Its LED holiday light time!
If you love decorating your home or apartment this time of year, did you know you can save a lot of money by going with LED lights for the holidays? LEDs are “light emitting diodes,” which are significantly more energy-efficient and long-lasting than traditional Christmas lights.
Many people see a big increase in their energy bills over the holidays. With LED Christmas lights, you don’t have to worry about leaving your holiday display on overnight. That’s because they are not plugged into a socket. Instead, many LED lights are solar-powered.
A small solar panel is positioned where it will get UV light. During the day, a battery is recharged. At night, the energy is used to keep your outdoor lighting shining bright until morning.
Can you imagine the power bill of this home, if they hadn’t used LED holiday lights?
Light up your holiday season without lightening your wallet
This year, you’ll find LED holiday lights in a vast array of sizes, shapes, colors and styles. You can also purchase them at just about any hardware store, or major home improvement shop (think Ace Hardware, Home Depot, Lowe’s, even Costco). Be sure you pick out Energy Star-qualified LEDs.
Here are some fast facts to help guide you in your Christmas décor:
- They are cool to the touch, since they do not emit heat – this reduces the danger of tree fires
- They last up to 10 times longer than conventional holiday lights
- Lighting with LEDs consumes 75-90% less energy than regular incandescent bulbs
- They now come in a large variety of colors and lengths – from icicles to strands, colored to white, snowflakes and nets… even blinking options
- If all households in the United States alone switched to LED holiday lights, $410 million in electricity savings could be achieved!
- Some stores like Home Depot are giving customers a credit when they bring in old incandescent Christmas lights and purchase new LED lights
Not sure how these facts translate to your holidays? Consider this: lighting your Christmas tree with standard C-7 bulbs and running them for 12 hours a day, for 40 days (from now through New Years) will cost you $25.13 in electricity. If you use LED Christmas lights instead, you’ll pay only 56 cents for power. That’s some impressive math!
Of course, famous tree displays around the world have been using LED lights for at least several years. Perhaps the most famous is the tree in Rockefeller Center, which now saves almost as much energy in a single day as is typically used by a family in an entire month:
More than 30,000 LED lights are strung on about 5 miles of wire to illuminate the Rockefeller Center tree. To support the LED lighting of the tree, Rockefeller Center itself has 365 solar panels installed on its roof. The panels generate about 70 kW of energy.
Save on time and money by going with LED lights this season. Put away the extension cords, and don’t be hit with a huge electricity bill in January (you’ll probably have other bills to contend with).
Their long-lasting nature will have you singing “Joy to the World” for years to come!
Tags: energy efficient holiday lights, LED Christmas lights, led holiday lights, led lights, solar christmas lights
The PowerPort Solar Charger and Battery has been designed to harness the sun’s energy, shortening the process of transforming it into electricity by using photovoltaic cells (PVs). PVs convert sunlight into electricity that can be used immediately. The process is clean, fast, noiseless, and – thanks to Lenmar – easily portable. Here’s how it works. Light from the sun hits the solar cells. exciting electrons within the cell. Some of them break free, and channeled through a conduc (more…)
Tags: charger and battery, Lenmar, Lithium, photovoltaic cells, power port solar charger, PowerPort, PPUS20, Solar, solar charger
Tags: fulcrum light, led book light, multi flex
Use the solar strap to keep your devices charged on the go
We have blogged about solar backpacks, solar handbags, and other portable solar power gadgets. All of them are effective, but the price point can vary.
What if you just want to help boost the power of your portable devices without having to lug about an expensive new bag? It may be time for a solar strap. Shown in the photo to the left, this relatively small solar panel can be worn while you enjoy the great outdoors. When you want to make a call, take a photo or listen to your MP3, you’ll always have power no matter where you are.
The Solar Strap is easy to wear and unbelievably lightweight. Its compatible with any device that uses a 5-volt charging voltag. Simply expose the solar panels to UV light, and the Solar Strap will recharge as you bicycle, hike, or even simply take a walk across campus.
