Solar & Wind Power

The Suns of Power design team from California Polytechnic State University, Mechanical Engineering Department, senior project: design, analyze, build, test and operate a solar thermal electric generator that is capable of producing at least 200 W of usable electricity over the course of 1 hour.

As of April 19th, 2009, the system is almost completed. In this video we are hooking up the final components. We are testing the flowmeter, pressure gauges, thermocouples, pump, steam separator and various other components.

Here’s how the cycle works:
Water is pumped through the collection pipe (11′ painted stainless steel, enclosed by a 10′ shot glass tube) located at the focal point of the mirror. When the mirror is focused at the sun, the water is boiled into steam. The steam leaves the collection pipe and flows into a steam separator. The steam flows through the top line of the separator, while any condensate drains through the bottom of the separator. In the steam line (on the top side of the cart), the steam travels through a needle valve that is used for throttling the steam engine. Also on this line is a pressure gauge and a displacement lubricator. Steam enters the lubricator and condensates. The condensate falls to the bottom and displaces the steam engine piston oil into the steam line. The steam then reaches that steam engine. The flywheel will soon be connected to a DC motor used as a generator. The steam then exits the steam engine through a check valve and meets up with the condensate that flowed down through the separator. This condensate/steam mixture is pumped up to a fin-fan heat exchanger that acts as the condenser. The condensed steam line connects to an expansion tank.. The expansion tank acts as a fill point for the system, allows thermal expansion of the water, sets the condenser pressure to atmospheric and provides the pump’s required Net Positive Suction Head to eliminate cavitation in the pump. The water then flows down through a 5-micron, high temperature water filter and then to the micro magnetic driven gear pump. There is a thermocouple on the suction side, as well as pressure gauges at the suction and discharge. The flow rate of the water can be read off of the rotameter style flowmeter located directly after the pump. The water is then pumped underneath the mirror and then back through the collection pipe where the cycle begins again.

If you have any questions about our project, please email us or leave comments. We will respond as quickly as our busy schedules allow us. Thanks for watching!

(Music by The Learn-by-doings)

Duration : 0:6:14

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: cal, Electric, generator, green, Poly, renewable, Solar, thermal

Introduction to the SolarFlex food drying and heating system.

Duration : 0:4:42

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: alternative, dehydration, drying, energy, food, Heating, off-grid, renewable, Solar

Fifty years inthe making, solar-power cells are still flat, rigid, and ugly. But new research shows how they could be made lightweight, flexible, and transparent. These innovations could expand solar-cell use to things like solar fabrics and power generating windows.
http://www.sciencentral.com/video/

Duration : 0:1:50

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: cells, energy, John, Laboratory, National, panels, Powerlight, renewable, Rogers, sciencentral, See, silicon, Solar, sunlight, through, wafer

SunPower is constructing a 30-megawatt (ac) photovoltaic solar power plant, the San Luis Valley Solar Ranch, on 216 acres of private, former agricultural land in Alamosa County. Expected to be fully operational by the end of 2011, construction began at the end of 2010 and is creating approximately 100 jobs.

Duration : 0:2:43

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: Clean Energy, cleantech, NREL, renewable, solar power, SUN SUNPOWER global climate, tech, technology

Pfister Energy of Baltimore, LLC installed a 66.512 kW(DC) solar integrated roofing system on a 200-year-old building adjacent to the Baltimore Ravens Stadium — the brand new headquarter offices of M.C. Dean, Inc. The new roof is expected to produce 76,954 kWh per year and more than 1.7 million kWh over a 25-year period, which will significantly reduce electric costs.

Duration : 0:4:41

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: energy, M.C. Dean, Pfister Energy, photovoltaic, renewable, roof, Solar

http://fastfreehomeenergy.com If you are looking for a great site to learn how to generate cheap clean energy at home then you may want to go over to this site. There are loads of great articles teaching you how to create energy at home using solar, wind and generator energy. The articles are free and very informative and if you require more information there are links to other sites that will enable you to fill in the blanks. enjoy.

Duration : 0:1:34

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: energy, free, generator, green, magnets, panels, Power, renewable, Solar, turbine, turbines, wind

http://www.123CheapSolarCom.com

Build small solar panels for your home or house,
apartment or business. Small scale solar panels
can create a valuable source of renewable energy
without over paying professional solar cell installation
from manufacturers.

Micro-scale solar cells can be built from home for a
fraction of the price and are easy to construct.
Everything you need for solar power can be found
at your local hardware store.

