What is Solar Power?

Most times, when solar power is mentioned, it should not be surprising that the answer might vary from one individual to another, and from one region of the world to another. Yet there is only one sun from which we know solar energy is generated. What then is solar power?

Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into heat and electricity, either directly using
contraptions like photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP).
Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large
area of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaics convert light into electric current using
the photoelectric effect.

What are the benefits of Solar Applications?
· Free energy: Does not take any fuel to operate
· Natural Resources needing no further processing
· Renewable, not depleting like fossil fuels
· Reliable: The sun will come up every day in various degrees
· Durable: Most solar panels will be working for 20 years or more because there is no
wearing parts
· Easy management: Just brush the dust off from time to time
· Silent worker: No noise pollution
· Modular development: Start with little and increase the units until you have enough

As you read further, you may be able to define your needs in solar energy and find the required
means to convert the solar energy into your own personal aid.
This first step opens your eyes to the possibilities that you never imagined before. For available
solar materials, you may please send a request mail to ladiolu@gmail.com. We also have our
website www.dpclinks.com where you can opt to become a member of the network. You will be
able to come abreast of current events in the world of renewable energy if you subscribe to my
facebook group www.facebook.com/pages/solar-energy-enthusiasts.

Little contraption: EXTRA POWER

Recently, I introduced a small appliance that can be used to charge your mobile phone on the go. I am happy to announce there is also an effective power bank to charge your laptop pc on the go, even if there is no mains electricity. It means that your personal life and business activities can now be completely mobile as long as the day breaks and and the sun shines. Bravo to the new solar technologies! View the different models below and leave your comments. More info will come to you if you subscribe to this blog. The Prices and specifications? Check the next post!

Laptop Power Bank 20000mah

Laptop Power Bank 12000mah 

Mobile Phone Power Bank 12000mah

Mobile Phone Power Bank 7200mah

Solarich on DPC Links

Roy Solar

A few days ago, I was informed about the availability of a new solar photovoltaic contraption in town. By the way, 'photovoltaic' is the terminology used by particular solar dealers to describe items that convert light into electrical energy. This panel is small and handy, and is made to provide energy source for charging all sorts of mobile phones as well as provide lighting by an LED lamp. Trust me, my interest was instantly aroused, not minding the fact that I have been dawdling on building my own solar panel for personal use and for friends and possible customers ;-) for the past three years but never got beyond the planning stage.
The worst part of the scenario is, as I was told, the new panels now available in town was built by an enthusiast like me! Ooooooh, someone has beaten me right to the solar self-building game! And right here in my own neighborhood! That felt like a punch below the belly, but I knew that I had let it hang for too long anyway, and the whole world would not wait for me.
Nevertheless, I took some courage and decided to see the contraptions which were being offered for sale at about $32 (N5,000.00). Perhaps I could use this small panel to understudy the work of a more advanced creator. Perhaps I could even get the manufacturer of this thing to teach me a few things about making solar panels (though I wonder what else I needed to learn after watching several tutorial videos and reading as many ebooks on do-it-yourself solar panels).
Without further ado, I got a dozen of these panels, took out one of them and studied the specifications while charging it for the off-grid, off-generator, charging of my phones. The package comes with its own battery and switch box as well as adapters for various kinds of phones. But I noticed that it does not have the manufacturer's name or address, only a lot of English and Chinese translations on the User's Manual. Chinese? Why would a Nigerian manufacturer prepare user's manual in Chinese? Definitely, this is yet another Chinese product joining the avalanche of other stuffs drowning the Nigerian market and, I suspect, African market too! Okay? No problem about that....
I brought the panel and charged battery indoors after the initial 24 hours mandatory charge and connected it to my dying phone. It works! Great! For now, this is all that matters to me. Now I have to dispose of the remaining 11 sets of Solar Mobile Phone Chargers, since I don't need more than one. I will be placing the pictures and specifications of the Solar Charger on my new website www.dpclinks.com where any interested customer can request for them and they would be delivered to them without delay.

Solar Farm located in the United States

Soon enough, I am still looking forward to the day when I will place my own self-built solar panels on my roof-tops, and on my website in offer for sale. Ultimately, I might be the first African to create a solar farm, to finally bring the sole use of environment-depleting fossil fuels for energy to a halt. 

