Recent cost reductions in installation made PV (photovoltaic cells) a growing economical solution for private homes and for large companies. Still, PV systems have to be able to be grid integrated at a reasonable cost, and improve the reliability and performance of the overall grid.
For this reason, it is necessary to learn from international interconnection requirements, as well as emerging domestic standards and new innovations from PV suppliers to improve grid reliability and power quality.
The Volkswagen manufacturing plant at Chattanooga, Tennessee, got a delivery of 9.5 MW of PV modules to their solar park from JA Solar Holdings. The installation of the modules consists of 33,600 high-performance multi-crystalline silicon PV modules. Volkswagen’s solar park is the biggest solar park in Tennessee and the largest solar installation at a vehicle factory in the United States. The solar park is estimated to produce 13,100,000 kWh of electricity annually.
Volkswagen Group hosted a dedication ceremony to celebrate this great solar installation. At the ceremony, the president of JA Solar USA said that they are proud to have their modules powering up the Volkswagen solar installation.
It’s safe to say that this last year, PV manufacturing dominated the world. Even the high costs of research did not intimidate companies, and the research funds allocated by many countries were not reduced.
For instance, researchers from North Carolina State University (NCSU) presented an effective way to drive down material and manufacturing costs. They found a way to significantly enhance solar energy absorption using sandwiched nanostructures. It would also be compatible with existing manufacturing processes of thin-film solar cells in the industry.
Many home owners at the Fayetteville project, Penn National development are turning to solar energy. In the last couple of years, residents say that their electric bills were dramatically reduced, one even stated to save over 30%. No wonder that a lot of home owners follow and install solar panels on their roofs to save in bills and also help the environment.
Thanks to its location, Fayetteville is perfect to get sun, especially from May through August, when the days are very long. During these months, approximately 10 percent of total yearly power will be produced. In November through February the daylight lasts about 9 hours a day, and still can produce around 5 percent.
To provide energy efficiently, solar panels must be installed in places where they could absorb as much light as possible. There are many rows of photovoltaic panels in deserts where large solar generating plants are located. These photovoltaic panels follow the sun with the complex combination of controllers, sensors and motors.
However, a startup company in Menlo Park, California believes that it could improve the system for optimum light absorption. QBot released information regarding its Qbotix Tracking System (QTS) this week. The company describes the QTS as a comprehensive dual-axis tracking system which uses rugged, intelligent and mobile robots. With these robots, the system helps power solar plants efficiently and maximizes energy output.
People who make long trips do not have the benefit of nearby electric outlets to charge their phone, radio media player, tablet or laptop. Today, there are portable solar chargers that help provide continuous energy for devices.
Most dream of providing infinite energy for their gadgets such as smartphones, laptops, tablets but there are certain things you have to consider regarding the use and efficiency of solar chargers.
Most of the solar farms found in the United States are confined in the west-coast state of California. The state boasts of solar-powered churches, government offices and residential houses. The governor’s dream of becoming self-sufficient in terms of energy generation is finally at arm’s reach.
Recently, California reached a milestone in their solar power generation. The late summer heat was converted into solar energy producing up to one gigawatt of energy. This implies a new peak in solar energy generation in California reaching up to 1.1 gigawatts or 1.1 billion watts according to California’s Independent system operator.
Bad news for solar panel manufacturers as the anticipated increase in demand by the end of the year has still not yet arrived. Solar panel producers around the globe continue to take conservative measures to keep the solar panel industry alive as product prices continue to plummet due to the decreased demand.
For the first time in history, a fully functional solar plane named Solar Impulse took flight last June 21 from Rabat, Morocco to the Sahara desert and Ouarzazate. The plane took off at 7:05 AM local time in Rabat last June 21 and landed on Ouarzazate at midnight local time.
One of the primary reasons that home and business owners switch to solar power is to save money. However, when you’re looking at a large investment like a photovoltaic installation, you may want to know exactly how much money you will save so that you rest assured that the technology will pay for itself. Giving you an exact figure on what your savings or payback period will be is impossible because the amount of money that you will save depends on a number of factors affecting solar potential for your home. To determine your individual potential for cost savings, you will need to review your needs with a professional PV installer.
By Solar Energy Group
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