Archive for July 23rd, 2009
Posted on July 23, 2009 - by admin
Save Money on Electric Bills by Making Your Own Solar Power for the Home
In this age of rising electric bills everyone is feeling the pinch. Unfortunately, too many people think that rising utility cost is just a fact of life that can not be changed. Yet, you can save money on electric bills by making your own solar power for the home. Solar power used to be an expensive option, but not anymore. More and more people are installing their own solar power and saving money on their electric bills or cutting out the bill entirely.
The central component of making solar power for the home is the solar panels themselves. You can make the solar panels with a few simple components or purchase a kit, either option will save you hundreds over the cost of pre-made panels. The basic materials used in a solar panel are plywood, glass, copper wire, silicone, UV protectors, and of course, the solar cells.
Solar cells are what turn light into electricity, thus saving you money from not using the grid power. This is why the cells are the most important part of creating solar power for the home. While solar panels are available for purchase, they are often pricey and the upfront costs alone may negate any potential energy savings for years to come. By making your own panels in order to provide solar power for the home, you can reduce the upfront costs and begin recouping the cost of your panels much sooner.
Making your own panels in order to provide solar power for the home is not complicated and only requires modest skills that most people can learn quite easily or already possess. While electric rates continue to rise every year, a solar panel made today will continue to produce electricity for at least thirty years, all for the cost of the initial investment. Solar power for the home is inflation proof and will leave more money in your pocket over the long run.
With a small investment, a single solar panel can be built in order to supplement utility company electricity. While you will still be drawing energy from the grid, you will not be using as much. This alone can save hundreds of dollars over the cost of electricity every year. When building your own system in order to create solar power for the home, you have the additional benefit of adding to it and enlarging it as time and finances allow, instead of purchasing a large and expensive ready made system out right. You have a lot more freedom to grow your system as your needs and situation allow.
If you are building a home in a rural area that is not currently already hooked to the grid, you will pay thousands of dollars up front just to have the electric lines laid to your home. In this case, it is always less expensive to make and install solar power for the home. A solar panel kit you build yourself is much less expensive than bringing electricity in from the power company and will continue to save you money every year there after. Solar power for the home is the best option in rural areas that would otherwise be prohibitive in cost to run power to.
Solar power for the home is also a sound environmental option. Many states and the federal government offer programs to reimburse some of the initial costs of installing solar power. This can offset the initial investment of switching to full solar power dramatically, thus making your energy savings more evident in a shorter time period. All in all, solar power for the home will save you money on rising electricity costs in very little time and with very little effort.
The central component of making solar power for the home is the solar panels themselves. You can make the solar panels with a few simple components or purchase a kit, either option will save you hundreds over the cost of pre-made panels. The basic materials used in a solar panel are plywood, glass, copper wire, silicone, UV protectors, and of course, the solar cells.
Solar cells are what turn light into electricity, thus saving you money from not using the grid power. This is why the cells are the most important part of creating solar power for the home. While solar panels are available for purchase, they are often pricey and the upfront costs alone may negate any potential energy savings for years to come. By making your own panels in order to provide solar power for the home, you can reduce the upfront costs and begin recouping the cost of your panels much sooner.
Making your own panels in order to provide solar power for the home is not complicated and only requires modest skills that most people can learn quite easily or already possess. While electric rates continue to rise every year, a solar panel made today will continue to produce electricity for at least thirty years, all for the cost of the initial investment. Solar power for the home is inflation proof and will leave more money in your pocket over the long run.
With a small investment, a single solar panel can be built in order to supplement utility company electricity. While you will still be drawing energy from the grid, you will not be using as much. This alone can save hundreds of dollars over the cost of electricity every year. When building your own system in order to create solar power for the home, you have the additional benefit of adding to it and enlarging it as time and finances allow, instead of purchasing a large and expensive ready made system out right. You have a lot more freedom to grow your system as your needs and situation allow.
