Solar panels work through the "Photo-voltaic Process" - where radiation energy (photo) is absorbed and generates electricity (voltaic). Let's explore it below. Radiation energy is absorbed by semi conductor cells - normally silicon – and transformed from photo energy (light) into voltaic (electrical current). When the sun's radiation hits a silicon atom, a photon of […]
Water heating accounts for 30% of energy consumption, so is a great place to begin cutting back on fossil fuel consumption. What's more, solar water heating can be added fairly easily to homes... Let's explore... There are a number of options for a solar water heater; from purchasing ready-to-roll systems to making your own. The […]
Living in the quaint city of Luneburg has been a mind blowing experience... partly because they've made it such a bicycle friendly city. Let's look at how they actively encourage biking. I'll focus mainly on Luneburg, but you can find similar initiatives in other German towns. If you’re researching how make a city safe for […]
Sustainability, planning, and efficient resource use have seen enormous developments over the past decade, and have given birth to some great examples of city adaptation. Here we'll explore some of the most sustainable cities in the world, and the features that make them so sustainable. First, complexities of the definition of "Sustainability" Sustainability is a […]
The idea of using clean energy always sounded appealing, however high costs meant it simply wasn't feasible for many people. That all changed in 2015 with a drop in solar panel installation costs, which made it easier for home owners to get on board. As a result, 2015 was a record breaking year for the […]
While wind and solar get all the attention, there's a quiet achiever doing big things in the background... Hydro! Here we'll explore the advantages and disadvantages of hydroelectric power... and how it fits into the clean energy puzzle. Hydro is widely accepted as a solution that can be implemented right away. We can dam rivers, […]
As the name suggests, concentrated solar power uses mirrors to concentrate the sun's energy onto one point. Let's explore more... Concentrated solar is fundamentally different from the solar photovoltaic (PV) power in that it uses the sun’s heat to generate electricity whereas concentrated solar often uses a solar-thermal method. Solar PV cells rely on the […]
From Einstein to space shuttles, to modern breakthroughs... the history of solar is an interesting one. Below we'll walk through a brief history of solar energy as it has developed throughout the years, starting back in 1767! If you want to know more about solar, check out these articles: How Solar Panels Work Advantages and […]
The last 20 years have seen massive developments for solar. Let's explore the key advantages and disadvantages of solar energy today. Advantages of Solar Energy 1. Reduced green house gases The first and foremost advantage of solar energy is that, beyond panel production, solar does not emit green house gases. Solar energy is produced by […]