SOLAR ENERGY

The field of solar energy is immense. Here is an introduction and a sampling of information.

• Background information
  

• Topical information
  

• Videos

• References 

• RSS feed

What's the picture? It's a parabolic dish and stirling engine system, which concentrates sunlight to produce useful solar power (Wikipedia).

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Background information on solar energy

• Wikipedia
  

• Great introduction to SOLAR ENERGY from EIA  Energy Kids.

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Topical information about solar energy.

• Huge new solar project in Arizona
  

December 21, 2010

DOE Finalizes $1.45 Billion Loan Guarantee for One of the World's Largest Solar Generation Plants

Project to Generate 250 Megawatts of Renewable Power and Create Nearly 1,700 Jobs

Washington D.C. - U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced a $1.45 billion loan guarantee has been finalized for Abengoa Solar Inc.'s Solana project, the world's largest parabolic trough concentrating solar plant. Located near Gila Bend, Arizona, the 250-megawatt (MW) project is the first large-scale solar plant in the United States capable of storing energy it generates. Solana will produce enough energy to serve 70,000 households and will avoid the emissions of 475,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year compared to a natural gas burning power plant.

"As the world's largest solar plant of its kind, the Abengoa's Solana project is playing an important role in creating jobs and clean energy for Arizona as well as fostering innovation in the U.S.," said Secretary Chu. "As today's announcement and other recent announcements of completed loan guarantees for wind and solar projects demonstrate, the Department's loan program is gaining momentum, creating jobs in communities across the country while putting us on the path to a clean energy future."

• Desertec: Solar energy from North Africa piped into Europe

(Reuters) - Europe will import its first solar-generated electricity from North Africa within the next five years, European Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger said in an interview on Sunday. "Desertec as a whole is a vision for the next 20 to 40 years with investment of hundreds of billions of euros," said Oettinger.

The European Union is backing projects to turn the plentiful sunlight in the Sahara desert into electricity for power-hungry Europe, a scheme it hopes will help meet its target of deriving 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources in 2020. The amount of electricity would go up into the thousands of megawatts as projects including the 400 billion euro ($495 billion) Desertec solar scheme come on stream.

• Pocono Raceway Solar Installation

A solar farm constructed in one of Pocono Raceway's former parking lots will generate enough electricity to power the NASCAR facility as well as about 1,000 homes in the surrounding area, making it the largest solar-powered sports stadium in the world. Here is a picture (the solar cells are in the foreground).

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VIDEOS

Here and Here.

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REFERENCES on Solar Energy

• Energy Central Solar website.

• Photovoltaics, Solar Links from Gunther Portfolio site

• National Renewable Energy Laboratory NREL Solar Research

• Residential Solar Power Blog

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Here is the RSS feed from Gunther Portfolio (photovoltaics, solar energy, energy policy).