Great news for the solar energy industry in the US this week as Obama announced his new initiative in his weekly address, saying that the government is going to shell out nearly $2 billion for new solar power plants in the US as part of the Recovery Act. Obama said that this will create thousands of jobs and significantly increase the use of renewable energy sources in the US. Clearly Obama is looking into the future for potential growth industries in a bid to make sure that such industries and their jobs take root within the US. The solar energy industry has one of the highest growth potentials in the medium term amongst all types of renewable energy sources.
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A significant technological leap is being made in the solar panels industry. For the first time ever, an experimental aircraft that generates its own power through solar energy panels is making a round-the-clock test flight.
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In our search for renewable energy, many state, local and Federal Government organizations are looking into the cost of solar power plants. The technology may have come a long way in the last thirty years, but the cost still remains one of the disadvantages of solar electricity.
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In 2009, the Solar America Initiative (SAI) was established as part of the Solar Energy Technologies Program. The purpose of the initiative is to encourage research and development of solar energy technology as a more cost effective method of renewable energy for the general marketplace.
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Leasing solar panels is the latest way to go green and save money. The idea is really catching on in a number of states and is becoming more widely available all across the USA. There are different types of solar panels. Purchasing a new solar panel system for your home can mean very large initial expense. Some of these systems can cost between $25,000 and $50,000, or even more depending on the energy requirements of your home. Leasing solar panels allows you to use solar energy and protect the environment without having to pay enormous amounts of money up front. In many cases, the cost may be around $100 a month, but this will vary depending on your area and energy usage. The major decrease in cost of your utility bills is the best incentive.
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The Solar Decathlon is a competition hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy that takes place every October. For three weeks in October, 20 teams of college students enter the competition to design and create the most appealing, attractive, energy-efficient solar operated house. Investing in solar power is the key component to this competition and the Solar Decathlon does an excellent job in heightening awareness of solar power and energy.
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Solar panels for electricity generation can be a good way of generating green electricity, and these panels are available in widely varying sizes and capabilities. These products can be used to power homes and buildings without the need to pay electric bills or pollute the earth in any way. Solar energy is renewable energy which is environmentally friendly, and it is free once the solar panels for electricity generation are in place, except for the cost to maintain and repair this equipment. Generating green energy using solar power and panels is a terrific way to take the strain off of the earth and eliminate the need for fossil fuels and pollution. Photovaltaic panels involve many cells, normally thirty six of them, and these cells are created using two wafers of silicone which are extremely thin, and one wafer has a positive charge and the other has a negative charge.
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Investing in solar power is being done on a much wider scale today than it was even five years ago, and there are many reasons for this. Green investing, including solar stock investing, is becoming more about investing for the right reasons. If you are planning on investing in solar power, you want to help the environment but you also want to make a profit from your investment at the same time. Green investing can do this, because fossil fuels are running out and soon only renewable energy sources will be available. This point will be in the not too far future, and solar stock investments will pay off handsomely at that point. Investing in solar power means unlimited power, because you can access sunlight and energy every day.
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• Solar energy efficiency can help keep your home warm with little or no costs or energy losses each month.
• A solar energy heating system can help you save money and protect the environment both.
• Installing a solar energy heating system can be convenient, and tax incentives may cover part or all of the costs.

Solar energy heating systems will be one of the dominant heating forms in the US, and possibly around the globe, not too far in the future. These systems offer many benefits, and they are very energy efficient while keeping your home heated to a comfortable temperature. There are five main reasons why solar energy heating will be the biggest heating source in the future.

1. Renewable Alternative Energy Source

Solar energy has the benefit of being a renewable alternative source of energy, and this means that there will never be a problem with a shortage. Sunlight occurs naturally, without any effort on our part. This means that once the collection equipment is set up to collect and store solar energy to heat your home, the sunlight will do the rest with no effort on your part. Solar energy will never run out, unlike fossil fuels which are growing more scarce every year. The use of solar energy heating systems will lead to the elimination of fossil fuels before they run out, averting a global energy crisis which could become severe.

