20 Facts And Figures About Solar Energy
20 Solar Energy Facts and Figures
1. Solar panel technology emerged in the 1800's.
2. The first "true" solar panels were created in the 1950s.
3. Solar cell's efficiency may be as little as 4% (organic cells) or as much as 40% (experimental multiple-junction solar cells). The higher the efficiency of the material, the more expensive it will be to manufacture it.
4. One 100W light bulb that's constantly on, costs around 0 per year.
5. One photovoltaic roof shingle can produce as much as 15W of electricity. Several solar roof shingles could run one 100W light bulb that's constantly on.
6. A solar cell with 10 percent efficiency output and a 100 sq centimeters (15.5 sq inch) surface can produce about 1W of power.
7. An average household uses about 9,000kWh of energy annually.
8. A 350 Sq foot panel that produces 15W of power per Sq foot would produce a total of about 9,000kWh of energy yearly, which could power an average household with all the energy that it needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
is solar paint on the market yet?
Do you know of any company that sells solar paint? Has solar paint been perfected yet?
Does anyone watch "Nova"? I see where Germany is way ahead of us for solar power (and has gotten the price of solar panels down to a reasonable cost there), and that Holland is self sufficient. I see where India is beginning to use solar.-
ANSWER:
I have not seen it on the market. But I have seen flexible solar roll roofing made by a company in Boone, Iowa. Really cool.
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QUESTION:
could someone tell me where to buy solar paint to make electricity?
i need a paint that can be put on things and turn solar energy into electricity-
ANSWER:
Bill is right. Somebody is pulling your leg. There is no such thing.
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QUESTION:
Is there a way to make car paint that collects solar and wind energy to power an electric car?
If the paint could collect solar energy to charge a battery, and then once the car starts moving, other fibers in the paint could convert the wind passing over the car to electrical energy, wouldn't this be a way to decrease our dependency on fossil fuels. Is there any technology out there that can do such a thing?-
ANSWER:
No. Air drag is one of the chief components in auto efficiency. What you describe would increase air drag.
As far as the solar part goes most cars have about 12 square feet of surface in the sun when the car is in the sun. 12 square feet can produce 900 watts. In four hours that would be 2700 Watt hours. A gallon of gasoline is about 37,000 Watt hours. What means is is that it is going to take over 100 days to produce the energy of one gallon of gasoline and everything has to be perfect.
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QUESTION:
Can we slow down global warming by painting all rooftops with solar reflective paint?
With the solar reflective Arctic Ice Cap melting, I was wondering if we can all do a small part by painting all rooftops with solar reflective paint. I know reflective paint will decrease our usage of electricity by keeping the house cooler, but can it also slow down global warming by reflecting the light and heat back into space?-
ANSWER:
You make a very good point and a scheme using this very principle is being put forward as one way of combatting global warming.Painting rooftops will reflect *some* of the sunlight and heat back out of the atmosphere but not all that much. There's a couple of things to bear in mind - the total surface area of every roof is only a tiny fraction of the surface area of the earth, somewhere in the order of a five thousandth of the world's surface area (assuming 100 square meters for each of the planet's inhabitants that live in a building with a solid roof). Another problem would arise for people like me who live in a generally cold climate (England) where it would be necessary to turn the heating up to compensate for the loss of natural heating.
However, if it was done on all practical properties it would make a difference, small though it would be.
The similar principle being considered is one that involves artificially creating clouds. Sea water would be fired up into the atmosphere to create clouds in order to reflect the sun back out of the atmosphere.
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QUESTION:
Can you spray paint on a rubber solar system?
Can you spray paint onto a rubber solar system for the pool. Because we want to paint our roof and don't want to remove the system because it costs a lot to get it off and back on.So the question is will the paint damage or break the solar system on the roof?-
ANSWER:
My experience: NEVER spray paint rubber!
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Check with the installer OR check manufacturer's website.
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Oil-based paint will break down the rubber.
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Acrylic paint will not stick.
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