What is Solar Energy?

Solar power is a source of energy from renewable sources, obtained from the use of electromagnetic radiation from the Sun

Solar radiation reaching the Earth has been harnessed by humans since ancient times, using different technologies that have evolved over time from conception. At present, heat and sunlight can be exploited by collectors and photovoltaic cells, thermal collectors or heliostats, which can transform into electrical or thermal energy. It is a so-called renewable energy or clean energy, which can help solve some of the most pressing problems facing humanity.

The different solar technologies are classified into passive or active depending on how you capture, convert and distribute solar energy. Active technologies include the use of photovoltaic panels and thermal collectors to gather energy. Among the passive techniques, different techniques are framed in bioclimatic architecture: the orientation of buildings to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or having properties for light scattering, and the design of spaces through natural ventilation.

In this small diagram, we can see how solar energy works

Innovation and Development of Solar Energy.Why we should use Solar Energy?

The use of solar energy in Europe is having in recent years a rapid growth. This is due to the need to replace fossil fuels with other renewable energy, intended to reduce emissions that cause the greenhouse effect and the interest that the European Community has set the development of this type of energy so, the most dynamic markets are England, France and Germany, which have growth rates between 40 and 70%.

Recently been created European Platform for Solar Thermal Technology, dedicated to the development of such energy, for this, measures such as tax cuts that encourage solar installations are made.

The most optimistic forecasts predict that long-term solar thermal energy can cover up to 50% of heating needs in Europe. If the actions are effective, it could end up saving more than 100 billion euros annually by 2020 and about 780 million tons of carbon dioxide that would stop launching into the atmosphere.

All these measures would mean that by 2020, the total energy savings could reach 27% in the home, 30% in the commercial sector, 26% in transport and 25% in manufacturing

Innovation in Spain

Spain is among the European countries with the highest number of sunshine hours, to which European commitments come together in renewable energy installation and the strategic desirability of reducing the large foreign energy dependence and increase energy independence.

All this contributed to Spain was initially one of the first countries in the world in research, development and utilization of solar energy. Thanks to favorable legislation, in 2008 Spain was one of the countries with the most installed photovoltaic power in the world, with 2,708 MW installed in a single year.

CSP Plant

Gemasolar is a CSP plant with thermal storage in molten salts.

Gemasolar is the first commercial solar thermal power plant  with a central tower receiver technology  and molten salt storage system. It is a solar field of 185 Ha housing the receiver on a tower 140 m high, the power island and 2,650 heliostats, each of 120 m2, distributed in concentric rings around the tower.

The most innovative aspects of this plant, owned by the company Torresol Energy, are the molten salt receiver, the heliostat pointing mechanism and control system, in addition, the storage system can produce electricity for 15 hours without sunlight (for night or on cloudy days). Thanks to this storage capacity, solar energy becomes manageable and can be supplied according to demand. The plant has already reached a fully1 day of uninterrupted supply to the network using thermal transfer technology.

Gemasolar, 19.9 MW, is capable of delivering 110 GWh per year, which can supply power to 27,500 homes. This plant has been operational since May 2011. The official opening was held in October 2011.

http://www.prosun.org/es/ue-solar-sostenible/energia-solar-para-el-futuro-de-europa.html

http://www.energia-solar.org.es/m-energia-solar-europa.html

http://twenergy.com/energia-solar

http://www.torresolenergy.com/TORRESOL/plantas.html

This experiment was similar to previous weeks, it was the same Lego device, but this time, with some differences.
This time, it was not a car, this time the robot was divided into smaller parts, and acted as a motor to lift a specific weight.
Thus, the experiment consisted of the following devices:

– Lego Motor
– Pulley and rope
– weights
– Infrastructure

The experiment consisted of the following, we were trying to show the relationship between force, mass and acceleration, and how they were related to each other.

To do this, we rely on Newton’s second law, where, F = ma

DATA RECOPILATION

1ST EXPERIMENT

Next, we began to collect  the data, the first experiment consisted on three different measurements, always keeping the power at the same level, in this case was 25 N, and we tried to demonstrate the relationship between weight and the acceleration of the object, to the potency given above.

