Tip of the week - Solar Power

Graur Codrin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The idea to talk about Solar Power came through as an idea from Jen Hamlin, who is one of my colleagues! 

This was Jen's information for me on SOLAR ENERGY
This is a long video but the second half of it was very interesting. A couple of things that I came away with:

1. Solar is the way to go - message from the video: one day of sun can power the entire planet for a year.
2. Science funding to further develop the technology to use solar power is seriously lacking - a message from the video: everyone needs to learn as much as possible about energy and realise how important science is for our future.
3. This is not pie-in-the sky science, we are there in many ways already and very nearly there on some significant ways that will distribute huge amounts of renewable energy around the world, we just need more people to value it and a lot of good future scientists to carry it on - message from the video: kids should be encouraged to study science, it will save the world.

See: http://www.wimp.com/nanotechnologyworld/ for more 

So as you can see it has huge potential and has a big future in energy generation. 

From this information you can see that solar power has huge potential.  I often look at the sun beating down on my roof and think that I really need to install solar panels.  I know people who have and said that as soon as they did the electricity meter started turning backwards - so in a good sunny place you could see how you could very quickly pay off an investment in solar power both for commercial and residential properties.   In fact, I am a little surprised the new building codes don't require it - perhaps they are just waiting for the costs to come down a bit more?

• What do you know about solar power?
• Has anyone got it already?
• Post a comment so we can all learn more

Visit the NZ based Energywise website to find out more about solar power.  This link talks about how it works, where it works best and how much energy it produces and costs to install although I note that the costs here vary considerably to the estimates given on some links I visited so it may be that costs have fallen already so don't decide against it based on the costs given on this website.  Get a quote from a supplier. 

Here are some links if you are interested in finding out more about installing it at your place:

• Powersmart Solar Power
• Solar Technology
• Able Solar

And if you have kids that are struggling to decide what career path to follow, harnessing the sun's energy for electricity sounds like it is going to be a growth industry - in all areas from research and development through to installation of the system.

Have a great sustainable weekend

Kind Regards
Francesca Matthews
 

Programme Manager and Sustainability Champion for

Otago Polytechnic School of Veterinary Nursing