Solar vehicles

Development of a solar powered car has been an engineering goal since the 1980s. The World Solar Challenge is a biannual solar-powered car race, where teams from universities and enterprises compete over 3,021 kilometres (1,877 mi) across central Australia from Darwin to Adelaide. In 1987, when it was founded, the winner's average speed was 67 kilometres per hour (42 mph) and by 2007 the winner's average speed had improved to 90.87 kilometres per hour (56.46 mph).[100] The North American Solar Challenge and the planned South African Solar Challenge are comparable competitions that reflect an international interest in the engineering and development of solar powered vehicles.[101][102]
In 1975, the first practical solar boat was constructed in England.[103] By 1995, passenger boats incorporating PV panels began appearing and are now used extensively.[104] In 1996, Kenichi Horie made the first solar powered crossing of the Pacific Ocean, and the sun21 catamaran made the first solar powered crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in the winter of 2006–2007.[105] There are plans to circumnavigate the globe in 2010.[106]

Helios UAV in solar powered flight
In 1974, the unmanned Sunrise II plane inaugurated the era of solar flight. In 1980, the Gossamer Penguin made the first piloted flights powered solely by photovoltaics. This was quickly followed by the Solar Challenger which demonstrated a more airworthy design with its crossing of the English Channel in July 1981. Developments then turned back to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) with the Pathfinder (1997) and subsequent designs, culminating in the Helios which set the altitude record for a non-rocket-propelled aircraft at 29,524 metres (96,860 ft) in 2001.[107] The Zephyr, developed by BAE Systems, is the latest in a line of record-breaking solar aircraft, making a 54-hour flight in 2007, and month-long flights are envisioned by 2010.[108]
A solar balloon is a black balloon that is filled with ordinary air. As sunlight shines on the balloon, the air inside is heated and expands causing an upward buoyancy force, much like an artificially-heated hot air balloon. Some solar balloons are large enough for human flight, but usage is generally limited to the toy market as the surface-area to payload-weight ratio is relatively high.[109]
Solar sails are a proposed form of spacecraft propulsion using large membrane mirrors to exploit radiation pressure from the Sun. Unlike rockets, solar sails require no fuel. Although the thrust is small compared to rockets, it continues as long as the Sun shines onto the deployed sail and in the vacuum of space significant speeds can eventually be achieved.[110]
The High-altitude airship (HAA) is an unmanned, long-duration, lighter-than-air vehicle using helium gas for lift, and thin-film solar cells for power. The United States Department of Defense Missile Defense Agency has contracted Lockheed Martin to construct it to enhance the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS).[111] Airships have some advantages for solar-powered flight: they do not require power to remain aloft, and an airship's envelope presents a large area to the Sun.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/

Solar electricity

Sunlight can be converted into electricity using photovoltaics (PV), concentrating solar power (CSP), and various experimental technologies. PV has mainly been used to power small and medium-sized applications, from the calculator powered by a single solar cell to off-grid homes powered by a photovoltaic array. For large-scale generation, CSP plants like SEGS have been the norm but recently multi-megawatt PV plants are becoming common. Completed in 2007, the 14 MW power station in Clark County, Nevada and the 20 MW site in Beneixama, Spain are characteristic of the trend toward larger photovoltaic power stations in the US and Europe.

Photovoltaics

A solar cell, or photovoltaic cell (PV), is a device that converts light into direct current using the photoelectric effect. The first solar cell was constructed by Charles Fritts in the 1880s.[62] Although the prototype selenium cells converted less than 1% of incident light into electricity, both Ernst Werner von Siemens and James Clerk Maxwell recognized the importance of this discovery.[63] Following the work of Russell Ohl in the 1940s, researchers Gerald Pearson, Calvin Fuller and Daryl Chapin created the silicon solar cell in 1954.[64] These early solar cells cost 286 USD/watt and reached efficiencies of 4.5–6%.[65]
The earliest significant application of solar cells was as a back-up power source to the Vanguard I satellite, which allowed it to continue transmitting for over a year after its chemical battery was exhausted.[66] The successful operation of solar cells on this mission was duplicated in many other Soviet and American satellites, and by the late 1960s, PV had become the established source of power for them.[67] Photovoltaics went on to play an essential part in the success of early commercial satellites such as Telstar, and they remain vital to the telecommunications infrastructure today.[68]
The high cost of solar cells limited terrestrial uses throughout the 1960s. This changed in the early 1970s when prices reached levels that made PV generation competitive in remote areas without grid access. Early terrestrial uses included powering telecommunication stations, off-shore oil rigs, navigational buoys and railroad crossings.[69] These off-grid applications have proven very successful and accounted for over half of worldwide installed capacity until 2004.[37]

