Friday, October 30, 2009
Solar lighting
Just a note that I have been working all day by the light of my solar inverted light here in the office. If you have an interest, call me at 913-244-6132.
Monday, October 26, 2009
solar power update
Neat article:
http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Solar/Florida-Constructs-Largest-Solar-Power-Plant-In-U-S-_18_151_660_211776.html
http://www.earth-stream.com/Earth/Clean-Energy/Solar/Florida-Constructs-Largest-Solar-Power-Plant-In-U-S-_18_151_660_211776.html
Monday, October 19, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
The solar challenge is over
Team Germany Claims Second Solar Decathlon Win
Saturday, October 17, 2009 :: Staff infoZine
EnvironmentBy Joseph D. Szydlowski - For the second time in a row, the German team won the Solar Decathlon, a competition to build energy efficient homes that use solar power, in part because the house produced more energy than it needed and was able to sell the surplus to the electric grid. Teams from Illinois and California finished second and third.
Saturday, October 17, 2009 :: Staff infoZine
EnvironmentBy Joseph D. Szydlowski - For the second time in a row, the German team won the Solar Decathlon, a competition to build energy efficient homes that use solar power, in part because the house produced more energy than it needed and was able to sell the surplus to the electric grid. Teams from Illinois and California finished second and third.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
solar jobs?
Devens firm to help unite power grids
Bloomberg News / October 14, 2009
NEW YORK - American Superconductor Corp., a manufacturer of high-voltage transmission lines, has won a contract to unite three US transmission grids to improve reliability and boost renewable resources.
The Tres Amigas project will increase deliveries between the Western, Eastern, and Texas electric grids to allow for more efficient use of intermittent energy sources, such as wind and solar power, American Superconductor said yesterday.
The connections will be on 14,400 acres in Clovis, N.M., and act as a renewable energy hub, allowing solar energy in the Southwest to be shipped to Texas or California during the day, and delivering wind resources from the Midwest at night. Closely held Tres Amigas LLC will charge a fee for use of its system, which may be completed in 2014.
“It’s a good project for them but it looks to be a long way off from generating any revenue,’’ said Pavel Molchanov, an analyst at Raymond James & Associates.
Devens, Mass.-based American Superconductor gained 53 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $33.22. The shares have more than doubled this year.
Chief executive Gregory Yurek expects the $1 billion project to be one of the company’s first profitable superconductor installations. The company will supply all the project’s superconducting wires. That portion of the business should achieve a 30 percent profit margin, he said.
Most of Tres Amigas’ construction will be funded through debt, and all of it will be privately financed, Yurek said. American Superconductor invested $1.75 million cash and stock in Tres Amigas for a minority stake and one of four seats on the board.
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
Bloomberg News / October 14, 2009
NEW YORK - American Superconductor Corp., a manufacturer of high-voltage transmission lines, has won a contract to unite three US transmission grids to improve reliability and boost renewable resources.
The Tres Amigas project will increase deliveries between the Western, Eastern, and Texas electric grids to allow for more efficient use of intermittent energy sources, such as wind and solar power, American Superconductor said yesterday.
The connections will be on 14,400 acres in Clovis, N.M., and act as a renewable energy hub, allowing solar energy in the Southwest to be shipped to Texas or California during the day, and delivering wind resources from the Midwest at night. Closely held Tres Amigas LLC will charge a fee for use of its system, which may be completed in 2014.
“It’s a good project for them but it looks to be a long way off from generating any revenue,’’ said Pavel Molchanov, an analyst at Raymond James & Associates.
Devens, Mass.-based American Superconductor gained 53 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $33.22. The shares have more than doubled this year.
Chief executive Gregory Yurek expects the $1 billion project to be one of the company’s first profitable superconductor installations. The company will supply all the project’s superconducting wires. That portion of the business should achieve a 30 percent profit margin, he said.
Most of Tres Amigas’ construction will be funded through debt, and all of it will be privately financed, Yurek said. American Superconductor invested $1.75 million cash and stock in Tres Amigas for a minority stake and one of four seats on the board.
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
working by my solar light
Another dreary day but still working by the light of my solar inverter. Want some advice, write me.
Joe
Joe
Update on the solar decathlon
More info on this neat event
By Lindsey Anderson, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — What might look like a quirky 20-home subdivision that has sprung up on the National Mall between the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument is actually the Solar Decathlon, a college competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy every two years.
Teams from across the USA, Canada and Europe are competing to design and build the most attractive and efficient solar home.
COLLEGE BLOG: Reports examine green campuses and town relationships
NEW HOMES: More states want solar option
ASK MATT: Solar energy stocks are promising, but still risky
Each house relies completely on solar power; the teams aim to produce as much or more energy than the house consumes. Any additional energy the houses produce is pumped into the energy grid of the local power company, earning the teams extra points.
The houses must be more than just energy efficient. They also have to be realistic and aesthetically pleasing, says Richard King director of the Solar Decathlon. He began the project in 2000, he says, because reliable solar technology was being produced, but no one bought it because of its cost and appearance.
"A homeowner says, 'No, I don't want that in my backyard,' " King says. "This stuff works but no one wants it."
So he appealed to architecture schools, inviting them to work solar panels into aesthetic design of homes and enter the competitions — which he says have become increasingly innovative and creative as the contestants learn from each other, King says.
"I didn't realize the way it drives research and development. It started on the premise of education, but with each successive event, we keep marching forward."
On opening day, Oct. 9, tourists, students and locals waited in lines to tour the 20 houses, which sit in two rows on wooden platforms, surrounded by potted plants in lieu of landscaping. Water tanks substitute for ground wells, since 500-foot wells cannot be drilled on the National Mall.
