Tag Archives: solar energy

Solar Mobile Tool

Sergio came to potential client Mary´s home and asked to see the roof where the solar installations would be located.

Once up, Sergio began to manipulate his mobile phone.

“Do not bother,” Said Mary … “there is no coverage.”

This did not stop Sergio because his tool works based on the location of the mobile device through GPS positioning (internet connection is not required).

From location latitude all calculations are performed.

Sergio selected Solar Thermal Energy from Installation Type Menu first.

Then he confirmed the location on the Map and selected Heating from Installation Use Menu.

Resultado de imagen de inclinación panel solar

The inclination angle of the thermal collectors depends on the use of solar equipment.

Sergio query his mobile, getting the result and informs Mary that 50◦ is the optimal solar thermal collector’s inclination.

Mary, a little surprised, asked what would be the optimum orientation.

“The optimum orientation of the solar collectors is towards the Ecuador” tells Sergio.

Resultado de imagen de orientación panel solar

For guidance, Sergio used Compass App recommended by his tool that has cautiously already downloaded in his mobile.

The last missing data: separation between thermal collector’s rows.

Because surface was horizontal, only data needed was solar collector height in cm.

Sergio query his mobile, get the result and tells Mary that 4.42 m is the minimum spacing between rows.

Totally surprised, Mary tells Sergio where the solar photovoltaic installation would be located.

Sergio selected Solar Photovoltaic Energy option in the Installation Type Menu now.

Then he confirmed the location on the Map and selected On-Grid Connection from Installation Use Menu.

Sergio query his mobile, get the result and tells Mary that 34▫ is the optimum inclination for photovoltaic installation.

As in this case the module rows would be placed on a non horizontal surface, Sergio consulted Mary inclination of that roof sector, which is 20◦.

Sergio entered deck inclination angle from horizontal with a positive value because cover inclination direction coincides with modules inclination.

Finally Sergio told Mary numerous Tips available at i App button to consider for collection surface setting.

Sergio made a very good impression on Mary and demonstrated professionalism.

This App exists, was developed by Sopelia R+D+I and its name is Solar Layout.

Mary´s satisfaction was complete when Sergio told her how could download Solar Layout on his mobile and, in a very intuitive way, get herself recommended values at any geographic location.

Solar Hydraulics

Hydraulics is the physics field that studies fluid mechanics and is divided into Hydrostatic (liquids at rest) and hydrodynamics (liquid in motion).

density of a body d is called the mass m and volume V ratio:

d = m / V

specific gravity pe is the weight (= m g.) and volume ratio:

pe = m. g / V

Fluids (liquids and gases) always exert a pressure pr in all directions.

The pressure is the quotient between a force f (the exerted by the fluid) and the surface area S acted upon by this force:

pr = f / S

The pressure unit in the SI is the Newton divided by m2 (N / m2) and is called pascal.

Pressure exerted by gravity and the forces tending to compress the fluid is called static pressure.

The pressure resulting from movement of a fluid is called dynamic pressure.

Knowing the density or specific gravity of a fluid we can find the static pressure due to gravity at any depth h from either of the following two formulas:

pr = d. g. h

pr = pe. h

Resultado de imagen de presión estática en líquidos

The pressure difference is equal to the depths difference h between 2 points or vertical distance between them.

A typical static pressure, is the atmospheric pressure produced in all directions on the bodies placed on earth surface due to the large air column above them. The result of this all directions atmospheric pressure action produces no net force pushing the body to one side, tends to compress it.

In the case of a container, the atmospheric pressure acts inside and outside and therefore their actions cancel each other.

We are interested in knowing the excess pressure above atmospheric pressure that may be inside the container (tanks or pipes) through measuring devices (manometers).

If air can freely enter and leave a container through the edge of the lid, the liquid surface will only be subjected to atmospheric pressure. It is an open or non pressurized reservoir.

If we measured pressure at different heights in the tank with a manometer it will be equal to zero at the surface and maximum at the bottom.

