Styles Solar Ice-Cream Van

                              Image credit: stylesicecream.co.uk

Britain’s first solar ice-cream van is a concept of David Baker, the owner of Styles Farmhouse Ice-Cream, based in Rodhuish, Somerset. He designed Styles Solar Ice-Cream Van to reduce fumes from diesel engines at festivals. The Styles Solar Van idea came up to him in 2016 after customers, show directors, and event organisers complained about the diesel fumes from its regular vans.

The prototype was ready in 2018 and it consisted of four solar panels. The current model has eight solar panels and was ready in May 2019. Besides solar panels on the top, the van has a big bank of batteries inside. The solar panels and the battery storage power the freezers, ice-cream makers, and coffee machines. “In full sun the van can operate for up to five to six days. On cloudy days it will run for two to three days. The system can be fully recharged using mains electricity in just four hours.”- says Baker

The solar van is built on the Peugeot Boxer Van, though other van types can be used, too. Its latest Euro 6 low emission engine will get you wherever you want but when you are on site selling ice-cream you can rely entirely on solar energy. 

The Style Solar Van has been serving ice-cream to thousands across the UK five months of the year. Baker says that his team has attended around 160 events, including music festivals and agricultural shows. He estimates that solar energy saves him around £4,000, or nearly $5,000 a year. 

Baker’s family has farmed 300-acre land for 119 years. They were growing wheat, barley and oats, and milking cows and sheep. In 1988, Baker decided to diversify his business into making and selling luxury ice-cream in order to get more income. 

Currently, Baker concentrates more on the ice-cream side of the business while other farmers cultivate crops on his land and milk the cows. Styles Farmhouse Ice Cream now has 50 employees and supplies 250 luxury ice-cream shops and works events.

On 3 December, 2019, Styles Solar Ice-Cream Van participated at Somerset County Council’s climate emergency business summit, at Taunton Rugby Club. The van was an example of how local businesses are responding to climate change by reducing their carbon footprint. This summit is part of the county council’s plan to work towards making Somerset carbon-neutral by 2030, by involving local companies in strategies that will help reduce air pollution.

The eco-friendly vehicles officially debuted at the Ice Cream and Artisan Food Show in Harrogate, the United Kingdom which took place between 11-13 February, 2020. Styles Solar Ice-Cream Van is now available commercially and it can be ordered here.

Sources: darigold.com & wsfp.co.uk

Hybrid Solar Power System - the Best of Grid-Tied and Off-Grid Systems

The hybrid solar power system is a combination of grid-tied and off-grid solar power systems. This system is described also as off-grid solar with utility backup power, or grid-tied solar with battery storage. The hybrid solar power system comes with a special hybrid inverter (sometimes referred to as a multi-mode inverter) that can transmit direct current (DC) power to and from your batteries and provides alternating current (AC) power between the grid and your home when necessary. The hybrid inverter can simultaneously manage inputs from both solar panels and battery storage, charging batteries with either solar electricity or electricity from the grid.

The hybrid inverter takes advantage of changes in the utility electricity rates throughout the day. You can temporarily store whatever excess electricity your solar panels produce in batteries, and put it on the utility grid when you are paid the most for every kWh. And you can rely upon your battery stored solar electricity while electricity is expensive and switch to the grid when it is cheap. 

The ability to store and use your solar energy when desired is known as self-use or self-consumption. 

In case you have already installed a grid-tied solar panel system you also have a traditional inverter (solar inverter) which converts DC into AC. If you would like to have a hybrid solar power system you should buy battery storage and a separate battery-specific inverter. 

An option is to buy a hybrid inverter for your grid-tied solar panel system if you are planning soon to add battery storage. Thus you won’t need to purchase a separate battery-based inverter. The hybrid inverter can function as both an inverter for electricity from your solar panels and a solar battery. It combines a solar inverter and battery-specific inverter, so it can charge and discharge battery storage. On the other hand, there are some modern energy storage systems, like the Tesla Powerwall 2, which comes with an inverter already built-in, eliminating the need for a hybrid inverter. 