Each house reflects the climate and lifestyle of its region; teams use local materials and designs. The 40-foot south wall of the University of Arizona house, for example, features a "water wall," made of recycled plastic bottles. It pulls water up through the wall to deter the desert heat from entering the house during day, then slowly releases heat at night.
The team from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign used reclaimed barn wood to build its house. The outside walls of the University of Kentucky's house work like an illuminated billboard, depicting an image of a Kentucky farm at night.
"Every (house) is different and they've all got a story," King says.
The teams spent almost two years designing and building the houses near their universities, then broke them down to ship and reassemble here. Some houses will go back to the teams' campuses after the competition; others will be donated or sold.
The house built by Rice University in Houston will be donated to Project Row House, a nonprofit organization that meshes low-income housing with arts and culture in a local historic Houston district.
It is the least expensive house in the competition, costing about $140,000 to build.
"Our house may not be the flashiest, but we made sure it could be for everybody," says team member Travis Martin, while leading a group of middle school students into the house.
The most expensive house was by the team from Ontario/British Columbia, King says. It cost between $650,000 and $850,000 to build. Like many of the decathlon houses, it can be controlled remotely through the Internet or iPhone applications. If homeowners forget to turn off the lights or close the blinds, they can do so from the Internet instead of rushing home.
Gary and Theresa Truitt, of Bloomfield, N.J., who were among the 400,000 to 500,000 visitors expected during the competition, say they could see themselves living in some of the houses, like Virginia Tech's "Lumenhaus," with sliding glass walls.
"The design on some of these is just stupendous," Gary Truitt says. "It's the way we have to start living in the future."
If visitors to the decathlon are intrigued by features used in the houses, they can find every product, from insulation panels to furniture, in a product directory on the contest website, www.solardecathlon.org.
Each team received $100,000 from the Department of Energy to start the project, then had to raise additional funds for construction, transportation and other expenses. Winners will be announced Friday at 8 a.m. As of Wednesday, Team California (with members from Santa Clara University and California College of the Arts) was in the lead.
But other than a trophy and bragging rights, there is no prize for winning the decathlon.
"They get to be the most famous house in America for a day," King says.
By Lindsey Anderson, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — What might look like a quirky 20-home subdivision that has sprung up on the National Mall between the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument is actually the Solar Decathlon, a college competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy every two years.
Teams from across the USA, Canada and Europe are competing to design and build the most attractive and efficient solar home.
COLLEGE BLOG: Reports examine green campuses and town relationships
NEW HOMES: More states want solar option
ASK MATT: Solar energy stocks are promising, but still risky
Each house relies completely on solar power; the teams aim to produce as much or more energy than the house consumes. Any additional energy the houses produce is pumped into the energy grid of the local power company, earning the teams extra points.
The houses must be more than just energy efficient. They also have to be realistic and aesthetically pleasing, says Richard King director of the Solar Decathlon. He began the project in 2000, he says, because reliable solar technology was being produced, but no one bought it because of its cost and appearance.
"A homeowner says, 'No, I don't want that in my backyard,' " King says. "This stuff works but no one wants it."
So he appealed to architecture schools, inviting them to work solar panels into aesthetic design of homes and enter the competitions — which he says have become increasingly innovative and creative as the contestants learn from each other, King says.
"I didn't realize the way it drives research and development. It started on the premise of education, but with each successive event, we keep marching forward."
On opening day, Oct. 9, tourists, students and locals waited in lines to tour the 20 houses, which sit in two rows on wooden platforms, surrounded by potted plants in lieu of landscaping. Water tanks substitute for ground wells, since 500-foot wells cannot be drilled on the National Mall.
Each house reflects the climate and lifestyle of its region; teams use local materials and designs. The 40-foot south wall of the University of Arizona house, for example, features a "water wall," made of recycled plastic bottles. It pulls water up through the wall to deter the desert heat from entering the house during day, then slowly releases heat at night.
The team from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign used reclaimed barn wood to build its house. The outside walls of the University of Kentucky's house work like an illuminated billboard, depicting an image of a Kentucky farm at night.
"Every (house) is different and they've all got a story," King says.
The teams spent almost two years designing and building the houses near their universities, then broke them down to ship and reassemble here. Some houses will go back to the teams' campuses after the competition; others will be donated or sold.
The house built by Rice University in Houston will be donated to Project Row House, a nonprofit organization that meshes low-income housing with arts and culture in a local historic Houston district.
It is the least expensive house in the competition, costing about $140,000 to build.
"Our house may not be the flashiest, but we made sure it could be for everybody," says team member Travis Martin, while leading a group of middle school students into the house.
The most expensive house was by the team from Ontario/British Columbia, King says. It cost between $650,000 and $850,000 to build. Like many of the decathlon houses, it can be controlled remotely through the Internet or iPhone applications. If homeowners forget to turn off the lights or close the blinds, they can do so from the Internet instead of rushing home.
Gary and Theresa Truitt, of Bloomfield, N.J., who were among the 400,000 to 500,000 visitors expected during the competition, say they could see themselves living in some of the houses, like Virginia Tech's "Lumenhaus," with sliding glass walls.
"The design on some of these is just stupendous," Gary Truitt says. "It's the way we have to start living in the future."
If visitors to the decathlon are intrigued by features used in the houses, they can find every product, from insulation panels to furniture, in a product directory on the contest website, www.solardecathlon.org.
