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Solar energy for home houses is nothing new. It has just been relegated to the background in lieu of skyrocketing cost of real estate ; more moderen more complicated building materials, design and the limitation of resources.

Since man started building homes, sunlight played a major influence in the design. In fact, even in the more sophisticated urban planning methodology of the Ancient Chinese and Greeks, the orientation of the buildings is as much as humanly possible steered towards where it could capture the most daylight.

The ancients would possibly not be as intellectually complex then to use slogans as passive solar and thermal mass but when they build, they were building in compact proportion, employing overhangs, manufacturing insulations and building in manners that direct the airflow within the structure and manufacturing well lit, well ventilated spaces using the relative position of the sun to the orientation of their structures.

Recently, as the typical sources of energy became more expensive, householders were once again turning to the sun for energy wants.

Since the 1950′s, harnessing the sun’s rays has been developing and today the solar cell technology has achieved awfully efficient levels that modern ( supposed green house ) designs apply the sun’s power to provide energy for the home.

While solar energy is free, the device which will convert it to run our appliances isn’t. To provide solar energy for the home, solar cells called photovoltaic made from semi-conducting materials, are grouped into modules. These solar panels are mounted on rooftops, yards or open spaces where it can capture the maximum amount of sunlight.

Whenever possible, the panels will be installed facing south to get the most out of the daylight but tracking systems are also used to follow the direction of the sun. The solar panels collect the energy from the sunlight. The method basically is that when the panels are exposed to daylight, the electrons are separated form the atoms. This movement of the electrons creates electricity.

To store power, pumps are sometimes used – circulating water in the cells. The water goes into a storage tank where the power is stored, ready for use. Sometimes, the use of gravity is employed if it will just the same store the heated water in to the tank.

In spite of all the development in solar energy though, the use of this technology is not enough to provide power to the entire house. The best method so far can only meet about 80% of a households power wishes. The employment of solar energy for the home will still need the utilization of the typical power distribution technique.

Powering the houses by solar means will still, for a bit be enlarged by a local power distribution agency. To several, this is a good starting point. Homeowners that feel that the high cost of powering their houses through solar power, is justified when compared to the price that is now being paid for typical electrification technique where horrible amounts of CO2 are getting dropped into the atmosphere just to generate a pathetic amount of electricity.

However, due in part to the rising costs of energy, the technology for solar energy has been undergoing rapid phases of development. Gurus are assured that within five years, powering the home through the solar system will be made widely available for people that like it as its sole energy source.