According to the website:
The energy is stored in a light-weight battery of 3.7 Wh capacity. You can operate this portable and flexible gadget in a temperature ranging from 0° to 50° Celsius. You can fold the SolarStrap to make it even more portable. When completely open, it is 290 x 97 x 16 mm in size and is 144 x 97 x 25 mm in size when folded. It has an AC charger input capacity of 5.0 – 6.0 V DC and output charge of 5.5 VDC, 800 mA and it weighs around 60 g. SolarStrap Portable charger available at Suntrica.
If you want to get one of these cool solar gadgets as a green holiday gift, check out the Suntrica website, which will direct you to local retailers.
Tags: green holiday gifts, portable solar power, recharge portable devices, solar gadget, solar strap, suntrica
How to Calculate Solar Energy Production
Before you consider installing solar panels, you may want to calculate the solar energy production in your region. That will help you determine the efficiency of solar panels in generating electricity for your home or business. You’ll also be able to determine how many solar panels you’ll need for your energy demands.
Efficiency of solar panels depends in part on the angle of their positioning, but perhaps more importantly, the amount of solar irradiation in your area. Overall solar energy production is influenced by the number of clear, sunny days, but also latitude and longitude.
If you want to learn how to calculate solar energy production where you live or work, there are several methods of doing so.
Perhaps the easiest approach is to use the tools from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. As stated on NREL’s PV Watts page:
The PVWatts calculator works by creating hour-by-hour performance simulations that provide estimated monthly and annual energy production in kilowatts and energy value. Users can select a location and choose to use default values or their own system parameters for size, electric cost, array type, tilt angle, and azimuth angle. In addition, the PVWatts calculator can provide hourly performance data for the selected location.
There are two versions of the NREL PVWatts calculator:
Version 1 allows users to select a location from a map or text list of pre-determined locations throughout the world. Version 2 allows users to select any location in the United States.
The calculations take into consideration several decades of recorded irradiance values. You can pinpoint your area pretty well using its maps, which are developed based on local weather, sun angles and local microclimate cells.
There are some formulas to help you calculate solar radiation
Some believe that you can get a more accurate total energy production by using your own formula. Engineers and scientists will enjoy putting pen to paper and crunching the numbers to calculate solar energy production.
Now, I’m not a scientist, but I did find this formula at SolarPanelTalk:
PV STC value *.8 (80% of STC) times hours of usable light (5 is a normal number) The sun may be up 12 hours a day in the summer, but the 3 morning and 3 evening hours, carry little power, so you can’t count them.
Figure in a number for clouds.
2KW array =(1600 *5) = 8000w day x 365 = 2,920,000 watts year, of sunny days, no clouds, no rain, perfect sun angle. You will NEVER exceed this #, and almost always fall short of it because of bad weather.
No matter how you do it – using the NREL links, or crunching your own numbers – calculation of solar energy production is an important step before you install solar panels.
Tags: efficiency of solar panels, how to calculate solar energy production, install solar panels, irradiance values, solar efficiency, solar irradiation
Solar module manufacturing
A new solar manufacturing facility opened this week in Sunnyvale, California. Atlumin Energy, Inc. creates materials for renewable energy, including specialty chemicals and alloys. In January 2010, the company will ship its first products to customers in the solar module market.
Among the first items will include rotary sputtering targets, which are used in thin film solar panels. Eventually, Atlumin will manufacture a range of products for solar module manufacturers.
Just in case you are wondering what a “solar module” is? Here is Wikipedia to the rescue:
A photovoltaic module or photovoltaic panel is a packaged interconnected assembly of photovoltaic cells, also known as solar cells. The photovoltaic module, known more commonly as the solar panel, is then used as a component in a larger photovoltaic system to offer electricity for commercial and residential applications.
