Solar Energy – New Discoveries

The day may not be far off when the use of solar energy becomes a norm. There is now a deep conviction among experts that given a few years time, solar power will be in high demand that the cost will go down, inexpensive enough to undercut the prices of oil-generated electricity.

Previous predictions that it will still happen in a decade may no longer be true. The anger generated by the recent prices in oil and its vulnerability to market forces and other events may have already been enough to have polarized people, governments and scientific communities into seriously considering a reliable alternative energy source.

You can not get a source more reliable than the sun. Even today homes that use its power not only benefit from the silent, energy generating, inexhaustible power of the sun, but it also spikes up the price of their homes. Those that have solar powered homes are even reimbursed for the surplus power that they supply to the power grid.

Presently, heliostats, photovoltaic cells and plate collectors are being used to collect the energy by focusing these panels towards the sun or constructing and installing the panel's on spots where the sun shines most. Development in technology as we all know often has a snowball effect. It never stops rediscovering and reinventing, the speed of development can often be surprisingly fast.

Today, a polymer foil, thin as a sheet of paper and lighter by 200 times when compared to the regular glass collecting plates, are being developed. Chances are, these new inventions and discoveries could very well have a great potential for mass production. Previously, the glass-based materials used for heat collection need expensive substrates and require additional support for mounting due to its weight. The polymer foil, being very light could now be attached even to the walls of a structure.

So confident are scientists in the development of this technology that while the polymer foil is being developed, a plastic solar cell, based on nano technology is gaining breakthroughs. This plastic material can collect the power of the sun even on a cloudy day through harnessing the infrared rays is believed to be five times more efficient than the current technology.

While plastic materials for harnessing the power of the sun are not new, it is only recently that this plastic composite could harvest the infrared portion. Previously, only the visible rays were generated, the infrared part, which is half of the power of the sun, was unusable.

Currently, the best plastic solar cells could only harness 6% of the suns energy, with further study and development, these new plastic solar cells are expected to harness 30% of the suns solar power.

Scientists and researchers alike agree that ultimately, solar farms will be harnessing all our energy requirements and costs of power will drop. Today the price of solar powered energy is about 3 to 4 times per kilowatt hour compared with conventional electricity. That could change dramatically though the development of the existing technology and recent discoveries.

The roller pressed flexible plastic materials and the polymer foil are only two of the best hopes in arriving at a cleaner, greener and safer environment that could ultimately free the planet from its dependency on the depleting supply of oil.

The Cost of a Solar Energy System

Solar energy is free but the tools that will enable you to harness this free energy are not.

If you are planning to install a solar energy system at your home and would like to know how much it would cost, there are 3 things you need to consider:

First, the cost depends on how much energy your household requires. More energy you require means more solar panels and higher cost of installation. The good thing is, the technology to harness the power of the sun is relatively cheaper than it was several years ago.

Second, the government is offering a rebate to those who will switch to alternative form of energy. That means, the government will shoulder a portion of the total cost of the system.

Third, you can get tax credits when you switch to solar energy system. The amount of tax rebate depends from state to state but the range can go from $1000 to $2000.

All these affect the overall cost of your installation.

A photovoltaic system can cost roughly at $8000 to $10000 per 1kW system. This equates to $8 to $10 per Watt. An average American household with 3 bedrooms requires at least 1.5kW to as much as 3kW. Thus, installation can cost from $14000 to $30000, before rebates and tax credits.

Government rebate varies from state to state. As a reference, an average California household that requires 1.5kW system can get as much as $4200 rebate (1.5kW= 1500 watts x $2.80 per watt = $4200).

A household that requires 3kW system can get as much as $8400 (3kW= 3000 watts x $2.80 per watt = $8400).

Before, tax credit goes as much as 30% but it is lowered to 7.5% of system cost after rebate.

So an average household with 1.5kW system can get $735 ($14000 - $4200 x 7.5% = $735) worth of tax credit while the 3kW system can get $1620 ($30000 - $8400 x 7.5% = $1620) worth of tax credit.

Example A: 1.5kW system

Cost of solar electric system: $14000
Less rebate: $4200
Less tax credit: $735

Cost of the system after rebate and tax credit: $9065

Example B: 3kW system

Cost of solar electric system: $30000
Less rebate: $8400
Less tax credit: $1620

Cost of the system after rebate and tax credit: $19980

Again, these are rough estimates just to give you an idea of the cost of installing solar energy system. They do not represent real figures.

Top tips:

An energy independent home has higher resale value and is more preferred by home buyers. So, if you are planning to sell your home in several years, installing solar energy system does not only provide substantial saving on electric bill, it also is a good home improvement option.

If you want to finance the cost of your solar energy installation, include it in your mortgage.

If you want to reduce your electricity load, switch to energy efficient appliances. Buy electric appliances with the ENERGY STAR seal.

Low energy requirement means lower installation cost.

Residents of areas with a higher electricity rate can benefit most on solar energy system.

If you can't afford the photovoltaic system, you can install solar hot water system that costs roughly from $2000 to $4000.

Solar energy is best for houses that are located far from the existing power lines.

Pros and Cons of a Residential Solar Energy System

Harnessing the power of the sun's rays to create energy to power our house is very appealing. But the question is, "Is everything about solar energy good?" Looking at the current price of fossil fuel-based electricity, it is quite impractical to convert that into a solar energy system. However, with the growing concern on the state of the earth, there is really a need to find other means of energy aside from what power plants are using right now. Where do you place yourself?

Whether you are an advocate of clean energy or simply care about where your finances go, looking at the pros and cons of residential solar energy system will help you decide on whether to convert or not.

Pros

Solar energy is free. Did you know that the earth absorbs 174 pettawatts of solar radiation? This means that we have more than enough of a source of free energy to power every house in the world. Unfortunately, most of our energy is still drawn from oil, gas and coal. In recent years, there has been a steady increase of demand for alternative and renewable energy like solar power. It is estimated that the demand for alternative sources of energy will increase by 53% between 1999 and 2020.

Solar energy is clean, renewable and sustainable. Because the energy created from the sun's rays does not produce byproducts like those from fossil fuel power plants (sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, mercury or carbon dioxide), it does not contribute to pollution. Accordingly, the increase in the use of solar energy and other alternative forms of energy will decrease the demand for greenhouse gas-producing power plants.

The price of photovoltaic cells is steadily decreasing. The demand for solar panels has risen by 57% in the United States in 2007 and is steadily increasing on a monthly basis. The increase in demand results in the improvement of solar technology as a whole. The prices of photovoltaic cells have declined on the average of 4% every year over the past 15 years.

Solar panels can be installed on most rooftops, eliminating the problem of finding a suitable place for installation. Solar panels require little or no maintenance. The original photovoltaic cells technology is used for most satellites orbiting our earth today which are not maintained at all. Many solar panel manufacturers give 25 to 40 years warranty on their products.

Because most areas of the country receive a substantial amount of sunlight throughout the year, solar panels can be installed anywhere.

Many states in the US give tax credits and rebates to households who want to install solar energy system. Check with your state government the cost of these incentives.

Cons

While the prices of PV cells are in constant decline, the cost of installation is substantially high compared to the current electric cost. But the good thing is, after your initial cash out, you don't have to pay every month on electric bills for the rest of your life.

In some areas of cities and areas with heavy pollution problems, solar energy may not work as well. Weather can also affect the efficiency of solar energy. If it is raining, overcast weather or if there is a hurricane, the solar panels' efficiency is decreased.

You are only producing energy during day time.

These are general pros and cons you might encounter when considering the conversion to solar energy system. It would be best if your decision is based on location, cost, budget, rebates, tax credits and practicality.