricity. The plane flew to 28,000 ft. above sea level and flew at an average of 23 knots, or about 26 MPH, okay so it’s not blindingly fast but this is the longest and highest flight in solar aviation and has monumental significance for solar and wind power and what we can apply it to.

For one, this means that theoretically the plane could stay aloft indefinitely recharging it’s batteries during the day and using it’s stored power throughout the night. The Associated Press quoted the projects co-founder Dr. Bertrand Piccard as saying.“We are on the verge of the perpetual flight.”

This to me is awe inspiring, now we still have a long way to go before we’re seeing solar powered 747’s but this is a huge step for mankind.

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