Each team received $100,000 from the Department of Energy to start the project, then had to raise additional funds for construction, transportation and other expenses. Winners will be announced Friday at 8 a.m. As of Wednesday, Team California (with members from Santa Clara University and California College of the Arts) was in the lead.
But other than a trophy and bragging rights, there is no prize for winning the decathlon.
"They get to be the most famous house in America for a day," King says.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Let the games begin!
Let the Games Begin!
Sedretary Chu with huge scissorsWith these words, and backed by 450 competing solar decathletes from five countries, U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu officially opened the 2009 Solar Decathlon on the National Mall in Washington DC. (Before he could wield the mammoth scissors, however, he had to shake hands with, and be photographed with, all 450 of them. That's energy).
Secretary Chu is finally in a position to promote and steer policies that could actualize ideas that he and his colleagues at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. developed many years ago. He spoke today of their investigation of the potential savings to be had in the heating and cooling of buildings. Their conclusions included the astonishing estimate that residential and commercial buildings could use 75-80% less energy than they then did, simply by focusing on energy efficiency. And indicating the solar houses stretching away down Decathlete Way behind him, he reminded his audience that even without the use of solar power, these buildings enshrined many of the principles that kind of saving required.
Chu's point, of course, was that energy efficiency is every bit as important as renewable energy production. It's a point that visitors to the increasingly popular Solar Decathlon will see in a different way in each of the twenty houses on show, e.g:
* Building optimization systems that regulate domestic power use;
* Triple-paned floor-to-ceiling windows that let sunlight in during daylight hours, then, due to the aerogel between the panes, continue to release heat into the living space after sundown;
* Walls built from 35% recycled materials filled with six inches of spray insulation made from canola seeds (making them not only sustainable but potentially tasty).
During his address, Secretary Chu also took the opportunity to announce that up to $87 million would be made available to support the development of new solar energy technologies and the rapid deployment of available carbon-free solar energy systems. Of this funding, $50 million would come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The money would flow to some 47 projects at universities, utilities, DOE's labs and local governments.*
"Today's awards are among the many investments made to create new jobs and a clean energy future with solar power," said Chu. "The projects will help accelerate the use of solar energy by residents, businesses and communities, and promote the long-term viability of solar energy by investing in the technologies of the future. I applaud each of these award winners who are vital to moving our country towards a sustainable solar infrastructure."
After severing the blue ribbon with a single mighty snip, Secretary Chu toured the solar houses, some of which were still being frantically prepared by students for the first public day tomorrow. (If you're within 500 miles of our nation's capital, it will be worth your while to make your own tour before the event finishes on October 18th).
Sedretary Chu with huge scissorsWith these words, and backed by 450 competing solar decathletes from five countries, U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu officially opened the 2009 Solar Decathlon on the National Mall in Washington DC. (Before he could wield the mammoth scissors, however, he had to shake hands with, and be photographed with, all 450 of them. That's energy).
Secretary Chu is finally in a position to promote and steer policies that could actualize ideas that he and his colleagues at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. developed many years ago. He spoke today of their investigation of the potential savings to be had in the heating and cooling of buildings. Their conclusions included the astonishing estimate that residential and commercial buildings could use 75-80% less energy than they then did, simply by focusing on energy efficiency. And indicating the solar houses stretching away down Decathlete Way behind him, he reminded his audience that even without the use of solar power, these buildings enshrined many of the principles that kind of saving required.
Chu's point, of course, was that energy efficiency is every bit as important as renewable energy production. It's a point that visitors to the increasingly popular Solar Decathlon will see in a different way in each of the twenty houses on show, e.g:
* Building optimization systems that regulate domestic power use;
* Triple-paned floor-to-ceiling windows that let sunlight in during daylight hours, then, due to the aerogel between the panes, continue to release heat into the living space after sundown;
* Walls built from 35% recycled materials filled with six inches of spray insulation made from canola seeds (making them not only sustainable but potentially tasty).
During his address, Secretary Chu also took the opportunity to announce that up to $87 million would be made available to support the development of new solar energy technologies and the rapid deployment of available carbon-free solar energy systems. Of this funding, $50 million would come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The money would flow to some 47 projects at universities, utilities, DOE's labs and local governments.*
"Today's awards are among the many investments made to create new jobs and a clean energy future with solar power," said Chu. "The projects will help accelerate the use of solar energy by residents, businesses and communities, and promote the long-term viability of solar energy by investing in the technologies of the future. I applaud each of these award winners who are vital to moving our country towards a sustainable solar infrastructure."
After severing the blue ribbon with a single mighty snip, Secretary Chu toured the solar houses, some of which were still being frantically prepared by students for the first public day tomorrow. (If you're within 500 miles of our nation's capital, it will be worth your while to make your own tour before the event finishes on October 18th).
Thursday, October 8, 2009
cloudy, cloudy, cloudy
No sun today another yukky day. Solar power charging will be minimal :( Today is when I wish I had a wind generator going in tandum with my panels.
I added another server (now three) and a Cisco router yeaaaaaaa and another piece of equipment I forgot to ask my sys admin what it was :( it works thats all I care. I will have to add more baterries and panels to my back up solution.
I added another server (now three) and a Cisco router yeaaaaaaa and another piece of equipment I forgot to ask my sys admin what it was :( it works thats all I care. I will have to add more baterries and panels to my back up solution.
from solar nation
A neat update on this years Solar Decathlon:
The Team to Beat
Take Action!
Darmstadt's title defense at the Solar Decathlon
Who is the 'team to beat' at the 2009 Solar Decathlon? It would have to be the Technische Universitat Darmstadt, aka Team Germany, and for the usual host of reasons: they won last time.
