Wind turbine energy, as the name suggests, is the energy obtained from turbine engines operated by wind. The rotating blades of a wind turbine drive an electric generator, thereby performing the task of conversion of wind energy into electrical energy.

Scientific studies show that the total wind energy available in the atmosphere far exceeds the current world energy consumption. Applying a set of oprtational assumptions, the study was able to show that the total potential for wind turbine energy on land and near-shore is about 72 TW, as opposed to current world energy consumption of about 15 TW.

Small-scale production of energy

Small-scale generation systems can be used to produce wind turbine energy for domestic purposes in isolated areas. These plants can be used to charge batteries that feed small appliances like parking meters and internet gateways, thereby reducing dependence on grid electricity or diesel generators, resulting in economic savings as well as reduction in carbon footprint. In some jurisdictions, surplus power produced by small-scale producers can be fed into the electricity network and sold to the utility company, offsetting some of the small-scale producer’s energy costs.

Large scale electricity generation

Back in the 20^th century, use of small small wind turbines for lighting up isloated rural buildings was widespread. Even then, large wind turbines were being tried out for production of wind turbine energy in the USSR and the USA. Electrity produced from these turbines would be supplied to the distribution network. In fact, the first Mega-Watt capacity turbine was built as an experimental unit in Vermont, in 1941.

Modern wind turbine energy generation began with the commercial production of wind turbines by Danish manufacturers Kuriant, Vestas, Nordtank, and Bonus in the year 1979. These early turbines were small, with capacities in the range 20kW to 30kW each.  Technological development has allowed them to grow both in size and scope, with the biggest turbine available now capable of producing 7 MW of electrical power. For commercial production of wind turbine energy, a large number of turbines are grouped together into a single wind power plant, known as a “wind farm”. Electricity generated from these farms is fed into the utility grid and sold to customers, just like electricity generated from other resources.

Penetration

The fraction of energy produced by wind, or wind turbine energy, to the total available generation capacity is known as ‘penetration.’ Existing generation capacity, price mechanism, storage capacity and demand management, among others, are factors determining the limit for a particular grid. Scientific studies have indicated that 20%of the total electrical energy consumption can me met with wind turbine energy with minimal effort. Even so, only a handful of grid systems have penetration of wind energy more than 5%.

Installed capacity

Since its invention to this day, wind turbine energy production has undergone a systematic technological evolution. Today, thousands of wind turbines are in operation around the world, with Europe as the largest contributor, contributing about 48% of the total output, with the USA contributing another 25% Apart from the USA, Germany, China, Spain and Inida round off the list of top five producers of wind turbine energy. The total instaled capacity has also more than quadrupled since 2000 to about 157,899 MW (as of 2009).

In terms of penetration, Denmark leads the chart of wind turbine energy producing states, with impressive figures of over 19%, followed by Spain and Portugal (over 11%) and Germany and Ireland (over 6%).

Apart from the heating effect of the sun, its energy in recent times is also used to generate electricity. The renowned French physicist Edmond Becquerel discovered the photovoltaics in 1839 AD. He found that electricity could be produced in certain material when exposed to light. Later, Albert Einstein in 1905 AD described the photoelectric effect on which photovotaics are based and for which he received the Noble Prize. Their names are written in golden letters in the solar energy history. Solar cells that we use today have been available since 1950. These were made up of silicon and were 6% efficient.

The next chapters of solar energy history saw researchers making huge strides in increasing the efficiency of the solar cells. Nowadays more than 20% efficient solar cells are used commercially. By 20% efficiency, we mean that out of the total sunlight that hits the solar cell, 20% is converted into usable electricity. The photovoltaics are also used in the satellites. This was its biggest application. Solar cells provided electricity to the satellite continuously for six years after which the project was success, as it is a renewable source causing no pollution its demand increased day by day.

Since then, solar power is used for all the satellites. This started a search for alternative source of energy. This included research into renewable sources such as solar power, wind power and geothermal power. This mostly rounds up everything about solar energy history although much is left.

As we enter the new era, new technologies are being developed which are making the solar power more cheap and usable and by each passing day, a new solar energy history is created.

We should put more effort on solar energy and emphasis on it as a primary source of generating power for its eco-friendliness with environment.

