An independent report found that the Church of England concealed a former bishop s sexual abuse of young men for two decades, prompting the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, to call the church s behavior inexcusable and shocking,The Guardian reports. The church colluded and concealed rather than seeking to help those who were brave enough to come forward…
Solar energy is energy that comes from the sun. Every day the sun radiates, or sends out, an enormous amount of energy. The sun radiates more energy in one second than people have used since the beginning of time! Where does all this energy come from? It comes from within the sun itself. Like other stars, the sun is a big gas ball made up mostly of hydrogen and…
Global warming has become a hot topic and is often the driving force behind the need to find alternative sources of energy. Even people who are not overly concerned about environmental issues look to alternative energy as a way to fuel their homes more efficiently. Solar energy has become one of the popular ways to accomplish that goal. Solar panels that produce…
Solar Growth and the ITC The Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) has provided industry stability and growth since its initial passage in 2006. In the last decade, solar has experienced an average annual growth rate of 68%. To learn more about the ITC and its impact on the solar industry, visit our ITC Policy Page. Growth in Solar is led by Falling Prices The cost…
Here at The Climate Reality Project, we’re taking outdated information about climate change and setting the record straight, making sure the most up-to-date climate science is available to our readers. As part of that effort we’re debunking the most common myths about renewable energies. “Myth: Solar energy is too expensive and isn’t affordable for most people.”…
Solar stocks have taken a beating over the past year, and the slump has continued in 2017, with many top companies off by 50 percent or more in the past 12 months. That s a tough pill to swallow for investors who ve watched solar stocks soar in the past due in part to federal tax credits for home solar installation and other incentives to stimulate the industry…
Don Mason/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images The most common type of home solar power system features photovoltaic (PV) panels that convert sunlight into electricity. These panels are typically mounted on the roof and angled to face the sun. When considering whether it makes sense to install your own PV solar system, speak to a qualified and licensed solar professional…
A complete home solar electric system requires components to produce electricity, convert power into alternating current that can be used by home appliances, store excess electricity and maintain safety. Solar Panels Solar panels are the most noticeable component of a residential solar electric system. The solar panels are installed outside the home, typically…
Ever wondered why we can t just stick solar panels on top of cars to fuel them even more cleanly and easily than today s plug-in electric cars? Engineers have actually been working on this challenge for a number of years. The main speed bump has been that the solar panels sized for the top of a car would not be sufficiently powerful, efficient, or large enough…
Required Courses (6) and Training Progression: PV101 or PVOL101 > > PV201L > PV301L > PVOL303 > PVOL304 Program Tuition: $4, 970 to $6, 970* Even though the vast majority of solar photovoltaic applications are now grid-direct, there are homes and industries that need battery-based photovoltaic systems. Through this certificate…
What does a typical solar panel system cost to install? This is a very common question (and rightly so), as cost is very important to all of us. Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer to this question. There are many variables to consider in installing a solar system, including the size of the system, how much electricity you want to produce, what type of…
Solar shingles are installed on a rooftop. Credit: Stellar Sun Shop Solar cells convert sunlight directly into electricity. Solar cells are often used to power calculators and watches. They are made of semiconducting materials similar to those used in computer chips. When sunlight is absorbed by these materials, the solar energy knocks electrons loose from their…
Frequently people want to know how many solar panels they will need based on the size of their home. However, the amount of electricity you use is more important for solar electric system design than the square footage of your home. This is mainly because people’s use of electricity varies in so many different ways. Same House, Different Energy Situations For…
There are three major types of solar panels. As you may imagine, the most effective solar panels have the highest cost. The most effective and most expensive type of solar panel is Monocrystalline, which is constructed from one continuous sheet of silicone. Slightly less expensive, and less effective, is Polycrystalline. These solar panels consist of many individual…
Solar panels can power buildings, cars and businesses. Images Solar cells, which are also called solar panels or photovoltaics, transform natural sunlight into usable energy. Considering the volatile future - and affordability - of fossil fuels and other conventional energy sources, manufacturing solar cells for home or industrial use could prove to be a lucrative…
A push to green India’s vast railway network with solar panels and LEDs also helps passengers and homeless migrants feel safe The pounding of trains running through the night does not disturb the fatigued sleep of the homeless migrants huddled at the foot of the sky bridge at Visakhapatnam railway platform. “It is the dark corners that frighten us, near the water…
In neighborhoods across the United States, more and more roofs are taking on a new addition — and we’re not talking about satellite dishes. Americans everywhere are now upgrading the roofs of their homes with solar panels, once the property of only a select few. Some are motivated by the opportunity to improve their green lifestyle, others by the option to obtain…
Installing solar panels can help you drastically cut your energy costs and they eventually pay for themselves.If you are considering adding solar panels as part of your green home remodel, first consider these basic solar power facts. Solar Power Facts to Consider The term solar energy means to harness the energy of the sun to power your home, i.e. to create…
A rendering of how a solar panel might be mounted as an awning over a door or patio. STORY HIGHLIGHTS System plugs directly into electrical outlet Doesn t require professional installation System should pay for itself in 4 years (CNN) - Imagine outfitting your house with small, affordable solar panels that plug into a socket and pump power into your electrical…
The growth of solar power is continuing its trend upwards and so is the amount of promoted DIY solar panel kits out on web. DIY solar panel kits may seem like the ideal solution as you may initially think it’s going to help cut down on cost; however, this isn’t necessarily the case. Professional solar installers go through a significant amount of training to…
By James Hamilton Bureau of Labor Statistics Sunlight is the most abundant source of potential energy on the planet. If harnessed properly, sunlight could easily exceed current and future electricity demand. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, every hour, enough energy from the sun reaches Earth to meet the world s energy usage for an entire year. Creating…
We can trace all energy used on our planet back to the sourcethe nearest star, our sun. The history of solar energy is as old as humankind. In the last two centuries, we started using Sun s energy directly to make electricity. In 1839, Alexandre Edmond Becquerel (pictured on the right) discovered that certain materials produced small amounts of electric current…
When you purchase equipment from Northern Arizona Wind and Sun, you re getting much more than just the equipment. You re getting full access to a team of professionals that s ready to help you get your system up and running. We will help you during every step of the way from start to finish. Any purchase from us includes technical support for the life of the…
Shout it from the rooftops - America s rooftop solar capacity could be double what scientists previously thought. Experts say the numbers reflect newer, better methods for calculating total solar potential. For figuring out technical solar potential, I think this is a very good study,Mike Jacobs, senior energy analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told…
