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Steven Chu Depart of Energy-
About This Video
Run time: 59 minutes
Dr. Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy, will talk about accelerating innovation to help meet our energy and climate goals at a National Press Club luncheon on Monday, November 29. As United States Secretary of Energy, Chu, is charged with helping implement President Obama’s agenda to invest in clean and renewable energy, end the nation’s addiction to foreign oil and address the global climate crisis. Chu was co-winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1997. Prior to his appointment, Chu was director of DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, and professor of physics and molecular and cell biology at the University of California. Previously, he held positions at Stanford University and AT&T Bell Laboratories.
Global Warming and Climate Change is Science the GOP can’t wish away- Step away from the Monetary Feed Trough filled by Big Oil and Big Coal
Suggestions for the Republicans in Office:
Get with the Program and push yourself away Monetary Feed Trough; supported by the Big Oil and Big Coal Campaign Donations, it is clouding your Judgment on Global Warming / Climate Change.
The Fog in your Head is being caused by the CO2 emissions from Fossil Fuels
The Donations have Clearly Altered Your Perceptions that: Fossil Fuels are not Destroying our Planet.
See for Your Self and determine which Politician in your States Elected Officials- whose side of the Bread gets Buttered by the Big Oil and Big Coal Companies at: http://dirtyenergymoney.com/view.php?type=congress(Missouri's Roy Blunt made the Top 5. (That's sure something to be proud of-NOT!))
It obvious that the Republican Party is not interested in Creating Jobs-yet so many Americans are out of Work-WTF? Is not a portion of your Pay Check created by the Taxes levied against our Pay Checks? Maybe Americans should claim Exempt on their W4's?
Food For Thought: What if the Political Leaders Pay Checks were determined by the Performance of their Actions or Lack of Actions in the Congress and Senate. I bet many would be singing a different tune.
Mark my Words: Lack of Bi-Partisanship will be a factor in the Next Election
Republicans supposedly support Business Growth- How much will a Business Grow if the Un-Employed can't buy any products?
I encourage everyone to contact your Leaders in the House and Senate, use the following web link to find your Elected Officials Contact Information and Let them know your Thoughts. They are supposed to Listen to their Constituents.
Science the GOP can't wish away
By Sherwood Boehlert
Friday, November 19, 2010
Watching the raft of newly elected GOP lawmakers converge on Washington, I couldn't help thinking about an issue I hope our party will better address. I call on my fellow Republicans to open their minds to rethinking what has largely become our party's line: denying that climate change and global warming are occurring and that they are largely due to human activities.
Why do so many Republican senators and representatives think they are right and the world's top scientific academies and scientists are wrong? I would like to be able to chalk it up to lack of information or misinformation.
I can understand arguments over proposed policy approaches to climate change. I served in Congress for 24 years. I know these are legitimate areas for debate. What I find incomprehensible is the dogged determination by some to discredit distinguished scientists and their findings.
In a trio of reports released in May, the prestigious and nonpartisan National Academy concluded that "a strong, credible body of scientific evidence shows that climate change is occurring, is caused largely by human activities and poses significant risks for a broad range of human and natural systems."
Our nation's most authoritative and respected scientific body couldn't make it any clearer or more conclusive.
When I was chairman of the House Committee on Science, top scientists from around the world came before our panel. They were experts that Republicans and Democrats alike looked to for scientific insight and understanding on a host of issues. They spoke in probabilities, ranges and concepts - always careful to characterize what was certain, what was suspected and what was speculative. Today, climate scientists - careful as ever in portraying what they know vs. what they suspect - report that the body of scientific evidence supporting the consensus on climate change and its cause is as comprehensive and exhaustive as anything produced by the scientific community.
While many in politics - and not just of my party - refuse to accept the overwhelming scientific evidence of climate change, leaders of some of our nation's most prominent businesses have taken a different approach. They formed the U.S. Climate Action Partnership. This was no collection of mom-and-pop shops operated by "tree huggers" sympathetic to any environmental cause but, rather, a step by hard-nosed, profit-driven capitalists. General Electric, Alcoa, Duke Energy, DuPont, Dow Chemical, Ford, General Motors and Chrysler signed on. USCAP, persuaded by scientific facts, called on the president and Congress to act, saying "in our view, the climate change challenge will create more economic opportunities than risks for the U.S. economy."
There is a natural aversion to more government regulation. But that should be included in the debate about how to respond to climate change, not as an excuse to deny the problem's existence. The current practice of disparaging the science and the scientists only clouds our understanding and delays a solution. The record flooding, droughts and extreme weather in this country and others are consistent with patterns that scientists predicted for years. They are an ominous harbinger.