Building-integrated photovoltaics cover the roofs of the increasing number of homes.
The 1973 oil crisis stimulated a rapid rise in the production of PV during the 1970s and early 1980s.[70] Economies of scale which resulted from increasing production along with improvements in system performance brought the price of PV down from 100 USD/watt in 1971 to 7 USD/watt in 1985.[71] Steadily falling oil prices during the early 1980s led to a reduction in funding for photovoltaic R&D and a discontinuation of the tax credits associated with the Energy Tax Act of 1978. These factors moderated growth to approximately 15% per year from 1984 through 1996.[72]
Since the mid-1990s, leadership in the PV sector has shifted from the US to Japan and Germany. Between 1992 and 1994 Japan increased R&D funding, established net metering guidelines, and introduced a subsidy program to encourage the installation of residential PV systems.[73] As a result, PV installations in the country climbed from 31.2 MW in 1994 to 318 MW in 1999,[74] and worldwide production growth increased to 30% in the late 1990s.[75]
Germany has become the leading PV market worldwide since revising its Feed-in tariff system as part of the Renewable Energy Sources Act. Installed PV capacity has risen from 100 MW in 2000 to approximately 4,150 MW at the end of 2007.[76][77] Spain has become the third largest PV market after adopting a similar feed-in tariff structure in 2004, while France, Italy, South Korea and the US have seen rapid growth recently due to various incentive programs and local market conditions.

Concentrating solar power

Concentrated sunlight has been used to perform useful tasks since the time of ancient China. A legend claims that Archimedes used polished shields to concentrate sunlight on the invading Roman fleet and repel them from Syracuse.[79] Auguste Mouchout used a parabolic trough to produce steam for the first solar steam engine in 1866, and subsequent developments led to the use of concentrating solar-powered devices for irrigation, refrigeration and locomotion.[80]
Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. The concentrated light is then used as a heat source for a conventional power plant. A wide range of concentrating technologies exist; the most developed are the solar trough, parabolic dish and solar power tower. These methods vary in the way they track the Sun and focus light. In all these systems a working fluid is heated by the concentrated sunlight, and is then used for power generation or energy storage.[81]

The PS10 concentrates sunlight from a field of heliostats on a central tower.
A solar trough consists of a linear parabolic reflector that concentrates light onto a receiver positioned along the reflector's focal line. The reflector is made to follow the Sun during the daylight hours by tracking along a single axis. Trough systems provide the best land-use factor of any solar technology.[82] The SEGS plants in California and Acciona's Nevada Solar One near Boulder City, Nevada are representatives of this technology.[83][84]
A parabolic dish system consists of a stand-alone parabolic reflector that concentrates light onto a receiver positioned at the reflector's focal point. The reflector tracks the Sun along two axes. Parabolic dish systems give the highest efficiency among CSP technologies.[85] The 50 kW Big Dish in Canberra, Australia is an example of this technology.[83]
A solar power tower uses an array of tracking reflectors (heliostats) to concentrate light on a central receiver atop a tower. Power towers are less advanced than trough systems but offer higher efficiency and better energy storage capability.[83] The Solar Two in Barstow, California and the Planta Solar 10 in Sanlucar la Mayor, Spain are representatives of this technology.

