Solar Energy Solutions – Finding the Best DIY Plans

Solar Energy Solutions – Finding the Best DIY Plans

There are two myths about solar power that go hand in hand and keep most people from even considering the option of having solar energy in their home: solar panels are expensive to make, and professionals have to build and install the panels in a home. Both of these ideas, although plausible to many people, are wrong. Anyone can benefit from solar energy solutions by building their own solar panels. The process is often quite simple and only involves a visit to a local hardware superstore. Even if you don’t know a lot about tools, you can still build solar panels simply and without much effort.

How do you know which solar panel kits are best? And how much do you have to spend? Well, that’s all a matter of doing a little research. Your goal will be to find the simplest and most effective solar power instructions, and then figure out what the materials will cost. Generally, you can get away with spending less than $200 on your solar panel project, which is much less than what you could save over a lifetime by implementing these panels into your home.

The best DIY solar panel plans will be the ones that are easy to understand. You should make sure that you find the one that fits your skill level and abilities. If you are barely able to remember what a socket wrench looks like, you wouldn’t buy the same guide as a licensed contractor, for example. Even if you’ve never used tools before, you can still find great kits and guides that will help you to create effective solar energy solutions for your home. It’s much more affordable than buying pre-made panels and can be a simple process for anyone.

Solar power is going to save a lot of money on your energy costs. There are so many different solutions for solar energy, and it’s up to you to find what works for your particular needs. If you need a very basic guide to build solar panels, find it. If you know a little more about tools and building and are able to use a more advanced guide that can allow you to get the job done faster or with less effort, get the guide that allows that. It’s all about knowing that you DO have options for solar energy solutions and that you don’t have to spend a fortune on professional installation, know a lot about tools and building, or buy expensive pre-fabricated panels.…

Photovoltaic Shingles Or Solar Panels – Which is Right For You?

Photovoltaic Shingles Or Solar Panels – Which is Right For You?

Photovoltaic systems are becoming more popular and efficient as a means to produce electricity and reduce energy costs. Homeowners are turning to solar energy alternatives in greater numbers to help offset their home electricity needs. As solar energy technology becomes more advanced consumers can choose between photovoltaic panels and photovoltaic shingles. Each system has its own advantages and drawbacks, and it can be difficult to determine which system is right for your home. The following paragraphs will outline both systems, and look at set up, installation and energy output to help decide which system is right for you.

Solar panels are made up of photovoltaic cells to generate electricity from the sun. Placement is important for solar panels, and for homes in the northern hemisphere, the panels should have a southern exposure. To maximize power generation, the sun should strike the panel in a perpendicular manner. Therefore the angle of the solar panel should match the latitude of its location. For example, a solar panel system on a home in Denver should be at an angle of approximately 38 degrees. Photovoltaic panels can be set up to be adjustable, allowing you to adjust the angle of the panels as the seasons change to produce as much electricity as possible throughout the year.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 100 square feet of solar panels will produce about 1 kilowatt. Many homeowners find that they can produce 25%-50% of their home electricity needs with solar panels.

A new option for photovoltaic systems is solar panel shingles. Solar roofing shingles mount directly on the roof structure and provide as much protection as traditional asphalt shingles. The photovoltaic roof shingles are made of amorphous silicon but look much like traditional shingles once they are installed. A photovoltaic shingle can produce up to 17 watts of electricity each day under full sun. The greater the area covered with the PV shingles, the more electricity you can produce.

While both photovoltaic panels and shingles produce electricity and provide a renewable source of energy for homeowners, they each have different qualities that suit the different desires of homeowners. Solar roof shingles can be much more aesthetically pleasing because they look like normal shingles and do not require a separate mounting system. Further, one product serves two jobs, both sheltering the house from the elements and producing electricity. A small or large area of roof can be covered with solar shingles, giving buyers flexibility to choose how many they want to buy and how much energy they want to produce. It is important to have a professional install photovoltaic shingles to ensure quality protection and energy production.

