Renewables-info.com

When you read various information on solar panels, there is a something of a common belief that solar panels need to last for more than 20 years in order to produce economic benefits for those who decide to install them.

The average lifespan of solar panel is said to be 20+ years so in correlation with the economic viability you should be OK on the long run.

The recent study on solar panels by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado argues that even the lifespan of 15, or even 10 years, could prove to be economically viable.

The lead author of this study Vladimir Bulović, professor of electrical engineering and computer science says that "many promising new technologies stuck on the sidelines, as conventional crystalline silicon technologies overwhelmingly dominate the commercial solar marketplace."

There is plenty of talk about different renewable energy sources as the world looks to move away from fossil fuels. The growing impact of climate change as the direct consequence of fossil fuel burning is making the world consider other, more environmentally friendly energy sources. Biomass is one of the most talked about renewable energy sources and is getting a lot of attention in many countries, developed as well as the developing ones.

The advantages of using biomass:

-Biomass is a renewable source of energy meaning it cannot be depleted like this is the case with fossil fuels. Plants that are used for biomass production can be re-grown time and time again on the same piece of land.

 -Fossil fuels are not only doing serious damage to our environment, they also have negative economic and social impact regarding our energy independence and our energy security. For instance, our dependence on oil is forcing us to an expensive foreign fuel import. If we were to use more biomass this would improve our energy security and energy independence, together with many environmental benefits that go along.

Renewable energy is growing at a meteoric pace. Several countries have committed to 100% renewable energy targets that fall within the next two to three decades, with wind and solar energy as especially significant sources of the renewable revolution.

However, renewable energy sources have unique challenges that must be overcome before they can truly replace the classic electricity generation methods that we’ve been using over a century.

Grid energy storage

One of these is the simple problem of availability – solar, for example, is only available when the sun is out. When the energy source is unavailable, no electricity can be generated.

Grid energy storage was developed to address overproduction of electricity during off-peak hours, especially for baseload power plants such as nuclear power plants whose energy output is relatively inflexible. However, it has been co-opted to help solve the availability issue of renewable energy by storing energy during periods of generation, and releasing it when the source is unavailable.

Solar energy sector is the fastest growing renewable energy sector worldwide. It has been estimated that the global solar energy market could grow by 25% in 2019.

In U.S. alone, solar power is expected to provide more than 30% of all new U.S. electric capacity.

China, the world's largest solar energy market with the total installation of 45 GW at the end of 2018, is expected to experience growth of PV installations by 2%, even despite the uncertainties of the new solar support scheme which is yet to be announced.

Climate change is a huge issue in contemporary society.  The issue poses many problems, including how can businesses thrive in the modern world and still be green and sustainable.

For businesses, energy usage is a major factor, and many operations are seeking to become more fuel-efficient to reduce their carbon emissions, as well as bringing down costs.

Nowhere is this debate more prominent than in the 16% of the UK not serviced by the main gas grid, which relies on alternative fuels to meet its energy needs. For the majority of off-grid operations, this means a choice between oil, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) or LNG (liquefied natural gas) for high-volume commercial applications. But what exactly are the differences between these fuels – and what should off-grid users consider when making decisions about their energy supply?

In this article, Flogas, cover the debate: