According to this report released by the Solar Energy Industries Association last year was a record year for solar power installations in the US. One would think that after the Japanese nuclear power plant crisis that 2011 might become even bigger for solar power in this country. What do you think?

Photovoltaic installations double over 2009; Largest concentrating solar power plant in 20 years comes online; Solar heating and cooling reverses trend and expands

WASHINGTON, D.C., and CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The U.S. solar energy industry had a banner year in 2010 with the industry’s total market value growing 67 percent from $3.6 billion in 2009 to $6.0 billion in 2010, according to the U.S. Solar Market InsightTM: Year-in-Review 2010 released today by the Solar Energy Industries Association® (SEIA®) and GTM Research. Solar was a bright spot in the U.S. economy last year as the fastest growing energy sector, contrasting overall U.S. GDP growth of less than 3 percent.

In total, 878 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic (PV) capacity and 78 MW of concentrating solar power (CSP) were installed in the U.S. in 2010, enough to power roughly 200,000 homes. In addition, more than 65,000 homes and businesses added solar water heating (SWH) or solar pool heating (SPH) systems.

The U.S. PV market made the most significant strides in 2010, more than doubling installation totals from 2009 according to the latest U.S. Solar Market InsightTM report. This expansion was driven by the Federal section 1603 Treasury program, completion of significant utility-scale projects, expansion of new state markets and declining technology costs.

The section 1603 Treasury program helped fourth-quarter installations surge to a record 359 MW and was critical in allowing the solar industry to employ more than 93,000 Americans in 2010. Originally set to expire at the end of 2010, the 1603 Treasury program was ultimately extended through 2011.

In addition, market diversification was a distinguishing characteristic of U.S. solar energy development in 2010. Sixteen states each installed more than 10 MW of PV in 2010, up from only four in 2007. The top 10 states for PV installation in 2010 were: California, New Jersey, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Florida, North Carolina and Texas.

Cost declines were also an important factor in the 2010 solar expansion, as technology costs fell and the industry matured further, capitalizing on greater economies of scale and improved installation practices. In the residential and commercial-property segments, installed annual PV system cost declines of 8 percent and 11 percent respectively spurred record build-out.

“The U.S. PV market saw a breakthrough in 2010 and is emerging as a global demand center for both suppliers and project developers,” said Shayle Kann, Managing Director of Solar at GTM Research. “The U.S. Solar Market InsightTM: Year-in-Review 2010 examines the conditions that led to the past year’s growth and pinpoints future demand, industry trends and market challenges for 2011 and beyond.”

“This report shows that solar energy is now one of the fastest growing industries in the United States, creating new opportunities for both large and small businesses. Every day, Americans across the country are going to work at well-paying, stable jobs at solar companies, from small installers all the way up to Fortune 500 companies,” said Rhone Resch, SEIA president and CEO. “This remarkable growth puts the solar industry’s goal of powering 2 million homes annually by 2015 within reach. Achieving such amazing growth during the economic downturn shows that smart polices combined with American ingenuity adds up to a great return on investment for the public. The bottom line is that the solar energy industry is creating tens of thousands of new American jobs each year.”

Along with analysis of the U.S. PV market, U.S. Solar Market InsightTM: Year-in-Review 2010 provides visibility into the CSP and solar heating and cooling markets. The 75 MW Martin CSP plant installed in Florida is the largest to come online in nearly 20 years and foreshadows a pipeline of more than 9 GW of CSP projects under development. In addition, for the first time in 2010, the federal government approved permits for CSP plants on public land.

Meanwhile, the solar heating and cooling markets grew in 2010. The top five states for solar water heating installations in 2010 were California, Hawaii, Arizona, Florida and Puerto Rico, while the top five for solar pool heating were Florida, California, Arizona, New York, and Illinois. Fluctuating natural gas and heating oil prices will determine the future of these markets.

