Tag Archives: green energy

Solar Empire

Solar Empire Powered By Solar Energy

A guest article written by: Living Quarters, India

A solar empire is something that eventually this planet could aspire to be  if the world will harness solar energy. People worldwide are coming to realize that fossil fuels must be replaced by cleaner energy to maintain a healthy living environment and also help the planet evolve.

This is why there are more and more industrialised nations which are considering the importance of adapting their built environment and introducing solar energy and other renewable energy sources as a way of saving money and also saving the environment. Refer: solar power by country

Solar Panels Bring Savings

Solar panels are very much accessible nowadays and people can purchase photovoltaics for domestic rooftop solar electricity installations.They generally have a lifespan of up to thirty years, which makes them very cost-effective in the long run.

Although reducing energy consumption is preferable, by introducing solar panels they reduce their dependence on the grid and should they produce a surplus of energy they can even sell the surplus to the local electricity companies. Householders who invest in solar panels may be able to get their money back after five years, which is a relatively short period of time. With savings like that, the Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers (IEEE) projects that this world could be  a Solar Empire within 10 year.

Sustainable Cities

 

Solar Panel Roof MIST image

Sustainable City's MIST Rooftop

The use of solar is increasing all over the world. The first sustainable solar operational city in the world has emerged in Abu Dhabi. Sustainable city Masdar was designed to house fifty thousand people in an area of just seven square kilometers. When it is finished it will become the world’s first carbon neutral city. There are currently many other successful projects around the world aiming at this status and the good news is that the change has begun.

More and more cities in America and around the world are starting to use solar  panels as a way of generating energy. On a global scale this greatly affects the environment in a positive way, by reducing the greenhouse effect. The use of solar energy reduces fossil fuel pollutants in the atmosphere and overall, offers a new and more efficient way of powering up entire city structures.

Solar Empire – The Vision and Health Benefits

Solar Empire Sustainable City

Model by Aedas Int'l

The vision of  solar empire  sustained only by renewable sources and particularly using the sun’s free energy is indeed a utopian one at first hearing. Once the world’s governments begin to understand the benefits carbon-free cities could become the mainstream.

The idea of a world which relies only on renewable energy sources is indeed a beautiful one. The all too frequent image of pollution hazes in the atmosphere will become a memory. The air of the solar empire will be clean and clear.

Pollution free cities

Cities which will follow this path will literally look greener. There will be a significant reduction in respiratory diseases. All of these benefits and more are the positive result of using solar panels, which are cheap, easy to install and require little maintenance.

 Solar Empire Comprising Solar Powered Nations

When nations base their energy supply  on renewable energy sources they will save of hundreds of billions of dollars. Such wealth savings could  be redirected towards other sectors of the economy.  Let’s look forward more solar powered nations creating a virtual solar empire.

 

Green Architects

As we all become more aware of green issues and the impact that that our lifestyles and consumption patterns have on our environment, many people are examining their living patterns and the way their homes are constructed, in order to reduce their energy demands.

Green Architects Professional Training

As this interest has increased, the architectural profession has responded with specific environmental architecture training courses to enhance the skills of those interested in becoming green architects.

Natural Comfort

When new buildings are designed by experienced green architects, using the latest energy-efficient principles, owners enjoy reduced energy consumption and a more naturally comfortable environment. Owners of non-energy efficient buildings may ‘retro-fit’ their existing buildings to reduce energy loads and achieve greater comfort.

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AuSES Conference Best Papers: Wind Power

We have prepared list of solar-e.com’s own selection of ranked candidates for the best Wind Power papers presented at the

‘Solar 2010’ Conference: Policies and Strategies (including the Economics of solar energy, diversity of derived forms of solar energy, electricity grids and data collection)

The analysis and understanding the of more obscure fields of solar energy related technology and policy developments is obviously another critical step forward to applying more solar energy in our economy. this section will hopefully expand as more papers are delivered in the future.

