Solar Power Plants
The Evolution and Future of Solar Power
Solar power is actually as old as life on earth; the original solar energy generators are any plants that use photosynthesis. We use this energy when we eat these plants. It is also stored in the remains of plants that lived and died over 300 million years ago in the form of fossil fuels.
Solar power plants that use the sun’s energy directly aren’t exactly new, either. During China’s Han Dynasty (roughly contemporaneous with the Roman Empire in the West), people were already experimenting with ways to use solar energy, and legend has it that the ancient Greek scientist Archimedes, by using mirrors, was actually able to turn solar energy into a weapon that incinerated a Roman fleet. (Believe it or not, one of Archimedes’ descendants was able to recreate this about forty years year.)
The first primitive solar collectors started coming into use in the 1890s, but it took several more decades before concentrated photovoltaic solar power became practical.
The latest generation of solar power plants use a series of parabolic mirrors – much like Archimedes’ legendary weapon – to focus the sun’s rays into a small area, creating a great deal more “bang for the buck” when it comes to solar energy. This is what concentrated Photovoltaic Power generation is; it has the effect of concentrating and amplifying the heat energy of the sun’s rays, creating higher temperatures.
One of the serious limitations of solar energy, whether generated from individual cells or concentrated photovoltaic arrays is the fact that until now, Solar Cells could only use parts of the solar spectrum in order to generate electricity and heat energy. As you may be aware from your high school physics, sunlight contains several different colors that range from deep reds on one end to deep violet and purples on the other (the extremes of this range that cannot be seen by human eyes are known as infrared and ultraviolet). By using a prism that breaks up sunlight into its various components, one can see the different colors (water droplets also do this, which is what creates rainbows).
Until now, solar cells could only capture the central part of the spectrum – orange-red to light purples. However, recent discoveries by scientists in the U.S. and Japan have discovered new alloys that are able to capture the entire spectrum – pointing the way toward the day when concentrated photovoltaic solar power plants will be as practical and far more cost-effective (not to mention more environmentally friendly) than coal, gas and oil-fired plants. Eventually, we may see the day when every home and building has its own concentrated photovoltaic generation facility, taking everyone “off the grid.”
About the Author
Wayne Hemrick writes about–solar power plants
Concentrating Solar Power Plants 1 MW- 5 MW (Fresnel technology)
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The Light Garden Lighted Willow Branch … |
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Wild Grass Solar Garden Lights. 3 Sprigs of 1.2 Foot Tall Grass. $14.99 Three sprigs of beautiful natural-looking Wild Grass LED Lights are powered by a solar panel and battery. 8 hours in the sun supplies at least 6 hours light during the evening. Great product for your garden, patio and pavement decoration needs. Fiber-optic grass strands can easily be formed into different shapes. Make a bouquet by simply twisting and bending the grass wires. No A/C power needed. S… |
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Pink Flip Flop Solar Powered Dancing Flower $4.85 One pink solar flower…. |
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Solar Power Plant [HD] $2.99 … |
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Power My Party Boat / Rocket-Powered Bass Boat $1.99 … |
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Solar Power Plant, Hydrogen-Powered Bike, Escalator, Tattoo Machine $1.99 … |
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Solar Flower Toy $2.99 Complete your Party with Butterfly Favors! The solar flower toy is the perfect way to liven up your spring theme or Easter party. A festive butterfly and flower decoration to add to your event. 4 1/2″ tall. Solar battery powers flapping petals. Assorted toppers, may vary from picture. These springtime decorations are perfect for your next butterfly themed party, wedding, or event. Butterfly decora… |
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Flip Flop Solar Power Flower Swing Flower Car Interior Decor -12 for $36, $3 Each – Party Favor Ideas $35.88 * Flip Flap is a cute flower bud which moves by light * Unique Flip-Flap is solar powered plant that does not need battery nor watering * Flip Flap’s leaves gently move up and down and the flower move left to right when sunlight or the light energy source is directed * Put one on your desk, your windowsill or your car and we guarantee you will be unable to suppress a grin every time the little … |
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Solar powered Red Flip Flap pot with swaying flower $3.50 Solar powered Red Flip Flap pot with swaying flower… |
