Use The Sun to Grow and Mow!

What would summer be without watering and mowing the lawn.

Since we're into anything solar powered here, how would you like the sun to power your lawn mower?

Here are a couple of examples of "Solar Lawn Mowers" you can build yourself of have built for you. I understand they're less powerful but they don't pollute and are more quiet to operate. Let's face it-to everything there is an upside and a downside.

Why not make the sun work twice as hard for you this summer. It can grow you a beautiful lawn and mow you one also!

Solar Lawn Mower Examples:

1) http://www.instructables.com/id/solar-lawn-mower/ ( a tutorial on how to make your own solar powered mower-a little effort is required).

2) http://www.arttec.net/Solar_Mower/index.html (Converting a gas mower to solar charged electric power tutorial-some more effort needed or he'll build one for you)

3) http://www.appropedia.org/Solar_Charged_Lawnmower ( yet another 'this is how I did it' example of solar lawn mower building)

All very interesting and admirable-You Go Boys!

Preheating Solar Ovens

You can cook foods in a solar oven in a very similar way you would in a kitchen oven. Typically, it would be best to cook in a dark covered dish or roasting pot. With some exceptions such as baking cookies or making a open-faced cheese sandwiches, most foods cooked in a solar cooker are cooked in the covered containers.

Solar cooking usually takes two to three times as long to cook recipes as a conventional kitchen over does. People who practice solar cooking regularly get used to the approximate cooking times. For instance, the sun may go in and out on some days. It's not unusual once you practice your cooking to put a recipe in the cooker in the morning before going to work and have it thouroughly cooked by the time you get home! Zero energy costs-so sorry gas and electric company!

You can also "preheat" a solar oven. Here are types of days and temperatures you can generally expect:

* Day Type: Sunny: A solar oven will preheat to approximately 275 degrees to 300 degrees F.

* Day Type: Partly Cloudy: Solar cooker will heat to approximately 200 to 225 degrees F.

* Day Type: Cloudy: Tough Cookies! Can't cook. If the day started out sunny and then turned permanently cloudy, simply remove the food and finish cooking in the kitchen oven. Again, you'll have to play it by ear with the remainder of cooking time.

Tomorrow we'll look at some foods that are easy to difficult to make in a solar cooker.

A Solar Powered IPhone?

Looks like apple is getting ready to power their iPhones and iPods using solar technogy. They've filed a patent (Solar Cells on Patented Devices) to be able to install a layer of solar cells under a touch-sensitive screen. If they are successful in getting the patent the iPhone will be truly wireless.

Placing the layer of solar cells under the lcd touch screen would make the screen into a solar panel. If the application is successful Apple expects the battery life of the iPhone to increase dramatically. The average iPhone's battery lasts 8 hrs. for talk and 7 hrs. for video. When the 3G version is released it's expected to be a battery power eater so this new technology will be coming online just in time it seems.

Jobs In Solar: NEED SALES TEAM FOR NEW SOLAR ENERGY BUSINESS

Reply to: see below
Date: 2008-05-23, 2:06PM EDT

New solar powered water heating company seeking professional sales representatives and telemarketers. Earn thousands working from home or our office. Company provides product training, marketing materials and verified leads throughout the United States. Individuals must be a conscientious worker, self motivated, excellent communicator with exceptional follow-up and closure skills. The ideal candidates should have experience in sales and/or telemarketing ability. Individuals who are fluent in Spanish and Chinese language is a plus. We offer a comprehensive compensation package for the right individual. ¢

Location: New York ¢ Compensation: Base wage plus commission ¢ Full time and Part time position available ¢ Ok for recruiters to contact this job poster ¢ Phone calls about this job are ok (718-298-9000)

For more info about the new product: VISIT http://www/sunsurfs.com/product please send resume to sales@mycyshop.com or call 718-298-9000

Compensation: Provided
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

PostingID: 692282130

Solar Workshops and Online Courses

Solar Energy International is an online solar energy advocate and instructional course provider. Most of the workshops are taking place in Colorado though. Some of the workshops include "Advanced PV Design", "Successful Solar Business", and "Microhydro Power."

Online courses include: "Advanced PV Online" and "PV Design Online." These courses are pricey as fees run anywhere from $700 to over $1K. Some of these are already sold-out so people are getting more enthusiastic about the future of solar and their place within solar technology.


Solar Energy International Workshops and Online Course Schedule Here!

India Planning 60 Solar Cities

The Hindu Business Line has a report that India is planning on developing 60 "Solar Cities" based on a model already practiced in New York, Tokyo and London. The target is to reduce use of conventional energy by at least 10% over the next five years. They plan on doing this the usual way which is to implement energy-efficient measures and also take advantage of alternative energy options, in this case installing solar systems.

As more Indians move up into the middle class they're going to make use of more electricity to run typical home appliances. With such a large population, India needs to deal with the growing concern that grids will be going down during peak hours more often. There has been a "rapid rise" in energy use and cities are being forced to deal with shortages.

At least one city in each of their states will be targeted as a "Solar City" with a maximum of five cities becoming eligable for solar city status.

