PV Gap

Marvin Said:

Solar Energy and Hydropower energy would you say these are good energy resources?

We Answered:

All power sources have drawbacks. The two you mention, like nuclear, are relatively clean, which is a plus.

Hydro is very cheap for the amount of energy we get, but our rivers are basically all dammed up already - there isn't a lot more hydropower we can get.

Solar is one of the most expensive ways to generate electricity on a utility scale, but could be the cheapest way to generate electricity on a homeowner scale, at least for many urban homes. Unless one has a stream running through their property to run a water wheel, or strong steady wind, the other choices for getting power are using a gas- or oil-powered generator, or buying retail electricity from the grid. The generator will cost more per kWh over the life of the system, and the grid electricity could be more or less expensive, depending on where one lives. At the moment, the grid is usually cheaper, but not in all parts of the country.

Stephanie Said:

Where can I find a periodical on solar energy on the internet?

We Answered:

somewhere in this stack.

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Endex Periodicals List: Library - WSU Energy Program

This is a list of currently published energy-related periodicals (journals, magazines and newsletters) with links .... Journal of Solar Energy Engineering ...
www.energy.wsu.edu/library/endex_perio… - 83k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this - Filter
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Solar Energy | Energy & Utilities > Renewable Energy | Business ...

The Oregon Public Utility Commission on Thursday decided that third-party investors in solar energy projects are allowed under ... (PERIODICAL ARTICLE) ...
www.allbusiness.com/solar-energy/49722… - 76k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this - Filter
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JHU Libraries Catalog

Solar energy -- Periodicals. 4. 5. Solar energy policy, 1. 6. Solar energy policy -- United States. 8. 7. Solar energy policy -- United States -- Congresses ...
https://catalog.library.jhu.edu/ipac20/i… - 42k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this - Filter
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Colorado Renewable Energy Society - Web Links

The Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (CoSEIA) publishes a bimonthly newsletter ... Other Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Periodicals ...
www.cres-energy.org/links.html - 23k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this - Filter
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Horizon Information Portal

Solar energy -- Periodicals. 0. 2. Solar energy -- Periodicals. 14. 3. Solar energy plants (Saline water conversion), 0. 4. Solar energy policy, 1 ...
salsa.stlib.state.nm.us/ipac20/ipac.js… - 36k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this - Filter
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Horizon Information Portal

Search Results. 2 titles matched: Solar energy -- Periodicals. Sort by:. Select... None, Author, Format, Title, Publication Date. Limit by: ...
library.losalamosnm.us/ipac20/ipac.jsp… - 59k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this - Filter
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Solar Research Library

Solar Alert, a current awareness bulletin, lists energy related articles of interest to FSEC that have appeared in recent issues of periodicals received in ...
www.fsec.ucf.edu/en/about/facilities/l… - 16k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this - Filter
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PHILIPPINE GOVT DISCUSSES SOLAR ENERGY OPTIONS. - Journal ...

MANILA, Nov 22 Asia Pulse - With abundant sunlight all year round, the Philippine government is tapping solar energy as a viable alternative power for its ...
goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-… - 30k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this - Filter
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Horizon Information Portal

Search Results. 23 titles matched: Solar energy Periodicals. .... Dept. of Energy. Office of Conservation and Solar Energy. Office of State and Local ...
horizon.clarkson.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?s… - 69k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this - Filter
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Gemstone Team: SHINE

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells LOCATION: EPSL Periodical Stacks CALL NUMBER: TJ810.S62471 Also available electronically through Research Port ...
www.lib.umd.edu/ENGIN/GUIDES/gemstones… - 25k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this - Filter

Juanita Said:

solar energy?

We Answered:

how does it work?

It works by converting light energy into usable electrical energy. There is no other by-product.

what is it used for?

Powering our home, businesses, some cars, and countless science projects.

what are positives about solar energy?

"Free" energy
endless* supply (*let's put it this way, if there was no more sun, we wouldn't be around to care)
no waste/by-product.

what are negatives about solar energy?

None, really, but the only legitimate two I can think of are:
Can only be harvested half of the day (morning till twilight)
Relatively expensive for the solar panels, but hopefully cost will come down soon.

Marcus Said:

How would convert solar energy to electrical energy?

We Answered:

A solar panel would be a good idea.

Melanie Said:

Solar energy- does anyone know of a DIY way to make a solar collector and transfer that energy to batteries?

We Answered:

If your goal is to save money, it will be hard to do that with solar electricity. You can come out ahead under some circumstances, but powering a refrigerator and a fan is an unlikely one. However, if your goal is to learn about this kind of setup, you could get a kit from (say) Harbor Freight for a few hundred dollars, which will (barely) charge a car battery over a period of a couple weeks. The energy you collect could power a fan for several hours.

You could also learn about solar electricity just by searching the web. That way, you don't need to spend any money at all. Our solar setup is documented at

http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/roderick/so…

That said, there are ways you can save money on energy. A solar hot water heater usually pays for itself over time, depending on where you live. You can buy a kit to retrofit your existing water heater for perhaps $2000 or so.

Also, if your refrigerator is old, just changing to a new, extremely efficient model can save 1/3, maybe even 2/3 of the energy.