Problems with conventional sources of energy

For hundreds of years, humans have depended upon non-renewable resources to fulfill their energy needs.  Non renewable resources, by definition, are natural resources which cannot be replenished on a scale which can sustain the rate at which they are consumed. Traditionally, fossil fuels- coal, natural gas and petroleum- have been exploited the most, and continue to be so, even today. If their use continues at the current rate, their reserves will soon blow out. Apart from scarcity, production of electricity by burning fossil fuels generates green house gases and pollutes the environment. It is important, therefore, to turn to more sustainable forms of energy, which use renewable natural resources, like wind energy source.

The advantages of harnessing wind energy to produce electricity are many-fold. Besides being free, renewable and plentiful, wind energy source is widely distributed, clean and is fast becoming a commercially viable source of electricity.

Renewable

Wind energy source is a free, renewable natural resource for energy production. Wind energy, in the form of airflows, can be used to turn turbines which produce electricity. The airflows are a result of uneven distribution of solar heat on the Earth and its rotational motion, thereby rendring wind energy source virtually inexhaustible.

Plentiful

Wind, or air masses in motion, is caused by temperature and pressure diffenences arising on the surface of the Earth due to non-uniform distribution of solar heat, as well as the motion of the Earth. Wind energy source is, therefore, a permanent source of energy, which can theoretically be put to use anywhere on the Earth.  Although commercially viable extraction of wind energy is not possible everywhere, it is available all across the globe, and the global potential for production of electricity using the wind energy source is calculated to be about five times the total current global consumption of electricity.

Clean

Perhaps the biggest advantage of using wind energy source for producing electricity over other, more conventional resources is that it is a pollution free source of energy. Conversion of wind energy into electrical power does not cause the release of greenhouse gasses and other toxic pollutants in the atmosphere responsible for global warming and climate change, making it one of the cleanest sources of energy. It is environmentally sustainable and its effect of the atmosphere is minimal.

Commercially viable

When first used to produce electric power, wind energy source was one of the most expensive ways of producing electricity, not because of high fuel cost- wind energy source being free and easily available, the operating cost wasn’t very high either- but because of high capital and maintenance cost. The set up required for extraction of energy and conversion into a useful form (electricity) was both expensive and difficult to build and maintain. But with technological advancement, the cost of producing electricity from wind energy source has come down substancially. In fact, the last three decades have seen an almost 80% decrease in cost of producing wind energy. With modern technolody and production techniques, wind energy may well become the cheapest form of energy in the times to come.

Residential solar power gives us the freedom of not relying on the traditional power source and the independence of choosing the right alternative. The sun has been giving heat and light for billions of years and will continue to do so in future also. Therefore, we can always rely on it for the generation of power.

An Average Residential Solar Power Setup – What Is In It?

Residential solar power is a way to produce electricity by using sunlight at home. For the generation of electricity photovoltaic cell or panel are used. If we are using photovoltaic solar energy system we need to know how to use it and get better of it without wasting much money. The solar panel installation is a bit costly but after installation it is warranted for about 20 years.

The main thing we need to know about residential solar power is how much solar energy we can expect our panels to absorb, based on the average daily solar radiation for our area. The solar power panels installed in our houses mostly produces DC which is converted to AC through an inverter. Grid-tie system is another solar energy producing system which generates electricity in houses and the electricity can be used for selling purposes also. The primary components of a Grid-Tie system are:

• Residential solar panels,
• Combiner Box,
• DC Breaker Box,
• Inverter,
• Grid Disconnect

The Long Term Benefits Of Residential Solar Power

Residential solar power is not only going to give us power at all times but also can repay us back if our system is big. The photovoltaic cells are not only going to save us money as they need 1 time installation but also increases the price of the houses in which pvc’s are installed.

As we all know that we have been wasting money behind other resources of electricity and still not getting electricity at all time, so we can definitely depend on Residential solar power which stores electricity during the day and that electricity can be used at any time when required. In many countries, an excellent initiative has been taken by their respective governments so as to provide refunds and bonuses to those implementing solar photovoltaic systems. Frankly put, solar power is a clean way to obtain alternative energy.

Solar panels are extremely effective in making money for you. Once they are installed, these solar energy panels start paying for their investment and few months down the line, they will give you great returns as well! Another wonderful thing about solar power panels is the constant availability of the energy source, the Sun. They do not have to depend upon the wind (like wind energy generators) or rely on a strong source of water to produce energy. They use the abundantly available Sunrays.

You can use these solar power panels to produce ample of electricity. Then you can store these in batteries and sell the electricity for money in return. In this way, your solar panels will start generating money for you. With the Sun staying in the sky for millions of years to come, your money making machine is not going anywhere!

