The Limitless Possibilities of Solar Power

Solar power has come a long way from powering calculators to small electronics and now our homes, businesses and possibly the country. Currently roof top solar panels are dominating the solar PV industry and have become its flag carrier.

The demand for rooftop solar PV has increased at a staggering rate because ofits energy efficiency capabilities and financial benefits. This increase in demand has led to countless of breakthroughs that continue to develop the technology, making it cheaper and more efficient.

The federal government of Australia supports the use of home solar panels, offices, buildings and every infrastructure that uses electricity through a series of programs that helps every Australian to make the switch to solar power. This is because it is the most cost effective way to save on their electricity costs and reducetheir carbon emissions as well.

But apart from rooftop solar PV, other applications of solar are starting to be popular.

Cars; although mostly solar powered cars are only prototypes currently and not yet available in the market for road use, the technology is starting to be extensively developed. The renowned Australian Solar race from Darwin to Adelaide is one large international event which has paved way for many innovations in the application of solar in transportation.

Ships; the PlanetSolarTuranor, the largest vessel powered by solar is now circumnavigating the world to prove that solar energy can be used for any means of transportation. Shipping accounts for 5% of worldwide carbon emissions, so this is an important area for further development.

Many other clever ideas have been born in the boom of the solar industry. Solar powered trash cans which automatically compress the garbage are now being tested in the streets of Santa Cruz. Mobile phones can now be charged through a solar powered charger. Electronic devices of Australian soldiers are also now being tested for solar power integration to keep them charged while in the field.

Inventor Markus Kayserhas developed a solar powered 3D printer able to sinter layers of sand to create 3D parts in glass. This invention marks the entry of solar in arts and media.

The possible applications of solar power areliterally limitless because of its flexible scaling ability that enables it power anything from a calculator to an entire building.

Every invention and innovation that we hear from the news is an exciting sign that we are progressing nearer to our clean energy goals. 

Why DIY Solar Panels are Poor Investment

DIY or do it yourself projects are really fun, engaging and self-gratifying, especially when you have finished the project. However there are some projects that should just be left to the professionals and this is especially true when it involves electricity and the safety of your home and your family.

DIY solar panels are hazardous because there will no quality check performed which is very concerning with something you will be installing directly into your homes electricals. Any minute short circuit, over load or any problem of any nature could have severe repercussions. Moreover a solar panel system that is not installed by a professional (even if they are commercially bought) is highly unlikely to perform to its rated KWh output, which menus you will be losing money every day from its lowered energy output. The key elements in wielding the technology’s benefits are certified system components and certified installers who understand the science of correct solar system design.

Also, another reason why installing a DIY solar panel will actually cost you money is that you will not be qualified to receive any solar bonuses and or connect to a Feed in Tariff schemes without certified components installed by registered and certified installers.Also unless you are an expert in solar PV you will unsure whether the panels and inverter that you choose are compatible, and suitable to deliver enough solar power into your meter box every day to reduce your energy bills significantly.

All in all we can say that the efforts to purchase DIY solar panels to save money would be just futile!

If you really want to take part in the global fight against carbon and make big cuts to your electric bills it is best by far to have quality panels installed by a professional. Solar panels are a large purchase and a long term purchase, and short term thinking is false economy.

A home will greatly benefit from a solar pv system from the feed in tariff or a scheme that will allow you to connect and export electricity to the state grid and they will pay you a fair market value. Businesses and homes can also utilise this for an extra stream of income.

Installing a certified and qualified solar panel system onto your home is a wise investmentwhich if done correctly can free your family from rising electricity costs. It is also the only form of home improvement that actually is capable of earning you income, and will add at least your sale price in value tour home as well.

It’s no wonder that with the current economic trends, renewable energy sources are considered as a really solid low risk investment with guaranteed returns

Solar Panels Plunging in Price

Prices per KW of solar panels today have reached record lows,and in the past few years the price of solar power systems have decreased by almost 50%, so with electricity prices continuing to rise there has never been a better time to make the switch to solar than today!

One of the main concerns that has been damaging for the professionalism of the industry is the wide variance in quality. Although high quality and cheap will never go together in any industry, the quality of solar panel systems and their efficiency ratings continues to improve with research and development.

This means that for a greatly reduced investment you can gain a higher power output from less roof space then was previously available.

Government rebates are still in place as well, which brings the starting price of a budget 1.5KW residential rooftop solar panels system to around $4000.

 Be aware that this will only reduce an average household electricity bill by about 50% though, and so it is generally a much better investment to purchase a larger and higher quality system which can eliminate your bill entirely. For much less than double the cost you can double the power output you will receive, and over its 20 year plus lifespan this will make a big difference to your return on investment!

Take advantage of the government bonuses and rebates now!

One of the main reasons why solar PV systems have become readily available at a much cheaper price is because of government incentives and rebates, which though now reduced are still generous and easy to qualify for. If you are planning to install a solar panel system then why not do it now while the current incentives are still in effect.

The subsidised feed in tariff schemes which paid eligible system owners  under contract with their local electricity providers a premium rate for their surplus electricity have now been reduced in most states in Australia.

Standard tariff rates which are higher than the cost you pay for electricity are still on offer in nearly all regions, but if you have the chance to get a contract for a premium tariff before your state caps are reached that will give you an added financial bonus.

