In contrast to other spacecrafts using nuclear generators, Juno is designed with three wide solar wings, which fuels the whole spacecraft.

The spacecraft will widen its three large solar panel wings an hour before it’s expected launch on Friday 5th of August 2011. The wings are of 9 feet wide and 30 feet long (2.7m and 10m, respectively)

For the five years trip of Juno, solar energy will be the main source of power. In 2016, a one long-year of exploration on the giant gas planet will begin. In other words, Juno will be the first solar-powered craft to have ever travelled such a distanced.

As on April 2017, Juno will have completed 9 months of orbiting of Jupiter, the largest planet in our milky-way (solar system). At that particular instant Juno will be 816 million KM or 507 million miles from the sun. At that particular instant, the record set by Rosetta’s spacecraft in October 2012, from European Space Agency, will be broken. It was the first sole solar driven spacecraft that had travelled 792 million km from the Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

Energy distributed from the Sun

Jupiter is situated at a distance from the sun which is equivalent to five times of that from earth to the sun. In addition, it has a decreased exposure of sunlight by 25 times.

It was believed that for years of study and research, that solar power couldn’t power spacecraft going too far distances in space. If the size of the solar panels were increased, scientists and experts suggested that the panels would be too large.

In 2002, scientists began to plan for Juno, at that time they compared the possibility of using nuclear power to that of solar power. The main investigator Scott Bolton from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Tex., concluded that the methods need some upgrading. In the end, solar power was selected as it was believed to have the least development requirements.

Solution: High-Tech solar Cells

The most advance solar cells are used for the Juno mission. These solar cells are 50 percent stronger in terms of efficiency when compared to solar cells used 20 years ago.

Juno is mounted with 19,000 cells, which will provide 14 kilowatts of electricity when being close to earth. However, when it will orbit Jupiter, it will only produce 400 watts. In other words, with such a diminutive amount of energy is only enough to light a few bulbs.

In order to work with a rather restricted amount of energy, an onboard computer has been integrated to assure optimum energy-efficiency.

The course of orbiting the planet has equally been planned with precautions to avoid being in Jupiter’s shadows. Over-time radiation will reduce the capacity of these solar cells, but according to scientific calculations the energy generated during the mission should be enough to fulfil the mission.

Environmentally friendly solutions are not only the best for earth but equally good for space travelling.

Source: Space.com

© Jimmy Eriksson for Renewable Power News, 2011. | Permalink | No comment

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Passive Solar

Solar power is alive and working wonderfully in the northern hinterlands. Numerous examples exist of engineered structures, designed to take advantage of passive solar energy usage. When you step inside these buildings, you are immediately surprised by how cozy and comfortable they are. On bright sunny days, windows that are insulated and facing south let the suns energy in and on really sunny days, the passive solar heats the windowed area to the equivalent of about a half gallon of heating oil. When these windows are covered at night, more heat will be retained and the quantity of oil saved per sq’ would be around the gallon mark.

The Sun Loves The Remote North

Numerous examples exist of solar power systems being set up and utilized daily and successfully in the northern regions of Canada and the outer north locations of the United States. It might come as a surprise to hear that Germany is the number two user solar generated electricity via photovoltaic arrays; Germany is not even close to the southern Mediterranean! Much further north actually with a latitude of forty eight to fifty four degrees, comparable to that of Canada.

Since the winter days are short and not ideal to solar power production, the utilization of net metering for solar units on grid and the longer days of summer, the difference is balanced out to a great degree. A noteworthy fact about northern locations, there has been a priority swing in peak current loads from winter months to summer of late, this means an opportunity for more solar energy production and the resulting solar electricity generated during this period.

The northern regions have been using solar thermal heating for a good number of years, interestingly, the further north the location, the more solar capture devices are put in place to make up for the loss of light in winter time. Fact is, the more north they are installed, the faster these solar units recoup their cost because of the colder, overcast environment and the requirement of more heat that accompanies it.

When You Build It, It Will Work

Due to the lessened amount of sunshine, the further north it gets set up, a photovoltaic [PV] system must be designed with more care so it functions as efficiently as it can. Things like the most favorable angle [South facing is ideal], the angle of tilt [ninety degrees is ideal – the sun radiation impacts the PV panels angled perpendicular, adjusting the tilt each season means the units power generation can be increased considerably], as well as load requirements.