Crimping a tab wire

HONESTLY, I BELIEVE that I have delayed far too long over this project of constructing my first solar panel, although I can make the excuse that I'm taking my time to study well so as to produce a good product. Well here I am, and I am convinced that after going through the entire process in pdf and video on my laptop, I can see only two major stumbling blocks for now. The first is that of testing each of my cells to verify that they are all in good condition and of high quality. The second issue has to do with crimping the tab wire that came with the solar cells pack. I HAVE SOUGHT to buy a copper sheet or plate with which I can construct a testing block, been to the scrap market and to the electrical shops around Ibadan. And I came up with an interesting result which is that (can you believe it?) there is no copper sheet to be found in Ibadan. Sure, I was offered some thick copper bars and heavy slabs, but all I need is a 5" by 7" 1/8" thick copper sheet which I hope to mount on a wooden slab for the testing of my solar cells. Anyway some guy who supplies electrical materials for the Department of Technology of University of Ibadan promises to get me something like that but I don't know how soon this will be. I might have to improvise if this proves difficult. THE ISSUE OF crimping my solar tabs becomes relevant when I was told that this is one of the ways by which I can build a durable and weather-proof solar panel. What I am supposed to do is to crimp each of the 200 plus tab wires which I have cut into size before I can begin to tin these tab wires with solder. This will eliminate the tension on my solar cells in case temperature differentials cause the assembled cells to expand and contract over the days and nights, weeks, months and years of use. I just managed to do one with my pin-nose pliers today and I think the result was good. But, hey, that was only ONE tab wire done out of over 200! God help me.... I must get all the remaining wires done tomorrow, come what may. Or does anyone have an idea how I can get this job done with less sweat?

Step by step, cell by cell

I want to share with you my experiences on a day to day basis as I engage in the activity of assembling my first solar panel here in Ibadan, Nigeria. Let me first assure you that I got some stuff on the technological know-how relating to this exercise several weeks ago. I have tried to study this documents and video over and over, and taken some notes. A couple of months back, I ordered for some solar cells online and they have arrived. I have also extracted all the other locally sourced materials and tools that I have to use to get myself a complete solar module that will last for the minimum specified period of 25 years. If I can do this for myself, I believe that it shouldnt be difficult for me to do it for my friends and associates. I might even be able to do it for my country and humankind. Anyway, I lay out all the tools and materials on the table. I guess I'm all set to go.

But am I really? I can almost feel the butterfly in my tummy as I consider what I have to go through. Will I be able to accomplish this strange task, considering that it is not particularly in a field that I am familiar with? It is true that I have initiated and pioneered some marvelous projects in the past and they turned out successfully. Like the Happy People Housing Cooperative which I started back in 1994 and which has blossomed into a growing housing community in Ibadan today. Anyway I have to face it that every new project has its own fears. Of course, I hate failure and since I'm hoping that this solar project will re-enact my entry into the big league, I know that I have to tread carefully so that the solar project will not fizzle out the way my catfish grow-out business, my laterite-cement brick production business and my environmental management project all did. What I'm about learning at this moment is that for every successful project, sometimes there might have been three failed projects. Although I am a man of faith, I am also conscious of the fact that mere faith without wisdom and some concrete action never accomplishes anything. So I want to invite you to join me closely as I take this course of constructing my first solar panel in the first few weeks, and later begin the mass production of solar panels in Nigeria, finally to create the first solar farm in Africa. I know you will like to be part of this experience. So I will be very happy if I can have your online presence and companionship as I go along, knowing that I'm not alone on this journey. Please be assured that I will be appreciating your comments, questions and possible suggestions to make this work more feasible. See you tomorrow

Europe's Solar Farm in Africa!

Recently, someone shared the following information with me jocularly, but to me it was not funny at all! You may tell me your own impression after you might have finished reading. The idea is that France is already planning to acquire large areas of land in the Sahara region for development as a Solar Farm where a great array of solar panels will be arranged to secure sunshine at its utmost and convert the light into electrical energy that will be transmitted across hundreds of kilometers on land and over the Mediterranean Sea into Europe. This venture will considerably ease the pressure on energy from oil and it will sustain industries and domestic users in that continent for as long as the sun shines! At the first consideration, this venture sounds incredible, then seems laudable for its genius. But on a second look, it seems stupid that the same Europe that raped Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries might continue to reap huge benefits from this resource-rich continent to the detriment of Africans! Perhaps you now begin to see the reason why I said that this cannot be funny. And I ask the question: Why can't Africans develop this Solar Resource and sell it to Europe and others who don't have the priviledge of all-year-round sunshine like we do in Africa? This is food for thought..... Can I have your comments please?

SOLAR REVOLUTION

Let the world hear this resounding news: A
solar powered aeroplane (completely
powered by the sun) named SOLARIMPULSE
just concluded a 26 day & night flight and
safely landed in Switzerland this morning.
This is demonstrating a major breakthrough
in what is achievable in our time! Wouldn't
you want to benefit from this latest
technological breakthrough? Welcome to
the SOLAR AGE!
More info coming soon. Pls stay tuned for
more on what you and I can gain from this.
This blog was first pulished on my other
site on July 9 2010.