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New Solar Powered Flip Flap Swing Flower $3.99 New Solar Powered Flip Flap Swing Flower… |
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FridgeFreeze 80-Watt Solar Charging System $1741 Features of the FridgeFreeze 80-Watt Solar Charging System: Ideal for use in remote locations, the solar charging system includes: Two BSP 40-Watt Solar Panels Canvas carrying bag 10 feet DC-power lead cord Kick-stand |
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Solar Safe Floodlight $44.98 Smart, simple way to add extra security around your home! During the day, security light draws power through its solar panel. At night, when motion is detected, light turns on for 1 minute. Plus, the red blinking light makes it look like a security camera. Dusk/dawn sensor ensures it only turns on at night. Housed in weatherproof ABS plastic. Includes optional ground stake, base, and mounting hardware. Approx. 8″ x 6.5″ x 3″. |
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NoiseHush N650 Solar Bluetooth Carkit $59.99 NoiseHush has a green solution! The portable NoiseHush N650 Solar Speakerphone is an ideal car kit that is eco-friendly, hands-free, for both vehicle and office use. The built-in solar array harnesses the natural power of the sun to help it recharge its batteries. In case of insufficient sunlight an included USB charging cable can recharge the Li-ion battery when provided a USB power source. With DSP Echo Cancellation and Noise Suppression systems, the N650 solar Bluetooth solution provides impeccable full duplex sound qualityclarity even in noisy environments. The NoiseHush N650 solar car kit uses a bright blue LCD caller ID display to identify the caller. Depending where you place the unit, the LCD is adjustable for optimal viewing angles. A host of powerful call management features provide you with the flexibility to answer and end calls, reject calls, call waiting function, voice dial, and redial. Special Features:* Optimized Sound Quality with DSP * Adjustable LCD Screen * Eco-Friendly * No Tools Required * Easy Install * Includes USB and Car Charger * Charged and Ready to Go * Talk Time: Up to 13 Hours * Standby Time: Up to 160 Hours * Charging Time: About 2 Hours * Bluetooth Version: v2.1 * Bluetooth Profile: HSP and HFP * Solar Panel: 5.5V === 50mA * Working Temperature: -10~60C * Storage Temperature: -20~70C * Dimensions (mm): 106 (L) x 54 (W) x 15 (T) * Weight: Main Body-65g Windshield-14g * Operating Distance: Up to 30 feet (10 meters) * Battery: 100 mAh Li-polymer* Retail Packaged |
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ANYCOM Window Mount Solar Bluetooth Car Kit $39.99 ANYCOM Window Mount Solar Bluetooth Car Kit The ANYCOM Window Mount Solar Bluetooth Car Kit is the world’s first Bluetooth Car Kit equipped with a high-performance solar panel. With sufficient sunlight, 3 hours of solar charging provides up to 30 minutes of talk time. Featuring DSP-based echo cancellation and a 95 dB speaker, the ANYCOM Window Mount Solar Bluetooth Car Kit delivers superior communication. Quick, easy installation via mounting adapter and suction cups. Can be removed in seconds. Powerful Lithium-Polymer battery provides up to 15 hours of talk time and up to 25 days standby. Can be recharged via USB charging cable with 12/24V vehicle power adapter. 16-bit DSP filters surrounding noise and provides echo cancellation with full duplex mode. Features a high-performance speaker with up to 95 dBm for perfect, high-speed communication. Bluetooth version 2.0 with advanced call functions, including voice dial, last number redial, suspend, mute and others. Solar panel recharges battery, providing an additional 30 minutes of talk time for every 3 hours of intensive sun exposure. |
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Portable Solar Charger For Cell Phone $49.99 Please select your favorite color from the pull-down menu on the right. Suitable for cell phones and Bluetooth headsets from different manufacturers. Comes with a travel adapter, a USB charging cable, 2 mini-USB adapter cables and 5 different phone connectors. Lets you charge your device from solar power, a wall outlet or a USB-powered port. Built-in LED flashlight. Indicator lights show power status and charging status. Small and lightweight. Convenient for traveling purpose. Specifications : Dimensions (H x W x D) : 93mm x 42mm x 12mm Solar energy board : 5.5V / 80mA Polymer battery capacity : 1350mAH Output voltage : 5.5V Output current : 1000mA Compatible with the following cell phone and Bluetooth headset models : Amazon : Kindle Fire Apple : iPad, iPad 2, iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3G S, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S Cricket : A100 / CalComp A100, CAPTR, CAPTR II (A210), MSGM8, MSGM8 II (ZTE A310) Blackberry : 6210, 6220, 6230, 6280, 6510, 7100g, 7100i, 7100r, 7100t, 7100v, 7100x, 7105t, 7130c, 7130e, 7130g, 7210, 7230, 7250, 7270, 7280, 7290, 7510, 7520, Pearl, 8100, 8100c, 8110, 8120, 8130, Curve 8300, Curve 8310, Curve 8320, Curve 8330, Curve 8350i, 