As well as the advantage of having good design, certain PV panels are engineered to be more effective when it is overcast or in more northerly locations. There is also the fact that power rates are likely more expensive in northern communities, where demand is greater for heat, a solar energy unit can be an even better investment. A point of fact, in certain areas, the older it gets, the more clear and sunny it becomes and this means higher solar power generation. On top of this, solar panel arrays wok more efficiently when the temperature is cooler. Cold, or at least cool, certainly does come with some reward!

No Technical Obstacles

Technically, there are no limitations to solar power being utilized in the far northern areas. Because provider rates and dependability of the supply of power can be dicey with inclement weather and all, solar electricity and solar thermal power can be a very viable source of energy in these regions, and a practical plan for northern power needs.

Chalk up another solar power myth busted!

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When the debate about line worker safety is broached, what specifically seems to be at issue is the inverter or the apparatus that changes the direct current [DC] electricity generated by the solar panels into residential alternating current [AC] electricity.
 
The use of alternating current is the most popular type of electricity due to it being simpler to transfer for long ranges, and because of this, the majority of today’s appliances and electrical devices are built to work with alternating current or AC.

Direct current [AC] and DC, direct current are actually incompatible, so a way of switching DC to AC is required to connect the two, therefore an inverter is used.

What Makes Up The Inverter?

Why is it called an inverter and not a converter? A reasonable question and really that is what the job of an inverter is, converting DC power to AC power and that is the precise reason why it is named an inverter rather than converter. The IEEE or [Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers] defined the inverter as meaning a system, machine or device that changes direct current into alternating current electricity. The inverter then has a basic functionality of converting DC power from a PV system and battery array [to store only the DC power] used to store off – grid power and grid – tied units with battery backup energy. This AC power can then be sent back to the grid or used for energizing AC loads.

Varieties Of Inverters

There are three kinds of inverters available. The square wave, modified square wave and sine wave. Square wave inverters supply very limited power for small uses. Modified square wave inverters can supply bigger transfers and can easily handle a broad range of loads but can mean certain issues arise with various devices like clocks and microwaves that use digital timing units – they operate fast or slow – as well as the battery packs of cordless tools.

Sine wave inverters wind up as the most popular choice for inverters and are used frequently in home solar power units. This is because they generate negligible amounts of harmonic distortion and will operate with the most delicate bits of equipment. This is also the lone inverter variety that can be utilized with grid-tied systems.

Safety First

Inverters are provided with the most safeguards of any piece of apparatus in the entire home solar power system. They must undergo certification by most of the identical organizations responsible for regulating many appliances. They are obligated by the IEEE, UL and NEC to automatically disengage from the grid when under particular conditions, like an inverter break down, power outages, voltage irregularities, and the like. The inverters do not simply come with built in safety controls but when operating near PV electric arrays utility workers are taught to be quite safety conscious. As well, when line workers conduct their line maintenance they are called upon to ground any conductors that are located in the inverters, thus supplying an extra covering of security while working with inverters.

There are numerous homes that utilize generators to supply electricity into homes during a blackout. When they are not equipped with the right transfer switch, the generator could send electricity back into the grid causing very high voltage surges. When this occurs, the result can be fatal for line workers and is the primary reason why the line workers have such intensive training in safety precautions.

The Record Says It All

The record of safety where inverters are concerned is optimal in the industry so it is a safe bet that in ensuing years they will become an established and typical bit of the residential electrical units. The line workers and utility personnel  come face to face with many hazardous situations as a part of their job description but the inverters and grid – tied photovoltaics certainly is not part of that dangerous work. The perceived danger is a myth!

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Personally, after some quick calculating, I figured out that by continually paying the electric bill consistently over the next two decades, I will have paid out more than $45,000.00 without and rate adjustment upward.

Little wonder I decided to look into alternative forms of electricity. It’s a fact that in the US the average power bill works out to about $110.00 per month and that number is rising. If we blindly continue to pay the utility power company for electricity, we will have no one to blame but ourselves for the ridiculous amount of money we pay out for our energy usage.  There are solutions to this strangulating burden.

Residential DIY Solar Power

It is possible to save those thousands of bucks in power rates if we set up our own home made solar power energy unit. That may sound challenging but in fact it is quite a simple process almost anyone can do.

