Germany has always been a world leader in both the production and use of solar panels. Known as the world’s pre-eminent engineers, the German industrial base has the knack of designing and creating some of the best engineered products in the world.

The country has also been a leader in the uptake of solar power, despite not being the sunniest place in the world. The recent announcement that the government will completely scrap nuclear power stations by 2022, is another step forward for renewable energy and the humble solar panel.

While much of the difference will be made up of wind power, the uptake of solar is set to increase too. Already one of the biggest proponents of solar PV power generations, Germany is hopefully setting a precedent by moving away from what is an unpopular fuel.

The German Chancellor, Mrs. Merkel said that in its “fundamental” rethink of policy, Germany could set an example for other countries.

“We believe we as a country can be a trailblazer for a new age of renewable energy sources,” the German chancellor was quoted as saying by AFP news agency.
“We can be the first major industrialized country that achieves the transition to renewable energy with all the opportunities – for exports, development, technology, jobs – it carries with it.”

While I will always promote solar power, any renewable energy is a good energy. So the country’s move from nuclear to renewable has to be applauded. Once a country as respected as Germany makes it work, other countries are sure to follow.

Other European countries can look at the German example and how popular it will be with the people, and want a piece of that political pie. Spain is another large user of solar panels, and the next logical step in the chain. While not as respected on the world stage as Germany, it will be another practical example of a world where nuclear power is in decline.

With Britain having announced they were planning to build more nuclear power stations, it would be nice to think they would reconsider that move in the light of the German change.

With the events in Fukushima still ringing loudly in our ears, governments of the world must be looking at the technology with a different set of eyes. It is my sincere hope that they abandon it in favor of renewable options in the future.

On our own shores, it will be a while before we even acknowledge what is going on in the rest of the world, and only then will things be looked at again. We have one of the best climates for solar power in the world, and some of the best manufacturers of solar panels. It would be a shame not to make the best of both.

The days of planning for a nuclear winter are thankfully long behind us, but disaster planning still plays a small part in our lives. With freak weather becoming an increasing phenomenon, it’s prudent to prepare for difficult situations. Even if that’s just having a solar backup generator and some canned food.

Nobody is saying we need to go back to the days of survivalism, but with the tornado in Joplin, frequent storms in Florida, Katrina, earthquakes in Japan and the volcano in Iceland, the planet seems quite restless.

Having solar backup generators around is a great way of being prepared for the worst while using it to benefit today. Many people spent a lot of money on food and equipment that ended up going to waste. The trick with preparing for the worst, is only buying things you can use in everyday life. Like solar backup generators.

Anyone who has a cabin in the woods, or lives somewhere away from the grid will tell you that having a reliable source of power is invaluable for everyday living. It makes it easier to predict power availability, to enjoy basic amenities like refrigerators, freezers and things that many of us take for granted.

Having a reliable power source that is ready to take over if the grid goes down is worth more than money in my book. That’s where solar backup generators come in. They harvest energy during the day and store it in on-board batteries, ready for when it’s needed. If it isn’t required, it will retain the charge until it is.

Then, if the worst does happen and there’s a storm, or the local power grid goes down, you still have that reliable power source to depend on. Contrary to popular belief, solar panels don’t need blazing sunshine to work. Sure, they work more efficiently in direct sunlight, but they can still harvest a decent amount of power from diffuse daylight, like on a cloudy day.

For anyone who uses a gas-powered generator to keep the lights on should look at solar backup generators when it comes to having their generator serviced or replaced. They don’t need fuel, they don’t need much maintenance, they don’t smell, or make noise. If fact, you don’t even know they’re there most of the time. They work silently and simply provide power when you need it.

We are way beyond fallout shelters, nuclear bunkers and the unpleasantness of the 80s, but when nature flexes her muscles, it’s good to be prepared. Solar backup generators are a way of being prepared while also getting benefit during everyday life.

The solar power market in the US is set to grow immensely during the next year or so. That’s partly due to initiatives to increase the uptake of solar panels in homes, and utility level installations being planned and built across the country. With new thin film technology, and the acceptance of solar concentrators, this will only increase.

