Build Own Solar Panel

How can this be achieved, what do we need to do? Is there a need to change really or is it just governments screwing up again and political buzz words? Is climate change a myth or accurate predictions of the future of planet earth? Consider also the impacts of our actions on the other living creatures that exist on Earth, do birds want to breathe in fumes from fuel?

Let’s consider the current reliance of our planet on oil, it produces our fuel for all travel and has many side uses, like producing plastic. Oil is formed by the degradation of dead organisms over thousand’s of years and exists in pockets underneath the Earth’s crust. So what happens when oil is pumped out of the earth? Well the holes appear to be filled by water, a technique used by drilling companies to recover all the oil in that particular well.

Then we come to how much is left, where there are estimates ranging from 10 years through to 30 years, but no-body can be entirely sure of this, due to demand increasing with the likes of China & India becoming more westernised. And what happens when Africa is then exploited by large corporate companies for cheap labour? Improved standard of living equals higher oil demand.

Then consider the environmentally impacts of burning oil, which releases carbon dioxide, making the greenhouse effect worse, warming the planet and causing freak weather conditions. This all seems like doom and gloom but with the advances in technology that have been made over the past 20 years then surely we can devise sustainable renewable energy, harnessing the weather?

Another big problem in our society is waste, just think how much is generated and goes to landfill! We have hundreds of sites with thousands of tonnes of waste that will degrade very slowly, would you do this in your back garden? Think about all those used disposable nappies and consider the methane that gets released as some items degrade, another greenhouse gas that is affecting our climate.

Something else to consider that has been around for many years is the reduction in forests that has been happening, cutting it down for timber and to provide more farm land. The impact of this is to also reduce the CO2 absorbed by our fossil fuel usage as well as changing the shape of our landscape. There have been big steps forward in this area by moving towards sustainable wood, where for every tree chopped down; one is planted, ensuring we maintain our planets’ forests. Another recent development is the use of bamboo as a fabric which has great eco friendly properties as it’s a renewable resource and uses less water than cotton in the process.

A final element of our daily impacts on planet earth is the high use of chemicals which get pumped into the ground everyday through our household drains and that of industry. These are all man made, but where do they go? Back into our water stream? Into our food chain? With the advances in medicine, everyone is living a longer life than say 100 years ago, but there are still big killer diseases around, cancer for example. Why? Surely we would have eradicated all of these, but don’t you think chemicals and fuel fumes have played a part in this? So why do we use chemical laden cleaners or eat food that has been sprayed & washed in chemicals? Taste the difference between home grown food and cheap supermarket food, but how do we balance that with our hectic lifestyles? Eating organic food and using natural cleaners, which appears to be more expensive?

This then seems quite daunting if you sit and consider all the information and basically our futures are in the hands of governments & scientists. However, as individuals we can make our own small impacts within our lives, helping towards keeping our lovely planet healthy and a great place for the human race to live.

So let’s start with fossil fuel usage, we all use it in our cars and homes, either as petrol/diesel and gas or indirectly as electricity. As a householder we want our running costs to be as low as possible so with vehicles it’s a balance between lower CO2 emissions and slightly lower running costs with diesel, and considering the other harmful gases emitted from diesel engines. Whatever the choice, the cost effective way is to accelerate smoothly, keeping your speed to the road limit and reduce the urge to overtake. Consider the purchase of a hybrid car if you do a lot of town driving, this becomes very economical and is so much better for the environment. We still have a long way to go on developing the vehicles for the future that run on renewable energy based around the sun, wind & rain.

In our homes we need to do all the normal things that have been said many times over the years by governments, like loft insulation, door draught excluders and turning the heating down 1 degree. Then every time you purchase a new electrical item, look at the efficiency rating, and ensure you pick a low energy rated one (normally A+). Purchase a low cost energy metering unit and find out what each of your electrical appliances consumes and then switch off those that are the highest users. Don’t get caught by thinking that these standby busters save you loads of money, they don’t! Gradually switch light bulbs to either low energy ones or even better to LED bulbs, these last up to 20 times longer and use about 1/50th of the energy consumed by normal bulbs. Further to this there are good developments in the use of wind turbines & solar panels but at the moment they are not proving to be economically viable, but given time this will be the way forward for our source of energy in our eco homes.

