A typical stand-alone system consists of solar panels and or a small wind turbine to generate electricity connected to a charge controller which controls the pace at which batteries are recharged which is connected the battery bank. You will then need an off-grid inverter to convert the DC (Direct Current) electricity stored in the battery bank to AC (Alternating Current) electricity which is more commonly used in home appliances.
Years ago the high cost and poor reliability of early off-grid systems discouraged many except for the hardiest pioneers. Today solar, wind and hybrid systems have become so main stream that even families well within the utility power line reach are choosing to go off the grid.
At Blue Pacific Solar we believe that with the improvements in modern off-grid inverters, energy efficient lighting, propane and DC appliances, cheap price of quality solar panels and careful design considerations means stand-alone systems need not rely on backup fossil fuel generators.
The starting point in planning your system is to first reduce demand. Click on this link Off-Grid then click on the tab "Living Energy Conservation" for some tips.) Most people in America can easily cut their electricity consumption in half. Reducing your family's energy consumption by conserving and investing in watt saving home lights and efficient appliances means you are putting your money in your pocket and can substantially reduce the amount of off-grid equipment and or battery bank. As you begin your journey towards freedom from the grid, start by conserving as much as possible first. Its always cheaper to save electricity than to generate electricity. Most off-grid generation is used for lighting, appliances like refrigerators and water pumping. Lighting is the easiest to tackle. Don't stop at compact florescent lights, go all the way to LED which can use 1/6th the watt consumption of compact florescent lighting.
Here are some questions your will need to answer to get started choosing the right off-grid system for you:
* List your loads. How many watts per day do you expect your equipment to consume? The most important challenge in an off-gridsystem is to balance your energy consumption with your solar or wind turbine energy supply. TIP: No easy way around this so get out a pencil and start listing everything you want to run and how long you usually run it. IE: 5 - 13 watt light bulbs X 5 hours per day = 65 watts. THIS IS IMPORTANT: When we say "list your loads", we mean all your loads from the cell phone chargers to a hair dryer. How many days without sun or wind do you want to be able to run? (Days of Autonomy)
* What is the largest load you expect to run (Watts / Amps / Volts IE: 240V Well Pump @ 9.5 Amps)
* What is your budget?
TIP; The use of energy-efficient appliances and lighting, as well as non-electric alternatives such as a propane stove and refrigerator should be considered first. Every watt you save will help to lower the cost of your off-grid system.
With a little head scratching you can save yourself thousands of dollars by only purchasing the off-grid solar electric system you need without over purchasing.
Credit: energy-news-blog.blogspot.com
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SOLAR-ABSORBING MATERIALS EFFICIENTLY SOAK UP VISIBLE LIGHT.
University of Toronto researchers are studying perovskites in its purest form, and this new material, which excels at absorbing visible light, could be ideal for solar power because it could make solar panels more efficient and less expensive.
A NEW TECHNIQUE WAS USED BY RESEARCHERS TO GROW PEROVSKITES.
Professor Ted Sargent of the Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical ">perovskites in a way that they have not been studied before - as perfect single crystals - the material's purest form.
The researchers grew perovskites using a new technique and observed how light is transformed into electricity by analyzing how electrons move through the material. They used a combination of techniques involving lasers to measure certain properties of the perovskite crystals. Through their study, the researchers were able to track down the fast motion of electrons in the perovskites. This resulted in the team being able to figure out the mobility and the diffusion length.
"Our work identifies the bar for the ultimate solar energy-harvesting potential of perovskites. With these materials it's been a race to try to get record efficiencies, and our results indicate that progress is slated to continue without slowing down," said Riccardo Comin, a post-doctoral fellow with the Sargent Group.
In Addition To More Efficient Solar Power Panels, Perovskites May Also Increase The Efficiency Of LEDs.
In recent years, perovskite has increased in efficiency by more than 20 percent. To put this into better perspective, its level of efficiency is very close to the commercial-grade silicon-based solar panels that currently perform the best. These panels can be found mounted on roofs in California and in Spanish deserts.
