its 56 feet long x 24 feet wide
it will cost you more than its worth,
not only will you need solar panels, but a converter, a bank of storage batteries, and wire, and a transfer switch
what you don,t hear is it takes 5 to 6 yrs to recoup your cost,
your talking around 5 to 7 thousand $ to do this

Someone I know is looking for funding to build a green energy invention. Can't give details because inventions have to be protected, but if anyone knows of a real source of funding for this kind of thing your help would be nice. It has to be available to the average person though, not scientists and so on.
Also this invetion so far has no working models, but it does not use any kind of fuel and produces no pollution. It is a power unit that will be used to turn a generator to produce electric.

Great there are invention sites on the net who can supply funding advise .Do not use those asking for specifics of the idea. Also Speak to you state Representatives. Any Politician would love to get his picture in the paper, news with something of this nature.A great one could lead to his reelection

i know its possible i just dont know how to do it. i need a basic configuration and a list of parts needed

By buying a bunch of them or using a pumping circuit to raise the voltage.

I know that solar energy is energy from the sun converted into elctrical energy and all that great stuff, but if you heat a sheet of flashing copper, put it in the sun and it makes a little more energy than it did in the shade, is that thermal or solar energy
OK I think the real question I'm asking is how is thermal energy converted into elctricity

Solar energy is energy from the sun.

There are many forms of energy.
- Plants use photosysthesis to convert solar energy into chemical energy.
- Solar cells convert solar energy into electricity.
- Evaporated and condensed water, thermals, and winds convert solar energy to mechanical energy.
- Copper flashing, like most things sitting out in the sun, convert solar energy to heat.

So, its solar energy until it is absorbed by the copper, then it is thermal energy (heat).

Edit: I know 2 ways to convert thermal energy to electrical. First is a thermoelectric generator. These tend to be costly, delicate, and have low efficiency. Check out the links below the article, especially the HZ-14 one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_effect

2nd way is to use an engine or turbine. Concentrating sunlight with mirrors onto a small boiler creates high pressure steam. It is used in a turbine to make electricity. Some experimental units have actually been deployed by utility companies in sunny areas. While they depend on government subsidies, with enough emprovement, the technologies may stand on their own. You can also use solar energy to heat air or other working fluid inside an engine to convert the thermal energy to mechanical motion that drives an electrical generator. The most efficient such engine is called a carnot engine, which is unfortunately impractical to make economically.

Finally, things like windmills and waterpower actually convert solar to mechanical power, which is then used to drive generators. These are actually variations of the 2nd point.

BTW, if you're asking how to make a simple solar cell from copper, see link: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Apf5WS6KKGtoGDDSwRyFbIsAxgt.;_ylv=3?qid=20080520203652AAT6UzD

I’m writing a paper for my environmental law class and am looking for a starting point having to do with maybe the different restrictions state governments place on HOAs in their ability to limit solar panel and/or water heater installations on homes. Any help would be great, thanks!

Currently right now the Covenant, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R’s) of Homeowners Associations would allow their board of directors and management companies (if contracted) to restrict the use of solar panels because of uniformity to standards of all housing units within the association. But your point is well taken, because in time when home owners should be allowed to manage their energy consumption, look to sources to improve their energy needs and reduce the amount of energy consumption from commercial sources, the placement of solar panels is a very important endeavor each home owner must be able to adventure into without HOA restraints. There is no doubt many court cases will arise between HOA’s and homeowners on this very issue.

You selected a very good subject and cause. I would be very interested in the outcome.

The internal combustion engine keeps us linked with Saudi Arabia. So, why do anything to oppose getting off of gasoline. There is no way that domestic sources, even drilling everywhere we can, would be able to sustain U.S. energy needs for the next 20 years.

Let's break the addiction now.

It would certainly help things..

i'm doing some extensive research about solar panels because i'm an inventor and i have an idea about creating a more efficient solar panel, but i'm having trouble finding out where to buy the different parts i'll need. can someone help me with this puzzle? thanx, Al

Radio Shack, Edmunds or an electronics supplier.

What is the amount of solar energy required to drive a 250 pound cart with a 250 pound person 10 miles? How many square feet of recharged paneling would be required?

If you are willing to go slowly enough, all you need from the solar panel is enough to overcome static friction to get the cart started.

I do know that a cyclist cruising along at a moderate speed (say, 10 miles an hour) is expending about 1/10 horsepower. That’s 80 watts. So on flat ground, a 100-watt panel push them over the 10 miles in an hour. Such a panel, if square, would be 2 to 2.5 feet on a side, if made with typical contemporary materials. If the terrain is more than gently rolling hills, more power would be needed.

Perhaps you could scale that answer to your situation.

The best and most efficient are the ones that are the most expensive.

That is the bottom line. There are essentially three manufacturing technologies commercially available for the manufacturing of solar panels. The cheapest ones are about half as efficient as the most expensive ones. Just depends on how much you want to spend.

Did you know in most areas you can pay a green provider instead of your regular electric bill NOW?? http://www.go-green.org/GoGreen/
It is so easy, this site shows you how..No more expensive than normal…..

Yes, we are looking into natural energy for our barn and out buildings. If it goes well, we will adapt the house also.