Where’s The Tipping Point For Solar Energy?

With all the talk these days about renewable forms of energy, it’s easy to feel like we’re all just waiting around for something to happen. Many people are encouraged by the progress they hear about in the solar energy sector, but remain in the dark as to when it will be become widely and readily available. This confusion is understandable, but the answer is actually quite clear. As this recent Forbes article points out, more and more people will enjoy the benefits of clean, renewable solar energy when we have a grid infrastructure that will allow it to flourish

Of course, updating our energy grid is very expensive. But anyone who understands what’s going on in the world, anyone who worries about the future of his or her children and grandchildren, knows that it’s completely necessary and quite urgent. Besides, this type of project is exactly what our economy needs, something that will stimulate growth and provide job creation on an enormous scale.

Energy companies have already been investing in improvements for years, many of them to keep things running smoothly under stress, avoiding situations where congestion becomes a problem. In many cases, this is accomplished by enabling a grid to adapt to variances, which is exactly what is required for solar and wind to flourish. Because the collection of energy varies, our grid needs to be able to adapt.

Renewable forms of energy also require a grid that stores and transmits energy differently. In the case of solar, many people are finding the solution to be quite simple—just install the solar panels right on the roof! Localized solar panels allow for efficient delivery that can remove stress from the grid instead of adding to it. Contact us for solar Albuquerque assistance.

Even though we know that the benefits of renewable forms of energy like solar are great, we all need to be on board for them to reach a tipping point. States across the country have different attitudes and policies when it comes to energy, but things seem to be moving slowly in the right direction. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan calls for a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent within the next fifteen years.

A new, high-tech power grid will allow Americans to achieve the magnificent possibilities that clean energy like solar can help to provide. As with all powerful movements, however, individuals need to take the first step to loudly proclaim that solar energy is what they want, and more importantly, what they deserve. For residents in Texas or New Mexico, the first step can be taken by giving Solar Solutions a call today.

Could Airplanes One Day Run on Solar Power?

Solar power has continued to make serious strides in adoption and implementation, not only in residential and commercial building applications, but also through full-scale solar farms and even as alternative fuels in other markets. One such market is aviation, where a solar-powered aircraft is currently showing off what is possible with the latest solar technologies.

Currently, the Solar Impulse 2, a solar-powered aircraft designed by a Swiss engineering team, is amid its round-the-world flight, piloted by Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg. The solar plane set out on the first leg of the trip March 9, taking off from Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, and landed 13 hours later in Muscat, Oman. The flight plan will take them around the globe in 12 planned flights, showcasing the potential of solar flight.

The team did not set out to revolutionize air travel, as the current design has significant limitations on speed and payload that make it unviable as a replacement to current aircraft. However, the concepts and basic demonstrations seek to showcase the possibility of solar air travel, and inspire and mobilize public enthusiasm and advance solar power technologies even further.

A recent International Business Times article discusses some of the more revolutionary concepts included in the plane’s design, including improved solar cell technology that has nearly twice the efficiency as conventional solar panels. In addition, the plane is essentially capable of nonstop, continuous flight, thanks to innovative new battery storage methods that allow the Solar Impulse 2 to store energy in reserve for use when the sun is down. This is one of the current stalling points in terrestrial widespread solar energy adoption, and the efforts of pioneers like Piccard and Borschberg are helping to drive further advancement in the field. Please contact Solar Solutions for a free solar energy savings estimate.

While true widespread adoption of solar power in air travel may still be many years off, the Solar Impulse team and other innovators in the industry are clearing the way for solar to take off. Through their work, hopes are high that the technology with further improve and lead to expanded applications for solar energy here on solid ground.