Once completed, this facility is expected to generate 3.7 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per annum.  Probably bigger than some of the nuclear power plants out there and it is safer too.

The solar technology used won’t be photovoltaics (solar panels)  but rather thru solar thermal power.  A whole array of mirrors would be used to reflect the suns rays to a tower with a boiler.  This would create steam that would turn the turbines and generate electricity.

Source: wired.com

Post from: Blisstree

Biggest Solar Deal in History

I really like the idea of storing energy in the form of hydrogen inside hydrogen tanks.   Battery banks are the usual storage for solar panel systems.   However, depending on the size, battery banks usually can supply a few hours to a few days worth of electricity.   Michael Strizki’s said that these hydrogen tanks, in conjunction with the solar battery bank, and geothermal setup can store an equivalent of  3 months worth of electricity usage.

The technology is fairly simple to understand.  Solar panels charge the battery banks and supplies the house with power.   If there is excess, power is directed to an electrolizer which if you recall your high school chemistry class,  splits water into Hydrogen + Oxygen thru a process called “electrolysis”.

Hydrogen gas is pumped and stored into the tanks while Oxygen is released to the atmosphere.

During the days or months where the sun cannot produce enough electricity to power the house,  the hydrogen inside the tanks is fed to a  Hydrogen fuel cell where it combines with oxygen and generates power.  The “waste product” is actually pure water.

Post from: Blisstree

Extreme Unplugged Living – The Solar Hydrogen House

Now, one of the newest updates in the solar power industry is a new coating which is said to be reflective and can actually soak in more power from the sun. But that is not all. This reflecting coating can also soak up the rays from sunlight all around it. So that means more power to your solar panel, right?

There have been no further information on this reflective coating for solar panels though. But I am interested to see this one in action.

Source: Reuters UK

Post from: Blisstree

This Coating’s Soaking Better

Another venue worth mentioning here in unpluggedliving is Beijing’s National Indoor Stadium.  A total of 1,124 solar panels have been installed on its roof.   These solar panels can supply up to 100kw of power which is enough to meet the lighting demands of the stadium.

The expected lifetime of this system is about  25 years,  and it is expected to  generate a total of 2.32 million kwh of energy during that period.   That’s  the equivalent of 904.8 tons of standard coal.   In terms of carbon dioxide emission,  this building saved the Earth some 2,352.5 tons of carbon dioxide.

Now that’s a lot of CO2 pollution avoided because of this initiative.

[via beijing2008.cn ]

Post from: Blisstree

2008 Beijing Olympics National Stadium contains 1,124 Solar Panels

He started out with discussing the bidding process and how he decide which company he choosed to install his solar energy system and why.  He decided to go for the 6.1Kw system which is quite big if you ask me.   (He has a PC lab and network at the basement which is why he needed that much power).

Anyway, he made a nice documentation of the installation process including problems they encountered and of course, a lot of pictures which will give you a pretty good idea of what goes on in your roof should you decide to put one.

Check it out at extremetech.

Post from: Blisstree

A Homeowners Account in Shifting to Solar Energy

a. Test the voltage of your solar panels

b. Test the current produced by your solar panels

Enjoy!

Post from: Blisstree

How to Test Your Solar Panels