Who anything about solar energy?

[gunsaximbo]

[tuvor]

1. Come again?

[Syncronaut Seven]

2. I owe everything I am today, to solar energy.

Watts Up?

[Nostradammit]

3. LOL!

What a sunny disposition!

[Rainscents]

4. LOL

Right now, I'm watching Solar disaster on Discovery. Very interesting show, it just start it.

[dweller]

5. i everthing solar

:shrug:

dp

[helderheid]

15. He she be your girlfriend

[Crazy Guggenheim]

6. Me don't know.

:popcorn:

[Dead_Parrot]

7. I something solar

Other thing not.

[gunsaximbo]

8. LOL!!! Sorry - I was tired!!!

knows knows knows Anything about Solar energy

[helderheid]

17. hehehe :) You made me smile - don't apologize! :D

[ThomWV]

9. I Everything About Solar Energy

Glork!

[gunsaximbo]

10. You guys are brutal!

[BoneDaddy]

11. Don't make a mistake

in hear, they are brutal, hehe. I don't know much about solar energy but i am eager to see what people post about it as I want some panels in my dream home.

[helderheid]

18. yes in hear. And even here! :P

[BoneDaddy]

21. Ding ding ding

you caught my spelling mistake, hehe.

[madokie]

12. check out the cnn video link here, fixed link to wispergen

www.nanosolar.com

this is not a solar cell as such but it could be powered by solar

enjoy
http://www.whispergen.com/main/acwhispergen/
edit to fix link

[mandyky]

13. Not sure what I know, but I can guess a few things

Solar energy would be best implemented in areas of the country that get a lot of sun - California, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Texas, etc.

I am curious about solar energy myself, like -

Can it be stored?
Can you "sell" electricity from solar panels to the electric company?
If you have warm weather or sunny weather 1/2 to 3/4 of the year is it worth installing panels?
Does cloudy weather but warm to hot "create" solar energy?

[FlaGranny]

16. Yes, to all four of your questions -

but for question #2, you probably wouldn't have enough left over unless you really get into power saving, and for question #3, 1/2 sunny weather would not be as worth it as 3/4 sunny weather.

There - everything you always wanted to know about solar energy answered. :-)

[mandyky]

19. Thanks!

LOL about #3

[Syncronaut Seven]

20. Yes, Yes, Yes, Largely irrelevant

Can it be stored? Yes!
In rechargeable batteries, various forms of deep cycle lead acid batteries are commonly used. A popular choice is the humble golf cart battery. Solar can also be stored as heat energy. Water, salt water, rock and mud are some common storage mediums.

Can it be sold? Yes! Some utilities have a net metering policy in place, some don't. Some people go guerrilla and back-feed the power system anyway, but, If not done correctly, it could injure or kill a utility worker. The infrastructure is there, you just need a UL listed inverter designed specifically for Inter-tie. It's an interesting concept! A de-centralized power generation system without batteries, With peak output corresponding to peak air conditioning loads.

What about the weather? Modern solar panel controllers use an internal processor to "suck" the maximum efficiency out of your panels rain or shine. I've even seen them try to generate power from strong, close street lights!

Does cloudy weather but warm to hot "create" solar energy? Solar energy is only "created" one way, You need a really close star to take advantage of it. ;o) Heat decreases the efficiency of solar electric panels due to internal current leakage and increased resistance, the effect is usually small.

Ambient heat can be taken advantage of day or night by passing your groundwater thru a copper radiator (Pipe) to preheat your water before the water heater, dropping ambient temperature in the process. Shower heat exchangers are available to reclaim the heat going down the drain.

Could you imagine a city like Phoenix, If they had laid cheap plastic pipe under the asphalt? Cooler summers and free hot water. If only someone had the vision and foresight, sigh.

[SmokingJacket]

14. Prices for panels seem to be going down a bit,

and they're apparently more efficient than they used to be. I live in a cloudy area, but I'd love to get a few over the next five or ten years.