Solar panels produce electricity through the same means as shingles, but they can be more efficient. This is because they can be set to the most advantageous angle, regardless of the slope of the roof. Also, by being able to adjust the angle of the panels to be perpendicular with the sun’s rays, the panels can be made to work at optimum energy production throughout the year. Consumers are also attracted to solar panels because they can be built and installed without contracting a professional. By following a do-it-yourself guide, consumers can inexpensively build their own solar panels and eliminate many purchase and installation expenses. No matter which system fits your needs the best, using the renewable power of solar energy is a great way to reduce household energy costs.…

Homemade Solar Panel – Make Your Own Electricity

Homemade Solar Panel – Make Your Own Electricity

Solar energy, which Earth receives in one hour, is more than the whole energy world uses in a year. Solar energy when harvested through homemade solar panel is the easiest way to save money on home electricity. Solar panels promise big savings on your monthly energy bills. Still it is not that popular as it should be; maybe because of huge cost of the system installed by professionals. But the small investment on homemade solar panel can get immediate results.

How Solar Energy is generated

In the depths of sun, hydrogen atoms are fused in to helium atoms which results in non stop thermonuclear explosions. As a result huge energy is released during this process. Part of which reaches the earth in the form of radiation. This is the free source of energy for our homemade solar panel. Solar panel converts this solar radiation into useful electrical energy which can be stored in batteries for our use.

Working of your homemade solar panel

A photovoltaic panel has the array of Solar Cells, or photovoltaic cells, which are arranged in a grid-like pattern. These solar cells function is similar to the function of large semiconductors. When photons from the sun rays strike these solar cells, they displace electrons from the atoms. This leaves an empty space which attracts other free available electrons. If a PN junction is made-up in the cell, then the dislodged photons starts flowing towards the P side of the junction. The effect of this electron movement results in a flow of electrical current which can then be routed from the surface of the cell through electrical contacts to produce power. The output of your PV panel depends on the number and quality of solar cells. More the number of solar cells more will be the output from solar panel.

Where to fit your Homemade Solar Panel

Rooftop generally receives the most direct sunlight. Therefore it is an appropriate place to install your PV panel. Our main goal is to get the unobstructed sunlight. You can place it in your backyard as well wherever you feel it will get direct sun rays.

Tracking of your homemade Solar Panel

As the earth moves in the elliptical path around the sun through a yearly cycle, the angle of sunlight changes. To get the maximum output from your system, you can track the sun as it changes its position. You can go in for an automatic solar tracker which automatically follows the sun’s daily path or you can adjust your solar panels accordingly to track the sun by yourself.

Some guidelines to do this by yourself:

·         In the month of February set your panel at the same angle as the latitude of the place you live.

·         In the month of May set your panels at the angle of your latitude minus 15 degrees.

·         In the month of August set your panel at the same angle as your latitude.

·         In the month of November set your panel at the angle of your latitude plus 15 degrees.

If you are willing to put in the effort in building your panels, you will find it will save you large amounts of money on your electricity bills.…

Solar Panels For Homes Supply Free Electricity

Solar Panels For Homes Supply Free Electricity

There are very few people that have not heard about solar energy and how cost effective it is. With the world now facing a serious energy crises home owners need to consider passive photovoltaic (solar) panels for homes and these can be installed in an existing home and automatically installed in newly built homes.

There are methods and diagrams showing one how to make your own solar panels which is a much cheaper method and by using sunlight you are effectively helping to lower the worlds energy needs. There will never be a shortage of solar energy also known as renewable energy as the sun always shines.

Solar energy will create lighting within and without the home as well as warm the swimming pool and heat your water and will allow pone to cook during the day as solar energy is converted into thermal energy and does not pollute the air or give off green house gasses like fossil fuels do.

If you install solar panels you are guaranteed to have a continuous supply of electricity even when there are power failures and this type of energy is not governed or controlled by any syndicates and in addition solar energy is eco friendly. One does not have to worry about power surges as there are now computers and many other devices and gadgets obtainable that run on solar energy.

Solar panels will afford a homeowner an incredible saving and will also alleviate the dependency on gas as well as electricity. Solar panels contain battery cells which will store excess energy for later usage and usually these solar panels are placed on the roof of your home.

