Solar Panels — Renewable Energy Products & Services

Sources for Solar Panels

Advanced Energy Solutions:  Located in Rock Island, Illinois

Advanced Energy Systems Inc:  Midwest’s leading photovoltaic system integrator. ADG is a general contracting company specializing in the design and installation of photovoltaic (PV) systems. ADG’s partners, John Witte and Mark Tuttle, have a combined 35 years of experience in the renewable energy industry. This experience includes project management, system sizing, installation, design and consulting, component sales, PV system operations and maintenance.  Located in Maumee, Ohio

Advanced Solar Energy:  Manufacturer and supplier of renewable energy and industrial power solutions including inverters, power conditioners, UPS, solar panels, regulators, MPPT, batteries, wind turbines, diesel and gas generators.

Affordable Solar:  Online Discount Retailer For Solar And Wind Energy Products

Alternative Energy Store:  Leading Discount Retailer Of Solar & Wind Energy Products. Free Seminars.

Carls Electronics:  Developer of world class solar cells, solar modules, and complete and solar systems

Clean Energy Challenge:  Kits for building your own solar power regulator, and power center. Great information for the do-it-yourselfer, and you can buy just the PC board, parts and plans for cheap. Lots of links to other DIY power info too. 

CV Solar & Wind:  suppliers of solar panels and alternative energy devices, online shop!

Ecofootagecom:  Wind and solar power, components, custom design.

Ecological Systems:  Sells renewable energy products: photovoltaic solar panels, inverters, wind generators, deep cycle batteries, regulators and other alternative energy products for residential, RV, & boat applications. 

Electric Generators Direct:  Authorized distributor of BP Solar. Supplier of complete prepackaged solar energy systems. Located in Raceland, Louisiana

Energy Outfitters Ltd:  assists local, state, and federal organizations, utilities, and the U.S. photovoltaic industry by conducting testing, systems engineering, and characterizations of photovoltaic modules and cells.

Greenworks :  UK renewable energy expert in solar panels, solar heating, ground source heat pumps, underfloor heating systems, wind turbines, condensing boilers and rainwater harvesters to create an eco friendly house.

Infinigi:  Please note that we take great pride in providing excellent customer service and are always working on ways to reduce our cost so our customers can benefit by purchasing renewable energy products at aggressive prices.  Please let us know if you need any other information.  We also offer other products such as solar panels, charge controllers, inverters, and wind turbines. Located in Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA.

La Sunpower :  Photovoltaic (PV) Solar System Design and Installation in the Los Angeles area. Lots of online information regarding the economics of switching a grid-powered house to solar, and environmental benefits. 

MidSummer Energy Shop:  Midsummer Energy is a small business retailing solar panels.  

Powerlight Corp:  Manufacturer of complete kits of PV products, which offers high-value solar photovoltaic products and services to the global market.

Promasol Energia solar/Promasol Solar Energy:  Manufacturer of solar collectors 

SC Solar:  X-35 HID Solar Outdoor Lighting System

Spheral Solar: We carry everything you need to do DIY Solar Power!

Solairgen, Inc.:  Sales and installation of solar panels, wind turbines and other renewable energy products.

Solar Energy Systems Inc:  The Solar Industry’s Water Heater Bible  " Hot Water Systems: Lessons Learned 1977 to Today " Solar Hot Water and Pool Heating Design / High Performance Low Maintenance Systems / Reality Checks Using Current Technology. a definitive how-to book for installing and maintaining high-performance and low-maintenance solar hot water systems written by one of the leaders in solar contracting today

Solar Online Australia:  Suppliers of solar and wind power equipment including solar panels, wind turbines, regulators, power inverters, deep cycle batteries and technical information.

Solar-part.com  Solar Panel and Information – We provide solar panel products and informartion for you to save the energy. Find resources that show you how.

Solar Power Generation:  Provides Solar And Alternative Energy Education, News, Links, And Products

Solar Sales Pty Ltd:  Western Australian retailer of renewable energy products including solar panels, regulators, batteries, lighting, power inverters, water pumps, and wind turbines.

Solar Solutions Ltd:  Solar Electric, Wind, Water Pumping, Communications And Recreational Vehicles

Solar Wind & Water International:  Wholesale and Retail business of Wind Generators, Solar Panels, Renewable Energy, batteries, inverters, grid intertie, electric bikes and scooters, sales and service

Sun Mate Corporation:  specializing in solar-powered consumer products such as radios, hats, and battery chargers, as well as solar panel, cells, and Bill Nye the Science Guy kits. 