The new Congress should have a policy debate to address facts rather than a debate featuring unsubstantiated attacks on science. We shouldn't stand by while the reputations of scientists are dragged through the mud in order to win a political argument. And no member of any party should look the other way when the basic operating parameters of scientific inquiry - the need to question, express doubt, replicate research and encourage curiosity - are exploited for the sake of political expediency.My fellow Republicans should understand that wholesale, ideologically based or special-interest-driven rejection of science is bad policy. And that in the long run, it's also bad politics.
What is happening to the party of Ronald Reagan? He embraced scientific understanding of the environment and pollution and was proud of his role in helping to phase out ozone-depleting chemicals. That was smart policy and smart politics. Most important, unlike many who profess to be his followers, Reagan didn't deny the existence of global environmental problems but instead found ways to address them.
The National Academy reports concluded that "scientific evidence that the Earth is warming is now overwhelming." Party affiliation does not change that fact.
The writer, a Republican, represented New York's 24th District in Congress from 1983 to 2007. He is a special adviser to the Project on Climate Science.
In this 7 part series on Saving Money on Home Energy Use-age is brought to you in conjunction with: Dariusz Rudnicki. Part 1 of 7 Maximizing your HVAC System Efficiency
Maximizing Your HVAC System Efficiency
Energy is not just the monthly bill you have to pay each month; it is the foundation of everything you do and the life to everything you have.
But with the increasing cost of energy, it cannot be denied that we need to take important measures to limit our energy consumption.
Saving energy becomes a must and a habit that everyone should seriously adapt.
Let us break apart a typical household monthly energy bill (the following are just approximate numbers);
43% goes to the heating and cooling systems
37% goes to lighting, electronics and other appliances
12% goes to heating the water
8% goes to the refrigerator
Take note of this power distribution to know where exactly you can maximize your savings.
Since over 40% of your energy bill goes for your heating and cooling systems, let me show you how to maximize your savings here:
1. Have your heating and air conditioning system serviced by a known and TRUSTED professional on (at least) a seasonal basis - this will help to lower energy cost and it will keep you safe!
If you have a 15-20+ year old forced air gas furnace, ask for its heat exchanger evaluation! Compromised heat exchangers may lead to Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.
2. Clean (if they are the cleanable type) or replace your air filters every one to four months - this time span depends on the filter type installed in your forced air HVAC system.
A contaminated air filter blocks air flow and forces the system to work much harder in order to provide the same output. You might have your HVAC system air filter access installed in your attic or crawlspace and you don't even remember that it needs replacement on a regular basis.
Replacing your HVAC system air filter on regular basis can lower your monthly heating / AC bill by up to 25%.
3. Clean baseboard heaters, radiators, air ducts, and air registers as often as necessary; make sure that they are working properly. Ensure that they are not blocked by drapes, carpeting, and / or furniture.
If you have furry pets in your home, your cleaning efforts will need to double or even triple.
4. Bleed air from the hot water heating system radiators before and during the heating season to maximize their performance. Touch their surface, heat should be distributed evenly.
If they are cold or lukewarm, make sure that their valves are fully open, and if that does not help - bleed the air.
5. Always set the thermostat at a comfortable level - do you really need to make a freezer out of your home and wear a sweater during the summer? Are you opening the windows during the winter because it is too hot in your home?
6. Make sure the thermostat is free of dust and installed in a strategic location - far from heat sources, door / window openings and ventilation ports.
Utilize programmable type thermostats - they are not much more expensive (some even cheaper) than the regular, old fashioned ones, and they can save you up to $180 in yearly heating and air conditioning bills.
7. Prepare the humidifier(s) before the cold season. Properly operating whole house units that are attached to the central air heating system make your life more comfortable.
By slightly increasing the humidity in your home, you will be able to lower the thermostat temperature, while still feeling comfortable and saving energy at the same time. However, not every humidifier will save you money - do some research and pick Energy Star rated humidifiers.
I can personally recommend one by Desert Spring; it is extremely energy efficient and performs well in my house - this is going to be its third winter. Honeywell TrueSTEAM whole house humidifiers are also a great choice.
Keep the humidity level below 50% to avoid condensation buildup and mold growth - you should be OK at the 35%-40% level.
8. Clean the AC condenser and the "A" coil as needed - this will dramatically improve their efficiency, thus lowering your energy bill.
9. Make sure that the immediate area surrounding your AC condenser is open - no shrubs, vines, or anything else blocking air movement. Putting a deck over your AC condenser is not a good idea, either.
10. If you are planning to upgrade your HVAC system, do some research first. Look for the Energy Star label when choosing your appliance.
All of the above will save you a lot of cash every month and you can do it with little or no money out of your pocket... well, except for a professional servicing of your HVAC equipment.
Look out for the Part 2 of "How to Instantly Reduce Typical Household Energy Consumption" E-Course coming to you in a few days. I will be talking about making your house shine for 1/4 of your current cost.
