New Solar Technology - Holographic Tuning

With the renewed emphasis on renewable energy, new technologies are emerging. Holographic tuning is one such technology and could revolutionize solar cells.

Holographic Tuning

Traditional solar panel systems are not particularly efficient and can be more than a bit of an eyesore. Since the panel systems only convert a small amount of the sunlight that hits them, there really isn’t any alternative to placing the bulky beasts on your roof. Or is there?

Holographic tuning, also known as Holographic Planar Concentrator, is a new technology with one goal in mind – cheaper and small solar cell collectors. The technology is based on a unique theory in which solar cells are holographically tuned to attract and focus different spectrums of sunlight on solar cells. The cells are tuned to attract certain spectrums that can be converted without excessive heat production. This allows the cells to make the maximum amount of energy while maintaining a very small size.

Current silicon cell technology is restricted to only a few spectrums and is highly inefficient as it fails to covert up to 85 percent of the sunlight into power. To make things even better, the process is being designed to “tune” the solar light onto both sides of each cell, thus doubling the energy output.

The primary advantage of holographic tuning is it will revolutionize the solar panel as we know it. Instead of large, bulky panels that aren’t particularly attractive, holographic tuning panels will look similar to regular bedroom windows, but with five or six horizontal rows of black rectangles, the cells. The prototypes are actually very striking and are a major improvement over current solar panel systems.

Prism Solar Technologies is the leading company in the holographic tuning field. The company is a subsidiary of Direct Global Power, and is pursuing the advancement of the technology through an exclusive rights license from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Prism Solar Technologies intends to begin manufacturing of the new holographic tuning solar panels this year. Keep an eye out for these attractive, efficient solar panels.

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com, a directory of solar energy companies. Visit us to read more articles on solar power and renewable energy.

How Does Solar Power Work?

The basics of solar power.

Solar power is probably the cleanest, most viable form of renewable energy available and it can be used in several forms to help power your house. Many gardens now use solar lights or solar garden water features. The availability and wide use of solar power in gardens shows exactly how versatile it is as a source of energy. The technology and the systems are becoming smaller, more compact and better looking than when they were first created and used. Early examples of solar power systems can be seen in California where, in the 1980s, enough solar power panels were installed to power over 10 million homes.

How do photovoltaic tiles work?

Simply put photovoltaic tiles and other forms of solar energy work by converting some of the energy in sunlight into a clean form of electricity that can be used in our houses. The PV cells consist of a positive and a negative slice of silicon placed under a thin slice of glass. As the protons of the sunlight beat down onto the PV cell they knock the neutrons off the silicon. The negatively charged free neutrons are attracted to the silicon but are trapped by the magnetic field that is formed from the opposing fields. Small wires on the silicon catch these neutrons and when connected in a circuit an electric current is formed.

This reaction gives Direct Current electricity though, and it must be passed through an inverter to be converted into an Alternating Current used in our homes to power any electrical items. Some of the power is lost in this part of the process as the inverter is only around 95% efficient but this is a much greater efficiency than was once available.

The nature of the PV cell means there is little or no maintenance required and there are no moving parts; this means that a typical PV cell can last up to 40 years with no work besides an annual clean.

How can I use them to power my house?

There are several ways to use solar power around the house and not just for powering. You can use it to heat your hot water, heat your pool or even your central heating or if you have plenty of roof space and a reasonable amount of sun you can get a grid tie system; a grid tie system means that not only can you power your entire house but during those times when you create an excess of electricity you can sell it back to the grid. An efficiently solar powered home will be able to reasonably create between 75 and 100% of their own power and because of the grid tie system this means you may not have to pay for electricity ever again.

For more more information about solar power please visit http://www.solar-power-energy.info

Why Use Solar Lights In The Garden

Energy costs have been on the rise for a good few years now. In fact they have always been on the rise but, of late, that rise seems to be a bit steeper than normal. This is mainly because of the concerns over the use of fossil fuels. Fossils fuels are running out, yet the demand of energy seems to be increasing all the time. The developed nations consume more than their fair share of coal, oil and gas but it's developing countries like China and India that are now increasing their demands for energy. This trend in high fossil fuels will not abate so alternatives are being explored both by governments and individuals alike.

