Free Energy Systems

A new company is emerging; one that allows American homeowners to produce their own clean, green, renewable energy from the sun and keep the savings created by locking in a monthly rental rate. Homeowners can save thousands of dollars powering their home with solar generated electricity.

It is not just the American Dream any longer. It is possible for U.S. homeowners to save money on their energy bills by renting a residential solar energy system. A homeowner can help to lower their carbon emissions by utilizing renewable energy. A solar equipment manufacturer is planning to offer an affordable, hassle free way for U.S. homes to install solar. Saving money by utilizing solar generated electricity is a bonus.

In their pilot installation phase, this company is working to remove the barriers to wide-scale solar adoption in the United States. Its business model is to rent all of the equipment needed to power a residential home with solar electricity.

There is an energy auditing process and required feasibility study to better determine suitable locations. Homeowners hoping to have a solar electric system installed may not qualify in some cases due to environmental or sunlight hour restrictions.

reThinking a Solar Energy Rental Service -- The U.S. people do not have to buy a high-dollar solar energy system. It is provided on a leasing or rental basis. The installation is free, with it being part of the rental service, and any permitting or rebate challenges related to the system installation are handled by the company - not the homeowner. The rental company provides the solar equipment, installs the solar electric system, and maintains the unit over time. This solar rental service allows the average citizen to self-produce their own renewable energy.

The homeowner pays a rental fee and produces solar generated electricity from the solar system installed on their home. The homeowner doesn't have to worry about maintaining the equipment or any of the other concerns that come with making a solar system purchase.

This solar energy rental program removes many obstacles and headaches related to the installation of home solar power systems. The solar solution avoids further carbon emissions, helps reduce dependencies on foreign energy, and creates momentum for renewable energy projects in many part of the U.S.

The Residential Solar Energy System -- This service provides enhanced efficiency and better control of your energy usage. The system will monitor the energy production on a daily basis. The homeowner can also track household energy consumption via online reporting. The provided inverter empowers a homeowner to self-produce their own electricity.

Solar Generated Electricity Saves Money -- Switching to solar energy can also save on long term electricity costs. The homeowner locks in a monthly rental cost for the use of the solar electric system. They generate renewable energy from the rented system and this electricity offsets the energy that must be purchased from a utility company. This will result in a decrease in an average energy paid over time.

The solar unit rental cost justifies itself over the rental term for the system. The homeowner avoids utility rate increases over time because the solar system rental fee stays lock-in while the cost for electricity continues to go up.

The U.S. homeowner can produce renewable energy, save money on their energy costs, and feel good about lowering their carbon emissions. This solar rental service is truly solar made simple.

As new concepts and theories for residential energy production emerge, many sceptics voice their opinions claiming these new ideas simply don’t life up to the hype. Solar power is one such idea which has generated a considerable amount of cynicism.

With this article I aim to shed some light on some of the common misconceptions regarding the use of solar roof panels as a viable means of residential energy production.

“Solar panels will take too long to pay for themselves”

Year after year we are seeing our energy bills going up by ever increasing percentages. The promise of cheaper fuel bills from nuclear power never came to fruition so the need to consider renewable energy sources such as solar power is now a viable alternative. In the current economic climate, investment in cheaper bills for the future is a sound financial idea as remaining reliant on non-renewable energy sources such as coal, gas and oil can only become more expensive as they become scarcer and therefore more expensive.

On average UK homes consume around 3000 units of electricity each year and typical solar energy panels will produce around 1500 units each year (estimated average under UK conditions) which is half of the average yearly consumption. It’s difficult to state exactly how long it would take for residential solar panels to pay for themselves as many variables are involved. These variables include the initial cost of each solar panel, the type of installation plus the cost of installing the system, the price your electricity supplier charges and whether or not your energy supplier will pay you for any extra units which are fed back in to the grid.

It is also worth checking with your local council as many grants are available which could cover up to 50% of the cost of installing home solar panels. What we do know is that non-renewable energy prices will continue to rise. It is no longer a question of ‘can I afford solar panels?’ It’s more a question of ‘can I afford to not have solar panels?’

