Rain Water Harvesting

Rain water harvesting system

          It is collection of rainwater from the surface which directly receives rainfall. It can be a paved area like a terrace or courtyard of a building, or an unpaved area like a lawn or open ground.A channel or gutters are required to transfer rainwater collected from rooftops to storage tanks or recharge pit.one or more down-pipes are connected to gutters to transfer rainwater from rooftops or terrace.

Storage of Direct use (Roof top rainwater harvesting)

         In this method rain water collected from the roof of the building is diverted to a storage tank. The storage tank has to be designed according to the water requirements, rainfall and catchment availability. Each drainpipe should have mesh filter at mouth and first flush device followed by filtration system before connecting to the storage tank. It is advisable that each tank should have excess water over flow system.Excess water could be diverted to recharge system. Water from storage tank can be used for secondary purposes such as washing and gardening etc. This is the most cost effective way of rainwater harvesting. The main advantage of collecting and using the rainwater during rainy season is not only to save water from conventional sources, but also to save energy incurred on transportation and distribution of water at the doorstep. This also conserve groundwater, if it is being extracted to meet the demand when rains are on.This method is less expensive and very effective and if implemented properly helps in augmenting the ground water level of the area.

Recharging ground water

        Ground water aquifers can be recharged by various kinds of structures to ensure percolation of rainwater in the ground instead of draining away from the surface. Commonly used recharging methods are:- 

                  a) Recharging of bore wells                

                  b) Recharging of dug wells.

                   c)  Recharge pits                                   

                   d) Recharge Trenches

                   e)  Percolation Tanks

                   ------) Multi stored buildings

Recharging of bore wells

         Rainwater collected from rooftop of the building is diverted through drainpipes to settlement or filtration tank. After settlement filtered water is diverted to bore wells to recharge deep aquifers. Abandoned bore wells can also be used for recharge.Optimum capacity of settlement tank/filtration tank can be designed on the basis of area of catchment, intensity of rainfall and recharge rate. While recharging, entry of floating matter and silt should be restricted because it may clog the recharge structure. First one or two shower should be flushed out through rain separator to avoid contamination. A schematic diagram of filtration tank recharging to bore well.

Solar energy in Schools

It is always said that “old habits die hard”, which means we tend to practice what we are preached. When we teach students in schools about solar power ,its effects for the future by the time they come to  implementation age it tends to become a habit of using this renewable energy into every project they take up.

Taking up the project of installing the solar power plant in schools, makes them understand that renewable energy is must for future to survive, they will in turn educate their parents to gradually shift towards renewable energy usage which reduces price burden and enables the continuous power supply .This will also encourage the entrepreneurship idea in a student for future resulting in at least few percentage of students to install solar power plants , which is very much needed in the current and future scenario

Our country India, experiences 300 days of sunlight, Every hour the sun beams onto Earth more than enough energy to satisfy global energy needs for an entire year. Solar energy is the technology used to harness the sun's energy and make it useable. The two major types of solar energy that make it to Earth are heat and light. Today, the technology produces less than one tenth of one percent of global energy demand. Solar energy is lauded as an inexhaustible fuel source that is pollution and often noise free.

The technology is also versatile. For example, solar cells generate energy for far-out places like satellites in Earth orbit and cabins deep in the Rocky Mountains as easily as they can power downtown buildings and futuristic cars. Japan, Germany, and the United States are major markets for solar cells. With tax incentives, solar electricity can often pay for itself in five to ten years.

Soon with the growing population we may face energy shortages hence the shift to solar energy is very important. In India, the solar market is undergoing changes from the incentive driven market to parity driven market. But this change is creating problem to policy makers and creating delays in policies. When a solar plant is installed, it’s average working period is 25 years and the break even period is around 13 years after which it starts giving profits , sometime break even period also depends on the plant size.

Installation of solar power in school acts  as a major step in reducing Co2 emissions because, in commercial buildings school is one of the constituent and source for major solar emissions. This will be an initiative from school to shift to renewable energy consumption and in the first place students will start learning . There are also various subsidies in relation with solar power, one of it being :-

 The solar energy corporation of India(SECI) was providing a capital subsidy for 100MW every year. Due to all the above reasons, we can expect new solar PV capacity of 750 MW in 2014.

Now, basically solar power can be generated both off-grid and on-grid power plants. But the off- grid has higher advantage .

Why off-grid roof top system:

• ·         Have access to power continuously all the time.
• ·        Not having any scheduled or unscheduled power cuts.
• ·        No dependency on diesel
• ·        The quality of this power is superior to the regular grid power.
• ·        Investment against increasing fuel and grid charges.
• ·        maintenance cost

Salient features of off-grid roof top system:

· Low and optimum maintenance cost.

· Stable supply of power increases the overall efficiency of electronic components.

Solar Power Pack

Solar power pack or solar inverter
The supply demand ratio can be balanced by using solar power packs.It has an added advantage especially when providing electricity supply to remote locations where grid cannot be easily reached.
it also helps in smart power generation.It is a portable power system,which stores electrical energy generated from sunlight.

