Solar Energy Education – Training For a Renewable Future
Solar Energy Education – Training For a Renewable Future
The opportunities for those interested in solar energy education are increasing throughout the United States and across the globe each and every year. Renewable energy is a popular topic nowadays thanks to the environmental or green movement across the world. People are recognizing more and more that the environment must be protected and sustained instead of destroyed and used up without a thought given to sustainable and renewable energy resources.
Fossil fuel consumption is rapidly depleting the energy resources we have used primarily to heat our homes, cool our homes, heat and cool water, operate commercial businesses, and to power our appliances over the years. Continued use of fossil fuels at the current rate means we will deplete these resources before they can be renewed again. What is the answer? Renewable energies such as solar, wind, and geothermal, which are renewable and can never be depleted!
Renewable energy sources such as solar are a vital component when it comes to reducing our footprint on the environment and protecting the world around us. The result has been an influx of education courses and jobs that are flooding the solar jobs and renewable energy jobs industry. This is exciting news for anyone interested in becoming part of the positive environmental solution!
College Graduates or Current Professionals Can Get Educated in Solar
Did you know that several colleges and universities are now offering courses and degrees for students interested in pursuing a green energy job? It’s exciting to note that the classes and hands-on training are expanding too! Students can leave college with a degree that will allow them to specialize in a specific area of the solar energy industry and make a good living doing something they love.
Solar energy education is also a means for current professionals to pursue a career in solar technologies. It’s becoming a reality for many men and women working careers such as finance officers, engineers, architects, and roofers to get training to enter the solar industry using the skill set they already possess. Interested in switching careers? It’s not as difficult as you might think if you can find the resources available for education in solar technologies.
What Types of Jobs Are Available in the Solar Industry?
You could perform a number of different jobs in this industry including, but not limited to:
Architect – design solar homes or specialize in designing commercial buildings for solar technologies
Geologist
Plumber
Financial Expert or Consultant
Solar Engineer
Installation Expert – specializing in installation of solar panels and other solar technologies for either commercial or residential applications
Marketing and Sales – use your sales or marketing experience to sell solar technologies to homeowners or businesses
The demand for solar energy jobs and green energy jobs is increasing which means the education required to train people for these jobs is a necessity. Training for jobs in the residential or commercial areas of the solar industry is available through many different sources across the United States and throughout the world.…
Caring For Your Solar Panels
Caring For Your Solar Panels
If you spend the money to get solar panels, you need to make sure you are caring for them properly. The right care will keep them working properly and in good shape for many years. There is usually no reason good panels shouldn’t last for a decade or two and work great the whole time.
Make sure you keep any information that comes with your solar panels. Any booklets or brochures that have care information should be kept for future reference. This way if there are specific products or methods that need to be used on your panels, you will always have that information at your fingertips.
Probably the most important part of caring for your solar panels is ensuring that they stay clean. When you are installing them, make sure they are set at an angle so that things will be more likely to slide off them. Then check them regularly if you can. If it is safe, sweep leaves and snow off them so they can continue to work. Also, wipe off the glass sometimes to keep dirt and water-spots from reducing their effectiveness.
Check your panels at least once a year to make sure they are still safe. Make sure they are bolted down properly and that no other screws are coming loose. If anything is shaky figure out how to fix it right away before it can pose a hazard to anyone. Also make sure the cover isn’t cracked. Whether it is glass or plastic, if it has cracks, it can shatter and seriously injure someone.
Think of taking care of your solar panels as protecting an investment. These items aren’t cheap, and you are buying them to improve your life. It only makes sense to take a little time to make sure they are doing the best job that they can.…
Homemade Energy – Making Money From Building Solar Panels
Homemade Energy – Making Money From Building Solar Panels
Home made energy is not science fiction or something that some geek has managed to produce in his backyard. It’s a fact that thousands of homes are using home made energy to reduce their carbon footprint and their electricity bills.
Why aren’t more people doing it?
The main reason that it doesn’t get the media attention that it should get is that the only people who really benefit from homemade energy are those people who are using it. With no incentive from large companies to promote it, it has to be promoted by word of mouth and with the access to information that the internet offers, this is now becoming more commonplace.
The most popular methods of generating your own electricity is through solar panels and wind turbines. Panels are a little more complicated to build, but not difficult. If you can solder stain glass windows, which even my kids can do, then you can build a solar energy panel.
The best part of building your own energy devices is that they cost so little to build. With a small investment of $250, we had our first solar panel built and installed. We then did some research online to find cheaper components and were able to build a second solar panel for just $150.
