Solar Energy Power (Photovoltaic Systems) Dissertation

Solar Energy Power (Photovoltaic Systems) - Dissertation Example The paper tells that solar energy has been the most dominant energy source since the dawn of civilization, though indirectly. But with the rise of industries and heavy machinery, solar energy has lost its importance and the use of fossil fuels has become commonplace. But as early as the 1970s, there have been researchers enjoining governments to find alternative energy sources. For example, in 1971 Farrington Daniels said: As [coil, oil and gas] diminish, atomic and solar energy will eventually become important: atomic energy in large multi-million-dollar installations near large cities and in areas where solar radiation is low, and solar energy in small inexpensive units n rural areas where solar radiation is abundant and the cost of electric transmission is high. Meanwhile in 1973 another researcher, George O.G. Là ¶f said that the man has to find other energy sources as the use of fossil fuel is unsustainable. For him, the development of technology that captures solar power is mu ch more important. He expounds: The raw energy, in the form of electromagnetic radiation, reaches the earth’s atmosphere at a rate of 170 trillion kilowatts. Even after about one-fourth is scattered into space by clouds and dust, the quantity of energy reaching the land area of the United States is more than 700 times the current demand for all types of energy. For Là ¶f, fossil fuels have to be replaced with renewable sources of energy because its inventory is finite and will soon run out. Moreover, as supply of petrol fuels decrease, its cost will increase steeply. More than 40 years after Lof’’s pronouncements, the world is now experiencing the repercussions of the indiscriminate use of petrol fuels. For one, price of petrol fuels are at record high levels. As of April 2, 2012, the price of unleaded petrol is recorded at ?141/liter, up by ?1.5 from the previous week (Department of Energy and Climate Change 2012a). Meanwhile diesel is at ?147.7/liter from ?14 6.6 the previous week (Department of Energy and Climate Change 2012a). As the price of petrol fuels increase, so do the prices of products and services that use it. Proof of this is the updated report released by the Office for National Statistics which rated inflation as of February 2012 at 3.4% and consumer price index for electricity, gas and other fuels at 142.9 compared to 130.3 in December 2011 (Gooding 2012). Aside from the increasing energy prices, there is also the issue of climate change, which is believed to be the outcome of the rapid build-up of greenhouse in the atmosphere because of anthropogenic activities. To avert the devastating effects of climate change, numerous countries adopted the Kyoto Protocol which mandated signatories to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, particularly, carbon (UNFCCC 2012). This has prompted the parliament to pass the first legally binding framework to tackle the dangers of climate change – the Climate Change Act of 2007. But th is was just the start of legislation aimed to protect the environment. In 2008, the first Energy Act was given the Royal Assent to provide support to new technologies aimed at capturing carbon and developing emerging renewable technologies. Thanks to these laws, solar power has been rediscovered and is now one of the most promoted renewable source of energy because it can be found anywhere. In a speech by Greg Barker (2011) he said, â€Å"to date, solar has been by far the most popular technology with consumers. It is easy to see why: it’s simple, accessible, reliable and fits discreetly into homes and communities†. An advocate of decentralized energy generation (or microgeneration), Barker launched the feed-in-tariffs (FITs) for households and communities wanting to install a solar photovoltaic (PV) system. This way, people can invest in â€Å"small-scale low-carbon electricity, in return for a guaranteed payment from an