If the container is now sealed and subjected to additional pressure p, transmitted through the pipes that communicate with distribution circuit; the measurement is equal to the previous one but increased in the value of p. Usually the small pressure difference caused by the height difference is negligible compared to the overall circuit pressure p.

Archimedes’s theorem allows us to know a body weight when it is immersed in a liquid.

This theorem can be applied to a same liquid portion.

Suppose that a liquid portion suffer a slight temperature increase relative to other liquid parts.

Bodies expand by its temperature increasing and when increasing its volume density decreases as mass remains unchanged.

Resultado de imagen de presión estática en líquidos

If d1 is the new density of the portion considered (d1 < d):

Weight of the liquid portion: p = m. g = V1. d1. g

Thrust acting on the liquid portion: E = V1. d. g

Where V1 is the volume of the liquid portion

Resultado de imagen de termosifón

These are the called fluids natural convection currents, in which hot parts tend to rise. Natural circulation or thermosyphon systems are based on this phenomenon for supplying hot water by solar collectors.

This content is part of “Solar Energy Introduction” eBook and solar e-learning of Sopelia.

Ecuador Solar Thermal

In most of the Ecuadorian territory, for domestic hot water applications, the type of collector recommended is the flat collector.

The solar radiation levels and atmospheric conditions allow this type of collector to provide optimal yields and to minimize installation overheating risk.

Only in mountain areas, where environmental conditions are more stringent, it is advisable to use vacuum evacuated tube, U-pipe or heat pipe collectors.

Resultado de imagen de energía solar térmica en Ecuador

The country has atlas of solar and wind resources developed by CONELEC and MEER respectively. However both are based on satellite images, they have not been validated with field measurements and its resolution is not good.

Following this the INER developed a project that involved the installation of 17 weather stations in Cuenca canton and 10 weather stations in Chimborazo province, in addition to the placement of sensors for repowering existing meteorological stations in Chimborazo province.

With the data obtained methods of estimating solar radiation were applied to complete historical data series. So far preliminary solar resources maps have been drawn.

This project seeks to validate information about solar resource in the country and the proper use of the sun as energy supply resource.

An Alliance for Energy and Environment in the Andean region with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture Program led hot solar water to Ecuadorian Páramo region.

The Ecuadorian Páramo includes the communities of Cotopaxi, Chimborazo and Bolivar, located more than 3,800 m above sea level.

The project initially focused on solar hot water use in schools and community centers and then extended to all the inhabitants.

Training workshops related to installation, use and maintenance of solar thermal systems were performed by the Fondo Ecuatoriano Populorum Progressio (FEPP).

Program also sought to generate money income for participants from installation, repair and maintenance of equipment. It was possible to train 54 people, including 19 women.

44 systems were installed in 42 schools, directly benefiting 2,186 boys and 2,206 girls, plus an old people center attended by 32 people. In a community agroindustrial plant where medicinal plants are processed consumption of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) could be reduced.

Resultado de imagen de energía solar térmica en Ecuador

In another initiative, MEER and MIDUVI delivered solar collectors to population.

Nationally are 2,632 households beneficiary with the installation of these collectors granted to fund housing bond through the MIDUVI.

The delivery was made after a family’s selection process with suitable houses for solar collector’s installation, which had to have water connection and roof slab.

If there is no solar radiation to cover the water tank demand, there is an auxiliary system based on electricity.

The solar thermal collectors cost is still very high in Ecuador compared to fossil fuels operating systems.

Given country radiation levels, besides these isolated initiatives would be wise to develop policies for solar thermal systems mass use.

Solar energy with Sopelia.

Where Draws Its Energy The Sun ?

The Sun is an average star, its radius is about 700,000 km and its mass equivalent to that obtained joining around 300,000 planets same to Earth.

Just a century ago, it was unknown how the sun could produce so much amount of energy as it radiates into space.

All theories raised led to the same conclusion: the Sun could not have a higher age of about 20 million years. If the Sun was older, he should have cooled.