Working of Solar power pack
The sunlight falling on the solar module is converted into electricity using the Photo Voltaic (PV) principle. This power is transferred to the charge controller which regulates the amount of energy stored in the batteries. From there, power can be supplied to any devices using the solar power conditioning unit.

Components of solar power pack
* Support pv Structure with desired tilt, extreme flexibility so that you can add panels as and when requiredpower
* long life and good battery
* pcu (inverter + charge controller)

Features 
* low maintenance, long life,easy installation
* green,eco friendly,no pollution
* can be operated between 0 to 50°C temp
* power supply without interruption

Solar Power In Agriculture

Go green....Save Earth......Use Solar
The solar water pumping system in very economical and useful in agriculture sector.Water can be raised from 3 meters to 50 meters, this water can be saved in a tank or directly used for irrigation.Depending on the capacity of the water pumping system 20,000 liters to 60,000 liters of ground water can be raised on daily basis.The solar irrigation pump systems can used in town and city water supply system.

The power generated by solar panels is used for operating DC surface centrifugal mono-block pump set for lifting water from open well or bore well for irrigation and agriculture  purpose. The system requires a shadow-free area for installation of the Solar Panels.

The solar water pumping system is utilised for most of the year depending on the demand.Attention should be paid to the system of irrigation water distribution and application to the crops to minimize water losses.Irrigation pumps  such as submersible, surface or deep well can also be coupled with drip irrigation systems to enhance the returns from this configuration.

Floating motor irrigation pump sets. The versatility of the floating unit set, makes it ideal for irrigation pumping for canals and open wells. The pumpset is easily portable and there is a negligible chance of the irrigation pump running dry. Most of these types use a single stage submersed centrifugal irrigation pump.The output of a solar pumping system is very dependent on good irrigation system design derived from accurate site and demand data.

Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV)

Building materials that generate Electricity!! sounds interesting right?

BIPV replaces conventional material used in building and its main goal is to serve as an integral part of grated photovolbuilding.The primary objective is to serve as an integral part of building.BIPV poses an opportunity to play an essential part of in a new era of distributed power generation. While some critical economic and policy challenges exist, the value of generating power directly where it is used, aesthetic designs and flexible module form factors is just starting to be understood, which may help mitigate the barriers posed for current BIPV applications.
There are three types of BIPV's:

1 .Crystalline BIPV
2 .Thin Film BIPV
3 .Photovoltaic Thermal BIPV

Features:

Insulation

•Low –e systems

•Double Glazing and Triple Glazing Units with inert gas

•U-value - 3.2 to 1.0

•Strength

•Glass thickness : 2.1 – 6 mm

•Size : 3000 x 1500 mm

Installation Capacity:

•1 kWp system - 110 to 250 sq.ft.

•100 kWp system – 11,000 to 25,000 sq.ft.

•Varies with degree of transparency(0-90%), technology of panels and cell arrangement designs

BIPV Applications:

•Skylight
•Façade

•Shading

•Roof
•Canopy
•Curtain Wall

•Retrofit

•Parking Lot

Advantages:

Acoustic and Thermal Insulation

Cheaper Electricity for Decades

Distributed Generation

Reduce Electricity Load

Aesthetics

Payback

Use of Dead Surfaces

Reduce Carbon Footprint

Smart roof tops.

Smart mall.

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Biomass power

lBiomass is organic material of recent origin that can be used as a source of energy. It generally includes crops and other plants, as well as agricultural, forest, sawdust and agro-industrial waste

lElectricity that is produced as a result of utilizing surplus biomass sources into energy is considered biomass power. Biomass combusted in a boiler produces steam. This steam drives a turbine generator that produces electricity. This electricity will be fed into the high voltage transmission grid to be transported to end-users.

 * Direct Biomass combustion:  Generation of electricity through heat & steam

 * Biomass Liquefaction via Pyrolysis:  Power generation by combustion of pyrolysis oil

 * Gasification of Biomass:  Power generation using derived producer gas.

 * Organic plant based oil: Generation of electricity using CPO(i.e. Crude Palm Oil - CPO)

 * Bio gas anaerobic digestion: Power generation using scrubbed methane gas.

Electricity can also be generated from Biomass and stored to be used in homes. Let's see this simple illustration of how biomass is used to generate electricity.

1. Energy from the sun is transferred and stored in plants. When the plants are cut or die, wood chips, straw and other plant matter is delivered to the bunker.
2. This is burned to heat water in a boiler to release heat energy (steam).
3. The energy/power from the steam is directed to turbines with pipes.
4. The steam turns a number of blades in the turbine and generators, which are made of coils and magnets.
5. The charged magnetic feilds produce electricity, which is sent to homes by cables.
Why Biomass?

Biomass is a renewable energy resource derived from the carbonaceous waste of various human and natural activities. It is derived from numerous sources, including the by-products from the timber industry, agricultural crops, raw material from the forest, major parts of household waste and wood.