For more details about HVAC energy savings and tons of other energy saving tips that will immediately and dramatically improve your home's efficiency, check my 100% Risk-Free E-Book - "How to Instantly Reduce Typical Household Energy Consumption"
By Mark Scanlon, CEO of Sedona Energy Labs | November 23, 2010
Dual-axis tracking systems generate more power than fixed arrays by continuously positioning the PV array so that the incident angle of solar energy is 0°.
While a tremendous amount of research and funding is going into trying to increase the efficiency of photovoltaic cells by a few percentage points, there is a readily available solution that yields a 40% increase in produced power today - dual-axis tracking [1]. By simply moving the PV array so that it is aligned with the sun throughout the day and seasons, you get a large boost in produced power at a small incremental cost. Of course the cost depends on the design of the tracking system. In today's market, this cost ranges from under a $1.00/produced watt, to around $3.00/produced watt.
We are talking about produced watts rather than rated watts.
One of the drawbacks of most dual-axis trackers has been the pole-mounted design. A better design would be lightweight, low wind resistance, and no requirement for an extensive foundation to support it.
The key to understanding the benefits of tracking is the significance of the incident angle, the angle at which the sun's rays strike the PV array. To see how the incident angle affects solar intensity and power production, we use the formula Intensity = Constant x cos Θ where Θ is the incident angle measured from perpendicular (Fig. 1). So intensity is at its maximum when Θ = 0−this is when the arriving energy strikes a PV panel perpendicularly. The greater the incident angle, the smaller the amount of energy reaching the panel.
Figure 1. Illustration showing the significance of the incident angle with respect to solar intensity and power production.
Another consequence of a large incident angle is reflection. As the incident angle increases, the glass on the front of the PV panels begins to reflect energy away from the panels, reducing the power produced. The combination of reflection and reduced available surface area is why fixed solar systems produce very little power in the morning and afternoon. Figure 2 is a representational daily energy production graph for a fixed array.
Figure 2. Representational daily energy production graph for a fixed array.
For a fixed array, the incident angle changes throughout the day, from highly acute to highly obtuse. The result is that very little energy is produced during the morning and afternoon.
Tracking Increases Solar Array Performance
An optimally aligned dual-axis tracking system produces about 40% more power than an optimally aligned fixed-frame system [1]. Because it can tilt on both azimuth and zenith axes, a dual-axis tracking system follows the sun daily and seasonally, always positioning the solar array so that it optimally faces the sun.
Figure 3 illustrates the way dual-axis tracking works compared to a fixed frame. The figures were made by rotating a 3D digital model to capture different views of the panels.
In Fig. 3a, we see a fixed-array on the left and a dual-axis tracking system on the right. They are both set to true South and we can see that the lines representing the sun's rays coming into each array are at the same angle from horizontal. (This is a parallel projection so the panel shapes are distorted.)
Figure 3. Illustration of dual-axis tracking: a) a fixed-array and a dual-axis tracking system both set to true South; b) panels tilted toward the sun in two directions, South and East; c) a view of the angle from the tracking array side; d) view from the fixed-array side
In Fig. 3b, we see that the panels in the tracking array are tilted towards the sun in two directions - South and East, and we see that the incident angle is 0° for the tracking array and greater than 0° for the fixed array. Note that changing from a parallel projection to single-point perspective corrects the panel shapes, but distorts the parallelism of the rays.
In Fig. 3c we can see the angle from the tracking array side. The tracking array is tilted toward the South so, again, the incident angle is 0° and the array is generating maximum power.
Figure 4. Representational graph of the power produced by a dual-axis tracking array superimposed over the graph of a fixed-array.
Looking at Fig. 3d from the fixed array side, we see that the incident angle is greater than 0° for the fixed array, so it is receiving less than full solar energy. When we combine the North/South and East/West "errors" for the fixed array, the decrease in the energy the array is receiving is significant.
Figure 4 is a representational graph of the power produced by a dual-axis tracking array superimposed over the graph of the power produced by a fixed array. The area between the curves represents the additional power generated with dual-axis tracking.
Shading and Spacing
Shading, spacing and the aspect ratio of PV panels are interrelated considerations for tracking systems. In the early morning and late afternoon when the sun is low in the sky, the panels in an array would have to stand almost vertically to directly face the sun. As the panels in the array rotate up from horizontal, they create a higher and higher profile. This profile on one panel eventually causes shading on the panel behind it. The closer the rows of panels are together, the sooner shading will occur. While the rows of arrays could be spread far apart, at some point shading will always occur as the sun approaches the horizon.
Figure 5. The InteliTrack Balanced/Frame design. The actuator moves the array in the north/south plane and the pivot bar (attached to bottoms of triangles) moves the array in the east/west plane.
