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Sundrenched News is journalism that delivers the latest solar news and renewable energy innovation pertaining to climate change, social justice, and shifting the world from dirty energy to clean energy.
Saturday, December 29, 2018
Friday, December 28, 2018
Even on Darkest Days, Solar Power Lights Up Duluth
#Solar power is becoming a popular source of clean #energy across the globe, but some worry about how it would work in places that see a lot of days without much sunlight. Nonetheless, out in #Duluth, even on the darkest day of the year, power bills are decreasing thanks to the usage of solar power. Read on to learn exactly how this is happening in #Minnesota.
Solar is Within Reach
Tom Griffin is one person enjoying a reduced electric bill in Minnesota. Below his home in Duluth is an impressive solar array. Duluth averages 185 overcast or cloudy days each year. Additionally, on the Winter Solstice, there is an average of just under seven and a half hours less sunshine than on the Summer Solstice. Nonetheless, solar power is within reach.
Paul Helstrom is the lead for the renewable energy program at #Minnesota Power. He says that even on cloudy days, they are producing at least a small amount of energy. According to Helstrom, roughly 100 customers in the Duluth area have a solar array on their property. There are an additional 150 customers in the greater coverage area of the utility and 98 customers who purchase into the community solar program. Helstrom refers to solar as a phenomenal energy source, and discussed how affordability has changed a lot over the years.
Solar: A Price Worth Paying
As for #Tom Griffin, his 5-kilowatt system (before incentives and rebates) was in the ballpark of $25,000 – this is more than the average homeowner would spend on a solar array – but his electric bill shows just how worth it everything has been. Going solar has reduced his power consumption from the grid a great deal. He was told going solar had the potential to drop the amount of power used by approximately 50 percent.
Griffin was not purely motivated by money in his decision to go solar – he had a career in renewable energy and wanted to make positive changes in his life for the planet. In order to set up his solar array, rock had to be scraped down, anchors had to be drilled, and there was a great deal of engineering involved. The secret to having power even when the sun is not shining is to feed surplus electrons to the grid, and not to only rely on the solar array with a battery. This technique is a very environmentally-friendly approach to solar. How? Because electricity that can’t be stored is not wasted.
There are continuous improvements being made with regard to technology, making having a home solar system tied to the grid beneficial during the Winter Solstice. Helstrom discussed how using solar is allowing people to do things “better than plants” – this is because typical panels are converting roughly 18 percent, meaning 18 percent of photons are being converted into functional electricity. The numbers for photosynthesis come in at roughly 2 percent.
Even though solar system costs fall in the range of $15,000 to a little over $20,000, incentives and rebates can cut the upfront price in half. Moreover, there are other options available, such as buying into community solar projects. There is currently a wait list for a local solar garden.
Continuous Solar Changes for Minnesota
According to a report released recently, “Solar Pathways” from the Minnesota Department of Commerce, the state of Minnesota could generate a large percentage of its electricity from solar and wind by the year 2050 – 70 percent, to be exact. This would be huge, and absolutely worth talking about. Clearly, the state of Minnesota is on a very positive solar path.
Solar is truly becoming a more popular source of energy all across the planet. It is fascinating to learn about the latest projects coming up. The creativity and drive people have to better our planet is palpable, and the changes being made are remarkable. Continue to follow solar news to stay on top of the latest developments – and pay attention to the solar changes coming to your area!
Sources:
https://finance-commerce.com/2018/12/sustainable-batteries-bolster-solar-in-a-first-for-minnesota/
Thursday, December 20, 2018
MIT Study Explains Why Solar Power Costs Have Declined Dramatically
The reasons to use #solar #energy as the number one source for utility production worldwide are numerous, but as solar power develops, one particular perk continues to make solar power even more appealing year after year. Cost for solar power installation over the past four decades has dropped by nearly 99 percent. The reasons for this dramatic drop in cost have not been entirely clear, until now. Researchers at MIT, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy, set out to find what accounts for the declining costs of solar energy and renewable energy utility.
Low-Level and High-Level Solar Mechanism Impacts Evaluated
MIT researchers looked at solar power technology from two primary perspectives in order to understand the reasoning behind the decline in costs. The first focus was on low-level factors, with the second on high-level factors. Associate professor and researcher on the project at MIT, Jessika Trancik, noted in a write-up about their findings on solar power that low-level mechanisms deal with the psychical solar energy products themselves. They would include any sort of costs associated with the processes of solar power production and manufacturing. For example, as technology has developed, solar cells have increased their efficiency in converting sunlight into usable energy. As the efficiency of solar panels has increased, their costs have decreased. High-level mechanisms of solar power production include research and development, as well as economic influence. Examples of high-level factors would include larger factories or solar production, along with their ability to cut down on defective solar cells during production.