As a result, we obtained the following results:

In the first attempt, we used a mass of m = 0.1 kg, and the acceleration we got, was 250.0, with a Potential Energy of 0.2646.

On the second attempt, we used a mass of m = 0.12 kg, and the acceleration we got, was 208.3, with a Potential Energy of 0,317.

In the third attempt, we used a mass of m = 0.14 kg, and the acceleration we got, was 178.6, with a Potential Energy of 0,370.

CONCLUSION

What these data reveal is that, there is an inverse relationship between mass and acceleration, if the power is constant, ie, that the greater the mass, the less will be the acceleration, since the power is being used, is the same.

On the other hand, we observed that the greater the mass, the greater potential energy is needed to lift the weights, that is, satisfy a directly proportional relation.

2ND EXPERIMENT

The second experiment consisted on three different measurements as well, but this time, we should keep the mass constant, instead of Power.

This time, we maintained a constant mass of 0.1 kg. And we were rising the power used to observe the change in acceleration and the potential energy. The data we obtained were as follows:

In the first attempt, we used a power of P = 25 N, and the acceleration we got, was 250.0, with a potential Energy of 0.2646. 

On the second attempt, we used a power of P = 50 N, and the acceleration we got, was 500.0, with a potential Energy of 0.2646. 

In the third attempt, we used a power of P = 75 N, and the acceleration we got, was 750.0, with a potential Energy of 0.2646.

CONCLUSION

Thus, we can say that maintaining a fixed mass (0.1Kg) and gradually increasing the power, acceleration, increases in the same proportion that makes the power, ie, they are proportional directly related.

Furthermore, this experiment made ​​us realize that as PE (Potential Energy) = mgh, if we keep the same height ( h = 0.27 m), the same mass (0.1 kg) and the same gravity (9.8 m/s2), potential Energy needed for the job, will not change.

Different sources of generation , transform various forms of energy into electricity. Thus , dams make use of the strength of rivers , wind farms use wind power , geothermal plants use the heat of volcanoes and thermal plants use the heat generated by combustion to convert it into energy.

Well, today we will focus on the following routes of obtaining electric power. The methods will have to analyze , obtaining electric power by coal , natural gas and nuclear energy.

COAL

In order to use coal , sedimentary rock is often burned to generate electricity, but must first be extracted from the earth . This is achieved through two methods: surface mining and underground . Surface mining is used to extract coal within 200 feet of the surface of the Earth. Underground mining is done by drilling the earth , creating deep holes. Miners take elevators to hundreds of meters below the surface of the earth , dig coal using special machines and conveyor belts loaded into returning to the surface.
After the coal has been extracted from the earth, is rarely pure as it is mixed with other elements , such as dirt, ash and sulfur , so, preparation plant cleans to remove these impurities. After it is cleaned , it is sprayed on a machine up to 50 mm in size.
Finally, the coal must be burned to generate electricity. After the coal has been delivered to the power plant , pulverized and burned in a boiler. This boiler is connected to a pipe with water, thermal energy here plays its part , the water boils, producing steam . This steam is piped to the turbines . The steam turns turbines , mechanical energy , which ultimately generate electrical energy.

Compared to other energy sources such as oil and natural gas, coal is cheap, which, according to analysts at free market policies, will decrease electricity bills for consumers and businesses.
But coal-fired plants are a major source of air pollution, according to the Fund for Environmental Defense. Burning coal contributes to acid rain and releases large amounts of carbon dioxide, to be exact, double carbon dioxide per unit of energy generated than any other fuel, which worsens global warming.

http://www.cechsa.com/node/13

http://www.tenaris.com/es-ES/Products/PowerGeneration/CoalFiredPowerPlants.aspx

http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/energy/european_energy_policy/l27068_es.htm

NATURAL GAS

Obtaining energy from natural gas is similar to that of carbon, the main change, apart from other technical details of the various thermal plants is the fuel.