Source: SEIA®, GTM Research U.S. Solar Market Insight, Mar. 10, 2011

Highlights from U.S. Solar Market InsightTM: Year-in-Review 2010:
All Solar Markets:
• The total value of U.S. solar market installations grew 67 percent from $3.6 billion in 2009 to $6.0 billion in 2010.
• Solar electric installations in 2010 totaled 956 megawatts (MW) to reach a cumulative installed capacity of 2.6 gigawatts (GW), enough to power more than half a million households.
Photovoltaics (PV):
• Grid-connected PV installations grew 102 percent in 2010 to reach 878 MW, up from 435 MW in 2009, bringing cumulative installed PV capacity in the U.S. to 2,086 MW.
• Sixteen states installed more than 10 MW of PV in 2010, up from four states in 2007.
• Utility PV installations more than tripled in 2010 to reach 242 MW, up from 70 MW brought online in 2009.
• U.S. manufacturing of PV components increased substantially year-over-year for wafers (97 percent growth), cells (81 percent growth), and modules (62 percent growth).
Concentrating Solar Power (CSP):
• The 75-MW Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center was completed in 2010; it is the largest U.S. CSP plant to come online in nearly 20 years.
• Cumulative CSP capacity from all 17 operating plants reached 507 MW in 2010.
• For the first time, the federal government approved permits for seven CSP plants on public land, which add 3,560 MW of new capacity.
Solar Hot Water and Space Heating (SWH) / Solar Pool Heating (SPH):
• 35,464 SWH systems and 29,540 SPH systems were installed in 2010 alone, heating a total of more than 65,000 homes, businesses and pools.
• California maintained its position as the leading installer of SWH systems in 2010 as the overall market grew 5 percent.

There are signs that finally, solely after lots of pushing, are individuals starting to concentrate to the very fact that climate modification could be a very real downside that we have a tendency to’re faced with. I say this as a result of there’s a new trend developing in the house energy business; it’s all concerning omitting a certain amount of heat into the planet with the read to obtaining back multiplied by a factor that’s determined by the level of the equipment.

People are beginning to grasp that not only does powering your house with renewable energy resources create sense environmentally, however it conjointly looks once the finances. A geothermal system alone would in most circumstances get hold of itself in under two years; thereafter the household enjoys a significant reduction in utility expenses that can extremely be felt.

Granted there are some negatives to having a geothermal heating system, but mainly these are felt up front. The installation will be tricky and is definitely going to be more expensive than additional ancient ways of harnessing the world’s nature power. For instance, you’ll be able to truly build and erect your own windmill or solar panel farm to nice effect for a fraction of the cost while still obtaining the bulk of the benefits. But some individuals do not return from windy areas or do not like eyesaws like solar panels and white windmills anywhere on their property.

Geothermal systems at home have a sure rating connected to them. You’ll use this rating to basically confirm what your come back on energy expenditure will be. This might not be making sense however bare with me. A geothermal heating system works by injecting a tiny amount of power in to a heat pump and subsequently a nice volume of electricity is returned. This concept is measured by COP (Coefficient of Performance) – the upper the COP rating for a geothermal system, the additional efficient the system is. A COP of 2 suggests that that for every one unit that’s used to power the system, two units are put back to the home as heat. Higher COP systems are clearly additional expensive to buy and install.

Geothermal heating systems also have a Cooling scale – the measure of the cooling scale is EER – the Energy Efficiency Rating. Once more the upper the EER, the higher the sytem.

Underground, predominantly at depths of below six feet, ground temperature stays around 50 to fifty five degrees Farenheit all year spherical and thus throughout winter the geothermal heating system absorbs the heat from the earth and pumps it round the home. The effectiveness of a geothermal heating system relies quite heavily on location and also the climate of said location just about soil temperature, moisture and type. But, the deeper the geothermal system is placed, the less variation that exists.

In contrast to different varieties of renewable energy sources (like wind turbines and solar panels) geothermal installations are generally quite expensive and need to be performed by third party experts. That said, in nearly all cases you’d expect to create a return among 2 years.

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Electrical Solar Panels are normally referred to as PV panel. It is basically a group of scientifically treated silicon cells organized in series of string which would turn out electrical power whenever exposed to light. Solar panels are commonly of 3 types.

Monocrystalline is one in every of its kind solar panel created from a single giant crystal. These are the most economical and additionally most expensive sort of solar panels. The second kind of solar panel is Polycrystalline. These are blocks of silicon which might contain little crystals among it. These are the foremost common varieties on the market in today’s market. These are said to be less effective than the mono ones however when place along into a frame, the actual difference in watts per square foot is not much. The other name of Amorphous may be a skinny film. In these cases the silicon is spread directly on the plates sometimes made of Stainless Steel. Amorphous solar panels are cheaper to provide but are not that efficient.

It’s very necessary to note that every one the three varieties of solar electrical panels work in an exceedingly similar fashion. It is very vital to stay a check and note on how abundant power you really need, how much space do you have and where would the panel be mounted. Electric solar panel is inexperienced, it is renewable kind of energy and so does not cause any damage to mankind. It conjointly will not unleash any pollutant and harmful chemicals. A typical standard home solar panel can save up to 1200 kg of carbon dioxide per year. The price of solar panel electricity is minimum. Once we have obtained the installation of this panel, the simultaneous prices are just about reduced. The savings is almost 50 % of the entire consumption. Solar panels are used extensively in rural areas. The presence of higher open space and open land makes it more efficient. The essential plan of solar electricity formation is simple. When daylight hits the solar panel direct current flows through the inverter. This is often then converted into alternating current. The elements of a solar panel embody the photovoltaic cell. They’re made from 2 layers of semiconductor material. They are made of both positive and negative charge sometimes pure silicon mixed with phosphorus and boron. At intervals moments of the daylight striking the panel, the semi conductor atoms absorb the photons from the light, which then generate electrons. Simultaneously, the electron free of the negative layer of the semi-conductor to the positive layer generating the a lot of desired electric current.