The Key Role of Government Policy in Reduction of Solar Costs
In identifying these mechanisms, MIT was able to determine a few necessary components that lead to the decline of solar power costs over the past several decades. Their researchers were able to pinpoint the cause of the savings as being rooted not just in the acceleration of technology, but in government policy. It has only been through governments’ willingness to invest in and form policy around solar technology that has given solar power the room to advance technologically. MIT found that it has been government participation has been a dominant factor in reducing costs and these findings bring to light possibilities for how solar energy can continue to take off worldwide.
According to Trancik, any policy put in place that stimulated market growth, was responsible for around 60 percent of the solar energy cost decline. Trancik noted that these findings play a critical role in the current debate about whether or not solar energy policies actually work. Based on their research, it is clear that government policy and global markets play a role in the reduction of costs. MIT researched stated that various subsidies, feed-in tariffs, and renewable standards were most helpful in the overall reduction of solar energy costs.
The overall implications of the study exemplify the importance of government policy in the implementation of solar power, as well the role governments play in keeping costs low and on the decline. Additionally, the report highlights the need to continually improve solar production processes and manufacturing components of solar and renewable energy.
Solar Energy Policy in the Hands of the Government
Government policy undoubtedly plays a role in solar energy costs, production, and the overall future of renewable and solar energy technologies. Advocates for solar energy can take from these findings a renewed sense of encouragement, as many government leaders worldwide are already jumping on board with solar technology for their own cities, states, and regions. The findings here will also encourage, if not incentivize government leaders, to support solar energy on a larger scale if they have not already. Essentially, by supporting advancement in solar technology, as well as implementing policies that push for the use of solar energy, government officials can reduce costs overall, help provide more reliable and cleaner energy for their citizens, and support a more sustainable energy future for all of us.
Resources:
https://news.mit.edu/2018/explaining-dropping-solar-cost-1120
https://www.sciencealert.com/here-are-the-wonderful-reasons-why-solar-is-cheaper-than-ever
MIT Study Explains Why Solar Power Costs Have Declined Dramatically
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Monday, December 17, 2018
Lund University Researchers Making Solar Panels from Iron to Increase Efficiency and Decrease Costs
#Solar #energy is being buzzed about in nearly every city in the United States, not to mention worldwide, as solar energy leaders and scientists push to find more efficient solar utility methods every year. Down to their very molecular structures, scientists are looking at various components in natural metals in order to determine if a cheaper and more effective method of solar energy can be extracted using such materials.
The latest material and its molecules to be examined for solar energy production is iron. Lund University in Sweden has been working on a solar energy project involving iron molecules and has since stumbled upon some impressive results thanks to their dedicated research.
How Iron Benefits to Solar Energy
Traditional solar cells are often made of various types of metals, sometimes referred to as metal complexes. These metal complexes within solar cells act to absorb solar energy rays, as well as utilize the energy stored. Metals such as iridium, osmium, and ruthenium, for example, are often used for solar cell production and while there is nothing inherently wrong with such metals for solar cells, they are fairly rare and also quite expensive.
This is why the breakthrough with the iron molecule is so pertinent. Researchers at Lund University are hopeful that based on their findings, the iron molecule, in time, may be able to replace these more expensive metals currently used in solar cell production and other solar-based utilities.
Professor of Chemistry, Kenneth Warnmark and his colleagues, have been studying various metals with the intent to replace the standard metals used for solar cell production for quite some time now. Warnmark stated in an interview with Solar Daily that the results of their research show that it will be possible to use iron to replace these more expensive metals, thanks to the advanced molecule design. Additionally, because iron is so common on Earth’s crust, access to the material for solar energy production will not only be far easier, but much more cost-effective compared to former metals typically favored for solar panels. In fact, in the Earth’s crust, iron has a six percent prevalence and is easy to obtain.
Lasting Impacts by Bringing Iron into Solar Energy Production
Researchers at Lund University are now moving forward with studies that will test the development of a new, iron-based molecule to be used for solar cells. Their primary focus has been and will be on optimizing the iron-based solar cells by working with the very molecular structure of iron atoms, according to Petter Persson, a fellow colleague on the project.
