It stands out from the rest of the boats moored in the lagoon of Vembanad.

Elegant and simple, sophisticated interiors are striking blue and white and tempting. One step inside the Surya, the largest solar powered boat and its smooth ride.

Powered by solar energy, it can reduce the shock caused by the high prices. And most important, Surya is a friend of the environment.

Without saying that the demand for ferries and boat-houses increases since we heard the cries of the tourists. Solar boats are definitely the need of the hour in tourism.

“We are aware of the ecology and we are growing more and more dependent on solar energy. We have four boats carrying passengers from the hotel to the pier and also some boat-houses and we hope to feed them with solar energy, “says Jose Dominic of CGH Earth, who has bought Surya for his Coconut Lagoon in Kumarakom.

Surya is different from the other boats. Unlike the traditional ‘kettuvalloms’ where you reel back a bit before you can sit, Surya has a higher floor that makes you feel as if floating on the water. And it’s quiet.

Slips into the shining waters taking a look of nature and coconut palms in the distance approaching the blue skies and clouds foamed by changing its shape by the minute. The fresh breeze chased away the summer heat.

Crowned with 56 solar panels, Surya has 2072 watts of solar capacity. Propelling the word green, free of contaminants. The silence inside surprises not as the others boats that cause headaches to the fragile ecosystem. With zero maintenance it is easy to operate.

“Today, propulsion is a practical and economic alternative to diesel engines. The high-performance solar panels, batteries, chargers, motors and motor controller are more accessible than ever, “said Mathew George, MD Sustain Team has designed and built the boat.

It has backup power for the night stored in batteries and has a range of 10 hours using only the batteries.

Compared with the diesel boat, Surya eliminates a fair amount of production of carbon dioxide each year. Surya is the largest solar ferry in Asia, he said. He made his first trip on May 17 of the pier Nettoor to Puttanangadi in six hours.

The beauty of its 33 feet long and 10 wide, can accommodate over 20 passengers. Dreamer the sound of water pumps and pontoons categorized ensure tight security. The Global Positioning System is an added value. The lifejackets come in three sizes approved by the Coast Guard of the United States to the service.

Compared with a diesel engine, is virtually zero maintenance. Solar panels only need a weekly cleaning.

The motor brushes need to be changed after a few years and the batteries should last at least eight to ten years. Its highly efficient motors and controllers make the boat safe for commercial applications. The cost is 25 thousand dollars. Solar boats are ideal for sustainable tourism.

Helps reduce water pollution and air pollution by eliminating the use of diesel and cause little disturbance to the water.

Most important, they are silent. Ideal for close to natural habitats, wildlife and bird sanctuaries to see the wonders of nature.

Filed under: Transportation by Val Comments Off

There are many ways to harness solar energy in residential, but the two are distinguished by their technology and their use: to use solar energy to heat water and generate electricity.

One of the most common questions I receive in my mailbox for me is how much to install solar on my house? And then try to resolve those doubts.

Solar energy for water heating (DHW, domestic hot water).

This option is the cheapest of the two options because you can build your own solar collector for less than $ 100 or buy collectors manufactured. Speaking in general terms that a solar hot water enough for four showers cost around $ 750.

These solar panels can save up to 90% of gas consumed in your home, so the investment is recovered on average in a year and a half to two years, but with the rise so high that all fuels are having fossils, some people have commented that they had a return in their investment in less than a year thanks to savings generated by their solar installation.

Solar photovoltaic (generating electricity)

Investing in residential photovoltaic solar energy is an investment for a longer period, as average as the savings and to generate your electricity consumption, is an investment that is recovered in about 10 years, but taking into account that have a life useful for at least 30 years, we are talking about that 2 / 3 parts of his life practically generating money.

The million dollars question is, how much does a solar photovoltaic installation for my home will cost?

To have a precise number is necessary to make a contribution, but on average in the industry are driving the $ 10 the number of watt installed. I.e. 1.500 watts you need to keep your house 100% pure solar energy requires an investment of $ 15,000, although it was a considerable sum, it is a long term investment.

