PV Gap

Steve Said:

Is this the reason why solar panels are energy efficient?

We Answered:

The use of photovoltaic technology for producing power is environmentally friendly. Is uses naturally occurring sunlight as its source and gives off no emissions. It doesn’t pollute the air by releasing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide or mercury into the atmosphere like many traditional forms of power generation. The passive energy created is both economical and abundant.

Rosemary Said:

What is the absolute maximum amount of energy that solar panels can get?

We Answered:

That depends on the solar insolation which varies around the surface of the Earth. At the top of the atmosphere, the insolation is around 1300 Watts per square metre. The atmosphere attenuates a lot of that, though, but that is the absolute maximum. (no atmosphere).

A rough rule of thumb is that on a clear day at the equator, the maximum is about 1000W per square metre, and this will reduce as latitude increases and as cloud cover increases.

I go through the maths here: http://www.howtopowertheworld.com/what-i…

Also, you can measure the insolation around the world,: there are maps which show this, for example http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/natural-…

You'll have to convert the units though.

Hope this helps.

Clayton Said:

I am considering a solar panels. How can I tell if my area gets enough solar energy a year to be worthwhile?

We Answered:

If you are looking for the cheapest electrical power available solar panels are not going to be what you want.

Roughly solar panels will supply electrical power costing about 3-10 times more than what you can purchase from your local electrical company when averaged over the 20-25 year life of any solar panels.

Go look at how much you spend for your electricity in a single year. Then go look at how many solar panels you can purchase for this amount of cash (In my case I spend about $1000 each year for power).

This means that economic "sense" must be tempered with some other desire for the solar panels.

Kathy Said:

Is it the heat that gives energy to solar panels or a something else?

We Answered:

Solar electric panels (photovoltaics) use the light of the sun to produce electricity. Heat actually lowers their efficiency and causes them to produce less electricity.

Neil Said:

How is energy from solar panels converted to energy that can be used for solar power?

We Answered:

Your best bet is making solar water heating panels. You could make them out of copper, PVC, and garden hose, and compare which gets hotter. Check out this site for ideas. http://www.builditsolar.com/

Avoid the scams out there saying you can build your own panel for $200 to power your whole house. You can't. There are some free instructions on the You Build It site that are legit.

Joseph Said:

Is solar energy worth it due to the cost of solar panels?

We Answered:

No matter where you are getting your electricity something has to be manufactured to create it. It isn't as if we have enough plants currently to satisfy demand. By building and installing solar we can reduce the number of coal or natural gas burning plants that need to be built to supply our growing demand. There is a lot of evidence that the large grid system that we have leaves us more vulnerable to disruption due to attack or natural disaster.

From a personal point of view, it is more cost effective to produce my own electricity using solar panels. I will break even on my system in about 6 years, my system is guaranteed for 25, so I'll be getting free electricity for 19 years, plus I won't be affected by the rising cost of energy.