The RECs (or renewable energy certificates) is another form of incentive by the government. RECs are issued to eligible system owners which can be sold to a broker or a clearing house at a fair market value. The current solar multiplier of 3 increases the number of your eligible RECs by 3 times. This rate will be reduced each year until 2014 when there will no longer be a multiplier.

Solar PV Changing Energy Generation in Adelaide

With its hot dry climate being perfect for solar panels it’s not surprising thatin South Australia the use of renewable energy sources,particularly solar power, has been becoming more widespread for years now.

As a proof of South Australia’s love for solar energy the state has increased its renewable energy capacity by several folds and more households are turning into solar power for a clean and renewable energy that will generally make significant cuts to both their electric bills and carbon emission.

Adelaide has become one of the most sustainable cities in the region, thanks to the city councils efforts to make Adelaide a green hub by encouraging households and businesses to make the switch to solar power. The region’s actions towards environmental protection have led to a significant spike in the installations of solar PV in Adelaide.

Aside from privately owned establishments, the city council of Adelaide is also converting public infrastructures and government buildings to high environmental rating to improve sustainability.

For e.g. they have invested $8 million into projects like Adelaide’s showground’s, which now has a total renewable energy capacity of 1 megawatt and an estimated carbon reduction by over 1 million tons per year.  The cities hospital is another showpiece, and has been granted the highest 6 star environmental rating.

Adelaide’s airport has also installed a wide array of solar photovoltaic panels which has made the gateway to the city as green as possible. As a highly used structure the role it has in promoting, developing and commercialising solar power in Adelaide and the rest of South Australia is appreciated by the local solar industry, which is currently enjoying a last minute boom as the states premium feed in tariff draws to a close for new connections.

The Future of Renewable Energy

With the variable changes to our Earth’s delicate climate caused by carbon emissions and global temperature warming, many extreme weather events have been recorded worldwide. A team of researchers from NASA under the Grace project even found out that the gravitational pull of the earth is affected, which has massive flow on effects. And the biggest contributor to these changes is our continued use of fossil fuels and other carbon intensive energy sources.

Australia is one of the leading countries in the research, development and application of alternative sources of clean and renewable energy, and the Australian government has committed to taking strong measures to meet its renewable energy targets by 2020.

In response to this current financial support plus the extra funding that will be made possible by the tax on carbon which commences in 2012, private companies are now finding it economically feasible to invest heavily in projects and research that will make it possible to significantly reduce our country’s carbon footprint.

Some on the exciting projects that are on the horizon include-

Large Scale Solar Projects

Aside from reducing carbon emissions, the need to reduce electricity costs by decentralising the widespread and high maintenance electricity grid is setting the stage to make the use of solar power highly desirable in Australia.So throughout the country we are seeing planning for substantial investments in mid and large scale solar technology.

Currently two major solar flagship projects in the country are gearing up for construction to begin in 2-3 years’ time. The Moree solar panels farm in New South Wales will be largest of its kind capable of generating 150 MW of electricity from pure photovoltaic technology, and the Solar Dawn project will be an exciting hybrid of natural gas with concentrated solar power (CSP) capable of generating 250 MW of energy uplifting the use of solar power in Queensland.

Both projects are expected to be a valuable resource towards reducing the country’s carbon emissions, and as the Australian carbon tax is impending it is very likely that many more solar power projects will be underway soon.

Nano Solar

Nano sized solar cells, while still under development, have the potentialto revolutionise the solar industry, and are set to completely change the face of solar panels.

Just recently Australian researchers have developed a solar cell a hundred times smaller than a solar cell found in an average solar panel now. The technology is truly innovative, as the minute proportions enable them to be suspended in a liquid medium and then fused into materials used for building homes like window glass and paint.

A similar technology in the United States also exists, and with the help of inkjet technology American researchers have said that we can have print on solar cells in the future. Both breakthroughs are still under extensive development and some years away from commercial use, but the potentials seem limitless.

Biogas

The innovative Biogas technology in Melbourne was an accidental discovery. Originally the company Melbourne Water was looking for ways to reduce the sewage smell at their plant, and it was during that process that they have discovered the potential of utilising the potent smelling Biogas to actually power the company.

 The gas emitted by the sewage (mostly methane and currently still under research for biogas conversion ) is collected and then burned in a biogas plant, and the results to date have generated enough electricity to power 95% of the site, and reduce about 330,000 tons of carbon in the past few years. Melbourne Water was also able to save nearly $2 million annually on its energy bills.

The Biogas technology is expected to soar within the decade as the technology is refined.

Geothermal Energy

The possibility of powering state grids in the country through geothermal energy is not far-fetched at all as Melbourne researchers and consultants have identified several major geothermal energy hotspots in the country, and drilling will start soon.

The project is also expected to be have the advantage of being somewhat decentralised, with the ability to establish small plants on certain key areas where the heat of the earth’s core manifests the most, so maximising the site per square inch.

Wave Energy

A Western Australia based company is geared up to build the largest wave energy plant in the world within a couple of years. The project is expected to generate around 5 MW of energy and power at least 5,000 households.

The idea of wave technology is closely related to a hydroelectric power plant; the energy comes from water currents and is then transferred to a generator. The difference between the two is the source of the water’s energy, ocean rather than river. Wave technology will also have the advantage of an auxiliary source (a specialized pumping technology).