Experimental solar power

A solar updraft tower (also known as a solar chimney or solar tower) consists of a large greenhouse that funnels into a central tower. As sunlight shines on the greenhouse, the air inside is heated, and expands. The expanding air flows toward the central tower, where a turbine converts the air flow into electricity. A 50 kW prototype was constructed in Ciudad Real, Spain and operated for eight years before decommissioning in 1989.[87]
A solar pond is a pool of salt water (usually 1–2 m deep) that collects and stores solar energy. Solar ponds were first proposed by Dr. Rudolph Bloch in 1948 after he came across reports of a lake in Hungary in which the temperature increased with depth. This effect was due to salts in the lake's water, which created a "density gradient" that prevented convection currents. A prototype was constructed in 1958 on the shores of the Dead Sea near Jerusalem.[88] The pond consisted of layers of water that successively increased from a weak salt solution at the top to a high salt solution at the bottom. This solar pond was capable of producing temperatures of 90 °C in its bottom layer and had an estimated solar-to-electric efficiency of two percent.
Thermoelectric, or "thermovoltaic" devices convert a temperature difference between dissimilar materials into an electric current. First proposed as a method to store solar energy by solar pioneer Mouchout in the 1800s,[89] thermoelectrics reemerged in the Soviet Union during the 1930s. Under the direction of Soviet scientist Abram Ioffe a concentrating system was used to thermoelectrically generate power for a 1 hp engine.[90] Thermogenerators were later used in the US space program as an energy conversion technology for powering deep space missions such as Cassini, Galileo and Viking. Research in this area is focused on raising the efficiency of these devices from 7–8% to 15–20%.[91]
Space solar power systems would use a large solar array in geosynchronous orbit to collect sunlight and beam this energy in the form of microwave radiation to receivers (rectennas) on Earth for distribution. This concept was first proposed by Dr. Peter Glaser in 1968 and since then a wide variety of systems have been studied with both photovoltaic and concentrating solar thermal technologies being proposed. Although still in the concept stage, these systems offer the possibility of delivering power approximately 96% of the time.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/

Solar energy

Solar energy refers to the utilization of the radiant energy from the Sun. Solar power is used interchangeably with solar energy, but refers more specifically to the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either by photovoltaics and concentrating solar thermal devices, or by one of several experimental technologies such as thermoelectric converters, solar chimneys or solar ponds.
Solar energy and shading are important considerations in building design. Thermal mass is used to conserve the heat that sunshine delivers to all buildings. Daylighting techniques optimize the use of light in buildings. Solar water heaters heat swimming pools and provide domestic hot water. In agriculture, greenhouses expand growing seasons and pumps powered by solar cells (known as photovoltaics) provide water for grazing animals. Evaporation ponds are used to harvest salt and clean waste streams of contaminants.
Solar distillation and disinfection techniques produce potable water for millions of people worldwide. Simple applications include clotheslines and solar cookers which concentrate sunlight for cooking, drying and pasteurization. More sophisticated technologies concentrate sunlight for high-temperature material testing, metal smelting and industrial chemical production. A range of experimental solar vehicles provide ground, air and sea transportation
source: http://en.wikipedia.org

Solar Renewable Energy - Sun Power

It is no secret that the sun can be harnessed to provide a source of energy for homes and businesses.The sun is a powerful star. It supplies us with energy, through a process called nuclear fusion, and sustains life on our planet Earth. Solar energy, or energy from the sun, has existed since prehistoric times when men would magnify the sun's energy in efforts to start fires. The sun is a valuable resource that radiates enough energy on the United States in one day to meet the nation's needs for one and a half years. Since it is a free, clean and renewable source of energy, it is an energy source that will play a vital role in our future. Using the sun's energy for our energy source seems like an easy solution to having an energy supply forever. Harnessing the suns energy is where the problem lies. The sun's rays shine all over the world and not in just one spot. Although it takes only 8 minutes for sunlight to travel to the earth, trying to catch the rays over such a wide area can prove to be tricky. Also, the energy in any one given place will vary due to factors, such as, clouds and weather conditions. The history of using solar energy began in 1890's when solar water heaters were used in the United States. Solar water heating requires a storage collector and a storage tank. Flat plate solar collectors are mounted on rooftops. Pipes carrying water are pumped through these collectors. The tubes are painted black so they will get hot quicker. As the heat is collected the fluid in the tubes get heated. A storage tank holds the hot liquid. This helps with central heating and cutting fuel costs. Solar heaters became popular when natural gas was expensive and burning wood and coals were burdensome. It's popularity diminished with the discovery of an abundance of natural gas and oil deposits. Now they are making a comeback to replace the depleting fossil fuels that had taken its place. Solar energy can be in the form of heat energy or light energy. The technology of photovoltaic, or PV as it is commonly called, converts the suns energy into electric currents through the use of solar cells. These electric currents can be used instantaneously or stored for later use. The PV cells consist of pieces of silicon under a thin piece of glass. They have both a positive and negative charge. Simple examples of this are the solar powered calculators that are common today. More complex examples are solar panels placed on roofs. This consists of using thin film solar cells as rooftop shingles, roof tiles, and even glazing for skylights. Unfortunately, the cells generate only about one sixth of the sun's energy into electricity. This means bigger arrays are needed and along with this come larger costs. Solar thermal power plants use the sun to heat fluid, which in turn, is transferred into steam similar to fossil fuel burning plants. The steam is transformed into mechanical energy in a turbine and electrical energy from a generator. The downfall is solar plants cannot produce energy on cloudy days. It is expected the next few years will see millions of households using solar energy. As research continues and processes improve, using our sun as a renewable energy source will produce efficiency and cost savings. So, let the sun shine in and take full advantage of this warm energy source where you live.
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Solar Heating Panels Explained

