So you like the idea of solar energy, but you’re not sure that you know enough about the negative aspects? It’s true that many sellers of the technology would like to gloss over the less palatable aspects, but our comprehensive list below will keep you well informed. We think that the positive aspects of solar power and energy use greatly …

A solar powered heating system, is made up of a solar heat collector, housed in an insulated framework, one side of which, is made up of toughened glass that faces the sun’s arc. The complete unit, or panel, must be placed in an unobstructed, elevated position so as to capture the maximum amount of daily sunshine. Depending upon heating requirements, …

Solar energy is power that is drawn from the sun’s rays. There are many uses for this power source such as, heating, producing electricity and lighting, as well as powering household appliances and experimental motor vehicles. Converting a household’s energy needs over to sun driven applications is a great way to help control global warming, as well as reduce power …

Natural power from the sun has been with us for thousands of years. The earliest civilizations relied on it as a sole means of light and heating. Today the world has the technology to harness the sun’s rays and transform them into solar energy that can either be stored or put to immediate use. Furthermore, sunlight is readily available and …

[tag]Passive solar[/tag] can be as simple as items that can be heated by the sun to produce energy Active solar is when you use more expensive solar panels and the like to produce electricity to either charge batteries or to power items direct. I think one of the oldest uses of passive solar is to face your home towards the …

You should first decide the benefit that you would like to achieve with the residential solar power system, whether it is to power your home, your camp house. Additional power source to reduce your energy utility bills or as a backup power source when local grid electricity outage occurs. More: continued here

I have talked about our ‘addiction to oil’. And while it’s true that only major, international action can permanently stop that, and the greenhouse effect with it, we can and should of course all do our part. That’s why I’d like to go into the pro’s and cons of having your own solar power generated at your roof top through …

Since Al Gore’s documentary film “An Inconvenient Truth” hit the world’s consciousness, local governments and citizen groups have become more vocal in demanding alternative renewable energy sources. One highly viable source certainly in parts of the United States is solar power. One state taking a stand for it’s citizens to have the opportunity to do their part is Arizona. In …

Most Americans would like a simple kit to generate electricity directly to the grid – run their electric meter backwards – to save money – help the ecology – stop the oil wars – save the planet. How? Make your own electricity – not just for your house, for the power grid. More: continued here

You have probably heard it said by environmental groups that we should switch to solar energy as a power source because it is free, there is an unlimited supply, and it is a cleaner source of electrical power because there are no by-products (compared to fossil fuels like oil and gas which release greenhouse gases into the earth's atmosphere when burned for power.) However, can solar energy be a reliable and practical source of electrical power indeed?

Currently, the use of solar panels is on very small scale compared to the use of fossil fuels. This does not go for just solar energy, but also wind energy, geothermal, and tidal. The use of renewable electricity only makes up for a small percentage of a nations actual power output. There are however, some countries who are able to …

Throughout generations from the dawn of mankind the sun has been given a status of a father. A father so generous that he doesn’t hold back anything when it comes to giving his children anything and everything he’s got. A father, who has guided and shown the path to future and helped in the time of need; Today we ask …

Designing your Solar Home to take advantage of the sun’s energy can save you thousands of dollars in energy costs over the years. When you think about living off the grid or solar power with connection to the grid, you have already made a basic decision to save planetary energy by using renewable energy resources. Off the grid means not …

Honda Soltec Begins Sales of Thin Film Solar Cells TOKYO, Japan, June 12, 2007–Honda Soltec Co., Ltd., Honda’s wholly-owned solar cell subsidiary, has begun sales of thin film solar cells produced by Honda Engineering Co., Ltd., primarily in the Kanto area, Japan, through distributors which also provide solar cell installation service. Honda Engineering Thin Film Solar Cell Module The thin …

Google.org to fund more than $10 million to accelerate plug-in hybrid and vehicle-to-grid technology MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (June 18, 2007) — Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), today announced the RechargeIT initiative (http://www.rechargeit.org) that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and oil dependence by accelerating the adoption of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (“plug-ins”). As part of this …

DOE Secretary Samuel W. Bodman Names Selected Solar Technology Projects During Visit to Konarka Headquarters, Lowell, Massachusetts Lowell, Mass. – March 8, 2007 – Konarka Technologies, Inc., an innovator in development and commercialization of Power Plasticâ„¢, a material that converts light to energy, today announced the company is one of 13 selected industry-led solar technology projects to be awarded funding …

A solar power home is a house which gets is electricity power supply by harnessing sun power and using photovoltaic power systems, rather than using the conventional form of electricity. More: continued here

In the past few years, China has posted an impressive growth in the production of {tag]solar cells[/tag]. In a span of just 2-3 years (nearly form 2003 to 2005), China fortified its position in the worldwide solar cell production market by moving from nearly 1.05% to about 7.8%, according to a recent report “China Energy Sector Analysis” by RNCOS.

Active solar builds on the same principles as passive solar but uses additional technology such as fans and pumps to maximize the desirable effects and minimize the undesirable ones. It is used to produce energy for heating and cooling spaces, to store [tag]energy[/tag] for later use, and to heat water. Most active [tag]solar energy[/tag] systems use specialized collectors to capture the rays and used the stored power and additional electricity as necessary to run pumps and fans for distribution.

Every exposed part of a structure—walls, floors, windows, roofs—absorbs and stores or reflects away the heat radiated by the sun. Passive solar systems do this without any mechanical means (pumps or fans); they rely purely on design and positioning to work, which may include shutters or thermal curtains, dampers and vents, or other simple mechanisms.