Supporters of solar, wind and other renewable energy and nuclear power are at a crossroads today. They can fight turf wars or they can take the bold steps needed to curb climate change. One thing is certain, though: Without an effective strategy to spur the use of carbon-free energy, there remains the potential for disasters [...]
The Battery & Its Lifespan Like all batteries, the electrical car will need to be charged from time to time, and it also does take up a sizable amount of time. Electrical vehicles run on lithium-ion based battery technology, and it will need to be charged for hours at a time to reach its peak [...]
Can Wind Power Work for You? To be successful, wind turbines need wind. So if you live in a built up area, or trees or mountains surround you, any wind turbine you install is unlikely to generate much in the way of energy. Unless you live in the middle of an existing wind farm, the [...]
Cutting-Edge Solar Cell Technologies As solar energy becomes a popular way to meet power needs, more efficient ways of harnessing the sun’s energy are being developed for solar photovoltaics (PVs). PV cells capture energy in the sunlight and transform it into electricity for residential, business and industrial use. Because solar energy is clean, free, renewable [...]
Solar panel power remains one of the most viable alternative energy option for many consumers. Stand alone systems that provide electricity for the off grid solar energy home are just as viable as those systems consumers utilize in systems tied into the utility company’s power grid. While there are people who enjoy living in a remote [...]
Every once in awhile an American solar panel success story boils to the surface and really gets our attention. One of those stories, Helios Solar Works, is a relatively new contributor to the “Made in the USA” trend in photovoltaic manufacturing. “We are tired of seeing manufacturing go overseas,” said CEO Steve Ostrenga. “We want [...]
Emergency Solar Backup Power for your home or small business can come in handy when bad weather or other conditions interrupt the utility electrical service. Home or business owners can find themselves unable to power critical load appliances and lights. This situation can be serious if critical applications such as medical devices, [...]
Batteries for off-grid or grid tied solar powered systems are containers of electrical energy or a collection of electrochemical cells connected together in series. Electrochemical reactions produce a flow of electrons from the negative terminals to the positive terminals inside the battery. Factors affecting the capacity of a battery and how much energy you can [...]
A typical off-grid system consists of solar panels and or a small wind turbine to generate electricity connected to a charge controller which controls the pace at which batteries are recharged which is connected the battery bank. You will then need an off-grid inverter to convert the DC (Direct Current) electricity stored in the battery [...]
Calls flow into our administrative office in Sacramento every day from Americans who will only buy American solar panels and other products. Where you stand on the issue is likely a function of your level of outrage on the exporting of American jobs. Today the solar industry in the US is booming in almost all [...]