Solar Energy

im doing a senior project i’ve done the paper and now i need to do a display that im going to judged on by my teachers and the community. My topic that im doing is the benefits and drawbacks of solar and wind powered energy. i need an idea on how to display my topic. if you have an idea please help me!!!!!

Found the following YouTube lecture from Arosa Solar Energy Demonstration Lakewood Cheder at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut0988zeA-M you might take some ideas what to say and what not to say.

I see some FAQs in regards of Solar energy at http://www.arosaenergy.com/faq.html that might help you with your lecture.

What are the percentages of power/energy saved by using solar energy and wind energy compared to what we use on average? Thoughts or ideas?

When reading about the total capacity of solar power available in the SW US or wind power available in the midwest US you see either on could potentially totally satisfy all of our power needs. However such claims need to be put into some economic perspective.

-Yes, the power is there but transmission to far places is another issue.
-As is the efficiency of such sources of energy.
-Such sources of power may not be as constant as is our need. Our electrical system needs greater capacity for energy storage. This is another technology that is concurrently being developed.

They are improving but lets not expect so much that we will be disappointed if technology does not advance as rapidly as we would wish.

Currently renewable energy is only a small percentage of US power supply: http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/alternate/page/renew_energy_consump/table1.html
and a graph: http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=electricity_in_the_united_states

Specific instances for home owners or businesses will vary a great deal based upon local conditions, local incentives, amount of available investment, desired or needed return on investment…

What are the percentages of power/energy saved by using solar energy and wind energy compared to what we use on average?

I may have misread your question, sorry if I did.

There is no energy savings by using an alternative source. Most of the alternative sources are in fact MORE expensive. People choose to pay more for solar, wind, and other alternative sources…a lot more in some cases.

As alternative energies become more efficient and cost effective they replace fossil fuels more and more, but there is still a cost to the production of the PV cells and wind turbines…lots of metal, and lots of composites including plastics, in relation to the power they produce.

Energy savings comes from conservation and increasing efficiency.

Right now, renewable energy accounts for about 7 percent of US energy consumption. Most of the 7 percent is Hydro-electric and wood burning.

I was asked on a science exam how wind is considered solar energy. Please help.

Your instructor is including the effects of solar energy. The sun heats the earth which causes the air to rise and cause air movements. These movements are called winds. These winds contain kinetic energy. At this point, I believe your instructor would be satisfied, but I’ll complete the last leg of this logic. This kinetic energy can drive a wind turbine to into mechanical energy to generate electrical energy. I would categorize it as renewable and call it good.

Currently, no, because we don’t have the delivery technology or a national grid.

But that is no reason to not *start* doing it; why should we be reliant on an energy source that has a finite quantity?

And re Feinstein’s comment, she didn’t say that she was only concerned about the "aesthetics" of the project; her objection was that the land in question had been donated or purchased by conservationists with the intent that they would be protected forever, not used for energy projects.

what is most used form of energy in Maine? Wind vs. Solar Energy? Which produces most megawatts, and which is owned more? No oppinions please, just please have proof. (websites, books ect)

Can’t find figures for Maine.

USA-wide, there is far more wind power than solar power:
http://www.maine.gov/oeis/docs/OEIS%20Comp%20Energy%20Plan.pdf

Over 34,000MW USA-wide, with 175MW in Maine:
http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/wind_installed_capacity.asp

They think solar across the US could hit 28GW by 2016:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_in_the_United_States#cite_note-0

And that’s with very fast growth and most of that will be in the sourth.

So I’m going to go with wind.

I’m doing a video for school that has to persuade people to use nonrenewable resources such as wind or solar power. What is a good song that is very similar to One Tribe by the Black Eyed Peas?

Thanks!
~Mez

P.S- please no rap, metal, hard music, etc. Only sweet music!

World – Five For Fighting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JDY1KvoQYk

I’m asking this so I can complete the Eco- Action Interest Prodjet and to tell people about how it cuts down on personal consumtion of nonrenewable resourses.
– Victora

I can’t answer the solar but the wind turns a fan (just like a fan would make "wind") This moves copper in out of a magnticfiled giving it a current which has power.

Hey guys. I would like to begin heading up a commitee in my school that focus’ on making our school greener. I would like to present some facts to them and see if it would be a possibility to have wind or solar energy at our school. I live in northern michigan so it gets very cold, if that makes a difference.
Could you please tell me all you know of solar panals and wind turbines? Another big factor is the cost – we have about 90 kids per grade k-12. thanks

The current solar panel technology is actually more efficient in cold weather. We installed ours when it was -10 degrees (F) and they generated 120% of their rated capacity. So your cold weather is not a problem. However, you may wish to consider whether the number of sunny days warrants a solar generating system, which tends to be pricey.

As for wind, it’s also spendy. You don’t want to mount it on the roof, because the vibrations will transfer into the building. So you need a separate tower for the turbine. We set up a 350 watt turbine on a 45-foot tower for about $1,500. But it generates 24 volt DC electricitry, so it requires an inverter in order to provide 120 volt AC power used in most buildings. Add another $4,000 if you want it to reduce your school’s dependence on fossil fuels. Otherwise, it’s little more than a demonstration project.

Solar also is typically set up to generate 24 volt DC power, so it too needs an inverter. Our 1KW solar system, with inverter and battery backup, cost about $16K. About $4K was for the batteries, which you wouldn;t need. And we got a $4K tax credit from the fed and state. Still, you’re in the $8,000 range if you include the inverter.

Alternatively you can try to see whether some of the school’s needs could be met with DC power, either 12 or 24 volts. A more practical, if less visible, approach might be to talk to your utility and see if you can contract to buy wind power (ours sells wind power for about 3 cents per KWH more than coal power).

Pls give me the sites that u found this information. Thk

Of total world energy supply – not just electrical generation – the breakdown is as follows:

Oil – 37%
Coal – 25%
Nat Gas – 23%
Nuclear – 6%
Biomass – 4%
Hydro – 3%
Solar Thermal – .5%
Wind – .3%
Geothermal – .2%
Biofuels – .2%
PV Solar – .04%

However, the use of solar and wind is increasing rapidly, so those numbers are almost certainly out of date. Wind is the most rapidly growing source; I’ve read in some places that it now contributes well over 1%.