Three Challenges of Solar
Posted by carrie_roll
If you’re reading this, chances are good you got here by clicking the link from the free report, “The Three Challenges of Solar Energy.”
Please use the comments box below to add your thoughts and/or response to the information in the guide.
Thank-you for being part of the GreenJoyment community!
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55 Responses to “Three Challenges of Solar”
Chet Strader says:
Mr Teel’s comments were spot on. Until the capital costs of solar energy come down, as they will over time and with the improvement of technology, every approach needs to be balanced between energy conservation and renewable energy sources. Now that we have leadership that appreciates the need for a national energy policy, there will be rewards in the market place and through tax policy for those people with foresite and the ability to act on their understanding of our energy situation. I would really like to see a “Return On Investment” number generator whereby you could plug in the capital cost of equipment, expected percentage return and use the local cost per KWH to calculate the payback period for any renewable energy source. I am sure that such grids are available I have not seen any at this stage in my greening.
Alex in Georgia says:
I’m not so concerned about the environment because if it’s cheaper to go green, people will buy in to it. I want to be cool in the summer and warm in the winter. I want solar to keep me that way. If solar could generate enough power to operate a good heat pump, our power bills would be economical. Government’s role would be to help make it cheaper to go green than be a fossil fuel hog.
Kevin Davis says:
Just a small corection: on pg 6 you wrote:
Power that is stored in deep cycle batteries is DC power.
You need something that will convert AC Power to DC power.
That piece of equipment is called an inverter.
I think you ment to say: You need something that will convert DC Power to AC power.
I am only into it a little bit but I like it so far – I will send more when through!
Kevinto Kevin: I did mean to say that.
Thanks for the correction! I’ll get that fixed for future downloaders.
Thanks again,
JonathanTheodore Thomas says:
Correct me if I error.
I read that Bush stopped a project where solar panels were being put up. I never found the reason for the stoppage. Solar and wind power is a must. True, we need to cut back on our usage of energy. Even more so because solar or wind power is still fairly new and will leave us in powerless moments if we do not control our selves. I truly believe the day of change is with us now. And change we must. Power to the people, solar that is!sayed faruque shah says:
please send me packege information regularly
reg
shahvern says:
lets see,
I have a family of six,and it seems someone is always leaving the light on,So what did I do?1.went to habor frieght bought a 5 watt solar panel for 40.00.Then went to Wall mart an bought 2 12volt batteries for 21.00 dollars each,they also had retractable led lights for 12 volt system,that I bought 4 of for 8.00 ,so i hooked everything together,an they light systems works very well,So far the system has been in opperation for 1 and a half months nonstop,and both batteries are still reading 12 volts each time I’d hook them to the metter,so not sure how much of a savings I’d be doing yet,but at least when the kids leave the room,I know I am no long losing money to the electric company……alma newton says:
I’m trying to start a solar business, taking training also looking into grants for people to take advantage of the solar surge of converting off the high dollar market of electric and heating sources available today, i realize that there is a price tag to the conversions of one energy source to another, and some may not be able to handle the cost alone, so if some-one has some idea’s how we can petition grants to help people make the conversion to solar energy, i’m all ears, i have been trying to think of ways and means to help our American people get the help of even partial cost towards solar installations to help cut rapidly our dependance on oil, i believe
would be a blessing in it’s self, as well as converting our auto’s into
hyrodgen would be a very big asset to our people as well as bio fuels is to the trucking industry’s , if you look at deisel costs today
that our trucking industry’s are stuck paying just to move goods and services across country, the saving there are endless. so in efforts to help save alot of our industry’s i really do believe that as a
nation individually we all must get in here and do all we can to move forward in those areas to help our people save dollars that will be needed to be spent on food in support of all of our family’s
so while we still have an economy, we should all pull together to make these changes happen and to continue to support any and all efforts each one of us can do to help bring about these nessisary changes so that we can better provide for our family’s in profiding electrical , heat, and transporation measure’s to guarantee a continued agenda to keep our country well and getting better. almaBruce Wiest says:
Hey Guys,
Thanks very much for all the work you have put into writing this guide. More power to you!
As an electrician myself, I would echo Kevin’s comment on your minor mistake on page 6. Converting AC to DC requires a Rectifier and converting DC to AC requires an Inverter.
