All posts tagged: Panels

How I boosted my portable solar panels’ power by up to 30% – 11 expert-approved tips

How I boosted my portable solar panels’ power by up to 30% – 11 expert-approved tips

Published by skeptic

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Positioning panels is key to the best output, as is keeping them clean. Test and care for your gear to ensure reliable solar power. Off-grid solar teaches balance: collect wisely, and consume carefully. Fixed solar panels on buildings are, well, fixed. They are installed and, more often than not, receive little to no attention until something goes wrong. Portable panels — or temporary panels, as I tend to think of them — are an entirely different matter. They thrust you into a space that blends science with ingenuity.  The sun becomes both a teacher and a lifeline, and every watt harvested stands as a testament to resilience, creativity, and the timeless romance of self-sufficiency. Also: How my portable wind turbine compares to solar panels – 2 years of testing later I’m not battling Mother Nature. I’m negotiating, or sometimes even begging: “Please give me some power so I can charge my phone to send that message back home… and do a …

Solar panels won’t slash energy bills on their own – an expert explains how to maximise savings

Solar panels won’t slash energy bills on their own – an expert explains how to maximise savings

Published by skeptic

Energy bills in the UK are still expected to rise in the coming months, putting more pressure on household budgets despite the shaky ceasefire in the Gulf. Meanwhile, use of solar power is growing across the UK, achieving 22 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity from nearly 2 million installations, by February 2026. In March, solar panel sales in the UK rose sharply, with one renewable energy firm reporting a 54% increase in sales. While rooftop solar is often seen as the most effective way to reduce electricity costs , it is not an option for all households, especially those living in flats or rented homes. The UK government has plans to expand the use of solar as part of a wider focus on energy security. And it has now said plug-in solar will soon by available in the UK. These are small systems, typically around 800W, that can be installed on balconies or external walls and connected directly to a household socket, without needing an electrician. They could offer a more accessible option for households …

This new Ohio solar farm is powered by Ohio-made panels

This new Ohio solar farm is powered by Ohio-made panels

Published by skeptic

Photo: Geronimo Power A new utility-scale solar farm just came online in Ohio, and it’s generating power with panels manufactured in-state. Geronimo Power has switched on its 117-megawatt (MW) Dodson Creek Solar Project in Highland County, Ohio. The project feeds electricity into the PJM grid and uses Series 7 modules from First Solar, which are manufactured in Ohio. That local supply chain angle matters. The project isn’t just producing electricity in-state – it’s also relying on in-state manufacturing to do it. Dodson Creek is expected to generate about $49 million in direct economic benefits for the community. Over its first 20 years, it’s projected to deliver about $21 million in new tax revenue to Highland County, local townships, schools, and emergency services such as fire, EMS, and mental health programs. Advertisement – scroll for more content The project also created jobs during construction, employing up to 125 workers at peak. It was built by Kiewit Power Constructors Co. With Dodson Creek now online, Geronimo says its total operating portfolio in Ohio has reached 675 MW. …

Plug-in solar panels set to accelerate UK homegrown energy

Plug-in solar panels set to accelerate UK homegrown energy

Published by skeptic

Plug-in solar panels will be rolled out in UK shops over the coming months, accelerating the government’s drive for clean, homegrown energy in light of the war in Iran. Plug-in solar will also enable more UK households to save money on their energy bills. The current conflict highlights that the only route to energy security and sovereignty for the UK is to end dependence on fossil fuel markets and accelerate the drive for clean, homegrown power, as well as new renewables and nuclear. The government has already taken significant steps to accelerate the transition to clean energy in response to the conflict. Last week, the government’s annual renewables auction was brought forward to July. The most recent auction was the biggest ever, and together with the previous auction, it has confirmed enough clean energy to power 23 million homes. How do plug-in solar panels work? Plug-in solar panels are widely used across Europe, with Germany installing around half a million every year. The free solar power can be used via a mains socket with no …

Utilities are raising concerns about plug-in solar panels : NPR

Utilities are raising concerns about plug-in solar panels : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Bhavin Misra and his son, Rumi, attach a solar panel while assembling a plug-in solar kit at their home in Houston. David J. Phillip/AP hide caption toggle caption David J. Phillip/AP Easy-to-install solar panels that plug into a regular outlet are getting attention just as Americans are worried about rising energy costs. That’s because these plug-in or balcony solar panels start shaving off part of a homeowner’s or renter’s utility bill right away. “A year ago, nobody was talking about this,” says Cora Stryker, co-founder of Bright Saver, a California nonprofit group that advocates for plug-in solar. The panels are already popular in Germany, where more than 1.2 million of the small plug-in systems are registered with the German government. For the panels to become more widely available in the U.S., state lawmakers are proposing bills that eliminate complicated utility connection agreements, which are required for larger rooftop solar installations and, most utilities say, should apply to plug-in solar too. Those agreements, along with permitting and other installation costs, can double the price of solar …

