Easy Solar coming our way?

This is from a weekly e-mail I recieve from Renewable Energy.

MIT Research May Bring Down Cost of Solar Energy
by Elizabeth Thomson, MIT News Office
Massachusetts, United States [RenewableEnergyWorld.com]
Imagine windows that not only provide a clear view and illuminate rooms, but also use sunlight to efficiently help power the building they are part of. MIT engineers report a new approach to harnessing the sun's energy that could allow just that.
The work involves the creation of a novel "solar concentrator."
"Light is collected over a large area [like a window] and gathered, or concentrated, at the edges," explains Marc A. Baldo, leader of the work and the Esther and Harold E. Edgerton Career Development Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering.
As a result, rather than covering a roof with expensive solar cells, the cells only need to be around the edges of a flat glass panel. In addition, the focused light increases the electrical power obtained from each solar cell "by a factor of over 40," Baldo says.
Because the system is simple to manufacture, the team believes that it could be implemented within three years — even added onto existing solar-panel systems to increase their efficiency by 50 percent for minimal additional cost. That, in turn, would substantially reduce the cost of solar electricity.

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53013

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Permalink Reply by Roy R on July 22, 2008 at 7:11pm: » Legal Eagle (Guest Opinion)
Feed-In Tariffs
A Regulatory Tool
by lois Barb er
All across the country, whether
motivated by a concern for the environment,
energy security, job creation, the economy — or just a
desire to make a buck — Americans are looking
outside our borders to see what’s been fueling the
global growth in renewable energy. They are finding
that one type of legislation, in Europe and elsewhere
called a feed-in tariff (FIT), has proven to be the
world’s most effective renewable energy policy.
FIT legislation is in place in more than 40 countries,
states, and provinces throughout the world. The laws
differ in details, but share essential principles. They
require utility companies to provide access to the grid for
anyone or any group producing renewable energy , and
to buy all the renewable energy available at established
prices per kilowatt hour for a set period of time, usually
15 to 20 years. The prices vary according to the type of
technology, the size of the system and its location. The
increased costs to the utilities are paid for by adjustments
to all their customers’ electricity bills. In Germany,
this has meant an increase of about $3 a month for
average homeowners — about the cost of a loaf of bread.
A board is established that meets periodically to review
the policy and adjust the rates for new contracts.
Germany introduced this type of legislation in 1991
and it has made them the world’s leading producer
of renewable energy technology, creating close to
a quarter-of-a-million jobs. Renewable energy jobs
increased 40 percent between 2004 and 2006 alone.
Germany now has 1.3 million solar panels in place.
It reached its target of producing 12.5 percent of its
energy from renewable sources in 2007 — three years
ahead of schedule. Now it is up to 14
percent. The country has already reduced
its CO2 emissions by 18.5 percent compared
with 1990 levels, and is on track to
meet its target of a 40 percent reduction
by 2020. Dr. Hermann Scheer, a member
of the German Parliament who played a
key role in writing and enacting the law,
points out how FIT laws allow everyone —
people from all walks of life — to profit from
producing renewable energy. “New players
have stepped into the market who now no
longer have to ask the established energy
providers for permission to access the grid.
Only in this way can a breakthrough for
renewable energy take place,” Scheer said.
One-third of the solar energy produced
in Germany is from farmers putting solar
systems on their barn roofs.
FIT legislation has also made Denmark
and Spain global leaders in renewable
energy. Together, wind turbines in Denmark, Spain
and Germany represent 53 percent of the total
wind-generating capacity worldwide.
Until recently, this idea that has proved successful
in creating jobs and reducing CO2 emissions, while
handsomely rewarding investors. But it has received
little attention here in North America. Only Ontario
has a basic FIT system in place. But now, eager to
bring these benefits to their own states and provinces,
legislators are lining up to get similar bills introduced.
In September, Michigan Rep. Kathleen Law introduced
House Bill 5218, the Michigan Renewable Energy
Sources Act. It includes all renewable energy sources
without discrimination: hydro, wind, solar, geothermal,
biomass and biogas; sets 20-year contracts; and gives
“reasonable returns” on investment. The rates for solar
energy range from 50 cents to 71 cents per kilowatt
hour depending on the type of technology and the size
of the system. For wind, the rates range from 2.5 to 10.5
cents per kilowatt hour. Everyone who wants to participate
must be connected to the grid within two months
of their request. Any increase in price will be shared
among all utility rate payers. Promoters of the legislation
point out that over time any short-term rate increases will
eventually turn into long-term savings as utilities switch
from buying increasingly expensive fossil fuels to clean,
Lois Barber
Photo by Stuart Ha ywa rd
14 ENERGYBIZ May/June 2008; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Gary Munson on July 23, 2008 at 1:54am: We all need to realize the best thing we can all do to help the energy situation is to take individual action. Rather than waiting around for the government to do something we can each cut our electric usage dramatically. Here are several sites worth visiting that aren't selling anything but tell it like it is. Plenty of simple and painless techniques to cut your power bill.

http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/

http://www.builditsolar.com/index.htm

The current situation has people grasping at all sorts of non-cost effective solutions that sound great on paper but don't hold up to scrutiny in the real world. Solar electricity is one of those as would be wind power in cent. Florida. Solar PV just costs too much at the present. Hopefully ongoing research will change that in the future but it's not ready for prime time yet. Plenty of outright scams getting too much press also. The 'run your car on water' crowd is one I can think of (apparently many people didn't pay attention in high school physics). A good site explaining the physics that negates that scheme is here along with other interesting info about some of those behind the current revival.

http://www.alternative-energy-resources.net/browns-gas-the-reality....