Think about all the waste you generate, does it all go into bin bags for landfill or can you segregate it into items for recycling & composting? Try collating items for recycling in separate bins and having a kitchen compost bin to collect vegetable & fruit waste, tea bags, egg shells etc. This can then be used in your garden to help grow your own products which not only taste better but give you great satisfaction. Aligned to this is the consideration of purchasing items that have less packaging, not using plastic bags and shopping for recycled gifts and stationery. For anything that uses wood, try to buy Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) approved items, this indicates that the timber comes from a sustainable forest.

Finally, try and move away from using chemical laden cleaning products to natural or organic cleaning products but always check the contents as not all products are as eco friendly as they claim. If you are unconvinced, just check out the ingredients list of a well known retailers own dishwashing liquid which contains formaldehyde! Most good natural cleaning products are actually concentrates, meaning the cost per use is the same or better than high street brands that are packed full of bulking agents & chemicals. Consider eating organic food as it hasn’t been treated with fertilisers or chemicals and look at organic pet foods for your furry loved ones. Another thing to consider are the products that you use on your baby & children, there are some decent organic and natural items, ranging from shampoo to nappies.

In summary, even though times are hard with costs rising, investments and property dropping, there are many ways in which you can save money by taking a “lets go eco” view. You will also feel like you are doing your bit to help towards the environmental cause even though we are in the wake of the credit crunch. We can all do our little bit by making our lifestyle a little bit more eco friendly and buying eco products for our homes.

Nigel Plant
http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/go-eco-in-the-wake-of-the-credit-crunch-by-changing-to-an-eco-lifestyle-672247.html

National Semiconductor (NI) -Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, USA, National Semiconductor is a significantly large semiconductor manufacturer, specializing in analog …, announced into the solar cell business, and the successful development of the solar system as a whole to increase the output power of technology “SolarMagic” .

The use of technology, even in the multi-block solar panels tied for the dirt or cubicle dislocation also be able to achieve the solar panels to maximize the efficiency of power generation.

California Solar System REgrid Power companies have started using the Solar Magic system’s trial. It has been said REgrid Power, and Solar Magic did not use the system, cloudy day the power generation efficiency can be raised by 44%, the overall increase of 12%.

There are other companies scheduled to install the solar (battery) cell will be a few months after the trial began this solar system.

NI in the United States intends to solar cells outside the country’s high rate of expansion of the system. During the year 2008 and plans to achieve the SolarMagic product commercialization.

A solar cell or photovoltaic cell is a wide area electronic [1]device that converts solar energy into electricity by the photovoltaic effect. Photovoltaics is the field of technology and research related to the application of solar cells as solar energy. Sometimes the term solar cell is reserved for devices intended specifically to capture energy from sunlight, while the term photovoltaic cell is used when the source is unspecified. Assemblies of cells are used to make solar modules, or photovoltaic arrays.

Solar cells have many applications. Cells are used for powering small devices such as electronic calculators. Photovoltaic arrays generate a form of renewable electricity, particularly useful in situations where electrical power from the grid is unavailable such as in remote area power systems, Earth-orbiting satellites and space probes, remote radiotelephones and water pumping applications. Photovoltaic electricity is also increasingly deployed in grid-tied electrical systems. Similar devices intended to capture energy from other sources include thermophotovoltaic cells, betavoltaics cells, and optoelectric nuclear batteries.

Solar Electric
The preferred term used to describe something which uses sunlight to produce electricity. “Photovoltaic” is the more technical term.
Solar Cell The smallest basic solar electric device which generates electricity when exposed to light.

About Author :work at http://www.laptop-batteries-shop.com

john smith

Photovoltaic Solar Panels generate electricity by using a phenomenon first discovered in 1839 by a young scientist called Edmund Becquerel. This phenomenon, called the photovoltaic effect occurs when certain materials produce electric currents as they are exposed to light.

