Solar power production is an industry that has been in the spotlight in the American media landscape for several years as the push towards “green” energy production gains popularity. Generally discussed in the same vain as wind power production, these two sources of renewable energy are favored by most environmentalists due to their negligible impacts on the environment. When compared to fossil fuel energy production, both solar and wind power are far and away the more preferable choice due to their low environmental impact and elimination of greenhouse gasses produced through the burning of fossil fuels. Greenhouse gasses and known and most widely recognized as having serious impacts on our worldwide climate, and the harvesting of the fossil fuel itself has also had serious detrimental effects on our landscapes and living conditions in production areas. With the advent of wind and solar power as viable alternatives that have the promise to fulfill demands, the discussion of complete elimination of fossil fuels as a power source, and the moving to greener production methods, becomes a very relevant one. The hindrance at this point in time are the production costs which directly dictate the price of the energy that is paid by businesses and consumers. While there is generally no argument against wind and solar power as a method of producing power, the push back comes in the form of the prices that must be paid.
The viable ways of bringing the costs associated with solar power into line with the costs associated with fossil fuels is rooted in the machinery that produces the power itself. Since there are no “mining” costs associated with solar power, all costs have to do with the prices paid for and the maintenance of solar production equipment. As the industry grows, the costs for equipment purchases will be reduced due to larger and larger production runs at the manufacturing level. These cost reductions have done wonders to bring the end-user costs down, but the exploration of methods to extend the service life of that machinery is the new frontier that can bring solar into line with fossil production, if not even lower.
Solar power surge protection devices are one of the methods being used by savvy solar power operators to reduce the maintenance and replacement costs of installed field equipment. Due to the physical setups of solar farms, they can be a natural attractant for lightning strikes and therefore do involve ongoing maintenance and equipment replacement. The installation of photovoltaic surge protection devices (SPDs) that are manufactured to industrial standards enables the reduction or elimination of costs related to electrical surge damage to sensitive equipment in the solar power plant. Surge protection helps keep that equipment online and producing power for longer periods without it having to go offline for preventive maintenance. SPDs are playing an integral role in the reduction of solar power prices industry wide, because they allow a more consistent prediction of power production, as well as an ability to extend equipment life even in the event of an inevitable lightning strike. Raycap is a recognized leader in the production of solar power surge protection devices, and manufactures the unmatched Strikesorb line to serve the needs of solar producers globally.