Filed under: Solar Energy by Val Comments Off

Southern California Edison (SCE) has signed a contract to procure 245 MW of additional solar energy to its customers with Pasadena. eSolar based in California was chosen for this first effort of national commercial energy technology that uses solar thermal tower.

The project will be built in the Lancaster area of California, is expected to provide energy in 2011 with a total of 105 MW of renewable solar energy in 2012, increasing to 245 MW in 2013. SCE buyer is currently the principal solar energy, buying more than 90% of products from USA.

“Solar is a great source of energy for California – and completely renewable,” said Stuart Hemphill, SCE vice president, Renewable and Alternative Energy.

“We rely on innovative companies such as eSolar for help in expanding our industry leading portfolio and to ensure access to the most promising technological solutions.

Each pre-fabricated module consists of several solar towers each associated with thousands of heliostats, or mirrors. The mirrors precisely attract the sun throughout the day and reflect light in a hallway at the top of the tower.

The concentrated light boils water in a central hallway, sending the steam to a traditional turbine to produce electricity.

Solar thermal technology is unique in eSolar, which uses smaller towers, mirrors mass produced smaller and more advanced tracking software, achieving economies of scale within a small footprint animal and easy connection to transmission lines.

Filed under: solar companies, Solar Energy by Val Comments Off

First, they discovered how to use solar energy to travel by land with the solar car. Then they developed the solar plane to conquer the skies. Well, by air and land is apparently not enough for the solar inventors. To complete the trio of solar travel, the solar boat is now being figured out. It is not just a solar boat, it is a motorboat.

This new development with the help of Dutch engineers is 33 feet long, 150 square feet of solar cells on its surface, and reaches speeds of 30 knots. It does all this while producing much less pollution and noise than traditional motorboats. The boat, called Czeers MK1, surely will be seen on the lake in style, if you can afford more than the value of a million dollars worth.

You can also try the bike solar boat. This charming boat works with human energy, but if they tire of pedaling humans can change the electric motor located in the solar boat to reach your home. The boat, still in its design phase, that was built for 4 people … and for the environment.

Filed under: Solar Energy, Transportation by Val Comments Off

The new style of solar energy is thin and thin is in because it is inexpensive.

Solar producers measure their costs in terms of dollars per watt of energy produced, a formula is a combination of the cost of producing a module and its energy efficiency.

At this moment the best crystalline silicon modules can be sold from $ 3 to $ 4 per watt, First Solar can sell at about $ 2.40 per watt, price that the company expects to reduce. “I really have pushed the company to the threshold.” Said Travis Bradford, author of Solar Revolution. “They have a great technology”

But First Solar does not generate the largest buzz. That notoriety belongs to the enterprise Nanosolar, which shocked its competitors in December when it announced that it would be profitable to sell thin-film panels at $ 1 watt. This figure is the Holy Grail of sun, the point at which solar energy is generally cheaper than coal, without the help of subsidies.

The manager Martin Roscheisen main Nanosolar, who, like many solar kings, has its roots in Silicon Valley, says he can achieve radical cost savings by directly applying an ink composed of nano particles. Nanosolar cells Powersheets of wheel machines like pages of newspapers in print, on an average of several hundred feet per minute. Roscheisen, intensive Austrian said that the first 18 months of production of Nanosolar have already been purchased. “We share the market by 35% in the coming years,” he said. “The truth is that we can climb a lot more products for less.”

Roscheisen competitors, and puts them in a gentle way, doubt his claims, noting that the cost of raw material would be impossible to produce panels cost $ 1 per watt. “Of course I doubt,” he said. “Otherwise, their model would be a joke.”

Filed under: solar companies, Technology by Val Comments Off

The program will offer residents $ 3000 – $ 6000 for the purchase of solar energy systems, business organizations can receive up to $ 10,000 for installing a solar photovoltaic system. The city designated $ 3.5 million to fund the program for 10 years. They are also planning a pilot program of $ 1.5 million, a one-year program to fund nonprofit organizations, and low-income developments to choose solar photovoltaic installation.

