Did you know that solar power has come along way as of late. Technology has now enabled houses to be powered completely on solar power. That’s right, the houses are powered by natural sunlight, our natural light source. They don’t have to pay a monthly bill to any electric company and they will never run out of power, unless the sun burns out; and that’s not likely to happen any time soon.

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A solar cell is a device which changes sunlight into electricity. More technically, a solar cell can also be referred to as a photovoltaic cell.The term “photo” derives from the Greek word for “light,” and the term “voltaic” comes from the word “volt” which means “electrical force.” A “cell” is a small receptacle or container containing electrodes which generate power.Thus, a photovoltaic cell is a container that creates electric force, through light.Whereas a solar cell can generate electricity from any light source, its intended use is the collection of solar energy from the sun.- How a Solar Cell WorksThe solar cell works as follows:Photons (which are particles of light in sun rays) hit the surface of the solar cell and are absorbed a semiconductor, such as silicon.These photons (bits of sunlight) knock electrons loose from the atoms inside the semiconductor. The photons then push the electrons along, leaving a “gap” in the atom. Another electron is then pulled from an adjacent atom to fill the gap. And so an electrical flow is generated.The simplicity of this is that one atom has an extra electron, and the other atom is missing one. This is referred to as a “difference in potential.” […]

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Solar bird baths let you have the beauty and tranquility of running water without the nuisance of running a cord across your lawn or needing to depend on battery power. The bubbling water is not only a lovely garden element, but it also helps to attract birds.
Read on for an overview of some popular solar bird bath fountains, along with a few tips and tricks on how to care for your fountain.
ITEM and PRICE: Plow and Hearth Bird Bath - $190 (plowandhearth.com)
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Solar powered bird bath with a small fountain
REVIEW: The fountain pump is invisible and recessed, but provides a constant source of moving and bubbling water that attracts birds. However, there is no battery in case the day turns cloudy or shade puts an end to your bird party. Finally, this popular bird bath is made from solid copper, and while it’s attractive - it may be too slippery. Try filling the bottom with rough stones or sand.
ITEM and PRICE: Chelsea Solar Fountain; $299; Frontgate - frontgate.com
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: A solar-powered, double basin bird fountain
REVIEW: Despite being on the pricier end of the scale, even this model doesn’t come with a backup battery to supply […]

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Promotion of solar power generation is booming. After analyzing a few of these announcements one is left with quite a few questions. Why are solar farms built when financial data clearly show that solar power is still the most expensive electricity generation technology available?Solar power plant developers and marketers obviously know that they need to lower costs. Cost reduction is, however, expensive and takes time. Many new enterprises have been formed and want to become profitable when the big construction boom in solar power plants will hit the road. In the meantime they must pay bills, advance their technologies, and stay alive.There are two major technologies for solar energy conversion. One approach is based on the conversion of sunlight into heat and using the heat for the generation of steam. This concept has progressed to a relatively high readiness level. Electricity production with steam is a very mature technology. Remaining technical risks, therefore, relate exclusively to the design of the thermal concentrators or parabolic mirrors that optically transfer thermal radiation to a heat transfer medium and to the design of the heat receiving transfer and steam containment surfaces.The other technology is […]

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Providing fresh water is one of the most important aspects of attracting birds to your yard. Most bird species need water, not only to drink but to bathe in. If you provide flowing water you have the best avian magnet you can find because most birds can not resist the attraction of moving water. Birds will flock to a waterfall or stream or even a fountain much more readily than they will a still pond or bird bath.My wife and I built a pond and waterfall (what is known these days as a water feature) seven years ago and we love it. Our pond is about 12 feet in diameter and holds about 1000 gallons. In our pond we have several Shubunkin gold fish, many, many frogs and a multitude of water plants. As soon as we built the pond, I mean within days, we had frogs and birds and all kinds of creatures visiting us. The pond produced water skimmers, water bugs and literally hundreds of damselflies and dragonflies, as well as all the frogs, in very little time.There is one thing that I feel is important to mention here. Maintaining a healthy pond […]

