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Solar Energy ... When will it be affordable for the average homeowner?

Introduction:

global warming impact our quality and cost of living is large and very catastrophic. The owners are very aware of the costs of increasing energy for heating, cooling and lighting their homes. Rising costs of oil and other fossil fuels are daily headlines. The insatiable demand for energy to fuel world growth guarantees that the cost of these limited fuel continue to rise. Political or economic forces determine the rate of increase in fossil fuels. Moreover, the rising cost global warming fossil fuels, which is slowly being recognized.

The world is slowly beginning to understand the urgent need for energy sources renewable. However, each of these alternative energy sources brings major advantages and disadvantages. An example is wind power. Wind power is available for everyone and generates electricity competitive with fossil fuels. The technology is understood and easy to apply. But there is a large objection windmill in "my backyard." Moreover, the number of birds and bats that will be crushed with the wind power generation is not warming thought. Wind technology is a component of our energy solution. However, due to the above concerns, we need other solutions to important to meet our demand for energy sources.

This search leads to solar energy. The amount of sun energy striking our world in a day is enough to supply our demand for energy for one year. Will not run out of this source in the foreseeable future. The main obstacle to using solar energy has been the cost and convenience. For example, drying clothes on a clothes dryer is easier than hanging on a line outside, which hinders the efforts of the desirability of finding greater energy efficiency. We can convert solar energy into electricity but at a cost of capital. Greater acceptance and use of solar energy will place at a lower cost.

Solar Energy:

Energy from solar energy can be divided into two broad categories:

Energy Passive Solar: This technology ranges of clothes drying in the sun to the solar hot water heating and many other passive techniques. All are important to our present and future quality of life. The technology is well understood and can be implemented as economics and space conditions allow.

Active energy Solar: One of the active solar energy technologies is to convert solar energy directly into electricity. It is called photovoltaic cell or PV. This is a device that converts light into electricity using the photoelectric effect. The first working solar cells were built by Charles Fritts in 1883. These prototype cells were selenium and achieve efficiencies of about one percent. Silicon solar cells created in 1954. The solar cell has benefited from the development of silicon semiconductors.

Physics active solar energy:

The physics of photon to electricity conversion is well understood by physicists. The basic model of a photon sun hits the cell material and excites electrons that emit electricity. This model is simple compared to the complexity of today's semiconductors. The main variables of photovoltaic power generation cell material and impurities in the cellular material.

Manufacturing Technology for energy active solar:

Mainly single crystal of high purity silicon has been used to convert photons to generate electricity. Manufacturing techniques monocrystalline silicon and limited amounts of pure silicon to impose a high cost for photovoltaic devices. The shortage of refined silicon have hampered production worldwide since late 2004. This shortage persists to date and PV growth has slowed. New materials are beginning to present what they should reduce barriers photovoltaic materials.

Asset growth efficiency of solar energy:

Since the silicon PV invention in 1954, cheaper fuel prices fossil largely removed solar energy awareness. Annual growth of electricity generation by PV was 10-20% percent during the 1980s and 1990s. PV installation worldwide reached 1,000 MW in 1999. Manufacturing costs for arrays PV has been falling 3-5% in recent years. This drop in costs started to expand the use of photovoltaic power generation. power maximum total installed PV in 6000 was around the end of 2006 megawatts. Installed PV is projected to increase to more than 9,000 megawatts in 2007. The lowest average low cost large retail photovoltaic panels has dropped from $ 7.50 to $ 4.00 per watt between 1990 and 2005.

PV materials have also been improving in recent years. The focus of the newest materials is the processing of discrete cells on silicon wafers from multiple strips of cut crystal forming thin films. This approach is the least expensive of known technologies. This group of technologies includes amorphous silicon cells deposited on stainless steel tape telluride, cadmium (CdTe) cells deposited on glass, and copper indium gallium dielenide (CIGS) deposited on glass alloy cells or substrates stainless steel. The efficiency of these new materials are currently at 20%. Many researchers are working to improve efficiencies. An additional advantage of new films is that they are flexible and are being used in roofing materials.

Current trends in the generation of solar energy Active:

commercial companies such as Google, IBM, BJ's Wholesale, Estee Lauder, Kohls, Target, Tiffany & Co., Wal-Mart to install solar photovoltaic energy. Of the "big box" discount giants to high-end commercial companies photovoltaic solar energy is finding acceptance in 2007. The most recent by lower part-owner of this trend is Macy's, which announced earlier this month that will install solar energy systems on 26 stores throughout California. These leading companies are turning to solar power because it is a good business and supports their environmental initiatives. Creative financial arrangements will allow companies pay upfront capital costs and amortization of its loans with the energy savings. So what does all this mean to the owner average? PV The cost per kilowatt hour (kWh):

In the California market, where state incentives and net metering are in place, electricity prices PV is dipping below 11 ¢ / kWh, on par with a power utility shipped. Moreover, according to the U.S. PV Industry Roadmap, solar electricity continue this trend and become competitive by 2010 for most domestic markets. The outlook is very positive for photovoltaic generation of electricity. Once the capital investment is made, the cost of photovoltaic electricity is equivalent to fossil fuels continues to decline.

Installation Cost PV:

The installation cost is the main obstacle to be overcome for the widespread acceptance PV. About 59% of global sales of products panels were installed in the last five years were the applications that are connected to the mains. prices of solar energy in these applications are 5-20 times more expensive than the cheapest source of conventional electricity generation. This premium is beyond the scope of the average homeowner.

Fortunately, forward financial models exist to enable consumers to finance the installation of solar PV and pay for this installation with power savings. For these financial models successful, federal and state incentives are needed and the installation must be connected to the mains. These connections allow the owner the house to resell the electricity when excessive amounts are available and to get electricity when solar conditions do not allow enough electricity. Only Fifty percent of our states have modernized to allow the operations of the network of solar photovoltaic energy.

Berkeley, California is leading to of citizens to save electricity costs and meet environmental needs. Here's how your plan works. The owner hires an approved solar installer by the City, which determines the best solar system for the property, depending on energy use. Most residential solar panel systems in the cost the city of $ 15,000 and $ 20,000.

The city will pay the contractor for the system and its installation, minus any applicable state and federal rebates, and would an assessment to tax bill of the owner to pay for the system. The additional tax would include administrative fees and interest, at less than what the owner property could obtain on their own, because the city would secure low-interest bonds and loans. The tax would stay with the property even if the owner sell, although the owner would have to leave the solar panels. The property owner would save money on monthly Pacific Gas & Electric bills since electricity generated by solar panels partly replace electricity through the utility. After the assessment expired, the solar panels, a simple technology that requires little or no maintenance, would partly replace PG & E electricity.

Berkeley's plan is a map the rest of the world allow us to make electricity affordable and fulfill our responsibilities to the environment.

I have a BA and MA in Engineering Metallurgy. Thirty-six years he spent in the development of semiconductors. business experience in start-up business plan. Currently, an oyster farmer and interested in helping the environment by deploying solar energy. Please visit my website http://www.charlestonenvironmentalhelp.com

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About the Author

I have a BS and MS in Metallurgical Engineering. Thirty six years spent in the development of semiconductors. Business experience in start up business plan. Currently, an oyster farmer and interested in helping the environment by deploying solar energy. Please visit my Web Site http://www.charlestonenvironmentalhelp.com