How It Works

• There is all sorts of information on the internet that instructs you on how to install a homemade solar power system. You can simply download a solar power DIY guide and it will tell you what you need to know to construct a power unit, where to find the material resources, instruction videos for installation and how to link up with the power grid in your area. Many will also give you step by step info to apply for government incentives to alleviate some of the expense of building a solar system. The object of a DIY install is to save as much money as you can and these guides will assist with that.

• When the unit is set up and operating you will e able to power your daily lifestyle, including electrical devices, appliances, lighting etc and save on your power bill dramatically.

• There is even more good news though. As you utilize your homemade electricity, your DIY unit will transfer any unused excess power back to your local power utility in an arrangement known as Net Metering. As long as you are still connected to the grid you have the peace of mind knowing the electric company is there for backup power and the coolest thing is that the power company will pay you for the additional overflow power your unit sends to the grid.

• It also need to be said that you will be doing your share by protecting the fragile environment by consuming your own generated renewable power.

Only the individual knows if their situation is conducive to supporting a homemade solar power system, it might not be suitable for some. The investment may be out of reach or your home is not located in a good solar region. You need to investigate further.
There is hope against the ridiculous costs of utility electric power from the grid. Think about building your own renewable power unit, save money and aid the environment. What could possibly be a more winning situation? You have the power of choice so use it.

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Most power plant installations are huge building that house very big bits of equipment and the absolute proportions of some of these apparatuses are enough to bowl you over. With that in mind, let us take a look at how these power plants produce electrical current.

How Power Plants Generate Electrical Power

Even though electrical power facilities use differing processes to produce power, they all share some common doctrines in that direction. Somehow, each method deploys the use of a turbine, which is connected to an electrical generator. Nuclear power facilities and fossil fuel burning plants each use heated water to produce steam, which then turns the turbine that makes the generator work. In a wind tower or hydroelectric system, the water or wind will turn their own turbines, which produce electricity.

The Components That Make It Function

Steam Turbines

As was discussed earlier, steam turbines are used to aid the function of generators in fossil fuel power plants and nuclear facilities. Those turbines can be as heavy as two hundred tons and they are as long as one hundred feet in length. From an angle of perspective here, think about an average elephant weighing in at about five tons. These massive turbines are so huge that they require constant movement, even when idle from production, to avoid becoming bent.

Cooling Towers

One more large component in a power facility is the cooling tower. The cooling tower is largely seen as a silent sentry at nuclear plants often spewing white steam, but they are a significant part of all power plants that depend on steam turbines to function. The cooling towers are a piece of the puzzle in a power plant that is engineered to handle waste heat released from the plant. These cooling structures can be as high as five hundred feet with a diameter of more than two hundred and fifty feet. Structures that are this enormous are often impractical. That means many plants will be located near to a natural water system where they let nature do the cooling. However, this can cause ecological problems with the rise in water temperatures that disturb the natural order of the body of water used.

The Large Components Are Just A Small Piece Of The Power Puzzle

These largest of pieces in a power facility are only a few of the components required to make the plant operational. Fossil fuel structures utilize a furnace to burn fuel that creates the heat. They also need boilers where they then transfer the heat to generate the steam necessary to wind up the turbines. Some plants have certain mechanical apparatuses used to deal with issues, which are specific to their mode of power generation. Whatever the type of power plant that is in operation, one thing remains certain, the dimensions of the machinery required to create electrical current will be huge and well maintained.

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An abundant supply of renewable energy assets exist in every state, according to the Institute for Local Self Reliance – Energy Self Reliant States. Each state can potentially meet or exceed its goals for renewable energy, and sixty percent of the states could be totally reliant on renewable energy. By using photovolatics, or rooftop solar panels, each state could generate twenty percent of its power needs.

Wind turbines create not only a renewable energy source, but also significantly impact the local economy. Just one wind turbine will create a million dollars worth of economic activity. Other wind projects that are owned locally and operated create double the number of jobs and up to four times the economic activity of projects owned by out of state companies. The economic impact benefits the local community, which generates even more support from local residents for renewable energy.
 