United Nations Environmental Program Essay Example for Free

United Nations Environmental Program Essay There are a lot of articles, books and essays that have been written, touching on the relationship that land has with agricultural practices. For instance, Helmut Geist and Lambin Eric in their essay make postulations that irresponsible agricultural practices have been responsible for the disappearance of tropical forest covers, both at the local and regional levels. The two, being postdoctoral researchers in geography, specializing in the field of global climatic change, posit that irresponsible agriculture is far much responsible for the concept of land use and land cover change (LUCC). To back this argument up, Helmut and Lambin elucidate on the matter, postulating that irresponsible agriculture negatively affects the LUCC than any other practice carried out within the auspices of human civilization. To bolster this notion, it is posited by the two that apart from the fact that agricultural activities has the potency to deliver negative environmental degradation, irresponsible agriculture has the ability to deliver soil erosion- a feat that environmental degradation cannot receive from the industrial sector and its pollution. Evidence Presented The strengths in these claims are that farming and irresponsible agriculture has in most times been blamed for soil degradation. Much evidence is adduced and presented by Helmut and Lambin in this work. For instance, Helmut and Lambin quote the United Nations Environmental Program 2004 statistics that indicate that tilling land that is on a hill and failure to build gabions have in most instances been blamed for over 75% of cases touching on soil erosion (Levine 2006). In another wavelength, it is true that irresponsible farming activities harms the soil when very strong inorganic fertilizers are used, making the soil become resistant to fertilizers and pesticides. Weaknesses Critics such as Geist (2006) point that there are pitfalls in this work that was presented by Helmut and Lambin. For example, in the first case, not all the adverse effects of irresponsible farming practices are dealt with herein. For example, there is no point on the role overstocking (of animals) plays towards soil erosion and the depletion of the scarce resources within the environment. Nevertheless, it is true that all the above factors contribute to the disappearance of the land cover. Assumptions made by the writers At the same time, there are some assumptions that Helmut and Lambin make. Assuming that keeping the right size of cattle, building gabions, using the right quantities of organic fertilizers and pesticides are the only panacea in themselves against the spread of the loss of fertile land is a fallacy on its own. On the contrary, the two forget to address important farming practices such as the growing of leguminous crops, crop rotation and fallowing of land, as being instrumental in the cause against soil erosion. Growing leguminous crops such as beans help in nitrogen fixing in the soil, whereas crop rotation and mixed cropping helps the land receive nutrition from different types of crops. Letting land lay fallow on the other hand, enables the revitalization of pedological energy and the recovery of humus. These are the counterarguments that have been put forth by other critics such as Singh and Fox (2001). Conclusion and importance of the problems and the argument being tackled The sacrosance of the argument at hand is that there is a serious interrelationship between LUCC and human life. This means that mismanagement of the former has the potency to ruthlessly damage the cause of human life. It is no wonder that calls are rife from UNEP for the leading economies to tow the line in ensuring that there is the assuaging of soil, water and air pollution so that the prospects of future human survival can be consolidated. Works Cited Singh, Ram and Fox, Jefferson. A Look at Land Use and Cover Change. New York: McGraw Hill. 2001. Geist, Helmut. A Study on Earth’s Changing Landscape. Colorado: John Wiley and Sons. 2006. Levine, Joel. Global Change and the Burning of Biomass. Massachusetts: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 2006.

Symbols and Subversion in 13 Happiness Street Essay -- 13 Happiness Str

"13 Happiness Street" is a political satire which relies largely on the subversion of conventional symbols to convey its message. By subversion, I mean the process by which Bei Dao uses unconventional meanings of conventional symbols to undermine accepted literary norms. That is, he offers in place of the common associations of a symbol, another symbolic association that draws its meaning from the context of the narrative. Indeed, the very meaning of the narrative is couched in the language of metaphors and symbols. It is here that the author constructs a narrative using conventional symbols which play upon and also against the reader's expectations. Before we examine the means by which the author subverts the archetypal notions of symbols, it is first imperative to understand how these symbols stand in relation to the narrative and the reader. Symbols find their place within a narrative through a conscious desire of the author to create a pattern of meaning, while the reader on the other hand, attempts to re-construct these meanings by drawing upon conventional associations with events. Conventional symbols are thus internalized in our mental consciousness and associated with what we take to be their predisposed meanings. That is, our minds works to form preconceived mental pictures of what these symbols should universally represent. "13 Happiness Street" is thus a narrative that gains much of its significance through the subversion of conventional symbols against our expectations. The subversion of the archetypal symbol takes place within various levels of the narrative, the first being the immediate layer of the narrative itself, and the second being the symbols within the narrative. I shall first discuss how Bei Dao subv... ...the dichotomy between the said and the implied. On the surface, it may seem to be a story that ends inconclusively about a boy who is never found, but the use of multifarious symbols each bringing with them a string of other meanings contributes to the symbolic richness of his prose. Works Cited Bei Dao, "13 Happiness Street." Contemporary Literature of Asia. Ed. Arthur Biddle et al. Blair: Upper Saddle River, NJ, 1996. 280-291. Chatman, Seymour, "Existents." Story and Discourse: Narrative Structure in Fiction and Film. Ithaca: Cornell UP, 1978. 107-126, 131-145. Todorov, Tzvetan. "Two Principles in Narrative." Genres in Discourse. Trans. Catherine Porter. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 27-30. Holden, Philip. "Aristotle on Plot". 26 Nov. 2000. University Scholars Programme. 1 Aug. 2001 http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/literature/ccla01/aristotleplot.html>.