Student Prizes – Wal Read Memorial Prizes
Post Graduates Prizes
BILBAO, Jose “PV-Thermal Water Systems as a Retrofit for Near Zero Energy Homes”
Winner   $1500 AUD
BAMBROOK, Shelley  ” Experimental PVT Air System for Dwellings”
Highly Commended $1000 AUD
LHENDUP, Tshewang  “Simulation of a Ground-coupled Heat Pump Combined with Solar Collectors”
Commended $250 AUD
ELLISTON, Ben  “Grid parity: A potential misleading concept?”
Commended $250 AUD

Undergraduates Prizes
BRAZIER, Thomas  “Dependence of installed cost of a 1.5 kW rooftop PV system on module efficiency”
Joint Winner $1,000 AUD
BOEREMA, Nicholas  “Economics of constraints on wind farms – SA”
Joint Winner $1,000 AUD
O’BRIEN, Paul “Exergetic analysis of a steam-flashing thermal storage system”
Joint Winner $1,000 AUD

Wind Power : Solar-e.com Director Garry Baverstock’s personal selection of the Best Papers

At the conference the papers were presented under a number of category headings such as Built Environment, Wind Power, Photovoltaics, Environmental Benefits, Solar Thermal and Economics. Following is our selection of the worthwhile papers and a ranking based on relevance to world situation on Climate Change, the impact on the increased use of solar energy and the quality of the research as presented in the paper.
The best papers, in our opinion, have been listed. This is our opinion, but we are interested in what the solar experts think and any comments are welcome. If we have overlooked a paper or you disagree with our assessment please feel free to offer your opinion. If bona fide it will be published.

WIND POWER

Image of windmills old and new

A comment by Garry Baverstock, A.M. follows each heading.

1. Impacts of Distributed Wind Generation on Distribution Networks

N. K. Roy, H. R. Pota, M. A. Mahmud, and M. J. Hossain

Comment: Wind power needs this technical analysis for it to find its rightful place in the renewable energy mix in Australia.

2. The Economics of Transmission Constraints on Wind Farms – some evidence from South Australia

Nicholas Boerema1, Iain MacGill2

Comment: Good feed back about the effectiveness of wind farms in South Australia

A message from AuSES
People who were not delegates at Solar 2010 (or AuSES members) who would like to access this resource they can apply for access for an annual fee of $140 (ex GST). Please go to AuSES website.

Solar-e.com invites you to leave comments at the end of this article.

Experts who disagree with our rating and choices we invite you to make comment and if enough substance is shown we will reserve the right to change the ranking at anytime or keep the ranking the same.

solar-e.com related links:

http://solar-e.com/knowledge/2009/11/30/green-economics
http://solar-e.com/knowledge/2009/11/24/ethical-investment
http://solar-e.com/knowledge/2009/11/30/employment-opportunities
http://solar-e.com/knowledge/2009/11/30/wave-power
http://www.solartec.iinet.net.au/solare/innovation/strategiesindevelopingproducts.htm

 

Energising South East Asia Conference | Renewable Energy Investments

The  Energising South East Asia Conference and Exhibition will  be the largest sustainable energy expo ever held in Western Australia and is shaping up to be the largest expo to showcase renewable energy and energy efficiency ever held in Australia.

Energising SEA | Renewable Energy Investments image

Energising SEA | Renewable Energy Investments

Around the world, growth in renewable energy investments are now greater than any other form of energy source.

Global renewable energy investments are around $US160 billion and this burgeoning of global effort in green energy is underwriting interest in the Energising South East Asia conference
Asia continues to be the fastest growing market in clean tech, with renewable energy investments now in excess of  $US40 billion. For example, China alone now has 42.3 GW of wind power, and has surpassed the US in terms of total installed capacity of wind.

Australia is lagging behind the world in both renewable energy investments and carbon pricing, as highlighted this week by Prof Ross Garnaut in his first update of the Garnaut Climate Change Review. But interest is strong – as it should be in the nation with the world’s best renewable energy resources.

Recent reports suggest Australia has the potential to produce some of the world’s cheapest renewable energy, and to meet all its energy demands by 2050.

Energising South East Asia Conference :   DETAILS

Prof Ray Wills
CEO
Sustainable Energy Association of Australia
ceo@seaaus.com.au
Mobile +61 (0)  430 365 607