Duration : 0:1:19

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: energy, manufacturers, micro, panels, renewable, scale, small, Solar, solar power, solar power compact, solar shingles

http://www.EnergyBrainiac.com – Solar Panels For My Roof
Watson Solar House • Alternative Energy
Turns out that I had a squirrel nesting below my solar arrays and her 3 babies loved to … Power comes down from the panels on the roof as two 400 volt DC …GREEN Solar Gets Practical / Is it finally time to put solar …
GREEN Solar Gets Practical. Is it finally time to put solar panels on my roof? Gregory Dicum, Special to SF Gate. Wednesday, January 25, 2006 …How are Solar Panels Attached to my Roof?
How are Solar Panels Attached to my Roof? … I dont personally know how every company installs solar energy panels on a roof, but I know how our company …Solar panel makers are developing neater and cleaner products …
“Why do I have a solar panel integrated into my roof? Why isn’t my entire roof a solar panel?” Back to top. Home Business with Reuters JLM Pacific Epoch – A solar panel on my roof top?
A solar panel on my roof top? Posted by: Dylen Liu on Nov 20 | 15:11. Shanghai Development and Reform Commission recently released the “Shanghai Solar PV EERE Roofus’ Solar and Efficient Home: Solar Panels
Apr 14, 2006 … There are hundreds of these solar cells built into the solar panels on my roof. Not many people have solar panels on their roofs right now, …Calculate your roof’s potential solar power output with RoofRay …
Aug 12, 2008 … specify the surface area available on that roof for solar panels … just guessed at the degrees of my parents’ roof angle — but it’s an Fresh Starts – Up on the Roof, New Jobs in Solar Power – NYTimes.com
Dec 14, 2008 … Times File; Save This Page; My Saved Pages … Some even see a roof festooned with solar panels as an ecological status symbol.Next Generation Prius to Have Solar Panel Roof Option | GM-VOLT …
GM should definitely add a solar panel roof as an option no matter how novel …… On my Motorhome I use uni-solar panels. The only area affected and will .Duke Energy Announces 20 Megawatt Solar Power Project in North …
Jun 10, 2008 … I’d love to have a solar panel on my roof. I’m trying to convince my parents to get one when we get rid of some loans. ..
Solar Panels For My Roof

solar system solar power solar panels wind turbine wind turbines wind energy earth4energy earth for energy earth 4 energy wind generator construction review scam instructions save money save energy save electricity energy bill eliminate power solar panel panels wind turbines turbine alternative efficient efficiency renewable system how to build electricity earth home house technology generate go green residential homemade made free home made

Duration : 0:1:37

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: advantages, alternative, benefits, bill, build, cell, cells, cheap, conservation, cost, DIY, earth, earth4energy, earthenergy, efficiency, efficient, Electric, electricity, eliminate, energy, environment, free, fuel, generate, generator, global, green, grid, heat, heater, help, home, homemade, house, how, instructions, kits, live, make, manufacturer, market, money, natural, panel, panels, plant, Power, renewable, residential, Resources, review, save, scam, sell, Solar, sun, system, technology, transformers, turbine, turbines, wind, windmills, work

http://www.SolarEnergyGuide.net – How to Build a Solar System Model – Learn to Make a Solar Panel
It is possible to build your own solar system model without any prior knowledge of how it is done. All you need is a step-by-step guide to follow to make this a reality. You could build your own solar panel to power the whole of your home and live off the grid. An already made solar system model could cost up to $5,000 to $30000, but you would save a lot of money if you build it on your own. With as little as $500, you could build your own solar energy using a step-by-step guide with materials gotten through cheap sources, though very durable, to make your own DIY solar system.

Things you will need to build your own solar system model
The things as they pertains to your solar system are the tools and components to build the project. You must have all of them and there are ways to get for cheap, almost free. I will talk about that later on.

The things you require are:
You need a set of battery box
You need a DC meter.
You need an inverter.
You need a handheld drill.
You need a 20 volt solar panel.

I know you must be wondering where to get this tool and whether everything would still cover the $500 I promised earlier on. The short answer is this: write a list of the things you need and walk down to a scrap hardware store to buy them. It is possible to get them for cheap and the durable ones. The things above are not all need, but just get those ones first. After you have arranged all these tools, you can then follow the steps below to get rolling. The perfect place to do this project is your garage but any other place comfortable for you is okay.

Step 1
First and foremost, get a mini solar panel which is only 20 volt or much higher. As a beginner or as a way to learn it first before building a bigger one, let us say 1000 watt which enough to power your own, 20 volt is okay.

It is really possible to see a panel of this type and the easiest way to get them fast is to visit a local RV mall or a mini marina could due. It is possible to see the type sold for $80 or even below that.

Step 2
The second stuff you require is simply a battery. You could be lured into getting a bigger one, but I tell you that a mini rechargeable battery is fine for this project.

An acid or lead battery that is just 12 volt could handle this project. Look for the deep cell battery types and don’t go for anything other than that, this is so because they are made for steady use, and they last long too.

Step 3
You need to buy a battery box. It will serve as a protective cover for the battery. As you know before now that battery releases some drops of liquid; this is dangerous to living and non-living orgasms. The battery box will keep your kid or animals safe from the potential harm of battery.