However, building more high voltage transmission lines to transport this energy is a topic that is currently under debate. Currently, Congress is working on passing legislation that would override the authority for local regulatory commissions to approve transmission lines. The intent of this legislation is to speed up the construction of the transmission superhighway so power can be transported more easily to the coastal states. Solar power from the Southwest and wind power from the Great Plains could be transported on a superhighway costing between one and two hundred billion dollars to construct. 

The issue at the heart of this debate is the cost of this project and the inconvenience of living near a tower standing one hundred and fifty feet tall. There are also environmental factors to consider, and property could be seized from owners to construct the transmission superhighway. The landscape would be marked with a wide, bare patch of land running the distance of the power lines. 

To address this problem, the Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Ian Bowles, has suggested that renewable energy sources can be found throughout the country, and the need to build a costly superhighway to transport energy is unnecessary. Currently, excess energy exists in the states of Texas, the Great Plains, and Eastern Canada. Building a superhighway to transport energy from these areas to cities such as Boston, Chicago, and New York, with large populations and greater demands for energy, is not required. Renewable energy sources exist throughout the country, so alternatives should be considered that are more economically feasible. 

The governors from ten East Coast States gathered together in May 2009 to protest the superhighway proposal. They wrote a letter of protest to congress, stating that such a project could jeopardize their own renewable energy projects, in particular the development of more wind turbine projects. Forcing their constituents to support a project that imports electricity from the upper Midwest and Southwest areas for their local use would be counterproductive. The local population would be more supportive for local projects that create reliable energy sources than such an expensive and long distance proposal. 

Over eighty percent of their energy needs from local renewable energy sources in nine of the ten Eastern states that addressed Congress in the protest. The creation of energy self-reliance, and spin-off economic benefits would never be realized under this proposal. If energy is produced locally, then legal battles over the construction of tall transmission towers will also be avoided.
 
Another concern about energy transmission power lines was raised by Duke University’s Climate Change Policy Partnership. Their study found that the transmission power lines could also be used to transport coal power, in addition to renewable energy, from low cost energy regions such as the Great Plains, to high cost regions such as the East Coast. The transmission of coal power would be detrimental to the environment, as carbon emissions would not be eliminated.
 
These legitimate protests should be considered in the debate about the energy superhighway. Such a project is not only expensive and discourages the development of local energy resources, but also may encourage coal power producers. The winning states are the Southwest, while the losing East Coast states must depend on costly imports for their power needs.
 
If an interstate transmission highway is approved, then public support for renewable energy may decrease. Renewable energy is available throughout the country, and is not dependent on a specific area of the country to harness the power and transport it to other areas. Economic benefits and environmental impact must all be considered when deciding on future plans for renewable energy.

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How Is Solar Energy Calculated?

Solar energy is a mix of the number of hours of direct sunlight as well as the strength you could count on beaming at your location. This mix is referred to as insolation and is the average irradiated density calculated in kilowatt hours in a given square meter per day. As an example, the solar radiated density level of 1000 watts per square meter is an expected quantity for high noon in the heart of summertime when the sun is at its pinnacle of energy irradiation. Measuring solar irradiance on kilowatts per square meter daily basis if the sun remained brilliant and at its peak for an eight hour period, the solar radiant density would be 8.0.

Solar irradiance or density levels will fluctuate widely over the course of a year, particularly in more northern locations. For example, New York City is 6.0 in the month of June but merely 1.7 in the month of December calculating out as an annual average of 4.0. Therefore, you know that solar energy levels are seventy percent less in the initial winter month of December than it will be when June rolls around. When evaluated against Phoenix with a solar irradiant level of 7.8 in June and only 3.0 in December which averages out to 5.5 annually.

If your solar power unit is an off grid model it will be necessary to attain a capacity over 2.3 to 3 time than average June numbers would indicate. If all of these equations and solar lingo is confounding you, the internet has the standards for all locations available for you. This is courtesy of NASAs weather satellites, which have been collecting this data for a good number of years.

Using Irradiance Calculations To Design Your Solar Power Unit

Once we understand how many kilowatts are necessary to satisfy the electrical needs of your residence, we can evaluate which sized system we will need. With a grid tied system, it is fine to use your average annual irradiance for calculating and you want to have a goal of paying zero dollars to your utility provider for the entire year. If you want an off grid unit, you must use the irradiance calculation for December as the yearly power requirement must be adequate.