India is joining the biggies-London, New York and Tokyo in targeting a 10% to 20% carbon emission reduction in the next ten to twenty years.

Let's hope they make it.

Solar Boat Races

Forty high schools are competing in the Sixth Annual Solar Cup Races in Murrietta California which is just north of San Diego. The races on Lake Skinner are the culmination of a seven month process.

The 800 high school students from all over Southern California were given a chance to solve the problem of powering wooden boats. They had to use solar panels that powered batteries storing sun generated energy. They began workshops last fall, wrote technical papers and created visual presentations.

This year the competition also included a team of kids with disabilities such as dyslexia and autism. This particular team of kids wanted a challenge and "met it" said Lake Elsinore High School Faculty Advisor Rick Wolter.

Students were given a chance to "Applied Science"-hands on skill building and learning. They brainstormed with their team members and worked through problems to create their solar powered boats.

The competition started in 2003 with just eight teams and has grown to 41 teams this year. This was a great opportunity for students to have hands-on lessons in teamwork, competition, water-conservation, science, math and engineering.

Recycling Lead in Solar Panels

The comment made in the last post is true. There's lead in them there solar panels. Here's a patent for an invention to deal with the lead:

Patent for Solar Panel Recyling HERE

New Solar Panel Recycling Firm for Europe

An association called "PV Cycle" made up from Solar companies such as "First Solar", Solar World and Sharp are planning to debut a large scale Solar Panel Recycling System in Europe. The firms have come up with a plan to make the recycling cost effective and by acting now they can reduce the amount of solar module waste by 2015.

Reuters Story HERE

Using Solar Power Fans to Reduce Your Electricity Bills

Using Solar Power Fans to Reduce Your Electricity Bills
By Peter I. Wilson

If you have an attic home in the south of America you may well find that it gets very hot. This may mean that you need some form of attic fan in order to keep it cool. This will save you money by reducing the amount of time you have to turn your air conditioner on. It's even possible to get fans which are completely free to run. Solar power fans are very easy to install, and also completely free to run. Solar powered fans help you to save lots of money by cooling down your attic without the need to turn your air conditioner on.

The majority of solar powered fans have a built in solar panel. This provides power to a small electric motor when the sun is shining. This is quite convenient as when it's sunny it's often hot. These fans which are installed as intake vents do not require an additional power supply, which makes installing them very easily if you have some familiarity with putting a hole in drywall. You will normally need to fit at least two to get the best results.

Why Should I use Solar Power Fans in my Attic?

There are several important things that you should consider when installing one of these fans. The solar powered fans do not require any extra power which would make your electricity bill more expensive. Solar powered fans will make your attic cooler, whilst also improving the ventilation while not making your electricity bill more expensive.

The other really good feature about solar powered fans is that they're really easy to install. You don't need to wire them in because they have their own built in power supply. Because of this you don't really need any specialist tools. Newer homes are including these solar powered fans as standard, however if you own an older style home then you should consider installing these fans. You can buy fans suitable for fitting into older style homes.

Getting to Know Solar Power Fans

Solar powered fans aren't cheap, they normally cost between $400 and $700. The actual price will depend on the exact features that you require and whether or not you are able to install the fan yourself. These fans are fully assembled and are weatherproofed, you do not need to add any extra flashing to fit these fans. These fans really are very easy to install, they are commonly fitted as gable vents.

You don't need to have any electrical knowledge when fitting these fans. Solar fans have their own built in power supply and so do not need connecting to your houses mains power supply. It is very important to realise that these fans will only work when the sun is shining on them, they will not work in the shade.

Peter Wilson routinely edits papers on news similar to how to repair drywall. Sharing his passion in works on drywall hole repair the writer affirmed his experience in the area.

D.O.E.-300 Gigawatts of Wind Power by 2030

Wired.com has an article saying the "Department of Energy" has a report estimating that by year 2030 the entire U.S. grid will be energized the Wind Turbines to the tune of 30%. It would produce an estimated 300 gigawatts as compared to the 17 gigawatts of electricity wind now generates.

Rest of the article HERE

Torch and Drown My Ride!

Jane Wells reported today on CNBC tv that not only are some people torching their homes to escape the hassle of foreclosure but a few disgruntled SUV owners are also torching their vehicles. The problem is torching homes and vehicles is becoming known to authorities and will not get people where they wish to be.

Some drivers are paying at least $100 per fill-up for the SUV's. If their commute is a long one you can understand their distress. Some have resorted to driving the gas guzzlers into lakes, rivers, and even driving them out to the desert and torching them. They then call their insurance companies saying the vehicle has been stolen to collect the insurance money. The word is out that this is going on so it might cause trouble for people who actually do have their vehicles stolen.

Before Torching or Drowning Your SUV Check Gas Prices Here at GAS BUDDY!

Jobs In Solar: Residential Construction Manager-Solar Installation (Los Angeles)

Reply to: see below
Date: 2008-05-09, 9:08AM PDT

Are you looking to join one of the leading companies in the exciting and rapidly growing field of solar electricity?

