At Green Products, we have come across a product from Cool Earth: Solar Balloons. Cool Earth was created with the mandate of producing electricity using solar power, specifically solar cells. Solar power is not a new concept, but how the sunlight is collected and concentrated is truly unique.

One of the areas of concern with the current flat-panel solar design is cost. Flat-panel designs require metal cases, rigid mounting hardware, heavy glass and large amounts of cell material. The cost per watt for solar panels is generally 5 to 7 times greater than conventional power plants. This is no longer true with the solar balloon system.

One side of the balloon is made from reflective silver Mylar plastic. The other half is transparent to allow in sunlight. The silver material is parabolic-shaped to concentrate the sunlight on to a single point to achieve maximum light concentration. This is why high performance solar cells are used.

With the new design comes and the ability to increase sunlight concentration and reduce expensive solar cell material by 300 to 400 times. This cost reduction will bring the price down to a mere one dollar per watt. To give that some context: a typical flat-panel PV(photovoltaic) system on a residential rooftop is about seven to eight dollars per watt.

Each balloon is eight feet in diameter and can withstand over 100 mile per hour winds. The balloons are linked together in series, with the initial installation able to produce 10 megawatts, enough to power 3,500 homes during the day.

This system is ideal for any of the western states where sunlight is most abundant and is not obscured by long term cloud formations during an average year. During the summer months this type of system could be used as a “peaker” (that is, a peak-use power source) to prevent rolling power outages.

At Green Products, one of the most interesting aspects we see is the way the system is brought together to create a solar power plant and the near elimination of physical limitations on plant installations. Check it out.

Michael

Michael’s concern for our carbon footprints can be found at green products

Today there are many different ways to help save the planet each and every day. People from all over the world have become a lot more conscious and are doing their part to conserve our Earth. One of the best ways to save energy is to make your own solar panels. You might think of this project as a relatively challenging one, but with this guide you will have exactly what you need to get a push off the ground!

The first task that you need to take care of is taking all of the measurements of your roof or your yard. Some people will set the panels up on the roof in order to save space, but others do prefer being able to get to the panels easily when they are in the yard. Make sure you know where the sun is positioned as well. In order for these panels to work, you need to ensure that you are facing them towards the sun.

A set of plans are needed so that you know how to make your own solar panels. The plans are usually purchased online for as little as $10 and will be downloaded right to your hard drive! If you want some more help for your first set of panels, opt for a solar panel help kit. These kits will have a lot of what is needed for you to get started and know what to do in the future. Buy a kit the first time and then do it all on your own the next!

The material list is a vital part of the equation! If you do not have the materials needed then you cannot get started or even finish effectively. The fact of the matter is there are certain things that are needed in order to build the panels. Look over the materials list and see what you already have. Many items on the list are not very hard to find and will not break the bank either.

Building your battery box will be one of the most important steps when you are getting ready to make your own solar panels. If you do not make your box right, you could run into a world of issues along the way. Once the box has been built according to your plans, you will be ready to shop and install the battery. These batteries will be used to power the home at night or in the event of a power outage.

Prior to getting started with a project of this caliber, you will need to employ the help of some friends. It has been recommended that 2 or more people help with this projects. When you want to make your own solar panels, ask some friends to bring over their tools and come help you out. This will save you money and keep you from buying tools you might not need or be able to afford.

You have options and tools at your side when you are ready to make your own solar panels. This is not going to be a difficult project as long as you follow all of the plans and lists that you get. Start today and make sure you get the right amount of panels installed in order to reap the benefits!

Find more information on the most effective alternative energy sources available now! You can begin saving money on your utility bills fast and easy when you start using a solar energy system in your home today!

The terms go green and renewable energy are being used more and more these days? After a bit of research I found out why. It is because at our present rate of consumption of non-renewable energy sources (the experts predict) they will be exhausted within the next thirty years. This is not widely advertised but maybe it should be.

Going green not is only good for the environment, but benefits everyone in that it saves on natural resources, helps the environment, and can save you a lot of that green stuff used to buy your groceries. It is not as hard as many believe it is. There are many simple things you can do that will save energy, the environment, and money, everyone loves to save money.