Divide the daily electricity required by the irradiant density level calculation and your total will be the quantity of kilowatt production your solar unit must be able to generate. Therefore, if your home is in Phoenix and you need six hundred kilowatts each month or twenty kilowatts daily, you have to produce roughly thirty six hundred watts per hour getting full sunlight. Solar cell panels give the number of watts of power of combined generation using the standard one thousand watts per square meter; you divide thirty six hundred watts by the production of your panels to total the number of solar panels you will require for your solar unit. Using this previous example, if the solar cell panel rating is set at one hundred fifty watts, you are going to require twenty four panels.

Remember that just like making a final cut to a piece of wood – calculate twice and buy once.

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Even though the power companies do not have a raging monopoly as they had at one time, because of chaotic distributions of power producers to the distributor, the basic programs remain pretty much unbothered. According to deep pocketed Warren Buffet, the power companies take care of their clients utilizing state regulators, and in return, clients allow then a fixed return on any investment.

So then, what occurs when you add complimentary electricity into the game? A renewed enthusiasm for renewable energy that comes disguised as government mandates and incentives makes utilities, investors and property owners raise a windmill where ever the wind is blowing. The guaranteed investment return that comes with new wind power facilities does not end up with the companies that manage the power grid; instead, it goes to the people and businesses with the land and the money.

This does not seem like a very good arrangement for the power companies at first look. Electricity prices are loaded with regulations and engineered to let the utilities earn back their costs and make a little profit as well. Overnight, with a small demand for electricity and laws that demand purchases from wind farms, the rates for electricity could theoretically fall to zip. 

That situation will not last long says Johong. Power companies that buy electricity from the wind farms will be looking to resell the power at cost that would include a markup for outlay. Wind power is not very likely to meet the demand, particularly overnight, and utilities will be able to choose the wind farm they prefer to purchase from, finding a source for power that lets them pass their costs back to the consumer.

If wind power became a requirement included by utilities this might also raise the price of power making it that much more volatile. Compared to other types of power generation, wind turbines are expensive options. Johong estimates their costs to be about eight thousand dollars per kilowatt hour since there is an inclination for them to function at a quarter of what their pinnacle capability is. This is the expense of counting on an unpredictable option like wind. Look at wind compared to coal at [$3,500 a KWh], geothermal at [$1,000 a KWh] and then nuclear coming in at [$5,000 a KWh]

As the power companies begin to count on wind turbine power generation more than they do currently, conventional power plants will begin to close, [with their pollution this is the whole point of renewable alternatives], and begin to depend on backup power when the situation is critical and the wind is not cooperating. This kind of power plant backup can be costly to operate and Johong believes prices for peak usage may increase significantly, only adding more unpredictability to electricity rates.

The brightest indicator that wind power is not threatening to the utilities is Warren Buffett immodestly spelling out to shareholders at the beginning of this year that Berkshire Hathaway had heavily financed wind power ventures. The world famous investor his corporations major utility, MidAmerican, raised its wind power presentation from zero up to one fifth capacity by injecting $1.8 billion dollars into it in 2008, making MidAmerican the largest wind power producer of any American utility.

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Senator Alexander would also be supporting a draft proposal to construct one hundred nuclear facilities within twenty years.

It is widely acknowledged now that one of the bigger mistakes in US decision making in the past thirty five years has been the rejection of nuclear power generation. The US must quite simply, through government incentives of some kind, support the construction of further nuclear power facilities in order to reduce and discourage the use of current dirty energy sources like coal and fossil fuel usage. When fully committed, the country could raise the percentage use of nuclear power from twenty percent to over forty percent within twenty years. While doing so, the US would also be creating thousands of new employment opportunities.

 As for the nuclear waste that is produced, it can be processed or stored just as other countries have been doing for years now. When more capable and broad scope energy production, transmission and delivery methods, including those used in the smart grid are available, they could be a value added export of the US and continue to decrease the trade deficit.

The reasons to discontinue producing nuclear power include that it is far too costly to manufacture, particularly the start up expenditures. Nuclear reactors are expensive to build so keeping that in focus, this energy method is not really a choice for many countries to consider, Only first world countries such as America can afford to invest in nuclear technology in a manner that will make a difference to energy output.