With the price of solar panel trackers coming down, and the reliability going up, the yield from an average PV array is increasing all the time. We are probably the most geographically blessed nation in the world for solar power.

The northern states still get 3.5 kWh/m2/day, with the south western receiving as much as 8.5 kWh/m2/day. That’s a huge amount of potential for generating energy from the sun. Add to that the amount of land we have to use, and the case for turning to solar to meet our energy needs is almost made.

We are also the biggest consumer of power in the world. Our power demand is roughly 7.2 times the total in Germany and nearly 15 times as much as Spain. With the current solar power market supplying 820 MW, it is still only a small percentage of what we need.

Currently, the US makes up 5 percent of global demand for solar panels, but this is expected to increase over the next year to 10 percent. The reason for this assumption is the slow spread of solar power throughout the United States.

Solar PV installations have concentrated in California for the most part. That is expected to spread much wider as energy prices rise, and solar panel prices fall. The aforementioned solar panel trackers will also have a hand in this as they will allow residential installs to generate the same power with a smaller setup.

Thanks to the California Public Utilities Commission, and their California Solar Initiative, solar power generation is becoming more popular than ever. As other states awaken to the possibilities and companies offer incentives to different states, the uptake should increase across the country.

As Spain demonstrated in 2009 when it reviewed its FiT, no company wants to depends on a single region for its solar-related income. Companies are slowly spreading their wings, and offering similar incentives to other states.

The rise of the utility market will also drive solar power into the future. We currently have 350 MW of grid-connected utility PV capacity in the United States. That is expected to increase as there is currently over 6 GW of solar power projects in various stages of planning across the country.

This is an exciting time for solar power. Solar panel trackers are cheaper than ever, thin film technology is a viable product and solar concentrators are making utility-scale installations realistic. With increasing power prices, energy security declining and a desire to live cleaner lives, the solar power market is only going to get bigger.

In a release that sounds more like science fiction movies of old than reality, the Japanese announced plans for a project to put solar panels in a ring around the moon. Scientists unveiled the plan yesterday at a press conference in Japan.

The idea is to put solar panels in a ring around the moon and transmit the power back to earth via laser or microwave link. The scientists estimate they would be able to produce up to 13,000 terawatts of electricity which would be received by specially designed receiving stations on earth.

With the events at Fukushima, and the relative instability of the Japanese islands, nuclear power is understandably out of favor right now. This means we are beginning to have to look elsewhere for our power.

The plans were unveiled by Japanese construction giant Shimizu Corporation’s research division, and would result in a 6,800 mile-long band of solar panels stretching around the light side of the moon’s equator. It would be up to 248 miles wide and have a 12 mile-wide antennae to transmit the power back to earth.

In a further press release on the Shimizu website, it said: ‘A shift from economical use of limited resources to the unlimited use of clean energy is the ultimate dream of all mankind.

‘The Luna Ring, our lunar solar power generation concept, translates this dream into reality through ingenious ideas coupled with advanced space technologies. ‘Virtually inexhaustible, non-polluting solar energy is the ultimate source of green energy that brings prosperity to nature as well as our lives.

‘Shimizu Corporation proposes the Luna Ring for the infinite coexistence of mankind and the Earth.’ (Quote)

The company’s ambitious project would solve the world’s energy problems in one fell swoop were it ever to see the light of day. It could produce enough power for the entire planet and reduce carbon emissions by millions of tons each year.

The idea would require a lot of time in space, and robots to maintain the system. Just when the world powers are scaling back exploratory missions into space. The big challenge isn’t just technological. It’s also about the cost.

There is no mention of the cost here, but it is likely to be in the hundreds of billions of dollars. They scientists say they think the soil on the moon could provide water, concrete, oxygen and the ceramics necessary for the project. If they were able to harvest and manufacture the materials while on the moon, it could save a significant amount of that cost.

Whether this plan ever comes to fruition or not, it proves that renewable energy really is the future. Solar panels around the moon, large scale commercial solar power stations and other renewable sources of energy are creeping their way into our world.

I hope this project gets the go-ahead. It would be nice if world governments cooperated for once, and it would be nice to like on a planet that didn’t have to contend with nuclear power.