This new innovation and the continued tests that will be performed to perfect the use of iron in solar cell production will likely have lasting impacts and contribute to the trend of decreasing costs for solar and renewable energy overall in the coming years. Lund researchers are encouraged overall that they have been able to achieve such tangible and important results so quickly through their exploration and use of iron molecules with the intent to improve solar energy cells. Within a span of just five years, the team at Lund was able to achieve the desired results they had originally set out for when examining the properties of iron molecules. Warnmark mentioned that he believed the entire process of achieving what they have thus far would have taken, “at least ten years.” Their findings offer a promising glimpse into the future of solar energy, as well as open the doors for new technology to be developed that can utilize similar techniques in the field of solar energy and otherwise.
About Lund University
Lund University was founded in Sweden in 1666. It is regarded as one of the world’s top universities, with around 7,400 staff members and over 40,000 students across their various campus locations. The university primarily advocates for understanding, explaining, and improving the human condition, with major focuses on economics, law, medicine, science, fine arts, humanities, and social sciences. Lund University is also home to two of the world’s most widely renowned research facilities, the MAX IV which was founded in 2016, and the ESS which will open for evolutionary neutron research in 2023.
Resources
https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/about/about-lund-university
California Requiring Solar Panels on All Newly Built Homes by 2020
Earlier this month it was announced that the state of California will now require any homes built in 2020 and after to be outfitted with #solar panels. In a historic move, the Building Standards Commission for the state voted in an unanimous decision to add this new provision to California’s already strict solar and renewable #energy goals. Requiring all new homes in 2020 and beyond to be solar-powered is a mandate not yet seen before by any other state or organization in the United States. This is just another move in a series of steps California has taken in order to become a primary leader in solar energy utility production in the nation.
Solar Options for Homeowners
Beginning in 2020, homebuyers in California and those building homes in the state will have several options for implementing solar panels. Homeowners can decide to buy the solar panels upfront at cost, lease the solar panels, or enter into something known as a power purchase agreement with solar developers. Power purchase agreements are common among solar energy providers and the customers they serve. Typically, a power purchase agreement, or an electricity power agreement as it is sometimes called, will outline certain legal conditions between a customer and their solar energy service provider. Most often, non-profit organizations and other similar entities may be able to take advantage of these types of solar energy contracts in order to help reduce the cost of the solar panels overall. Additionally, homeowners may also be able to take advantage of community solar panels, instead of having to install solar panels separately to each individual home.
Solar Cost Savings Over time
Executive Director for the Building Standards Commission, Drew Bohan, mentioned in an interview with National Public Radio that the addition of these panels to homes in the state will save individual homeowners upwards of $19,000 over the time span of a 30-year mortgage. These savings, thanks to the solar panels, will ultimately offset the initial building and construction costs of rooftop solar panels, according to Bohan. The solar panels for new homes may add an additional $10,000 in construction costs for homes up front, but the Building Standards Commission and other California officials are confident that this investment in solar energy panels is ultimately worth it and will balance out, especially as lower energy bills over time add up in savings.
Addressing Real Estate Market Cost Impacts
Earlier this month, a public hearing was held where various concerns were addressed in regard to this new solar energy provision. Many wondered how it might affect the already pricey housing market. Additionally, especially in wake of the recent fires that have devastated portions of California, some questioned if solar panels becoming a requirement might hinder those in the rebuilding process due to additional and newly mandated costs. Cost savings overtime and the long-term impacts solar panels will have for homeowners over the lifespan of their homes have state and energy officials sure that this is ultimately the best possible move for the state, residents, and the housing market as a whole. Officials are determined to work together with real estate developers, industry groups, and local communities in order to help keep costs low.
Working Towards the Bigger Picture
Overall, support for the implementation of solar panels for new homes by 2020 has been largely supported and celebrated by environmental leaders, solar energy companies, and other renewable utility advocacy groups. This unprecedented and bold mandate will be positive for the state of California and its residents overall, as well as set a standard for other states to follow in the future.
California has proven time and time again in recent years that solar energy utility and renewable energy are at the top of the priority list. The state’s position as a leader and example in the solar energy realm only continues to grow with each passing season. These new solar energy provisions, which require solar panels for new homes, are just a small part of a larger picture for the state of California when it comes to solar energy. These and other requirements are intended to push California closer to their ultimate goal of establishing 100 percent renewable utility by the year 2045.
Resources:
https://ift.tt/2RGGGaR
https://ift.tt/2rmGrGf
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