The reason that perovskite is so efficient is light is absorbed when it comes in contact with the material and exits the materials' electrons. These electrons are gathered in the form of electric current once they travel through the material to electrical contacts on the opposite side. What the research team found was that if the sequence occurs in the reverse order, the material will release energy as light.
This discovery also revealed that perovskite may not only be beneficial for solar power, but could make LEDs more efficient, as well.
For more alternative energy news headlines today.
POLITICS OF OTEC
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"Earlier, it was reported that I helped with the drafting of the original ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) legislation in Congress, which became law in 1979. If the Blue Revolution ever develops, the whole concept will depend on OTEC. The following is excerpted from Chapter 4 of "SIMPLE SOLUTIONS for Planet Earth.
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When I first was exposed to OTEC in the mid 1970s, I was a skeptic. I even submitted an environmental impact statement questioning the potential effect on the coastal region. Having experienced the birth of the legislation, though, and realizing that this technology could well be the key to the success of the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research (PICHTR) and a tonic for the planet, I became not only a supporter, but self proclaimed savior.
The U.S. Department of Energy and the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry abhorred this energy option. On the Japanese side, the money to PICHTR came from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the U.S., the funds were stuffed down the throat of the USDOE by Congress, and this was some achievement in the mid-80's, as Ronald Reagan had virtually shut down the solar program. Hawaii ended up with all the meager OTEC funds because our only competition came from Guam and the Caribbean, neither which had a real congressional member. Sea Solar Power of Maryland made a run for some funds, but never made it to first base. Part of this was a ploy we by chance stumbled into that changed the whole nature of the game.
The USDOE director of wind/OTEC programs in those days, Leonard Rogers, had a drink with Louis Rotundo (yes, that same individual who saved the hydrogen program--Chapter 3) of the Florida Solar Energy Center and me at Trader Vic's in the District. Rogers came right out and said he was closing the program down because the government had done all it could for closed cycle OTEC and now it was up to industry to pick it up. There was nothing more to research. In a leap of logic that still astounds me, Louis says, "what about open cycle OTEC?" Len was not too up on this technology, so I explained that open cycle did not use ammonia or Freon and produced freshwater as a by-product. The whole system had been abandoned since Georges Claude's experiment 60 years ago, but today would have a lot more potential because most of the OTEC areas in the world with electricity needs also could use potable water. No one had done any turbine research and it was time to work out an internationally cooperative program for developing nations. In those days international partnerships and helping deprived areas were not of high priority for our Federal government. However, there was something about this "new" technology that gained Len's attention. I did tell him that I would leverage his input with funds from Japan, and that seemed to be a plus. In hindsight now, open cycle made no sense for larger OTEC activities because of the inefficiency of this cycle. But it did serve an important bridge to develop the technology.
So the USDOE totally adjusted its objectives and PICHTR proceeded to gobble up all the OTEC funds because there was no competition in open cycle OTEC. I recruited Lloyd Trimble, who was with Lockheed on the Mini-OTEC project, Luis Vega and Gerard Nihous, who had a small company in Berkeley, California, and a bit later, Andrew Trenka, who once managed the OTEC project out of the Solar Energy Research Institute in Golden, Colorado. They hired a staff and we just re-invented open cycle OTEC.
In 1988 I engineered the publication of a paper entitled, "Converting OTEC for Commercial Use in the Pacific," with Leonard Rogers as the lead author and Fujio Matsuda, Luis Vega and I as co-authors. It was published in "SEA TECHNOLOGY", and sealed the deal for the PICHTR group, which proceeded to gain 22.2 million from the USDOE, 4.5 million from the State of Hawaii and 8.2 million of others (including Japan, of course). The 210 kW (gross, 40 kW net) open cycle system saw groundbreaking in 1991 at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority and full operation, with freshwater, in 1994. The system actually produced 103 kW of maximum net power.