Another issue with nuclear energy is the waste produced. Leftover byproduct from the procedure – usually spent fuel – needs to be dealt with safely. If it is not disposed of properly, nuclear waste will be a major health concern not to mention what it can do to the environment. This is probably the largest and most contentious issue regarding nuclear power generation

One more serious problem with nuclear power is the potential for a meltdown. One might also say they should be ruled against because of the danger of tampering with them. An example of this would be if a terrorist group being of a mind to sabotage a facility, parts of the region would be uninhabitable for many long years. The meltdowns can also occur by accident or human error placing nearby civilian populations at tremendous risk.

There are also reasons to utilize nuclear power. One advantage of nuclear power in today’s economic climate is it reduces dependency on foreign oil imports. When nuclear energy is used as a means for electricity we can begin to make the change to alternate forms of power before the oil taps runs dry in what could be as soon as a decade from now.

The cost to build a nuclear plant is quite high of course, however, their maintenance expenditures are actually quite low. This is good for taxpayers who having struggled through the latest recession now desire a break in taxes and government spending as well as their own so they can save for later life.

There is no restriction on location for nuclear power. Not like coal or oil where everything is required to be just so in order to acquire the innate resources to generate the power. Uranium is mined worldwide and transported to any nuclear plant its needed at. Weather and terrain are not a factor as nuclear is consistent energy.

Carbon discharge is extremely limited because there are no carbon waste materials with nuclear power production. Nuke power is sustainable, capable, inexpensive and clean; provided of course a method of nuclear waste disposal can be found that is acceptable.

Nuclear power has a real future but it is a silent yet strong one. There are many reasons why the US should get back on the nuclear band wagon but none is as strong as already having the experience and proven technology to make it happen. The United States should continue to expand its nuclear power footprint. Due to the high costs, a quick recovery is impossible but knowing the option is available and viable is motivating the right people to take action.

Just like some alternative methods of energy generation, nuclear must become cheaper to build in order to find its place in the US energy sector.

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The technologies available today in renewable energy are proving themselves to be reliable alternatives that are increasingly easier to install and manage. The majority of homes have an abundance of solar energy hitting their roofs on a daily basis and even more than they can use internally. Where is all that energy going to besides heating up your attic? It would be great if that energy could be exploited to your advantage.

You can capture that energy and put it to work for you in steps or all at once, if you have the desire. A good first step is to convert your hot water heating to solar. Many homeowners save up to seventy five percent on water heating expenditures in the first year alone. If you are using electricity to heat your water now, the savings you will achieve with solar power water heating will actually take care of the cost of installing it.

Relying less on the power grid for your electricity needs is another great alternative. Using photovoltaic solar power or [solar PV], will convert the sun’s rays into electricity. You can power your home in a number of ways using solar power generation. Once again, you can easily dip your toe into this form of solar utilization for a small cost. You could start by setting up the facility for solar power to light your garage or workshop. If there are outbuilding you would like to power up with electrical, you could try solar power generation for them and avoid the need for expensive wiring and electrician expenses. If you require an outdoor lighting mechanism, consider purchasing one of the commercially available units.
 
Your next decision could be installing a “grid tied” system for your home. Using this method, your home is linked to the grid and a solar panel is installed. When you produce more power than you need, you sell the excess back to the power company. When the weather is not sunny or in the evenings, you will simply buy what electricity you require from the power grid. You will not be able to retire on your electricity earnings since they do not pay you much, certainly less than what you are paying them for electricity. It will not be long before you are only paying a connectivity charge.

When you are tied t the grid system one downside it is in the event of a power failure, you will still be in the dark along with everyone else. When you are “off the grid’, you are totally disassociated with the power company. This means that when you generate power, you must have a means to store that power for when the sun is not out or after dark. A common way to store your power is to use batteries. These systems are available right now and though they are on the expensive side, over time they eventually pay for themselves.

There is still much negativity concerning whether going off the grid is a viable option or not. Everyone from the mail carrier to your plumber will tell you why you should not even consider this sustainable power option. Solar hot water does not work or the solar power idea is just too costly. Even local government is often out to lunch and naïve to these energy options.

Do your homework and ask a lot of questions to the right people who have done it or are doing it and make up your own mind about getting off the grid.

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