Backtracking is used to mitigate shading. It is done by rotating the panels back from their optimal position facing the sun. This creates a small incident angle, but allows the array to produce more power than if the panels were slightly shaded.
Financial Impact of Dual-axis Tracking
Because dual-axis tracking generates 40% more power from each panel, you can achieve the same power output with 29% fewer panels, frames and so on, which reduces a project's upfront costs and offsets to a great extent the additional cost for tracking hardware [2]. On the other hand, you can use the same number of panels as originally planned and generate 40% more power and higher revenues. This reduces the project's payback time by a little less than half and also increases the overall return on investment (ROI), depending on the financial specifics of the project.
Better Tracker Design
One of the drawbacks of most dual-axis trackers has been the pole-mounted design. Most tracking systems are pole-mounted in a manner similar to satellite or radar dishes. Because the array is hung from a single point, gravity is always trying to pull them over and their wind load factor is quite high. This requires heavy-duty mechanisms to hold and position the array and massive, heavy concrete foundations, heavy-duty earth moving equipment and cranes to set the array in place − all increasing the cost of installation. Another disadvantage to pole mounting is the height which can be anywhere from 12' to 20', forcing the arrays to be widely spaced to avoid shading.
A better design would be lightweight, low wind resistance, and no requirement for an extensive foundation to support it. One solution is the InteliTrack (Fig. 5), which holds the PV panels in balance, like a gimbaled ship's compass, allowing the panels to tilt in two directions around their own axes. This design eliminates the need for a huge foundation since there is no stress from gravity or a high wind load on the supports. It is made of aluminum so it is lightweight and, without a heavy foundation, suitable for rooftops and parking lot shade structures as well as for large ground-mounted utility projects. Wind loading is greatly diminished because of its low profile and the fact that the panels can be louvered to present only a thin edge to the wind.
Acknowledgments
InteliTrack and Balanced/Frame are trademarks of Sedona Energy Labs.
References
1. Percentages derived using the NREL Solar Advisor Model tool by using identical input data, but varying the type of system among fixed frame, single-axis tracking and dual-axis tracking.
2. Panel reduction is derived by the formula: 1 - (100% /(100% +40%)) = 28.57%, where 40% is the increase in power production. Mark Scanlon received a BA degree in biology from Northern Arizona U. and has done graduate studies in electrical engineering at Northern Arizona U. as well as graduate work in solar and sustaining design at the Wright Ingraham Institute (under full scholarship). He is CEO of Sedona Energy Labs, 2225 N Gemini Dr., Flagstaff, AZ 86001 ph.: 928-863-3245; mark@sedonaenergylabs.com.
In a video highlighting a project the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) completed in Burundi, Bob Freling states that he believes access to energy is a human right. Do you agree?
New Hampshire, USA – Just imagine taking your sick son or daughter to the hospital after dark and having the doctor examine the child by candlelight. Or walking 10 miles to the hospital for treatment after being bitten by a rabid dog and discovering that the vaccination you need is located an additional 100 miles away in a facility that can stock it because it has refrigerators.
That was the situation at the Village Health Works clinic in Burundi, where the sick often lay suffering in the dark and frustrated doctors had to consider the cost of running the diesel generator before turning it on in order to supply oxygen to a dying patient. "All of those discussions that you never want to have as a doctor," said to Dr. Sri Shamsuner, a visiting physician from the University of California.
Then SELF stepped in.
The organization, with the help of partners, volunteers and supporters, installed a 10 kW solar array and battery bank to provide power to Village Health Works. The clinic is now able to use electricity 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, running its generators only when absolutely necessary. Doctors and staff now utilize modern medical tools like EKG machines and ultrasound equipment. They can also access the internet to help with diagnostics and learn about innovative treatments for disease.
The video below shows SELF's work in this country. When you watch it consider whether you believe that energy is a human right. Then consider the billions of people in developing nations for whom energy is a luxury that they must live without. Finally, consider that it's not really about the energy at all, but about the services that it provides. "We're essentially using solar power as an enabling technology to kickstart improvements in health, education and economic well-being for whole villages," said Bob Freling, Executive Director of SELF.
And if this Thanksgiving holiday weekend in which Americans count their blessings with friends and family, inspires you to give thanks, you can go to SELF's website and thank them for their efforts.
Incidentally, the video also features Walt Ratterman who died in the earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010. Ratterman was in Haiti to install solar panels on a health care facility in that country. You can read tributes to Walt Ratterman here and here and listen to Stephen Lacey's podcast remembrance of him here.
Want more video on this topic? Former RenewableEnergyWorld.com contributor Yotam Arial posted a video blog in which he shows how bringing solar energy to the 1.4 billion people who currently live in the dark is a business opportunity that should not be overlooked. Watch it at Solar Energy Not Just for the Rich.
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