If we have a tendency to search through history than the primary solar panel powered satellite was launched within the year 1958 by Hoffman Electronics and till the first 1970′s the solar panel was used for satellite service only. Lately the state of California has adopted a mission to install 3000 megawatts of solar panel spanning around a million roof tops. The globe is slowly but steadily realizing the importance of electric solar panel and solar energy.

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Imagine an HVAC and water heating system which will save 20% to 50% on a building’s energy prices while minimizing CO2 and carbon emissions. Imagine a system that’s additional reliable, is 2.5 to 4 times a lot of economical, provides very cheap life cycle cost, and a high degree of design flexibility.

Where will you discover such a system? You wish look no any than right underneath your feet. The earth could be a huge energy storage device that absorbs 47% of the sun’s energy. When combined with the constant upward flow of heat from the earth’s red hot interior, the result is geothermal energy. Geo = earth, Thermal = heat. This clean, renewable energy is stored in lots of rock within the upper six miles of the earth’s crust. In nearly every state of the Union, there is sufficient geothermal energy to heat, cool and give hot water for all types and sizes of buildings.

Temperatures close to the world’s surface stay comparatively constant all year spherical – hotter than outside air in the winter, and cooler than outside air within the summer. Geoexchange systems (or ground coupled heat pumps) extract the world’s heat during the winter and unleash it to the building interior. In the summer the process is reversed, drawing the recent air from inside the building and transferring to the earth. Nearly all geoexchange systems available will also give low cost hot water – further increasing their operational efficiency

Consistent with the EPA and DOE, geoexhange systems are the most energy economical, environmentally clean and value-effective house conditioning systems available. They rate the systems forty% more economical than air supply heat pumps forty eight% greater than gas furnaces and seventy five% larger than oil furnaces. Though geoexchange units do need an influence supply, they have a abundant larger energy potency ratio. In heating mode, the system can move a minimum of 3 units of solar energy from the ground for every unit of electricity used.

There are 3 principal components in a geoexchange system: The bottom loop, the heat pump unit and the warmth distribution channel

Ground Loop

For most buildings, the connection to the geothermal heat source is created via a ‘closed’ loop configuration. A series of versatile, high-density polyethylene pipes are put in beneath the bottom in horizontal trenches or vertical holes. A fluid (water or a combination of water and environmentally benign antifreeze) is circulated through the loops, absorbing the planet’s heat because it passes through the pipes and transporting it to the geoexchange unit inside the building. In cooling mode, the building’s interior hot air is absorbed by the unit, transported back through the loops and absorbed into the surrounding earth. Post-installation the holes or trenches are backfilled, then coated with native landscaping, grass or even parking lots.

Horizontal trenching is sometimes the most cost effective configuration when adequate area is offered and trenches are straightforward to dig Vertical drilling is used when the land space is restricted, or where the soil is simply too shallow for horizontal trenching. The loops ought to be installed by professionals who follow procedures established by the International Ground Supply Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA), and are either certified by IGSHPA or can prove equivalent coaching by makers or different recognized authorities.

Geoexchange Heat Pump

The most commonly used unit is the only package water-to-air heat pump, that combines heat exchanger, refrigerant piping, management valve, compressor, air coil, and fan, in one single enclosure regarding the size of a little gas furnace. The one package design could be a major advantage over the “split” system used for air- supply heat pumps. There are several makers, brands and models of heat pumps available. They’re rated by the Air Conditioning and Refrigerant Institute per their respective Coefficient of Performance (heating) and Energy Efficiency Ratio (cooling). ENERGY STAR qualified geoexchange pumps consume 40-60 percent less energy than a normal heat pump.

Heat Distribution Channel

Standard ductwork is usually used to distribute heated or cooled air from the geothermal heat pump throughout the building. A well-designed geoexchange system permits building occupants precise temperature management by room or by zone, with ideal humidity levels. The system requires no flue or chimney. There is no rooftop equipment or chilling towers that add weight to the structure or limit different roof designs such as vegetated roofing. Their compact size requires significantly less interior storage space. The heated water coursing through the system can be used for added building uses, like heating swimming pools and spas, melting sidewalk and parking heap ice and snow- even providing water for a automotive wash!

