solar energy international
The price of a barrel of crude oil has never been higher ($ 62.00 + in summer 2005, even before the chaos caused by Katrina). Some say this is a temporary boost, but more and more analysts are agreed that this type of pricing is here to stay. World consumption is at its most high, and given the new thirst for oil in China and India is unlikely to diminish. According to International Energy Outlook, global demand is expected to continue increasing up to 59% in the next fifteen years.
Already, the energy bills of consumers have increased on average 6.5% per year over the last thirty years in the United States. Given the dramatic increase in the cost of non-traditional energy production using renewable resources, this rate is bound to be overcome by unprecedented price increases in the very near future. And for consumers who are increasingly environmentally conscious, the idea of millions and millions tonnes of CO2 and other BI products being released into the atmosphere annually through the use of fossil fuels to create energy is very alarming.
It's a no brainer that our reliance on oil to create energy leaves us very vulnerable. There are technologies that produce renewable energy, but the problem is one of cost-effectiveness. It has always been cheaper to supply energy using fossil fuels and, consequently, renewable sources like solar and wind power have not taken off. But now the situation seems to be changing. More and more, our consumption of energy is outstripping supply. The grid can barely keep up with demand and rolling blackouts are no longer only one concept. No wonder governments are looking for alternatives. And not everyone wonder solar talking again.
In 1985, when all The world solar energy installation system accounted for 21 megawatts of power. In 2004 this had increased to an incredible 927 megawatts in the production of new the only power plant. The application of solar energy in recent years has increased annually about 25%, although in 2004 sales have increased a whopping 67% last year.
There are several reasons for this increase in popularity of all things solar. Beyond the obvious considerations environmental and the privilege of not having to rely on the power of a grid that is aging and stretched to capacity, solar energy is becoming profitable. Although traditional energy production gets more expensive, technological advances are making solar power cheaper. In 1980, the cost of energy sun harvest was about $ 100 per watt. Literally hundreds of times more expensive than the price of electricity, these systems were not economically viable. In 1999, however, technology has reduced this to about $ 4 per watt and costs have continued to decline by about 5% per year since. The Return on Investment is becoming very attractive for many commercial organizations and consumers.
Efficiencies have been made in several technologies. Investors who convert collecting usable DC power into AC power used to deliver only 65% efficiency. 35% of the collected energy was lost in the transformation process. Processors today are so efficient that deliver up to 96% of the usable energy contained in AC.
Photovoltaic technology has also made solar collection far more efficient. Twenty years ago, only 5% of the sun's energy hitting a solar charging panel was harvested. This figure is now more 15% and will continue to increase because more effective compounds have been designed and introduced in the manufacture of these photovoltaic panels.
All levels government are increasingly looking at solar in providing stable, profitable and environmentally friendly energy. 35 states now have some type of discount program for owners who install solar energy systems. And this is not just the south, "says Sunny." While California is the clear leader in the promotion of solar-powered energy solutions (a program introduced in 2003 to promote the introduction of solar powered energy systems in one million households in the coming years), New Jersey and New York are next in line for solar investment.
At the municipal level, many jurisdictions have introduced solar solutions for traffic and streetlights. 50% of the energy used to run the City of Sacramento for solar water treatment plant. NASA uses energy systems solar driven many of its buildings. And governments are not using solar just because it's good for the environment and sets an example for commercial entities and consumers (although these benefits can not miss them!). They concluded that opting for solar systems will save hundreds of thousands of dollars.
With what many rebate programs today homeowners are coming to similar conclusions. After recovering the return on initial investment (ranging from 4 to 6 years with discount programs in California, for example), solar users do not have any additional energy bills, almost no maintenance to worry about and are not slaves of power grid is becoming more and more fragile than demand outstripping supply. No wonder solar power is to draw attention!
Solar energy is still more expensive than traditional energy production methods, but the gap is narrowing every year. Applications solar energy are also multiplying at a startling pace. House heating, lighting and solar pool heating, hot water tank heating, calculators, flashlights, solar garden lamps and so on. Solar is clean, it is efficient and is here to stay.
blueEnergy @ Solar Energy Internation Wind Turbine Workshop