In announcing the new legislation in San Francisco, the Mayor Gavin Newsom said he expected that within 10 years of repayments can increase the number of solar panels in the city about 750 to 15,000 and add 50-megawatts of energy supply electricity from the city.

According to an article by the San Francisco Business Times, a solar photovoltaic system costs about $ 30,000 in San Francisco (which includes the components and facilities). The incentives for solar energy, but the federal tax credit of $ 2000 (which has not yet expired), and reimbursements from the state of California solar can reduce the cost to the resident at least 40%. To take into account, residents may join banks offering low interest loans for solar installations.

San Francisco is the first municipality in the nation that offers such a program of large-scale redemption.

In addition, the city combines the highest residential incentives to “green jobs.” Residents and businesses that hire an installer program graduates working for the development of San Francisco are eligible for higher reimbursements.

Filed under: Solar Developments, Solar Energy by Val Comments Off

A former professor Dr David Mills of the University of Sydney could not find funds for its large solar energy plants in Australia, but U.S. investors have not had the slightest problem in investing at least $ 40 million in the idea.

The first of Dr. Mills factory for mass production of solar parks will open in Las Vegas this year. Last week we speak with Australian politicians interested in Nevada, including the NSW Environment Minister, Verity Firth.

Power plants, designed in the laboratory of the University of Sydney reflect sunlight with mirrors to boil water and use steam turbines, generating electricity at a price not much higher than the coal-fired power station.

But, unlike some solar power systems can´t work when the sun is shining by storing heat in insulated chambers for rainy days, and continue to supply energy to the grid.

The technology is not complicated or particularly expensive, but being used in Nevada rather than Australia, because this is where the funding, said Dr. Mills.

“Not really talking about government money or subsidies, we are trying to establish a level playing field for technology,” said Dr. Mills.

“There is great debate in the U.S., but I do not think the debate in Australia.”

Dr Mills moved the headquarters of Ausra, the company founded by a USA last year because he realized that there were more banks willing to take risks in large-scale developments that directly feed the energy grid.

“We have shown that the system will compete with electricity from coal, especially when the carbon capture and storage is an extra cost,” said Mills.

“And obviously we have no fuel cost.”

“There have been regular questions from potential investors in Australia, but so far none has found a project on a scale that may begin to see a coal power stations being replaced by the green” Ausra has a pilot plant who now works and saves an estimated 4000 tons of carbon dioxide a year.

The government of Australia would like to see more schemes like this, but offers no special incentives at this time.

Ms Firth said it hoped to introduce the emissions trading scheme from the federal government and 20% renewable energy by 2020, close to the state fund for renewable energy, $ 40 million, Dr Mills encouraged persisting in a solar plant large scale in the state.

“Obviously we’d like to see this kind of industry in Australia, it is absolutely part of the long-term agenda,” said Firth.

Filed under: solar companies, Solar Developments, Solar Energy, Technology, Transportation, Uncategorized by Val Comments Off

When Frank Acella saw the high price being paid by the church for heating and hot water, offered its services to save thousands of dollars.

Acello, owner of Solar Sense, based in Stamford, install a new solar energy system in the Presbyterian Church of Old Greenwich.

The new system lets the sun heat the water through a series of tubes in the ceiling that pass through the interior and are stored on a storage tank in the attic. No fuel is used, except for electricity for the pump to circulate water through the pipes.

Faced with a bill of nearly $ 10,000 a year, the church did not hesitate to install the new system.

“I was interested in view the fact,” said the Rev. William Gestal. The system minimizes the cost of electricity and reduces environmental impacts.

“Becoming green is to be financially responsible and environmentally responsible,” he said.

The system, worth $ 5700 installation was completed in 3 weeks, while Acello and his team worked the evening or during their free time.

“Everyone is very happy about this,” said Acello.

Acello systems are installed since years ago. They began to seek alternative sources of energy when his wife began to suffer multiple scoliosis. Wanted in part, be prepared for times when the power.

“She would collapse if it is cool,” he said.

His energy bill is also bordered the $ 7000 a year. Therefore, install the system, effectively reducing the value of your bill to $ 800 per month and making sure your home was properly heated.