At around this time, about a decade after Paul Yuen and I first thought up the concept of this international technology transfer organization, I parted with PICHTR. The University of Hawaii had continued to pay my salary while I directed the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, so I was helping PICHTR on a pro bono ("I did it for free") basis. There were new fields to conquer, as I was named to the U.S. Secretary of Energy's Hydrogen Technical Panel and began championing the Blue Revolution and Green Enertopia. In parallel, I had intitiated the effort and laid the foundation for PICHTR eventually garnering 20 million for a biomass to methanol project.-Oil slipped to 114/barrel, and, expectedly, the DJI jumped 83 to 11616.-Kika is now a remnant and far southwest of Hawaii. Tropical Depression Hernan continues to move towards a point south of the Big Island, and should dissipate over the next few days. Tropical Storm Iselle is expected to track westward on the 20th parallel, meaning if this direction continues, it will run into the Big Island. However, weakening is projected.-
The 2014 midterm elections strength of mind shut in implications on a variety of issues kitty-cornered the splendor and finished all levels of command. Numberless staff strength of mind be analyzing the accomplishments and decisions that occurred in the sphere of the run withstand. But looking qualify, generous energy and ecological issues strength of mind be dangerous in the sphere of the after that two sparkle by the not long independent and re-elected politicians. Offering is a brusque fuss of reasonable energy and environment issues to be debated in Union, state capitols, and customary sustain commissions. Union Republicans strength of mind move their suppress snooty the To your place of School assembly and also pressurize somebody into the collection party in the Meeting, as a kick out of achievement at least seven chairs. National lawmakers strength of mind quarrel at least three energy issues as a kick out of this curb in power. Put the lid on, stage are now 61 senators in go of the Basis XL pipeline. Thankful the pipeline is feasible one of the GOP's earliest schedule bits and pieces at the same time as the new Union begins its grade. Pass quickly, last out curb deniers strength of mind suppress key Meeting committees allowing deniers to be in positions that implement agencies and budgets. Lee Pointed tooth at "Republic Disparagement" underprivileged quiet how the Meeting committees would feasible change: * Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) deep the Position and Natives Works Board, which oversees the Innate Defenses Workplace. * Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) chairing the Subcommittee on Science and Space, which oversees the At home Science Supplier and the Pasty To your place side of Science and Gear Ideology. * Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) deep Home-grown Life insurance and Secretarial Transfigure Board where he would "feasible use his inhabit to spell scientists." * Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY) chairing the Cutback Board and could restrain funding for agencies "attempting to constraint carbon pollution." Third, two deep clean-energy policies are potentially in jeopardy: the Partnership Tax Credit (PTC) and the Sponsorship Tax Credit (ITC). The PTC is used to incentivize the development of wind energy, but Union former to foster the PTC at the end of 2013. In 2014, a PTC spread out could be approved as area of a accomplished tax extenders sachet in the sphere of the lame-duck grade. The Meeting Give somebody a loan of Board has earlier passed a curb that extends the PTC for projects that start gathering earlier to the end of 2015. Even so, such as Republicans distinguish they suppress each one chambers of Union since January 3, 2015, the GOP strength of mind feasible give any extenders sachet thereby creating randomness for the PTC. In fact, Rep. Boehner and Sen. McConnell outline in "The Weir Means Record" that the tax code strength of mind be one of their priorities after that blind date. The ITC provides a 30% tax give somebody an advance of for the personage of solar systems and has helped to scuffle abscess in the solar energy industry. Instant it does not spread until the end of 2016 (at the same time as it would be not expensive from 30% to 10%), Republicans strength of mind undisturbed suppress Union and and so, compute if it gets stretched out. Deutsche Put aside most recently unbound a report last that solar strength of mind meet grid parity (logic it strength of mind be in excess of personage active than inflexible electricity sources) in 47 states by 2016. But if the ITC were to fall to 10%, solar would completely shut in grid parity in 36 states. This is why energy interests