If you look at a modern home today you will see that there is a lot of energy needed. All this energy is needed to keep your house warm and use all the electric equipment or just to shower with warm water. The modern home needs and uses lots of energy and the costs are high. The energy demand is increasing every day world wide and energy prices are rising. For energy plants it is hard to keep up with the increasing demand and this will have its effects for the consumer. It has already happened in states like California where energy demands could not be met and total chaos was the result. The answer for this problem can be found in alternatives for traditional energy sources. One of the alternatives is solar energy. The advantage with this source of energy is that it can be used by a single household through individual systems. The generated energy can be used to complement the traditional hot water supply, if you live in area where sunlight is in abundance it can be substitute the whole traditional electric supply. In many places, including the United States, a solar heating system can give a satisfactorily high percentage (usually between 50 to 75 percent) of domestic hot water energy. In northern European countries, combined hot water and space heating systems can produce 15 to 25 percent of home heating energy. These percentages up to 75% can make a huge difference on your monthly bill.Solar heating system uses the energy of sunlight to provide heat on a certain structure. It can be used to heat water (either for shower or for washing) or a swimming pool, or to supply heat for a heating circuit (usually radiators or floor heating coils) that makes inside the house warm.A solar heating system generally consists of the following components:- A solar heating panel- this panel collects the sunlight that will be converted into thermal energy;- A fluid system- it transports the converted energy from the panel to its point of usage; and- Heat reservoir- this stores some of the heat produced for subsequent use.However, this article will be focusing on the first component, which is the solar heating panel.Solar Heating Panel in WorkSolar heating panels (SHP) are collections of solar cells and solar thermal collectors that are used primarily to capture energy from the sun. It is quite distinctive to the solar photovoltaic panels (SPP) in the sense that the latter is used to provide electricity to the structure. However, SPP and SHP have the same function in capturing energy from sunlight.SHP works by placing it on direct sunlight, preferably on the roof of your house, or on a wall facing the sun. It has the usual solar cells which will convert solar energy into thermal energy, and solar thermal collectors which have a set of metal tubes surrounded by a glass cylinder. It has also a parabolic mirror to concentrate the sunlight on the tube.The heat that is generated will be stored in a hot water tank that will be the source for hot water in case of cold weather condition. For home heating purposes, that hot water tank is connected to an internal radiator or floor heating coils that will provide heat inside the house. The usage of the SHP can really make a difference in the warm comfort in your home. The usage of warm water and the heating of your home with these panels can really make a difference in your monthly bill. This really depends on the place you live on this beautiful planet. Using this system will not only save you money but will keep this planet a beautiful place to live in.
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Take Advantage of Modern Solar Heating Systems