When you think of gas, you could think of combustion or ignition. Convert natural gas into electricity starts just that way. To produce electricity, natural gas is burned to produce gases of high temperature combustion passing through a turbine (a type of engine that converts chemical energy into mechanical energy). When the gas passes through this process, made ​​to rotate the turbine blades, which rotates large magnets that are embedded into metal coils, which causes the movement of electrons. The latter is what generates electricity.

A great advantage of the natural gas with coal is much less pollution emitted, for example, the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, it is much smaller. On the other hand, is much more affordable than the oil, which due to its very extensive use, has an exorbitant price.

http://www.firstchoicepower.com/centro-de-aprendizaje/noticias-energeticas/relacion-entre-el-gas-natural-y-la-electricidad

http://www.solociencia.com/ingenieria/10012204.htm

NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

A central or nuclear plant is an industrial facility used for the generation of electricity from nuclear energy. Characterized by the use of fissile nuclear fuel which provides heat by nuclear reactions, which in turn is employed, through a conventional thermodynamic cycle, to cause movement of generators that convert electrical energy into mechanical work. These plants consist of one or more reactors.
The core of a nuclear reactor consisting of a container or vessel, inside which blocks of an insulating material are housed radioactivity, commonly treated graphite filler or concrete comprising nuclear fuel fissile material (uranium-235 or plutonium-239).

Nuclear power plants consist mainly of four (or five) parts:

-The nuclear reactor, where the nuclear reaction.

-The steam generator ( not in all nuclear power plants)

-The turbine, which drives an electric generator to produce electricity from steam expansion.

-The condenser, a heat exchanger that cools the steam transforming back into liquid.

The nuclear reactor is in charge of making the fission or fusion of nuclear fuel atoms, such as uranium, plutonium generated as waste, releasing a large amount of heat energy per unit mass of fuel.

The steam generator is a heat exchanger that transfers heat from the primary circuit, through which water is heated in the reactor circulates, the secondary circuit, changing the water into steam which is subsequently expanded in the turbine, producing movement of the fabric, which in turn rotate the generator, producing electricity. Through a transformer to the electrical network, voltage electricity transmission is increased.

After expansion in the turbine, the steam is condensed in the condenser. A condensed time, returns to the nuclear reactor to begin the process again.

Nuclear plants are always close to a cold water supply such as a river, lake or sea, to the cooling circuit using either cooling towers or not.

But nuclear fission industry presents various dangers , that now have not a quick fix. These dangers could end up having a major impact on the environment and in living organisms if released into the atmosphere , or discharges on the environment , even to cause death , and condemn future generations with mutations .. . Therefore, nuclear power plants are required a heavy security , they can avoid these incidents , but sometimes may become insufficient ( Chernobyl ) , because they are trying to save money in building and only gets minimal security.

In addition to radiation , another factor to consider is the constant risk of a possible nuclear explosion, although the latter is very unlikely with current safety systems of nuclear power plants , have recently had a couple of cases , especially the one that occurred in Japan , which to this day continues to have a devastating rates of radioactivity.

http://www.angelfire.com/sc/energianuclear/peligros.html

http://www.unesa.net/unesa/html/sabereinvestigar/largoviaje/nucleares.htm

http://www.tecnun.es/asignaturas/Ecologia/Hipertexto/07Energ/130EnNuclear.htm

During the last class , we went back to work with Lego robots, but this time, our work consisted in something different.

This time we had to be able to calculate the margin of error of our manual measurements , against the computer itself did.

For this, we had to be measured with a ruler , the distance traveled by the robot , and comparing , taking into account the chosen power and speed thereof .

It was a fun experiment, and above all, it helped me realize how untrue that is a human measurement compared with the measurement by a computer system .

Here , I attach the data collected in the work session , and error rates .

In the first experiment , the power ( 75 ) and time ( 1 sec ) was maintained constant . And the measure taken at the beginning was 0.285 m .