Ancient Chinese Innovations

Ancient Chinese Innovations Jennifer E Strayer University Humanities 111 Ancient Chinese Innovations The ancient Chinese culture has probably contributed more to the advancement of humans than any other. In China’s long history they have shown us many extremely important inventions. In the modern world we take a lot of these innovations for granted even though we use many of them on a daily basis. I have often wondered who invented many items I use and it surprised me to find out that most things I use and quite possibly cannot live without were invented in ancient China.What would we do if paper had not been invented we may still be etching on stone and bones? Cai Lun successfully invented the very first batch of paper using fish nets and tree bark around 105 BCE. The invention of toilet paper would not have been possible without making paper first. Navigation was made easier with the invention of the compass. Would marinara sauce taste as good if it were not covering pasta o r ravioli? Pasta was invented around 300 BCE, nearly 2000 years before the Italian or the Arabs. Would the wars of the world ended the way they did without gunpowder?Around 850 CE, Chinese alchemist discovered gunpowder while searching for immortality. Many historical records and books might not have been made if it were not for the ease of moveable-type printing, which allowed for mass production of written material. Earthquake detection is another invention that many might not have lived without it. The early seismograph created during the Han dynasty around 132 CE used a pendulum to alert for a coming earthquake. While it is not known who first invented the sundial, the first mechanical clock was an important innovation by the ancient Chinese. Clark, 2009; Laudan, 2000; University C. , n. d; Unknown, Top 10 greatest inventions of ancient China, 2007) I think the four most innovative inventions given to us by China are the compass, toilet paper, moveable-type printing and the sund ial. The magnetic compass was first made somewhere between 221-206 BCE during the Qin dynasty. The original use was in fortune telling until it was discovered that it was better used at pointing out real directions. Originally used as padding or packing material n the second century BCE, the early Chinese writers mention using toilet paper as we do today as early as 589 BCE. The Chinese invented Woodblock printing over 2,000 years ago. Bi Sheng invented moveable clay type printing from which all later printing methods were developed from. The world’s first clock was invented by Yi Xing, a Buddhist monk and mathematician, his clock operated by having water drip onto a wheel that made a revolution every 24 hours. Hundreds of years later Su Song, an astronomer and mechanist, created what we know as the ancestor of the modern clock. Bellis, n. d; University C. , n. d; Unknown, Top 10 greatest inventions of ancient China, 2007) Our modern world was created on the foundation of the se innovations, they have been improved upon and upgraded over the centuries but the basic ideas remain the same. If there were one of these inventions that I simply would not want to live without it would have to be toilet paper. While water was the common way to cleanse after each trip to the bathroom, the convenience and ease of using toilet paper had travelers to China commenting about people’s cleanliness as early as 851 CE.In any natural disaster one key thing is sanitation; toilet paper is much more sanitary than using your hand and some water. A few months ago I saw a documentary called No Impact Man, where Colin Beaven, his wife and daughter, took part in a yearlong experiment to see if they could go that long and not impact the environment. One of the experiments was if they could go a year without using toilet paper. They did it, using cloth instead, just like cloth diapers, wash and reuse. While I know now that I could survive without toilet paper, I simply would not want to. Rowles, 2010) Works Cited Barsoum, D. M. (2006, December 18). Solving the Mysteries of the Pyramids. Retrieved January 23, 2012, from Department of Materials Science & Engineering: http://www. materials. drexel. edu/News/Item/? i=948 Bellis, M. (n. d). The Compass and other Magnetic Innovations. Retrieved February 25, 2012, from inventors. About. com: http://inventors. about. com/od/cstartinventions/a/Compass. htm Clark, J. (2009, March 9). Top 10 Ancient Chinese Inventions. Retrieved February 17, 2012, from HowStuffWorks. com:

What is Chromosome 21?

Down syndrome (DS) is a condition in which extra genetic material causes delays in the way a child develops, and often leads to mental retardation. It affects 1 in every 800 babies born. The symptoms of Down syndrome can vary widely from child to child. While some kids with DS need a lot of medical attention, others lead very healthy and independent lives. Though Down syndrome can't be prevented, it can be detected before a child is born. The health problems that can go along with DS can be treated, and there are many resources within communities to help kids and their families who are living with the condition. Normally, at the time of conception a baby inherits genetic information from its parents in the form of 46 chromosomes: 23 from the mother and 23 from the father. In most cases of Down syndrome, however, a child gets an extra chromosome – for a total of 47 chromosomes instead of 46. It's this extra genetic material that causes the physical and cognitive delays associated with DS. Although no one knows for sure why DS occurs and there's no way to prevent the chromosomal error that causes it, scientists do know that women age 35 and older have a significantly higher risk of having a child with the condition. At age 30, for example, a woman has less than a 1 in 1,000 chance of conceiving a child with DS. Those odds increase to 1 in 400 by age 35. By 42, it jumps to about 1 in 60. How Does Down Syndrome Affect a Child? Kids with Down syndrome tend to share certain physical features such as a flat facial profile, an upward slant to the eyes, small ears, a single crease across the center of the palms, and an enlarged tongue. A doctor can usually tell if a newborn has the condition through a physical exam. Low muscle tone and loose joints are also characteristic of children with DS, and babies in particular may seem especially â€Å"floppy. Though this can and often does improve over time, most children with DS typically reach developmental milestones – like sitting up, crawling, and walking – later than other kids. At birth, kids with DS are usually of average size, but they tend to grow at a slower rate and remain smaller than their peers. For infants, low muscle tone may con tribute to sucking and feeding problems, as well as constipation and other digestive issues. In toddlers and older children, there may be delays in speech and self-care skills like feeding, dressing, and toilet teaching. Down syndrome affects kids' cognitive abilities in different ways, but most have mild to moderate mental retardation. Kids with DS can and do learn, and are capable of developing skills throughout their lives. They simply reach goals at a different pace – which is why it's important not to compare a child with DS with typically developing siblings or even other children with the condition. Kids with DS have a wide range of abilities, and there's no way to tell at birth what they will be capable of as they grow up. Medical Problems Associated with Down Syndrome. While some kids with DS have no other health problems, others may experience a host of medical issues that require extra care. For example, half of all children born with DS also have congenital heart defects and are prone to developing pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs). A pediatric cardiologist can monitor these types of problems, many of which can be treated with medication or surgery. Approximately half of all kids with DS also have problems with hearing and vision. Hearing loss can be related to fluid buildup in the inner ear or to structural problems of the ear itself. Vision problems commonly include amblyopia (lazy eye), near- or farsightedness, and an increased risk of cataracts. Regular evaluations by an audiologist and an ophthalmologist are necessary to detect and correct any problems before they affect a child's language and learning