It is no secret anymore that there is need for alternatives for traditional fossil energy sources. The costs for consumers are rising and with the increasing demand for energy the power plants can hardly keep up. A good alternative is the use of solar energy. Through the years and with extensive research it has become one of the most used and reliable alternative energy sources.Solar energy is often thought of as converting solar energy into electricity. But it is not only used to convert into electricity, it is also used for heating. It can be used to heat your home and if you own one, your swimming pool.To convert sun rays into heat you will need to invest in solar panels. The water that runs through these panels are heated and transported to your home heating systems. Now, older model solar panels used to be very inefficient. This has now changed for the better. With the advancement of technology, the panels have now been efficient to collect and convert the sun's energy into heat. Today, modern heating systems can have enough energy to heat the water in your home or even the swimming pool.There are many types of systems available in the market today. These different types of heating control systems commonly work on temperature differential strategies. They work by utilizing two sensors with one located near the panels to heat water and the other is located on or near the water return valve to the panel. To put it in simple terms, one of the sensors detects the temperature of the water that is going to leave the panel and the other sensor will measure the water temperature that is coming in the panel. This process works by setting a predetermined temperature set by the owner that the sensors will wait for. When the water meets the temperature that you set, the sensors will enable the computer to turn the pump on and transfer the water to the location you need it to be. The other sensor located in the return valve detects the temperature of the running water when it is in a specific range of the panel system it automatically shuts off the pump.One of the most important factors in any heating system is temperature control is. You need to be sure to buy a system that has been recommended by your friends who already use solar heating system. Of course you can use the internet as a source of information to get recommendations.Although the benefits are clear there are people who do not wish to install the solar panels because they are unattractive and find that they can literally ruin your landscape. For this problem an answer has been found. You can heat your home using solar energy without solar panels. You can do this by using the concept known as gain. This is used to heat homes without the use of solar panels. It can be very efficient and can save you a lot of money by not buying expensive solar panels. This system works just like a car parked in the heat of the sun with the windows rolled up. When you enter the car, you will experience a blast of heat coming out of the car. The same concept is used in this heating system. In conclusion, solar heating systems are one of the best and efficient ways to heat your home and the water in your home or pool. It can effectively reduce your utility bill by using these systems and can also reduce pollution caused by fossil fuels. With these modern heating systems you can be sure you can cut utility costs and at the same time reduce pollution.
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Advantages of a Sun Powered Battery Charger

A sun powered battery charger is a convenient way of saving money while using natural resources. This transportable battery charger can go almost anywhere. They are easy to operate and do not require a technology degree to set up. Because the sun powers this type of charger, you will always have power available to use. Solar chargers are the wave of the future and they are quickly showing up in households across the world. Sun power is one of the strongest free energy sources available today. By using a solar charger for your batteries and other electrical devices, you will eliminate the need for electricity. Solar power can be used to charge your batteries, but if you have a large amount of solar panels, you can also use solar energy to operate most any electrical device. Even on cloudy days, a solar battery charger will still be able to charge your batteries.Portable solar chargers are smaller and do not offer as much power. They are most commonly used to charge battery packs and other small devices like cellular phones. A portable charger usually consists of one solar cell panel that you can connect to the equipment you want to use. It can take several hours for a portable solar charger to work. You may need to plan ahead and have batteries constantly charging, so they will be ready when you need them.Many people today are afraid to try any new technology. As a society, we have already had to adjust to so many technological ideas that some people just do not want to have to learn about another gadget. However, solar chargers are easy to operate. You do not have to have specific technical skills to use a solar charger. Most portable chargers come ready to use and you simply have to plug them into your device or battery charger.Because solar chargers are so easy to use, they are becoming more and more popular around the world. Backpackers are carrying them on long hiking trips. Car travelers are keeping portable chargers on their dashboards. There are even houses that are entirely run off of solar energy.It can be intimidating to venture into a new technology like solar power. Once you buy your first charger, you will be hooked. Because they are so easy to use, many people end up buying several portable chargers to use with their battery chargers and other small electrical devices. Solar energy is a free source of power, which in today's world of high electric prices, is just what many households are looking for. Try out a portable solar charger for yourself. You will see that they are easy to use and very convenient. First, decide what you want to use your solar charger for, and then get a portable charger that will fit those needs. Having solar energy available is another gift that we should all take advantage of. It does not matter whether you decide to use a portable charger for charging your batteries. You can decide to connect your entire household to solar power. Using a renewable energy source such as the sun is a great start to being environmentally responsible.
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This Is How Solar Energy Works

