Can Solar Energy be converted into Liquid Fuel?

Researchers at Harvard University have discovered a way to convert solar energy into liquid fuel. At the moment solar energy can be converted into hydrogen by photovoltaic cells, but hydrogen in the energy race has yet to make some headway, being dominated by fossil fuels.

However this breakthrough is promising and could potentially be the bridge from our current energy crisis to a more sustainable resource.

How have they done it?

By splitting solar energy into water, hydrogen and oxygen there are then able to convert the hydrogen, plus carbon dioxide into a liquid isopropanol by using a bacterium. (original source)




The researches hope this can open up solar energy to more takers, particularly in the developing world so it can become a more accessible resource locally, and eventually start to compete with fossil fuels.

Although, you could just make the jump now! Invest in solar now and earn up to £750 with the government RHI while cushioning yourself from crippling energy bills. You can get free no-obligation quotes from the best installers in your area on our quoter websites here: http://www.solarpanelquoter.co.uk/?s_eng=blog

I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!

New to Solar Panels? Here's an introduction!

Did you know? The amount of the Sun’s Energy hitting the Earth 
daily is enough to power the entire planet 20,000 times over. And yet we only harvest a tiny fraction of this valuable resource that will continue to provide us with Free Energy for another 4 billion years.

If you had an oil or gas well under your Home or Business would you extract it?

Why ignore the most powerful resource known to man? Solar Energy is a clean form of renewable energy that if utilised correctly can provide vast amounts of energy daily & save your home or business  a lot of money over the lifetime of the system (roughly £17,000 over 20 years.)

With Energy costs constantly rising & our demand for fuel growing all the time,we are at serious risk of fuel poverty if we don’t reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Lets not run on dead Dinosaurs! We need to look at alternative, renewable way of heating our homes & businesses.

In 2012 the population reached 7 billion & the UN estimates by 2050 it will reach 9.2 billion by which time the Worlds fuel reserves will be 75% less.

 Either we stop going at it like rabbits or we change to renewable energy, I think we all know which one we would prefer!

Solar Panels providing Solar Water Heating

Solar Water heating can provide up to 70% of domestic hot water annually thus
reducing your reliance on fossil fuels which will equate to an approximate 30% saving on fuel. There are also environmental benefits to solar energy. A typical domestic system can save approximately 350kg of CO² annually or over one third of a tonne.

How Solar Panels Work

How it works – Solar panels are mounted on your roof ideally 45⁰ East/West of due South 180⁰. There are possibilities if you don’t have a South facing aspect but ideally anywhere within that 90⁰ windows optimum. Because solar technology has progressed so much in recent years they don’t need direct sunlight as they work on natural daylight.

At daybreak your panels heat up. The energy is sent from your roof to your hot water
tank via stainless steel insulated pipework & is transferred to your hot water cylinder.
When the temperature in your cylinder is reached the pump shuts off & you have a
fully heated tank of water at your disposal. When you run a bath or take a shower
the temperature in your hot water tank drops & the sensor tells the pump to deliver
more energy to the tank. The new heat that is being stored in your panels is sent straight down to your tank so even whilst you are showering your water is reheating. It’s a bit like leaving an immersion heater on all day except you are getting free energy from the sun. It really is that simple…

How to keep your Solar Panels efficient 

There are new materials coming out all the time to make Solar Panels more efficient e.g. new cells, metals. So my advice is to research a few companies that have the key ingredients so you know your Solar Panel will at the top of it's game! Sort of things you would need to look for are Solar Panels with less wires as they would block sunlight, PVT cells etc.

Over a period of time your Solar Panels will get a bit mucky, just like how a glass house does over the years. This affects how efficient the panel is and will slow how much electricity you make right down. There are solutions to the problem though, in fact there are solutions for the solution! Basically you can buy most of the products to clean your Solar Panels online. I recommend a good Solar Panel cleaning solution and at least a 24ft cleaning pole if you're too lazy to go up the ladder with a wet rag! If you are even lazier or have money to burn, (usually come hand-in hand) You can hire cleaning companies to do it for you that range from about £30-£50.

Until the next time, I bid you adieu my dear Sirs and Madams!

Double-glazing could save the planet!

Written by Jim McGovern

Many people dream of saving the world, but few realise that anyone can have a part in literally saving the entire planet simply by having double-glazing in their houses! How is this possible?

Well, fossil fuel consumption increases every year, and even the most optimistic estimate says that our oil will be completely diminished within 45 years, and that our gas will quickly follow at 72 years. Conservation of energy is one of the best solutions.

But most of us probably won't still be alive then, so why does it involve us? To start with, we should care about the billions of people who will have to deal with these problems. We need to save resources for future generations, as it would be selfish for us to greedily use up all of the Earth's resources.

Burning less fossil fuels will also mean less pollution in the atmosphere. It is unquestionable that the fuels that we use are destroying the earth, so we need to stop being so dependant on them while we still can, by conserving as much energy as possible.

As well as helping to save the world for your descendants, it could save you more than £1000 per year in electricity and heating bills! So how can you conserve electricity in your home? To start off with, you can save power by not leaving electrical items on standby, such as your TVs or Computers. You should also switch the lights off in rooms that you are not using.

A great way to conserve heat is double-glazing, which prevents heat from escaping through the windows. Hot air is less dense than cold air, so it escapes through the window when the air is colder outside. Heating systems have a thermostat, which measures the temperature in the air, making the heater hotter or colder depending on the target temperature. When you haven't got double-glazing, the heating system uses up more and more money in a vain attempt to bring the room to the right heat level, but most of its efforts just get sucked straight out of the window.

Double-glazing prevents unwanted heat loss, and your bills will be greatly reduced thanks to the heat conservation.

So why not get a free double-glazing quote right now? Just head over to www.windowquoter.co.uk and fill out some basic details. It only takes a few minutes, and it eliminates the need for you to deal with the dreaded door-to-door salesmen!

Or if you prefer to speak to someone in person, call 0845 300 2333 and speak to one of our customer advisers for your free, no-obligation quote that is valid for up to six months!

By getting double glazing, you will not only save yourself so much money, but you will also have the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping to save planet Earth!