As soon as you have installed the grid, it will start producing power for your use. You can forget about all the expenses that you had to shell out in lieu of electricity charges. The solar panels will not only produce green and clean energy, but also make sure that you do not have to pay a penny on electricity bills anymore.

However, to make this a success, ensure to do your solar power panels calculation effectively. When you have the data clear and build the panels to cover the entire requirement for your domestic or office purposes, you will be able to cover all your lighting and heating expenses with the solar power generated by your grid. Thus, you will be saving a lot of money by using this alternative renewable energy.

Therefore, instead of waiting anymore, it is time to find out everything you want to know about solar energy and opting for the same. With the manuals and guides available over the internet you can build a solar energy system yourself (this also saves money!!) or you can choose to buy an assembled one. Whatever the case, you will definitely make money in the end!

Nonetheless, the solution is simple and effective if you choose to build it yourself and take some steps from your side

• DIY (Do It Yourself) Solar Kits are available online that have all the information ranging from what to buy as well as how to build the same. While the instruction is easy for a person to follow, you will still need the help of a solar system expert to guide towards meeting your home’s energy requirement by building the appropriate solar power systems.
• The most expensive component in active solar power systems is the solar panel array. While new ones can cost you a lot, it will be wise to look for second hand panels on EBay. If you can buy the requisite panel this way, then you solar energy systems’ cost could be slashed to almost half of the initial costs.
• Another very useful place to look for affordable solar panels is factory auctions. Every now and then, factories dish out their old panels (they are also called solar bricks) through auctions. Here, you can get them for cheap including other connecting components like meters, batteries etc for very low prices. Better still, you can buy more than one panel and keep the other for later use in case of emergency repairs.
• Now, the installation of solar energy systems is all about cutting utility costs. So, it will be wise to do an audit of the energy usage before you actually install the system. For this, you will need to take a look at the areas that are eating out the maximum electricity when observed over a month’s time.  The first place is to look at your TVs, DVD players, set top boxes etc. These are phantom loads that draw power even when they are de-activated.
• Look to replace your lighting with different solar power systems. For example, there are next generation solar powered LEDs that you can install for the outside area. These systems store the energy during the day and use it to light up Low pored high intensity LEDs in the night.
• Finally, look to install direct gain passive solar energy systems for your heating and cooling needs. Passive systems tend to store the heat energy in thermal mass like concrete and specially constructed bricklayers. This heat energy can also be gained from isolated systems like rooftop ponds and greenhouses.

However, they have their share of issues and if you do not know them, then you will only be spending more and getting less in return. In such economic times, that can be very bad for your savings. Two vital considerations that you must take into account while choosing solar power systems are:

1. Does your area get the adequate sunlight for installing a solar system?

While modern solar energy systems can work well in cloudy and windy conditions, the low efficiency of the solar energy capture by the panels mean that they will not function up to standard in cold conditions especially in the northern states.

In such cases, you cannot take the average cost of instalment of solar energy systems by basing it on your energy usage. The cost will be at least two to three times the usual, as the system will require more panels and higher quality transduction devices.

2. Do you want to go for an active or passive system?

Contrary to general belief, not all solar power systems have to make do with solar panels for capturing sunlight and converting it into voltage drops (electricity). The currency of solar energy is photons that have both heat as well as light energy in them. There are solar energy systems that only convert the incident photon packets in to heat energy and transfer it onto target areas like swimming pools, water outlets etc. These are known as solar heating devices and can be quite helpful in bringing down your energy costs.

In addition, for thermal conditioning of entire homes during winter, you can choose from two systems, i.e. active as well as passive solar power systems. The solar panels are counted in the active systems while passive systems really do not need to convert the solar energy into electricity. Instead, they can be used to meet your heating and cooling needs by using materials in the construction of your house so that the air and water flow can be directly influenced by the sunlight thereby making conventional heating devices redundant.

Solar troughs, thin wafer photon absorption material, as well as others can be installed during the construction of your home so that they provide you with perennial source of warmth in the cold winter days.

The solar power panels are the conversion point of turning sunlight into electric potential (voltage). Hence, they form the most important part of the setup, as a solar powered generator cannot be envisaged without their presence. Therefore, if you can answer three key questions about your electricity needs and solar energy panels, then you can also figure out the best options available for you.

1. How much electricity do you consume?

The utility company charges you the electricity bill on the number of units consumed by your home. These units are kilowatt-hours (kWh) and the total kWh used by your home multiplied by the base price (8-15 cents per kWh) equals your bill. Hence, if you can find out how much kilowatt-hour of energy the appliances in your home consume, then you can also figure out the number of solar energy panels you will need.

