Posts Tagged ‘environment’

A Look At Green Energy Solar Powered Homes

Sunday, November 11th, 2012

Most of us don’t have the budget for a large-scale solar installation, and these systems are generally not very cost effective yet. If you live in an apartment, then you are definitely out of luck; not only are you unable to add solar panels outside of your apartment, but you also have no control over many of the appliances inside the apartment, which means that management can fill your apartment with energy hogging appliances and there is little you can do to stop them. There is hope for those wishing they could go a little greener, however. There are many devices entering the market that have self-contained solar power units, many of which will also charge using inside lights or streetlamps.

The smallest unit of solar electricity generation is a solar cell. These are small wafers of silicon and generate about as much power as a flashlight battery. While not very useful on their own they can easily be joined together to generate more power. To put this into numerical terms, each solar cell produces one to two watts (W) of electricity. If you are reading this on a laptop, it will consume around 100 watts, so you need to wire 50 to 100 cells together just to run one item. Of course, the sun isn’t always shining, so you will need even more cells to charge a battery that can power your laptop when it’s nighttime or on cloudy days.

Place power usage meters in all of the outlets in your home. While this may seem a little much, these meters will tell you how much each item in your home is drawing in terms of power. This will make you more aware of ghost electronic items that draw a lot of energy even when they are not on. This will make you more aware as how to save energy each month. This is a wonderful way to increase your energy savings and help you get the most out of the energy that you generate through your new solar panels.

Can I buy solar panels anywhere? – Most electronics stores and garden or home improvement stores or will stock solar powered goods at the very least; find the right store and they will sell everything you need. If you don’t know what you’re doing with electronics it is highly advisable that you seek professional guidance, and a quick search on the Internet or a flick through your phone book will find several distributors and fitters of PV tiles and grid tie systems.

Get your property inspected by an expert. Solar panels will work well in a sunny area; you might have to cut down some trees to improve the exposure of your roof or yard. Find the best location possible for your solar panels and assess your energy needs carefully. There are a few things you can do to reduce your energy consumption, such as switching to sustainable light bulbs, using skylight tubes to get natural sunlight and making a conscious effort to turn off the lights and appliances you do not use.

Systems that generate energy from the sun can create a tranquil home environment, due to their silent and efficient operation. They also do not create harmful emissions that damage the environment, leaving you with a feeling of contribution to the larger scheme of things.

Make sure you check out the new technologies available to you. The solar energy industry is fairly new as far as the current market trend. Therefore, you need to make sure you consistently look for new options as you continue to learn more about solar energy and plan your house accordingly.

Many people are switching over to solar energy as a means to save money and give back to the environment. Solar energy is clean renewable energy and can be a great alternative to traditional means of getting the energy you need to power your home. Hopefully this article has given you a better idea of some of the positive as well as negative aspects of making the switch to solar energy.

If you want to install solar panels yourself, you have to be fully equipped with all the information you need. So before you start planning your DIY Solar Power System Project, Click Here for more detailed tips about Solar Power Benefits and Disadvantages.

Solar Energy For Homes – Using Solar Panels

Friday, October 12th, 2012

You don’t have to be an environmentalist to understand the value of clean renewable energy from the sun. Solar energy is a form of energy that pays for itself time and again. This is something you cannot say about fossil and other earth based fuels. Even though setting up a solar energy system represents an out of pocket expense initially, when you use solar energy, your fuel bills will decrease, and you may even be able to sell some energy back to the power grid. Read on to learn more about the many benefits of solar energy.

On the positive side, solar energy is 100% free once you make the initial investment. And, at least for another few billion years, the sun isn’t going anywhere. It’s far more likely that the human species will be wiped out long before the sun burns out. So as long as it’s here, it’s providing free power for all.

Another common use of solar heating is in pool heaters. This setup works the same as the solar water heater only instead of water for home use, filtered pool water is run through the system. When coupled with a pool cover these systems will generally double the amount of time the pool is usable in a year. If you need access to your pool year-round, however, you will probably still need a gas or electric heater as the lower temperatures couples with weaker sunlight means the solar system will have a hard time keeping up. These systems will even pay for themselves in as little as two years.

Many governmental building have incorporated enormous solar panels to support the use of solar energy. Consider an outing with your children where they spot buildings that use solar energy. Even if you can’t afford to adapt your house to solar energy you can familiarize your children with solar panels and their many benefits.

Another factor that you need to consider is if your energy savings amount is realistic. Yes, your electric bill will be cheaper, but is it going to be as cheap as you hoped? The amount of money you will save will depend on many things. How big is your house? How big are the solar panels? How many solar panels are you planning on installing? Factor in the savings and make sure your expectations are realistic.

Considering that you’ve seen some of the most remarkable solar energy facts and now have an understanding regarding what solar energy can possibly do for the environment, you’d probably want to know just exactly what solar energy is. To put it simply, solar energy is the heat and light energy emitted from the sun. The sun constantly generates vast quantities of energy into our solar system. Approximately 30% of the sun’s energy that reaches the earth is immediately deflected by the atmosphere, and another 20% is absorbed into the atmosphere. However, around 50% of the energy actually reaches the earth’s surface, where it fuels photosynthesis in plants, maintains both hot tropical and warm temperate climates, maintains the temperature of the ocean, and generally speaking keeps our planet alive. All of this is accomplished without creating any pollution or destruction of natural resources.

You have to know what kind of wattage you’re going to be using in your home. Look at your past energy consumption, and also think about how you’re wanting to transition. You are going to be thinking about and finding ways to reduce energy consumption within your home, so make sure you keep your eyes and ears open to this wonderful learning experience.

As you can see, pv solar panels have many advantages, but they are a long term investment, so it is important that you carefully consider your purchase decision, especially if you are planning on moving house within the next 5 years. Perhaps your money could be better spent on various other green home improvement options instead.

If you are searching for more particular information about Solar Power Costs and Benefits, I highly recommend you visit the Installing Solar Panels on Your House Blog.

About Solar Energy Panels

Saturday, October 6th, 2012

With the concerns many have about what pollution has done to our environment, you are probably looking for ways to leave as little of an impact as possible. If you can not afford to use solar panels to provide energy for your entire home there are still things that you can do. Continue reading this article to learn about inexpensive ways to put the sun’s rays to use.

Once the system is installed and running, it should last for a long, long time. The cells used are very durable, as well as most of the other materials used. Solar systems will usually have a longer life than the actual shingles you have on your roof. So once they’re up and running, you won’t have to worry.

Find out about tax incentives to help you pay for your solar panels. This takes a lot of research. There are federal incentives for solar energy, and individual states have also gotten into the act to varying degrees. Even some local cities have incentives available for those who choose to power their homes with solar energy. Find out what you are eligible for, so you can get as much help as you can.

Lastly, this decision is about you and your family. Now that you have this information, talk with your family about the benefits and downfalls of switching to solar energy. Make sure that you have more than enough funds to start and complete the project, as the installation of a solar energy unit can be costly.

This is something you will have to check individually. Some people cannot even grow a certain type of bush or pave their driveway due to the laws and different ordinances where they live. So before you make the financial investment of purchasing solar panels, you need to make sure that your association will allow it to be installed.

Now it’s time to fully draft up that plan. Take everything you’ve learned into consideration, and draft up a plan the way you see yourself solarizing your home. Your plan will have changes from time to time, and you must be open to changes. New things surface all the time, and you will be consistently researching.

With any type of construction some areas require certain licenses and permits. You will need to find out if there are any special requirements for the area you live in. Without following the rules in your area, you could get into quite a bit of trouble (even if you did not know about the rule).

Once you know the basics and have continued your research of the solar energy industry, you are going to find the rest of the process will go fairly smoothly. The sooner you install, the more money you’re immediately going to start saving. Come out from under the power company, and use clean energy. Protect your wallet and the environment. Remember these helpful tips as you carry out your solar energy plan for your home.

If you are searching for more particular information about Homemade Solar Power System, I highly recommend you visit the Energy Produced By Solar Panels Blog.

Solar Energy For Homes – Using Solar Panels

Monday, October 1st, 2012

Solar panels initially entered the general public’s eyes in the 70s, which was way back when an average solar PV installation for house could possibly cost next to 10,000 dollars or more. Lately though the price tag of solar power along with professional installation is a lot less making these a worthwhile option for home owners and firms alike. The way in which solar panels operate, they make use of energy directly from the sun’s light and transform it into electrical power for your residence, business and more. Solar energy is more preferable for the eco system and therefore is increasing in attractiveness amongst homeowners and businesses.

Show them products they should purchase so that they can use solar energy. Let your family know where they can find solar energy products and let them know that the market is growing for products like this. You can let your friends know as well because it is important that as many people as possible invest in solar energy. With a combined effort, people can slowly convert to solar energy, and we can help this planet as a collective that much more.

