PV Gap

Andy Said:

SOLAR ENERGY! How does it work, how its made, come from,pros & cons, fit hawaii???HELP PLEASE!?

We Answered:

I cant write it all down so here a link that might help

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Energ…

Isaac Said:

Solar Energy?

We Answered:

Pros are pretty obvious that you rely on solar energy more than elctric and gas there fore utlities are cheap. and they are so easy to put in and install.
cons- the solar panels over time lose power a little over time and eventually they need replaced, the panels are really expensive, and the battery back up that is required is a lot of space needed.

Andrew Said:

some help w/ a paper on solar energy..?

We Answered:

Wikipedia knows all.

Alvin Said:

Pros and cons of different alternative energy?

We Answered:

To say that any of this is free is to misunderstand economics. The raw material, be it electromagnetic radiation, heat, kinetics, gravity, or chemical is readily available. The cost is in the effort to make it usable. In other words wind may be free, windmills are not.

Geothermal works only in places where there is hot magma near the surface. Iceland has made great use of geothermal power.

Solar is the most promising. Sun is readily available in much of the world (polar regions during their winter being the exception). Biggest drawback is that it isn't available at night, however power usage surges during the day so it is most available when most needed. The cost is a bit prohibitive, but technology is slowly making solar power competitive. We will see the day where in more tropical latitudes every square inch of rooftop is covered in solar panels.

Wind is unsteady and usually the most available where it is least needed. The high plains have lots of wind potential, and not many people to consume it. This means long distance transmission, with its attendant costs.

Hydroelectric, most of the good rivers in the west already are dammed, though there is plenty of potential in the rest of the world. Tidal and ocean currents have great potential, but the cost and technical challenges are prohibitive.

Biomass, similar problems to coal and oil, puts carbon particulate matter into the air. Waste from crops or garbage is a good use of otherwise unused material, but when we go to corn or cane we are taking food supplies generally from the poorest and diverting it to energy generally for the richer world.

For all these ideas, coal and oil are going to be king for quite some time to come.

Actually the biggest source of untapped energy is in reducing usage, better insulation, telecommuting, smarter homes and appliances for instance.

Eva Said:

Any information on Solar Energy?

We Answered:

Basically, using photovoltaic (PV) panels based on silicon wafer technology solar radiation can be directly converted into electrical energy, but the process is not yet very efficient.

You can also capture the heat from the radiation and use it to produce steam to power a conventional power plant, or to heat a house.

Solar energy can be used for any process that requires electricity or heat.

Pro - renewable, free source of energy.

Con - not all areas get equal amounts of sun. It works best where the sun shines the most.

Other info - see source

Delores Said:

What are the pros and cons of using solar energy as an energy source?

We Answered:

Pros - clean, renewable energy source
Cons - Solar panels are expensive

From http://altenergy.in