“Britain is not sunny enough”

This is a common false statement regarding the use of solar panels in the UK. Most people assume solar energy panels need direct sunlight in order to function. In actual fact they only require light from any source rather than direct sunlight as they absorb the electromagnetic radiation found in photons. This means that a solar roof panel will even work at night by absorbing photons from star light and street lighting; however, this happens on such a minimal scale you’d never notice. The output of each solar panel is considerably higher on sunnier days as strength of light (or the shear amount of photons) is a major factor, as is the angle the solar panel to the sun.

“Solar panels are useless during the short winter days”

Although there is some truth to this statement, residential solar panels are far from useless during the winter months. The daylight hours are significantly shorter meaning each solar panel will generate less power over the course of a full day. The truth of the matter is that hour for hour; each solar energy panel is on average equally as efficient as it would be throughout the summer. Prior to the installation of solar panels one should consider how much sun light will be hitting their solar panels during the winter months. Your roof may be in the shadow of nearby trees or a chimney stack may reduce the efficiency of the solar panels by leaving all or part of the solar panel in permanent shade whilst the sun is lower in the sky.

“If I don’t generate enough solar power, I’ll have no electricity”

This simply is not the case. Your home will still be connected to the national grid, so anytime you need more electricity than the solar panels are providing, you’ll get it as normal from the mains. It is unlikely that a household will be able to produce 100% of it’s electricity as a result of installing solar roof panels as we have become far to reliant on electrical appliances. Saying that, it has been proven in the past that once a household begins generating its own electricity using solar panels, its occupants become far more conscious of the way in which they use it and day by day will use far less electricity.

“It takes more energy to manufacture a solar panel than it will ever put out”

The energy payback of solar panels varies depending on which type of solar panel is fitted. Currently, the microcrystalline-silicon solar panels have an estimated energy payback of less than 4 years where as the ‘thin-film’ solar panels have an energy payback of around 3 years. Future developments in renewable solar energy coupled with increased production are expected to halve the energy payback time of both microcrystalline-silicon PV solar panels and thin-film solar panels.

“Modern solar panels are still not efficient”

Solar energy has come along leaps and bounds since the development in the production of the first practical solar cells in the 1950’s. These had a sunlight energy conversion efficiency of around 6%. By the late 1980’s scientists had developed solar cells with an efficiency of 17%. By 2000 solar cells had an efficiency of 24%, rising to 26% in 2002, 28% in 2005 and 30% by 2007. Increased efficiency coupled with lower production costs means residential solar energy systems are cheaper and more efficient than ever before.

You may ask yourself one question regarding the above figures, “If solar panels are getting more efficient and cheaper year after year, maybe I should wait a few more years?” Although there is some logic to this idea, the truth of the matter is waiting a few extra years could well prove to be a false economy. At the moment the British government are offering a variety of grants to financially assist those seeking to run a greener home, including the installation of domestic solar panels which could save you up to 50% of the installation costs. Government grants like this may not be available a few years down the line.

The cost of obtaining solar energy is decreasing. The cost of solar energy systems and the cost of solar energy panels is more reachable than ever before. Essentially, the cost of solar energy panels is less in price and produce more electricity. This is only natural to occur seeing the trend of technology. Things such as the cost of installing solar energy starts off expensive and then gradually drops. The cost of solar wind generators can be found for less than $800.00, while an the cost of an entire solar energy system can be purchased for less than $12,000.00.

There are many prices to think about based on your needs. Whether you are looking for a solar water heater, solar panels, solar wall heaters ($600-$800.), or generator, price ranges can peak at $4000.00 or less for the heaters, or more based on what you are buying, like the panels which go up with wattage.

The years of the big spenders having the solar energy is pretty much over. Prices of solar energy have come down to earth so much that even the normal everyday homeowner can get in on it. Residential solar energy costs are getting lower all the time. You can search many invaluable websites that have everything from solar panels, to solar wind generators, storage, the entire solar energy system itself. Some things are pricey, yes, but overall, what I have seen out there is fairly reasonable, and when it is installed, there is just something very appealing about it that makes the initial upfront cost worth it.

Costs of solar energy will involve the purchase of solar energy panels which can generate 50-500 watts a piece, the solar energy generator for transforming solar energy into electricity usable by the homeowners. Solar energy panels can power many things in your home. Think about all your lights, and their individual wattage. Calculate the watts generated by a solar panel. These are some of the things you need to think about. A home solar energy system can be explained by a professional, as they assess your needs. They can further explain all the energy assessments needed fro configuring your home solar energy system.