A photovoltaic solar panel is essentially a huge series of semiconductor PN junctions. One half of each junction is electron deficient, the other half electron rich. The photovoltaic cell is designed to create an electric field across the junction between two halves of the crystal, and electrons flow from the rich half to the poor half. A potential barrier exists between the p and n-type sides of the crystal and this prevents further electrons from traveling across the junction until sunlight hits the solar cell and releases electrons with enough energy to overcome the barrier.

High School physics taught us that the light from the sun is made up of packets of energy called Photons. Each photon carries an amount of energy corresponding to the wavelength of its light. When a photon strikes a photovoltaic solar panel it can do one of three things. It can pass straight through, be reflected, or be absorbed. If the photon is absorbed, its energy is absorbed by an electron in an atom of the solar cell enabling it to escape from its normal position, cross the junction and fill a hole. The electrons then flow through a load (e.g. charging a battery, lighting a light, or powering a motor), and complete the circuit by recombining with the holes they left behind. In so doing energy from the sunlight has been extracted and used at an efficiency of around 5-15%. This process can be repeated over and over again over the decades of lifetime of solar cells.

Dave Simpson

Can the sun provide enough power to run a business or house hold? The answer is absolutely but it depends on the solar powered system and its application. There are three basic types of solar powered systems available today, Grid-tie, Grid-tie with battery back up and Off-grid. Deregulation and net metering laws make a grid-tie system attractive. If there is no utility at all then the choice would be clear, off-grid. If you want back up power in case of a power failure then a grid-tie system with battery back up would be the logical choice.  For a little more  explanation of the similarities and differences between all three systems, please read on.

Grid-tie, also called grid interactive or utility interconnected, it connects directly to the utility feed. This works only in areas of the country that allow net metering. Solar  power  turns the electric meter backward when producing more power than used. A grid-tie system consists of solar panels, a grid-tie inverter, fuses and a power cut off switch. This type of solar system is wired directly to the utility feed through the main breaker panels and utility meter. When more power is generated than used it is sold back to the utility company. This is the least expensive system to purchase and to maintain but provides no back up power in case of power failure.

Grid-tie with battery backup, this type of solar system is roughly the same as the grid tie system with a couple of additions. Along with the inverter and solar panels you would need 12 volt batteries, a battery charger and a solar charge controller. With the addition of the batteries comes a little more maintenance. A solar charge controller is used so overcharging or undercharging the batteries will not occur. A battery charger is used to charge the batteries when there is utility power available. Although this system is more expensive than the plain grid-tie system it does provide power when there is a utility power failure.

Off-grid system, this type of system is totally independent of the utility grid. It is most commonly use in areas where electricity is not available. It is basically the same configuration as the grid tie with battery back up but a different type of inverter is used.  In an off-grid system you would not use a grid-tie inverter but an off-grid inverter. I guess that makes sense. Some inverters can be used either way but others have very specific applications. A little homework is necessary to be sure all of the individual components are compatible. This type of solar powered system is used many times with a generator for backup when the system does not meet all of the wattage requirements.

With more and more mass produced solar products on the market today the prices are coming down. There are energy credits, federal incentives as well as state and local incentives that make obtaining a solar powered system much more affordable. For more comprehensive information go to a website called, www.dsireusa.com. It will tell you what incentives are available in your area. The site will also indicate if net metering is available to you. A little homework is needed before deciding exactly which type of solar powered system is right for your needs.

Bob Gambrell

Home renovation is a process of restructuring or making improvements in your old house. It involves either complete makeover or adding a few things for a better looking house. Most often than not, the homeowners design and implement the changes on their own (Do It Yourself); and sometimes defined by the complexity of the job involved and the budget, c ontractors are also contacted to accomplish the task. There are many warehouses that not only supply the necessary material for but also help the homeowners with DIY ideas and educate them in handling the complexities of the work. DIY may appear to be palatable idea which also radically cuts down the cost of renovation however it is advisable to go for a professional help when the task requires technical expertise and task-specific artistry. The general contractor oversees and manages the entire gamut of renovation work ranging from designing to the work of laying down the electric cables, roofing and removing the debris once the task is complete.