The Darmstadt students are well aware of the pressure they face in retaining the silver trophy of the Solar Decathlon, and it shows. Their 2009 entry is one of the most singular sights in the whole solar village, looking as much like an outsize lacquered ebony music box as a livable home. In fact, think of a cube draped in one large solar panel, top and sides, and you'd have a pretty good realtor's description of the home.
What you'll see at the Darmstadt site if you make the (very worthwhile) journey to the National Mall between now and October 16th is a two-story building envelope almost completely covered with thin-film PV panels with a total capacity of some 19 kW. That figure is so much in excess of normal requirements for an 800-square-foot house that the designers have dispensed with a solar hot water system; all the power for heating, cooling and lighting the building comes from the electricity generated by the panels -- crystalline silicon on the roof and thin-film copper indium diselenide on the walls.
As is now common with Solar Decathlon houses, the German entry features a building optimization system. This system monitors all electricity-using machines and systems in the house against the power available from the solar cladding, and can adjust energy use automatically or on command. It can also alter the position of window louvers to vary the amount of solar heat admitted. And the house's walls are made up of vacuum insulation panels, aided by phase-change material in the drywall, to maintain comfortable temperatures.
It's quite clear, considering the cost of the materials and sophistication of the systems used, that such a house would not fit in the 'affordable housing' category. Nor would the German students argue the point. Their philosophy was to "push the envelope with as many new technologies as possible", which creates a dichotomy as far as Solar Decathlon principles are concerned. On one hand, the competition's DOE sponsors want to see designs that can be reproduced, in whole or in part, in the homebuilding market. If a house produces twice as much power as it needs, as the Darmstadt house does, it pays a penalty in construction cost. This may make the design unmarketable, or confine it to a niche at the top end of the market;* (according to Solar Decathlon organizer Richard King, even the average cost of this year's houses is $490,000). On the other hand, DOE knows that what counts as high-end innovation today can become common currency in the market tomorrow, and that it's only by pushing the envelope today that we can bring about revolutions tomorrow.
How the Solar Decathlon juries parse this dichotomy in the next week may determine whether the prized trophy stays with the Darmstadt students or finds a new home until 2011.
*By contrast, the Rice University house is specifically designed to be used in a low-income home project. After the competition it will be transferred to Project Row Houses, a local community development organization in Houston, for rebuilding in the city's Third Ward.
The Team to Beat
Take Action!
Darmstadt's title defense at the Solar Decathlon
Who is the 'team to beat' at the 2009 Solar Decathlon? It would have to be the Technische Universitat Darmstadt, aka Team Germany, and for the usual host of reasons: they won last time.
The Darmstadt students are well aware of the pressure they face in retaining the silver trophy of the Solar Decathlon, and it shows. Their 2009 entry is one of the most singular sights in the whole solar village, looking as much like an outsize lacquered ebony music box as a livable home. In fact, think of a cube draped in one large solar panel, top and sides, and you'd have a pretty good realtor's description of the home.
What you'll see at the Darmstadt site if you make the (very worthwhile) journey to the National Mall between now and October 16th is a two-story building envelope almost completely covered with thin-film PV panels with a total capacity of some 19 kW. That figure is so much in excess of normal requirements for an 800-square-foot house that the designers have dispensed with a solar hot water system; all the power for heating, cooling and lighting the building comes from the electricity generated by the panels -- crystalline silicon on the roof and thin-film copper indium diselenide on the walls.
As is now common with Solar Decathlon houses, the German entry features a building optimization system. This system monitors all electricity-using machines and systems in the house against the power available from the solar cladding, and can adjust energy use automatically or on command. It can also alter the position of window louvers to vary the amount of solar heat admitted. And the house's walls are made up of vacuum insulation panels, aided by phase-change material in the drywall, to maintain comfortable temperatures.
It's quite clear, considering the cost of the materials and sophistication of the systems used, that such a house would not fit in the 'affordable housing' category. Nor would the German students argue the point. Their philosophy was to "push the envelope with as many new technologies as possible", which creates a dichotomy as far as Solar Decathlon principles are concerned. On one hand, the competition's DOE sponsors want to see designs that can be reproduced, in whole or in part, in the homebuilding market. If a house produces twice as much power as it needs, as the Darmstadt house does, it pays a penalty in construction cost. This may make the design unmarketable, or confine it to a niche at the top end of the market;* (according to Solar Decathlon organizer Richard King, even the average cost of this year's houses is $490,000). On the other hand, DOE knows that what counts as high-end innovation today can become common currency in the market tomorrow, and that it's only by pushing the envelope today that we can bring about revolutions tomorrow.
How the Solar Decathlon juries parse this dichotomy in the next week may determine whether the prized trophy stays with the Darmstadt students or finds a new home until 2011.
*By contrast, the Rice University house is specifically designed to be used in a low-income home project. After the competition it will be transferred to Project Row Houses, a local community development organization in Houston, for rebuilding in the city's Third Ward.
Its rainy outside
It is gucky outside but I am working by the light of my battery and inverter :) I probably will have it on for an hour or two but it is humming away. If you want some help let me know and I can guide you.
joe
joe
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Working by the light of a silvery yellow inverted 110 lamp
Well here I am it is getting dark here in KC and I am typing away using my inverter/battery to light my office up. It works, it is a strong light and I can keep it on for hours if need be. Next up I am going to double the amp hours by adding another 12 volt battery to the mix. Stay tuned!
Joe R
Joe R
Solar shingles ohhh boy!
