PV Gap

Peter Said:

What was a possible benefit of a mycorrhizae association of an aquatic fungus and a green alga at the time of?

We Answered:

C & D - The large number of fungal rhizomes are efficient at collecting moisture and nutrients from the soil.
If algal cells were on top of fruiting bodies, they would be slightly higher and might get more sunlight.
This is good for the fungi because the algal photosynthesis provides nutrients for the fungi.

Brenda Said:

Why Im failed to all positions even part time job, I dont have chance to get interview, because of resume?

We Answered:

i would get rid of the computer stuff. a couple of years ago, it was necessary to have a computer skills section on your resume, but if you are applying for a job in a professional capacity it is now assumed. if you write stuff like can research on internet on there, it makes it look like thats something you are proud of being able to do - which no offense, but it shouldn't be.

also, you are including a cover letter right? which is tailored to specific employers, not the same one for all?

coz apart from that, i think your resume looks fine.

Martha Said:

Why are aesthetics more important than conserving Energy?

We Answered:

It's hard to rally a brilliant idea to narrow minded, ignorant people. I have these snubbish neighbors who do not care about a lot of things except for their gas guzzling SUV's and green lawn which takes up a lot of water. It is important to have a HOA meeting and bring these ideas to light. If they are still resistant then it is better to move in a more progressive and open minded neighborhood or city or state for that matter.

Rosemary Said:

Why don't we make solar engery more main stream?

We Answered:

There are actually more solar panels and big solar plants being used today than ever before. The Photovoltaics (PV) industry is experiencing annual growth rates of around 25% with higher growth rates in countries such as Japan, where it is currently growing at 63%. However, solar power has clearly not met its full potential. There are a few reasons for this under-exploitation of solar panels and big solar plants.

The main reason for the lack of mass exploitation of solar power technologies is economic. In order for widespread generation of electricity using solar panels to be feasible it needs to be economically advantageous. In order for solar panels to be an economically viable choice for the production of electricity, production costs must go down and efficiency of the final product must go up. It is difficult to find funding to fuel the projects that are necessary to increase the amount of electricity that can be produced for a certain price, when the current technology is not already adequately efficient.

The absence of mass consumer demand for solar technologies is a hidden factor behind the lack of wide-spread solar power production. If there is a demand for a product, there will be people that will supply that product at a cost that fulfills that demand. If there is enough consumer demand, economic and efficient solar power technologies will be developed and exploited more quickly.

Despite a lack of truly substantial financial investment from both consumers and the government (compared to the investments made in conventional energy sources), the efficiency of solar panels continues to improve. Solar technologies have come a long way from the emergence in 1954 with efficiencies of 6% and costs of $600 a watt. [20] Some of the most recent single-crystal silicon cells have as much as 24% efficiency in the lab and commercial cells at 15% efficiency. This increasing efficiency coupled with decreasing module prices may lead to more and more usage of solar power.

As prices go down, efficiencies go up, tax incentives and rebates increase in impact, reliability of standard electrical generation fluctuates, and increased awareness of the dangers of fossil fuel combustion become widespread, the use of solar panels may increase greatly. This increase can already be seen in the solar market. For example, the shipment of PV modules and cells reported by US manufacturers in 1999 jumped by 52% from 1998. NREL and the DOE project that growth in the PV industry of 25% annually is sustainable at least until 2020. [24]

Solar is a good energy option in developing countries. Because of the cost of transmission lines and the difficulty of transporting fuel to remote areas, developing countries are increasingly turning to solar energy as a low cost way to supply electricity. With a third of the world's population still without electricity, most of whom live in developing countries, usage of solar panels will be increasing greatly as the demand for electricity spreads throughout the world. BPSolar, previously Solarex, is one of the first large companies to really start catering to this need in developing areas. They recently completed two $30 million projects, one in the Philippines and another in Indonesia. A $48 million project, that will supply 114 villages with electricity, is currently in the works.

Examples of large-scale solar power applications is not limited to developing countries. For example, in Murcia, Spain, AstroSolar is planning to supply a Spanish power plant with 13 MW of solar cells. This Spanish power plant will be four times larger than any other PV plant and will cover an area the size of 57 soccer fields. The Japanese are currently spending 10-20 times more than the U.S. to commercialize PV, hoping to install 4,600 MW of Solar power by 2010. While growth in the U.S. has not matched international growth, there is still a sizable growth in both PV and solar thermal use in the US residential sector. The EIA reported a 11% increase in the shipment of solar thermal collectors between 1998 and 1999, with more than 90% of these shipments going to the residential sector.

Overall, use of solar power is increasing globally. However, the percentage of energy produced using solar resources is still miniscule.

Nora Said:

Can the federal tax credits for energy efficiency improvements be used by condominiums?

We Answered:

There are still federal tax credits available for energy efficiency ($500) and solar (30%). You'd need to check with a tax lawyer about if the association can claim them, or just the home owner.

Energy Efficiency http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incen…
Solar http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incen…

Then different states also have some http://www.dsireusa.org/