However, inverters eat up a lot of power themselves. I hope we can develop an AC/DC house wherein we power whatever we can with DC thereby not wasting all that energy in the inverter. 12 volt lights, especially LEDs would be sooo much more efficient and each bulb would last a decade or more. If we could create enough demand, we could get manufacturers to use DC motors in refrigerators (like in campers?), air conditioners, etc. TVs, stereos and computers all use DC internally and have to have rectifiers to convert the ac to dc for use in the circuitry. We need to get them to eliminate the rectifier (cost and resource savings right there) and let us power them with DC in the first place.
Thomas Edison wanted all houses wired for DC but could not distribute it efficiently. George Westinghouse got the idea to use AC since he could distribute it with the use of transformers and smaller cables. With houses being fitted with their own power supplies, we no longer need to worry about distribution! We just have to get enough houses wired for DC to create good economies of scale for the manufacture of DC appliances.
Keep up the good work and I am very interested to continue following and aiding in your progress.
Bruce WiestBOLA ADEYEMO says:
the reviews are good.however this is discouraging seeing we are in Africa.we get alot of sunlight and erratic power supply at best.we want independent power that is easily accessible.we are in the real estate development business and as plan to add solar power as part o our housing package.we would love to partner with you both as environmental conservationists and business associates.we also look forward to hearing from you.
Ephraim Ronquillo says:
O Your work is so impressive in the work of man and in the Eyes of Great Almighty God.God Bless and Pls. Help me develop a Solar Panel!!
MonicaDennison says:
This is a nice hello to solar power, but it really doesn’t tell me much. I was hoping to see a bit more information on the construction of solar panels, where to purchase the materials, and how to make them yourself.
You may be interested in this post which we just put up on GreenJoyment… It’s a step-by-step approach to building solar panels.
http://www.greenjoyment.com/how-to-build-your-own-solar-panel-solar-cell-electricity.htmlJerry B Lucas Ohio says:
After reading this info i realized, that having a whole house electric,(G O Thermal for heat and ac) system, it would take a lot of $’s. I do Have What I call my selective Emergency gas generator backup which is designed to run selective electric when power failure occurs. this I belive could be my 1st step to solar. Look foward to making my own solar system.
john says:
Your article was very good and gave me a clear understanding of the difficulties and cost involved before attempting such a project.
However, yourself starter kits you recommended to purchase I am sure will be very knowledgeable as well. But before I go ahead and purchase this item I would like to hear about results. Such as: What are the benefits to “Home Made Energy” Will I be making a solar toy model that serves me no real purpose?
I need to know this: After learning how to construct a solar panel from this “Homemade energy kit ” I will be able to power two lights for 6 months. ( This is reason to purchase your recommended kit)
The information I would like to see is what can I do with kit or how will it help me to produce a workable savings or workable things I make from the knowledge gain and examples.
Ie: A kit can show me how to construct an airplane but can I actually make a real plane (No!) I do not want to purchase this only to find out I can make a solar panel and hook up a multi-meter see some voltage and say to myself WOW! Look energy. It’s common knowledge that no doubt it will produce electricity but what can I constructively use this for?
Thank you.Jamie says:
I’ve recently downloaded your article. However, the correction that Kevin Davis has posted last Jan 29 has not been corrected still. another thing, you mentioned about a system that will track the sun..Does Home Made Energy or Make Natural Power has this system? And do they have the converter/inverter that we need to convert the power from DC to AC?
I’m fully interested in going “green”, to help the environment and to save on energy. I truly thank you for coming up with this article coz it sheds “light” to a very confusing thing like solar panels and wind turbines. however, i have another question, i live in the Philippines, will those products you’ve mentioned work where i am residing? thanks once again!Saba Quadir says:
Hi
I found this report very useful. I live in Pakistan and here we are facing acute shortfall of electricity so it is a must for us to look for alternate sources. The challange is to find all materials mmentioned and be able to set up a unit for homes.
Thank you SabaJames Taylor says:
My wife and I got the idea about building the solar panels after talking to our neighbor, who’s an engineer. The only thing is that he made it sound a lot cheaper than a good system actually costs. Still, the way the power companies are trying to gouge everyone, it’s worth it to make our own electricity, and if enough people get around to going solar, it might at least cut down on the use of fossil fuels by the power companies.
I did have one question. Would the power converters that people use on their vehicles when they go camping to change the D.C. power to A.C. be compatible with a solar system, or would it have to be something larger?
I really enjoyed reading the article. It had the information I was looking for without being full of tech talk, which my son would understand, but I’d have a harder time of.
Thank you very much. James TaylorSpyros Original says:
This guide was supposed to be a free How To Guide on building PV systems-panels . IT IS NOT . Actually it is just an other advertisement of other NON FREE guides . Needless to say that i don’t like it . Please do not waste my time and annoy me with advertisements .