The hybrid solar panel system is configured in such a way that your home uses solar power first, then stored power in the battery, and then grid power. With a solar hybrid system, you are less reliant on the grid and solar battery storage is used as a back up when solar power is not available. When the stored energy is depleted, the grid is there as a backup, allowing consumers to have the best of grid-tied and off-grid solar systems. And the battery storage is discharged less frequently, which extends its life. It needs to be replaced less often and saves you the cost of purchasing a backup generator. 

The hybrid solar power system is at least half the price of an off-grid system but they are more expensive than an on-grid system – typically double the price of the grid-connected solar power system. The hybrid solar power system is also more complicated for installation and takes more space. 

In summary, the hybrid solar power system has the following advantages: 

• gives you a continuous uninterrupted power supply 
• stores solar electricity or low-cost electricity 
• allows using solar power during the peak times of the electricity grid 
• solar power is available during a blackout or grid outage 
• reduces the power consumption from the grid 
• you are not dependent on the weather conditions 
• gives you more independence than on-grid solar power system

Off-Grid Residential Solar Power System

There are three main solar power systems - grid-tied (on-grid, grid-connected), off-grid (stand-alone power system (SAPS), and hybrid solar (battery storage with grid-connection). Since I’ve already written about grid-tied systems, in this post I’ll give some basic information about off-grid residential solar power systems.

An off-grid solar power system is a solar panel system not connected to the grid. This means that you are completely independent of the utility grid and your solar system produces clean electricity for all your energy needs. The system consists of solar panels, an off-grid inverter, charge controller and rechargeable battery storage. An off-grid backup generator is an optional component. 

Before buying and installing an off-grid power system you should know your daily power needs. This will help determine which size system is appropriate for you. You can check out this off-grid system calculator to determine the size of the system for your off-grid home. Your solar panel system can be mounted on the roof or on the ground. 

The off-grid solar power system just like the other solar power systems works by generating electricity from solar panels. That electricity is direct current (DC), so it is converted using an inverter to alternative current (AC) and then it powers your home electronic appliances. AC is the standard form of electricity for anything that “plugs in” to utility power and it is a necessary form for the household appliances to work. 

When solar panels generate excess electricity it charges a solar battery (DC) via a charge controller. The charge controller is an essential component because it regulates the voltage and current that solar battery storage receives, to prevent overcharging and damage. And by saving the solar power in battery storage, it is possible to run your home appliances with energy from the sun, even at night or on cloudy days when solar panels produce less electricity. 

The off-grid solar power systems are much more expensive then on-grind systems due to the high prices of the batteries. It is suitable for one family home if you would like to gain complete energy independence, holiday houses, and especially for houses and farms in remote areas far away from the electricity grid. But although the off-grid solar power system is expensive this is a long-term investment that will save you money and deliver green, reliable power for decades.

See also: Solar Power Calculating Tools Online

What is a Solar Panel Kit for Home?

Solar panel kit is pre-packed solar equipment that after installation can form an operating solar power system for your home. Almost all solar kits come with everything you need to have a working solar system (complete equipment). For some kits you may need to buy additional items, so you should be careful. 

Solar panel kits can vary in price depending on their build, power generation, size, and components. Therefore, they can cost from a few hundred up to thousands of dollars. Once you choose and buy a solar panel kit, it will be shipped to your home and all you have to do is install it yourself (DIY- do-it-yourself).

Before buying a solar panel kit, you should do some research and calculations regarding current energy consumption in your home, and how it will change in the future. Thus you will know how much solar power and how many panels you will need. You should also decide whether your solar power system will be grid-connected, off-grid or hybrid.