A good place to start is with your car or truck; keep your vehicle tune up for maximum fuel efficiency. Check your tire pressure regularly and keep them at the recommended pressure as this also maximizes fuel efficiency. When you have many errands to run, sit down the night before and plan a direct as possible route to avoid backtracking. If you have too many stops to remember them in order, make a list in the order of stops.

Now around the house, you can add insulation to cut down on how much the a/c and furnace runs. You can cut down how much they run even more if you caulk drafty windows and doors. To help with our overflowing landfill problems, recycle glass, plastic, paper, and yes, even metals like, aluminum, copper, steel and cast iron. You can actually make money by recycling metals, salvage and metal recycling yards will pay you for scrap metals.

Solar power is an excellent way to save money for the serious minded. Combining a solar hot water heater with solar panels for electrical power, can save as much as 80% on your power bill. Now if you are thinking it will cost you an arm and a leg to implement, you are completely wrong, because with advancements in technology in past few years it is more affordable than you think. Once implemented you could have your money back, in savings, in just a few years. So as you can see it only makes sense.

If you live in the U.S., you can get government credits for switching to solar power and if your system produces more power than you can use, it can be sold back to the power companies. Therefore, I ask you, how you can go wrong. Using solar power can cut your power bill in half or eliminated all together and put green back into your pocket.

The sooner you implement solar electric for your electrical needs the sooner you can reduce your electric bill as well as possibly making money by sell electric back to your electric company. Click here for more details.

In today’s economy, making ends meet is tough. Many are unemployed and those who still have a job are worried about becoming unemployed. So, many are trying to cut costs to try to make ends meet, one place to cut those costs, is on our electric bill, these cuts can last year round. Here are 5 tips you can use to save on your power bill year round with or without the use of wind power.

1. This one thing many over look and should not because it can reduce your power bill considerably. Furnace and a/c maintenance, which can save you money in several ways. First, by having them maintained yearly it will prolong there life thus saving you from a costly replacement bill. Second, it will keep them in top running condition which, will keep them more energy efficient saving you money. Besides having the furnace and a/c serviced regularly, be sure you change the filter every month even if does not look dirty. A dirty filter even if it does not appear to be dirty, will cause the units to work harder cutting down on their efficiency.

2. To help save on your power bill you can turn your thermostat down in the winter when you leave for work and back up again when you get home. If you constantly find yourself forgetting to do this then, you may want to consider replacing your manual thermostat with a programmable one that can be programmed to lower the temperature at a certain time then, raise it, again at a certain time, this way you won’t need to remember to do manually. Whether you do it manually or use a programmable thermostat, the one thing you do not want to do is use extremely low temperatures in inter or extremely high temperatures in summer, as this will cause your furnace or a/c to run excessively to return the house back to a comfortable temperature, thus defeating the purpose.

3. Seal air leaks by taking a trip to the hardware store and pick up caulk and outdoor outlet gaskets (the ones they use behind the outlet covers on outdoor outlets and switches) caulk around doors and windows. Then remove the covers on all the outlets and light switches located on outside walls, and then place a gasket over the outlet or switch then, reinstall the cover. Now take a sharp utility knife and carefully cut off the excess gasket that sticks out from under the cover (they are generally made of foam.)

4. Fewer and fewer homes are built today with real wood burning fireplaces but, if you do have one and use it regularly in the winter, you should also have it and the chimney cleaned once a year. Burning wood can save a lot of money on heat bills in the winter but a heavy build up of creosote can cause chimney fires. If the chimney does not have a screen and cap on it, you should have one put on. Birds will sit on top of the chimney for the warmth, and then be overcome by the fumes, causing them die and fall into the chimney. This can cause smoke to back up into the house.

5. Using wind power to cut the power bill makes sense because, with the technology of today, you can build a roof mounted wind mill for three hundred dollars or less. You can cut you power bill in half or more, depending on how much wind you get, obviously the more wind, the more power is produced, and the less power you will need to buy from the power company. So, when trying to reduce your power bill, consider wind power as a way to cut it in half or more.

