Solar Farm Around the Moon?

Solar Farm Ring Around the Moon?
Solar Farm Ring Around the Moon?

A Japanese Company Shimizu wants to Build an 11,000 KM solar farm ring on the Moon. The electric power generated from the solar belts will be transferred to the transmission facilities near the Moon. After that, the electric power will be converted back to #microwaves and #lasers, only to be beamed back to Earth, and then again the beams are converted back to electricity at power plants. Read more

Solar Powered Walmart Store Locations Map

Map of solar powered Walmart Stores
Database of 61 Solar-Powered Walmart Stores with Solar on the Roof
Search the Map for "Walmart" at SolarEnergyMaps.com

Walmart has demonstrated a commitment to renewable energy and sustainability through various initiatives. 

Here are some key aspects of Walmart's approach to renewable energy:

Solar Power Installations: Walmart has been actively installing solar panels on the rooftops of its stores, distribution centers, and other facilities. These solar installations help generate clean energy and reduce the company's reliance on fossil fuels. Walmart had approximately 11,443 stores globally and it is likely that almost 75% of these locations have solar.

Walmart operates under different store formats, including Walmart Supercenters, Walmart Discount Stores, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam's Club locations. Each format caters to different customer needs and may have different store counts.

Wind Power Projects: In addition to solar power, Walmart has invested in wind energy projects. By purchasing wind energy from wind farms, the company supports the development of renewable energy and contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs): Walmart has entered into long-term power purchase agreements with renewable energy providers. These agreements ensure a stable supply of renewable energy to Walmart's operations, while also enabling the growth of renewable energy projects.

Energy Efficiency Measures: Alongside renewable energy, Walmart focuses on improving energy efficiency within its operations. The company implements energy-saving technologies, lighting upgrades, and HVAC system improvements to reduce overall energy consumption.

Crowdsourcing Solar Farms Using Satellite Images

satellite image of solar farm in desert

SolarEnergyMaps.com has been crowdsourcing solar roofs, solar parking, and solar farms for several years.  We do this manually by zooming down to appropriate levels to view images.  Solar farms, solar roofs, and solar parking structures are easy to find as long as satellite images are updated.  We ask our users to put a yellow pin on our map and submit a link to a news article about the solar location.  

Crowdsourcing solar farms using satellite images is an innovative approach that leverages the power of collective intelligence to identify and map solar installations around the world. Here's how it works:

Satellite Imagery: High-resolution satellite images are collected from various sources, including commercial satellite providers and publicly available satellite imagery archives. These images capture a wide area and provide detailed views of the Earth's surface.

Image Analysis: The satellite images are processed using advanced image analysis techniques, including machine learning algorithms and computer vision, to identify potential solar farm locations. These algorithms can detect patterns, shapes, and characteristics associated with solar panels and installations.

Crowdsourcing Platform: A crowdsourcing platform like solarenergymaps.com or an application is created where volunteers or users can access the processed satellite images. The platform provides tools and guidelines for users to annotate or mark areas where they identify solar farms or solar panel arrays.

User Contributions: Users, often referred to as "citizen scientists," contribute their time and effort to review satellite images and mark potential solar installations on the crowdsourcing platform. They may manually draw polygons or use other interactive tools to highlight solar farm boundaries or put POI pins in the map.

Data Validation and Quality Assurance: To ensure the accuracy of the crowdsourced data, multiple users review and validate each marked solar farm. Algorithms can be implemented to compare and reconcile different user annotations, identifying areas of agreement and resolving discrepancies.

Data Integration and Analysis: Once the crowdsourced data is validated, it can be aggregated and integrated into a comprehensive database or map of solar farms. This data can be analyzed to gain insights into the distribution, capacity, and characteristics of solar installations worldwide.

Benefits of Crowdsourcing Solar Farms Using Satellite Images:

Scale and Efficiency: Crowdsourcing allows for a large number of satellite images to be analyzed simultaneously, enabling the identification of solar farms at a much larger scale and faster pace compared to manual analysis.

Cost-Effectiveness: Leveraging the power of citizen scientists reduces the costs associated with manual labor or specialized expertise required for image analysis.

Global Coverage: Crowdsourcing can engage volunteers from around the world, leading to the identification of solar farms in remote or inaccessible areas where traditional data collection methods may be challenging.

Data Accuracy and Validation: By involving multiple users in the annotation process and implementing validation mechanisms, the quality and accuracy of the identified solar farms can be improved.

Community Engagement: Crowdsourcing solar farms encourages public participation and citizen engagement in renewable energy initiatives, raising awareness about the importance of solar energy and sustainability.

While crowdsourcing solar farms using satellite images is a promising approach, it's important to note that the accuracy and reliability of the data depend on the quality of satellite imagery, the effectiveness of image analysis algorithms, and the level of user participation and validation. Therefore, ongoing monitoring, verification, and refinement of the crowdsourced data are necessary to maintain its accuracy and usefulness.