Another scam that's been revived is the 'phase controller' that supposedly saves electricity by making motors run more efficiently. Home show demonstrations with an electric motor show it's electricity usage dropping dramatically when the motor is plugged into the device rather than straight into the incoming power. These devices actually do work in the applications they are designed for...this has the unfortunate effect of helping the scammers (or to give them the benefit of the doubt, uneducated-in-electricity folk) sell these things. An industrial application that produces savings would be a big table saw in a woodworking shop that runs constantly. When it's not cutting wood, the motor is under no load and at that moment, a phase controller will save energy. The goal of electrical engineers is to make sure anything with a motor runs that motor at rated capacity at all times...that's the point a motor is most efficient. Their striving for this is what has made ACs and refrigerators much more efficient lately. The point here is motors in your home all run at rated load all the time. There is no 'off load' time like with the big table saw. A 'phase controller' saves nothing in this situation.

In hot climates a proven strategy that works well is a heat recovery unit attached to your AC unit. It provides free hot water and also increases the efficiency of the AC a couple of SEER points. Adding one of these to an older AC unit that still runs well is a good way to cut $30-$50 off your monthly power bill during AC season (which here in cent Fl can be about 9 months). Here is a manufacturer's site for one on these.

http://www.trevormartin.com/about.asp

Please use due diligence when deciding on ways to save energy. The internet is a great source of info and you can easily see both points of view on any energy saving strategy. Just simple conservation by time-tested means is still the best way to approach our dilemma. If we all cut our power bill in half, we'd all have much more money in our pocket and our nation would be much more secure.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by neil cox on July 25, 2008 at 3:42pm: I clicked the join box, so I guess I am now a member of NE Florida Pickens Plan. I want to see thousands of big wind turbines installed in West Texas ASAP = as soon as possible with the help of modest government subsidies or profit garantees for an honorable effort. I have doubts about more than a few million USA cars running on natural gas, but every little bit helps. I have a strong science/engineering/ technology background and would be happy to meet with some of you at the Webb Library meeting room for purposes of sharing alternative energy ideas and educating any of the public that would care to attend. Should I make arrangements to use the Webb meeting room? That's one long block East of Interstate 295 on 103d street in SW Jacksonville, Florida. How about 6 pm, the last Tues of each month if that time slot is open? Last I knew, use of the meeting room is free.I'm age 76 so it would be difficult for me to travel much farther than the Webb library. I certainly do not want to userp the authority of Jay Wait, but perhaps, I can be your science officer. I'm Neil Cox on the main Pickens forums, the past 10 days. You can telephone me 7am to 7pm daily 374-0810 . Neil; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by neil cox on August 31, 2008 at 12:37am: Does zero calls in over 4 weeks mean most of us post rather than read? I will attempt to find some of you in the phonebook to pick your brain. Pickens Plan now lists 105 members just for Jacksonville, Florida. Neil 904 374 0810; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Gary Munson on August 13, 2008 at 2:06am: Both Nanosolar and EEstor have been developing applications of nanotechnology. I've been very interested in this concept although it's something that isn't accessible except by highly advanced engineering techniques...requiring huge amounts of money and research. Nanosolar claims to have perfected a means of 'printing' solar panel surfaces on flexible mylar sheeting allowing them to spew the panels out like newsprint...the nanotech part is the 'ink'. They claim to have finally gotten to the point of continuous yield of a material about 1/2 as efficient as current panels but at 1/5 the price per delivered KWH. Current tech silicon panels cost about $5 a KWH, Nanosolar claims $1. This makes generating your own power much cheaper than buying it from the power company even if you have to finance the equipment. The only downside being the need for 2X the panels due to lower efficiency. Another item helping the march of solar PV is that the companies that mfg the grid tie inverters have begun to increase the warranty length of their units to 10 years. Inverter failure has been a thorn in the side of 'early adopter' PV folks.
EEstor claims to be coming close to fruition with a 'super capacitor'. The advantage of a capacitor over a battery is it's ability to charge and discharge very quickly and have a much longer lifespan. Until now the disadvantage has been very limited capacity (power density). EEstor's device is their 'Electric energy storage unit (EESU)' Their claim is a suitcase size device that weighs 350 lbs and will power a sedan-size vehicle 250 miles at 80 MPH then recharge in 5 minutes. In order to be able to charge this fast, one would need a second EESU at home that could charge during the day since your home power supply would not be capable of delivering the very high current in a 5 minute burst. The home unit would charge as fast as your house power could supply it....probably 4-5 hrs then you'd hook it to your vehicle and transfer the charge in 5 minutes. Goolge EEstor for lots of second hand info...they are very secretive and have no public website.
The real trick here, if both technologies arrive, would be to team your solar panels with the EESU for 'free' 24 hour power that you could also tap for your vehicle. This will be a world-changing event if this occurs. That, along with already proven techniques for conservation will be the world's salvation and transform it overnight. Oil people will find themselves in the same position the whale oil people found themselves in when petroleum wells were discovered.
I'm mostly concerned about Estor being able to bring their device out. Lockheed Martin is apparently a big investor and I can see them managing to stop the research somehow on 'national security' grounds and using patent laws to stop anyone else from trying the technique. We'll have to wait and see. A lot of info has leaked...hopefully too much to stop it..; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by neil cox on August 31, 2008 at 1:32am: When I read about Estor several months ago, they were thinking more than 1000 volts so there would be significant safety concerns. Fortunately a modest number of solar photovoltaic panels in series can produce more than 1000 volts. DC motors to 2000 volts are no problem for the vehicle, but there will be a problem converting 2000 volts DC to AC, if AC motors are used. Four separate DC to AC inverters in series to supply each of the 4 wheel motors independently, perhaps? Neil; ▶ Reply to This