Building Panels for Other People
After just building two panels, we were asked by a family member to build some for them. After that we built some for the next door neighbours and within three months we had built nine panels for other people and had enough money to build an additional six panels for ourselves.
Our word of mouth business may be small, but in times of economic difficulty, people want to save money and having something that people want is a great way to ensure a small, but lucrative business.…
Lower Your Utility Bill with Solar
Choosing to install solar panels can be an excellent way to help you lower your monthly utility bills. If you’ve ever considered installing solar power one of the things that could be holding you back is the upfront costs. When you consider how quickly you can save with solar panels, the upfront costs may seem extremely justified. Here are some of the top ways that you can save money with solar power:
Cutting Your Utility Bill in Half
Even a small solar panel system will help you to cut your energy bill by 50% or more. If your home has solar panels, you can get access to credits from the utility company for the solar power that you are able to generate with the system. The power that you get from the sun is free once you install the solar panels and they will continue to work for 25+ years efficiently.
No Cost for Maintenance
You will be lowering your utility bill with solar while also making sure that you can continue to access quality power even with very little maintenance. With virtually no cost on maintenance, all of the fees associated with your system will be included with installation costs.
Locking in Your Cost for Power
The cost of energy is rising all the time but by installing a solar energy system you will be locking in your electricity costs at one set rate. You’ll be generating most of your own power and there’s no need to worry about what your electric company will charge you on a monthly basis. You’ll receive credits at the market rate from your electrical company, even as the cost of energy rises and you won’t have to worry about your extra costs because you’ve already paid for the power you generate through the system.
These are just a few of the top ways that you can lower your utility bill with solar. Consider installing this system today so that you can access the best in energy efficiency.
This post was written by Daniel Massaad, owner and expert solar technician at Energy Solutions Direct! ESD is one of the premier Tampa solar companies! Our licensed and certified contractors are masters of their craft; with years of experience servicing the great Tampa Bay area and beyond, the choice is simple. ESD excels at offering you the best in solar value!
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5 Reasons Why a Solar Power System Is Crucial for a California Homeowner
5 Reasons Why a Solar Power System Is Crucial for a California Homeowner
Home solar power systems are becoming increasingly popular with California residents recently. There are many reasons why getting residential solar power makes sense, especially for people who live in California.
California Climate
Although California is known as the Golden State because of its association with the discovery of gold in 1848, it could apply equally as well to how much sunshine the state gets. California solar energy companies are making use of an extremely plentiful natural resource – sunshine. California averages between 180 to 290 sunny days per year. California solar energy just makes sense because of the climate and weather patterns of the region.
Bill Reduction
Another reason why having a solar power system is crucial for California homeowners is to help reduce monthly energy costs. With the recession still in full swing, having a solar power system to help reduce your energy expense could make a huge financial difference with month to month budgeting. California solar energy companies have extensively researched the power savings possible by purchasing a solar power system for the home. They have found that the cost of the system is usually completely recouped in the fifth year of operating a home on solar power energy.
Protection against Inflation
In addition to reducing monthly bill costs, solar energy systems can also help to protect homeowners from the annual inflation of energy costs in the future. Once the solar energy systems initial investment has been recovered in savings, the money you no longer pay for electricity piles up in your bank account. Each year that passes increases the cumulative savings created by your home solar power system. Over time, utility costs will rise ever higher as traditional methods of acquiring power get more expensive. Having a solar energy system installed on a home will protect homeowners from the effects of inflation over time.
Eco-Friendly Living
The world is definitely starting to show the effects of the population living lives of consumption. Because of this, many people have chosen to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Installing a residential solar power system is a great way to cut back on a homeowner’s environmental impact. Instead of using the planet’s natural resources such as coal or oil for power, a home solar power system uses the unlimited power of the sun. This source of power is also completely pollution free and offers homeowners the chance to live completely off the grid as they learn to be self-sufficient in their homes. Traditional sources of power are limited and will one day be extremely expensive or entirely unavailable.
Tax Credits
Another reason why California homeowners may choose solar power systems is because of the government’s tax incentives. Green technology such as solar is being encouraged by the government to help cut down on pollution levels as well as to help increase California’s supply of power. California solar energy systems installed will benefit homeowners with tax credits which can help to offset the initial costs of installing the system. In some cases, any additional power that is collected with solar panels can also be sold back to power companies which can help to offset the initial investment even further.
Green living is a very strong trend right now that is likely to grow even more as people awaken to the damage being done to the planet. Solar energy can help to prevent any further damage being done and offers homeowners a range of additional financial benefits as well.…
How To Install Do It Yourself Solar Panels For Home
How To Install Do It Yourself Solar Panels For Home
Lots of people are ditching the power grid and taking advantage of natural solar power for their private consumption. At the beginning, solar energy was accessible to wealthy industrial and domestic consumers because of its high price. But nowadays technological innovation makes it’s cheap to normal domestic consumers too.