Dow's solar shingles are poised to put the solar panel market out of business. The unobtrusive designs produce power more cheaply than traditional panels, are produced domestically, and require no specialized skills to install, other than standard roofing experience. (Source: Beanieville Blog)
The new cells uses CIGS thin films, encased in plastic. The resulting design has lower efficiencies that traditional panels, but is cheaper to produce, lowering the cost per watt by 10 to 15 percent over traditional panels. (Source: University of Strathclyde)
Product should shake up the power industry and open up new era for solar
Inventors and designers have long envisioned a roof or window that produced solar power affordably. However, until now no company had mass produced such a device. Instead, the consumer market was dominated by rooftop panels which require a fair amount of maintenance, are relatively fragile, and are rather expensive.
That's all about to change, however. Dow Chemical Co., one of America's most successful chemical firms, is launching the first mass-produced consumer solar shingle next year and will be planning a wide-scale rollout by 2011. The firm foresees a booming $5B USD market for the shingles.
The new shingles use a thin film of copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) to capture solar energy. As a result, the cells which are encased in molded plastic are relatively flexible, unlike their photovoltaic cousins. And while these elements (such as indium) are quite expensive in bulk, they're used extremely sparingly, keeping costs low.
The shingles one weakness is that they manage just over 10 percent efficiencies, less than traditional panels. Despite this smaller generation capacity, they produce power at a 10 to 15 percent lower cost on a per watt basis due to production and installation cost savings.
Roofing contractors greeted the news with "an enthusiastic response" according to Dow, as the shingles require no additional special skills to install. A roof of the shingles can be installed in about 10 hours, versus anywhere from 22 to 30 hours of specialized labor to install traditional panels. These installation costs are an important issue as they comprise approximately half the cost of traditional panels.
It is unclear what wiring will be necessary to connect the shingles to household power, but Dow believes it won't be overly challenging. In total, Dow's solution will become the biggest player in a burgeoning market of "Building Integrated Photovoltaic" (BIPV) systems. While other BIPV solutions exist, many are only available to businesses, and the cost is typically 30 to 40 percent higher than Dow's system.
Dow's system is extremely flexible and can be intermixed with traditional asphalt shingles.
Jane Palmieri, managing director of Dow Solar Solutions states, "We're looking at this one product that could generate $5 billion in revenue by 2015 and $10 billion by 2020."
The new shingles will be produced domestically, with much of production coming from a 1,350-ton Husky Quadloc Tandem injection press newly installed in Midland, Michigan in 2008.
The first deployments of the shingles will be in new housing projects next year through partners such as Lennar Corp and Pulte Homes Inc. These smaller projects will build up to a full rollout the following year. The U.S. Department of Energy has granted Dow a small loan of $20M USD to help make that vision a reality and complete the commercialization of this promising product.
This will not be Dow's first foray into the solar market. It has manufactured high-efficiency photovoltaic panel material for some time now, and also produces the heat-capturing liquid used in concentrated solar power systems.
The new cells uses CIGS thin films, encased in plastic. The resulting design has lower efficiencies that traditional panels, but is cheaper to produce, lowering the cost per watt by 10 to 15 percent over traditional panels. (Source: University of Strathclyde)
Product should shake up the power industry and open up new era for solar
Inventors and designers have long envisioned a roof or window that produced solar power affordably. However, until now no company had mass produced such a device. Instead, the consumer market was dominated by rooftop panels which require a fair amount of maintenance, are relatively fragile, and are rather expensive.
That's all about to change, however. Dow Chemical Co., one of America's most successful chemical firms, is launching the first mass-produced consumer solar shingle next year and will be planning a wide-scale rollout by 2011. The firm foresees a booming $5B USD market for the shingles.
The new shingles use a thin film of copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) to capture solar energy. As a result, the cells which are encased in molded plastic are relatively flexible, unlike their photovoltaic cousins. And while these elements (such as indium) are quite expensive in bulk, they're used extremely sparingly, keeping costs low.
The shingles one weakness is that they manage just over 10 percent efficiencies, less than traditional panels. Despite this smaller generation capacity, they produce power at a 10 to 15 percent lower cost on a per watt basis due to production and installation cost savings.
Roofing contractors greeted the news with "an enthusiastic response" according to Dow, as the shingles require no additional special skills to install. A roof of the shingles can be installed in about 10 hours, versus anywhere from 22 to 30 hours of specialized labor to install traditional panels. These installation costs are an important issue as they comprise approximately half the cost of traditional panels.
It is unclear what wiring will be necessary to connect the shingles to household power, but Dow believes it won't be overly challenging. In total, Dow's solution will become the biggest player in a burgeoning market of "Building Integrated Photovoltaic" (BIPV) systems. While other BIPV solutions exist, many are only available to businesses, and the cost is typically 30 to 40 percent higher than Dow's system.
Dow's system is extremely flexible and can be intermixed with traditional asphalt shingles.
Jane Palmieri, managing director of Dow Solar Solutions states, "We're looking at this one product that could generate $5 billion in revenue by 2015 and $10 billion by 2020."
The new shingles will be produced domestically, with much of production coming from a 1,350-ton Husky Quadloc Tandem injection press newly installed in Midland, Michigan in 2008.
The first deployments of the shingles will be in new housing projects next year through partners such as Lennar Corp and Pulte Homes Inc. These smaller projects will build up to a full rollout the following year. The U.S. Department of Energy has granted Dow a small loan of $20M USD to help make that vision a reality and complete the commercialization of this promising product.
This will not be Dow's first foray into the solar market. It has manufactured high-efficiency photovoltaic panel material for some time now, and also produces the heat-capturing liquid used in concentrated solar power systems.