 

The Leveredge:  Welcome to The LeverEdge! Our companies include a solar pool panel manufacturer (Solar World, Inc.), a solar and water treatment wholesale distributor and supplier (The LeverEdge), and a retail finance company (ISPC), all founded in Tampa, Florida. We warmly invite you to research our companies and our products.

The Solar Biz:  We at The Solar Biz have been selling and installing solar for over thirty-two years.

Wholesale Solar:  Solar Panels, inverters, wind generators and more.

Your Solar Home, Inc:  Solar Air & Water Heating Products, Turnkey System Design & Solar Air Panel Manufacturer

Please suggest additional links

Home Construction — Renewable Energy Products & Services

Sources for use in Home Construction

Ecoliving Center:  Suzy Banks on earth-sheltered homes 

Ecosolar Solarstromanlagen:  Ecobuild is your place for Sustainable Green Architecture & Design.  Take a look around – tell us what you think.

NEW  The Home Insulation Resource Page:  The most cost-effective way of saving money when heating and cooling a home is having adequate insulation. A well insulated home not only makes it more comfortable for the people inside, it reduces annual heating and cooling costs by as much as 20%. Reducing energy consumption also saves on limited energy resources.

Sundance Supply:  Owner Built Polycarbonate Greenhouses, Solariums, Pool Enclosures

Please suggest additional links

What is Solar Energy?

 

What is solar power?  


Electromagnetic energy transmitted from the sun (solar radiation) is referred to as solar energy. Power in general is energy per unit time. Only a very small portion of total solar power reaches the earth. Numerically, this amount is characterized by solar constant- the average amount of solar radiation that reaches the earth’s upper atmosphere on a surface perpendicular to the sun’s rays. Solar constant is approximately 1366-1367 watts per square meter or 433 Btu/hr per square foot (see power unit conversion calculator).

How to convert solar power to electricity?
Solar power can be converted to electricity in photovoltaic (PV) cells, which are also called solar cells. A solar cell is made of specially treated silicon wafer with p-n junction. When photon of light strikes the top of the wafer, it can penetrate through the p-n junctions and free an electron, which can cross the junction into the n-type region. Free electrons are then held in the n-region, being unable to return into the p-region. This creates a voltage of about 0.5-0.6 volts under open circuit (no-load) condition. When connected to a load a typical commercial PV cell can produce about from 0.5 to 2.0 watt of electrical power.  In conventional small solar electric systems 32 to 40 cells are connected in series into modules (or panels). Such panels can produce open circuit voltage of up to 20 V and about 16-17 V at peak power.  These voltages are suitable for charging 12V batteries via regulators. There are also modules, which have nominal voltages 24V or 48V.
Multiple modules can be wired together in an array to produce higher voltages, currents and power levels. Parallel connection of the modules increase the maximum available load current while series connection increases the output voltage.

  
Read more of this article

 
Hotlinks to Additional Solar Energy Internet Resources:
Creative Energies A Renewable Energy Company:  Wyoming’s full-service renewable energy company featuring solar, wind, and water solutions for business and residential customers.
Google says, ‘Here comes the sun’:  Google Inc. is converting its renowned headquarters to run partly on solar power, hoping to set an example for corporate America.  The undertaking will be the largest solar project by a U.S. company. Google believes the sun eventually can deliver as much as 30 percent of the power at its 1-million-square-foot campus in Mountain View — a suburb about 35 miles south of San Francisco….
NEW    Bright Green Energy: Source for Solar and Photovoltaic Panels, Wind Turbines, Rutland wind chargers, Aerogen wind generators, Batteries, Inverters and other solar powered products. 
Solar Energy Photovoltaics Tutorial Package:  Provides an interactive tutorial package comprising of a comprehensive tutorial and laboratory grade photovoltaic module for "hands on" experiments and calculations.
NEW    Solar power:  Solar power, but what is solar power? and how will you make the best use of it? well, the answer to this is very….
The Solar Guide:  new link — website that makes solar energy accessible and understandable to you. The Solar Guide aims to give consumers the practical information they want, about buying solar and renewable energy systems.
University College Dublin:  Energy Research Group Carry out research on low-energy and passive solar building design and host the site for the European Solar Industry Federation ESIF. Many excellent well-illustrated reports on EU funded research projects are available in pdf format but you’ll need a fast link to deal with the monster file sizes!
US Solar Signs:  Manufacturer of solar powered signs for real estate, business and commercial applications. Patented design. No electrical wiring or maintenance is required. Battery-operated signs are recharged daily with solar energy. Signs can be customized to meet your application.
Next Energy:  NextEnergy provides SunPower Intelegant systems for homes in Northern California. For over 30 years, we’ve been turning around our customers PGE bills and helping to make Northern California a cleaner, safer place to live.