Hi Spyros,
I’m sorry you feel that way, and feel like it was a waste of your time. Clearly (from the comments on this post), many people did not feel that way. However, your feedback is valuable because it helps us to improve.
If you will take a few minutes and browse through the rest of our site(s), I think you’ll find what you’re looking for.
Have you seen our step-by-step guide for building your own solar panels?
http://www.greenjoyment.com/how-to-build-your-own-solar-panel-solar-cell-electricity.html
As far as building cheaply, you might get in touch with Isaac, from this post:
http://www.greenjoyment.com/sharing-solar-light-in-dark-homes-uganda.html
Perhaps see what he’s doing for his solar panels in Uganda.
At the moment, the cheapest way we know of to get solar cells is through deals which show up on ebay:
http://www.greenjoyment.com/ideas/ebay-solar-cells
(That link will take you right to solar cells available on ebay right now…check back from time to time as different prices show up depending on who’s running auctions at any given time.)
Perhaps you might also contact Namaste Solar (tell them GreenJoyment.com sent you) to see what help they might be able to offer… (They’re a solar installation company here in Colorado…perhaps they know someone in your area… their CEO mentioned he’s in contact with LOTS of solar companies)
http://www.namastesolar.com/index.htm
1 (303) 447-0300
You may also be interested in the step-by-step plans for building your own wind turbine:
http://www.greenjoyment.com/wind_turbines_made_simple_how_to_build_your_own_electricity.html
Also, there are some amazing people talking over at the GreenJoyment community forums.
Register for free at http://www.GreenJoyment.com/forum
Hope that gives you a good start anyway, and thank-you for being part of the GreenJoyment community. Sorry again you didn’t get what you were looking for in the very first email you received from us, but I’m glad to have gotten your feedback.
So that you know, being helpful, and building a community of people who can support each other in the effort of making solar and green energy a reality on the planet is our intention.
Hope you’ll feel more comfortable now about joining us in that effort.
Warmest,
Jonathan
http://www.CarrieAndJonathan.com
http://www.TheSolarPlan.com
http://www.GreenJoyment.comKAM says:
DO I REQUIREDANY TESTING EQUIPMENT SO AS TO HAVE A KNOWLEDGE OF HOW ONE ENVIROMENT WOULD PERFORM FOR SOLAR OR WIND POWER
AND WHERE CAN I PURCHASE THEM
THANKS I DO ENJOY THE FORUMJohn Ndaga says:
Using Solar Energy is a very interesting thing, but learning the basics on how to start and future developments are vital steps in this endeavour. I want to thank you both Jonathan and Carrie for this article “The Three Challenges of Solar Energy”. From the topics covered anyone whether Technical or Not Technical can successfully plan and install Solar panels according to their requirements.
samandulgu dulgu says:
itwill be so greatful for me to become a member in greenjoyment,thanks you for accepthing me.
Jeannie Macdonald says:
Cant wait to make my own panels. Who cares about getting the money back? If we had spent as much money on solar energizing as we have already spent at Starbuck’s we would be fossil fuel free by now!!!!
Thanks for the informative document.Lee Maz says:
Well it u didnt tell me anything that I didnt know and that others havent said or isnt easily available from anyone.
Ur guide stated it would show how to make easy cheap solar power,
All it did was another shameless promotion of some DIU books.
Not a really good answer, only wasted my time to read it.
Next time, include proper info, diagrams, pictures, detailed data, info on suppliers and costs etc, or a method to build ur own cheap solar panels as was suggested by the article.ERNEST MAWULI ADZEKEY says:
I am glad to be associated with you. Where you’ve given me the chance to be member of the greenjoyment. I’ve leaned a lot of lessons from the 3 challenges you sent to me.
I thank you once again. and I hope to see what we can do together to help our worldWilliam King says:
Hey Jon,
Thanks For the information, it was very helpful. I plan on getting more involved with solar more and more. I also plan on purchasing an electric motorcycle in the next year and would love to build my own charging station at my home. Would love some feedback on how or if it is even possible to do this.
Thanks Again, Viva La Solar Revelucion
WillDave says:
Guide? What you meant is an ad. Thanks for wasting my time with your guide.
John Cederberg says:
Hot air rises! Have you ever gotten back to the vehicle in the summer and stepped into a microwave? A generator hooked up to a fan ‘top of the car.