The system works on any kind of weather, said Acello while sunlight reaching the pipes, the hot water stored can be kept in tanks for several days.

Since I installed in the church, Gestal has not completed a billing cycle, but said that church members hope to reduce the value of the bill dramatically.

The church wants to expand the project to include a radiant system in the subsurface. The system would use hot water to heat the water during the winter.

Filed under: Solar Energy by Val Comments Off

Today during the We Campaign, Al Gore challenged the United States to generate 100% of its energy from renewable sources within 10 years. While it is interesting to read the full speech, which has more than 10 pages in length (source here in English), here the most relevant public discourse and that have nothing to do with United States, but with data that are of interest and concern everyone.

“When President John F. Kennedy challenged the nation to put a man on the moon and bring him safely in ten years, many people made fun of him. But 8 years and two months later, Neil Armstrong walk over the moon “this refers to his proposal is also achievable.

“For those, for whatever reason, refuse to do their part or be persuaded to join, ask them` made to one side “but want to cooperate at least not distracting.

“For every degree the temperature increases, the rays are increased by 10%” rays are major causes of forest fires, more fires than lightning.

“Scientists have confirmed that enough solar energy falls to Earth in 40 minutes, as to supply the entire world of energy during a year.”

“As the demand for renewable energy grows, the costs continue to decline. Let me give you a very telling example: the special price of silicon used to make solar cells recently cost $ 300 per kilogram. But the most recent contracts are selling silicone kilogram to $ 50. ”

“When demand for oil and coal increases, prices rise. “When demand for solar cells increases, prices will fall”. Great irony, doesn´t it?

“The stone was just because there is no lack of stones” no need to wait until oil runs out to take renewable energy seriously.

“When the use of oil and coal increases, pollution increases. When the use of renewable energy increases, pollution decreases “

“We should tax them for the people who pollute, not to generate money. This is one of the most important laws to be changed “if you charge for polluting, does not cease to do so?

Filed under: General by Val Comments Off

Designing sustainable products for the consumer who spends only $ 2 per day can be a double challenge. The goods must be cheap and ecological. This is the problem faced by Mr. Light, an endeavor that is officially announcing its products. The company is relocating its offices to Shenzhen, China, from Mountain View, California. This three manufacturing LED lighting products and solar only worth $ 10 to $ 30 and your goal is to replace kerosene lanterns.

In July, D. Light began selling its first LED lamp with a solar charger called Nova for $ 12 to $ 25. An hour of solar charge can provide one hour of LED light in the configuration average. There are four settings: low, medium and high – and ultra low “light of night.” The company will soon sell “Comet” is a powerful solar lamp, with a price of $ 12 to $ 16. Y la Vega, an LED fast charge to users who need a daily connection but sporadically, the Vega is $ 15.

For many regions of India and Africa who have no connection to the mains, kerosene lanterns are used the most. The problem is that kerosene lanterns may be unsafe and cause respiratory problems, are also quite dark and contributing to the emission of gases. The president of Ned D. Light Tozun says that while no one argues that the replacement of the torch is a good idea, the replacement for technologies such as LEDs and solar panels have begun to be cost-effective. And D. Light is trying to leave a mark on the problem of a kerosene lantern.

LED lamps solarDLight is a local enterprise for the good works Tozun founded by his colleagues and business at Stanford. And the company already received reinforcements from Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Garage Technology Ventures, Mahindra & Mahindra, Nexus India Capital, Acumen Fund, Gray Matters Capital and Michael Marks (the chairman of Flextronics).

What next for the company? Scale and mass production. There is a business that focuses on reducing the cost of the product, and that means finding the production dynamics and lower manufacturing costs. Tožena not go into details about the vendors – the company only works with Seoul Semiconductor LEDs and plans for producing “millions of units.”

If you’re from the United States, you’re probably wondering: How can I buy one of these? Not yet, said Tozun, the company focuses on developing world-first. We asked if there was any plan for the proposed purchase for the laptop for children, where a customer in a developed world can often pay the price and have them send one or more developing countries. Tozun says the company is considering all options and still formulating your marketing plan.

Filed under: Solar Products by Val Comments Off