Here are the basic components that you can expect in most solar panel kits: solar panels, solar inverter, batteries (off-grid), charge controller (off-grid), mounting hardware, wiring and connectivity parts. You can choose between two types of solar panels: polycrystalline and monocrystalline. Monocrystalline panels are more expensive, more efficient, and more heat resistant.

Solar panel kits are suitable for small homes. There are solar panel kits for large homes but as you go up in size (1,000W and more), solar installations become more complicated. It doesn’t make sense to install a large solar panel system yourself. And If you are not sure about your knowledge it is recommended to seek professional help. Installing your solar panel kit may save you money but keep in mind that it can be time-consuming, challenging, and even risky in terms of safety and how to do it right. Also, if your solar panel kit is grid-tied you have to check whether your utility company allows self-installed solar systems to connect to the grid. 

If you are absolutely beginner to solar electricity it is a good idea to buy a solar starter kit. Starter solar panels kit won’t be able to fully power your home but it is just a few hundred dollars and includes the parts you need to start seeing if solar is right for you. It can power some of your electric appliances and it is usually grid-connected, which means that it will work with the existing grid. Typically solar starter panels ranging from 50W - 400W.

Solar panel kits are a good option for garages, farms, boats, caravans and off-grid cabins.

More detailed information you can find here:

https://www.letsgosolar.com/solar-panels/solar-panels-kits/

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GoGreenSolar.com - The #1 Online Destination For DYI Solar Kits - Shop Now

Mini Solar Tree Charger - a Unique Eco Gift

SunTree Solar Charger

A mini solar tree charger can be a useful and unique eco gift. We may see it as a mini model of the solar-powered tree charging station about which I wrote in my previous post. 

A mini solar tree charger consists of several small solar panels that resemble leaves on a tree, rechargeable battery, and USB ports. Solar tree charger is an eco-friendly way to charge your mobile phone and tablet in your office or home, using solar energy. It absorbs the sun’s rays and uses solar energy to charge your mobile devices. Even when your phone is not plugged in it will continue to charge the built-in battery ready to transfer the power to your device. 

Here are three models of mini solar tree chargers. You can find on the market only the first and the second one. The third model is looking for investors. 

SunTree - this solar tree charger gives you an awesome way to charge your devices. It is made to look like an actual tree - has a wooden bamboo trunk and branches, and each branch has a small solar panel on the top of it. SunTree has 9 solar panels to charge your mobile devices using PV technology. You can place the SunTree next to a window and it'll charge its internal battery, and in turn, that battery will charge your phone, tablet, and other electronic devices. SunTree is designed by XDDesign, Netherlands. 

Ginkgo Solar Tree - It is made of aluminum, recycled plastic, and bamboo. Ginkgo Solar Tree is a mini solar charging station inspired by the Japanese Ginkgo tree. Gingko solar charger is an environment-friendly source of power. It gets its power from the sun, so it’s green and very easy to use, you just need sunlight. Ginkgo Solar Tree charger aims to make solar energy more approachable and user friendly. Bringing solar energy down to smaller gadgets can help reduce harmful emissions to the atmosphere caused by the growing need to power mobile phones and tablets. Ginkgo Solar Tree can charge your iPhone or iPad up to two times after charging. It has a powerful 4000mAh battery and two USB ports. This product is also designed by XDDesign, Netherlands.

Electree Mini - inspired by bonsai trees, this little solar charger tree collects sunlight to charge your gadgets attractively. Electree Mini is a product of the designer Vivien Muller, who worked together with an electrical engineer to turn his idea for the tree into a reality. This small solar charger has 27 flexible silicon solar panels that can be easily adjusted to harness the maximum amount of sunlight. The device can be used to directly power your gadgets when sunlight is available or use the internal batteries that store solar energy during daylight time. The Electree Mini turns into a miniature light show when the darkness falls. You can also change the color of the LED lantern just by rotating the Electree Mini. The mini solar charger isn’t yet strong enough to charge a tablet, but it can charge your phone or smartwatch once per day.