REC Solar is a solar electric system integrator specializing in the design and installation of residential and commercial solar systems. Our vision is to make solar electricity a part of the mainstream energy supply. While still being a medium-sized employer, REC Solar is a market leader in the solar electric industry, experiencing growth rates in excess of 75%/year.

Responsibilities include: Manage the installation of Residential solar power projects;

Manage installation crews ensuring safety, quality, and efficiency; “Fill the gaps” during the installation process by being hands-on; Manage project resources (materials, tools & equipment, labor); Interpret construction drawings; Provide interface with project management and engineering.

Requirements

5+ years experience in construction management or a similar role in an electrical construction environment; A working knowledge of the National Electric Code, Uniform Building Code and OSHA safety standards; Great attention to detail with an emphasis on quality and safety; Willingness to travel and to be onsite during project installation; Able to communicate information effectively, both orally and in writing; Strong work ethic and willingness to put in the time necessary to maintain an effective schedule that matches the needs of clients and budget; Able to prioritize and complete a variety of simultaneous tasks with a high level of organization; Ability to manage time and an installation crew; Basic computer knowledge is required (Word and Excel); Experience with solar installations is a plus. At REC Solar we consider the environmental impact of our business decisions whenever possible. To minimize paper waste, we request that all candidates send resumes via our website. Apply online at http://recsolar.com/cm/Careers/Home.html


Location: Los Angeles
Compensation: doe
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

PostingID: 674144073

eBay's PayPal Division Gets New Solar Roof

The PayPal division of eBay is moving into a new greener building, a building that eBay says meets the gold standard for green buildings-Building 17. The 197,000 square foot building will house 800 employees and features carpets and office fabrics made from recycled materials. Office light sensors monitor movement and only turn on when the sensor is tripped.

The solar sytem installed on the roof will meet between 15% and 18% of the building's energy needs.

Building 17 will be dedicated today May 8th in a ceremony featuring CEO John Donahoe, PayPal President Scott Thompson and San Jose mayor Chuck Reed.

Read the rest of the story here at the Mercury News Site

Taos Solar Music Festival

Taos New Mexico calls itself the "Solar Capital of The World". This year during June 27-29 a Solar educational and musical celebration will be held there called the"10th Annual Solar Music Festival." Attendees will be watching musical acts upon a Solar Stage powered by solar panels and the main stage will be powered by electricity generated by Wind. Musical acts include Steve Earle and Susan Moorer.

There will be all kinds of solar related exhibitors, solar cookies and solar toys for the kids.

10th AnnualTaos Solar Music Fest HERE!

Solar Calculator for System Size and Cost

If you're looking into getting your own Solar System for your home here is a "Solar Calculator" that will give you an idea of how much it will cost and the size of the system you'll probably need. All 50 states are covered in this calculator. After you've got an idea of the size and cost you can find a "Solar Pro" in your area to contact about a system.

Solar Calculator HERE .

The Learning Channel Introducing GREEN PLANET

The Learning Channel Network or TLC is debuting a new "Green" network called "Green Planet" on June 4th. This weekend they're letting viewers get a sneak peak at a couple of the shows that will featured on the new network. The shows "Wasted" and "Greenovate" will be previewed this weekend Saturday May 3rd at 7pm/7 central on TLC network.

Green Planet will have it's entire programming geared toward introducing people to a "Green" lifestyle. Check with your cable provider to see if they will be carrying this network in early June. If they don't and you're interested in seeing it-let them know now.

Here's Green Plantets Show Schedule HERE

Jobs In Solar: Bookeeper Needed for Solar Energy Company (Greenwich Village)

Reply to: richardlklein@yahoo.com
Date: 2008-04-28, 6:38PM EDT

Leading New York Solar company seeks experienced bookeeper and office manager to coordinate all financial aspects of the company (1099s, payroll, etc.). The ideal candidate will be highly motivated, enthusiastic, have command of all basic accounting principals, know Quick Books, and be excited to join a team where everyone is expected to learn all phases of the business. This is a great opportunity for someone who is willing to develop his or her responsibilities as the company grows; no previous knowledge of the solar or wind energy industry is required. Again, a great opportunity for someone living in NYC to learn the Clean Technology-Renewable Energy field from an entry level position

Compensation: $15 - $20 per hour
This is a part-time job.
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.PostingID: 659959840

Jobs In Solar: Solar Career! (NE Los Angeles - Inland Empire)

Reply to: jobs@premierpower.com
Date: 2008-04-23, 6:20PM PDT

Premier Power is seeking solar installers. Laborers work in small crews installing residential & commercial solar systems.

Requirements: 1-2 yrs construction background(electrical or PV is a plus) Comfortable working at heights Committed to quality workmanship Team player with a positive attitude

Worksites and locations vary. Background checks and drug screening required.

Please email resumes to jobs@premierpower.com

Premier Power Renewable Energy, Inc. 4961 Windplay Dr. ste 100 El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 ph. 877.939.0400 fax 916.939.0490 www.premierpower.com


Location: NE Los Angeles - Inland Empire
Compensation: TBD
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.PostingID: 653955104