From this information , the following error rates were obtained:

1 Run- 18.7%

V : 0.2369

D : 0.2369

R : 543

R2: 551

WT : 1,508

2 Run- 18.3%

V : 0.2373

D : 0.2373

R : 544

R2: 551

WT : 1,511

3 Run- 17.74%

V : 0.2369

D : 0.2369

R : 543

R2: 553

WT : 1.5083

After this first experiment, we were asked us to do the same, but this time changing the power, and the results obtained were as follows:

Run 1 – P (100) T (1 sec) Measured Distance (0.335 m)

V: 0.3368

D: 0.3368

R: 772

R2: 784

WT: 2,144

%: 0.53%

Run 2 – P (50) T (1 sec) Measured Distance (0.171 m)

V: 0.1509

D: 0.1509

R: 346

R2: 351

WT: 0.9611

%: 6.2%

Run 3 – P (127) T (1 sec) Measured Distance (0.356 m)

V: 0.3359

D: 0.3359

R: 770

R2: 782

WT: 2,138

%: 2.9%

Here you will find the meaning of acronyms

P: Power

D: Distance

R: Rotation

R2: Rotation 2

WT: Wheels Turn

T: Time

Americans are increasingly concerned about energy. Energy demand is increasing faster than the supply safe. Most of the world’s oil supply is delivered in a restrictive market dominated by unstable or hostile nations, some of which are using energy as a tool to undermine U.S. national security and frustrate the objectives of external policies.

The sensible national energy policy should enable U.S. energy supply for a wide range of sources in the best way for the economy and at the same time, solve the national security considerations. A diverse and abundant energy supply is central to the liberty and prosperity of the United States.

The guiding principles for an energy strategy that promotes freedom and prosperity must emphasize three themes:

unleash free enterprise;

protect U.S. energy interests, and

promoting free global energy markets.

FOR A CHANGE IN THE ENERGY SYSTEM, WE SHOULD CREATE A GOOD ECONOMIC AND FISCAL BASE, FOR WHICH, SHOULD FOLLOW A SERIES OF STEPS:

1. Avoid costly environmental regulatory mandates that will have little benefit for the environment.

2. Relying on research capacity and development of the private sector.

3. Urge government agencies to learn from the private sector

4. Allow access to all sources of energy within U.S. borders

5. Remove artificial constraints on national energy infrastructure, including severe and unnecessary environmental regulations.

6. Ensure that any initiative to reduce dependence on foreign oil is based on policies that favor the economy.

7. Managing risks in critical energy infrastructure as a shared responsibility between the government and the private sector.

8. Establish effective risk communications for energy issues

9. Develop external policies that frustrate the ability of regimes to use their coercive power supplies as an economic weapon.

10. Support access to the global market.

11. Discourage restrictive international regimes.

Hurricane Sandy was the eighteenth and the deadliest tropical cyclone of the 2012 hurricane season and the tenth to reach hurricane status in that year. It was the largest hurricane of that information is received and the second by the level of damage , after Hurricane Katrina in late August 2005. Colombia and Venezuela hit as a tropical depression from October 17 , that is, before being considered as a tropical storm , which came a day after and obviously before he reached the rank of hurricane. Powerfully affected (plus Colombia and Venezuela ) , Haiti , Dominican Republic , Jamaica, Cuba , Bahamas , Bermuda , the U.S. and Canada, claiming the lives of 70 people in the Caribbean , 147 in the U.S. and 2 in Canada4 . Subsequent data taking into account the number of deaths due to Hurricane Sandy ( direct and indirect ) , did increase this to 253.

The greatest impact were the United States, therefore the intensity of the winds, rain and snow as the enormity of Hurricane (1800 km diameter) at landfall on the eastern coast of the country. It affected also in the Caribbean area , 24 of the 50 states of the United States.

Shortly after Hurricane Sandy, expert Michael Oppenheimer , a professor at Princeton University and director of the Program in Science Technology and Environmental Policy , outlined in several U.S. media about this big storm that had hit the United States and other countries had worsened due to global warming .