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At USD$800 for a 170 watt solar panel many of us are scared at the cost of buying enough solar panels to power our home. Well, for a home that uses 3Kwh/day it’s around USD$14,000; however, we have a secret that can cut down that cost significantly. It happened by “accident” actually. (forgive the pun)
We were driving down Highway 401(Canada’s busiest divided highway) and noticed an accident ahead. The driver had crashed into one of those mobile signs which indicate to change lanes. The sign was completely ruined, but the panel which was ON TOP didn’t seem to be damaged. We called the company up the following Monday and the receptionist answered “Yes, the signs get hit all the time, and yes, we could probably have the cracked panels after the insurance company looked at them.”
BINGO
It turns out that this company installs 5- 65 watt solar panels on each unit. After getting the company approval we toted away 13 slightly damaged solar panels. After we got them home we tested the current on each of them. It turns out that only two of them were damaged beyond being usable. In total we picked up over 200 watts of panels for […]

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Plug-n-play solar chargers have recently come on the market, putting solar power within the reach of just about anyone. You no longer have to be tech savvy in order to harness solar energy.What exactly is a plug-n-play solar charger? In its simplicity, it’s usually a solar panel combined with a battery pack, sold as a unit, which is capable of collecting solar energy and storing it in a battery. That’s all there is to it.The feature that makes this type of set-up so useful is that you can use it to power or recharge your electrical devices, laptops, power tools, radios or even TVs, from the battery pack. The solar power and battery pack are sold together - so you don’t have to worry about compatibility, cables, watts, voltages, or anything like that. And you don’t have to wonder whether the setup will work or not.By using the battery pack, instead of trying to power your equipment directly from a solar panel, you ensure that you have a steady flow of power or electricity flowing into your equipment. Even on a sunny day there can always be a few clouds. When they move in […]

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In an unlikely bit of irony, Daryl Hannah, who first rose to screen stardom as a mermaid in “Splash”, has been living “off of the land” (off grid) for more than twenty years in the Rocky Mountains. And, according to the article by Nick Rosen for Reuters International Press Service, she’s become an eco-activist, demonstrating and protesting against those who continue to harm the environment, while also trying to get more Americans to switch to biofuels from fossil fuels.
Like many of the environmentalists living off grid back in the 70s and 80s, Hannah’s primary purpose for going off grid was her concern for the good of the planet, according to Rosen. For most of those pioneers, living was a return to the pre-electricity age. For those like Hannah with the financial resources, off grid start-up costs took fifteen to twenty years for a return on investment to be realized.
As energy costs have skyrocketed in the past few years; solar, wind and hydro power technologies have seen major advances as well as decreasing installation costs. Off grid living has become much more attractive and affordable to many Americans. In an article in 2006, The San Francisco Chronicle reported that an estimated […]

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Though solar battery chargers have been around for decades, their popularity has increased a lot in just the last two years. This is partly due to advancements in technology, and partly due to our increased awareness of the need to shift to cleaner renewable energy sources.Advancements in technology have reduced the sizes and weights of solar panels, while increasing their efficiency. This makes it possible for small lightweight portable solar chargers to be produced. Another factor which plays a part in the rapidly expanding field of portable solar power, is the increased amount of electronic gadgets that we carry around.Twenty years ago, not many people were walking around with cell phones. Today, most of us carry at least a cell phone, iPod or MP3 player, and a digital camera around with us - either on a daily basis, or during weekends and vacations.With all these electronic gadgets comes the need for electricity and power. And, thus portable solar chargers have found their niche.There are several advantages to using portable solar chargers and solar panels. First of all, they are eco/environment-friendly. They do not produce harmful waste, and can be used anywhere where there […]

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With growing concerns over energy costs many are looking for affordable ways to brighten up their home. Solar Lights are a simple and effective method to beautify one’s home and not run up your electric bill.Research is showing the huge benefits of solar power in many different industries. It’s even saving consumers money with lower prices for the products they are buying. It therefore only makes sense that solar energy be used in the home as well.The most common area to see solar lighting is in the garden and yard. Many products are currently available on the market, which provide decorative and substantial light. You can see the many options available in solar lighting by visiting any garden center. Solar lighting makes sense: you don’t tape into electricity therefore saving money, energy, and still beautifying your home.Home or garden solar lighting is simple to understand: a solar panel at the top of the light catches the sun rays during the day, converting and saving it to power the lamps at night. We can save money by using what already exists naturally by utilizing solar lights.There are many different ideas for the use of solar lighting around the home. You can […]

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