Sun is the primary source of energy in our solar system. It provides life to billions of living creatures on planet Earth. It is the source of light and provides life. The bountiful and non-exhaustive resource in the form of solar energy is free, available and omnipotent. Humans have harnessed this resource into a usable energy form and are using it to the benefit of the society. Many claim that this energy is going to replace the other form of polluting energy sources in the near future. The process for this change is an extension of human ingeniousness and a fast change of the technology since the 1970s. Historically, the sun has been the only source of energy for all living beings on the planet. With the increase in the consumption of energy in the world today and phenomenon like the greenhouse effect becoming a possible threat to the planet's existence, solar energy and other alternative forms of energies are gaining favor. They are relatively cheaper to produce and do not produce harmful emissions like carbon based fuel sources.So how does solar energy work? The process of converting the rays of the sun into a usable energy form requires conversion, storage and harnessing of the rays in a form which can be used by the energy consuming appliances. The various ways in which this energy is being converted and used depends upon the technology utilized to harness it. For drying out clothes, direct sunlight is enough. For powering satellites, direct sunlight along with a storage mechanism is required. Cars use a combination of hybrid batteries and charge them using sun light. The primary method of using solar energy is to store them in photovoltaic cells. They were first developed in the 1950s for use on U.S. space satellites program. They are constructed from silicon. When sunlight strikes the solar cell, it makes the electrons to move about. The electrons move toward the treated front surface of the solar panel. This leads to an electron imbalance between the front and the back surface of the panel. On joining the two surfaces, a conductor is formed, just like a wire, and current begins to flow. The individual solar cells are arranged together in a PV module and the modules are grouped together to form an array. This current is used to charge cells and this energy is used to light lamps, tube lights and also to drive cars now. The current can also be used to run appliances.Another method of using solar energy is to use curved reflectors to direct the solar rays to a convergence point and then make a current flowing system like a photo cell and store energy. Plants like this are operational in the US and in India. Solar energy is abundantly available in the world and is perhaps the only freely available source of energy, with little or no pollution contribution. Its conversion to usable forms of energy has become possible in recent years and more and more advanced and optimized methods are available to us to harness its full potential. In the energy crisis ridden world, the SUN might once again come to our rescue.
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Solar Energy

The use of solar energy is versatile; it is used for electricity, central heating, hot water, cooking, for producing salt and even for desalination. The energy comes from the sun's rays and is known to be very environmentally friendly. However, when the sun rays enter the earth's atmosphere it is quite dilute. Although the advantages are clear there are also disadvantages. Let's start with the biggest advantage; it is a clean form of energy. To produce electricity or heat you only need the sun rays. There is no need to use fossil fuel in combination with sun rays to produce electricity or heat. You just need a solar energy collector or solar power panels in order to convert the energy into electricity.Another advantage is that it is cheaper than to use traditional electricity for heating. If you are using traditional electricity for heating you can save a lot of money. In return you will get lower electric bills and it also means that you don't have to maintain heaters.If you live in a remote area where there are no power-lines solar energy can be the solution. There are remote areas where power companies have no means to access your home. This great alternative can provide you with anything from heating water, electricity, and even cooking.Another great use is for desalination in areas where fresh, drinkable water is scarce. The brine is evaporated and leaves the salt crystals in the bottom of the basin. The water in turn condenses back in another basin where it is now drinkable. The advantages mentioned above are tremendous but there are some disadvantages. These disadvantages also need to be discussed to paint a better overall picture. The main disadvantage of solar energy is that it's dilute. This means you have to have a lot of solar collectors installed around your house. The energy itself is free, but the solar collectors are relatively expensive and some require regular maintenance in order to work properly and efficiently. If you decide to go solar you need to calculate the return on investment in order to know if the investment will be worth it.One big disadvantage is that you need the sun rays to make use of it. If you are situated in a part of this beautiful planet where there is not much sun light then this could be a problem. In other areas, the sun rays are almost always covered in clouds making solar energy collectors less efficient. You should first know if the sunshine in your area is abundant for the most part of the year. Of course if you live in desert areas like in Arizona or Mexico the sun produces a lot of sunshine for the most part of the.Lastly the sun only shines during the day. Therefore if you need electricity or hot water during the night, like many of us do, it can be a problem. You will need a backup system like the 'old' utility grid or you will need to store the electricity for later use. There are battery systems that can store solar energy for later use. The hot water collected during daytime is often stored in a tank for later use. The modern systems are becoming more sophisticated in storing electricity or hot water. If you are still using your grid, the produced electricity can be pumped back into the grid.Solar energy is very clean and is a good alternative for traditional electricity. Although this is true it is also good to mention the disadvantages. If you are considering using solar energy you must read this first to make a balanced decision.
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