The future of these maps will depend on technology and using AI or artificial intelligence to train mapping software to find solar energy locations.  See the link to review an example provided by SyndicatedMaps.com.   

Where is Solar Glass Being Used?

transparent solar glass being held

Where is solar glass being used?

Imagine solar cells that not only produce twice as much power per square inch as anything that came before them but are also completely transparent. So transparent, in fact, that they're almost impossible to distinguish from a standard window. Imagine solar cells that can turn even artificial ambient light — like the kind produced by street lamps, for example — into power. Image solar cells that aren't installed but rather sprayed in liquid form onto any surface — and for a fraction of the cost it takes to install far less efficient, bulkier standard photovoltaic panels.  How far Read more.

Solar glass, also known as photovoltaic glass or solar windows, is a specialized type of glass that incorporates solar cells to generate electricity from sunlight. While solar glass is commonly used in residential and commercial buildings, its commercial applications are diverse and expanding. Here are a few examples:

Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV): Solar glass is often used as a component of BIPV systems, where the glass itself serves as both a building material and a solar energy generator. It can be incorporated into windows, skylights, facades, and curtain walls of commercial buildings, seamlessly blending with architectural design while harnessing solar energy.
  • Greenhouses and Agriculture: Solar glass can be applied in agricultural settings, such as greenhouse structures. The transparent or semi-transparent solar panels in these structures allow sunlight to pass through, providing natural lighting for plants, while simultaneously generating electricity to power the greenhouse or nearby facilities.
  • Transportation and Infrastructure: Solar glass finds potential use in transportation, particularly in electric vehicles (EVs) and public transportation systems. Solar panels integrated into the glass surfaces of EVs can help supplement the vehicle's power supply, increasing its range. Additionally, solar glass can be integrated into bus stops, train stations, and other infrastructure to generate renewable energy.
  • Consumer Electronics: Solar glass is also utilized in consumer electronic devices. For instance, solar-powered mobile phone screens or laptop screens can harvest energy from ambient light to extend battery life or provide supplementary power.
  • Outdoor Advertising and Signage: Solar glass can be integrated into outdoor advertising structures and signage, enabling them to generate electricity. This allows for energy-efficient illumination of billboards, bus shelters, and other outdoor displays.
It's important to note that while solar glass offers numerous possibilities, its efficiency and cost-effectiveness continue to improve with advancements in technology. As the field of solar energy evolves, solar glass is likely to find even broader applications in various commercial sectors. 

Solar glass is being used in various locations and applications around the world. Here are some common areas where solar glass is being deployed:
  • Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV): Solar glass is used in building facades, windows, skylights, and curtain walls of commercial and residential buildings. Examples include office buildings, shopping malls, hotels, and residential complexes.
  • Greenhouses and Agriculture: Solar glass is employed in agricultural settings, particularly in greenhouse structures, to generate electricity while allowing natural light to pass through for plant growth.
  • Transportation: Solar glass is integrated into transportation systems, including electric vehicles (EVs), buses, trains, trams, and even bicycle shelters. It helps power onboard systems or provides charging capabilities.
  • Infrastructure: Solar glass can be found in various infrastructure projects such as bus stops, train stations, airport terminals, and walkways. It generates renewable energy and provides shade or shelter.
  • Consumer Electronics: Solar glass is used in consumer electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and e-book readers, to provide supplementary power or extend battery life.
  • Outdoor Advertising and Signage: Solar glass is employed in outdoor advertising structures, billboards, bus shelters, and digital signage displays, enabling them to generate renewable energy for illumination.
  • Solar Farms and Power Plants: Solar glass can be used in large-scale solar farms and solar power plants, either as standalone solar panels or integrated into solar tracking systems to generate electricity on a utility-scale.

Heart Shaped Solar Farm

Happy Valentines Day - Heart Shaped Solar Farm

The 2MW “Heart of New Caledonia” is being built by solar company Conergy and is producing power for 750 homes. The plant, commissioned by local beverage company Froico SA, is expected to save around 2m tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions over its projected 25-year lifetime and reduce the French overseas territory’s dependence on oil, gas, and coal, which generate the majority of its power today. 

There is a heart-shaped solar farm located in New Caledonia, not in Hawaii but on a Pacific Island. This unique solar farm is known as the "Heart of New Caledonia" or "Cœur de Voh" in French. It is situated in the commune of Voh, in the northwest region of New Caledonia, which is a French territory in the Pacific Ocean.

The Heart of New Caledonia solar farm gained attention due to its distinctive heart shape, formed by arranging solar panels in a specific pattern. The heart-shaped design is best visible from an aerial perspective. It has become a popular tourist attraction and a symbol of sustainable energy in the region.

The Heart of New Caledonia solar farm is not one of the largest solar farms in terms of capacity. Its significance lies in its unique design rather than its size.

Solar Lease vs Solar Loan Chart