skills. Other medical conditions that may occur more frequently in children with DS include thyroid problems, intestinal abnormalities, seizure disorders, respiratory problems, obesity, an increased susceptibility to infection, and a higher risk of childhood leukemia. Fortunately, many of these conditions are treatable. What is Chromosome 21? According to wikipedia. org, Chromosome 21 is one of the 23 pairs of chromosomes in humans. People normally have two copies of this chromosome. The trisomy of the 21 causes Down Syndrome. Chromosome 21 is the smallest human chromosome, spanning almost 47 million nucleotides (the building material of DNA) and representing about 1. 5 percent of the total DNA in cells. The Human Genome Project announced that they had determined the sequence of base pairs that make up this chromosome. Chromosome 21 was the second human chromosome to be fully sequenced. Chromosome 21 likely contains between 200 and 400 genes. These include: †¢ APP: amyloid beta (A4) precursor protein (peptidase nexin-II, Alzheimer disease) †¢ CBS: cystathionine-beta-synthase †¢ CLDN14: claudin 14 †¢ HLCS: holocarboxylase synthetase (biotin-(proprionyl-Coenzyme A-carboxylase (ATP-hydrolysing)) ligase) †¢ KCNE1: potassium voltage-gated channel, Isk-related family, member 1 †¢ KCNE2: potassium voltage-gated channel, Isk-related family, member 2 †¢ LAD: leukocyte adhesion deficiency (symbols are ITGB2, CD18, LCAMB) †¢ SOD1: superoxide dismutase 1, soluble (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 1 (adult)) †¢ TMPRSS3: transmembrane protease, serine 3. Effects of Chromosome 21 The effects of chromosome 21 is best felt by the conditions that are associated with its lack or mutation. These include: Cancer Rearrangements (translocations) of genetic material between chromosome 21 and other chromosomes have been associated with several types of cancer. For example, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (a type of blood cancer most often diagnosed in childhood) has been associated with a translocation between chromosomes 12 and 21. Another form of leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, has been associated with a translocation between chromosomes 8 and 21. Down Syndrome In a small percentage of cases, Down syndrome is caused by a rearrangement of chromosomal material between chromosome 21 and another chromosome. As a result, a person has the usual two copies of chromosome 21, plus extra material from chromosome 21 attached to another chromosome. These cases are called translocation Down syndrome. Researchers believe that extra copies of genes on chromosome 21 disrupt the course of normal development, causing the characteristic features of Down syndrome and the increased risk of medical problems associated with this disorder. Mental Retardation Other changes in the number or structure of chromosome 21 can have a variety of effects, including mental retardation, delayed development, and characteristic facial features. In some cases, the signs and symptoms are similar to those of Down syndrome. Changes to chromosome 21 include a missing segment of the chromosome in each cell (partial monosomy 21) and a circular structure called ring chromosome 21. A ring chromosome occurs when both ends of a broken chromosome are reunited. Alzheimer’s Disease. Duplication in Amyloid precursor protein (APP) locus (duplicated segment varies in length but includes APP) on Chromosome 21 was found to cause early onset familial Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a french family set (Rovelet-Lecrux et al) and a dutch family set (Sleegers et al). Compared to AD caused by missense mutations in APP, the frequency of the AD caused by APP duplications is significant. ALL the patients that have an extra copy of APP gene due to the locus duplication show AD with severe Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA).

