solar project ideas

Lets narrow things down a bit. Solar has its problems (which we won't get into right now) and its advantages.

Lets look at why you would want to use solar over other power supply methods (such as direct wire connection to the power grid for example).

1) Solar power is useful where running existing wiring to a site or installation is expensive, difficult or impractical.

2) Solar power is useful where access to the power grid is difficult or inconvenient for a products user to recharge a battery-powered product.

3) Solar power cells and panels can provide an independent power supply of limited and variable power but of great flexibility (a few individual cells for a compact power supply, flexible solar modules to conform to a surface, etc).

4) Solar power supply can be used to help extend a battery's life in an application (for example a battery-powered scientific buoy floating in the ocean) extending a products life and/or reducing the need for user maintenance.

5) The size of the solar system can be scaled up and down quite a bit. Don't just think of big solar panels with SLA batteries. A system I was designing for a special zero-maintenance remote application would easily fit in the palm of my hand, and that was including the solar cells, power supply and battery. In fact you could close your fist around it.

6) Now days boost converter power supply chips are very cheap and small, allowing you step up the solar cell's output voltage to a more useful level. This can open up more product opportunities where the smallest 6V or 12V solar panel module is too big but a few 2V solar cells would be ok (see 5) above).

As for product ideas........Has an RC plane battery range extension using flexible solar modules on each wing been done yet? May be viable, who knows. That's the thing about research and product development, it always seems to lead into bigger and better ideas and designs once a better understanding of what is possible and how it all works is gained.

Well, its a start.

I know a company that does exactly that - using a solar panel to drive an LED street light. The company is called Sol and they are in the Stuart, Florida area.

You english is better than a number of Americans here. ;-)

got their website?

Sol Inc.

SOL: 3210 S.W. 42nd Avenue, Palm City, FL 34990 USA,
phone: (772) 286-9461, (800) 959-1329, FAX: (772) 286-9616

http://www.solarlighting.com/

If what you say is street lighting, the LEDs are nopt enough(i hope i am wrong) because what i see in teh DIY here (Philippines) are just garden lights which have AA batteries and small LEDs.

I also read about some remote area projects which can light up a home with TV, and radios but not motors, but the cost include the battery is about $750/ set-up

Edgar

Don't know how practical this is, so looking at cost and material availability. How about heating water from the sun stored in an insulated tank, using black plastic tubing, and then run a plastic designed sterling engine, something driving a swash plate with the heater submerged in the top of the hot water tank. One ltr by one deg = 1 watt.

Regards JD.

Sorry but this one has been tried to death. It is far more efficient to just heat the water using the solar heat rather than using solar panels to operate electric heaters (I think that is what you meant).

As an example, http://www.solarindustries.org.nz/info_solar.html

That's the problem with designing new products, most of the ideas have already been done (although some could be modified or made to be better, that should have been my post point number 7) ).

I was referring to the Stirling engine driving a small generator, the engine operating over a temperature range of approx 50°C to 70°C giving approx 5.5 kWh. per cubic meter tank. I think but not sure that plastics should be able handle that temp range, and such a system would have little maintenance, in theory? But if you say its been done to death, then. I'll have do some home work. Thank you for your input.

Regards JD.

What the world needs is a good cheap $500 Stirling engine generator that delivers one kilowatt.

After Whispertech stopped production I have not been able to find any production model Stirling engines. I have bene told anyoen with a machineshop can build one. Great! Except I do not have a machine shop.

I know the feeling, it was my ambition to have a work shop when I retired but it has not happened, Not all that familiar with Stirling engines. The only ones Ive ever seen where in magazines, I believe a car company built a solenoidal engine that seemed to work ok, dont no what happened to that. Have played around with a few idea, but that all they are, ideas.

Regards JD.

Good post.

How about a solar oven for 3rd world arid regions that burn charcoal for fuel to cook.

Factors: Cost; Materials; Temperature regulation; Simplicity to use; Life of use; Size; and regional culture.

A village solar oven that has the ability to replace the village charcoal oven with minimum culture discomfort.

My base design is a parabolic dish heating air moved by a solar cell powered fan.

Yours if you want or not.

free from

Brad

sory Walmart and Costco beat you to it. Sell them for $29.95. for a set of 3. My neighbors yard is ful of them. Looks pretty.

For brighter safety lighting, any number of off-grid and marine dock suppliers sell solar panlled lights for mounting in places it is not practical to run wires.

My preference would be using solar cells to power an air-conditioning system since power supply and power needs will be synchronous.

One problem with using solar cells for streetlights is that the greatest power supply will come in summer with short nights and the lowest in winter with long nights.

All good comments so far..

If you are serious, and are wanting to buy Solar Street Lights. we have at least 20 companies that we rep and we can beat anyones prices on the exact product.

Plus. in many cases we can upgrade you to say a CREE brand LED instead of the cheaper lesser quality, for the same price as you would pay others for say the Edison chip from Taiwan..

If we can help, please contact us

Donald

<for example using solar to charge battery then in return during night time will lite up the street light using bright LED system>

Dear Sufian

But that is what everybody is after-isn't it ?

Charity Begins at home:

So instead of<lite up the street light >

light up your own home-----.

Lots of Solar PV+inverters+energy optimizers around--being modified every day. Google it all. Or GlobalSpec it all.

BR

MM

There are lots of such applications in practice. from inside to outside. from smalll power to huge power drive an atomic reaction,

Many friends of mine deal in the porject of pv, from manufacture solar cell to lighting yard and street. I can help you iwth all aspect of application.

but I shll recommand you another light store material, which can store light directly and then light in the darkness. a great deal of these meterial was export to develpped countries from here.

cnpower:

"but I shll recommand you another light store material, which can store light directly and then light in the darkness."

What material is this?

DickL

It's Called Photo Luminescent, available in powder form, and can me mixed with PVC, ABS, Acrylic, and many other plastics, also mixed into paint..

We had a request for the plastic coating on steel cables to be filled with this product so people could easily see the cables after dark, or in darker areas of a plant

Donald

your description is quiet right. that is.

it can be use to path, traffic and any thing you could touch and though of.

it s not difficult for you to get the cable.

I only saw your comment now because I am fairly new to the CR4 forum and am very glad to see it. I am researching into manufacturing Photovoltaic cells and modules using alternative semiconductor materials. Since I do not have access and possibilities of purchasing high tech manufactured semi conductors, I am looking into more sustainable and cost effective manufacturing solution using readily available materials (or requiring minimal processes). Please direct me in the right direction or anything related to the sustainable energy production issues.