What are the Benefits for you switching To Solar Power

Everyday the cost of your utility bills continues to rise, solar power is now seen, more than ever, a clean and viable source of energy for the home and for business. Over the last couple of decades in the USA billions of dollars have been spent promoting and developing this technology, and since the 1970s it is estimated that the cost of the equipment to power a home with solar energy has fallen by 90%.

In most cases, using solar energy to provide electricity for a home involves installing special solar photovoltaic cells in the roof of your home. It is true that the initial investment is quite expensive but this money should be recouped in savings on electricity bills over time and significant savings can be made in the long-term.

In sunnier areas solar power can meet and even exceed an average home’s electricity needs at certain times of the day. Excess electricity can be stored in batteries or in certain areas it can even be sold back to electricity supply companies.

Here are some of the main benefits of solar energy:

It’s cheap
Once you make the initial investment to have solar technology installed in your home it is a free source of energy. Once it has paid for itself you can make make significant savings on your energy bills. You may even qualify for government incentives to help cover the cost. What is more it will add significantly to the value of your home. Green homes are becoming ever more popular in today’s environmentally aware climate so this investment will increase your home’s value and make it easier to sell if you ever move on.

It’s clean
Solar is one of the cleanest and environmentally friendly sources of energy out there. If you want to do your bit to combat climate change solar energy is the way to go.

It’s easy
Solar energy systems require very little maintenance. Once the system is installed you will have a constant source of energy and you won’t have to worry about adding extra fuel, paying bills and the other chores associated with conventional sources of energy.

It’s consistent
If you use solar energy you do not have to worry about power failures. Even if your traditional source of electricity fails you will still have a back-up. In addition, if you live in a remote area that does not have easy access to centralized sources of electricity solar is an excellent alternative.

It’s neat
Even if you live in a heavily populated area installing solar panels should be no problem. Since they slot easily into the roof of your home there is no need for them to take up precious garden space. Also, while the panels themselves are costly, they are very easy and quick to install.

It’s wire free
There are a number of stand alone solar-powered appliances available today that eliminate the need for wiring. For example, you can install solar powered garden lights that you simply place in your garden that run of the sun’s energy. These even have light sensors so they switch off and on automatically depending on the light.

The use of photovoltaic cells in the home can be quite expensive. However, it is not the only way to make use of the sun’s energy. In colder regions homes are increasingly being designed to make the best use of the sun’s energy to provide warmth. This involves sensible design of houses by using methods such as having large glass windows on the south side of the home which will help warm the home during the winter. The home will need to be protected from too much sun in the summer so trees can be used for this.

Another option is to use the sun to provide hot water from the home. This method simply involves using thin water pipes, painted black, and running them through a ‘greenhouse like’ box that is exposed to the sun on the outside of the home. In warmer areas this can provide hot running water throughout the home for free.

Solar energy isn’t for everybody. Where you live will determine whether or not it is the right choice for you. If solar panels are not viable for you, or you are unsure if you are ready to take the plunge, you should still consider buying solar appliances when possible. There are any number of solar appliances available today including video cameras, watches, radios, fountains and much more. These all eliminate the need for batteries and/or wiring.

A look at Solar Cells Through The Years

Back in the 1950’s when solar cells first came on the scene they were a simple affair. Nowadays you have a wide variety of cells and as innovation in solar energy takes hold and improves more cells are coming available.

An Overview of Solar Cells Through The Years

Solar cells are the basic component of any active system used to convert sunlight into a form of energy. Traditionally, solar cells were used as the key part of panel systems that generated electricity or heat for homes. These days, the technology is used in a wide variety of applications, which means the style of solar cells vary per application.

A traditional solar cell consisted of some very basic pieces. The cell was typically a flat square made up of a glass or plastic panel attached over a crystallized silicone substance. The silicone was imbedded with metal wires. The process worked by having the sun strike the silicone, which kicked off neutrons. The neutrons produced a small electrical current that was collected by the wires. The electricity was in the form of direct current, which had to be converted to usable AC electricity with an inverter. The electricity was then stored in batteries or fed into the grid of the local utility company.

