Is solar & wind power right for you?

**Kweight** · 07-26-2010 09:04 PM

Remote Power - Site Location And Resources
The site location, layout and resources are all important when considering an off-grid solar or wind power system.

The available natural resource for any site dictates the type of system best suited to supply the power. Globally, sites closer to the equator will have more sun, whereas those nearer the poles are likely to have higher wind speeds.

If you are considering solar panels, the selected installation area needs to be unshaded all year round, bearing in mind the low winter sun angle and long winter shadows.

In Europe, the solar array will need to be facing roughly towards South, ideally with potential to tilt the panels at an angle of 30 to 60 degrees from the horizontal.

If you are considering a wind turbine, the area must not be surrounded by trees or buildings. The mast needs to be as tall as possible. A wind generator needs a clean, smooth, laminar flow of air, as any turbulence seriously reduces the output.
Solar & Wind Power Economics
Generating power from solar & wind energy is not cheap. The equipment required can be an expensive capital outlay. Additionally, at remote sites, the power generated needs to be stored in batteries which are also costly.

However, for many off-grid sites, the cost of a mains connection often makes a stand-alone power system economically viable. Even in less remote areas, the costs of running mains cables can be very high, especially if roads or car parks have to be disrupted.

The economics of any off-grid solar or wind energy system are directly related to the amount of energy required. This is why high efficiency is vital, as each watt saved by efficient appliances reduces cost of the system significantly.
Common Solar & Wind Myths
Solar panels take more energy to manufacture than they ever produce ?
Most modern solar panels have an 'energy payback' of around 3 years. Some pv technologies have an energy payback of under a year. Solar pv has a working life of over 40 years.
Wind generators take more energy to manufacture than they ever produce ?
Modern large scale wind turbines have an 'energy payback' of under a year. Smaller scale wind generators will have a longer payback, probably more like 3 to 5 years. Most wind generators have a working life of around 20 years.
Jack Lin
Kweight Technology Ltd.
Email: Jack@kweight.net
MSN: Jack-lin1986@hotmail.com
Website: www.kweight.net
Tel: +86-755-82730307
Fax: +86-755-82730578
Mobile: +86-13632647891

**leopard777** · 08-10-2010 03:38 AM

solar panels are made by asians electronic companies
that will help the asian economy, not our.
we must built our own panels in Europe or in America.
it's just for our domestic use. It's just for our House electricity.
That's good, it's an improvement. but will not replace the most important.
the industry electricity consumption.

the wind generator.
only one country built this in North of Europe.
now it's fashion, everybody talk about it.
Even if it's a simple technology. an electricity generator.
ecxist since 150 years.
but now imagine we plant millions of this wind panels in our country side.
that will be ugly.
imagine the suburbs of our big cities, with hunderet of thousands of wind generators.
that will be ugly.
the nature landscape will be ugly if we use too much of this things.

imagine our country side little town in the mountain, one hunderet wind generator surround it.
that will be ugly.
you look in the valley, and you see this numerous wind generators.
that damage the landscape.
And it's very important to protect the landscape view.

we must hid them in the landscape. gatter them They are too large.
we must not use too much of this wind generators.
they must be together. all in the same place.
not scatter one evey kilometer.
Nature Landscape must remain pretty.
when you watch the landscape from the hill and you see forests and lake and green grass,
that makes the human happy.
Switzerland people have succed this challange. Their nature is well protected.
they should export their knowhow in landscape view protection.
They should export all over the world.

Is solar & wind power right for you?
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