L.A. Times Festival of Books lineup, speakers and panels

L.A. Times Festival of Books lineup, speakers and panels

Published by Sam Flores

The L.A. Times Festival of Books is back for its 31st year. The event will feature authors, poets, artists and podcasters across panels, book signings, cooking demonstrations and screenings. This year’s lineup includes comedian Larry David, actor and Booker Prize judge Sarah Jessica Parker, musician Lionel Richie, Beyoncé’s mother and multihyphenate Tina Knowles, bestselling author and social critic Roxane Gay and News & Documentary Emmy- and Peabody-nominated scholar Reza Aslan, among others. Scheduled for April 18 and 19, the literary festival will feature more than 550 storytellers and nearly 100 panels across the University of Southern California’s campus. Other notable personalities include: Pat Benatar, Blippi, Mark Harmon, David Duchovny, Susan Lucci, Jennie Garth, Hannah Brown, Anne Lamott, Chanel Miller, Lisa Rinna, Stephanie Garber, Jon Klassen, Mac Barnett, Meghan Quinn, Hayley Kiyoko, Megan McDonald, Elyse Myers, Eli Rallo, Raegan Revord and Molly Jong-Fast. As part of the Ideas Exchange speaker series, Richie will sit down with Times Pop Music Critic Mikael Wood, to discuss “Truly,” Richie’s new memoir. The book explores the singer’s upbringing in Alabama …

New coating helps solar panels generate electricity from raindrops and sunlight

New coating helps solar panels generate electricity from raindrops and sunlight

Published by Jenni Sidey

While they may appear to be insignificant, raindrops’ impact on surfaces can create measurable electrical signals when specific conditions exist. Scientists from Spain have now demonstrated that the impact of a drop can create over 100 volts of electricity and support the operation of a photovoltaic solar cell by producing additional current through rainfall under adverse weather conditions. This work was conducted at the Materials Science Institute in Seville, a collaboration between the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of Seville. The researchers created a dual energy harvesting device that had never before been combined. The device uses a thin coating to protect the fragile solar cell materials and, at the same time, captures mechanical energy created by the fall of water. “The work we have conducted is an innovative method to integrate perovskite-type solar cells and triboelectric nanogenerators into a thin film configuration, which establishes the potential for combining these two energy harvesting techniques in one device,” stated researcher Carmen Lopez. Hybrid energy-harvesting systems that combine perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with drop-driven …

Adding solar panels to semi trailers is an idea so obvious it hurts

Adding solar panels to semi trailers is an idea so obvious it hurts

Published by skeptic

Refrigerated trailers are critical for hauling your fresh food and flowers from the farm to your local market – the problem is that they pollute like crazy, powered by red-dye diesel gensets that run around the clock, even when the truck pulling them is fully electric. To help solve that problem, one company come up with an idea so obvious you’ll hate yourself for not coming up with it on your own: rooftop solar. Refrigerated trailers (reefers) are critical for hauling fresh food and flowers from the farm to your local market — the problem is that they pollute like crazy, powered by red-dye diesel gensets that run around the clock, even if the truck pulling them is fully electric. That constant diesel burn spews CO₂ and NOx into industrial and residential areas alike, and contributes significantly to fleets’ carbon emissions and noise pollution at a time when a number of municipalities are moving to regulate both, regardless of what the Annoying Orange-in-Chief wants. It is, as they say, “a real problem,” but Sunswap Endurance …

In Cuba, charcoal and solar panels to face the energy crisis

In Cuba, charcoal and solar panels to face the energy crisis

Published by Sam Flores

Cuba’s deepening energy crisis is forcing people to find alternatives to unreliable electricity supplies. Many are turning to charcoal for cooking, despite its high cost relative to average wages, while those who can afford it are investing in solar panels, a fast-growing market. Care homes and households alike are adapting to constant power cuts. Keywords for this article Source link

How long do solar panels last? Probably longer than you think!

How long do solar panels last? Probably longer than you think!

Published by skeptic

Like EVs, solar panels are sold with warranties – but what happens when the warranty runs out? A Swiss university study of solar installations from the 1980s and ’90s found many still generating most of their original power. A team of researchers from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland led by Ebrar Özkalay recently completed a study that solar panels can last a lot longer than their typical 25-year warranty might suggest. Özkalay’s team looked at six solar systems installed between 1987 and 1993 that have been in continuous operation since, and found most panels still producing more than 80% of their original output after nearly four decades. That’s a critically important number, since (in 2023), more than 70% of the renewable electricity capacity added came from PV, and total installations reached more than 1.6 TWp at the beginning of 2024 and covering 8.3% of global electricity demand. As such, it’s nice to know all those solar installation are going to be providing clean, emissions-free energy for decades to come. Advertisement …