Resultado de imagen de energía del sol

Darwin raised his studies of rocks formation and erosion, and the very slow evolution of life. For his theories made sense, he needed a greater age of the Sun; at least hundreds of millions of years, or perhaps billions of years.

In order to provide a solution to the problem, it had to wait until radioactivity discovery and acceptance of the surprising notion that mass and energy are interchangeable in some way, according to Einstein’s equation E = mc2

Sir Arthur Eddington was the first to evaluate all the data and dared to speculate that nuclear fusion, the process that creates heavy elements from the fusion of lighter ones, could be responsible for the large energy production from the sun.

We now know that the sun actually burns hydrogen, the lightest gas in the universe and transforms it into helium.

A hydrogen nucleus (proton) from the Sun must wait an average of about 5,000 million years to dive into merging with another hydrogen nucleus to form deuterium. If it happen faster, the Sun would have spent all their fuel long ago and we would not be here.

The second step, in which helium-3 is produced from deuterium and hydrogen, happens on average every 1.4 seconds; and the last step, helium production, takes 240,000 years. The energy released during the melting process becomes photons, that is, into light.

Resultado de imagen de energía del sol

A photon starts its journey to Earth at the speed of light, but immediately after encounters an electron, which deflects the incident photon in a random direction. This happens again and again.

A photon takes on average more than 20,000 years to travel the 695,000 kilometers from the center of the sun to the solar surface, which represents a speed of 4 meters per hour.

After this long and erratic journey, the photon covers the remaining 149 million kilometers to Earth with the usual light speed, and 8 minutes later arrives at its final destination.

Currently, the Sun burns 600 million tons of hydrogen every second, making it 596 million helium tons.

The remaining 4 million tons is fully converted into energy.

If we apply the formula E = mc2 (where E is energy, m for mass, and c is the speed of light), we see that 4 million tons of matter equivalent to 100,000,000,000,000,000,000 kilowatt-hours of energy.

Approximately a million times the total amount of energy the world uses in a year.

The Sun releases all that energy every second.

I think it would be smart to take it.

What do you think about that ?

This text is part of Introduction to Solar Energy ebook, sold exclusively at Amazon and solar e-learning of Sopelia.

One Click From The Sun

Without moving from his chair and just making a click, he had access to the solar e-learning training site with best market price – value.

Then he received his Username and Password for Virtual Classroom full access.

The Virtual Classroom is a fully interactive environment through which you can:

* Access course content

* Access to resources and supplementary materials related

* Communicate with the tutor or other participants through forums or private mode with messaging.

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Course setting is divided into 3 areas: Central Zone, Side Blocks and Header.

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The Central Zone is the core of the course and is where all the information necessary for its development is being structured as follows:

+ Information Zone: contains the documents to organize the study

+ Communication Zone: includes internal communication course fórums

+ Content Zone: contains information on which should work to overcome course.

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On the left, Side Blocks are arranged.

Side Blocks contain the following information:

– Tutoring: tutor access information with email address

– Persons: where you can view a list of people who are doing the course

– Online users: where people who at that time are connected to the platform appear. If a person is connected with his name and an icon, by clicking on it you may send a message

– Navigation: allows you to move within the course through a series of hyperlinks to each of the sections, as an alternative system to use screen navigation

– Administration: the participant can see the ratings of the different activities and scoring test scoring.

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At the top is the Header.

The following parameters are scattered and arranged in the Header:

* Profile: to edit basic user information, such as name, password, include our image, email and some additional parameters

* Ratings: access the same menu commented before on Side Blocks

* Posts: similar to menu messages commented before commented on Side Blocks

* Preferences: to change platform configuration to that most interested for our user.

Overall, during the course development shall:

1) Check the schedule to organize the study. Information provided indicates recommended dates

2) Study the content of each topic

3) Check the doubts of each of the topics in the consultation fórum

4) Do assessment tests for each of the topics.