Their are many things you can do to put into practice for saving energy. If you do not ahve a home yet, pick up some of the energy saving light bulbs that all utility companies offer for free! Leave your AC on when needed, and program it in cycles when you're not at home. There are appliances, lights, computers that can be turned off or on low to conserve energy. When you do get that dream home, your mindset will be energy saving and hopefully cost savings on solar energy!

Whatever your decision. do your homework. Study solar energy, its benefits, non-benefits, the pros and cons. Ask yourself, will it become a necessity in the future? Should I just invest in it now? Do not jump into it blindly. Remember, knowledge is power. Use it to your advantage.

Solar energy consists of the light and heat emitted by the sun, in the form of electromagnetic radiation.

With today's technology, we are able to capture this radiation and turn it into usable forms of solar energy - such as heating or electricity. Although one could go into technical dissertations on the subject of electromagnetic radiation, how it is converted into solar energy, and the exact qualities of its electromagnetic rays, this is not something the average person needs or wants to know. But in order to be able to benefit from the use of solar energy, there are a few facts you should know. Knowing these facts can assist you to make sound decisions, when looking at the use of solar power as a clean energy source for your home, RV, or whatever the case may be.

Environmental Facts about Solar Energy

All life on earth is dependent upon solar energy. In fact, without solar energy, there would be no life at all. Even the lowest life forms, such as plankton and microbes, need solar energy (in the form of sunlight) in order to survive. Solar energy is completely environmental friendly, producing absolutely no carbon emissions or other harmful byproducts whatsoever.

Solar energy can be used successfully and cost-effectively just about anywhere on the planet. You do not need to live in a tropical or desert climate in order to benefit from the use of solar energy. Solar power has been used successfully in many cold climates and even in the polar regions. Every area of the United States of America receives enough sunlight to benefit from and make use of solar energy and solar technology.

Currently, the cheapest and most effective way of using solar energy in your home is through the use of solar water heating systems. In fact, solar water heating systems have been commercially available in the United States for over a 100 years. Solar energy can be used for heating homes effectively in cold climates, as well as in warm climates. In fact, for decades now, solar heating has been in use several cold-climate northern European countries.

Solar energy technology has advanced to the point where it can be now be a viable and cost-effective replacement for regular grid-electricity. Solar energy is rapidly increasing in popularity - so much so that the demand for solar-powered gadgets is currently greater than the supply.

Facts about Solar Energy Usage

Solar energy can be used to provide electricity, heating and hot water for homes. Solar energy can also be used to heat swimming pools. Many pools in Scandinavia and Europe are in fact heated with solar energy. Solar Energy can be used to power vehicles, such as solar powered cars, and even a solar powered airplanes. NASA has successfully designed, built, and tested an airplane which is powered wholly by solar energy.

A few examples are: solar battery chargers, solar flashlights, solar calculators, solar radios, solar-powered attic fans, solar power backpacks (to recharge batteries for small devices), hybrid solar chargers (for cell phones, satellite phones, and more), solar-powered garden lights ... and much, much more.

Solar energy can be used to create electricity, central heating, heated water, cooking, and even for producing salt desalination. Solar energy comes from the suns rays. Solar energy is known to be very environmentally friendly. However, when the suns rays move into the earths atmosphere it is quite dilute.


Although solar energy is known to be very environmentally favorable it does not only have advantages, but some disadvantages, as well. Lets hash out some of the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy. Why don't we start with the main advantage of solar energy. Solar energy is clean. To develop electricity or heat with solar energy you need only the sun rays. There is no need for fossil fuel in conjunction with sun rays to produce electricity or heating. You simply need a solar energy collector or solar power panels in order to collect the suns solar energy.


Solar energy is less expensive than traditional electric heating. That's another prime reward of solar energy. Just by utilizing solar energy you can save a lot of money on heating. In return you will realize smaller electric bills and it also means that you dont have to maintain heaters or furnaces. If you live in a rural area where there are no power-lines solar energy can be your solution. There are rural areas where power companies have no means to access your home. Solar energy is a great alternative because it provides you with everything from heating water, a supply of electricity, and even cooking, and that pretty well covers all of the bases.

