1 / 69

Solar Energy: Is It Feasible In Greenhouse Operations

Solar Energy: Is It Feasible In Greenhouse Operations. By Paul A. Thomas, University of Georgia. 2006 Oklahoma Conference. A naturally balanced budget. Fact:. FACT!.

tory
Download Presentation

Solar Energy: Is It Feasible In Greenhouse Operations

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Solar Energy: Is It Feasible In Greenhouse Operations By Paul A. Thomas, University of Georgia 2006 Oklahoma Conference

  2. A naturally balanced budget

  3. Fact: FACT! A patch of 100 square miles of open space covered with efficient solar panels such as in Nevada, where sun rays are powerful, could generate all the electrical power needs of the United States. National Renewable Energy Laboratory

  4. Making sense of that statement…. How much area is this per person? 416 m2 per person  4,500 square feet to meet the average persons energy needs

  5. Ways of using solar energy • Direct heating of flat panel (fluids, space heating) • Passive heating of well-designed buildings • Thermal power generation (heat engine) via concentration of sunlight • Direct conversion to electrical energy

  6. Active Passive Types of Solar Power: Thermal

  7. Passive Solar Storage (Heat)

  8. Thermal Panel Features

  9. Hot Water Floor Heating Solar water heating systems are ideal for greenhouses that use hot water systems under the floors. It is very efficient. Hot water systems do require planning, and a backup heating system!

  10. HEATING ENERGY

  11. Types of Solar Power: Electrical

  12. Who are the biggest users of Solar Power…Hippies? • The National Park Service • The Department of Transportation • State Governments • Primary and Secondary School Systems • Most Universities • Large Corporations • California / Arizona / Nevada Homeowners

  13. Countries Other Than the U.S.!

  14. What Does The White House Think Of Solar Power? In 2002, George Bush had 167 Solar Panels installed at the white house, and two solar hot water systems installed. The systems Support the outdoor security lighting, the swimming pool and the domestic hot water system.

  15. Shell The Big Players In Solar Technology

  16. Cumulative Installed PV in the US

  17. Efficiency Evolution In Solar Power

  18. ELECTRIC ENERGY ! ! !

  19. Cost Of Electricity Rising Slowly

  20. Cost Of Solar Energy Is Declining Rapidly !

  21. Solar Technology Fits!

  22. Solar Farms?

  23. Solar Energy Works In The South!

  24. VERY GOOD!

  25. Roof Top Solar Facility

  26. The conversion is accomplished by the material absorbing light and ionizing crystal atoms, thereby creating free, negatively charged electrons and positively charged ions.These then go to opposing sides of a charged system and form a flow of electrons or “electricity! Source: Karl W. Boer

  27. Practical GreenhouseUses For Solar Technology Horizontal Air Flow Fans Cooling Pad Pumps Emergency Lights Photoperiod Lighting Heating Pads Water Heaters Well / Storage Water Pumps Auto Shade Cloth System Computer Controll systems / Solenoids

  28. Consider the HAF Fan • It runs during “peak cost” hours during the winter. • It is needed most at night if pad and fans system is used during the summer. • The SUMMER sun could power the pad and fan pump system directly, and charge the batteries to run the fans at night! In WINTER the system could run the fans during the day using direct DC power.

  29. Typical Yearly Saving Curve For Solar Power

  30. So What Does It Take To Install a PV System

  31. 1: Assess Your Energy NeedsIn Terms Of Watts Per Hour

  32. Energy Assessment • Add up the watts used on each appliance. • Determine how many hours / day • Determine seasonal use patterns • Ad up the total amp-hours needed to be supplied during the greatest period of use for your system’s voltage. Design accordingly!

  33. The Water Wheel If you have a small, old fashioned water wheel, a hose, and an adjustable spray nozzel you can understand electricity! If you point the hose at the water wheel, the wheel turns…increase the pressure (volts) or increase the volume of water (amps), and you’ll find the increased force (watts) makes the wheel turns faster!

  34. Basic Electricity • Amphere = The number of electrons flowing past a point at any given time. (gallons per minute = volume!) • Volts = The pressure the electrons are under. Remember pounds per sq inch (PSI) for water! • Watts = The total force the electron flow exerts • Ohms = The resistance the hose exerts on the flow of the water.

  35. Here Are Some Household Examples • Typical Electrical Appliance WattagesTelevision: 300-400 running watts, 300-400 starting/surge watts Microwave oven: 700 running watts, 1000 starting/surge watts Furnace blower (1/3 hp): 600 running watts, 1800 starting/surge watts Vacuum cleaner: 600 running watts, 750 starting/surge watts Refrigerator/Freezer: 800 running watts, 2400 starting/surge watts Toaster: 1200 running watts, 1200 starting/surge watts Coffee maker: 1200 running watts, 1200 starting/surge watts Stove element burner: 1500 running watts, 1500 starting/surge watts Water heater: 5000 running watts, 5000 starting/surge watts Water well pump (1/2 hp): 1000 running watts, 3000 starting/surge watts Sump pump (1/3 hp): 700 running watts, 2100 starting/surge watts Washer: 1440 running watts, 1440 starting/surge watts Dryer: 5520 running watts (which is why it was hard to use)

  36. Series: Volts increase, Amp-hours remain the same Parallel: Volts remain the same and the Amp-hours increase! This allows you to configure how many volts, at how many amp-hours your need

  37. Wire Sizes Resistance eats power! The more amps you send, the thicker the wire needs to be……and the longer the run of wire, the more amps you need!

  38. 2: Determine The Type of Solar Panels You Wish To Use

  39. How Panels Are Rated BP 4175 – Silicon-nitride mono Rated Power (Pmax): 175 wattsPower tolerance: ± 5%Nominal voltage: 24 voltsLimited Warranty: 25 years

  40. SOLAR PANELS $ / watts generated

  41. Solar Energy Works In The South!

  42. Steered collector slanted horizontal Solar power incident on a collector at 30 deg. South, winter day. Wm-2 1000 500 time rise set

  43. Panel Orientation • Affects output!

  44. Charge Controllers Prevent overloads and night energy leakage

More Related