More General Solar Links  

Batteries — Renewable Energy Products & Services

Alternative Energy Solutions LLC:  We have been in the battery and related accessory manufacturing and distribution business for over 15 years. All products are manufactured using only the highest quality name brand cells, plastics and internal components. All batteries are guaranteed to meet or exceed the original equipment manufacturer’s specifications, including fit, design and performance and come with a full money back guarantee. Located in Carlsbad, California

Banner Batterien:  Bull brand batteries

Deka East Penn Manufacturing Co:  Deep cycle, industrial fork lift, gelled, sealed and other lead acid batteries.

Douglas Battery Manufacturing Company :  Lead acid batteries

Dyno Battery :  Deep cycle, marine batteries, Automotive and Gel Batteries

Dyno Battery Inc Lead Acid Batteries:  Located in Farmington Hills, Michigan

EBC Korea Co Ltd:  Lead acid industrial batteries

Exide Technologies :  Lead Acid Batteries

FIAMM Technologies Inc:  Lead Acid Batteries

General Battery Corporation (GBC) now Enersys General Battery :  General, HUP, Renegade and Alpha Batteries

Industrial Battery Engineering Inc:  High Capacity Industrial Type for deep cycle operation

Iowa Thin Film Technologies:  Battery chargers, military tents

Ningbo Osel Battery Co Ltd:  China manufacturer of lithium battery, alkaline battery, carbon battery and flashlight.

Northwest Energy Storage:  Selling the Solar-One, a HUP (high utilization positive) battery

Optima® Batteries:   

Power Battery Company Inc.:  Lead acid, VRLA batteries

Power Tech. Co. Ltd

Rolls Battery Engineering:  a manufacture of high quality deep cycle, lead-acid batteries engineered for most renewable energy uses. With a line of dual container, non-breakable batteries up to 1104ah. Located in Salem, Massachusetts

Sanyo Batteries

Solar Online Australia:  Suppliers of solar and wind power equipment including solar panels, wind turbines, regulators, power inverters, deep cycle batteries and technical information.

Solar Sense:   

Surrette Battery Company Limited :  Deep Cycle Batteries

Trojan Battery :  Deep Cycle Batteries

US Battery :  Deep Cycle Batteries

Yuasa Exide:   

Using SuperCapacitors for Energy Storage

Supercapacitors (also known as ultracapacitors) are DC energy sources and must be interfaced to the electric grid with a static power conditioner, providing 60-Hz output. A supercapacitor provides power during short duration interruptions and voltage sags. By combining a supercapacitor with a battery-based uninterruptible power supply system, the life of the batteries can be extended. The batteries provide power only during the longer interruptions, reducing the cycling duty on the battery. Small supercapacitors are commercially available to extend battery life in electronic equipment, but large supercapacitors are still in development, but may soon become a viable component of the energy storage field.

source

Fuel & Hydrogen Cells — Renewable Energy Products & Services

Sources for Fuel & Hydrogen Cells

Acta:  European firm manufacturing hydrogen, alcohol, ethanol and methanol fuel cell batteries. Company presentation and details of the technology.

Acumentrics Corporation:  Develops and markets solid oxide fuel cell systems for power backup and distributed power generation. Company profile, product information, and technology overview.

Alca Torda Applications:  Company in France specializing in marine and off-shore fuel cell systems, for auxiliary power and propulsion.

Apollo Energy System:  Company specializing in alkaline fuel cell technology, derived from ammonia. Company profile, history, management, patents, publications and product catalog.

Ballard Power Systems:  Manufacturer of zero-emission proton exchange membrane fuel cells.

Cellkraft:  A Swedish firm which develops, manufactures and markets PEM fuel cells for back-up and niche applications. Company profile and products.

Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited:  Australian company engaging the stationary power market with a solid oxide fuel cell design.

CMR Fuel Cells Limited:  UK developer of compact mixed reactant fuel cell stacks for portable and small stationary power generation applications.

Fuel Cell Stocks:  News and education about fuel cells and the hydrogen economy. Analysis and directory of publicly traded fuel cell manufacturers and hydrogen producers.