‘Home renovation’ can include anything from mechanical work like wall makeover, that is wall papering, painting walls or installing wooden panels, floor improvement involving new flooring like wood flooring, carpeting etc., roof replacement, upgrading heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC), water proofing basements, reducing utility costs with methods like energy-efficient insulation, wood burning stoves, solar panels etc, installing emergency preparedness safety measures etc to decorate the house which includes landscape construction like improvement of lawns, pools, attic etc.

Home improvement can be considered for the economy purpose, making provisions for water storage or installing gadgets that are power efficient or just work efficient like electronic chimney etc. Home remodeling can be simply for comfort reasons too like making arrangements for keeping the house warm in the winters, redesigning in a manner that allows for more sun shine, or making a swimming pool, or gym, or library, or laying gravel in the lawn, recontouring the patio or garden and so on. The extent to which improvement is carried out defines the type of remodeling, which can be partial improvement when instead of the entire home only a certain sections like just the bedroom(s), living room, kitchen, patio, garden and bathroom are being remodeled or damaged or worn out items are replaced with a new or just repaired. Home renovation infuses new life giving a completely different and better look to the house. This kind of man’s desire to combat the ravages of time and taste on the basic lifestyle of man with or without professional guidance come under home renovation.

Dr Pushpa Vrinda Baxi
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/home-renovation-55777.html

Green: it’s a word we seem to hear everywhere lately. The skyrocketing price of oil and the ongoing debate about the threat of climate change are only two of the factors that prompt people to think about going green.? Nowadays most people, and even some businesses, realize that we humans have an effect on our environment. There’s no getting around it, and that’s why going green can only benefit all of us.

But what is “green”? Ask 10 people, you’ll get 10 answers. Not even the U.S. government has a standard definition, so consumers must decide for themselves based on various definitions and standards created by different organizations. Usually, the word “green” connotes energy efficiency (a “green”? washing machine that uses less water and electricity, for instance) or environmental friendliness (such as paint stripper made from non-toxic materials). You might even be doing something green without knowing it, perhaps to save money. Have you abandoned commercial cleaning products in favor of using the natural products Grandma used, like baking soda, vinegar and ammonia? That’s green, because you’re opting not to use possibly toxic chemicals in your home!Do you put mulch, compost or manure on your garden instead of chemical fertilizer? That’s green, because you’re reducing the amount of potentially dangerous chemicals right in your own backyard! Do you like to shop for bargains at flea markets or secondhand shops instead of buying something brand new at the mall? That’s green, because you’re “recycling”? already-manufactured goods and most likely using up less packaging that would otherwise swell the town landfill! Even large organizations–schools, local governments or corporations–have gone green by switching from paper to electronic billing (less paper used = fewer trees cut down) or by installing solar panels instead of a new oil heating system.

Developers, architects, contractors, local governments and utilities are also getting into “green building.”? Just as individuals go green by recycling and businesses go green by reducing their paper use, those in real estate, construction, and associated fields can ride the wave of environmental awareness by adopting green concepts. Instead of clearcutting a forest in order to lay out a typical subdivision, some real estate developers have turned their talents toward refurbishing older hometown neighborhoods. Contractors can pledge to avoid arsenic-treated lumber or focus on reusing salvaged or surplus building materials. Architects can incorporate the newest energy-efficient technologies into their designs. In many areas, the local government or utility company is happy to perform an energy audit of a home or commercial building in an effort to reduce energy consumption and waste, and they may be able to supply information about green products and services that are good for the budget and good for the planet. Common products in this category include solar energy devices that can lessen dependence on nonrenewable fossil fuels (i.e., home heating oil), long-lasting fluorescent light bulbs, or safer replacements for harmful “traditional”? materials such as fiberglass insulation.