There are gadgets like the ‘Kill A Watt’ which when plugged into an outlet with your appliances turned on, will measure the total kilowatts your home eats up in an hour. Based on these, you can then consult an expert on the number of solar energy panels you will need to produce that much electricity.

2. What type of solar energy panels do you want?

Solar power panels for domestic usage are of two main types – Monocrystalline and polycrystalline. While the former are very efficient in energy conversion, they are also that expensive. On the other hand, polycrystalline panels do not have that good conversion efficiency. Hence, while they are affordable, you may have to opt for more panels to exactly, meet your energy needs.

Nonetheless, so ask your local solar energy expert on what he or she has to suggest, as that will be the final verdict.

3. Where do you live?

No matter how advanced solar energy panels have become, they still need a threshold amount of sunlight to do their work. Hence, if you are live in north where sunlight may not be that direct and abundant, then you will have to pay more to install better quality and higher number of solar power panels as compared to an area that gets ample sunlight.

Hence, your geographical location plays the important role in the cost of solar panels used in building a renewable energy system.

As solar power panels or photovoltaic cells are the generators of solar powered electricity, they are both a costly as well as the most valuable investment. The rest of the pieces i.e. storage battery, wirings and switches are simple additions that can be found in multiple price ranges in any hardware store. Hence, here are some ways in which you can buy cheap solar energy panels.

Wholesale Buys

Look to shop wholesale. Because the solar power industry is one that is constantly changing with newer models coming up ever so frequently, therefore, manufacturing companies are always looking to clear previous model stocks as soon as possible to make space for the current innovations. Hence, if you look for solar power panels on a wholesale basis, then you will definitely get a sweet deal.

Buying Used Panels

Solar energy panels are always being bought and sold. Therefore, if you look to buy second hand or used solar panels, then you can get the higher efficiency Monocrystalline constructions for much less as compared to buying them new. Yes, so, they will be old and used, but do understand that you are getting some of the best products, functionality wise, at cheap rates. Moreover, solar energy panels have a long life meaning that you will only have to spend in maintenance which itself is a ‘once in a while’ kind of a task.

EBay and factory sales happen to be the best places to go hunting for used solar panels that can be purchased at attractive prices. So, keep an eye out for sales on the Internet and the industrial sites to get your hands on some good quality products at affordable prices. Do remember to take the help of a solar energy consultant or expert to determine the quality of these used products before buying them.

Build Them!

If you cannot buy them, then build them! If you are comfortable in using tools like screwdrivers, wrench and multimeter, then you can actually construct solar power panels for as low as $200. Many portals on the Internet provide you with DIY (Do It Yourself) guides for building these panels.

Either build them yourself, or take the help of an expert to, the choice is yours. However, be sure that your use the best materials for construction to ensure an efficient working of your home made solar energy based electricity generator.

The most efficient usage is made in using solar energy for running pumps and other equipments for irrigating the fields. Since most of the activity is done in the daytime, therefore, solar powered irrigation projects have a quick turnover time and also pay out much faster as compared to electricity generating systems used in the cities.

Companies are also coming out with sound producing solar devices that can be effective in keeping away pests like rodents and other similar species from destroying the crops. These systems basically have a capture device at the top to catch the solar energy and convert in high frequency sound waves that are effective in keeping such nocturnal pests away. Since the power input for these devices is very less, the excess solar energy can be saved up in small holding elements in the device and used up in the night time.

Lighting requirements in such areas are also provided for by solar energy in the form of solar powered LEDs (Light Emitting Devices). These lights apart from consuming very low power directly produce light without having to go through a energy transformation components. As a result, they provide an affordable option for landscape lighting for both animal husbandry as well as farmhouses.

Greenhouse concept is another efficient way of growing crops in wintery conditions in the outskirts. By using passive glass sheets to cover the roof and surrounding enclosure, the sunlight and warmth is captured inside the glasshouse, and not let to escape. The plants raised in such manner can be ensured the requisite amount of solar energy necessary for photosynthesis.

Solar home systems are also the favoured choice when it comes to electricity needs for holiday homes. These include integrated solar energy systems that provide the heating and cooling solutions, lighting as well as the electricity needs for the home. The construction uses passive systems that directly use solar power to produce the requisite kind of energy. This includes using thermal masses for producing the heat by using convection laws. Solar troughs and cookers are used for heating food and water. The lighting and electricity is taken care of by solar panel arrays that take care of most of the power needs.