Thank you so much Ella for hosting this, ASES chat session. Several attendees were asking about some links, requesting further reading on the various subjects brought up during the meeting. So decided to link some more information on the topics for further discussion.
The concept and practice of a solar micro grid has been around for a while now as many early subdivisions using PV arrays would cluster to gain an enormous advantage over what just a single solar home could produce stand alone.
" Solar Microgrids are integrated networks or 'grids' of power. Think of it in the same way that you and your neighbors receive your electricity – through a shared network. Using energy generated from the sun, the system captures, stores, and distributes clean electricity to an entire community. "
Solar Microgrid
Another subject brought up was the concept of the hybrid photovoltaic thermal panel which heats water and produces electricity within the same system or panel some abbreviate PVT. "
" On its front side, the SPRING panel produces electricity like a standard photovoltaic panel, and this electricity is either directly consumed in the building or injected and sold on the electrical grid. Simultaneously, thanks to its heat exchanger on the back, the SPRING panel heats the water in your tank. More precisely, the solar hot water circulates in a closed loop between the SPRING panels and your hot water tank, generally located in the building on which the panels are installed. An intelligent controller triggers the circulation of water in the loop as soon as there is enough sunlight to provide calories to the hot water tank."
Hybrid PV/Hot Water Thermal Panel
Also we talked about these type PV direct solar hot water systems are what we are going to also as they prove to be better over time with less fluids, antifreeze, and chemicals otherwise with way less component parts that can go haywire.
Follow Practical Preppers® founder Scott Hunt (aka Engineer775) as he installs a PV Direct system that will provide an endless supply of hot water using solar.
Further questions about current/futuristic Sol-Era R & D Research here is a link to our most recent paper, and articles produced with a few quotes.
" Electricity is a product that is very useful to most humans on the planet so by creating a medium of exchange that generates electricity seems practical. Several companies and universities are already producing many of the technologies needed to create such a medium, from printers to fabrics that are photovoltaic by nature. In our ever-increasing electronic world at some point in the future, it just may start to make logical sense to create a medium of exchange that creates electricity. People have been using coins and paper money for thousands of years, so maybe finally we have a technology to literally energize this whole process.
Presently the total amount of solar energy consumed for human use is less than 2% of that entire energy paradigm. This means that an incredible amount of energy is still waiting to be captured. The PV industry is already on a trajectory to reach at least four terawatts of cumulative PV installations over the next 5 years as with continued technology improvements, falling solar panel prices, and grid integration should bend the curve up to reach upwards to 6 terawatts. The world currently uses around 18 terawatts of electricity from all forms of electrical producers. This factor considering obsolete fossil fuel technologies, and many related brick and mortar businesses, including engine manufacturing, refineries, gasoline stations, and combustion engine parts stores, just to name a few that will shut down becoming offline reducing the electrical load on the grids of the world. Something to consider is that 85 %of all things currently manufactured are produced as support for the failed combustion engine automobile industry upon this planet. Once this huge electrical burden is eliminated, the whole human race could free itself from all other forms of the electrical generation thus depending on the sun entirely before the end of this current century. The solution for storage shortly will become simple, once humans develop a high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) global solar grid, as the sun is always shinning on half the globe all the time, a constant creating an eternal grid that will stay fully energized 24 hours a day regardless of location. Photovoltaic Money once fully implemented could actually eliminate all current forms of banking upon this planet releasing another huge electrical load on the global grids in the process, yet transforming every city, and community on the planet that is currently mostly centered around combustion engines to becoming centered around a star. "
Photovoltaic Money
The technology now exists to transmit massive amounts of electricity over long distances without significant losses, thereby allowing operators to balance consumption and generation across an entire continent—or, potentially, the globe.
Global Eternal Solar Grid Technology
A special Solar Cottage pocket sized edition. A fast forward look into the emerging technologies of the Green mean Future. If You need to get inspired about going Green, Solar! Or just more environmental responsiblity? Then this is your note book with a commentary that puts you right into the solar self-reliant habitat philosophy as it is being developed all around you. Start your investigation into the abilities of specialized energy conscience structures that supply all or most energy needed on site co-existing with human Eco-lifestyle Communities.
Solar Cottage Handbook - July 3, 2011 by Timothy McBride (Author)
For further dialog about these topics or any solar related please don't hesitate to get involved with the chat.
------------------------------
Timothy Mcbride
CEO/Owner
Sol-Era R & D
------------------------------