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10 Myths About Climate Change Part 1

The very real threat of climate change is still met with scrutiny by many, who are sceptical about the value of solar panels and other sustainability measures for helping to conserve the environment.

The Climate Institute recently published what it considers to be the 10 main myths about climate change, which may be responsible for hindering progress towards workable solutions:

1 – Climate change isn’t happening

The vast majority of scientists working in various fields concur that human activity is the primary cause of global warming and climate change. Those that do not agree with the consensus are in a significant minority.

2 – Climate change is natural

Although the Earth’s climate has naturally changed multiple times throughout geological history, the conditions for global warming are atypical and indicate artificial causes.

3 – Global warming has stopped

This common misconception can be easily refuted by statistics that reveal the Earth’s surface temperature has continually increased over the last century.

4 – The sun is responsible

The sun’s output has diminished in recent decades, comparatively speaking, which would not give rise to increasing temperatures.

5 – Claims are being exaggerated

Independent valuations have confirmed that predictions over disappearing glaciers and other consequences of climate change have been overwhelmingly accurate.

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Great Solar sells and installs affordable solar panels in Adelaide, suited to many types of homes. Call (08) 7070 1730 to get a quote for solar panel installation or for more information.

Watch this space for Part 2 which will be release on Sunday!

Solar Passive Home Design

If you’re serious about taking advantage of home solar energy to free yourself from dependence on traditional electricity supplies, you could design your new home to benefit from solar power from the onset, following the principles of passive design.

This video features the design and construction of the Stringybark’s Eco house Project – a solar passive home built near Ballarat in Victoria that provides 45 acres of land for wildlife in addition to a residential home. The project took two years to design by the owners and building work was completed between late 2011 and August 2012.

Passive solar design aims to make the most of natural sunlight for providing heat and light energy in homes, reducing reliance on electricity and gas supplies. This type of passive design is suitable for homes in all climates, and can lead to considerable savings compared to conventional heating and cooling, which typically accounts for 38 per cent of energy consumption in Australian homes.

Homes built with passive solar design in mind should be north-oriented for daytime living areas to receive sunlight and should use a zoning system to separate different areas according to their heating and cooling needs. Many aspects of the construction process will need to take passive solar design into consideration, including glazing, which should use passive shading and draught sealing.

Great Solar supplies affordable solar panels in Adelaide for residential properties. Call (08) 7070 1730 to find out more about installing solar PV panels in your home.

Will You Ever Need to Upgrade Your Solar System?

When you buy solar power panels, you are making a long term investment in your home that will deliver significant energy savings. Depending on the type of solar panels you install however, these systems may need to be replaced eventually to allow you to benefit from greater efficiency.

Longevity of solar panels

Solar panels are built to last, as long as you buy systems made from quality imported parts. The confidence of solar panel suppliers can be seen in the long term warranties provided – an average of 25 years – though solar panels can be expected to outlive these spans if they are well maintained and are not exposed to too many adverse conditions.

By cleaning your solar panels and staying vigilant for any signs of problems, these low maintenance installations can conceivably last a lifetime, and more durable products are being developed all the time.

Reasons to upgrade

Like any developing technology, solar panels are being improved all the time, and although this doesn’t mean you need to replace older panels to keep up with the latest developments, significant leaps forward in terms of energy efficiency could mean that these new installations soon pay for themselves in electricity savings. Some households choose to add extra solar panels to supplement their existing systems.

Buy solar power panels Adelaide

Great Solar sells long-lasting solar panels at affordable prices, made from quality imported parts. Phone (08) 7070 1730 to get a quote for residential solar energy in Adelaide.

Great Solar Looks at the New Smart Grid, Smart City Initiative

Australia’s first commercial scale smart grid is currently being trialled in Newcastle and Hunter regions, New South Wales, to improve the efficiency of energy production and delivery for properties not already benefiting from residential solar energy.

Government funding

The Australian Government has pledged up to $100 million for the ambitious Smart Grid, Smart City project, which incorporates ICT and emerging technologies to help energy suppliers manage demand at peak times, to find and resolve problems in the grid faster and to provide more personalised service to their customers. A number of high profile firms have signed up to the Smart Grid, Smart City project, including Ausgrid, IBM Australia and Sydney Water, and more are expected to join following the success of trials.

Project aims

This first phase of a larger rollout has a number of objectives, including the design of a smart meter base for homes to consolidate existing smart meters and networks and NBN support for around 3000 homes. These trials in Newcastle and Hunter regions will allow developers and energy companies to test the viability of a more widespread scheme, and to gather information on factors such as the cost of deployment and any issues that need to be resolved.

Residential solar energy Adelaide

Great Solar is an Australian solar panel supplier and installation firm that imports quality parts to keep costs low for customers without sacrificing quality or energy efficiency. Call (08) 7070 1730 to find out more about affordable solar panels in Adelaide.

Are See-through Solar Panels the Future for the Industry?

Developments in more efficient and affordable solar panels are helping to increase uptake of these renewable energy systems in Australia and worldwide. One of the most ambitious solar projects to be announced this year is the development of see-through solar panels by Japanese electronics company Sharp.

Modified photovoltaic technology

These transparent solar panels can be used as windows to allow light into properties without compromising their ability to convert sunlight into electricity. These silicon film PV panels will be lighter, more flexible and more portable than traditional solar panel materials, and are produced by making cuts into thin PV cells. Each panel is currently capable of producing up to 95 kW of power, a figure that’s expected to increase significantly as the technology is improved.

Advantages

The thin and flexible nature of these transparent panels will mean they are suitable for installation in a wider range of locations, where traditional solar panels may not be an option. This will give suppliers greater freedom to install solar cells where they will produce the greatest benefits and receive maximum sun exposure throughout the year.

These lightweight panels may also be easier to install than regular solar panels, though professional installation is still recommended when connecting the system to a home’s power grid.

Solar panels Adelaide

Great Solar sells home solar energy systems at affordable prices, made from quality imported parts. Call (08) 7070 1730 to buy solar power panels in Adelaide.