Governments tend to be leaning towards nuclear energy as chief source of energy supplies because they feel that it is a more scalable solution despite the average person feeling that nuclear power is unsafe.

Individuals tend to lean towards sustainable or renewable sources of energy because they want to save money on the energy bills and they feel that renewable energy sources are a cleaner way to produce and consume energy. A popular renewable energy source is the sun. The sun's energy can be utilized through solar cell technology to provide heating and lighting to a household.

One such application that is proving very popular is solar garden lighting. Solar garden lighting is useful to provide guide light along driveways or pathways. It is also handy for creating mood lighting in gardens setting or patios.

One of the major advantages of solar garden lights, apart from the saving on electricity bills, is that they are easy to install. There are no wires that need to be connected up and then concealed to prevent accidents. Simply plant the solar garden light into the ground where you want and allow it to charge up. This has to be quantified by the fact that the spot has to receive direct sunlight during the day. If there is no sunlight the light or battery in the light cannot recharge and will not operate.

Two things to consider before you buy a solar light are the length of time that they stay on and the brightness of the light they produce. Fully charged, you want the lights to stay on for at least 10 hours. You can ask at the shop before you buy or research on the internet for these details.

In terms of brightness, solar lighting is best for mood or guide lighting. It will not replace the kind of light that a florescent tube might create. Again, if you are concerned about the brightness then ask at the store before you buy. They may allow you to try before you buy. Most solar garden lights are quite cheap anyhow so you could buy one and see if it was suitable for your needs and then buy more if you were happy.

Solar garden lights now come is a variety of choices from unobtrusive to elaborate and decorative designs. They can help create a perfect atmosphere in your garden and can save you money on the electricity bills.

Get more details on solar garden lighting at http://www.solarpowerappliances.com . Solar power can be applied to many house and garden products. In recent years the cost of these appliances have become very affordable and saved money on energy bills. Various solar products are featured on the site including solar ovens and solar attic fans. Adrian Whittle writes about using solar powered appliances that can utilize renewable and sustainable energy sources.

What is Solar Energy?

You've no doubt heard of solar energy at some point. And maybe it sounded really good to you-no energy bills! But if you are new to the solar energy scene, you may be wondering-what is solar energy? If all the other sites you've check out are just moving too fast, then this is the article for you. We will break down solar energy in simple terms, so you can get the information you need.

What is solar energy? Essentially, it is the act of capturing the sun's rays and either storing them, or converting them into energy or heat. It's similar to when you get into a hot car in the summer, or touch the hot road on a sunny day-these items have been heated with solar power. These situations are not exactly solar power at its finest, but you get the idea. Solar power for your home works the same way. The rays are captured, and then using top-notch technology, the heat is stored and converted to heat your home or provide energy any time of day.

Now you have a basic idea of what is solar energy, so what happens next? Once the sun's rays are captured, you can do many different things with them. With large solar panel systems, you can store or convert the rays. They can be converted into heat energy or electrical energy depending on what type of panels you have. Or the energy can be stored, so that you have it at a later date-at night or on a cloudy day when there is no sun, for example.

When it comes to what is solar energy, there are many other options. You can choose to use solar power to heat other things, such as swimming pools. Systems designed specifically for pools are available. Or use solar power on a smaller scale. You can purchase affordable systems that hook right up to your hot water heater and use the sun for all your hot water needs. Or purchase a solar pond pump, a quick and affordable way to keep your pond clean.

You have even more options in the world of solar power! There are other ways to capture the sun's energy, without the use of any special equipment. Have a few skylights installed throughout your home to ensure fewer lights need to be used. This way, you are still using solar power to light you home! This is called passive solar energy, and it offers many options for using the sun in your home and in your life. So now when someone asks, "what is solar energy?” you have the answer!

Learn the pros and cons of solar power - Solar Energy Advantages is your source for information on solar panels, fountain pumps, home solar plans and information on how solar power works and can benefit your home and family. One of the ways that you can use solar heat without spending too much or converting your entire home to solar heating is with a solar heat exchanger. These are available for a wide variety of uses including heating swimming pools, sheds and hot water heaters.