Free Essays on What Its Like To Be A Black Girl

An Explication: From transition to disappointment. An explanation in its purest form of â€Å"What it’s like to be a Black Girl (for those of you who aren’t)† by Patricia Smith, is just that, an explanation. From the first three syllables â€Å"First of all,† the author gives a sense of a story being told. She also uses irregular sentence structure and strong dynamic language to present the reader with the seriousness of her topic. Smiths poem gives the audience an insider’s view into a young black girl’s transition into black woman-hood at a time where both being a black girl and a black woman was not as welcomed. Puberty is usually defined by the biological changes a young boy or girls body undertakes around the age of 9 up until about 14. â€Å"It’s being 9 years old and feeling like you’re not finished,† writes Smith, â€Å"like your edges are wild, like there’s something, everything, wrong.† (Smith, 4) These thoughts have run around the minds of almost all puberty stricken youngsters. However, Smiths subject seems to also have the added pressures of a racially jagged society. This â€Å"black girl† she refers to in her poem is feeling the awkwardness of her newly changing body and the hope of something different and maybe better to come. The poem tells the story of a young black girl exploring and experiencing what it is to become a black woman in her changing social circle. â€Å"it’s dropping food coloring in your eyes to make them blue and suffering their burn in silence. It’s popping a bleached white mophead over the kinks of your hair and primping in front of the mirrors that deny your reflection.† (Smith, 9) The food coloring in her eyes, and the bleaching of her hair can only symbolize her need to grow into the more â€Å"accepted† form of society, the white skinned, blue eyed, blonde haired men and women of the 1960’s. Where for her, â€Å"it’s flame and fists and life according to Motown† (Smith, ... Free Essays on What Its Like To Be A Black Girl Free Essays on What Its Like To Be A Black Girl An Explication: From transition to disappointment. An explanation in its purest form of â€Å"What it’s like to be a Black Girl (for those of you who aren’t)† by Patricia Smith, is just that, an explanation. From the first three syllables â€Å"First of all,† the author gives a sense of a story being told. She also uses irregular sentence structure and strong dynamic language to present the reader with the seriousness of her topic. Smiths poem gives the audience an insider’s view into a young black girl’s transition into black woman-hood at a time where both being a black girl and a black woman was not as welcomed. Puberty is usually defined by the biological changes a young boy or girls body undertakes around the age of 9 up until about 14. â€Å"It’s being 9 years old and feeling like you’re not finished,† writes Smith, â€Å"like your edges are wild, like there’s something, everything, wrong.† (Smith, 4) These thoughts have run around the minds of almost all puberty stricken youngsters. However, Smiths subject seems to also have the added pressures of a racially jagged society. This â€Å"black girl† she refers to in her poem is feeling the awkwardness of her newly changing body and the hope of something different and maybe better to come. The poem tells the story of a young black girl exploring and experiencing what it is to become a black woman in her changing social circle. â€Å"it’s dropping food coloring in your eyes to make them blue and suffering their burn in silence. It’s popping a bleached white mophead over the kinks of your hair and primping in front of the mirrors that deny your reflection.† (Smith, 9) The food coloring in her eyes, and the bleaching of her hair can only symbolize her need to grow into the more â€Å"accepted† form of society, the white skinned, blue eyed, blonde haired men and women of the 1960’s. Where for her, â€Å"it’s flame and fists and life according to Motown† (Smith, ...

The eNotes Blog The Big Read Get Talking AboutBooks

The Big Read Get Talking AboutBooks One of the things I miss most about graduate school is the time to luxuriate in conversation with intelligent, engaged people about literature.   Inevitably, someone had a different take on some element of the book that made me re-evaluate my own position or, conversely, helped me feel more confident about an interpretation. In a recent interview on NPRs  Morning Edition,  Oprah Winfrey told interviewer Lynn Neary that her reason for starting the original book club (that catapulted so many authors to fame and fortune) was for the exact same reasons as my own: wanting to talk to other people books. Of course, there are probably hundreds of book clubs in every city and intimate gatherings are great. But if your life and relationships are anything like mine, trying to get friends to commit, show up at the same time, and actually have  read  your selection by a specific date can about as successful as herding cats. Thats why I think that this year, for the first time, I am going to attempt to participate in a number of   Big Reads.   The Big Read  is a project sponsored by the National Endowment of the Arts designed to revitalize the role of literature in American culture and to encourage citizens to read for pleasure and enlightenment. Here is a brief description of how  The Big Read  works (learn more by clicking the link): Through The Big Read, selected communities come together to read, discuss, and celebrate one of 34* selections from U.S. and world literature. In addition, The Big Read provides comprehensive information about the authors and their works in the  Our Books  section of The Big Read website. Click  here to enter your city, state, or zip code to find out what your community is reading, find a real life book club or online discussions. Curious what titles up for discussion? Here are just a few of the selections, ranging from new works to classics: In the Time of the Butterflies  by Julia Alvarez Bless Me, Ultima  by Rudolfo Anaya Fahrenheit 451  by Ray Bradbury My Antonia  by Willa Cather The Poetry of Emily Dickinson