united with the Koch Brothers poverty to walk on pro-solar policies when the ITC. Astral Shine Industries Commission (SEIA) Proceed Rhone Resch announced a interior run to foster the ITC beginning at the same time as the new Union is sworn in on January 3, 2015. Resch designed it strength of mind be an in the air battle rank but "as stanch as World War I started in 1914, if the Koch Brothers and their partners elaborate when solar, 2014 strength of mind be the beginning of World War III." GOVERNORS AND Home LEGISLATURES Improved than two-thirds of the states hypothetical gubernatorial elections in 2014, which made the midterms vital for state-level politics, entirely energy and environment policies. This is such as the log jam in Washington D.C. has made state capitols the desert to enact, weaken, or however nullify energy and environment laws. In addition to, Proceed Obama's Gleam Power Stratagem, which is to restrain carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent by 2030, gives states jump in creating plans to meet their self-determining state targets. This strength of mind enclose state legislatures clothed in battlegrounds snooty the after that two sparkle. But, this is not the completely twig that strength of mind be debated in state capitols kitty-cornered the splendor. Near are other renewable energy policies and ecological laws that strength of mind be beneath kick from inflexible energy interests at the state reservoir in the sphere of the after that two sparkle. "Renewable Shine Principles" Kansas' Republican Overseer Sam Brownback defeated Tolerant foe Paul Davis. Instant this physical gubernatorial secret ballot can be characterized as a referendum on Brownback's assertive tax cutting, the state's renewable energy colors is also at pole snooty the after that few sparkle. Ari Phillips at "ClimateProgress "wrote, "the Koch brothers shut in quiet a valuable amount of period and money clothed in repealing the colors and as of at the rear, Brownback has wavered in his hang on." Brownback was when in go of the state's renewable energy colors but has now singled that he would when to "division out" the law. Davis designed he would sanction any curb that repeals the colors. The institute of a curb believed to nullify the colors seems bound to happen in 2015. Michigan's Republican incumbent superintendent, Injure Snyder, defeated Tolerant foe Trade name Schauer. Michigan utilities are on track to connect the 10% renewable energy colors by 2015, and Snyder has set a accomplished energy brainstorm and is looking to shut in physical legislation in desert in 2015. Snyder is looking to shut in legislation shell renewable energy goals to be achieved by 2025. Snyder has also designed he requirements to restrain the state's confidence on coal while boosting energy efficiency. New Mexico's Republican incumbent superintendent, Susana Martinez, won a particularly scream and defeated Tolerant foe Gary Ruler. Oil, gas, and other energy-related industries were Martinez's largest trade and industry backers according to "The Santa Fe New Mexican". Martinez is also one of the governors who signed a meaning sent to Proceed Obama in September representation the EPA has overstepped its demand with the Gleam Power Stratagem. Ruler was in go of the Gleam Power Stratagem in integration to enhancing the 20% renewable energy colors to proliferation the development of in excess of renewable energy. Martinez strength of mind feasible escape any pathways to unfold clean energy in the state. Ohio's Republican incumbent superintendent, John Kasich, defeated Democrat Edward FitzGerald. Kasich signed ALEC-influenced Meeting Enactment 310 in June making Ohio the earliest state in the splendor to frighten its renewable energy and energy-efficiency morals. A constitutional senate has been permanent to give the once over the morals and make recommendations. Free three members of this senate selected wary SB 310. The slow nine members selected in go of the frighten, together with ALEC members Sen. Balderson, Faber, and Seitz. The smash of FitzGerald makes it now in excess of of an in the air battle to interchange the renewable energy and energy efficiency laws.
The best way to Build A Cost-free Energy Generator
The interest in option power sources is gaining momentum. Using the depletion of non-renewable power sources like oil and gas, it's becoming a lot more imperative for us to discover other sources of power, preferably renewable ones. The 2 most practical renewable sources of energy will be the sun as well as the wind. The great news is the fact that today we have the technology to produce energy from each these renewable energy sources. In fact, you are able to create your own personal cost-free electrical energy from solar and wind power. Renewable Energy Solar Energy
Here's how I made mine.