Christiana says:
One major thing you didn’t mention in your review is how much does a DIY solar system cost when you follow one of those guides? You explained how to calculate the cost for a professional one… so how does a DIY one compare? How much money did YOU spend when YOU built it? Is it even worth it? How much power can you get out of one, and what are the disadvantages?
I have to say that I am very skeptical. A professionally built and installed solar system costs that much for a reason. Of course it is prohibitively expenisve, but if a DIY system is so cheap and easy, why doesn’t everybody have one?
I live in Germany where the sun shines less than an hour a day the entire winter, and yet many houses have solar systems because the government gives large tax breaks on the installation and materials. Most people don’t attempt to power a whole house, but they often will “supplement” the normal power grid using solar energy, even if it is just a small amount.Hayford Jesse says:
Please i have gone through The Three Chalanges of Solar Energy and i have learnt a lot from there so i recommand you to backup your ideas and i i want to share with you is that, with the case of night you should build some device that will produce heat to the solar so that it will work all the days without shuting down when it is mid-night.
Thank you
Hayford Jesse.
NB: please i will like to hear from you soon about the shematic diagram of how to build my own SOLAR ENERGY at home.Don says:
Just another creep with an “instruction manual” to sell. S.S.D.D.
I was hoping for some directions on how to MAKE a viable Solar panel. I don’t want to Purchase a guide, I just want the information….if I knew it I’d share. I dislike the thought that all this green initiative is about is another way for people to make money at the consumer’s expense.
Lowell says:
Thanks for the excellent info.
I am trying to incorporate the instructions and materials into my already strained budget on an ASAP schedule.
Hopefully I won’t be too late.
Thanks again!
I gotta go surfing the site.
LowellAnonymous says:
Hi thanx for the article it sheds a light on what is involved in starting a solar project. But I was hoping to find information on the construction of solar panels, where to purchase the materials, and how to make them yourself. Am also wondering whether you could have a scheme of helping those in disadvantaged countries like Uganda get access to starter packs at a reasonable cost. Am willing to help in this by being the agent here in Uganda and say East Africa if it is possible. Power in these countries is very unreliable and intermittent,you even find areas in a radius of 14kms out of the city center not having access to the power grid like my area 2kms off Kajansi on the main Entebbe road.
James Quinlan says:
Ok I have recently began my delv into photovoltaic energy and thought this guide would help me build a PV Panel. What I recieved instead was the eye opening cost involved in transforming my house to be “Off-The-Grid”. The cost of installing a system will not deter me from continueing my quest. Right now I spend about $75 a month on electricity and need to greatly reduce my expenditures. This guide is great for people like me who think “Oh I will just spend a little cash and boom free electricity.”. It gave me a very realistic view of PV energy. I appreciate the honesty and bluntness of the guide. Most of the people I talked to about installing panels mostly told me “It will be very expensive” and then ho-hummed about the idea. The people that told me that USE solar energy themselves and wouldn’t come off of the information I needed. So I would like to thank you for writing this wonderfull guide and realistic cost guide to PV.
kat disney says:
I am researching solar cells and how i might be able to build one for my class. Your microsoft word document is all that i have received so far, but if your processes for building a solar panel is as understandable as that, then hopefully i will be building my own soon. Though my apartments may not like it, hopefully mom and dad wont be too arguementative towards lowering their electricity bill.
Max says:
The guide was very helpful and gives good insight to a new inductee into solar power for the haome.
amb says:
your guide is well writen. but you foregot to mention that 1000 homes saving $100 a year is a lot of money the oil companies are not getting. It’s also a lot of greenhouse gases not being produced. especilaly over a 20 year preiod.
mark says:
it was very informative the breakdowns of cost. Now I know why so many people don’t go that route. I’m still interested even with the cost differences thanks
Paul Bold says:
Dear Jonathan.
Thank you for the excellent information. I have also always had a passion for energy saving and have had many ideas on how to accomplish it. Although I am able to design an inverter etc I have been put off by the cost of “research and development” (“what if it doesn’t work?”). Thus I would rather learn from someone who has practically done it and ensure that it works well the first time. Please will you forward more information? I will contact you on Face Book to share further ideas with you.
Thank you
Paul Bold (Witbank, South Africa)Enahoro Olori says:
i appreciate the article.
Thank you so much.
We’ll have a lot to do together.dick says:
i am a senior citizen living on social unsecurity and need a CHEEP way to power my home and shop. i can build whatever i need. i just need instructions on how to do this at little or no cost. is there a way?
chiheb says:
Thanks for the excellent Doc.