If you require further information or would like purchase solar panels for homes then go online and visit the many sites which will further assist you or you can purchase then directly and not only will you save money but you will also increase your property value as well as being kind to the planet.…

Renewable Resources – Think Wind Power

Renewable Resources – Think Wind Power

It’s not always easy to change the way you think. Many of us have grown up using petroleum products in one way or another for virtually all of our energy needs. Now we are coming to the realization that we can’t continue on this path without serious consequences.

That’s not bad news, though; there are plenty of renewable resources we can use instead. We just have to change our way of thinking. Not all of them are quite as efficient at generating power as they will be some day, but they are still viable for use now and they will only get better as the technology advances.

Using solar energy by adding solar panels to your roof is one of the renewable energy sources available today. The technology still has a long way to go, but the average homeowner can expect to save decent money with a few solar panels.

It won’t be enough to provide all your electricity needs, though someday it will be, but it is enough to make the small investment in solar panels worthwhile.

Small, home wind turbines are the same thing. They can produce about 60% of the electricity your home needs and that number is surely to go up as technology improves.

Another way to make these investments in alternative energy sources even more appealing is to build your own wind turbine. You can save thousands of dollars if you build it yourself, but you won’t lose any of the electricity generation capacities. Anyone can build their own turbine you don’t have to be an engineer and it will only cost about $200.

Take control today, save money on your utility bills and help out the environment at the same time. There are plenty of renewable resources available and I’ve just shown you two.…

The Need to Build Solar Panels at Home

The Need to Build Solar Panels at Home

A quick glance into our lives will definitely reveal the fact that we are heading towards a life which is filled with artificiality and we ignore or in short have totally started detesting the essence of nature and natural substances. The depletion of natural resources raises a very important question of what shall remain for our children and their children in another 30 years, wherein we are totally feasting and in turn have almost run out of most of the natural resources. In the wake of the artificiality that we are living now, people have woken up with the dream of going ‘greener’ wherein preference is awarded to preserve our nature. The concept of “how to build solar panels” is being extensively popularized wherein numerous e-books and websites have been started on the same lines to promote the creation of these unique devices right at our home.

The first misconception which should be changed about this device is that it is not an impossible task to make them and can be easily built at homes with the right materials and the right guidance. There are several trustworthy websites which provide the correct information for you to make your own solar panel. The primary thing which we need to have is an in-depth knowledge about the energy and capacity of solar energy which is the prime ingredient used for making the solar panel work.

The idea of having a solar panel at each house is to thereby reduce the usage of electricity and these devices have been able to achieve this target perfectly well wherein electricity usage has been reduced to as low as eighty percent. People need to definitely get well-versed with the knowledge of “how to build solar panels” so as to effectively create a very inexpensive model of the device in our homes.…

How to Harness Solar Energy

How to Harness Solar Energy

With all the challenges we’re facing in respect to global warming and the startling increase in pollution caused by greenhouse gases, solar energy and the methods used to harness it are becoming vitally important to our future and that of our planet.

Solar energy is supplied freely by the sun, which is a constant source of energy even on the cloudiest of days. The sun supplies six thousand times more energy daily than the entire human population of the earth uses annually.

That means that there’s a whole lot of solar energy going to waste. We’ll take a look at what we’re currently doing to harness that energy and things we might consider doing in the future to harness more of the solar energy now going to waste.

Photovoltaic Technology

Photovoltaic, or solar, panels are becoming more prevalent as more homes and businesses look to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and, consequently, the size of their utility bills by adopting this ever-evolving technology.

The “photovoltaic effect” was first discovered by Frenchman Edmund Becquerel, who found that sunlight striking silicon caused a small electrical charge to be generated.

This discovery was developed further and cells containing silicon were created and then wired together inside a glass and metal frame to produce solar panels. One or more solar panels are usually combined into what is known as an array to generate electricity for household or business use.

Photovoltaic, or PV, technology is becoming more efficient and sophisticated, and, with the introduction of thin film solar panels, the future of this type of technology looks extremely exciting and should result in solar panels becoming much more affordable.