Another great use of solar energy is for desalination in regions where fresh, potable water is scarce. Solar energy evaporates brine and leaves the salt crystals in the bottom of the basin. The water in turn condenses into another basin where it is now potable. While all of the above-mentioned is very useful, solar energy does have some disadvantages. These disadvantages also need to be talked over to paint a complete picture.


The main disadvantage of solar energy is that its dilute. Which means that you need to have a bunch of solar collectors installed around your house. Solar energy may be very cheap but the solar collectors are relatively expensive and require regular upkeep in order to work properly and efficiently. If you decide to go with solar energy you will need to calculate your return on invested capital in order to know if the investment makes sense.


One big disadvantage is that you need the suns rays to make use of solar energy. If you are situated in a part of the world where there is not much sun light then you could have a bit of a problem. In other parts of the world, the suns rays are almost always covered in clouds making solar energy collectors less efficient. You should first know if the sunshine in your area is abundant for the most part of the year. Of course if you live in desert areas like in Arizona or New Mexico the sun produces a lot of sunshine for the majority of the year and is ideal for solar energy collecting.

Finally the sun only shines during the day. Therefore if you need electricity or hot water during the nighttime, like many of us do, it can be a problem. You will need a backup system like the local electric company or you will need to store the electric for later use. There are battery systems available, that can store electric for later use. Solar energy is very clean and an substitute to conventional heating and electrical systems. this is true it is also good to mention the disadvantages of solar energy. If you are thinking about applying solar energy you should read this first to make a informed decision.

To truly understand the benefits of green solar energy, you must first understand how solar energy is harnessed. There are two types of green solar energy-thermal and light. Thermal energy is considered passive solar. This type of green solar energy is harnessed through the design and materials used to construct a building. By integrating south facing windows and materials that retain heat, like brick and stone, you can lower your energy needs and build an energy efficient structure. The thermal energy produced by green solar energy is also used to heat water for solar hot water systems. The rays of the sun also produce light and radiation that can be captured by solar panels to create electricity.

The most popular use of green solar energy is for saving money. Although green solar energy systems can come with a large initial investment, they generally pay for themselves in a few years by providing either supplemental electricity or all of the electricity to your home or business. Building your own solar panels, participating in government refunds and net metering, in which you sell unused electricity back to the power company, can reduce the cost of implementing a green solar energy system. In addition, green solar energy systems require little to no maintenance after installation, as most have no moving parts.

The most important benefit of utilizing green solar energy is completely environmental. With polar ice caps dwindling away and climate changes creating tragic storms world wide, it is increasingly obvious that steps must be taken to decrease global warming and our dependence on fossil fuels. Green solar energy provides a clean energy alternative as it creates little pollution and does not contribute to global warming.

Solar energy panels have become more affordable in recent years making it a viable alternative energy option for savvy home owners looking for savings on their monthly utility bills and the environmentally conscious who also enjoy the financial advantage, but focus more on the benefits solar energy panels have on global warming and independence from fossil fuels.

If you are a beginner to the solar electric world, then you may be wondering what exactly solar energy panels are? It is really simple and yet fascinatingly complicated. Solar energy panels are also known as photovoltaic panels; photovoltaic meaning electricity from the sun. Solar energy panels work by collecting protons from the sun, which displace neutrons, and create a flow of electrons or electricity. An inverter converts the power generated by the solar energy panels from an AC current to a DC current making it usable in homes as a direct electricity supply.

You can use solar energy panels to heat your pool, workshop tools, greenhouse lights and fans or depending on you personal electric usage, your entire home or business. Most solar energy panels are designed to last 30-40 years and require little to no maintenance. Over the life-span of solar energy panels, the energy savings realized by the owner is enough to justify the initial cost of the system and prices are dropping more and more as a larger number of consumers express interest and make the change to solar energy panels or other renewable resources.

Solar energy panels for small applications can be purchased at your local hardware stores. These small versions are ideal for outdoor lighting, small water pumps and other outdoor tools. If you are purchasing a home size or business size system of solar energy panels it would be best to seek out a local retailer of solar energy panels or a green energy retailer in your area. There is also plenty of information available online about different solar energy panel providers.

Are you looking for an affordable residential solar power kit solution? Did you know that you can do DIY solar energy, and get solar energy into your own home? As you read this article, you will discover more about the various types of solar energy kits, and what you need to get started with do it yourself solar energy.