The biggest industrial geoexchange system in the planet is the Waterfront Office and Galt East Hotel advanced in Louisville, Kentucky. This 1.7 million plus sq. foot advanced is fitted with a a pair of,700 ton capacity geoexchange system, at a cost of $one,five hundred per ton. The project manager estimates that a standard HVAC system with centrifugal chillers, cooling towers and insulated pipes would have price from $two,000 to $3,000 per ton. Using Geoexchange technology freed up concerning 25,000 square feet of further commercial space that may otherwise have been used for standard equipment rooms. Energy savings are estimated at $twenty five,000 per month while allowing individual temperature management to every room or suite. Annual maintenance costs are concerning 5 cents per square foot versus much higher average costs with normal HVAC systems.

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“Some researchers believe that by pumping water all the way down to that trapped heat and then using the recent water to flip turbines because it returns to the surface beneath terribly high pressure. We tend to might generate power for decades and even centuries” Australian Geographic Beneath the surface of the earth lies a huge treasure of earth’s deposit. It’s not gold, silver, precious stones or oil. It is the tremendous store of heat referred to as GEOTHERMAL ENERGY.

The temperatures deep inside the planet are within the order of tons and even thousands of degrees Celsius. The number of warmth conducted to the earth’s surface from this interim in one year is thought to equal some a hundred billions megawatts hours of energy and several times the electrical power used world wide; an astounding quantity of energy indeed. Abundant of this heat is stored in underground layers of molten rock, or magma. Harnessing this treasure, though, could be a challenge. However, the earth’s heat is indeed a treasure because it is a clean source of energy that gives distinct advantage over oil, coal, natural gas, and nuclear power.

The bigger concentration of this heat lies underneath the world’s crust in an exceedingly layer called the mantle. The typical thickness of the crust ids said to be about thirty five kilometers. This is often abundant deeper than the drilling capability of present technology. These crusts, however, is created of a sensible variety of plates and is thinner at sure places, especially where the plates meet. The magma at the locations is alleged to be in a position to rise closer to the earth’s surface and the warmth the water trapped in the rock layers. This water is sometimes only two to three kilometers below the surface of the ground, well among the reach of contemporary drilling techniques. It can be mined and put to smart use.

To mine or faucet this heat, heat pumps are connected to loops of piping buried within the grounds. The energy is so gathered and will be used to heat homes within the wintertime or perform different useful works. Typically, water boils at a hundred degrees Celsius. But, pressures are much higher underground, and water remains liquid at higher temperatures. The boiling point of water remains will increase to concerning 230, 315, and 600 degrees Celsius at the depth of three hundred 1525, and three hundred meters respectively. During the drilling process, where the drilling faucets into water that’s on top of 175 degrees, the water will be used to drive electrical generators.

A lot have been said or have to be said concerning geothermal energy and its impact on environment. One putting issue about it’s the very fact that countries that develop power from it scale back their dependence on oil. Take as an example, every 10 megawatts of electricity generated for a year represents a savings of a hundred and forty, 000 barrels of crude oil per annum. Equally, geothermal resources are immense, and the hazards of depletion are much but it’s with several different energy sources. Pollution issues are greatly reduced. In addition, geothermal energy production prices are terribly abundant at a coffee facet compared with those of the many other energy forms.

In spite of of these positive notes, there are some setting concerns. Geothermal steams sometimes contain hydrogen sulfides, a toxic. This is quite a lethal toxic when much in high amount and equally a nuisance in low quantities as a result of of its uncomfortable sulfurous smells. But, in contrast to the opposite energy sources like fossil fuels in particular, treatment processes for removing it are effective and a lot of economical than emission management systems at fossil -fuel power plants. Even at that, particulates within the effluent might contain little amounts of arsenic or other toxic substances. Happily, when these particulates are collected and reinjected into the ground, the danger is kept to a minimum. Another negative aspect ids the likelihood of contamination of underground water supplies, this though can result only when and if the geothermal wells have not been sealed to nice depth with steel casings and cement.

On top of all, one is fast to note that the sitting of most geothermal power plants is only noticeable by the steams vented from the ability plant. With careful management, geothermal power can co-exist with folks, animals, plants, and therefore the environment.

Most geothermal power plants are put in using solely high- temperature steam for power generators. But, efforts are in high gear to extract energy from fluids that are but two hundred degrees Celsius. Thus, binary -cycle technology has been developed. This uses tapped hot fluids to vaporize a secondary fluid, which in turn drives a turbine/generator set.

All countries living in areas of recent volcanic activity or dormant hot springs sources are enjoined to faucet into these earth treasures to save our planet earth from the deadly effects of fossil fuels and build the planet a GREEN place to live in.

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