SPREAD THE WORD

A friend of mine asked me:

Do You Need to Install Solar Panels in Direct Sunlight?

Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels are widely regarded as an ideal method of generating electricity. The materials in the panels, usually silicon, create an electric current when met with natural daylight and this current is then used as standard electricity within properties. The energy is renewable, therefore, considered green. However, many question how effective solar panels are in cloudy climates and wonder whether direct sunlight is, indeed, needed to get the full benefits of the panels.

Daylight not Sunlight

Solar panels use the energy from daylight, as opposed to sunlight, to produce electricity so panels do not need direct sunlight to work. It is photons in natural daylight which is converted by solar panels cells to produce electricity. Heat has no effect on the production of electricity.

This being said, it is true that direct sunlight does provide the best conditions for the panels. However, even in overcast conditions light will diffuse through the clouds and reach the solar panels. Modern solar panels include concentrators which use a system of lenses and mirrors to maximize any light that does reach the cells. As a result it is estimated that solar panels will be 40% as effective in heavy cloudy as they would in direct sunlight. The clearer the skies are the more electricity will be produced.

So if you live in an area that is not the sunniest climate in the world, such as the east coastline  of Lake Michigan, but there appears to be sufficient daylight to ensure that solar panels will work effectively, a solar system may still produce energy for you. It is worth noting that this is true for solar array systems that are feed back into the power supplier. If your array is tied to battery storage, having a long period of sunny weather will create electricity which can be used later on. 

Solar panels will not work at night and the property will still be dependent on electricity from the energy provider. Solar panels will work in winter, even in the Midwest, but of course less electricity will be created as the hours of daylight are considerably shorter than they are in the summer months.

Despite common beliefs, solar panels do not need direct sunlight to work and the weather conditions in the Midwest should not put off potential solar panel buyers. It is energy from daylight, as opposed to sunlight, which powers the panels which means even on overcast days electricity will be generated. There are many questions potential solar panels owners should concern themselves with but the question of the panels needing sustained sunlight to work can be dismissed.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE UPDATE AS GAS REACHES $4 A GALLON

Rocky road for electric car market

The road has gotten bumpier for electric cars.

 As much as I like to report all of the advancing benefits of renewable energies, sometimes you need to report some bad news. Maybe the rising cost of filling up at the pump will renew interest in the EV's.

Coda Automotive, one of what had been a promising crop of electric car startups, filed for bankruptcy protection this month, and said it would reorganize around the electric storage market.

High-end electric car maker Fisker Automotive, which has had financial woes for months, announced meanwhile it was laying off 75 percent of its workforce, raising the prospect of defaulting on US government loans.

Electric cars are still coming to market from luxury maker Tesla, and from major automakers such as General Motors, Nissan and others, but the outlook has become murkier.

Analysts are divided on the outlook, but few believe President Barack Obama's goal of getting one million electric cars on the market by 2015 will be met.

Americans just don't see how an electric car can fit into their lifestyle. We continue to be risk-averse in investing in new technology in our cars. People are aware of the electric cars on the market but there is still a low number of consumers who say they would purchase an electric car. Battery-powered vehicles' share of US auto sales was just 0.08 percent in 2012, and predicts this will reach only 0.47 percent by 2015.

Consumers are held back by a lack of plug-in charging stations, concerns about the range of the vehicle before it needs recharging, and especially the high cost.

Gasoline-powered cars are improving enough to meet the needs of the consumer, without the price tag of electric cars. The lack of range and long recharging times are key factors.

Chevrolet cut production of its Volt last year amid soft demand, and is reported to be working on a less expensive version. Toyota and Honda also scaled back plans for all-electric vehicles for the US market.

There are a few bright spots, however.

Tesla Motors posted its first-ever quarterly profit, of $11 million in the first quarter as revenues rose 83 percent from the prior quarter.

Tesla is banking on its Model S, which sells for upwards of $60,000, by offering special financing and leasing deals with a guaranteed resale price. The car, which has an estimated range of more than 200 miles, was given a top rating by Consumer Reports.

Nissan has boosted sales of its all-electric Leaf to over 5,000 in the first quarter, overtaking the Chevrolet Volt, which has seen sales sputter.

NEW BATTERY ADVANCEMENTS

New batteries can recharge in 10 minutes

Researchers  say they've developed a lithium-ion battery using nanoparticles that has more energy capacity and recharges more quickly.

Scientists report using porous silicon nanoparticles in place of the traditional graphite anodes has yielded superior battery performance, holding three times as much energy as graphite-based designs and recharging within 10 minutes.

This discovery opens the door for the design of the next generation lithium-ion batteries.

The new batteries, which have applications from cell phones to hybrid cars, could be commercially available within two to three years.

Previous silicon anode designs using tiny plates of the material quickly broke down from repeated swelling and shrinking during charging/discharging cycles.

Using this design, porous silicon nanowires less than 100 nanometers in diameter and just a few microns long are used, and the tiny pores on the nanowires allow the silicon to expand and contract without breaking.

This also increases the surface area of the battery, allowing lithium ions to move in and out of the battery more quickly, improving performance.