As you read this article about DIY solar energy, you will discover more about:

• DIY Solar Energy - Understand Your Energy Needs

• Residential Solar Power Kits - Hot Water

• Residential Solar Power Kits - Other Interesting Solar Power Systems

• Residential Solar Power Kits - What Kind Of Electric Do You Want To Generate?

• Residential Solar Power Kits - Electric - Small Systems

• Residential Solar Power Kits - Electric - Big Systems

• DIY Solar Energy - Understand Your Energy Needs.

The first point to think about when it comes with DIY solar energy is to understand your energy needs. For example, do you want to power your home? Do you want to put solar lights in your backyard? Do you want hot water from solar energy? Understanding what kind of power you require will help you find the right kind of residential solar power kit for your needs. Some of these may need the assistance of a qualified electrician, for example, when it comes down to powering your entire home with solar energy.

• Residential Solar Energy Kits - Hot Water In the west, when we think about solar energy, we often think that it means some kind of solar power panels and equipment that makes electric. However, there are other systems. Residential solar power kits also come in the form of hot water generators. These kits can easily be fitted with the right tools. If you don't have the tools, a plumber can complete all the parts that you can't fit.

• Residential Solar Power Kits - Other Interesting Solar Power Systems There are many small kits such as garden lights. These DIY solar energy kits can easily be completed by you.

• Residential Solar Energy Kits - What Kind Of Electric Do You Want To Generate? If you intend on generating electric from solar energy, there is one thing to consider. Do you want to produce small electric, such as powering a caravan or television in a remote place or do you want to power your home?

• Residential Solar Power Kits - Electric - Small Systems Small DIY solar energy kits that generate electricity are easy to do it yourself. You will need solar power panels, an inverter and charge controller.

• Residential Solar Power Kits - Electric - Big Systems If you intend to power your entire home with solar energy, I suggest enlisting the help of a qualified electrician.

There are a lot of points you can do it yourself, such as DIY solar energy power panels, and then get the electrician to connect everything up. That way you do it yourself, save some money, and get a safe system.

Solar energy certainly seems to be the way to go these days, and our sun being our most leading source of renewable energy. Numerous amounts of people all over the world are looking more at using solar energy because of the awareness of global warming. So why would we not take advantage of the opportunities accessible to us today, picture your home completely powered by solar energy, imagine not even getting a power bill, which would explain its increasing popularity today.

There is a good chance in the future that our non-renewable sources of energy will be depleted, using solar energy is certainly a very healthy way of producing our own energy and a much better way of caring for our environment.

The Future Effects and Usage of Solar Energy

Solar energy in the future will take over our present sources of energy and homes shall be built that run exclusively off solar energy.

There are many uses around the home for solar power, such as cooking, heating our water and drying our clothes. We even already have solar powered vehicles on the roads today.

Huge industries will possibly be powered by solar energy in the future, because these industries require so much energy and power they are using coal to help meet their energy needs. Before too long you can be certain that most current energy grids will be substituted by solar energy.

Using Solar Energy is Space

A space shuttle requires enormous amounts of fuel to function. Here too is another area where in the future the energy from the sun will completely dominate this sector.

Transportation And Solar Energy

Oil will one day be worn out, We can also expect transportation soon to be controlled by solar power. Like I have already pointed out earlier, solar powered vehicles are already on the roads. We have about 6 solar powered vehicles here where I reside being used on the roads.

Solar energy experts are predicting by the year 2020 solar energy systems will be put into action, opening numerous possibilities for solar energy in the future. Much more people are appreciating the importance of solar energy and starting to prepare themselves for the change. Our non renewable sources of energy will one day be depleted. So the quicker we can start using solar energy systems to generate power the better.

Pollution Control

Unlike our present source of energy, solar energy is clean energy. The pollution rate is already quite disturbing. This beautiful planet we all reside on is slowly being destroyed, if we could all consider using solar or wind energy then we could certainly make a difference in our health and the future of our planet.

We can begin by doing some research about solar panels and their construction. A simple way of generating power to your home is with solar panels and the installation is quite a simple process. Today there are many people constructing their own solar panels, materials and equipment are very easy to come by these days. I am certainly enjoying the luxuries of solar energy, we have managed to cut down our power bill by 75%. Renewable energy systems are the way of tomorrow and there is no doubt about it, make solar energy your choice you will be very happy with the results.

