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Glastonbury Goes Greener and Installs Solar Panels

Posted On : Jul-02-2010 | seen (1018) times | Article Word Count : 446 |

Many festivals are exactly the opposite of eco-friendly, generating mountains of waste whilst firing lasers and lights off. Glastonbury, always known for its green credentials, has gone one better this year and set up a solar energy scheme.
In a change from the usual, Glastonbury has decided to go green and install solar panels to produce electricity. This energy scheme is actually the largest in the UK, and looks to provide a source of cheap electricity for homes in Glastonbury. The solar panels are being installed in preparation for a music festival at Worthy Farm. The energy saving measures are intended to advance the music festival's goals of renewable energy, which it has been promoting since 1979. Says Michael Eavis, organizer of the festival, "We want the Festival, and the farm, to be as green as they can be. The solar panels will make a huge contribution towards that."

The solar panels will be installed on the roofs of barns at Worthy Farms. Once complete, the project is expected to span over 1500 square metres. The solar panels are expected to provide enough electricity to power forty homes annually, and will be left after the closing of the festival. In order to maximize the amount of sunlight the solar panels receive each day, the panels will be installed facing south. With the barns being somewhat aged, concerns for safety have led engineers to recommend shoring up the sides of the buildings. In light of such concerns, reinforced girders will be installed in the barns to enable them to withstand the added weight of the solar panels.

Solar power is perhaps the most exciting form of renewable energy. The technology, which has made great strides in the past decade, relies on an effect called the photovoltaic effect to generate electricity. When light strikes a solar panel, a current is generated in the solar panel. Solar panels are made up of an array of small cells, called photovoltaic cells, which generate electricity. In order to generate adequate quantities of electricity, it is often necessary to install large arrays of solar panels, such as has been done in Glastonbury. Advances in technology have made solar panels ever more efficient, allowing them to convert solar energy into electricity more effectively.

With the addition of over 1500 square metres of solar panels, the Glastonbury music festival is even more environmentally friendly than ever. Since 1979, the festival has sought to supply some portion of its energy needs through renewable energy. The portion provided through renewable energy has increased each year, and this year is expected to have the largest renewable energy source ever; it has the largest solar panel array in the UK, in fact. In addition to its environmentally friendly agenda, the festival will have many popular acts. Performing bands in this 40th running of the festival include the Pet Shop Boys and Faithless.

Article Source : http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Glastonbury Goes Greener and Installs Solar Panels_24227.aspx

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Keywords : cheap electricity, energy saving,

Category : Society : Society

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