If you are living in a remote area or are considering a property in such location, below are some ideas you can take away to use solar panels on your property.

Cathodic Protection

There are many different ways to prevent metal from corrosion. One of the most effective (and practical) way is via cathodic protection. A small negative voltage is applied to the metal structure and this prevents it from oxidizing. A simple idea like this can be applied to pipelines, tanks, wells and even bridges and railway lines.

The positive end from the power source is connected to a metal known as a sacrificial anode. In essence, oxidation that would otherwise appear on the metal structure now happens to this piece of scrap metal. Brilliant idea!

In fact, this is not a new idea. PV panels are often used to supply the voltage necessary for cathodic protection in remote places and public installations.

Electric Fence

An electric fence is a useful invention that effectively prevents life stock from leaving an enclosed area. The electric fence has at least two wires that are maintained at about 500 volts DC. (The current is very low, though.)

When any animals touch the live wires, high voltage flows through them. This causes a major muscle to contract suddenly, resulting in a painful yet harmless sensation. Other than preventing animals from leaving an area, it can stop predators from entering

Solar panels can be used to supply a reasonable amount of energy to maintain the charge of a battery pack. Electricity from the battery pack goes through a power conditioner that boosts the voltage up to 500 volts DC. This keeps your electric fence energized and your animals will stay within their allocated boundaries.

Remote Lighting

When the cost of electricity is too high, lights are often turned off to save money. However lights are important to keep a place safe. Solar panels can supply electricity to applications such as security lighting, navigation aids (such as buoys and beacons), road signs, railway crossing and remote lighting.

In developing countries, the presence of light at night can help many families improve their lives. Children can study and adults can continue the work they are engaged in.

Telecommunications and Surveillance Systems

Good communication is essential in any part of our country. However without electricity, it is impossible for any equipment to work. It is possible to use diesel generators to produce electricity. However there is a constant need to transport fuel to remote locations. Logistic costs alone can cause the price of energy in these areas to inflate. Therefore solar panels may be the next best alternative.

A telecommunication setup generally consists of a receiver and a transmitter. A battery bank can be used to provide power for these modules. Solar panels can be installed at a suitable location and its power can be fed through a charge controller before it is used to charge the batteries.

The same setup can be applied to surveillance systems. Such equipment is almost always located in very remote places. To power them, solar panels are often employed.

Water Pumping and Treatment

Not every home has portable water that flows out readily from the faucet. In many developing countries, people often use solar panels to supply electricity to mechanical pumps that extract water from wells and rivers (for irrigation and for domestic consumption). Solar panels are cost-effective alternatives to wind turbines. They are also very easy to install. Therefore they are popularly used for agricultural applications.

Solar panels can also be used to treat water. This is done by supplying electricity to a strong ultraviolet lamp. Any bacteria that gets into contact with ultraviolet radiation is killed. This makes the water safe for drinking.

In places without fresh water supply, PV panels can provide energy to a reverse osmosis system that extracts fresh water from sea water.

Solar panels can also be used in other applications such as satellite systems and space vehicles. The possibilities are just limitless.

In the future when the cost of solar panels goes below $1 per watt, PV panels will become a commodity and may replace fossil fuel as the main source of energy for mankind.

Continue Reading:

1. Survey Your Household Energy Usage Before Installing Solar Panels
2. How To Power An Electric Fence Charger Using Solar Energy
3. How to Use Solar Power to Charge Your Golf Cart Batteries

Are you ready for what Multifunction Solar Panel Inverters can do for you? Let’s jump right in…

Multifunction solar panel inverters combine the best from Stand-Alone Solar Panel Inverters and Synchronous Solar Panel Inverters. They are of course more expensive, but these are the best choice for your solar energy panels.

This type of inverter allows you to generate excess power to be stored in a battery bank. As such, you are able to use energy from the grid, from the solar panels or from stored energy in the batteries. You can even connect a standby generator to the whole setup. Let me illustrate…

During the day, solar energy panels supply your household appliances with power. At the same time, the battery bank is charged up to store energy for the night. If there is surplus electricity, they can be sold to your local power company.

By evening, the batteries will be charged up. At this time, the inverter provides AC power to the house from the batteries. If the batteries are flat, the inverter taps into the grid to charge the batteries and power up the house at the same time.

If a standby generator is used, the inverter will synchronize its power so it can be added to an existing source of power. Many multifunction solar panel inverters are not as efficient as synchronous inverters because the system must have a battery. However, they offer functions that grid-tied inverters do not.

Continue Reading:

1. About
2. Sizing Your Solar Energy Panels – Part 2
3. Sizing Your Solar Energy Panels – Part 3