If you are building a home in a rural area that is not currently already hooked to the grid, you will pay thousands of dollars up front just to have the electric lines laid to your home. In this case, it is always less expensive to make and install solar power for the home. A solar panel kit you build yourself is much less expensive than bringing electricity in from the power company and will continue to save you money every year there after. Solar power for the home is the best option in rural areas that would otherwise be prohibitive in cost to run power to.
Solar power for the home is also a sound environmental option. Many states and the federal government offer programs to reimburse some of the initial costs of installing solar power. This can offset the initial investment of switching to full solar power dramatically, thus making your energy savings more evident in a shorter time period. All in all, solar power for the home will save you money on rising electricity costs in very little time and with very little effort.
Posted on July 23, 2009 - by admin
The Cost Of Solar Energy
Solar energy is a natural source of energy that comes directly from the sun. When solar energy hits the earth it spreads over the earth’s surface and provides warmth evenly. If you could capture the sun’s rays into a particular area for a long period of time it would provide enough warmth for nighttime or on cloudy days. Learning where to find solar energy can help you to get started today. Solar energy does not cost anything because it comes from the sun. The source that you choose may cost some but in the long run it should be your only expense, unlike gas or oil heaters that you continue to pay for monthly in order to have power or gas heat in your home. Solar power can provide heating, cooling and ventilation.
If you want to make your own solar power to capture the energy for heating its easy to do if you can find a solar collector, which is anything that attracts the heat from the sun in a concentrated amount, such as glass or clear plastic. Getting into your car that has sat out in the hot sun all day long can be extremely hot and you have to roll down your windows to cool it off inside. That is because the glass has attracted the sun and the objects in your car, including your seats, have trapped the heat not allowing it to escape. When you roll your windows down you are allowing the heat to escape causing your car to cool down. The same thing is true about greenhouses. The glass or clear plastic can attract the sun and not allow it to escape causing the greenhouse to maintain the heat for the plants to grow effectively.
In order to heat your home using solar energy, you need to know the information on a passive and an active home. These two types of solar homes offer the homeowner options to choose from and your cost of heating may be down. Solar energy does not only heat your home but it also heats your water and if you use solar energy lights it can light your home at night.
Passive homes do not use any equipment to heat the home. Passive homes use windows that are made to allow the maximum amount of sunlight into your home. The sunlight is controlled by keeping the doors closed in the hottest part of the day not allowing any heat to escape. At night thick curtains may be used on these windows so that the warmth stays inside during the night. This allows the sun to naturally heat your home without any help.
Active homes do use equipment to help circulate the heat in the home. Some of the equipment that may be used includes pumps, blowers and an alternative heating source in case the sunlight was not enough during the daytime. In order to heat the home with sunlight these homes use special boxes on the outside that attract the sunrays to it. They are made from a dark colored metal to help attract the sun more. The water or air that is carried in the pipes and ductwork is heated by this glass box that has captured the sunlight. Then the heated water or air is then carried to the rest of the home.
In the long run, solar energy helps to heat the home naturally and without depending on a company to supply it for you. Solar energy can be found anywhere the sun is.
If you want to make your own solar power to capture the energy for heating its easy to do if you can find a solar collector, which is anything that attracts the heat from the sun in a concentrated amount, such as glass or clear plastic. Getting into your car that has sat out in the hot sun all day long can be extremely hot and you have to roll down your windows to cool it off inside. That is because the glass has attracted the sun and the objects in your car, including your seats, have trapped the heat not allowing it to escape. When you roll your windows down you are allowing the heat to escape causing your car to cool down. The same thing is true about greenhouses. The glass or clear plastic can attract the sun and not allow it to escape causing the greenhouse to maintain the heat for the plants to grow effectively.
In order to heat your home using solar energy, you need to know the information on a passive and an active home. These two types of solar homes offer the homeowner options to choose from and your cost of heating may be down. Solar energy does not only heat your home but it also heats your water and if you use solar energy lights it can light your home at night.