Biomass does not add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere as it absorbs the same amount of carbon in growing as it releases when consumed as a fuel.
The biomass reduces energy costs and keeps dollars within the local economy. Income from the sale of biomass could benefit individuals in rural economies.  Sales of agricultural residues like wheat straw and corn stover would serve as a second crop with minimal cost for field maintenance. In addition, biomass collection and handling, as well as installing and operating gasifier systems will bring additional jobs to rural communities.

Before biomass can achieve its full potential, there is a need for coordinated action, led by governments, to identify and overcome a number of barriers, including institutional, transitional, financial, and technical issues. Without government incentives, the cost of efficient wood burning equipment is too expensive for most individuals, as well as small- to medium-sized installations
.

There are many potential biomass sources available, with varying advantages and disadvantages. Although municipal solid waste is heavily regulated and faces opposition from the public it does provide a feasible solution to waste production and can prove economically viable for large commercial power plants. Commercial and industrial wastes can provide a large amount of biomass material and is promising for use on the site where it is produced.

Wind Farms

A wind farm is a group of  wind turbines in the same location used for production of electricity . A wind farm may  be located on onshore/ offshore. Many of the largest operational onshore wind farms are located in the USA and China. The world's first wind farm – consisting of 20 wind turbines rated at 30 kilowatts each – was installed on Crotched Mountain in southern New Hampshire in US in December, 1980 .Europe is the leader in offshore wind energy with the first offshore wind farm being installed in Denmark in 1991.

 

Offshore wind farms: 

Offshore wind farms refers to the construction of wind farms in bodies of water to generate electricity from wind. Better wind speeds are available offshore compared to on land.

Offshore turbines require different types of bases for stability, according to the depth of water. No Noise Pollution .  No Injuries to Birds , No loss in scenery . Higher costs as a main challenge.


Onshore wind farms:
 Onshore wind farms refers to the construction of wind farms on land. They are most affordable renewable energy resources, Low Cost which is around half the cost of offshore wind and a quarter of the costs of solar photovoltaic panels.

Onshore wind farms operate on land, generally in places of high altitudes or in large open spaces where the wind tends to be strongest. In the United States, the states with the greatest onshore wind capacity include North Dakota, Texas, Kansas, South Dakota, Montana and Nebraska. Onshore wind farms offer several key advantages over offshore farms. The turbines, for instance, are much easier and less expensive to set up, maintain and operate than offshore turbines. Onshore farms also have easier and less costly access to the utility grid. Drawbacks, on the other hand, include weaker yet more turbulent winds than those offshore. Onshore projects also often face opposition from area residents due to aesthetic disruption of landscape as well as the noise pollution issues.

Near Shore wind farms :

Located anywhere from 2 miles from the coast on land to 5 miles out to sea, near shore wind farms take advantage of the strong winds created by coastal convection. Though they have advantages, near shore farms face the same aesthetic resistance as onshore farms due to their proximity to the shoreline. In fact, because of the higher population concentration along coastal areas in the United States, they often to face more opposition than farms proposed in the more sparsely populated Great Plains.

How to Start a Wind Farm:

With depleting natural resources and an increase in environmental consciousness around the globe, wind farms are gaining popularity as an energy resource. Wind farms have multiple windmills or wind turbines placed in one location to generate electricity from their rotating panels powered by the wind. Wind energy harnessed from wind farms has many advantages--it is clean, renewable and though it requires a high initial investment, it continues to generate free energy using the natural power of the wind. Since even a small wind turbine is expensive, starting a wind farm requires some research and careful planning

1.Develop a business plan. Determine how much money would be required to invest and maintain a wind farm and what type of business model would be best suited for you. If you have sufficient funds, then you can start your wind farm with a small turbine and sell the electricity generated to a local power company. But if you don't have the money to buy wind turbines, you can lease the land to a wind developer who can start a wind farm and share part of the profits with you. Another alternative may be to involve the local community to invest in the wind farm.

2 .Choose an appropriate location. Check the average wind speed in your proposed area by referring to wind resource maps and information on wind speeds by zip code that are available on most state energy department websites. For wind farms, an annual average wind speed of 11 miles per hour or more is required to power the turbines. Besides wind speed, consider other factors such as access to power lines and environmental or community impact.

3.Research local laws and obtain necessary permits. Each state may have its own rules and zoning laws, so it's best to check with local officials about obtaining a permit to start a wind farm. Though many states and federal governments provide incentives for developing wind farms in the form of tax credits, at times there are restrictions on building wind farms due to air traffic safety, noise, aesthetics and property values.

4 .Buy wind turbines for your farm from a certified energy company. Once you have the necessary permits, purchase wind turbines based on your budget and the type of wind farm you want to start. Again, state laws may govern the type, height, number and quality of wind turbines so this must be considered before purchasing them.

5 .Build power transmission lines or partner with a local company. If you have a large wind farm, then you can set up your own power lines that carry electricity from your wind farm to your customers. Small wind farms usually partner with local power distribution companies that sell the electricity through their own power grid.