The problem with the first solar cells involved efficiency. To be frank, there was not much. Initial cells converted sunlight at a rate of one to six percent. More energy was lost in the conversion from direct current to AC. It worked, but was so inefficient that huge collections of solar cells were required to make enough energy.

As technology improved, the components of solar cells became more efficient. A silicone base was still used, but modified to convert more spectrums of the sunlight. As efficiency rose, the cost of using solar cells dropped because less where needed to form a panel. Still, efficiency was in relatively low, making the systems cheaper but not really cost effective compared to buying power from a utility.

These days, referring to solar cells is somewhat misleading. Much of the new technology is abandoning the traditional concept of cells. Instead, companies are thinking out of the box and coming up with entirely new platforms. Options include nanotechnology whereby quantum dots are developed to covert the sun to energy. When fully developed, the dots will be part of the paint you use on your house. Technically, you can call the dots cells, but they are not in the traditional understanding of the term. Other options include the use of Germanium as an alternative to silicone, but this hasn’t been fleshed out as of yet. Thin solar cell technology is also popular, but involves the basic pieces of a traditional system.

Solar cells used to be fairly uniform with silicone, glass cells being the standard. The future of these solar cells is dubious, however, as companies seek out dramatic leaps in solar technology. In 30 years, we will look back at traditional cells like we now look back at the horse and buggy means of transportation.

What Effects do Clouds have on Solar Panels

Solar panels hold a wealth of benefits, both for individuals and for the world at large. Economically, solar panels promise to lower the cost of electrical power. Environmentally, solar panels can give us cleaner power, sustainable power that will not require further damage to the environment. Solar power can reach remote areas. It can carry education, or urgently needed medical information.

The effects of clouds on a solar panel, though, might diminish those and other promising benefits.

The effects of clouds on a solar panel might make it far less efficient in certain parts of the world and at certain seasons.

For that reason, people who are considering solar panels for their homes are often heard to ask: will clouds affect my solar panels?

Will Clouds Affect My Solar Panels?

Clouds do affect solar panels. The amount of power your solar panels can produce is directly dependent on the level of light they receive.

In full, bright sunlight, solar panels receive maximum levels of light. During those “peak” sunlight hours, your solar panels will produce power at their maximum capacity.

When clouds cover the sun, light levels are reduced. This does not shut down power production, however. If there is enough light to cast a shadow, in spite of the clouds, your solar panels should operate at about half of their full capacity. Thicker cloud cover will reduce operations further. Eventually, with heavy cloud cover, solar panels will produce very little useful power.

The Good News!

The effects of clouds on a solar panel can be surprising good, however. Incredibly, your solar panels will put out their ultimate amount of peak power during cloudy weather!

As the sun moves into a hole between the clouds, your solar panels will see something wonderful. They will see full direct sunlight “plus” reflected light from the clouds! They will drink in more energy than they could on a cloudless day!

The effects of clouds on a solar panel could then produce peaks at or above 50 percent more than its direct-sun output!

Meeting the Challenge

There are ways to meet the cloud challenge.

1. If you often have clouds in the afternoon, but mornings are clear, aim your solar panels slightly toward the east.
2. Be sure you use a large enough battery system to maximize the amount of power stored for use when the clouds arrive.
3. Make sure your controller has plenty of headroom over the rated panel output power so that it can absorb the surges when the sun reflects off the clouds.

Those tricks and more are practiced in cloudy regions of the world where people have sprinted far ahead of the United States in their use of solar panel energy.

Effects of Clouds on a Solar Panel in Germany

Germany is typically a very cloudy country. Read about the climate of Germany, and you will find that it is “temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind” according to Nation Master’s website.

In spite of its cloudy climate, though, Germany is by far the world’s biggest user of solar panels. If you lived in Germany, you could sell back to the main power grid all of the excess electricity produced by your solar panels. Why would I even care in such a cloudy climate? If clouds affect my solar panels too much, I would not worry about selling back to the main grid.

In 2006, Germany opened the largest solar park in the world. Germany also has Europe’s most modern solar housing project a solar village of 50 solar houses that produce more energy than they use!

Will clouds affect my solar panels? Even if I lived in Germany, the effect would not be enough to forego solar power.

Tip: There are few places that are so consistently cloudy that solar power is out of the question. Improvements are being made constantly, and even solar panels small enough to fold into a briefcase can produce helpful amounts of power.

The Basics of Solar Power For Your Home

Solar power is an alternative energy source with tremendous economic and environmental benefits. If you’re considering it for your home, here are the basics.

Sunning Your Home

Put simply, solar power works by converting free sunlight into usable energy. This process involves using photovoltaic tiles or platforms to capture the energy inherent in sunlight. The photovoltaic materials consist of positive and negative slices of material, often silicone, that react to the sun. As the sunlight hits these cells, the energy “slices” off negatively charged ions. This creates a magnetic field, a form of energy. The energy is then captured in small wires, which forms an electric current. The wires are connected to an inverter. The inverter converts the energy into a usable power source.

The beauty of solar power is it is a free source of energy. Historically, the cost of capturing and maintaining solar power wasn’t cheap, but this has changed dramatically in the last ten years. Systems are now much more efficient, with the total cost usually involved in the purchase and installation. Depending on the system, there is almost no maintenance cost and most systems have a 40 or 50 year life span. Not bad, eh?

Going solar is also more attractive now because of laws passed by numerous states. Initially, homeowners can get a tax rebate for installing solar. On top of this, more than half of the states now mandate a concept known as “net metering.”

Net metering is all about saving tons of money on your utilities. Essentially, you are now allowed to “sell” power back to the utility companies at the same price they charge you. With solar power, this means you can simply feed your system into the utility grid during the day and then use regular energy at night. Since your utility meter runs backwards, this effectively means you will dramatically reduce, if not eliminate, your electricity bills. This process alone can save you thousands of dollars a year and $40,000 to $100,000 over the life of the system, depending on your typical monthly bills. With such savings, you can see why solar power is becoming more attractive.

When it comes to solar power, the question isn’t whether you should use it. The real question is why you aren’t using it already!

How To Build Your Solar Pool Heater

If you are looking to be able enjoy your pool and spa earlier in the spring and later into the autumn, a solar pool heater may be the answer for you. A pool heater will allow you to carry on using your pool and spa, when others have stopped for the season. A heater that is solar powered will also mean you aren’t worrying about your utility bills while having a dip.

You really have 4 options to heat your pool and spa, these are:

1. Electric heater
2. Gas, usually a propane heater
3. Using a pool cover
4. Solar pool heater

An electric heater and gas would cost you too much, and just keep costing you more each year. A pool cover will keep the heat in, but a solar heater will heat your pool and combined with a pool cover would be your best option. Once setup it would be free to run and you would have the added benefit of helping the environment.

If you decided to have a commercial pool heater installed it could cost you in the region of $2000, but you fairly easily build your own DIY Solar Pool Heater at a small fraction of that cost.

A solar pool heaters work on the principle of passive solar energy. This means the pool/spa water runs through long lengths of flexible tubing that are suspended in front of reflectors to receive and transmit the sun’s warmth to the water in the tubing.

The reflectors can be made out of halved storm water piping, sprayed with chrome paint to help reflective the solar power better. The warmed water can then be circulated through your pool or spa by using a small pond pump or solar electric pump. The latter is more expensive, but obviously you will help the environment and your wallet by spending a little more to start with. You should also look at ensuring the tubing is protected from wind chill, say with polythene sheeting.

If you are thinking of building your own heater, just have look around on the web for guides that give you clear instructions of how to build your system. There are several available

Be sure to look for these essential elements at least, in any guide that you decide to buy:

1. List of all Materials needed and where you can get them from
2. Step-by-Step instructions and clear diagrams
3. No need for complicated engineering, electrical skills or welding
4. Troubleshooting suggestions and maybe contact details for help
Once you have built your Panels they should be placed in such a way to maximise receipt of the sun’s rays. It’s best to have them face the sun’s mid-day position; you can place them vertically on a fence or horizontally on your roof.

To make the best of your solar pool heater, it makes sense to use it with a solar pool cover, to make it easier to keep the pool at a constant temperature. So why not give it a go and start using your pool and spa for longer.

Making Your Home Solar Powered

Many Americans have decided to become more energy independent, and want to play a part in avoiding a very foreseeable energy crisis. They’ve decided to go solar. Creating a solar powered home is an endeavor that requires an initial investment, but the costs are being lowered everyday. Solar power provides long term benefits. Not just for the home owner, but the environment too.

Now that solar power is more efficient, you can reduce or even eliminate your electric bill, increase your home’s value and contribute to a cleaner environment, all at the same time. It’s a great time to join the move to renewable energy resources, and the perfect time to take advantage of the generous government and local utility financial incentives that can cut thousands of dollars off the price. And now that solar power is becoming even more main stream, it is growing in accessibility. Manufacturers of solar powered products have realized the potential for a solar age, and are creating new options for those who are considering a solar powered lifestyle. If you are ready to step into the solar age, you are probably wondering how and where to begin. Below is a list of ways to make your home a solar one.

Solar Attic Fans- Solar attic fans are a great example of a simple way to make your home more energy efficient without spending a lot of money. The need for air conditioning is reduced by venting hot air out of your attic. Installing a solar attic fan may also increase the life of your roof materials by keeping them at a lower temperature which also reduces moisture buildup in your attic. This prevents mold and rot in your home, and can also reduce allergens and pollution.

Solar Heating- Solar heating systems are composed of solar thermal collectors, a fluid system to move the heat to its point of usage, and a reservoir for heat storage. The systems may be used to heat domestic hot water, swimming pool water, or for space heating. If you live in the southern half of the United States or in an equally sunny area you could potentially save between 50% and 80% on your water heating by implementing a solar hot water heater. The initial cost is hefty, but depending on how you use it, the system may pay for itself in as little as five years. The return is greater when you factor in rebates and incentives offered by states and local governments.

Solar Pumps- Depending on where you live, especially in remote areas, the cost of traditional water piping may be exorbitant. Unless you install a solar water pump. A solar power panel collects solar energy and powers a battery which can keep a consistent and plentiful water supply.

Solar Paneling-The most obvious way to break in to the solar age is to install solar panel cells on your roof. Solar cells, also known as PV cells, or Photovoltaics, come in many sizes, colors, and performance characteristics, made to fit a variety of homes and lifestyles. Another important factor to consider is that when PV panels are used in conjunction with energy efficient appliances, not as many panels may be needed to power your home! Large scale home improvement stores, as well as smaller, independent energy groups, offer installation. But if you are a savvy do-it-yourselfer, you may decide to undertake the project on your own!

But don’t bust out the screwdriver just yet. Whether you do it yourself, or hire someone to do it for you, there are a couple of technicalities to be seen to before solarizing your home. Such as building permits. In order to legally install renewable energy sources in your home, you must contact your city or county building permit agency to obtain permission. You will be able to learn about requirements specific to your neighborhood. Don’t forget about property and sales taxes. Depending on what state you live in, you may or may not be exempt from these when it comes to the purchase of your renewable energy system.

Although it is not difficult to keep up your solar systems, frequency of replacement should be considered. Solar thermal systems need valves replaced every 3-5 years and storage tanks replaced every 10 years. Luckily, solar PV systems typically do not require maintenance, other than a yearly cleaning of the solar panels. PV panel life is typically 25 years.

5 Great Reasons To Harness Solar Power

Very simply put, Solar energy is energy that is derived from the sun. Our sun is an abundant source of energy; it gives of heat and light. The sunâ  s been revered by several cultures of the past and even by a few cultures still present today. The ancient Egyptians even worshiped the sun as a God.

All said and done, it was not misplaced respect; the sun certainly is an abundant and limitless source of power, at least for several generations to come; the merits for using its solar energy are numerous.
Itâ  s free
Every morning with each dawn, the solar energy released by the sun comes filtered through our atmosphere providing light and helping to radiate heat. This has been happening for millions of years yet it is only recently that we have begun to capitalize on this abundant source of almost infinite power.

In the past the Greeks and the Egyptians have been known to harness the power of the sun to heat whatever they wished to by concentrating its radiation.

It’s non-polluting
The energy from the sun is clean and free of any pollutants; unlike various sources of energy present today like petroleum or organic fuels that leave back residues and often leave back harmful gases when utilized to create energy.

Extremely reliable
The sun has been burning for roughly four and a half billion years now and is likely to burn on for another four to five billion years to come. That’ s definitely more than our lifetimes and certainly more than several generations of the future. Every morning it promptly shows up and vanishes for the evening while it lights up another portion of the globe.

The saying “as sure as day”   did not come about for nothing; assuming the sun is shining brightly, depending on which part of the globe you are you can harness the energy of the sun to either store it away or utilize its energy in a different way.

Limitless

There is no restriction on how much energy we can use from the sun. Apparently, the amount of energy that comes from the sun every few minutes if successfully harnessed can power the entire United States of America for a whole year. If we were only able to harness the immense energy of the sun we would be able to solve all the worldsâ   energy problems.

Why
Ever wonder why no one thought about this earlier? How come if there’ s so much energy just lying around, we simply cannot seem to efficiently harness it? How it that so much of the sun energy seems to go totally unnoticed and is ultimately wasted?

Well one of the reasons that this wonderful power reserve is generally wasted is the fact that the sunlight that we actually receive is so thinly dissipated across the earth to be able to contribute substantially enough if we try to harness it. For us to be able to actually harness the power of the sun we have to be able to manipulate, focus and store the sun’s energy. While this may seem simple it is easier said than done; So far we have only managed to develop three partially successful means of collecting solar energy.

The Reflection Method Mirrors / Parabola
The reflection method is based on the concentration of the sunâ  s rays through a single or a set of mirrors onto one point and then utilizing the concentrated heat energy that is produced for out need. A parabolic mirror much like a dish antenna can be used to capture the sunâ  s rays and focus them on a single point.

The radiation method
This is the principle behind the solar water heaters. Painted black pipes sandwiched between two layers of glass, have water inside them that is heated thanks to the rays of the sun.

Solar panels
A more recent invention the â  solar cellâ   is composed of treated silicon crystals, which when hit by the rays of the sun knock electrons out of their orbits and thereby create a void that needs to be filled by electrons from the other silicon crystals, this creates an imbalance of electrons and hence a flow of current which can be either immediately utilized or else stored away in a rechargeable battery.

What’ s stopping us?
Despite the apparent benefits of using solar power it is most unfortunate that there are very few solar power plants around the world. Sadly, with todayâ  s level of technology, cost and reliability are two major factors that are still hurdles in the way of mass usage of solar energy.
Technological limitations dictate that the most efficient solar cells created today are still not capable of generating enough power to be commercially viable without occupying huge surface areas. Furthermore, reliance exclusively on solar cells in not yet practical,  for if there were to be a cloudy day it could reduce the amount of electricity generated and that would be disastrous for those people completely reliant on that energy.

On the bright side, constant innovation and research on solar energy is resulting in much more efficient solar cells that are a fraction of the size of existing cells and churn out much more power. For now they are still expensive, but not far is the day when they will be affordable and available to the common man.

Be truly free in your RV with RV Solar Power

80 Watt RV Solar Power Kit Complete System – $969.00  Discover a new world in your RV with solar power. A SunWize RV Solar Power System will give you the power you need to go anywhere you desire. Charge your batteries while enjoying the peaceful tranquility of a remote campsite or power up at a tailgate party. With the power of a SunWize RV solar system the choice is yours and the freedom is yours. SunWize RV Solar Power Systems are designed for the most rugged climates. Solar modules withstand the summer desert heat and winter hail and still produce power day in and day out; year in and year out

To provide power for your RV you can install solar panels on the roof of your camper. The solar panels take the sunlight and convert it into electricity. Installing RV Solar Power can be quite easy with many companies selling RV Solar Kits, with some available for specific makes of RV’s

Many of today’s RV’s have a multitude of appliance that require power, so when deciding on what size of panels to get for your RV ensure they are big enough to give you enough electricity. Another way of providing power to your RV would be to use a small wind turbine.