2. Environmentally Friendly

Solar energy heating systems are one of the most environmentally friendly alternative sources of energy and heat available. These systems have no harmful carbon emissions which contribute to the increase in global warming, and there is also no particulates or other pollution released into the air which can cause smog and other harmful effects. Fossil fuels are based on carbons, so it is no surprise that these same fuels are responsible for most of the air pollution in cities and the global warming effects becoming worse. Solar power is much cleaner, and will help protect the environment instead of helping to destroy it like many other energy sources. There is no damage to the earth or environment in the recovery of solar energy and heat.

3. Less Expensive Utility Bills

Solar energy efficiency and the cost is one of the biggest advantages that this alternative energy source has. Solar energy is free, all you have to do is collect it. There is an initial start up cost for the equipment needed to collect solar energy and use it to generate power and heat, but you will see monthly utility bills which are a fraction of what they were before the solar energy heating system was installed. You can save hundreds of dollars or more each and every year with these systems, so the savings you will see financially alone will more than make up for the initial costs. Once you add the benefits to the environment in, and the cost to set up a heating system using solar energy is very affordable.

4. Ease Of Installation And Use

A solar energy heating system can be installed very simply, in almost no time at all by experienced installers. The process is done quickly and professionally, so that it is convenient for you. Once the system is installed, you do not have to do anything. When there is sunlight the solar system will collect it for your use. You never have to worry about turning anything on or remembering procedures. The solar panels and heating system will take care of everything.

5. Tax Advantages

The federal government, and many state governments as well, offer tax incentives for installing a solar energy heating system or other alternative energy system in your home. These tax incentives can be substantial, and may pay for most if not all of the initial costs of the solar system you install. This means that you may get tax breaks in the amount of the cost for your solar system, and in addition you still get all the other benefits these energy systems can offer.

Renewable energy systems include ocean thermal power plants, in the form of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion technology, also called OTEC for short. This technology represents enormous potential. The surface of the ocean catches sunlight, and as the water gets deeper it gets colder. The temperature difference between the cold water and the warm water is what creates the energy when it is done properly, but the water temperatures must be at least thirty eight degrees different for the process to be successful. Hawaii has been using OTEC technology for a while, with good results, but as of right now there are few ocean thermal power plants in operation, and these are too small to be really effective. Bigger thermal power plants need to be built, so that they are more effective and cost efficient. These power plants also produce fresh water from salt water as a byproduct of the ocean thermal energy conversion process.

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion thermal power plants do not have all benefits with no risks. These plants, if built larger, may well change the temperature or the salinity of the surround water. This could cause many species to leave the area and disrupt the natural habitat and marine life of the area. Because there are not enough large thermal power plants operating to know what the long term effects would be, but so far the smaller plants in operation have not harmed the environment or natural habitat. This makes the OTEC technology eco-friendly as well as a sustainable and renewable energy system. Unlike oil and other fossil fuels, Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion plants will not drain anything from the earth, or e up all the resources. The ocean water goes through the cycle repeatedly, and this means an endless supply of energy.

There are three main types of systems used for OTEC, the closed system, the open system, and the hybrid system. In an open system, water is taken in from the ocean, goes through the Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion process, and is discharged back out into the ocean. This means a constant supply of water moving in and out of the thermal power plants. With a closed OTEC system, the loop is closed and water is not discharged into the ocean, but rather continuously cycles through the thermal power plants. Hybrid Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion thermal power plants use aspects from both closed system and open system processes and designs. This allows for greater flexibility.

Ocean thermal power plants may be the answer for future energy needs. The oceans covers thousands of square miles, and if you could catch all the thermal energy it can produce combined, that would be thousands of times more than all the electricity everyone in the entire world uses. This potential has been largely untapped until now, but there are a few companies that plan on changing this. There are a number of projects in various stages concerning thermal power plants using Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion. This technology also produces useful byproducts which can be sold, such as ammonia, methanol, hydrogen, and other industrial gases. OTEC technology does not harm the marine life or the environment, and it is both renewable and sustainable. This technology offers many benefits which make it a far better choice than oil or other fossil fuels. OTEC thermal power plants may be the answer to America’s dependence on oil.