One of the downsides about living in any civilized country is that there are more laws and regulations than you can possibly fathom. In America alone, the federal government passes tens of thousands of new laws a year. And while most of them are minor, you are still almost guaranteed to be in violation of at least a dozen! You just don’t know about it. So before you install any panels, check with both your local, state and federal regulations just to be safe.

The most immediate and quantifiable benefit of installing solar energy is the fact that you will reduce your monthly electric bill. All over the country, local utilities are seeking to increase rates for electricity because of the rising cost of fuel to power their generators. Given this fact, and the fact that the cost of energy has been increasing for the past several years, you can only assume that your monthly electric bill will be going up. By installing solar energy panels in your home, you insulate yourself from the volatile and expensive fossil fuel energy market.

You should know that you can sell a part of the electricity you produce with your solar panels to the main grid. This usually covers the energy you draw from the main grid at night, but you could end up making a few dollars if you make a conscious effort not to use energy at night and get a couple more solar panels than you need. Between this, your tax return and the money you will be saving on utilities, you should be able to cover the cost of your solar panels in the long term. You could also buy your electricity from a provider who relies on green energies; this is usually more expensive than getting your electricity from a more popular provider, but you will benefit from tax incentives.

Some people are afraid to install solar systems in their home because they may not have power on a cloudy day. However, solar system do still work on cloudy, rainy days. The power will just be at a reduced level.

If you want to go all out and make solar energy the only source of your energy you will need to switch over any gas lines to use electricity. The initial expense of this can be somewhat high, but if you can afford it, you will be able to eliminate your energy expense completely. Of course, you will also be doing the environment a huge favor, which is likely one of the reasons you want to use only solar powered energy. Be sure to hire a professional to help you retro fit your home, to ensure that you do not incur additional expensive fixing the system later.

Solar PV systems deserve the large amount of attention they have gotten in recent years, with few disadvantages for the individual homeowner – and a multitude of benefits for the world-at-large. Take these insights and use them to enhance your own knowledge of how to make the important decision of whether to install solar roof panels in your own home.

For more information about solar power systems and how to successfully install them yourself, don’t hesitate to visit these links: How to Install Solar Power Systems, Solar Power System Installation.

Are You Prepared For A Solar Energy Upgrade?

Tuesday, September 11th, 2012

There are a variety of different reasons for adding solar power to your home. Not only will this reduce your monthly energy costs, but it also will reduce your overall carbon footprint. Solar energy can also increase the value of your home. Keep reading to find out some helpful information on solar energy.

Reduced carbon footprint. When you think about the fact that your solar powered system will not emit any harmful emissions or otherwise pose a threat to future generations, you cannot help but want one. Reducing pollution is a primary motivator for consumers seeking to power-up with PV systems.

One of the most obvious benefit of using solar energy is cost. The sun is constantly giving off free energy, we just need to tap into in. There are ways we can save on our every day electricity with solar energy. One option is to install solar panels on the roof of our homes. People who currently use this technology find they save about ninety percent on their monthly electrical bill. While converting your home to utilize solar energy will require an initial expenditure, you will get your investment back with substantial energy cost savings.

In addition, you might continue to use electricity in addition to using solar energy if you find that solar energy doesn’t provide you enough energy to meet your needs. This is problematic because if you do this, you’ll still have a large electricity bill as well as large installation costs for your solar panels.

Make certain that the product you are considering will come with a certificate for you to use for tax credits. The tax credits are not available for all products or for all products manufactured by a single company; you must ask about the specific product you’re interested in. Include research into any state tax benefits you might be eligible for that will impact your choice of product.

Find out how much your solar panels are going to cost you. Get in touch with a professional and have him or her inspect your property. The exposure of your property and size of your household will determine how many solar panels you need and what kind of technology you should invest in. Once you get a better idea of how much this investment will cost you, you can figure out how many years you will have to make payments on your system. In most cases, you will start saving money on your energy bills after fifteen years. Solar energy is a good investment if you intend on staying in your home for a long time.

This is the most popular way to bring solar power to your home. Unfortunately, it’s also rather expensive. The good news here is that there are a few ways to offset the costs and to actually profit. You can receive tax breaks for your solar panels, and you can also sell solar power back to your grid. So as long as you have the right rig, you can cut your energy costs by 100% and even make money.

With the high cost of energy and our society becoming more environmentally conscious, the demand for alternate energy sources is at an all time high. With this in mind, solar energy is one of the best choices available. This energy source is inexpensive, environmentally clean and always available. Implement the suggestions outlined in this article and you will not regret making the switch to solar power.

If you are searching for more particular information about Build Your Own Solar Panel, I highly recommend you visit the How to Install Solar Power Systems Blog.