Even kids can use solar power!
Stanwood students earn grant to power farm equipment with solar panel
High school agriculture students use a $14,500 grant to install a solar panel that powers their greenhouses.
By Gale Fiege
Herald Writer
STANWOOD — Writing the grant application was the most rigorous project seniors Cory Calkins and Scott Weisse figure they accomplished in high school.
It may be the most satisfying as well.
Stanwood High School’s agriculture department plans this week to start using its new $14,500 solar panel to power its greenhouses and labs.
Cory and Scott, both 17, were instrumental in obtaining funding for the solar panel through a grant from Snohomish County Public Utility District and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.
The 1,360-watt solar panel has unobstructed eastern, southern and western sunlight exposure, and was erected during the summer in the agriculture compound on the high school campus.
The solar panel will help nursery plants grow by providing additional light and heat in two greenhouses and power the tank equipment for 10,000 juvenile salmon in the aquaculture laboratory. The other goal for the new energy source is public education.
“We plan to use the panel as a platform for telling students and community members how solar energy works and what its advantages are,” agriculture and natural resources teacher Ryan Ovenell said. “We’ll offer a community tour later this fall.”
The Stanwood High School Sustainable Power Project received grant money from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation because it fit with the organization’s goals to support energy education and fisheries restoration, spokesman Ben Stuart said. The foundation also provides educational materials and real-time data monitoring for the project, he said.
“We love to see students involved and that’s at the core of our Solar4RSchools program,” Stuart said. “The students at Stanwood did the hard work for this project, and it was a perfect fit for the foundation because of their aquaculture lab.”
The PUD provided the technical support for the solar-electric project, with funding from the Planet Power program, PUD spokesman Neil Neroutsos said.
Last fall, Cory and Scott were looking for a project for their natural resources class and found the grant application through the PUD. They researched how solar power works and found a solar panel suitable for the ag complex, Cory said.
“It was a grueling, intense process,” said Scott of the grant application. “We worked on it during school, after school, before school. Our folks were surprised that we would be so determined to get it done.”
Agriculture teacher Ryan Ovenell wasn’t surprised.
“Scott and Cory are dedicated to whatever they set their minds to. I let them walk through the process,” Ovenell said. “They did all the math and suffered all the trials. They handled it just fine. I knew they would.”
Along with Cory and Scott, fellow senior natural resources student Sara Schlicker worked on the educational portion of the grant application, Ovenell said.
After the finding out they had been awarded the grant, the students then launched into applying for building permits and scheduling site inspections. In the summer, a crew of about 25 ag students dug the trenches for the power cables from the solar panel to the buildings. Landscaping around the panel is ongoing this week.
“This has been an exceptional project,” Ovenell said. “Anything that gets students tied into industry, government and a career path is a good idea.”
Scott plans to earn a degree in agricultural business at Washington State University. Cory wants to attend a school for electrical linemen and hopes to return to Snohomish County to work with the PUD.
“Our project was exciting, but solar power still remains expensive,” Cory said. “The increasing production of solar power systems eventually will make it more affordable.”
In the meantime, the boys said they’re happy the project is done.
“We left our mark on the ag complex,” Scott said. “It’s something great that we did before we graduated.”
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.
High school agriculture students use a $14,500 grant to install a solar panel that powers their greenhouses.
By Gale Fiege
Herald Writer
STANWOOD — Writing the grant application was the most rigorous project seniors Cory Calkins and Scott Weisse figure they accomplished in high school.
It may be the most satisfying as well.
Stanwood High School’s agriculture department plans this week to start using its new $14,500 solar panel to power its greenhouses and labs.
Cory and Scott, both 17, were instrumental in obtaining funding for the solar panel through a grant from Snohomish County Public Utility District and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.
The 1,360-watt solar panel has unobstructed eastern, southern and western sunlight exposure, and was erected during the summer in the agriculture compound on the high school campus.
The solar panel will help nursery plants grow by providing additional light and heat in two greenhouses and power the tank equipment for 10,000 juvenile salmon in the aquaculture laboratory. The other goal for the new energy source is public education.
“We plan to use the panel as a platform for telling students and community members how solar energy works and what its advantages are,” agriculture and natural resources teacher Ryan Ovenell said. “We’ll offer a community tour later this fall.”
The Stanwood High School Sustainable Power Project received grant money from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation because it fit with the organization’s goals to support energy education and fisheries restoration, spokesman Ben Stuart said. The foundation also provides educational materials and real-time data monitoring for the project, he said.
“We love to see students involved and that’s at the core of our Solar4RSchools program,” Stuart said. “The students at Stanwood did the hard work for this project, and it was a perfect fit for the foundation because of their aquaculture lab.”
The PUD provided the technical support for the solar-electric project, with funding from the Planet Power program, PUD spokesman Neil Neroutsos said.
Last fall, Cory and Scott were looking for a project for their natural resources class and found the grant application through the PUD. They researched how solar power works and found a solar panel suitable for the ag complex, Cory said.
“It was a grueling, intense process,” said Scott of the grant application. “We worked on it during school, after school, before school. Our folks were surprised that we would be so determined to get it done.”
Agriculture teacher Ryan Ovenell wasn’t surprised.
“Scott and Cory are dedicated to whatever they set their minds to. I let them walk through the process,” Ovenell said. “They did all the math and suffered all the trials. They handled it just fine. I knew they would.”
Along with Cory and Scott, fellow senior natural resources student Sara Schlicker worked on the educational portion of the grant application, Ovenell said.