With the cost of living rising every day and threat of losing your job, it is even more important to use wind power to reduce your utility bill. Click here to discover affordable ways to use renewable energy sources.

We are ignoring the cheapest and cleanest power source on the planet – our Sun. Natural energy is provided to the Earth by the Sun every day. The energy is easily harnessed by us and it can be used to reduce foreign dependence on oil as well as help the environment. Solar power is untapped energy and that should change.

Energy problems that the Earth faces can be eased by the power of the Sun. Everyone wants to find new and renewable forms of energy, but we already have one available. Solar energy is a great opportunity for our world that we cannot pass. There are numerous reasons why solar energy will benefit the Earth and our society.

First: Solar energy is quite a clean energy source.

Solar energy can reduce pollution quite dramatically by reducing emissions into the atmosphere. Reducing emissions will slow global warming significantly and might just conserve the Earth for future generations. At a minimum, the air we breathe would be cleaner.

Reason 2: Solar Energy is inexpensive energy.

Solar energy can provide most of the electricity needed for most homes, offices, and businesses. The energy is mostly free as well. The biggest expense in concerting to solar energy is in installing the equipment. Solar energy is free after that expense.

Third: The Sun provides us with a renewable energy source.

The will not run out of rays to send us simply because we are using too many of them; the Sun will keep sending rays to the Earth as long as it exists. It is safe to use the energy that the Sun sends our way. Energy that comes from the Sun’s rays is completely renewable. It actually renews on its own!

One of the biggest concerns that people have about solar energy is that they will be without electricity on cloudy days and some areas have long months of cloud cover. Clouds may block out some of the Sun’s rays, but they do not block them out completely; you will just collect less energy on these days. Solar energy is not used in real time; it is converted to electricity and stored in a generator so it can be used as needed. A back-up power source is still recommended, but that would be more secure even than the methods we use today.

Solar power is untapped energy and tapping into it could greatly benefit the Earth and its inhabitants. There are too many compelling reasons to use the Sun’s energy. It gives it to us for free so that we will be able to survive. It might be time to make a switch.

To discover more about solar power and find out how to purchase solar power panels to help the planet by conserving resources, all you have to do is visit the aforementioned website.

Like all tax incentive schemes, you must read the small print first. Some of these incentives only apply to commercial business solar projects. Of course, you are looking for tax information for projects relating to solar power for homes.

Check out the federal government form 5695. With this, you can let them know your costs for installing your residential solar power system. If you are lucky and live in the right state or country, you might even get as much as 30 percent as a tax credit for total costs up to $1,500 for existing homes. This is available all the way through 2010 for home improvements as well. You might also claim a credit for a solar hot water heater system so long as it is in your residential solar power plans. The largest credit amount you can get is $2,000.

The $2,000 cap for solar hot water heaters was recently removed. Those who use solar hot water heating can claim up to 30 percent of the system’s installation cost as a tax credit. This is also the case for solar panels, provided they are in alignment with the latest fire, health and electrical safety codes.

Qualified costs for this tax credit include the money you spent on the solar system and the hardware. Most residential solar kits include the equipment and the hardware you will need to build a complete system. For a DIY residential solar power system, the costs can be less if you know where you shop for your components. You will reap more of the benefit of this tax credit.

Each state also has its own set of tax credits and incentives for residents who invest in solar electricity projects. A database was set up to catalog these incentives for renewable energy sources. It is called DSIRE (Database for State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency). Check it out at www.dsireusa.org.

Taking a look at California for example, the fine city of Sacramento has established a residential energy efficiency loan program for local residents who can now defer their home improvements costs if they involve renewable energy sources. If you are a property owner, you can benefit from one of these loans at good interest rates (just 8.5 percent).

It doesn’t hurt to look and see what your state and federal government is willing to do for you when it comes to saving the planet. Use tax incentives to turn your residential solar power system into an affordable proposition.

Now you can take a break in order to find 125 secrets how to a lot of money by going green!