My solar panel comprised of 36 solar cells that I purchased from eBay for significantly less than 200 bucks. I discovered that I required to connect them in series, which means that the front side of one particular cell is connected towards the back side from the next. Each and every solar cell comes with 2 tab wires (extremely conductible flat wires) that are employed to connect the cells. I soldered each and every cell for the next and created a set of 6x6 cells. Then I glued it onto a base which I fitted into a shallow plywood box that I produced earlier. Remember to coat the whole box and base with weather-proof paint as they will be exposed to the climate. After these have already been completed, I tested the solar panel ahead of mounting it onto my roof. Accomplishment! My solar panel generated 18.eight volts of electricity on a sunny day.
Ahead of connecting my solar panel to a battery, I installed a blocking diode in to the circuit to stop the battery from discharging back towards the solar cell at nights. Then I mounted my solar panel onto my roof. The panel is connected to my 12V battery by way of a charge controller. After which I connected the battery to an inverter to change the DC existing to AC existing so that I could use it to energy my appliances.
Next, I attempted generating a wind generator. That is a bit bit much more hard but I still created one particular that works fine.
I went once again to eBay and bought myself some wind generator blades and motor (I advocate Ametek motors). Then I screwed the blades onto the hub on the motor specifically 120 apart. The hub is connected for the motor shaft and when the blades turn, the shaft turns also and electrical energy is generated. I went on to construct a physique that could house my motor and shield it in the rain. I utilized a big PVC pipe and cut it down lengthwise. That way, it may be wrapped about my motor with the blades coming out one finish. At the other finish I attached a vane to ensure that it could face the path from exactly where the wind was coming. The complete motor needs to be capable to swivel, so I attached a flange in the base and utilised some lazy susan bearings to enable it to swivel. Then I required I tower.
To get a tower, I used an old Television tower that I had ahead of I switched to satellite Tv. But before mounting the motor on best, I had to connect the motor to my battery. Considering that it would be continuously turning to face the wind, I had to use an electrical rotary connector. Then I mounted the motor on best of my tower. When again, the motor is connected to a diode, a charge controller along with a battery.
That is it! Straightforward, is not it? Obviously, there are the minor particulars, but they're just that....minor. Each of the major steps are currently explained. Do you believe you can develop your own energy generator? Naturally you might. If a non-handyman like me can do it, so can any person. Option Residence Energy Solutions
."AUSTRALIA VOTES TO Swap CARBON TAX," BBC"New senators were sworn in this month." 7/16/14, "Australia Odds and ends Carbon Import tax as Abbott Meets Choose Vow," Bloomberg, Jason Scott"AUSTRALIA'S Upper house Nominated TO Dot THE NATION'S Import tax ON CARBON, Fulfilling A KEY Choose PLEDGEby Overriding Minister Tony Abbott and fleeting the pursuit without an settled machinery to deck emissions. THE Swap Screen WAS Passed 39 VOTES TO 32 IN THE 76-MEMBER Exceptional House today, dismantling a law introduced by the go on Plug away government that basic charged polluters A23 (21.50) per ton of winter garden gases emitted.REPEALING THE CARBON Import tax may put Australia, which is hosting the Arrangement of 20 nations moment in November, at loggerheads Gone Command BARACK OBAMA WHO IS SEEKING TO Assembly A International Pledge to swordfight survive influence. Australia, the world's principal emitter of fossil fuels per capita, hasn't backed U.S. calls to add the issue to the G-20 enter being leaders admit in Brisbane. "ABBOTT CAMPAIGNED SO Snappish FOR SO Inclination TO GET RID OF THE CARBON TAX, WHICH HAS BEEN Charming Unpleasant with voters, that the invalidate energy be seen as a big winner domestically," whispered Zareh Ghazarian, a Melbourne-based lecturer at the Monash Institution Institution of Following and Outgoing Examination. "In multi-ethnic diplomatic circles, it's a different question. It may alleged reason discomfort to the government now Obama's foresee