Definition of a solar energy heating system

When radiant energy from the sun gets absorbed by different layers of the atmosphere of the earth, various energy forms including solar energy is generated. The process of conversion of this solar energy into heat (i.e., thermal energy) after capturing and tapping the former is known as solar thermal energy. Space heating and cooling, water warming and heat production processing all make use of the technique of solar energy heating system. Indeed, it is convenient to heat water by using solar power heating systems. For this purpose, a solar collector is made use of. The modern systems are sleek, sophisticated, and count high in terms of efficiency and output quality. As such, these efficient solar heating systems are certainly worth their initial price figures.

Mechanism of working of a solar energy heating system

Flat plate collectors that are glazed and evacuated tube collectors form the principal components of a solar energy heating system that is meant to raise the temperature of water. These water heating systems are mainly used in domestic homes. However, in order to heat up water at swimming pools, plastic collectors that are unglazed are used. Methods of solar concentration are applied for process heating in industries and for other commercial purposes. Greater amount of solar energy is generated by larger number of solar collectors. In general, batteries, an inverter, as well as solar collectors (two or three) form the chief parts of any solar energy heating system. The radiant energy generated by the sun are captured and collected by the solar collector components. DC electrical power is generated from the solar energy, after the latter is captured and processed. Silicon is widely used as the semiconductor element that is used in a solar collector. As soon as the DC electric power is generated, it is directed to the inverter present. The latter transforms DC electric power to usable AC electric current, which, then, can be put to practical usage. The solar power heating systems that do not have the inverter are generally not desirably quick in delivering output. Often, the amount of functional electrical energy generated from the captured solar power is significantly more than what is immediately required by the end users. This is where the batteries come in handy. The excess electrical energy generated is stored in the batteries, so that this electricity can be used at a future date. If there still remains a significant amount of extra electrical power, it can be sold off to the owner of the company. Hence, users can also avail of a way to save money.

A charge controller is generally provided the batteries. It ensures that the batteries, and in turn, the entire solar power unit, keeps on functioning in the most efficient manner possible. Certain hardware, cables and testers are necessary for setting up the unit, and making the batteries work. Hence, these are also provided in a solar energy heating system, in addition to the main components of the latter. However, these solar energy systems might not be able to meet the entire power requirements of a home; nor is it compatible with the various electrical devices in a house. Still, for a practical demonstration of the actual working mechanism of a solar power generator, these units are ideal.

Solar heating system: Health considerations

There are quite a number of additional health benefits that would be available only if a solar heating system is used. In the presence of enough amounts of solar energy, a low temperature of air helps people feel comfortable. The users are also able to cut down on excess electricity expenses in cases where the air is at low temperature levels. The chances of spreading of a number of diseases is also lowered, since pet dander, dust, bacteria, dirt and other viruses are prevented from being flown about across the entire house during the winter season. In cases where the breathing passage becomes too dry, infections might occur in this passage. A solar heating system helps to prevent such a scenario. Solar power systems do not generally disturb the interior arrangements of furniture, since they do not take up an unnecessarily large space. Neither do these systems have blowers, ensuring that no sound disturbances are generated. Thus, the cells are sound-free, and can be kept within the reach of kids as well. In comparison to the traditional baseboard heating units or the forced hot air cells, these solar heating systems offer much greater economic advantages as well. Numerous companies are indeed cropping up by the day, with each boasting to possess the most advanced solar technology. The more efficient systems do cost a bit higher than the other units as well. During the night, these solar heating units need not work either, and the energy stored by the batteries is used at these times. A basic understanding of these systems and their functioning can help you acquire the one you need. Thus, you should ideally select the solar heating cell that would perfectly match your requirements. That would indeed make the world a better place to live in for the future generations.

In order to know the correct technique of setting up a solar energy heating system, you should consult a training guide. Proper installation procedures of the system are also provided, so that it can keep the environment clean. A training manual would also help you know the ideal place for setting up the system, the wiring techniques that should be used, and the precautionary methods that should be adopted. You can also get to know how to get the batteries for free, and the other components at relatively cheap prices. Once all this information is available to you, installing a solar energy heating system becomes much easier.