Step 4
Another stuff you need is a DC meter enough to suit the voltage of the battery and a DC input. It is responsible for transferring energy to the panel so it could be applied to various power sources in your house. In order to power AC gadgets in your home you require an inverter.

Step 5
Here comes the coupling section of your solar panel parts together to get them to work. With the aid of a handheld driller, join the meter and DC input to the upper end of the battery container. After you might have done this, get some couple of insulated wires to link the meter to your battery.

Take caution to see that you use one wire after the other and link the initial wire to its negative input. Apply similar method to link the DC inlet and the solar panel to the battery itself.

Step 6
After you are through with this, it is time to begin transforming the power of the sun to be used as a renewable energy. Seal the cover firmly using a cord and bring the whole product out to the sun. You can also fix it on top of your roof, if you wish. Relax for up to 9 hours and get set to enjoy the green energy you built.

Final word
This guide is for building a small solar system model. There are even more easy ways to build a 1000-watt solar panel to power the whole of your home. This way you won’t have to even pay for power bills ever again and the good part is that you can also do it yourself. All you need is a video manual to guide you better. And the best part is that you won’t be contributing to the pollution of our planet and help to lessen our dependency on foreign oil. I urge you to try this out for your home because it is the best way to save money electric bills.

Earth 4 Energy is a DIY Video manual which contains the easy to follow step-by-step guide you can apply to build your own Solar Panel Generator for under $250 in the comfort of your home. It shows you where to find cheap parts required for the solar generator and video guide to couple them together. If you want to live off the grid, now is your opportunity to build yours for less than the price of commercial made ones.
How to Build a Solar System Model – Learn to Make a Solar Panel

Duration : 0:1:18

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: build, CAN, cheap, costs, DIY, earth, earth4energy, earthenergy, efficiency, efficient, Electric, electricity, eliminate, energy, environment, free, fuel, generate, generator, global, green, grid, heat, heater, help, home, homemade, house, how, instructions, kits, live, make, manufacturer, market, money, my, natural, panel, panels, plant, Power, renewable, residential, Resources, review, save, scam, sell, Solar, sun, system, technology, to, transformers, turbine, turbines, wind, windmills, work

http://www.SolarEnergyGuide.net – Don’t Buy Solar Panels For Sale – Here’s a Better Solution For Solar Power
Each month, as people receive their electric bill, many contemplate turning to solar panels to reduce this utility cost. Some people are literally paying over half the amount of their house payment to the electric company. Solar panels are an investment in your home that you should definitely consider, but when you look at the cost of solar panels for sale, you may think you can’t afford it. There is a better solution for solar power.

How to Build Your Own Solar Panel

A typical solar panel installed on your home will average in cost between $7-$9 a watt. That means that one solar panel that produces 100 watts of electricity will run you about $700-900! While solar panels for sale are around $4-$6 per watt, installation brings that price up quite quickly. It just makes good financial sense to build your own.

Anyone who is rather handy and motivated can do it. The cost is about $200 and you can control the size of the panel so it fits where you have the space. Your first step should be a detailed, yet easy to understand, manual. Don’t get the first one you come across. Do a little research and if you can find one with videos, that’s even better.

The building supplies are next and you may be surprised to find most of them at your local hardware store: plywood, a roll of copper wire, and sheets of glass. The solar panel cells, also called photovoltaic cells, can be found at a local retailer or online.

Finally, it will take about a day to assemble a 100-watt panel, which can produce enough electricity to operate a small appliance. If you are building one for the first time, you may want to work on it over a long weekend. Once you get the first one done, the rest are easier and can be hooked together.

A Final Thought

There you have. It’s much easier than you might think and a lot less expensive to build your own solar panel. The solar panels for sale commercially may be for some people, but for others, they are simply too expensive. Start lowering your electric bill with a homemade solar panel and keep some of that utility bill money for something else!

You can save yourself time and literally thousands of dollars by looking over a review of guides to making solar panels and by using our online resources (no need to sign up) to get started fast using solar and wind power.

You’ll find reviews of green energy products and services, FREE tips,
Don’t Buy Solar Panels For Sale – Here’s a Better Solution For Solar Power advantages alternative benefits bill build cell cells cheap conservation cost costs diy earth earth4energy earthenergy efficiency efficient electric electricity eliminate energy environment free fuel generate generator global green grid heat heater help home homemade house how instructions kits live make manufacturer market money natural panel panels plant power renewable residential resources review save scam sell solar sun system technology transformers turbine turbines wind windmills work

Duration : 0:2:59

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: advantages, alternative, benefits, bill, build, cell, cells, cheap, conservation, cost, costs, DIY, earth, earth4energy, earthenergy, efficiency, efficient, Electric, electricity, eliminate, energy, environment, for, free, fuel, generate, generator, global, green, grid, heat, heater, help, home, homemade, homes, house, how, Important, instructions, kits, live, make, manufacturer, market, money, natural, news, panel, panels, plant, Power, renewable, residential, Resources, review, save, scam, sell, Solar, sun