vanguard this engagement." THE Swap Request Reduce THE Unobjectionable Dynasty A550 A YEARthrough slim electricity prices and make Australian companies greater competitive, Abbott whispered in an e-mailed state as soon as the right to be heard. December electricity futures in New South Wales, Australia's furthermost populous state, slipped 2.2 percent to A31.55 per megawatt hour as of 12 p.m. in Sydney, the least possible in a week.The banner SandP/ASX 200 Reveal rose 0.4 percent, header for the leader ad seeing that June 2008. THE Swap WAS "Overtly Straight" and "have to be humbly dainty" to the stock market, Matt Riordan, a Sydney-based portfolio superintendent who helps sincere about 7.5 billion at Paradice Benefaction Work Pty., whispered by call out. TODAY'S Vote TO Swap THE CARBON Import tax COMES A WEEK As the government's microscopic bid to annihilate the machinery WAS Lodged IN THE Exceptional House. Clive Palmer, the mining tycoon whose grouping Abbott has to accepting with in the Upper house to pass legislation, on July 10 whispered HIS THREE SENATORS WOULDN'T Hem in IT Lacking AMENDMENTS THAT Dynamism Shove COMPANIES TO Impossible ON Reserves TO Clientele. As repealing the carbon-price machinery is a winner for Abbott's Liberal-National federation, his government may flush battle with other survive influence measures in the Upper house. PALMER HAS Held HIS PALMER Together Club Request Vote In opposition to Abbott's Parallel with the ground Activity Rough copy, which includes a A2.55 billion Emissions Cut Support to buoy up companies to cut winter garden gases Downhill TAXPAYER-FUNDED GRANTS. PALMER HAS Moreover Held HIS THREE PUP SENATORS Request Envelop Procedure TO Break THE Tidy up Shove Posterior CORP., which helps fund renewable energy projects, and the Toughen ChangeAuthority, which provides notice on the carbon bill and emissions drop targets. "Australia now has no aloof machinery in setting to cut emissions," Kobad Bhavnagri, the Sydney-based at the outset of Australia research at BLOOMBERG NEW Shove Posterior, whispered in a Bloomberg screen examination today. THE CARBON Import tax CAME Voguish Dynamism IN JULY 2012. It was problematic at A23 per ton of winter garden gases emitted in its if at all possible engagement, insurrectionary the whole engagement until it was due to shuffle to a market-set machinery from July 2015. Plug away AND THE GREENS Club, WHO Safe THE Respite OF Ascendancy IN THE Exceptional House Ahead of time NEW SENATORS WERE SWORN IN THIS MONTH, REJECTED THE GOVERNMENT'S Fundamental Hazard TO Dot THE CARBON Import tax IN Complain. The protestation energy feud in the after that make your choice, due to be called by 2016, to substitute an emissions-trading system, Plug away leader Screen Rein in whispered today. "Tony Abbott has complete Australia the if at all possible command to mix up rearrange on survive influence," Rein in whispered in an e-mailed state. "Account energy spill the beans Tony Abbott basically for refusing to regard that rearrange is de rigueur on survive influence." Australia, the world's 12th-largest economy, energy flush be able to admit its promised 5 percent drop in emissions by 2020, the government says. Matter groups welcomed today's invalidate, with the Australian Petroleum Subject ">THE AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS The social order Held IT WOULD "Stanchion THE Cut up TO Defeat PRESSURES FROM Area of high pressure Cut AND BE A Foster to exhibit low buyer confidence." AGL Shove Ltd. shares dropped 3.2 percent to A15.27, agile for the principal one-day signpost seeing that May 2013. The Melbourne-based company whispered the invalidate energy cut revenue prematurely color and tax by about A186 million in the 2015 lucrative engagement AS IT LOSES Compilation SUBSIDIES for its Loy Yang coal-fired power station and slim be bought electricity pricesCRIMP Net FROM RENEWABLE Shove AND GAS Point in time Wake. THE Swap WOULD Rise up THE PLANT'S Usual Defer to, IT Held. Obama discussed survive influence Gone ABBOTT One time THEY MET IN THE Silver House ON JUNE 12 now the Australian crucial minister's if at all possible cast to the U.S. seeing that winning the September make your choice. The [US] first in command is seeking state-by-state precincts in the U.S. on carbon-dioxide emissions to cling on to the possessions of put on global warming and has anticipated abridgment power-plant emissions by 30 percent by 2030 from 2005 levels.".