“This is definitely something to look forward to the future” , stated the expert in 2012. ” While climate change is not caused Hurricane Sandy, clearly worsened its impact.” According to experts , this is because the sea levels have been rising in recent centuries by climate change. “The situation will worsen in the coming years and decades , unless they decrease the emission of greenhouse gases .”

In the scientific community there are experts who doubt that there is a relationship between severe storms and global warming , indicating that it is too early to draw conclusions. Oppenheimer theories yet been confirmed to some extent with the advent of Haiyan . On 7 November, the hurricane struck the Philippines , one of the most powerful storms lately. According to information collected by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center of the U.S. Navy , Haiyan produced sustained winds with gusts of up to 269kmh to 324kmh .

The previous record belongeto the 1969 Hurricane Camille , which struck Mississippi with winds of 305kmh . Sandy otherwise affected the 2012 Haiti , Dominican Republic , Jamaica, Cuba , the Bahamas, Bermuda, the United States and Canada, has an extension of 1,800 kilometers , and brought winds of 130kmh , one of the biggest storms in the hurricane season in the Atlantic , 2012.

LINK video:

http://content.time.com/time/video/player/0,32068,1937909554001_2128274,00.html

Sources:

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurac%C3%A1n_Sandy

http://www.latercera.com/noticia/tendencias/2013/11/659-551276-9-la-nueva-era-de-las-super-tormentas-por-el-cambio-climatico.shtml

There have been many rumors, as Germany would attempt to change its energy policy towards renewable energy infrastructures, which was supposed to serve the whole country, but really, it has achieved what pretended germany?

The information that comes through the press tells us not to. The data say germany, against its renewable energy policy has increased the proportion of coal consumption by 8% during the first half of 2013.

To this day we see that the German policy does not work, because its level of CO2 has increased proportionately in the last years.

BELOW WILL SHOW THE KEYS TO SUCCESS We CARRY OUT A TRANSITION ENERGY AND THAT IS HAVING PROBLEMS LIVE GERMANY, TO BECOME THE CONTROL OF THE SITUATION.

To make this transition actually still much to do regarding energy structure and technological advancement. Let me summarize the main points of some of the reviews .

Network: Large industrial energy and electricity are in southern Germany while most of new renewable capacity will be located in coastal areas of the North (offshore wind) , despite this new construction of transmission lines power evolves slowly. An estimated 3,600 km will be required for new lines to connect the estimated additional capacity renewable plan .

Energy Storage: The variability of the production of renewable energy (especially solar and wind) makes necessary energy storage systems are .

Energy efficiency : This objective Germany lags behind its plans as EER of the problem is that building owners do not implement improvement measures even though they would reap economic benefits. This problem is very common and well known , and is related to inefficiencies in the market ( market failures , lack of information , irrational behavior ) , especially in energy efficient buildings.

The ancillary benefits : A frequent argument for renewable technologies are the ancillary benefits ( employment and economic activity , a clean and healthy environment, energy independence, etc. . ) . Currently the German environment ministry announced on its website that 380,000 jobs were created in the renewable energy sector , but unfortunately, in recent months there were setbacks in the job creation argument . The growing concern over the cost of the German system of tariffs ( FIT) has led the government to lower tariffs for solar production by 30 %. This, combined with strong competition from Asian producers of solar panels, has further increased the pressure he is under the German solar industry.

Reserve capacity : The electricity produced by renewables is relatively volatile , as it depends on the weather conditions (wind and solar radiation ) , and to prevent power failures during the days of little wind and / or sun needed capacity booking . Currently electricity prices leave little room for gas plants ( the typical type of central reserve) and therefore the private sector does not have enough economic incentive to facilitate increased this reserve capacity required.

These problems complicate the German energy transition. After a euphoric start to the energy transition , Germany is facing real problems.

(http://economicsforenergy.blogspot.com/2012/04/la-transicion-energetica-alemana.html)

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