Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Reflection week 4 by Alex
Today, we were ask to discuss the product we plan to do as a final product. When Mr Goh came into the classroom, he gave me a paper about a competition organised by Singapore Polytechnic. It is a competiton for solar energy powered boat. In the meantime , we are still considering about it.
Weekly Progress Report (Week 4)
This week I managed to compile two reports, one on the disadvantages of solar energy and the other on the issue of solar cell efficiency. These two reports were very important in our cause of developing solar energy. In addition to that, our group convened yet again at Lab 2H for another brain-storming session although with little result. I hope next week will be better.
Signed,
Champion Chan Kah Hon
Signed,
Champion Chan Kah Hon
reflection on week 4 by Hao Xian
In week 4, I have we have done the worksheet. Also, our team is considering to participate in the Solar Boat Challenge organized by Singapore Polytechnic.
reflection on week 4 by Xu Kai
In week four, I solve the questions given by searching the internet for information. I learn about the efficiency of solar power and why solar cars are still not up on sale.
Disadvantages of solar energy, a report by Champions of the Earth
Hello fellow tree-hugging hippies! I have some very disheartening news for you all. Most of you think that solar energy is the solution for clean energy or at least hope it will be. Unfortunately it will take at least a few years more of research to make solar cells more efficient. Here are some of the reasons we came to this conclusion. They are all compiled in the following report. Enjoy!
Disadvantages of solar energy, a report by the Champions of the Earth.
Are there any real disadvantages to solar energy? Or, are the drawbacks of solar energy simply news stories planted by the the auto, oil and energy industries. Without a doubt, if there is a real push to develop and use alternate forms of energy, these industries will have the most to lose. Let's look at the top three anti-solar arguments we hear repeatedly:
1) Expense.
Many articles point out the expense of starting a new solar-energy industry but this argument is patently ridiculous. Never in our history has expense been an excuse to avoid new technology. Did people reject the idea of of wiring cities with electrical and telephone lines because it was too expensive? Did we reject the idea of television because it was more expensive than buying a radio. Of course not.
New products and technologies open the door for new companies and entrepreneurs to bring their wares to market and allow the law of supply and demand to take over. Even better, new solar energy industry will create new local jobs. When employment rises, the economy becomes robust and more people will be able to afford alternate energy sources.
In areas with excessive sunlight, homes can be switched to solar energy and families can simply apply the money spent on excessive electricity bills each month toward a payment plan on their news solar equipment. At some point the equipment will be paid for in full and they can then save that money every month, year after year. Tax deductions for energy efficient homes features already exists and some lenders already offer savings on clean energy mortgages for homes installed with solar panels.
While public relation firms working for the oil and energy industries pump out anti-solar news stories, the press under-reports all the ways we can save money when switching to solar.
2) Weather, location and night-time hours make impact the availability of sunlight.
Sunlight isn't available in deep space either but NASA has found ways to store power in solar systems on spacecraft. Of course, the too-expensive argument is also used to undermine the viability of solar storage cells. Yet, as the price of oil increases, many of us are already finding it too expensive to heat and light our homes with fossil fuel products and electricity.
Until governments allocate funds to research ways to store solar energy for consistent use, this argument against solar energy will remain. Leaving research up to the existing energy industries is ridiculous. Why would they develop technology and products to undermine the profits they make leaving things as is?
3) Requires large areas of land for municipal solar generators.
This excuse is easy to eliminate. Reallocate the large areas of land currently taken up by existing power plants to solar plants. In the USA and many other countries, huge expanses of desert areas can be used to set up solar plants. We can get creative, because one thing history has proved is that where there's a will there's a way.
The problem is our desire to switch to solar energy is outweighed by our resistance to change. After all is said and done, this may be the biggest disadvantage of solar energy - the desire to maintain the status quo.
Information comes from http://www.helium.com/items/860226-disadvantages-of-solar-energy.
Disheartening as this may sound, I still hope that everybody will not lose faith in solar energy. Just give the tech-heads a few more years and hopefully they can make solar cells more efficient.
Stay strong fellow Champions!
Disadvantages of solar energy, a report by the Champions of the Earth.
Are there any real disadvantages to solar energy? Or, are the drawbacks of solar energy simply news stories planted by the the auto, oil and energy industries. Without a doubt, if there is a real push to develop and use alternate forms of energy, these industries will have the most to lose. Let's look at the top three anti-solar arguments we hear repeatedly:
1) Expense.
Many articles point out the expense of starting a new solar-energy industry but this argument is patently ridiculous. Never in our history has expense been an excuse to avoid new technology. Did people reject the idea of of wiring cities with electrical and telephone lines because it was too expensive? Did we reject the idea of television because it was more expensive than buying a radio. Of course not.
New products and technologies open the door for new companies and entrepreneurs to bring their wares to market and allow the law of supply and demand to take over. Even better, new solar energy industry will create new local jobs. When employment rises, the economy becomes robust and more people will be able to afford alternate energy sources.
In areas with excessive sunlight, homes can be switched to solar energy and families can simply apply the money spent on excessive electricity bills each month toward a payment plan on their news solar equipment. At some point the equipment will be paid for in full and they can then save that money every month, year after year. Tax deductions for energy efficient homes features already exists and some lenders already offer savings on clean energy mortgages for homes installed with solar panels.
While public relation firms working for the oil and energy industries pump out anti-solar news stories, the press under-reports all the ways we can save money when switching to solar.
2) Weather, location and night-time hours make impact the availability of sunlight.
Sunlight isn't available in deep space either but NASA has found ways to store power in solar systems on spacecraft. Of course, the too-expensive argument is also used to undermine the viability of solar storage cells. Yet, as the price of oil increases, many of us are already finding it too expensive to heat and light our homes with fossil fuel products and electricity.
Until governments allocate funds to research ways to store solar energy for consistent use, this argument against solar energy will remain. Leaving research up to the existing energy industries is ridiculous. Why would they develop technology and products to undermine the profits they make leaving things as is?
3) Requires large areas of land for municipal solar generators.
This excuse is easy to eliminate. Reallocate the large areas of land currently taken up by existing power plants to solar plants. In the USA and many other countries, huge expanses of desert areas can be used to set up solar plants. We can get creative, because one thing history has proved is that where there's a will there's a way.
The problem is our desire to switch to solar energy is outweighed by our resistance to change. After all is said and done, this may be the biggest disadvantage of solar energy - the desire to maintain the status quo.
Information comes from http://www.helium.com/items/860226-disadvantages-of-solar-energy.
Disheartening as this may sound, I still hope that everybody will not lose faith in solar energy. Just give the tech-heads a few more years and hopefully they can make solar cells more efficient.
Stay strong fellow Champions!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Hi everyone!It's us again...but we have good and bad news, I am sure that you want to hear the bad news first is that our topic( Terrorism) is being cancelled, but still the good news is about our new topic has been decided and approved...that is SOLAR ENERGY, and we want to make a solar powered car...
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Hi everyone! It's 2H Group 1 again...to update you about our group progress, today which is IPW day( because Day 1 has IPW sessions ), we decided our group topic which is TERRORISM!!! But only group name has not been decided yet, we are still recking our brains about it as we need a name that links with the topic...
Anyway we need to say bye bye already so wait for our next post which should be about our group name.
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