Passive homes do not use any equipment to heat the home. Passive homes use windows that are made to allow the maximum amount of sunlight into your home. The sunlight is controlled by keeping the doors closed in the hottest part of the day not allowing any heat to escape. At night thick curtains may be used on these windows so that the warmth stays inside during the night. This allows the sun to naturally heat your home without any help.
Active homes do use equipment to help circulate the heat in the home. Some of the equipment that may be used includes pumps, blowers and an alternative heating source in case the sunlight was not enough during the daytime. In order to heat the home with sunlight these homes use special boxes on the outside that attract the sunrays to it. They are made from a dark colored metal to help attract the sun more. The water or air that is carried in the pipes and ductwork is heated by this glass box that has captured the sunlight. Then the heated water or air is then carried to the rest of the home.
In the long run, solar energy helps to heat the home naturally and without depending on a company to supply it for you. Solar energy can be found anywhere the sun is.
Posted on July 23, 2009 - by admin
Is Solar Power Finally Going to Take Off?
Solar power has been hyped for decades now as one of the best solutions to our energy problems. But in simple truth it hasn’t progressed the way many have hoped it would. Has that changed yet?
Installing solar power for your home is still incredibly expensive, even with government rebates, and earning your money back takes more years than most can stand to wait. So you can’t really say things have turned around quite yet.
But things are looking promising.
The technology is finally showing signs of improvement. There are companies such as Nanosolar which are changing the way solar panels are made. They’ve developed a printable solar panel technology which will be much faster to create. They hope to drive down the costs of producing solar panels tremendously.
Scientists have also developed solar panels that are more 3-D than the traditional ones. These capture more of the light that reaches them and are much more efficient than the standard flat panels. These are not yet fully developed, but it’s another step in the right direction.
Then there’s Citizenre, a company that is taking the direct sales approach to solar panel installation. While they haven’t launched as of this writing, their plan is to install solar panels onto home free of charge, and then homeowners pay them for the electricity they use, rather than the electric company.
The price customers pay for electricity generated by these systems stays fixed, no matter what other electricity costs may be doing. The idea here is that electricity prices are likely to keep going up, so customers can save a lot of money by fixing their rates at current levels. Add in the benefits of net metering for those who qualify, and it has the potential of being a great deal.
Then again, since the company hasn’t launched yet, no one knows how well it will all work.
So no, solar power hasn’t quite taken off yet, but it looks to be getting very, very close to it. There’s a lot more promise there than there has been for quite some time.
The question then comes, will anything come of it all? That’s much harder to say. The next year or so may well see some big changes in solar power generation, as these companies gear up and as the technology improves. But all that means little until proven. Still, these are very hopeful signs that the promise of cheap solar power is much closer to being fulfilled.
Installing solar power for your home is still incredibly expensive, even with government rebates, and earning your money back takes more years than most can stand to wait. So you can’t really say things have turned around quite yet.
But things are looking promising.
The technology is finally showing signs of improvement. There are companies such as Nanosolar which are changing the way solar panels are made. They’ve developed a printable solar panel technology which will be much faster to create. They hope to drive down the costs of producing solar panels tremendously.
Scientists have also developed solar panels that are more 3-D than the traditional ones. These capture more of the light that reaches them and are much more efficient than the standard flat panels. These are not yet fully developed, but it’s another step in the right direction.
Then there’s Citizenre, a company that is taking the direct sales approach to solar panel installation. While they haven’t launched as of this writing, their plan is to install solar panels onto home free of charge, and then homeowners pay them for the electricity they use, rather than the electric company.
The price customers pay for electricity generated by these systems stays fixed, no matter what other electricity costs may be doing. The idea here is that electricity prices are likely to keep going up, so customers can save a lot of money by fixing their rates at current levels. Add in the benefits of net metering for those who qualify, and it has the potential of being a great deal.