As an inexhaustible and pollution-free resource, solar energy is becoming the first choice of energy for people. Especially when the traditional energy is becoming less and less, solar energy has become the green energy preferred in the world. According to statistics, when 1% of solar energy on the earth’s surface is transferred into electricity, the transfer rate is 5%. The annual electricity outputs are forty times the global energy consumptions.

At present, many countries are working hard to develop and use solar energy. Europe, Japan and America have planned to put the focus of energy supply security on solar energy and other renewable energy since 2030. It is estimated that the electricity generated by solar energy in 2030 will account for over 10% of the global energy supply and over 20% in 2050. The exploration and development of the solar energy industry will become the main stream of the future energy utilization.

China is rich in solar energy and the theory storage volumes are 1.7 trillion tons of standard coal annually. There are huge potentials on the development and exploration of solar energy. China is located in the Northern Hemisphere, and the distances between north and south, west and east are both over 5,000 km. There is rich solar energy in Chinese vast land. The average daily quantity of radiation yearly in most areas is over 4 kwh/sq and the maximum daily quantity of radiation in Tibet reaches 7 kwh/sq. The annual hours of sunshine are over 2,000. Compared with those countries in the same latitude, China is similar with America but much better than Europe and Japan.

In recent years, Chinese opto-electronics industry is developing rapidly. It has formed the scaled, international and professional industry chain and has many enterprises that can compete in the global market. The market scale of Chinese solar energy industry ranks first in the world. It has the largest outputs and usage volumes of solar water heaters in the world and it is an important producer of solar PV cells.

By the end of 2006, the production capacity of Chinese solar water heaters reached 15 million square meters and the collector gross area reached 100 million square meters. The outputs and usage volumes ranked first in the world. China has over 1,000 solar water heater manufactures with the total annual production value of 12 billion RMB. It has formed an entire industrial system and there are over 200,000 employees. Besides, China has widely used solar houses, solar cookers, solar greenhouse sheds and other solar thermal application technologies.

At present, there are over 20 PV cell and component producers with the annual production capacity of 1.5 million kilowatts. Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd (STP) has ranked in the top 10 in the global PV industry and its aggregate production capacity of PV cells accounts for 60% of the national capacity. To break the restrictions of high purity silicon materials on Chinese solar PV electricity generation products, over 10 enterprises, including Sichuan Xinguang Silicon Co., Ltd, have invested on solar silicon material projects with the annual production capacity of over 50,000 tons. With the improvement of the production capacity and technology levels of Chinese silicon materials, China will form a complete PV manufacturing industry.

In the future, solar applications will be focused on solar thermal powers and solar PV energy. Solar thermal power applications include electricity generation, hot water, drying, air conditioners, and greenhouse and so on. Solar PV energy applications include energy generation, cells, and electric automobiles and so on. Solar water heater is the only commercialized solar technology applied product.

China has become the largest producer and usage country of solar water heaters in the world. The aggregate area has exceeded 90 million square meters and it remains increasing with a speed of 20% to 30% annually. The outputs of Chinese solar water heaters have accounted for over 76% of the global outputs. It is estimated that after Chinese government promotes the solar thermal application work, China will have over 1 trillion RMB of market demands only on solar water heaters in the next 10 years. There are huge potentials.

Solar PV electricity generation is a mature technology at present. It is safe and reliable and has no noises and pollutions. It can acquire energy anywhere and will not be restricted by regions. It doesn’t consume fuels and can be built in a short period. It doesn’t need power transmission lines and can combine with architectures easily. Common electricity generation and other patterns can’t catch up with it. Before 2002, the outputs of Chinese solar cells accounted for only 1% of the global outputs, but since 2004, stimulated by the international PV market, especially German and Japanese markets, Chinese PV industry began to develop rapidly. The outputs accounted for over 10% of the global outputs, ranking the third in the world. It is estimated that the outputs of Chinese PV electricity generation products will be over 1,000 megawatts in 2010.

As the most potential energy in the 21st century, the solar energy industry has huge developing potentials. As it is a new sunrise industry and has a good policy environment, the solar energy industry has high investment values and developing potentials. As present, the solar energy industry is developing rapidly and it has good investment opportunities. But the operation risks and competition risks should be controlled to achieve good investment returns.

Source: China Research and Intelligence