Summer is almost upon us, and if you’re not lucky enough to live somewhere sub-tropical, it’s time to get outside. The yearly exodus into the great outdoors is something most of us enjoy. The chance to get some fresh air, spend time in the sun and relax a little.

This year we have a bevy of solar camping lights, fairy lights and other toys to make your time outside a little more enjoyable. I’ll run over a few of them here. I won’t mention manufacturers because I’m not selling them. I just want everyone to enjoy solar powered toys as I do.

First up are the inimitable solar camping lights. I know I talk about these a lot, but they are one of the most useful implementations of solar power I can think of. The new versions of these solar camping lights now come with remote controls so you don’t even have to get out of your sleeping bag to turn them off.

They are ideal for enjoying a piece of home comfort while out in nature. They don’t pollute, they don’t make noise, the light isn’t too bright, and they could last for years with absolutely no maintenance whatsoever.

With festival season on the way too, these solar camping lights and solar string lights are the ideal adornment for your tent as you enjoy a weekend of frivolity and music. What better way to find your tent in a sea of them than having a solar lantern shining like a beacon in the night.

Just remember to fasten it to the tent, or have it just under the canvas so it doesn’t get stolen!

Solar powered radios are also emerging as a realistic technology to brighten up summer days. Some are wind-up radios with solar panels to add power, others are dedicated solar devices. Both are eminently useful, don’t need external batteries and provide a decent signal strength to pick up your favorite station.

Solar phone chargers are also handy to have around if you absolutely must stay in touch. Just because you’re outside doesn’t mean you can’t use your smart phone or iPod. Just leave them out in the sunshine for a while and they will keep your batteries charged all day long.

Solar fairy lights are the last solar powered toy we’ll touch on today. They are ideal for parties or dining outside. String them up all over the place, make sure the panel has access to light, and enjoy hours of fairy light magic during the evening. They are ideal for creating a relaxed atmosphere and for lighting the area when it gets dark.

As each year progresses, so does technology. While I did explore most of these toys, especially solar camping lights, they have developed further. Each seems better quality, more robust, versatile and have a longer battery life than before. Of course that might just be me, but they do seem more enjoyable this time round.

The sun moves relative to the earth’s surface at the rate of 15° per hour east to west and by approximately 46° per year north to south. This means that fixed solar panels will hardly ever be perfectly aligned with the sun. That’s why the market in solar panel trackers is exploding.

Being able to orient your solar array towards the sun increases its yield by up to 40 percent. That means either, more power generated per panel, or less panels to generate the desired power. Either way, it’s a win win for solar power generation.

The technology at the heart of all this is solar panel trackers. The device that moves the array either east to west, or east, west, north and south. I would definitely suggest using this technology in a full-scale solar array, even a domestic one as prices are coming down and the money is offset by either buying less panels, or selling more power back to the grid (if you can).

There are plenty of resources online showing you how to make your own solar panel trackers. Some of them are very inventive, especially the one using bicycle wheels. I’m all for invention, using your hands and your brain to solve engineering problems. But I do have a problem with these DIY solar panel trackers.

It isn’t the design, it isn’t the making of it, it’s the inherent unreliability of the end result. Nobody can say that some 2×4 nailed together, a bicycle wheel and some angle iron is as hardy, reliable and safe as a professional solar panel tracker.

In situations where you depend on the power generated by a solar array, it’s far better to have a reliable source of power. You need to have confidence in the system, and always have the power on tap when you need it.

In a situation where the contraption is subject to the wind and rain, you need something that is designed to cope. Something that has a storm setting and an optimum angle built-in to default to during storms. You also need a device strong and robust enough to cope with wind while it’s trying to work.

As a DIY project, or an exercise in home engineering, these solar panel trackers are great. They teach essential skills, problem solving and keep solar power in the national consciousness. But, for real life applications in situations where you depend on the power generated, they aren’t so good.

You don’t want to wake up one morning only to have no power because your home-made solar panel tracker has stopped working and you have to repair it before your coffee.

Sometimes, spending money is necessary to achieve the full benefits of something.

Speculate to accumulate if you will. Solar panel trackers are one of those things.