Tests and practice exercises should be performed before course expected closing date (11/28/2016).

Campus will be available 24 hours a day and tutors will be available through forums, receiving response in no more than 48 hours.

The training begins next September 19th and registration ends on September 16th.

You can receive it fully from your PC, Tablet or Smartphone.

No more excuses, solar energy wherever you are with Sopelia.

Sopelia Country Manager in Latin America Countries

If you want to join the Sopelia Network in Latin America for 2017 period you can send your request.

The Sopelia Network allows:

– Being part of a solar energy experts powerful networking at regional level

– Access to a medium that provides an opportunity to promote projects, research, activities and personal initiatives

– Participate in sectoral researchs to increase Sopelia benefits and enrich personal background

– Expose your profile in Sopelia

– Represent Sopelia in solar industry events

– Have the wide Sopelia offer and support to market

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What are the requirements to be Sopelia Country Manager ?

* Have completed a Technical-Commercial Training (thermal or photovoltaic) in Sopelia

* Have less than 30 years

* Reside in a Latin American country

* Provide valuable content to Sopelia (between 300 and 500 words) relating to solar sector in your country (minimum 1 Quarterly article) in native language and English

* Maintain a proactive approach to promote Sopelia products and services in your country of residence

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Sopelia Country Manager Profile:

+ Technical, environmental, renewable energy, economy, science, architecture or engineering degree

+ Native language and English advanced level

+ Experience in developing editorial content

+ Develop activity in the field of renewable energies, environment or linked industry

If you meet the requirements and you are interested in joining the Sopelia network, send a message to www.sopelia.com Contact section indicating Ref .: Country Manager + country of residence in the subject of your message.

Professionally development in a sector with huge potential with Sopelia.

(Español) 10 Semanas Fotovoltaicas

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español.

Solar Energy Wherever You Are

Many times the purpose of incorporating solar energy to our professional skills, scope of business or personal life has hovered in our head.

We have almost always run into the same barrier: time.

We are working or studying and we find it very difficult to have even a few hours a week.

It is rare to find training offerings that are not too short (few hours workshops) or too long (one or more years) and which in turn have an affordable price.

If we add the difficulty of having to move, because most are taught in presence way, finally we ended up postponing again and again this purpose.

In 2014 Sopelia gave, in collaboration with the Technology National University of Mar del Plata (Argentina), the Technical – Commercial Solar Energy Course in tele-learning (distance + presence) methodology.

In 2016 Sopelia updated and divided that training action in 2 specific courses:

* Technical – Commercial Solar Thermal Energy

* Technical – Commercial Photovoltaic Solar Energy

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Sopelia rode them on a Moodle 3.1 platform and the result is 2 courses in e-learning methodology.

This means you can receive Solar Energy training with the best market value wherever you are.

You only need a computer, smartphone or mobile device and Internet.

Being the 1st edition there is a 50% off list price.

These two courses provide technical and commercial training in solar energy domestic applications with the aim of spreading the technology and develop human resources for incorporation into work and business world.

You will identify the most relevant aspects of solar energy within the current energy landscape.

You will define, describe and analyze the most important features of solar energy.

You will know the composition, understand the operation, design and maintenance of facilities to implement thermal and photovoltaic solar energy projects.

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It is a training aimed at students and technical careers graduates, technical schools graduates, engineers, architects, professionals and installers of related sectors (air conditioning, electricity, rural), people with experience in renewable energies, environmental professionals and individuals interested in incorporating solar energy into their lives.

The 2016 edition starts on September 19th and ends on November 25th.

You can register until 16 September inclusive in www.energiasrenovables.lat

If you are under 30 years old and live in Latin America, with the course completed, you can apply to be Sopelia Country Manager in your country of residence.

And if you are under 25 and live in Latin America, you can get a 50% scholarship and finished the course, apply to become Sopelia Trainee.

If you speak Spanish you have no excuses, Solar Energy wherever you are with Sopelia.