After the finding out they had been awarded the grant, the students then launched into applying for building permits and scheduling site inspections. In the summer, a crew of about 25 ag students dug the trenches for the power cables from the solar panel to the buildings. Landscaping around the panel is ongoing this week.
“This has been an exceptional project,” Ovenell said. “Anything that gets students tied into industry, government and a career path is a good idea.”
Scott plans to earn a degree in agricultural business at Washington State University. Cory wants to attend a school for electrical linemen and hopes to return to Snohomish County to work with the PUD.
“Our project was exciting, but solar power still remains expensive,” Cory said. “The increasing production of solar power systems eventually will make it more affordable.”
In the meantime, the boys said they’re happy the project is done.
“We left our mark on the ag complex,” Scott said. “It’s something great that we did before we graduated.”
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.
A post about the solar challenge
Solar Decathlon Build-out Gathers Pace
Take Action!
First report from the National Mall
With the Solar Decathlon only a couple of days away, Solar Nation brings you the first of a series of eyewitness reports from the solar village on the National Mall in Washington DC. Today, we look at an unusually-shaped entry from Cornell University.
The sun rose this morning on a new development in progress in downtown Washington -- about as downtown as you can get, in fact. On the National Mall, stretching from the Washington Monument east to the Smithsonian 'Castle', twenty small houses were in different stages of construction. They had started their journey to the capital from points as far away as Darmstadt, Germany and as close as the state of Virginia, to compete in the 2009 Solar Decathlon.
The houses, all designed and constructed by university teams from the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Spain and Germany, have been under construction since the first of the month. And at 1pm on Thursday, Energy Secretary Steven Chu will officially open the event and the houses will begin to be judged in these ten contests:
* architecture
* market viability
* engineering
* lighting design
* communications
* comfort zone
* hot water
* appliances
* home entertainment
* net metering
I took my first look at the 'solar village' as it took shape in the early morning shadow of the U.S. Capitol. Some intriguing and innovative designs were on show, and perhaps none more intriguing than that of Cornell University. The shape of Cornell's 800-square-foot house brings to mind the grain silos typical of the university's upper New York State location (appropriately, it's known as the Silo House), but these silos support an 8-kW PV array and are clad with five inches of soy-based spray foam for insulation. In back of the house are two arrays of evacuated tubes, which use a water glycol heat transfer medium to provide domestic hot water and warm air for heating.
Part of the shape of things to come in the Silo House is the home control system, which anticipates an interactive smart grid. The system, by Computerized Electricity Systems, allows residents to monitor power use in real time through an Internet connection. It can turn devices on and off remotely, by program or by manual command, and with reference to the actual hourly cost of electricity. This capability is clearly intended to work with an electric grid of the future, in which home systems and appliances influence and are influenced by the utility power supply. And in a net-zero building like the Silo House, it can optimize the output of the PV and solar thermal systems.
I noticed that, unlike most of the other buildings, Cornell's entry seemed to skimp on sunlighting, i.e., using large windows to maximize passive solar benefits. But Sam Sinensky, an engineering sophomore, said: "we depend for sunlighting on a floor-to-ceiling wall of glass, which also serves as an entryway. The glass is double-paned and filled with Argon with a r factor of 5."
The path to the Silo House crosses an expanse of hydroponically grown grasses, which help to fillter grey water from the building. Each of the three 'silos' making up the living space -- kitchen, living room and bedroom -- contains several sensors for temperature and humidity, all feeding into a central system that regulates living conditions inside the building envelope.
When you see Cornell's house, your first reaction could be to wonder why the students used rusty corrugated iron for their walls. In fact, the material is COR-TEN, a steel cladding that loses its sheen by design, as the outer layer oxidizes to a weather-proof ruddy-colored coating.
Cornell has come in with a strong contender for the grand prize of the Solar Decathlon, but all the students involved know that there are nineteen other buildings, probably just as good, that theirs will have to beat for that silver trophy.
Take Action!
First report from the National Mall
With the Solar Decathlon only a couple of days away, Solar Nation brings you the first of a series of eyewitness reports from the solar village on the National Mall in Washington DC. Today, we look at an unusually-shaped entry from Cornell University.
The sun rose this morning on a new development in progress in downtown Washington -- about as downtown as you can get, in fact. On the National Mall, stretching from the Washington Monument east to the Smithsonian 'Castle', twenty small houses were in different stages of construction. They had started their journey to the capital from points as far away as Darmstadt, Germany and as close as the state of Virginia, to compete in the 2009 Solar Decathlon.
The houses, all designed and constructed by university teams from the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Spain and Germany, have been under construction since the first of the month. And at 1pm on Thursday, Energy Secretary Steven Chu will officially open the event and the houses will begin to be judged in these ten contests:
* architecture
* market viability
* engineering
* lighting design
* communications
* comfort zone
* hot water
* appliances
* home entertainment
* net metering
I took my first look at the 'solar village' as it took shape in the early morning shadow of the U.S. Capitol. Some intriguing and innovative designs were on show, and perhaps none more intriguing than that of Cornell University. The shape of Cornell's 800-square-foot house brings to mind the grain silos typical of the university's upper New York State location (appropriately, it's known as the Silo House), but these silos support an 8-kW PV array and are clad with five inches of soy-based spray foam for insulation. In back of the house are two arrays of evacuated tubes, which use a water glycol heat transfer medium to provide domestic hot water and warm air for heating.
Part of the shape of things to come in the Silo House is the home control system, which anticipates an interactive smart grid. The system, by Computerized Electricity Systems, allows residents to monitor power use in real time through an Internet connection. It can turn devices on and off remotely, by program or by manual command, and with reference to the actual hourly cost of electricity. This capability is clearly intended to work with an electric grid of the future, in which home systems and appliances influence and are influenced by the utility power supply. And in a net-zero building like the Silo House, it can optimize the output of the PV and solar thermal systems.
