Solar Cells
How much energy is needed to produce a solar cell?
"The total energy involved in sourcing and production of these materials: 723.1 kWh"
http://www.genersys-solar.com/carbon-savings/carbon_footprint_solar-panel_materials.asp
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How much CO2 emissions does solar cell create?
"Based on that study, solar PV works out to about 50g of CO2 per kWh compared to coal's 975g of CO2 per kWh, or about 20x "cleaner.""
http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/research-innovations/blogs/how-much-co2-does-one-solar-panel-create
"According to estimates from a number of trusted resources, such as Home Power magazine, manufacturing a 100-watt solar panel produces about 960 pounds of CO2."
http://www.ecooutfitters.net/blog/2011/09/reduce-co2-emissions-with-solar-panels/
How much CO2 emissions does solar cell save?
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"...over its 30-year lifespan, that solar panel will produce enough electricity to offset 8,400 pounds of CO2 from a coal-burning power plant."
http://www.ecooutfitters.net/blog/2011/09/reduce-co2-emissions-with-solar-panels/
What is there difference between solar PV and solar thermal panels?
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Solar PV means photovoltaic. It converts solar radiation into electricity. Solar thermal power panels heat up the water.
What is a solar inverter?
It converts DC voltage from the solar panels into AC signal that can be fed into mains supply.
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What is solar controller?
Solar controller controls water pump in solar hot water systems.
What is charge controller?
Charge controller, charge regulator or battery regulator prevents overcharging and "deep discharging" (discharging to zero) of the battery by limiting the flow of electric current.
What is solar charger?
Solar charger can charge NiCd/lead acid batteries at currents in the order of a few hundred amperes.
What is solar regulator?
Solar regulator is a charge controller that controls the amount of charge flowing into the rechargeable battery.
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Wind Turbines
How much do wind turbines cost?
"Most of the commercial-scale turbines installed today are 2 MW in size and cost roughly $3-$4 million installed. Wind turbines have significant economies of scale. Smaller farm or residential scale turbines cost less overall, but are more expensive per kilowatt of energy producing capacity. Wind turbines less than 100 kilowatts cost roughly $3,000 to $8,000 per kilowatt of capacity. A 10 kilowatt machine (the size needed to power a large home) might have an installed cost of $50,000-$80,000 (or more) depending on the tower type, height, and the cost of installation. Oftentimes there are tax and other incentives that can dramatically reduce the cost of a wind project."
http://www.windustry.org/resources/how-much-do-wind-turbines-cost
How much CO2 emissions can wind turbine save?
"Just one modern wind turbine will save over 4,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually."
http://www.canwea.ca/wind-energy/myths_e.php
Are wind farms noisy?
No.
http://www.canwea.ca/wind-energy/myths_e.php
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Non-renewable Energy
What is Carbon Credit?
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A carbon credit is a certificate that gives you the right to emit one tonne of Carbon Dioxide or its equivalent greenhouse gas.