The definition of a “sputtering target” is explained as follows: Functional layers are manufactured from planar and rotary targets for thin film solar cells into solar cells.
As back contact with optimal adhesion on the glass substrate and high conductivity thin films of the target materials provide an important prerequisite for the performance of the solar cell.
While this explanation may not make sense to the usual consumer, scientists will appreciate the fact that solar manufacturers are working on continuous optimization of applied materials and manufacturing processes. R&D in the development and production of sputtering targets will result in increasing performance of thin film solar cells.
With respect to Atlumin Energy, its location in California may be key to their customers’ manufacturing sites and development. A short drive away from many of its customers, local solar manufacturing can reduce time and expense for everyone along the development chain.
Tags: atlumin energy, photovoltaic module, rotary sputtering targets, solar manufacturing facility, solar module manufacturer, solar module market, thin film solar cells
Solar panel financing through property tax assessments
Solar panel financing is getting more common, as well as more creative! We all know that one of the biggest hurdles to going solar is the upfront cost to do so.
Fortunately, there are a number of cities across the United States that are helping consumers install solar panels with a unique financing structure. Homeowners may now apply for low-interest loans for solar improvements, through local government, which are then paid off through a property tax increase.
Want to know how it works? Here is a video explaining California Assembly Bill 811:
Tap into solar financing loans through local government programs
California is not the only state that offers solar panel loans through local government. If you live in Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Vermont, Virginia or Wisconsin your state legislature has also passed legislation that authorizes municipalities to establish Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs.
Yet, individual cities within these states must step forward to set up a solar panel loan program.
It is easier than you might think.
Here’s what you need to do (set aside 1/2 hour and you are done):
1) Download the sample support letter and our Vote Solar PACE guide that walks cities through the process of establishing a PACE program (or download UC Berkeley’s more detailed PACE Guide here).
2) Personalize the letter, including your mayor’s address.
3) Print the documents
4) Send the letter and the Introduction to PACE to your Mayor.
5) Email Annie annie@votesolar.org to let her know you took action so she can follow-up with your Mayor’s office.
Take a small amount of time to make a big difference. Helping to set up solar panel loan programs through local government can encourage many more people to convert to the renewable energy resource – particularly when the upfront cost is minimized.
Do you live in an area that offers solar panel loans? Have you or a friend tapped into the program?
We want to hear from you!
Tags: install solar panels, local government property tax, PACE, property assessed clean energy, solar panel financing, solar panel loans, solar power financing
Florida sunshine to power the state!
We recently posted about the largest solar installation in the United States, which is currently in Florida. While the sunshine state enjoys these bragging rights – for now – it is actually trying to catch up with solar leaders, including California and New Jersey.
But, there are some important solar advancements occurring in Florida!
Greentech Media hosted a webinar to showcase solar research of the Florida Energy Systems Consortium, which has brought researchers from 11 universities to collaborate on renewable energy technology. Among other issues to be tackled include cloud cover and hurricanes – more prevalent in Florida than in the western United States.
Still, there are some important advancements underway. Consider these highlights of the projects on which the FESC is working:
Sunlight to Hydrogen Fuel: Similar to concentrated solar power, mirrors are used to concentrate and direct sunlight to a tower. There, zinc oxide is superheated and reduced to metal. The result is combined with water, in which it oxidizes to create hydrogen. When its combined with organic material, transportation fuel is created. Researchers are also working to develop a fluidized bed reactor that can more efficiently convert metal oxide to hydrogen.
Solar-Powered Desalination: Would you believe me if I said that solar power can create potable water from seawater? Its true! Solar energy collectors are used to superheat saltwater to the boiling point. Vapor includes no salt, so it is collected and condensed through a heat exchanger. Concentrated salt and brine is pumped back into the ocean.
Solar power research to provide a cleaner, greener life
Clean Water from Clean Power: Not only can solar energy help remove salt from ocean water, but we can also use it to remove dangerous microbes. Using materials like titanium dioxide, sunlight can be absorbed to create free radicals which then seek out and destroy polluting materials.