The sad news of the tornado that killed 30 people in Joplin, Missouri reminded me of how subject we are to the elements. It prompted me to go out first thing this morning and check my solar backup generators, array, water pump, and secure everything on my property in case the winds came here.

Many people, including myself at times, take our way of life for granted. It’s situations like this that make me realize how small we really are. This isn’t the first tornado that has claimed lives this year. We have had this, other winds, the flooding in New Orleans and plenty of other reminders of Mother Nature’s might.

The town is going to be without power for a while. It’s always the same after a devastating situation. The power companies work hard to restore it, but there is often a huge amount of damage to the grid. While we still get out power from overheads, this will always be the same.

So now would be a good time to invest in solar backup generators. I’m not evangelizing, I want people to be prepared to survive these kinds of situations in the best way possible. If you have a family, being without electricity can be a serious problem. Sure, if you’ve lost your home, you have much more to worry about, but if you’re on the periphery, but power is out, it’s a pain.

That’s where solar backup generators come in. Having one in the garage or back yard for when you need it is an ideal safety net for when nature decides to remind us who’s boss. It’s noiseless, maintenance-free, and will work as long as there is daylight.

It won’t provide all the power you need, but it will be perfectly capable of running the necessities long enough for the grid to be restored. They do cost money, but the effect they will have in situations like the tornado in Joplin is worth more than they could possibly cost.

Solar backup generators have all the benefits of their gasoline or diesel powered counterparts, but without the downsides. They don’t make noise, they don’t need fuelling, they don’t need as much maintenance and they don’t stink for fumes while they are running.

The only maintenance they need is keeping the panels clean, and to be regularly drained and charged to keep everything in working order. While solar backup generators are a great idea, they don’t solve all the problems. Even the most recent models cannot produce enough power to keep an entire house going as if it were on the grid.

You would have to be sensible with power use while it was working, but it could keep freezers, refrigerators and lights working while power was out. It isn’t ideal to use a disaster to make a point, but in this case I think the point it too important to ignore. Solar backup generators make sense, so if you live somewhere that gets hit by tornadoes, get one.

After a lengthy discussion with a friend of mine, I have decided to post some tips regarding dual axis trackers for those of you wanting to implement them in your home solar PV systems. I won’t say I laughed much during the discussion, but you will get the idea of the conversation about his experiences as a solar installer in Florida.

The following are just some basic tips to consider when thinking about using a tracked system. Preferably before you buy the equipment.

Use Proper Shading and Spacing

Static solar arrays are relatively simple to site properly. They need a solid frame, a small space in-between and a couple of inches underneath for airflow. They need an unobstructed view of the sun for as much of the day as possible. Using dual axis trackers adds to that requirement.

As they move during the day, the tracked array will be somewhere near vertical at dawn and dusk. Whatever is behind the array will find itself in the shade for quite a while. If you’re using two arrays, make sure one does not shade the other. Or that the array doesn’t put anything else into the shade, like your house for example.

Use a Solid Foundation

A dual axis tracker can provide a decent power increase when used correctly. However it generally costs more to implement than a static array. Trying to claw back some of that expense by using less, or inferior concrete is definitely the way not to do it.

On a pole mounted array, there is a lot of weight, and a lot of gravity on a very narrow point. A pole mounted array is a giant windbreak and will catch every gust that comes your way. It needs to be anchored very securely.

Otherwise the concrete will crack under the stress and the whole lot can come crashing down. If anything, over-specify the foundation. More concrete, good concrete, is ideal here.

Check the Utility Limits When Grid-Tied

The ability to sell excess power to your local power company is a very useful idea. It’s something that the Europeans have been doing for years, and it seems to be slowly catching on over here. Not every power company has such arrangements, so it’s worth checking before spending extra on an array to purely sell back excess power.

Of those power companies that do buy power, it’s best to check their terms to ensure they are a) fair, and b) have realistic limits. It’s not always worth buying an extra couple of panels for the dual axis tracker system purely to sell.

While trying to speed up the ROI on the system is laudable, if the power company has yearly limits of how much power they will buy, you may be wasting money.

These are all common sense tips, but as I learned the other day, not everyone knows them. Hopefully, this post will save families some hard-earned money and a lot of work.