Consumers can teach themselves how to go green. You can start small, with something as simple as choosing a product at the supermarket that uses less packaging than the one next to it on the shelf. Congratulations–by making that decision, you’ve just reduced the demand for styrofoam, which has the potential to sit in an ugly landfill for hundreds of years. Or you can think big by trading in your gas-guzzling SUV for a gas-sipping hybrid-electric vehicle. The bottom line is, you don’t have to be rich, a scientist, or a tree hugger to go green! You don’t have to change your lifestyle completely in one fell swoop to go green. Every little bit helps, and every little bit adds up to a lot.

Gen Wright

If people started vowing not to buy another car until they can buy an affordable 100% electric car would you make the same commitment? Imagine, filling your car up for less then $5.00 of electricity at home (or completely free with solar panels on your home). People are already doing it! Never going to the gas station again. And no longer being controlled by the oil companies.

heeeeeeeeeeeeelllllllllllllllllllllllno.

one…if you’re green enough to buy a car that runs solely on electricity, and live close enough to your job to make a successful roundtrip commute with the limited range of an all electric car, just frickin take your bike! good for you and the environment and i wont have to deal with you clogging up the highway barely getting up to the speed limit.

two…the idea of electric cars is the biggest joke on environmentalists everywhere. kudos if you can charge your car with your own solar cell, but for everyone else, guess where all that energy comes from? FOSSILE FUELS! and with everyone driving an all-electric car, electric companies could wipe their asses with the profits

You can save 30% to 50% cost of using containers by using used cargo containers instead of new containers for your purposes. New containers can cost $2,000 and $4,000 but you can get quality-refurbished units less then that.

Whatever your plan-for storage, overseas shipping or as temporary mobile house-used containers are available online. Many sellers offer delivery to your door as well as a chance to preview the container via online photos. According to your need, you can try to find out a container.

In choosing cargo containers, here are a few attributes you’ll want to consider in advance:

1) What materials- aluminum, steel, stainless steel, of the container, both inside and out, beastly suits your intended use?

2) Considering size, weight, and cubic capacity is important. Though dimensions are standard fair of online postings, so containers that will be used to ship cargo overseas must meet the standard dimensions required for shipping. To compare both external dimensions and internal dimensions is important because external dimensions and internal dimensions may not same of a container. Whatever you plan to ship, make sure that recommended load volume for that container does not exceed.

3) Resistance to vandals, fire, wind and water is must for a container. It needs to be watertight, if the container is traveling overseas. Resistance to vandals is your top priority, if you will use it for storage in an unsavory part of town.

4) Consider which of the many options available you will need: Vents, partitions, electrical wiring, storage racks, windows, refrigeration (reefer), heating, door and cargo sensors, and so on.

5) Do you need doors on only one end or both ends? Open or hard top? Rolling doors?

6) Shop locally if possible. This will save you shipping and handling charges and help you obtain a money back guarantee just in case there is damage that you did not spot before you purchase.

7) Grade system is used to determine the quality of used containers. Learn the grade system. It helps you to purchase the best.

Compare among different services and prices offered by different suppliers. It will help you to walk through your options and determine the appropriate solution for your needs.

9) You can find plenty of used cargo containers available online. Simply type in “buy used cargo container” into any search engine and you’re off. This can give you an idea of what various buyers are paying for the same container.

These are the guidelines for you. By following these guidelines you can find and purchase the best used cargo according to your plan.

Container Conversion Service:

If you want to use used cargo container as a mobile home or office that’s a very good idea. Using cargo container as office or home is best because it is easy to transport, lees space is needed for it than a building, above all it is suited for the construction of the twenty first century.

There are many companies available who convert containers. Each of them help you to make sure the containers are safe and the steel is galvanized to avoid rust. The conversion involves fitting the modules with solar panels, Wi-Fi, bamboo flooring and charging facilities for electric vehicles of the future. The cost to the consumer is $100 to $200 a square foot, compared with the $300-a-square-foot preconstruction price of most ground-up units.

