Alternative energy source

A German owned company IMO has set-up a plant in USA that will make the largest solar tracker solar panels to tap solar energy. As per Ruediger Unverzagt and Klaus Pless, respectively the CEO and vice-president of this company, these solar tracker solar panels are the largest in Summerville in South California. IMO is looking forward to commercially sell these solar tracker solar panels. Despite being huge in size, they are very easy to assemble and one can assemble them just outside the building where they are to be installed.

How the solar tracker solar panels technology works

The oversized solar panel is resting on a rotating pole. This solar panel is not stationary but keeps on moving with the sun. This way panel catches maximum solar rays from the sun. Stationary solar panels remain fixed to a single spot. They catch whatever sunlight comes to their direction. But rotating solar panels following the sun’s daytime path can capture 20 or 30% more solar energy. They keep on shifting their stand to capture more and more sunlight. You can compare them with sunflowers: sunflowers change their position with the position of the sun.

Commercial use of the solar tracker solar panels

Though IMO will start the sale of these solar tracker solar panels very soon, similar alternative-energy devices have been sold by the executives of the company at its overseas headquarters. Whereas these executives are not ready to tell how much the figures of the sales are, their business has not reached great heights till now. The machine that can be used for 25 years cost between $100,000 and $200,000 .

The $150,000 grant provided to the company under the state’s Clean Green Energy Incentive Program has got exhausted. Now IMO is hoping that other companies and home owners could take the benefit of existing state and tax credits and finance their project.

How the solar tracker solar panels technology will help

IMO is hopeful that USA will embrace this source of energy because with its help, you can avoid the emission of carbon dioxide by 87,000 pounds that pollutes the air on an early basis due to burning of 34,000 pounds of coal. With the solar tracker solar panels, IMO will not need 42,000 kilowatts of power, equal to the power need by almost four households on an annual basis. It also saves the environment by the same extent as it would if 6,700 more trees are planted or the pollution is reduced by the extent caused by a vehicle traveling 106000 miles.

Size of the solar tracker solar panels

The large solar tracker solar panel that faces the sun and captures energy from its powerful rays is 1,614-square-foot metallic structures and is 53-foot-tall. Due to huge size, this big panel is put on top of the metal column with the help of crane. The manager of renewable energy program with the SC Energy Office, Erika Myres finds the size of this panel on the pole very surprising. As she keeps the track of individual panel projects around the state, she says that panels by IMO are the largest solar trackers in South California and each one is bigger than her first house.

As new generations of solar modules become an increasing challenge for manufacturers, material converters will be called upon for more rigorous adhesives and materials testing. As growth in the solar market continues through 2011, solar panel manufacturers are exploring ways to decrease costs, improve manufacturing efficiency, and meet expectations for longer effective panel lifetimes. Customer demands for 25-year warranties are putting pressure on manufacturers to improve junction box mounting and sealing technologies while also increasing manufacturing efficiency.

Whether a solar panel manufacturer is working with monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, or thin film photovoltaic technologies, junction box mounting and sealing requires:
1) Reliable bonding throughout a range of temperatures and conditions;
2)Solar panels Easy inclusion in the manufacturing and assembly process;
3) Resistance to degradation from UV light and extreme temperature cycling;
4) Very low moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR);
4) Good adhesion to metal, glass, TPT, and fluorocarbons.

New advances in both liquid and tape technologies are providing solar panel manufacturers with a range of solutions for junction box mounting and sealing that can meet their needs.

Solar panels Adhesive tapes including acrylic foam tapes.

Some solar panel manufacturers find that their processes benefit more from mounting junction boxes using adhesive tapes. In these cases, pre-cut rolls of double-sided adhesive tapes are used to eliminate the time-consuming application of liquid adhesives, the investment in dispensing technology, and, above all, the time required for the liquid adhesives to cure. In addition to slowing down production in their processes, the effects of discovering a problem might mean hundreds of panels could be rejected and scrapped.

Liquid adhesives Solar panels

Liquid adhesives have been used in junction box mounting since the industry’s beginning.  They provide for strong durable bonds with good resistance to temperature extremes, plus high moisture resistance. Moisture intrusion into the electrical connections within a junction box can cause tremendous damage. Liquid adhesives can be used with junction boxes for both potting and mounting and sealing.

Silicone RTV is a traditional potting and mounting adhesive, applied both manually or as part of an automated dispensing process. Silicone RTV (room temperature vulcanization) has good moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) plus the following characteristics:
1) Bonds to glass, metals, coated materials, and plastics;
2) able to withstand UV radiation and harsh weather resistance;
3) Has a flexible joint to withstand movement and temperature cycling;
4) Has high long-term durability;
5) Heat resistance from -40&#176C to +150&#176C.