Then again, since the company hasn’t launched yet, no one knows how well it will all work.
So no, solar power hasn’t quite taken off yet, but it looks to be getting very, very close to it. There’s a lot more promise there than there has been for quite some time.
The question then comes, will anything come of it all? That’s much harder to say. The next year or so may well see some big changes in solar power generation, as these companies gear up and as the technology improves. But all that means little until proven. Still, these are very hopeful signs that the promise of cheap solar power is much closer to being fulfilled.
Posted on July 23, 2009 - by admin
Renewable Energy – Lesson 6 – Home Solar Panels
With the state of the current economy, countless people are looking for ways to cut costs and to become more efficient. There are countless articles in print and online that detail various ways to shop for food cheaper, to find low cost methods of entertainment, to save money by downsizing vehicles and even houses. While these are just a few of the predictable and traditional money saving tactics in a bad economy, there are a few new ways to save money on utility bills and to do the environment a favor at the same time.
Home solar panels are about to become a part of the average mainstream residential home in this country. Historically, home solar panels were limited to the affluent due to the high cost of the components of the system. In addition, solar panels of the past have not been very energy efficient and have not produced a large savings relative to the up-front costs. Now, with advances in solar panel technology, home solar panels have become dramatically more efficient and affordable. Now, the cost of a complete home solar panel system can be recouped in less than a year in the savings that it generates.
The home solar panel system is fairly uncomplicated. A number of solar panels, the more the better, are installed on the roof of the house or the garage and are securely bolted or nailed down. The panels are connected to each other and to the house’s electrical system. While the actual wiring of the system should be completed by a licensed electrician, the task is a quick one, and the rest of the installation can be accomplished by anyone who is reasonably familiar with tools.
Once the system is installed, many are sunrise by how much power it can generate even on fairly cloudy days. Some people are even able to go off the grid, or disconnect from the electric company entirely, with solar power. However, it is probably more prudent to remain connected to the electric grid and to let the solar panels simply reduce or cancel out the monthly electric bill. This alone can be a savings of thousands of dollars per year. The electric companies will simply track the amount of power the home solar panel system is putting back into the grid and credit that account accordingly. It is not uncommon for efficient systems to be able to more than pay for all the power used in an average household.
Installing a home solar panel system is a good thing to do on a number of levels. It supports vital green industries that are vital to reducing pollution from fossil fuels, it allows people to save significant amounts of money in utility bills and raises the collective environmental consciousness. With the new increased efficiency and afford ability of home solar panel systems there is no reason why almost every household shouldn’t have one, especially considering the fact that almost any system pays for itself in the first year.
Home solar panels are about to become a part of the average mainstream residential home in this country. Historically, home solar panels were limited to the affluent due to the high cost of the components of the system. In addition, solar panels of the past have not been very energy efficient and have not produced a large savings relative to the up-front costs. Now, with advances in solar panel technology, home solar panels have become dramatically more efficient and affordable. Now, the cost of a complete home solar panel system can be recouped in less than a year in the savings that it generates.
The home solar panel system is fairly uncomplicated. A number of solar panels, the more the better, are installed on the roof of the house or the garage and are securely bolted or nailed down. The panels are connected to each other and to the house’s electrical system. While the actual wiring of the system should be completed by a licensed electrician, the task is a quick one, and the rest of the installation can be accomplished by anyone who is reasonably familiar with tools.
Once the system is installed, many are sunrise by how much power it can generate even on fairly cloudy days. Some people are even able to go off the grid, or disconnect from the electric company entirely, with solar power. However, it is probably more prudent to remain connected to the electric grid and to let the solar panels simply reduce or cancel out the monthly electric bill. This alone can be a savings of thousands of dollars per year. The electric companies will simply track the amount of power the home solar panel system is putting back into the grid and credit that account accordingly. It is not uncommon for efficient systems to be able to more than pay for all the power used in an average household.