Solar Thermal Power: In order to be competitive with fossil-fuel based electricity, the cost of solar thermal power must be dramatically cut. The best way to do this is to reduce equipment cost by about 50%. The Florida Energy Systems Consortium is helping advance research that will rely on ammonia to generate solar thermal power at a significantly lower temperature.
Solar Cell/LED/Battery Module: When solar electricity is generated, it generally needs to be converted from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) for use. But consider these facts: solar cells, LEDs (light emitting diodes) and batteries all use direct current. What if we could eliminate the need for solar inverters? That idea is propelling new research to build a solar cell with transparent organic material on top of an organic LED. As described:
The LED emits light downward and sits on top of a transparent platform that’s embedded with lithium-ion batteries. The solar cell charges the battery during the day, and the batteries can power the LED light at night.
As a result, efficiency will be increased without the need for an inverter. Plus, savings can be had in material costs, as well.
Solar research in the Florida sunshine seems to be the perfect place to advance renewable energy! Stay tuned for more news about solar advancements from this key location, and from the Florida Energy Systems Consortium.
Tags: FESC, Florida Energy Systems Consortium, florida sunshine, solar advancements, solar inverters, solar powered desalination, solar research, sunlight hydrogen fuel
Solar Sail Concept Illustration
The Planetary Society received a big donation recently to develop a small solar sail spacecraft. This new technology is being developed as a practical alternative for interstellar travel in the future. Solar energy will provide the power to move the sail at high speeds. More precisely, the spacecraft will sail on sunlight – the pressure from light itself!
Researchers and scientists are aiming to have a new solar sail complete for testing by the end of 2010.
Solar sail propulsion was explained by Louis Friedman, executive director of the Planetary Society:
A solar sail is a device that collects sunlight and transfers the energy of the sunlight to the momentum of the spacecraft. It uses pure light, reflecting off the sail, so you want a large area to collect a lot of photons and you want it highly reflective so you get a high efficiency of them bouncing off. We use aluminised mylar.
Solar sail spacecraft will be able to move without the use of fuel, propelled solely by light. The technology will be useful for space missions over very long distances without having to carry heavy fuel. However, it can also be used to analyze conditions here on Earth, including solar weather, the magnetosphere and environments at the poles.
Solar sailing to traverse the galaxies
Experts estimate that a solar sail can reach 20% of the speed of light. The Planetary Society website explains:
Solar sail propulsion is simple in concept. Light photons bounce onto a mirror-like aluminized Mylar sail. As each photon hits, its momentum is transmitted to the spacecraft. Photons have no mass but lots of energy, so a solar sail space probe requires no onboard fuel. The force acts continuously, meaning a solar sail can eventually reach speeds five to ten times greater than any chemical rocket.
Despite its relatively large size (32 square meters), a solar sail only weighs 4.5 kilograms. Of course, this means that interstellar solar sail missions will be unmanned. The craft could not support human weight.
With a relatively low cost (several million dollars – instead of billions), the small spacecraft can be extremely valuable for future space missions. The Light Sail mission is on its way, thanks to a million dollar anonymous donation. If you would like to help the cause, or to learn more, click here.
Tags: insterstellar travel, light sail, planetary society, solar sail propulsion, solar sail spacecraft, solar sailing
Lower your seasonal power bill and avoid cord hassles with Solar Powered LED Holiday Lights! No extension cords… powered by the sun! These Solar Powered LED Lights can be placed anywhere outside your home. Sunlight recharges the battery, then when the sun goes down the lights turn on automatically! The included solar panel is the only portion you must place in direct sunlight. Bright white LED bulbs have a life span of over 100,000 hours; Choose continuous or flashing; High-qu (more…)
Tags: holiday lights, led holiday lights, Solar, solar powered LED lights, Solar Powered White LED Holiday Lights