I am from Tunisia,we have a lot of sun,I think it’s stupid to let all this energy given from god to us and not using it.
Thank you very much and hope hearing your newsAlthough the article was enlightening, I already know this. I am looking forward to more details as how to estimate power usage, how to choose solar cells, etc.
Thanks for the great information. Confirmation is always good.Dom says:
Dear Jonathan, Thanks for your article. I found it very interesting & useful. I live on a small island well situated in the Indian Ocean & we have sun light for about 95% of the year. I am convince that we can produce all our electricity for free here but the thing is that all these equipments cost a lot. They are actually too expensive for our local market, I was willing to import & install solar PV panels but as the prices are too expensive, i would like to know what could be done. If you have any suggestion, that would be great. Thank You.
Owen King says:
I read your three challenges of solar and found it interesting. I noted that you claimed that a power inverter changed AC to DC, page 6. This should be DC to AC. A rectifier changes AC to DC. I think that it is just the one line, “You need something that will convert AC Power to DC power.” that is at issue.
I would also like a more comprehensive approach to power off the grid by adding wind and water power generation to the mix. Same controller, battery, distribution issues but more sources – I beleive that it will be a mix that serves us best.
ace says:
Thanks for the great job you are doing. It will be a big challenge building PV energy units in Nigeria, West Africa where I leave, the materials are just not available. However I am encouraged by the step by step approach you have used for the tutorial. I will like to get more information on how to source the materials. I am willing to brave the odds.
Hey Ace,
I’m really giving some serious thought into how to source the materials to end consumers, and to do it right…
I’m not saying we’re going to do this just yet, but if we were to source them at a super affordable rate, how many people do you think you could get to have interest from Nigeria, in order to get the materials there?
And, how is the security situation in Nigeria?
Is it possible to get materials there without there being significant problems with theft or corruption?
Forgive my ignorance, but I’ve never been to Nigeria and have only heard how serious these issues are there.
Thank-you for your interest Ace. Looking forward to hearing back from you.
Nigeria has an estimated population of 140Million, and generates only about 6000Megawatts of electricity and sometimes below that figure.
Every Nigerian is not corrupt, and crime rate is not more than in other countries. I will like to start and build my PV panels see how it works, create credibility, and awarenes, before I think of expanding. I also urge you to take things step by step, get more independent assesment of Nigeria market, before you invest, you will likely want to deal with big companies, I do have one, but I want to Go GREEN myself first. I am willing to assist you with relevant information that you can verify should you choose to invest in Nigeria. Thank you for thinking well of Africa. ACEOf course there are many good people in Nigeria as in every country in the world, and I’m glad to be making your acquaintance. I’m working on plans now for sourcing better solar cells and getting them to people all over the world… the picture is quite complex. But I will definitely be in touch as we are finding more places to source high-quality solar cells.
Your contributions to making the world a better place so far is commendable, you have my support whenever you need it.
Kind regards,
ACE.Philip Lacson says:
hi im glad to be a part of greenjoyment. my initial interest was solar panel. but since im from the philippines and from tagaytay city. i think wind power is the way to go for me hope you can fill me in on any info regarding wind turbines and how to build or set them up. again thanks and keep up the good work!
Hey Philip!
Have you seen our post from Michael Davis about how to build your own wind power? http://www.greenjoyment.com/wind-turbines-made-simple-how-to-build-your-own-electricity-producing-wind-generator
Jonathan, Thank you for the article, I found it very realistic and honest. We live in a society that is always searching for a “quick fix for things”. I liked how your article shined forth the “Light” on what I was really searching for. Before I read your article, I was searching for a solution to help reduce my energy bills. I have recently been working on being conscious of “Going Green” and thought if I had Solar Panels, this would help resolve a lot of my energy issues (high energy bills). It didn’t hit me until I after I read your article; that I was being an “Energy Glutton”. I wanted to use all the energy in the world I wanted at little or no cost. I liked how your article brought me back down to earth and pointed out that there is a cost. If it was so cheap and easy, everybody would be doing it already. New focus and goals; When started out I wanted to reduce my energy bills, so I thought I wanted to build a Solar System to do that; when all I really need to do is reduce my energy consumption. I have started replacing all my lights with fluorescent lights; goal is to switch every light in the house to fluorescent. Insulate and Solar Shield my attics and roofs to reduce energy loss in the summer and winter. setup all of my electrical devices like charges, printers, monitors, anything that burns electricity when not is use I will set up on switches so they are easier to shut on and off.
Thanks for your insight Jonathan!
Varner Teel