Installing a home solar panel system is a good thing to do on a number of levels. It supports vital green industries that are vital to reducing pollution from fossil fuels, it allows people to save significant amounts of money in utility bills and raises the collective environmental consciousness. With the new increased efficiency and afford ability of home solar panel systems there is no reason why almost every household shouldn’t have one, especially considering the fact that almost any system pays for itself in the first year.
Posted on July 23, 2009 - by admin
Students Use Car Parts For Solar Power
MIT students use car parts and plumbing supplies to produce heat, electricity and cooling for developing countries.
Posted on July 23, 2009 - by admin
Portable Solar Power REVEALED
The same photovoltaic systems that convert solar energy into electricity are becoming available as portable systems that you can carry wherever you want. The fixed solar systems have already dramatically transformed the whole idea of power generation, compared to the conventional fossil fuel generators. We now have access to systems that are silent, ecologically friendly, free from pollution and also free from emission gases. Being able to take them wherever you want means we are entering into an era of liberty and freedom that is without precedent.
The possibilities for using portable solar system are limited only by our imagination. Whether it is a matter of a trip to the Amazon forest or an expedition to the desert, portable power systems bring creature comforts within reach at the end of each day. There is no longer any need to remain within connecting distance of the national electrical grid.
Convenience for the user as well as protection of the environment are both key characteristics of portable solar systems. They do not require fuel, pollute the air, need maintenance or make any noise. Large or small, they can be carried or transported using appropriate vehicles.
Portable solar power with storage batteries can therefore provide for all electrical requirements whether users are camping out in African game reserves or providing help to distant third world countries. Base camps can therefore be provided with all modern conveniences and information technology.
Portable solar power systems include all the components required for efficient power generation. Contemporary design and technology means that the panels, wiring, charge controllers and battery inverters are all packed into these compact units. At any time when the sun is shining, they can be switched on to generate instantly usable 120 volt A.C. power from solar radiation. With their battery backup systems, portable photovoltaic solar power systems have many benefits including of course electrical power in remote areas where there is no connection to the electrical grid.
Three major components for portable solar power systems mean that the design is both simple and effective. The photovoltaic panels generate electricity from the sun, and then run this through a charge controller into battery storage, to finally have the inverter use the power from the batteries to provide one hundred and twenty volts A.C. current in standard sign waveform whenever required. The batteries also store any surplus current that is produced so this can be used later for example when the sun is not shining or at night.
With advances in design technology, smaller or compact portable generators for solar power can be used in locations as diverse as recreational vehicles or boats, as well as on construction sites where electrical grid power has not yet been provided. They can be carried in small trucks or cars to remote locations, to farms or ranches where they can be used to power external equipment or internal appliances.
Protons from sunlight are absorbed by the solar cells in portable solar generators just as they are in fixed solar generators. This provides the energy to generate power. Thus apart from the fact that fixed power generators cannot be moved and portable power generators can accompany the user wherever they want to go, in terms of solar power generation the principle is identical.
The day may well come when traditional diesel or propane power generators are no longer used and the world at large will turn to portable solar power generators for both business and home use. The current trend shows that conventional, polluting power generators will soon be overtaken by cleaner, more efficient systems such as solar power generators.
Portable power systems have a number of important advantages. To make best use of these requires simply knowledge of how to set up the system, and where to acquire the parts inexpensively. In addition, it is possible to obtain batteries for free, as well as information for how to wire the system and which safety precautions must be observed. This knowledge can allow you to install your solar power system effectively and quickly so as to reap the benefits of clean, renewable and inexpensive power generation.
The possibilities for using portable solar system are limited only by our imagination. Whether it is a matter of a trip to the Amazon forest or an expedition to the desert, portable power systems bring creature comforts within reach at the end of each day. There is no longer any need to remain within connecting distance of the national electrical grid.
Convenience for the user as well as protection of the environment are both key characteristics of portable solar systems. They do not require fuel, pollute the air, need maintenance or make any noise. Large or small, they can be carried or transported using appropriate vehicles.