8700c 8700g, 8703e, 8800, 8820, 8830, Bold 9000 Blackberry : Pearl Flip 8220, Pearl Flip 8230, Curve 8520, Curve 8530, Curve 8900, Pearl 3G / 9100, Curve 3G / 9300 / 9330, Curve 9350, Curve 9360, Curve 9370, Storm 9500, Storm 9530, Storm2 9550, Tour 9630, Bold 9650, Style 9670, Bold 9700, Bold 9780, Torch 9800, Torch 9810, Torch 9850, Torch 9860, Bold 9900 4G, Bold 9930, PlayBook Casio : G’zOne Ravine (Casio C751), G’zOne Commando (C771) Dell : Venue Pro HP : iPAQ Glisten HTC : Amaze 4G, Aria, Arrive, Desire, DROID Incredible, DROID Incredible 2, EVO 3D, EVO 4G, EVO Design 4G, EVO Shift 4G, Freestyle, HD2, HD7, HD7S, Hero S, Inspire 4G, Merge, Radar 4G, Rezound, Rhyme, Sensation 4G, Status (ChaCha), Surround, Thunderbolt, Trophy, Vivid, Wildfire (CDMA, GSM), Wildfire S Huawei : M735, M835, Ascend (M860), Ascend II (M865), Impulse 4G (U8800) Kyocera : Brio, DuraMax, Milano, Neo E1100, Tempo E2000, Rio (E3100), Laylo M1400, X-tc M2000, Zio M6000, Echo M9300, Melo S1300, Domino S1310, Presto S1350, S2100, Loft S2300, Torino S2300, Mako S4000 LG : Optimus M, Optimus S, Optimus T, Optimus U, Optimus V, Phoenix, Thrill 4G (P925), Thrive, 100C, 101, VM-101, 102, 420g, 800g, 900g, AX155, Helix AX300, AX310, Swift AX500, Rhythm AX585 / UX585, Glimmer AX830, Banter, AX840 UX840 Tritan, DoublePlay (C729), Quantum C900, CF360, Incite CT810, dLite GD570, Shine II GD710, Xenon GR500, Vu Plus GR700, GS170, Prime GS390, Sentio GS505, Arena GT950, Encore GT550, GU295, Neon II GW370, eXpo GW820, LX290, LX370, LX400, Lotus LX600, Lotus Elite LX610, Rumor2 LX265, Remarq LN240, Rumor Touch LN510, Select MN180, Imprint MN240, Lyric MT375, Envoy (UN150), Saber (UN200), Wine II UN430, UX220, UX265, Wine UX280, UX300, UX310, Bliss UX700, Genesis (US760), Revere (VN150), Cosmos (VN250), Cosmos 2 (VN251), Cosmos Touch VN270, Octa |
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LG HFB-500 Solar Bluetooth Car Kit $69.99 Eco-friendly gadgets are all the rage and solar power is one of the easiest ways to conserve energy. The HFB-500 is actually a Bluetooth speakerphone with photovoltaic panels on the back, so when you place it on your cars dashboard or stick it to the cars windshield, it will soak up the sunlight. Its slim and compact, measuring only 3.6 inches long by 2 inches wide by 0.5 inch thick, and its clad in a matte black finish and silver trim along the sides. On the front is a large multifunction button, and its clad in a faux leather surface for better texture. On the right is a red Power button, and along the bottom third of the device is the speaker grille. The back of the device is home to the photovoltaic solar cells. The volume buttons are located on either side. The HFB-500 comes with a little transparent plastic holder, which you can slip the speakerphone into and then attach it to the windshield with suction cups. Special Features:* Convenient for in-car, office, outdoor, or home use* One Touch button to answer or end calls* Safest way to use your cellular phone in the car* Full duplex sound* Supports voice-activated dialing |
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Power Flower. 1 Gallon: HY $46.75 Bontanicare Power Flower – Specially formulated to maximize floral production and development in flowering plants. Like Power Plant, Power Flower contains a full complement of essential elements, however, it is fortified with extra phosphate to unleash the total flowering potential of flower-bearing plants. (Gallon) |
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Power Flower. 1 Quart: HY $17.63 Bontanicare Power Flower – Specially formulated to maximize floral production and development in flowering plants. Like Power Plant, Power Flower contains a full complement of essential elements, however, it is fortified with extra phosphate to unleash the total flowering potential of flower-bearing plants. (Quart) |
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Power Plant. 1 Quart: HY $16.59 Botanicare Power Plant 1 Quart Specially formulated for accelerated vegetative growth in plants. For container gardens, or soiless hydrogardening applications. Water your favorite indoor and outdoor plants to provide them with the essential nutrients they crave. Because the nutrients in Power Plant are completely soluble and immediately assimilated, your plants will look healthy and beautiful in no time at all. You will never have to worry about burning your plants because it is completely balanced, safe, and environment-friendly. (Quart) |
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Power Plant. 1 Gallon: HY $39.47 Botanicare Power Plant 1 Gallon. Specially formulated for accelerated vegetative growth in plants. For container gardens, or soiless hydrogardening applications. Water your favorite indoor and outdoor plants to provide them with the essential nutrients they crave. Because the nutrients in Power Plant are completely soluble and immediately assimilated, your plants will look healthy and beautiful in no time at all. You will never have to worry about burning your plants because it is completely balanced, safe, and environment-friendly. |