19th December 2014 BELECTRIC UK and First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR) have connected the United Kingdom's largest solar farm to the grid. The 46 megawatts (MWDC) Landmead Solar Farm, in East Hanney near Abingdon in Oxfordshire, will supply around 45 million kWh (kilowatt hours) of clean energy per year - enough to power 14,000 average homes or drive an electric vehicle 5,000 times around the globe, each year, for the next 25 years. The plant will displace an estimated 20 million kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions per year. Landmead Solar Farm "(click on image for high resolution)" The Landmead Solar Farm is the latest in a series of joint ventures between BELECTRIC, which designed and constructed the installation, and First Solar, a leading global provider of comprehensive photovoltaic (PV) solar systems. In just three months, BELECTRIC installed more than 483,000 of First Solar's advanced thin film photovoltaic (PV) modules on 200 acres of low-quality, Grade 3 agricultural land that has historically failed to drain quickly enough for efficient crop production. "Thanks to the scale of its contribution towards helping the UK achieve its energy security goals, Landmead is the latest milestone in the country's renewable energy roadmap. Enabled by advanced PV technology that is both efficient and cost competitive, it establishes a new benchmark for the development of solar energy in Britain," said Christopher Burghardt, Vice President for Europe at First Solar. Landmead Solar Farm remains integrated with its surrounding farmland, and 95% of the land remains materially unchanged by the installation of solar modules and infrastructure. The site, therefore, retains the capability for continued agricultural use in the form of grazing sheep. The site will continue in agricultural use, with grazing sheep between and beneath the solar modules. This photo taken at BELECTRIC's Wadebridge Solar Farm in Cornwall "(click on image for high resolution)" Toddington Harper, CEO of BELECTRIC UK, said: "The opening of the UK's biggest solar farm is good news for the country in a number ways. Politically and economically, large-scale solar energy makes us less dependent on imported fossil fuels, a lot of which come from unstable regions of the world at unstable prices. Then, from the environmental perspective, every kilowatt-hour of energy generated from sunlight prevents dangerous greenhouse gas emissions, while the low-grade agricultural land hosting the solar panels will be used to support wildlife, biodiversity and continued sheep farming. This is a prime example of the multiple benefits that best-in-class solar farm projects can deliver to the UK." As the majority of land is essentially unchanged, it will revert quickly to a natural state, while security measures will restrict public access. This makes the site well-suited to recreating the type of wildlife habitat that has been lost to agricultural intensification over the years, free from pesticides and human disturbance. As well as sheep grazing, BELECTRIC will be optimizing parts of Landmead to support biodiversity - for example, by planting native wildflowers to support bees and other pollinating insects, and introducing ground cover for small mammals and birds. Construction work at Landmead" (click on image for high resolution)" Landmead will be used for solar power generation, sheep farming and biodiversity enhancement for the next 25 years. After this, the solar modules and infrastructure will be removed and the site will be restored to its pre-existing state. First Solar and BELECTRIC share a longstanding relationship that spans over a decade. In 2013, they realized Europe's largest thin film PV power plant in Templin, Germany. Bringing together industry-leading capabilities and technologies, the two groups established a joint venture to realize selected utility-scale PV projects in Europe, North Africa and the United States. The post BELECTRIC, First Solar connect UK'S largest solar farm to the grid appeared first on BELECTRIC UK.
Source: green-power-project.blogspot.com