In Internet, plenty of companies are available online. Simply type in “conversion cargo container” into any search engine and you’re off. This can give you an idea about the services of various companies.

Rosie Cubbin

A state-of-the-art gym and dance studio, contemporary style coffee bar and facilities for fine dining are just some of the features at the new global headquarters of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).

IHG has relocated from Windsor to a new site covering 100,000 square feet at Broadwater Park - formerly home to the Denham film studios - in Buckinghamshire.

Morgan Lovell managed the design and build project, which included full consultation, mechanical and electrical works, fit out and furniture.

Located in 13 acres of landscaped grounds, the open-plan space is set in a four-storey building. Taking advantage of the picturesque surroundings, a patio area complete with broadband coverage enables people to work outdoors.

The restaurant is a major showpiece of the office development based on the Crowne Plaza brand quality. A 20-room meeting suite has also been created.

Other features include fully functional sample rooms, relevant to the different hotel brands IHG operates, such as Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites. These rooms have a dual purpose, providing both a showcase facility for visitors and also providing overnight accommodation for visiting IHG staff when required.  

A Green Room has also been developed, where new products and fittings are tested, before being rolled out across the seven hotel brands IHG operates.

The fitness suite includes a well-equipped gym containing the latest machinery and a dance studio complete with full-length mirrors and sound system.

Tom Lord, IHG’s project director for the development, said: “We set out to provide an inspiring office space - that supports IHG in delivering ‘Great Hotels Guests Love’.  The key to our success was engaging with the 360 employees who work here to help us achieve that. 

The building also had to be as sustainable as possible and demonstrate best practice, serving as a benchmark for our hotels and other offices.  Our work at Denham will now influence future IHG fit outs and ideas from this project are already being introduced in our Singapore development.

Crucially, IHG and Morgan Lovell worked together as one team, to deliver the project on time and on budget.

It is an amazing result, a brilliant finish and our employees are very pleased with it. Visitors are also really impressed.”

Morgan Lovell’s southern team, based in the Thames Valley at Wokingham, managed the project. IHG has been able to tap into Morgan Lovell’s green office expertise for the carbon neutral fit out, which included a full eco-specification for products - based on limiting the travelling distances of materials sourced - and selecting those with a high recycled and recyclable content.

In particular, IHG was keen to illustrate the benefits of solar power – and panels are in place contributing to the running of the landscape and car park lighting. Solar blinds have also been introduced, controlled by a ‘weather station’ on the roof.

David Cannon, Morgan Lovell’s southern regional managing director, said: “This was an exciting project for us to be involved in. The end result is stunning.”

ENDS

Notes To Editors

Located in London, Birmingham and the Thames Valley, Morgan Lovell is the UK’s leading office interior design, fit out and refurbishment specialist. With its own teams of designers, surveyors and project managers, the company can design and deliver entire projects, with the benefit of just one point of contact. http://www.morganlovell.co.uk

It is part of Morgan Sindall plc, a top UK construction and regeneration group which operates through five specialist divisions of fit out, construction, infrastructure services, affordable housing and urban regeneration.

Morgan Lovell is a licensed BREEAM Offices Assessment Organisation. This means it is now licensed to measure the sustainability score of an office in order to identify ways companies can reduce high energy usage and waste, whilst increasing comfort and satisfaction for users of the building.

InterContinental Hotels Group

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms.  IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, over 4,000 hotels and more than 590,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world.  The Group owns a portfolio of well recognised and respected hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites® and Hotel Indigo®, and also manages the world’s largest hotel loyalty programme, Priority Club® Rewards with over 39 million members worldwide.

                                                                                             

IHG has more than 1,700 hotels in its development pipeline, which will create 150,000 jobs worldwide over the next few years.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at www.ihg.com  

Contacts

Press release written by Jane Shepherd, Shepherd PR Limited. Tel 01538 308685 or 308099. Mobile 07985 129315

Jane Shepherd