Tips And Advice For Buying Small Solar Panels

Energy capture technology that uses the power of the sun is now no longer a far off dream. Solar panels have become a ubiquitous sight in our lives. They offer a simple way to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. If we were all to adapt this green technology, the damage being caused to the environment and atmospheric systems would be reduced almost immediately. If you have an interest in learning more about this renewable form of energy, and integrating photovoltaic cells into your life, the following information should be of use to you.

First of all it is worth noting that there are a number of different panels available today. These can be classified into three groups - portable, residential, and commercial. Over the last five years there has been a lot of research into the usability of small photovoltaic cells.

Small, portable, energy harnessing systems have a number of useful applications. There are now solar panels available that can be used to charge up various electronic gadgets, for example mobile phones and netbooks. Also, those that are of a compact size can be integrated into outdoor lighting to reduce the need for mains supplied electricity.

If you have an interest in purchasing a photovoltaic panel for personal use, there are a number of factors that you should analyze prior to making a purchase. An important consideration will be the cost. As the technology become widespread, the outlay involved is a lot more affordable. There are now portable solar chargers available that can be had for less than two hundred dollars. These are a great gadget to have on hand when on an outdoor expedition or fishing trip. Likewise, you can purchase PV lights that would not cost you a great deal more than a regular design.

The wattage of the panel is also an important consideration, this relates to the amount of electricity that can be produced. It is useful to be aware of your energy requirements before investing in a product. Related to wattage, the efficiency of photovoltaic cells does differ. Always understand how suitable the panel would be for the amount of sunlight that is available in your region.

Another important factor, that should help you to make the right choice, is the warranty. Most solar cells have no mechanical parts, for this reason they have an inherent durability. Nevertheless it is still important to opt for a product that has an extensive warranty in case a circuit becomes damaged.

Great tips and advice for buying small yet effective solar panels now in our

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Alternative Fuels - Are Biofuels the Way to Go?

Biofuels, for those who aren't yet aware, are one of the most promising ways to help to lower our dependency on fossil fuels as well as on oil from foreign countries.

Bio- fuel technology is available for those who want use it and sustainability is just one positive benefit of biofuel techniques. Biofuels are not, however, the be-all and end all that they have been touted as. In fact, many professors, energy experts, and scientists are warning that biofuels are still carbon fuels, a fact which tends to escape many of us as we proclaim them to be preferable for the environment.

The reality is that long term testing hasn't been done on biofuels and we don't know the effect they may have on our environment. That being said, biofuel are the prime example of a totally renewable source of energy and the production of biofuels to power vehicles and other engines would be a major step to taking us away from our reliance on other countries and on the oils and fossil/carbon fuels that are not so renewable.

Ethanol, one of the most popular types of biofuel is simply not sustainable because it uses almost as much energy to convert the corn as the energy it may provide, meant that it is simply too inefficient to be used. Scientists though think that they may have an answer and it's one that offers more fuel energy per a smaller amount of fuel materials needed.

The latest biofuel exploration seems to be heading out to sea. The most serious limitation that we have in our present exploration of the non-fossil fuels is the lack of products with which to make them, as well as the high cost that is incurred for their use--one issue feeding into the other.

Soybeans and corn, the major feed stock materials that are also used to make most biofuels are not an endless supply. The same can't be said though of the algae that scientists are working with. Algae is nearly endless in the supply and with the right conditions, that is to say, just about anywhere at all that has brackish water or salt water or swampy areas, you can grow the algae. The growth of algae is not a seasonal one, which means that you can get more than 20-30 times the production of the normal crops that have been typically used for biofuels.

Crops of algae can be grown on wastewater and even have a positive potential for help to recycle carbon dioxide that is currently spewing from business and industries. One man, Professor Cushman who has been working with algae as a replacement for other crops in the making of biofuels has found a way that he could extend the growth season up to about nine month even in a cold climate, making algae our best bet for new sources of biofuels.

Of his work, Cushman says that their long term goal is to find strains of algae that are the most suitable to making biofuels. They want to identify the most viable and most energy producing algae strains to learn how to improve the production of the fuels that we need It is the belief of science that they can significantly alter the biofuel industry using algae to produce it.

The bottom line is that we've got a far better chance of making some truly lower cost and far more usable biofuel with algae. It not only grows better, it actually puts out more energy or fuel, than land based crops.

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