Portable solar power with storage batteries can therefore provide for all electrical requirements whether users are camping out in African game reserves or providing help to distant third world countries. Base camps can therefore be provided with all modern conveniences and information technology.
Portable solar power systems include all the components required for efficient power generation. Contemporary design and technology means that the panels, wiring, charge controllers and battery inverters are all packed into these compact units. At any time when the sun is shining, they can be switched on to generate instantly usable 120 volt A.C. power from solar radiation. With their battery backup systems, portable photovoltaic solar power systems have many benefits including of course electrical power in remote areas where there is no connection to the electrical grid.
Three major components for portable solar power systems mean that the design is both simple and effective. The photovoltaic panels generate electricity from the sun, and then run this through a charge controller into battery storage, to finally have the inverter use the power from the batteries to provide one hundred and twenty volts A.C. current in standard sign waveform whenever required. The batteries also store any surplus current that is produced so this can be used later for example when the sun is not shining or at night.
With advances in design technology, smaller or compact portable generators for solar power can be used in locations as diverse as recreational vehicles or boats, as well as on construction sites where electrical grid power has not yet been provided. They can be carried in small trucks or cars to remote locations, to farms or ranches where they can be used to power external equipment or internal appliances.
Protons from sunlight are absorbed by the solar cells in portable solar generators just as they are in fixed solar generators. This provides the energy to generate power. Thus apart from the fact that fixed power generators cannot be moved and portable power generators can accompany the user wherever they want to go, in terms of solar power generation the principle is identical.
The day may well come when traditional diesel or propane power generators are no longer used and the world at large will turn to portable solar power generators for both business and home use. The current trend shows that conventional, polluting power generators will soon be overtaken by cleaner, more efficient systems such as solar power generators.
Portable power systems have a number of important advantages. To make best use of these requires simply knowledge of how to set up the system, and where to acquire the parts inexpensively. In addition, it is possible to obtain batteries for free, as well as information for how to wire the system and which safety precautions must be observed. This knowledge can allow you to install your solar power system effectively and quickly so as to reap the benefits of clean, renewable and inexpensive power generation.
Posted on July 23, 2009 - by admin
Solar Power Break-Through
Sir Charls Shults shows us how he can make 6 kw Solar Systems for a fraction of today’s PV solar panel costs. Power your home & Electric Car for $6000 instead of over $50000 for PV systems!
Posted on July 23, 2009 - by admin
"best Solar Power Generation" System © – is it Affordable?
By using “Best Solar Power Generation” System you get an amazing opportunity to produce your own independent power-supply in just matter of days. The first impression may not reveal that, but this technique doesn’t require any special tools/materials. Read the following article to hear more why any of us should use it a.s.a.p.
Short background
“Best Solar Power Generation” System requires a weekend of your time – by following one of these ‘proven-to-work’ guides you’ll understand how to assemble Solar-Panels on your own. Some guides can be really useful while others miss their target; verify that it provides the following: clear illustrations, photos, diagrams, videos, and technical support. In any case, here are several tips & benefits that can help you out.
Quick advantages
This solution undoubtedly provides several key-benefits:
* Can work for anyone, no matter where he/she lives on the globe.
* Provides an unlimited energy-source.
* Leaves us almost unaffected by any possible energy crisis.
* Saves hundreds month-after-month.
* Requires no more than a weekend to be installed.
Quick advice
In order to optimize it, make sure to place the solar-paneling unit in a spot that gets the most sun at all times of the year.
Conclusions
In order to cut down our elect. expenses by 80% we no longer need to spend thousands on expensive solutions – “Best Solar Power Generation” System seems to be able to do that for us at significantly lower cost. It wouldn’t be that hard to find other benefits provided by this one-of-a-kind invention, simply because it brings a real change to this industry. It is advised to evaluate it so you could explore the various advantages that it provides.