Solar Thermal Energy

Solar thermal technology is not as commonplace as its photovoltaic cousin, but is nonetheless a vital piece in the solar energy puzzle. Solar thermal uses solar energy to heat either water or air, which is then transferred via collectors to its destination.

One common application for solar thermal is heating swimming pools, which use a system in which the pool water is recycled through the collectors and reheated.

Solar thermal is often used to provide heating for buildings, when air is usually the medium of choice. It is also used to provide air conditioning, which usually involves some type of storage device such as batteries.

Passive Solar

Passive solar is a technology that anyone can take advantage of by simply opening the drapes of southern facing windows (in the Northern Hemisphere; opposite for the Southern Hemisphere) to allow the sun to heat the room or building. That’s passive solar in its simplest form. Passive refers to the fact that no mechanical equipment is actively involved in converting the solar energy for its required purpose.

It’s becoming more widely integrated into the design and architecture of buildings, in which the solar energy is stored in a thermal mass for later use. A thermal mass can be made from a variety of materials, and is usually built into the walls and floors of the building.

Solar cooking is another example of passive solar, as are solar chimneys, which are used to enhance a building’s natural ventilation.

We are gradually getting better at harnessing solar energy for our everyday needs, and it’s a foregone conclusion that we’ll see solar infiltrating more and more of our daily needs and activities. Solar panels will continue to become more efficient and cheaper, and the home without solar panels, be it thin film or whatever new technology is developed in the future, will be more of an exception than the rule. The day of the solar car cannot be too far off.

Watch this space!…

Ways of Creating Awareness Through Solar Energy Information

Ways of Creating Awareness Through Solar Energy Information

Solar energy information gives us a lot of knowledge about how solar harness the free energy. The story dates back to thousands of years when the primitive man used in its passive form to dry food, clothing and to warm dwellings for millions of years. Over the years it has stood the test of time and the sun was and still is the most powerful source of energy on our planet. Learning to capture in a sophisticated manner began around 700 B.C. It was discovered that the sun’s rays directed through a piece of glass could start a fire if the rays of the sun fell on something flammable.

This energy derived from the sun through the form of solar radiation. It powered electrical generation relies on photo-voltaic and heat engines. Other applications include space heating and cooling through solar architecture, day-lighting, solar hot water, solar cooking and high temperature heating for industrial purposes. Solar energy information tells us that the energy technologies could be broadly classified as being passive solar energy and active solar energy technologies, depending on the way solar energy is captured, converted and distributed.

The techniques include the use of P.V panels and solar thermal collectors to harness the sun’s energy. The techniques include orienting a building towards the sun, selecting building materials with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties and designing spaces that naturally circulate air.

Solar power is the source of nearly all our energy. The famous song of the 1980s, “The sun always shines on T.V.”, could be slightly modified to “The sun always shines on P.V.” Photovoltaic solar panels have become the symbols of renewable energy and a greener earth in the future. Solar energy information throws up a lot of very interesting facts about this source of energy which are mentioned as follows:

• The earth receives 174 peta watts of solar energy at the upper atmosphere at any given time.

• Total solar energy available on earth is approximately 3850 Zetta-joules (ZJ) per year.

• This energy is measured in kilowatt-hour. 1 kilowatt=1000 watts.

• This energy is responsible for weather patterns and ocean currents.

• Solar industrialization was predicted by Leonardo Da Vinci in 1447.

Developing countries have an abundance of sunlight and since most of the population lives without electricity, there is the fastest growing market for harnessing the free energy in these countries.

This energy is affected by many factors, weather being one of them. There is less energy on a cloudy day. Other factors affecting the energy are the length of the day. No solar energy is produced at night. At the north and south Polar Regions, solar power loses its appeal because of the long periods without sunlight or weak sunlight. These drawbacks can somewhat be mitigated by the use of powerful battery technology. Knowledge of solar energy information would enable us to generate surplus energy when the sun is shining and save the extra for the time s when solar power is unavailable or insufficient. With so much of the world’s population living in sunny climates, it is the most effective and eco-friendly source of energy available.

Learn how to generate free energy …