Book Reviews and Money Saving Tips

Google recently provided a $280 million dollar grant to SolarCity to provide residential solar panels.   SolarCity can determine if your roof is properly situated and feasible for solar panels.    They will install the panels at no charge and the homeowner signs a lease for the panels.   The home owner pays the lease, the solar panels cut the homeowner’s electric bill by up to 60% (average) and we (nation) decrease our dependency on foreign energy sources.    Wow, what a great idea, except in Pennsylvania where the utility companies have successfully prevented SolarCity from providing the zero down lease for installation.   Perhaps in other states there is also a strong enough utility lobby to prevent this too, I don’t know about other states but since I live in Pennsylvania I am a bit peeved.    SolarCity can do the installation for $10,000.00 up front as a fully prepaid lease.   This is about...

Picture this, the ability to install solar panels just like regular asphalt shingles. Just line them up and nail them on. It isn’t quite that simple but pretty much with the addition of a trained electrician it is almost a DIY project. The term alternative energy is bantered about but seldom produces alternatives for the average person. These solar shingles aren’t there yet but they are getting close. The essence of the solar shingle is embedded photovoltaic cells. The integration of these photovoltaic cells has the potential to eventually free up energy products of all types in every corner of the country that gets sufficient sunshine. Here are some very interesting links from the Technology Review Article on Solar Shingles. Solar Shingles      Light-Trapping Photovoltaics

I recently was regaled with a tale that smacked of science fiction, a 16 foot dish style solar concentrator hooked up to a Stirling Engine that generates 3000 watts. I was fascinated with the tale and had to do some research to check it out. Wickipedia defines a Stirling engine is a device that converts heat energy into mechanical power by alternately compressing and expanding a fixed quantity of air or other gas (the working fluid) at different temperatures. The Stirling engine has been around since 1816. Since I am a computer geek and not an engineer, this is the first I’ve heard of it. Infinia has combined a solar concentrator to generate the heat to run their Stirling engine which then runs a generator. The solar concentrator is so effective it is rumored to generate over 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. You don’t need transmission lines, water, boilers or any of the paraphernalia that is usually needed when generating electricity. It is quiet and substantially more efficient than compet...