I noticed that, unlike most of the other buildings, Cornell's entry seemed to skimp on sunlighting, i.e., using large windows to maximize passive solar benefits. But Sam Sinensky, an engineering sophomore, said: "we depend for sunlighting on a floor-to-ceiling wall of glass, which also serves as an entryway. The glass is double-paned and filled with Argon with a r factor of 5."
The path to the Silo House crosses an expanse of hydroponically grown grasses, which help to fillter grey water from the building. Each of the three 'silos' making up the living space -- kitchen, living room and bedroom -- contains several sensors for temperature and humidity, all feeding into a central system that regulates living conditions inside the building envelope.
When you see Cornell's house, your first reaction could be to wonder why the students used rusty corrugated iron for their walls. In fact, the material is COR-TEN, a steel cladding that loses its sheen by design, as the outer layer oxidizes to a weather-proof ruddy-colored coating.
Cornell has come in with a strong contender for the grand prize of the Solar Decathlon, but all the students involved know that there are nineteen other buildings, probably just as good, that theirs will have to beat for that silver trophy.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Solar e-zine #1
Solar power and emergency backup power
Since 1986, I have been involved in using solar power as a means to charge batteries for both 12 volt use and 110 volt use. Solar electric power has been around for a long time and it has evolved dramatically since 1986. Efficiencies are going up but still are only at about 15 to 25% so there is a great deal of room to grow. What I did back in 1986 is purchase my first 20 watt panel an old used one, a 12 volt used gel cell battery and I also bought a 100 watt inverter. Back in 1986 the inverters were square wave only at least the ones I could afford. You used the inverter to run lights and a fan or a drill but no computers or solid state equipment. Believe it or not I still have that old inverter Triplight and it works well. What I was able to accomplish was fun and exciting, I turned don some lights using the sun and my inverter and I also ran an old fan occasionally and a few other little experiments. This was my first attempt at emergency lighting and it did work well.
Now in 2009 things are a bit different yet also eerily similar. Solar panels have progressed in efficiencies, inverters have come down in price and now can do a simulated sine wave (good enough for most electronics) and batteries are a tad bit better. So what am I doing now with solar energy and inverter power? I am using a solar panel and a 35 amp hour battery to run two lights in my office for one thing. I can run the lights for several hours at a clip. Those lights are by the way brighter than the power grid lights. So what good is that you ask? Well it is not to save money, at a savings of about .02 per hour or so I will not get rich but what I will have is quick and reliable emergency backup power. If the power goes out for 30 minutes to several hours , I will have light in my office and also able to run some key office systems without having to get out a bulky gas generator. Currently I have five lights running on solar power/inverter back up energy. Oh yes, my basement is totally wired and running on if needed solar power and inverter driven 110 power. A true story, I was up early and working out in my basement and I had on my back up lighting. My basement has a lot of things going on that give off noise such as the heating system, the refrigerator etc. As I worked out, oblivious to everything around me, I noticed how quiet it had become. The lights were on, my radios were on but no other noises were present. I looked around and realized we had had a power failure. Yes you can run a radio and a TV and more on backup power. How much would this cost and what else can I power you ask? Well that is for my next article. Look for me and read my blogs at www.solarsavior.com.
Until then
This is Joe Rossini Jr
Since 1986, I have been involved in using solar power as a means to charge batteries for both 12 volt use and 110 volt use. Solar electric power has been around for a long time and it has evolved dramatically since 1986. Efficiencies are going up but still are only at about 15 to 25% so there is a great deal of room to grow. What I did back in 1986 is purchase my first 20 watt panel an old used one, a 12 volt used gel cell battery and I also bought a 100 watt inverter. Back in 1986 the inverters were square wave only at least the ones I could afford. You used the inverter to run lights and a fan or a drill but no computers or solid state equipment. Believe it or not I still have that old inverter Triplight and it works well. What I was able to accomplish was fun and exciting, I turned don some lights using the sun and my inverter and I also ran an old fan occasionally and a few other little experiments. This was my first attempt at emergency lighting and it did work well.
Now in 2009 things are a bit different yet also eerily similar. Solar panels have progressed in efficiencies, inverters have come down in price and now can do a simulated sine wave (good enough for most electronics) and batteries are a tad bit better. So what am I doing now with solar energy and inverter power? I am using a solar panel and a 35 amp hour battery to run two lights in my office for one thing. I can run the lights for several hours at a clip. Those lights are by the way brighter than the power grid lights. So what good is that you ask? Well it is not to save money, at a savings of about .02 per hour or so I will not get rich but what I will have is quick and reliable emergency backup power. If the power goes out for 30 minutes to several hours , I will have light in my office and also able to run some key office systems without having to get out a bulky gas generator. Currently I have five lights running on solar power/inverter back up energy. Oh yes, my basement is totally wired and running on if needed solar power and inverter driven 110 power. A true story, I was up early and working out in my basement and I had on my back up lighting. My basement has a lot of things going on that give off noise such as the heating system, the refrigerator etc. As I worked out, oblivious to everything around me, I noticed how quiet it had become. The lights were on, my radios were on but no other noises were present. I looked around and realized we had had a power failure. Yes you can run a radio and a TV and more on backup power. How much would this cost and what else can I power you ask? Well that is for my next article. Look for me and read my blogs at www.solarsavior.com.
Until then
This is Joe Rossini Jr
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