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With the massive growth in generating solar power using solar panels many are wondering if we are creating a big problem for the future. What are we going to do with all those solar panels when they reach their end of life. Well, the good news is that solar panels are recyclable. Solar panels typically last for 20 – 25 years and so most panels in use now will not be hitting the recycle bins for many years yet.  When they do it is estimated that by 2050 recycled panels will release about 2 billion dollars’ worth of material for

Solar panels collect solar radiation directly from the sun, from the sky, and from sunlight reflected off the ground or area surrounding the PV panel. Orienting the PV panel in a direction and tilt to maximize its exposure to direct sunlight will optimize the collection efficiency.  Here we discuss the issues you need to consider when looking at your roof from the perspective of installing solar panels. Orientation of your roof The orientation of your roof has a significant affect on how productive your solar panels will be. You would think that having a south facing roof would produce the

I’ve just finished listening to a new episode of the excellent Five Degrees of Change podcast by Daniel Murray at the Business Post. For those not familiar with the format, an expert in climate, energy and environment is invited to outline three policy proposals and two personal changes they believe would make for a cleaner, greener world. A recent guest was Mark Foley, CEO of Eirgrid. We’re lucky to have someone of Mark’s calibre overseeing one of, if not the most important piece of infrastructure in the country. The analogy of the road system that Mark uses to illustrate Eirgrid’s remit is helpful, but possibly understates the importance of the work – the morning congestion on the M7 is not an option for any electricity grid. That said, I’d like to explore a point

Electric cars are only increasing in popularity as more and more people are looking to reduce both their motoring costs and their environmental impact. An electric vehicle (EV) runs off a charger that can be installed in your home.  Nearly one in four of those surveyed in the National Travel Survey stated that they would be interested in buying an electric vehicle. This was due to a variety of reasons. Better affordability to run was by far the most common influencing factor at 77.8%, especially for those with Solar Panels installed,  followed by making more of a contribution to a