Average consumers are choosing the DIY solar energy panels to reduce their rising electricity expenditures. But, many people are unaware of main types of solar panels? How they can build their own solar panel? What are the benefits of solar panels? You will easily find answers of your all questions in this article.
Types of Solar Panels
The main types of DIY panels are as follows:
A� Mono Silicon Panels
Mono silicon panels are costly as compared to the other type of panels, but they are considered to be most efficient and effective panels for residential use. They are made of silicon and work proficiently in low light conditions.
A� Multi Silicon Panels
Multi silicon panels generate less electricity than the mono silicon panel. You can easily get these panels at low prices. Multi Silicon panels can be suggested for consumers who are price conscious.
A� Amorphous Panels
These are molten silicon coated panels and less efficient than other types. These are very popular among consumers because these are shadow protected panels. These panels are cheaper than above two mentioned panels.
Build DIY Solar Panels at Home
It has turned out to be much easier to develop a solar Panel at home. Solar cells can be found on the internet at cheap prices and can be bought in an offer of 72 cells with a diode that make sure unidirectional energy circulation. The complete deal with extra wire connections to connect can be obtained for about $100. The frame required to keep the solar panel is not difficult to create with plywood or you can easily buy it from any market at very affordable price of $40. If you create the entire panel buy your own self, you would easily save $350 to $500 comparing the manufacturing company’s cost.
The benefits of DIY Solar Panels:
DIY solar power panels can be installed at any place as long as you can find enough direct sunlight.
• It cuts down the electricity expenditures, giving free energy to your residence for a long time.
• DIY panel systems can be created with quite high quality solar cells that you can get online at affordable prices.
• You can gain tax credits for making use of eco-friendly energy
• It can raise the worth of your house.
• A homemade Do-it-yourself solar system requires only very fundamental expertise. It is normally a very fun and a pleasant activity as the endeavors show in the form of minimal energy bills.
• It can guard you against the rising energy prices.
• DIY solar power systems provide you with the pleasure of doing something in your amplitude to save the environment from fossil fuels and global warming. Leading you to autonomous and very well prepared in case of power shortages…
Why I Love My Solar Power System
Why I Love My Solar Power System
It all began when I was living in Haiti in the early 1990’s. It was after a Coup that overthrew President Aristide that the US government imposed a trade embargo on Haiti blocking fuel supplies to the country amongst other things. The result was that they had an unprecedented energy crisis and we spent months without electricity. I went out and purchased 12 solar panels from a local merchant for US $330ea, I already had two 2000W inverters and 24 Deep Cycle Batteries. I installed half of this equipment in my house and the other half in my office downtown. We had maybe an hour or two of electricity every 4 to 5 days.
Well, I can tell you this much about the electricity supplied by my solar power system both in my house and in my office:
First, I unplugged the big 2-door refrigerator that I had and purchased a small energy-efficient freezer.
Second, I used a small gas-powered generator I had that I only ran for about 30 to 45 minutes a day just to pump up water from my underground 40,000 gal reservoir to a small 300 gal unit on the roof so I can take a shower by gravity. I must remind you that gasoline supplies were almost zero due to the embargo. The cost per gallon reached US$15 on the black market.
Third, I changed all the incandescent light bulbs to energy saver bulbs.
Forth, I changed my habits from watching TV for hours to just one hour a day, I turn the lights on only when needed, I made sure my batteries never ran dry of distilled water and that the cables and terminals were clean and tight. That’s all the maintenance the solar power system needs to run smoothly.
Understand that I was only living off 6 solar panels. For cooking, we used gas ovens. Propane gas was not part of the embargo for obvious reasons.
Now I don’t know how to call this if it’s not FREE ENERGY.
I must make another side note because I know you’re wondering why I had inverters, generators and batteries. Well it’s because in Haiti the power grid had always been unreliable, so everybody and every house has a generator, an inverter and a few batteries. In addition to that, I had my solar panels and this is where the difference was. After so many days without power and no gas for the generators, all batteries went dead and most of the city was in complete darkness, so I was one of the few that had lights on all night until I decided to go to sleep.
I had the same scenario in my downtown office where I needed to power three computers, some lights and a laser printer. Back then it was a 300W Apple Laserwriter, so I used a small generator to turn it on, do my printing and then turn it back off. The inverter was not connected to the power grid at all. The batteries were being charged by the 12v solar panels through a charge controller and then converted to 110VAC by the inverter so the computers were never off.