Because liquids may be incorporated into dispensing stations to provide an in-line manufacturing solution, they can help reduce materials costs and processing time through automation. Automated adhesive dispensing equipment eliminates the possibility for error in manual or semi-automatic processing. Processing systems in automated dispensing arrangements can minimize excessive adhesive application and waste or residue.

New advances in silicones for junction box potting and mounting are now offering fast-fixturing — with fixture strength in just two to three minutes, and handling strength in under twenty minutes. Elasticity for these silicones has also been improved to provide more flexibility for mounted junction boxes. In addition to faster curing at room temperature, silicones provide a water proof seal with strong adhesion to back sheet material such as PVF and PET.

In reference to edge seal applications, research is continuing into the use of molten/liquid butyl in addition to two-part silicone liquids. Liquid butyl can allow for accurate and repeatable application to panel edges.

Liquid structural adhesives, elastomers, and thermally and electrically conductive adhesives and materials are undergoing continuous research as panel manufacturers investigate new technologies for meeting customer warranties and streamlining production time, effort, and costs.

While silicone RTV provides many advantages for mounting and sealing, there are also familiar drawbacks:
1) Curing times can run anywhere from 10 minutes, to several hours, to days, and this can slow down the panel manufacturing process;
2) Silicone RTV use can be messy (even with dispensing equipment) and time and labor devoted to clean-up can be significant;
3) Inconsistent application (even using dispensing equipment) can also cause quality, durability and WVTR issues.

Junction Solar panels box mounting and sealing

Historically, there are two primary ways to mount and seal a junction box (see Figure) using adhesives: liquid adhesives, such as silicone RTV, or adhesive tapes, such as acrylic foam tape. Both mounting and sealing methods have their pros and cons.

Polyethylene and polyurethane foam tapes.

 Polyethylene (PE) and polyurethane foam tapes have long been used by solar manufacturers for edge and frame sealing and for attaching junction boxes. These tapes are made in different grades and thicknesses. Typical thicknesses are  0.8mm, 1mm, and 1.55mm, with a thickness on tolerance of ±20%, which is normal for a blown foam.

The compressive strength of PE foam tapes, however, is low. Cell rupture can occur with very little force and foam cells don’t recover well from compression. The internal cohesive strength of foam is poor and tears can occur. Flex strength during elongation and maximum static load are also low. When subjected to repeated expansion and contraction as a result of high and low temperature exposure and cycling, as well as being used with different materials like glass, aluminum, and plastic, the foam will degrade and break down over time leading to leakage and water absorption.

PE foam tapes are coated on both sides with adhesive using a transfer lamination process. The foam is corona treated so the adhesives will key into the foam. The transfer lamination process gives a variance in the performance of the tape. The quality and consistency of the corona treatment of the foam and the control on the lamination process can affect tape performance. Delamination of the adhesive can occur when these processes are not controlled properly.

PE tape is very useful in applications where gap filling is required and the bond is not subjected to a lot of stress. PE tapes are easily applied and can fit well into the typical solar panel manufacturing process. They are also cost-effective materials.

There have been issues with PE foam tapes in solar applications where the foams fail after eight to nine years of service life. Selecting the appropriate materials is a critical decision for solar manufacturers whose products are expected to last longer than 25 years.

Solar panels Acrylic foam tape.

 High strength acrylic foam tape provides an attractive alternative for solar applications. The acrylic looks and feels like foam but in most cases, is an acrylic with air bubbles and glass beads injected into it. It also gives the tape a viscoelastic effect that will stretch and retract to its original shape without breaking the bond. This provides the excellent expansion/contraction capabilities necessary for solar use without any adhesion loss.

The tapes have excellent load bearing characteristics with conformability, high tensile strength, high shear and peel adhesion, and have high resistance to plasticizer migration. Several manufacturers have tapes that have UL 746C recognition. Acrylic foam tapes also have excellent durability as well as solvent and moisture resistance.

Additionally, acrylic foam tapes can resist very high wind forces and snow loads. In addition, they are more than capable of withstanding very high UV exposure for long periods without degrading or discoloring. Unlike PE foam tapes, they withstand temperature extremes: -40°C to +160°C.

Relative shear strength is very high, adhesive strength tensile in N/cm² is 110, with an adhesive strength 90° peel N/10mm of 35.0. Standard slitting tolerance is ±1/32″ (0.8mm) with precision slitting tolerances of ±1/64″ (0.44mm). The tape can be die-cut in limitless shapes and sizes.

Acrylic foam tapes also deliver moisture, dust, and air sealing for frame bonding, edge sealing, and junction box mounting. The tape can be precision die-cut for use as a gasket for a wide range of junction box sizes and shapes. It bonds well to polycarbonates, PPE, and other thermo-plastics.