Our home solar panel industry is growing steadily thanks to increased publicity, better advertising, a more positive reputation and improving technologies. That said, we are still years behind Europe when it comes to getting solar energy into the residential market.

I find that strange, especially considering our manufacturing base and the amount of sun at least half the country gets on a daily basis. We lag way behind Spain and Germany whose solar energy strategy has been helped considerably by their government enforcing feed-in-tariffs.

We have those in many states now and we are catching up, but considering that we pretty much invented the technology, we are still far behind. Getting home solar panels out there should be a priority for our own government. They are cheaper than new power stations, help our own panel manufacturers, and will help meet emissions targets.

Notice I said use our own manufacturers? Despite our somewhat unfair and ineffective protectionist legislation, Chinese manufacturers are flooding the market with much cheaper solar panels than we can make here. In fact, China is now the largest manufactures of home solar panels in the world.

President Obama wanted to make us the world’s leading exporter of renewable energy, but it’s already too late. China is already way ahead, and, thanks to government subsidies, the Chinese manufacturers can sell the home solar panels for less than it costs to make them.

Some Chinese companies are even setting up factories here to assemble their panels to circumvent our legislation. I’ll keep my opinions on international trade to myself for now, but I can’t help but be encouraged at the ramping up of home solar panel production.

Sure, we need to encourage domestic manufacturing and buy American wherever we can, but we also need to remain competitive. By making solar power more affordable, the Chinese are still helping our economy.

Home solar panels cost less, so a solar PV system costs less. We spend less on utilities, which we are then able to spend in the economy or pay off debts. So while I encourage everyone to buy American wherever they can, buying home solar panels from elsewhere still has some benefits.

So, back to the subject of falling behind, I found a news article from the UK yesterday that cemented the idea that we are lagging. A British council in the city of Birmingham approved a plan for fit home solar panels to 10,000 homes in its district free of charge.

The scheme aims to reduce the carbon emissions of the city and promote renewable energy to the rest of the country. This is all going to cost them $160 million (£100 million). In the middle of a recession, that’s quite a commitment to green energy.
While the world surges forward with solar technology, we’re ambling along at our own speed. It isn’t going to be long before we are too far behind to catch up.

The main disadvantage of traditional solar panels is efficiency. The cells can only capture a specific wavelength of light. This has been the biggest challenge to solar panel manufacturers since the technology first emerged. Well, a new development from scientists at the University of Missouri may have changed all that.

Standard solar cells only have an efficiency of around 15 – 20 percent. Even the newer thin panels can’t do much better than that. New “nantenna” technology may have the answer.

Scientists are claiming that a new device, dubbed the nantenna can capture 90 percent of available light. To do this, a new material has been developed which contains a thin, moldable sheet of small antennas called nantenna.

The material converts heat to electricity and can be used both for industrial heat recycling and for residential solar panels. It is capable of collecting both visible sunlight and the near infrared band sunlight that traditional solar cells cannot harvest.

One of the lead scientists, Professor Pinhero is now working to turn the nantenna into a commercially viable product. The U.S. Department of Energy and private investors are being asked for funding to accomplish this. Quote courtesy of University of Missouri:

“Our overall goal is to collect and utilize as much solar energy as is theoretically possible and bring it to the commercial market in an inexpensive package that is accessible to everyone,” Professor Pinhero states. ”If successful, this product will put us orders of magnitudes ahead of the current solar energy technologies we have available to us today.”

This new technology could revolutionize the way we harvest solar energy if it’s able to be made commercially available. The ability to harvest 90 percent of light means smaller solar panels, smaller arrays and could really bring solar energy to the masses. The high efficiency would enable those who don’t live in particularly sunny climates to also join the solar revolution. It’s an exciting time!

Of course, there’s no use getting excited just yet. While the theory and laboratory testing seems to bear out the claims, it’s a different matter altogether to be able to bring a product like this to market. Many a great idea has been lost because businesses couldn’t find a way to make money from it.

However, if the product could be made available, and the price is right, things will change very quickly. Once the initial hype has dissipated and the price brought down to reasonable levels, solar panels will really be available to all. Solar will become a realistic alternative energy. Maybe even a replacement for dirty power stations, and even nuclear.