That’s a new example of FREE ENERGY.
Some people say that nothing is free. I think that only human made things are not free; everything else is. You don’t see animals in the forest pay for their food.
Anyway, I hope this article will open some people’s eyes on the tremendous possibilities of solar energy. Remember that the panels can be coupled to a windmill generator for more power, and the combination can be very efficient since the windmill can generate electricity day and night providing you live in a relatively windy area.…
Why Solar Energy Is The Best Choice Among Green Energy Options
Why Solar Energy Is The Best Choice Among Green Energy Options
Many people are choosing to make green choices today because it is clearly understood that our continued use of fossil fuel is one of the major causes of unrest and environmental problems in the world today. Happily, there are a number of fairly affordable green energy choices available today. Government assistance can reduce even these reasonable costs tremendously. In this article we will discuss the reasons why solar energy is the best choice of all.
You can begin to go solar without spending a penny, and in fact, you will save money. Making passive solar choices, such as allowing the sun to pour in your windows in winter to help you heat and adding heavy thermal curtains in the summer to prevent overheating, can reduce your electric bill and is a sound way to take advantage of passive solar energy.
Inexpensive standalone solar technologies also allow you to make good use of the energy of the sun and save money. For example, you could choose a standalone outdoor solar lighting system to make your yard safer at night while saving you money on your electric bill.
There are lots of solar choices in yard and garden that you can take advantage of. For example, solar pool heaters and lights are very affordable and efficient. You can choose a whole pool system, or you can choose to power all of your pool equipment via a solar panel. You could also purchase a floating solar heater for your pool that would simply give your existing system an assist. This sort of heater can also be used for garden ponds if the type of fish you keep cannot tolerate the winter temperatures in your area.
If you are planning a new home, you can make tremendous use of passive solar power. Try to find an architect who knows how to make the most use of energy efficient materials and window placement to help you heat and cool your home with the very least possible use of fossil fuels. Even though this type of construction is a bit more expensive at the outset, the amount of money you save in the long run will make your investment well worth it. Be certain to research any grant, rebate or other assistance programs that may be available from your city, county, state or federal government.
Solar energy for an off the grid home, cabin or retreat is a truly wise choice. By not having to run electrical wiring to your out of the way place, you will save a great deal of money and you will be truly energy independent. When choosing the site for your new home or getaway, look for property that has lots of good southern exposure to make the best use of your solar energy system.
When you choose to go solar, you are making a smart choice indeed. You’ll save money from the moment the sun hits your panels, and you’ll keep saving for the foreseeable future. A solar energy system usually continues to work effectively and efficiently for 25-30 years with little or no maintenance. Follow the ideas presented here to make an easy and affordable transition to solar energy.…
Time to Revisit Solar Power and Discover the New Innovative Designs
Time to Revisit Solar Power and Discover the New Innovative Designs
Solar power has just come of age and everyone needs to take another look. The history of solar power is much longer than many people would expect. The solar cell, or photovoltaic cell, was created in the 1880s by Charles Fritts. However, we had to wait another fifty years for the next step taken by a German, Dr Buno Lange. Development progressed further in the 1940s by Russel Ohl and then in 1954 this work all culminated in a development that lead to where we are today. In 1954 Gerald Pearson, Calvin Fuller and Daryl Chapin created the first silicon solar cell. This cell created up to 6 times the electricity of Dr Langes cell back in 1931.
So why should we look to solar power now? Solar power was originally inefficient, and then it was expensive, now we live in a time when, in certain fields, it is priced competitively.
Living in a house with a solar array may still be out of the price range of many people, but if you have outside space then you probably use out side lights. This is a perfect place to start when considering solar power. You don’t have to take anything down or change current wiring, there are amazing, free-standing, portable solar lantern available at very reasonable prices. These lanterns are not only a great way to light your meals, but they can also be taken camping or hung around your porch for holiday and parties. They are much more versatile than the traditional electric lanterns as there are no cables and you don’t have to worry about the batteries needing changing.
This is why solar energy has come of age, it grown to a point that it is the better designed, cheaper and more efficient option.
The design ideas and developments are not limited to lanterns, there are very few people in the developed world who don’t have a cell phone. The whole point of these phones is to be contactable at all times, but as the phones have got more complicated and demanded more of their batteries, the batteries have to be charged more often With a solar charging cell cover you can charge your phone while you are out and about, try doing that with a cable and traditional electricity source!
For the first time in the history of solar power it can offer us something which is useful, environmentally friendly and financially viable. Now solar power just needs to over come its reputation of being over priced and impractical.…