If you use solar panels or a wind turbine the power you will get for your RV, will be free, silent and good for the environment.

 

RV Solar Panels can provide power to your RV while off the mains.

80 Watt RV Solar Power Kit Complete System – $969.00 Discover a new world in your RV with solar power. A SunWize RV Solar Power System will give you the power you need to go anywhere you desire. Charge your batteries while enjoying the peaceful tranquility of a remote campsite or power up at a tailgate party. With the power of a SunWize RV solar system the choice is yours and the freedom is yours. SunWize RV Solar Power Systems are designed for the most rugged climates. Solar modules withstand the summer desert heat and winter hail and still produce power day in and day out; year in and year out

Today’s RV can now include everything from satellite television and central air conditioning to built-in electric fireplaces. However, this type of RV has one major disadvantage; they require large amounts of electrical power to operate. RV Solar Panels can help you produce some of this electrical power, for free. The solar panels take the energy from the sun and convert it to electricity for you to use.

An RV can be limited by their onboard battery capacity which will quickly be run down when powering larger loads like a color television. These large RVs require a generator to power their major appliances and air conditioning loads when not plugged in at an RV park. The problem with a generator is that is can be noisy, and if your looking for peace and quiet, you don’t want a generator chugging away in the background. An RV Solar Panel can help you with this and let you run your appliances when not plugged in at a park, this is also silent, free and environmentally friendly.

The panel will normally be mounted on the roof or truck bed, and many companies sell a RV Solar Kit that can make the installation of the panels easier. Some kits are also specially designed for your make of RV. Naturally you will have to get kit that will provide you with enough solar energy for all your appliances.

Most kits will come with:

• A panel, which size depend on how much power you need.
• A mounting kit for the roof off your RV.
• A Controller for regulating the charge from the panel to the batteries.
• The wiring you need to install the panels into your RV

Another option that you could use along with the panels is to buy a portable wind generator that will help to provide you with power for your RV.

The same options can be used to provide solar power to your boat or yacht.

 

An RV Solar Panel can provide power to your RV for all your appliances while off the mains.

80 Watt RV Solar Power Kit Complete System – $969.00  Discover a new world in your RV with solar power. A SunWize RV Solar Power System will give you the power you need to go anywhere you desire. Charge your batteries while enjoying the peaceful tranquility of a remote campsite or power up at a tailgate party. With the power of a SunWize RV solar system the choice is yours and the freedom is yours. SunWize RV Solar Power Systems are designed for the most rugged climates. Solar modules withstand the summer desert heat and winter hail and still produce power day in and day out; year in and year out

An RV can be limited by their onboard battery capacity which will quickly be run down when powering larger loads like a color television. These large RVs require a generator to power their major appliances and air conditioning loads when not plugged in at an RV park.  An RV Solar Panel can help you with this and let you run your appliances when not plugged in at a park.

Today’s RV can now include everything from; television’s and air conditioning to built-in electric fireplaces and fully equipped kitchens. However, this type of RV has one major disadvantage; they require large amounts of electrical power to operate. RV Solar Panels can help you produce some of this electrical power, for free. The solar panels take the energy from the sun and convert it to electricity to charge your batteries for you to use.

The panel will normally be mounted on the roof or truck bed, and many companies sell a RV Solar Kit that can make the installation of the panel easier. Some kits are also specially designed for your make of RV. Naturally you will have to get kit that will provide you with enough solar energy for all your appliances.

Most kits will come with:

• A solar panel, which size depend on how much power you need.
• A mounting kit for the roof off your RV.
• A Controller for regulating the charge from the panel to the batteries.
• The wiring you need to install the panels into your RV

Another option that you could use  is a portable wind generator, used along side the solar panels, the generator will help provide you with the power you need for your RV.

The same options can be used to provide solar power to your boat or yacht.

 

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