Fuel Cells America:  Consulting service and commissioned fuel cell sales company, focusing on the Wisconsin area. Overview of market and applications.

Fuel Cells Canada:  Supports corporations, educational institutions and business alliances that develop and promote fuel cell technology, products and services.

FuelCell Energy, Inc.:  Develops and markets carbonate fuel cell and advanced nickel zinc secondary battery. (Nasdaq: FCEL).

HTceramix SA:  Swiss developer and producer of solid oxide fuel cell stacks for use with hydrogen or reformate gas. Also offers oxygen-selective ceramic membranes.

Hydrogen Fuel Cars Now:  Offers information on hydrogen fuel, fueling stations, FCVs, and cars using internal combustion engines to burn H2 for automotive propulsion.

IdaTech:  Develops technology to extract and separate hydrogen from fuels, and integrated PEM fuel cell systems. Includes technology overview, list of publications, and a glossary.

Mesoscopic Devices, LLC:  Designs, fabricates and integrates portable fuel cell generators for military and industrial applications. Pumps and heat exchangers. Specializing in components for miniature fuel cells.

Mini Hydrogen :  Small fuel cells and hydrogen product store

Palcan :  fuel cells 100 W – 5 kW fuel cells

Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH:  Developer and producer of low pressure PEM fuel cell systems, in the 5-150 kW range. Also develops fuel cell propulsion systems. Located in Germany.

Shanghai Shen-Li High Tech Co.:  Develops, manufactures, and markets PEM fuel cell products.

Silverwood Energy:  California corporation selling and installing hydrogen fuel cells for commercial and residential markets. Representative of Plug Power.

Sulzer Hexis AG:  Developer and producer of fuel cell systems presents its Galileo line of solid oxide fuel cells operating on natural gas. Overview of company, technology, and products.

Teledyne Brown Engineering :  Electrolytic hydrogen generators, PEM fuel cells

Please suggest additional links

Self-Sufficient Living

What does it mean to be self-sufficient?  

For some the simple answer is taking care of ones self.  For others, it is more extreme.  They want to live without the help of others.   The purpose of this section is as a resource for those who desire to live in between these two ideas.

I have often thought that I would like to turn back time and find some acreage where I could grow my own food.  Don’t know that I would raise cows, chickens or pigs.  Just having a garden with fresh organic vegetables could be wonderful.

It was just a few generations ago that our grandmothers or great-grandmothers made quilts to keep warm, sewed clothes, made jams & jellies, made soap and made those homemade berry pies.
 

Photovoltaics Videos

Solar Panel Install
From:  Yavor54

Short overview of solar system install.

How It’s Made – Solar Panels
From:  namitsu1

How solar panels are made.

Unlimited Energy Solar Solutions
From:  cleanenergyworks

Unlimited Energy is the largest, locally owned solar contractor in the Central San Joaquin Valley. We have been in business in Fresno since 1984 and have designed and installed some of the largest PV projects in the State of California. With over 2.75 million watts installed spanning over 400 installations, we’ve earned the right to be called the authority on solar.
 

For more information:
Unlimited Energy

 

Inflatable Solar Collectors
From:  PeakPixels

CoolEarthSolar.com has a patented idea for inflatable solar collectors that are much cheaper than polished mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto Photovoltaic chips. Their design is 400x cheaper than polished aluminum mirrors, will withstand 130 mph winds, lasts a year, repairs with tape, takes 15 minutes to change out, costs $2 per balloon, or 18 cents per watt, compared to $5 per watt for conventional installations, and has a minimal effect on the ground underneath the array!

For more information:
Cool Earth Renewable Energy

 

Solar Thermal Videos

Nevada Solar One Solar Power Station
From:  REAccess

Shaine Ebrahimi of Green TV Productions, contributed this report about Nevada Solar One, a 64 MW concentrating solar power plant just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. Green TV Productions
produces Life On The Green Side and Global Warming: The Tipping Point.

For more information:
Nevada Solar One Goes Online

Clean Solar Thermal Electricity
From:  origmi

The future of scalable clean solar energy. 350 MW built and operational in California desert for more than 15 years.

For more information:
The IEA SolarPACES Implementing Agreement   
 

Renewable Energy – Solar Thermal
(Hot Water)

From:  renewmaine

This video was created by Bowdoin College students www.bowdoin.edu in cooperation with the Maine Energy Investment Corporation www.renewmaine.org.