Solar power has come a long way in the last thirty years. Those of us that researched in the past found that it was incredibly costly (at that time) and the solar collecting units were large and bulky. Technology may have advanced significantly, but there are some up sides (and down sides) that need to be considered when you are thinking about making the transition to solar power. The first thing you have to realize is that the U.S. Government collects a lot of money in taxing power, in general. The costs of power are going to continue to increase and therefore many are looking to alternative power sources. Location is the first thing you have to think about. Solar power only generates during the day so if you live in an area that has low sunlight, you may want to have a specialist do an analysis to see if you will get sufficient sunlight. While the sun states might seem like a no-brainer, consider the direction your home or business is facing and if you have trees. If the direction works out but the trees do not, you will have to incur the cost of having the trees removed as well as the change to your home or business esthetics.
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3 – Solar panels to see the brighter side
The US Department of Energy aims to reduce the cost of solar photovoltaics to $1 per watt by the end of the decade, which would mean that solar panels are finally 100 percent competitive with other energy sources in the absence of subsidies.
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Alternative energy projects around the globe are not only dealing with all the technological, feasibility and economic factors, but also with the negative pressures from the all-powerful oil companies who are in no rush at all to see sustainable energy sources succeed. The bad news is that the oil companies really do have a stranglehold on the industry in many countries, but the better news is that in certain parts of the world the green movement has sufficient momentum for alternative energy projects to be an important part of national policy. Germany and Spain, for instance, are the two big powerhouses when it comes to solar energy projects. Solar photovoltaics have dropped dramatically in price over the last few years, and have government subsidies in these countries have made them even more affordable. The advancement in energy storage research has led to molten salt technology, which makes it possible to store the sun’s energy for use at night. The power of the sun really could replace coal, oil and gas in the next couple of generations, and here are five of the current most prospective sun energy projects which the oil companies truly want to fail!
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Many of us have the right intentions when it comes to reducing our impact in the environment, but are all of them well placed?

1 – Eating local foods.
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If you’ve been wondering what countries use solar energy, here is a comprehensive list of the greenest ten of them all.

1. Germany (9,785 MW) – Ironically, Germany is not a very sunny place, and yet it has managed to become a world leader in countries using solar energy. About half of the total solar electricity produced in the whole world comes from Germany alone! Praise be to Germany’s very green leanings.

2. Spain (3,386 MW) – In 2007, a bylaw made solar panels compulsory for all buildings that are built or renovated in Spain. Non-residential buildings that are new, like hospitals or shopping centers, are required to use solar panels for generating a certain portion of electricity they use.
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According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the renewable energy source of solar power should be able to provide a majority of global electricity by 2060.  Their previous predictions have been revised. In 2011, the IEA indicated that 11% of the total power is predicted to be from home and office solar panels, and a further 11% will come from central solar power stations that will provide clean electricity for populous regions. A direct-current power transmission backbone would provide solar power to the whole country.  The IEA is now indicated that they have a more aggressive prediction of solar power production for a majority of the world by the year 2031.  Continue Reading »

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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Many of us have been doing any research and are trying to go green by adding solar energy to either home and or office. This may be your first venture into the solar energy topic or like me, you may have been investigating it as a viable alternative for over twenty five years. While much has changed in the last few decades, there are some solar energy cons that you must take into consideration.
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Quite a few European countries always seem to be ahead of the curve when it comes to instituting new ideas and technology. From Ireland’s PlasTax that adds twenty cents for each plastic bag used at the checkout to Norway’s electronic highway toll collection, Europe has been in the innovation lead for the best green approaches. This is never truer than using solar powered trees for efficient lighting.
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