Eliminated curing time allows some manufacturers to keep the production line moving — there’s no need to wait for liquid adhesives to cure.

The selection of the appropriate junction box sealant technology will always depend on the specific manufacturing process. Tapes offer new possibilities for solar panel manufacturers. However, like every option, it has its drawbacks, the largest being its higher cost.

Role of the Solar panels materials converter

The role of the converter is to help solar industry manufacturers select the best sealing and mounting solutions for their materials and manufacturing process. In many cases this can include a combination of both liquid and tape adhesives, especially in junction box mounting and sealing where the trend is toward larger and heavier junction boxes. In such a case, the tape might be recommended to hold the junction box in place while the silicone RTV is also applied.

A converter can be a problem solver as well, from coming up with the latest advances in liquid or tape adhesives, to making recommendations and researching new formulations for specific characteristics.

A converter with extensive materials and adhesives expertise and in-depth knowledge of the solar panel manufacturing industry will be able to work closely with the manufacturer’s design engineers and process engineers to develop and implement a solution that is cost-effective and durable, able to meet the 25-year performance guarantees that may be required, no matter how harsh the operating environment.

For the answer to that question we can rely on the wisdom of the ages:

A wise man once said that in order to know where we’re going we need to know where we’ve been.

So let’s follow that wise man’s advice and take a look at the history of solar power.

To keep this as simple as possible, we’ll break things down into three easily digestible portions based on the three main types of solar:

1. Passive solar

2. Solar Thermal

3. Solar Electric (Photovoltaics) Read the rest of this entry »

Bill Gates fund a project financed by Ghana, which provides for the protection of human life products, kghanke into kensadizelayin and methane fuel.

The project, which received a 1.5 million dollar grant from Gates Fund, the Columbia University professor Kartik Chandrane, Waste Enterprisers-with.

The Gates Foundation says that the human kghanke is a “high energy value of concentrates of organic material.”

“Chandrann and his colleagues are studying the possibility of human artatoranki organic components into a useful fuel,” said Representative Gregory Lembe fund, adding that it is not only alternative energy source may be, but also prevent the environment being the source of infection for various activities, products emissions .

According to Gates Foundation, half of the population in developing countries (about 2.5 billion people) does not have an opportunity to sanitary facilities, the Inopressa-in.

“1.2 billion people, the” open excretion “, ie, they generally do not have sanitary facilities, while 1.3 billion people use unsafe facilities,” the experts report.

American Livermor residents are preparing for the anniversary of the world’s oldest bulb has 110 years, it works without failures. 4 watt power overhead, which is located in Livermori warehouse fire, appeared in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s oldest operating lamps, reports The Telegraph-h.

Citing sources in the city in 1901 on the overhead to a business: the heart of the city residents remember the days when an oil lamp does not ignite, because the hosankazrkman born Livermorits Lynn Ouensi energy expert said, is confronted by a mysterious overhead scientists deadlock.

“No one knows why the usual 4 110 watt power overhead will not be spoiled during the year, scientists from different countries come to our city to look for that overhead, but none of them has been able to put forward more or less clear hypothesis,” he said. he said.

City residents are not allowed scientists to manually touch the lamp.

Wind Energy and Wind Power

Wind is a form of solar energy. Winds are caused by the uneven heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the irregularities of the earth’s surface, and rotation of the earth. Wind flow patterns are modified by the earth’s terrain, bodies of water, and vegetative cover. This wind flow, or motion energy, when «harvested» by modern wind turbines, can be used to generate electricity.

How Wind Power Is Generated

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Solar panels are typically constructed with cystalline silicon, which is used in other industries (such as the microprocessor industry), and the more expensive gallium arsenide, which is produced exclusively for use in photovoltaic (solar panels) cells. For very important solar projects, such as space probes that have to rely on  solar energy, very-high efficiency solar cells are constructed from gallium arsenide by a process called molecular beam epitaxy. Solar cells & solar panels constructed by this process have several p-n junction diodes, each designed to be maximally efficient at absorbing a given part of the solar spectrum. This solar panels are much more efficient than conventional types, but the process and materials involved make them far too expensive for everyday applications.

The newest solar panels function on the molecular or quantum level, and represent an exciting new technology coming intoplay.These solar panels are created by implanting carbon nanotubes or quantum dots into a treated plastic. Unlike silicon-based solar panels, these solar panels do not have to be constructed in a clean room, and therefore production costs are somewhat dimished. Other, more efficient solar panels are assembled by depositing amorphous silicon alloy in a continuous roll-to-roll process. The solar cells created from this process are called Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells, or A-si. Solar Panels constructed using amorphous silicon technology are more durable, efficient, and thinner than their crystalline counterparts. Read the rest of this entry »

Read the rest of this entry »