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Do it yourself solar! An other option to the astronomical costs of professional solar contractors.

By using the gratis energy that our sun is offering, we are able to considerably reduce our electricity bill and lessen the pollution of our planet. But a professional solar contractor could simply ask you more than $25.000 for the installation. DIY solar is an great alternative to the high quotes of solar systems installed by a qualified solar contractor. There are Do it yourself solar manuals in the market that show you in huge detail how to make these systems. And a major benefit of a Homemade Solar system is its Low Cost.

Due to the great need from the market for expertly build solar installations for residential houses, a specialized solar contractor can ask a large margin. Although you are able to submit an application for refunds, the installation prices by the corporation and the costs (though lessening) for the solar panels from well-known contractors such as Sharp of Sanyo itself, are extremely pricey.

In case of a residential solar installation, the standard house need a 3kW system, which is 3000W´s of solar panels. When build by a qualified solar installation company, a system like that will cost you typically $25.000-$27.000. To be eligible for the refunds, a solar contractor will recommend systems from the well-known brands like Sharp (high end), Mitsubishi (mid end) or Kyocera (low end), which are accepted by the Department of Energy. Costs of panels range from $450-$650 for 130W panels (which equals $3.50-$5 per watt). A panel needs a surface of 1 m2 and their mass is 15-20kilo (including the mounting brackets). For a 3kW system you as a result have to use slightly over 23 panels (25m2 of roof surface).

Numerous states in the US and other nations offer rebates that will repay you when you get solar from a qualified solar contractor. In California you be offered $2.60 for every watt that you buy, in Colorado you get $4.50 back and in New Jersey you get $4.50. That means that in Colorado you get about half of your money back and in California about a third of your money. So a typical customer is out of pocket about $15.000 to $20.000 to put a installation up on their roofs that will cut their electricity bill by possibly nearly 80%.

The bad information is that $15.000 is nonetheless a lot of money and it will take you about 8 years to pay back your original investment (assuming an yearly saving of 80% or $2000). The other option to professionally installed solar is to do it yourself. And it´s not as difficult as it sounds as nearby are fantastic Do it yourself solar guides available that show you in great detail how to install these solar systems. While you will not be able to apply for the state refunds, nor will you get the 20 years warranty that panel suppliers offer, however you will be able to receive a Solar power system up and running at a fraction of the costs (for as low as $200 you will be able to build yourself a solar installation) and get a payback of less than a year. So if you’re convinced that your energy bill will definitely carry on to rise, you might wish to get a closer look at Do it yourself solar manual and build yourself a DIY solar PV panel to provide electricity for your home.

Check our site for more info on Solar power and check our review for the best manuals for DIY solar.

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Solar hot water kits for gratis hot water: an lucrative choice to expensive specialized contractors

Making your own Homemade hot solar water system is a fantastic undertaking. But you probably won´t constantly have the time to start-up a new DIY project or every now and then you just desire to leave out the difficult stuff.

When you purchase a ´pre-build´ solar hot water kit, all parts are made ´ready for installation´. A very detailed manual that comes with the Solar water systems can help you connect the solar panels to your existing hot water boiler. And that will be far less time consuming than making the systems completely by yourself from scratch. I choose two pre-build Solar water systems. The one that is best for you mostly depends on whether you live in an area where temperatures fall under freezing frequently, or in an place where it hardly ever freezes.

For cool areas: The cold Climate Solar hot water kits

If your place is prone to freezing, then a cold climate “closed loop” installation is required. In these Hot solar water kits, a special non-toxic, freeze-resistant liquid is needed, in the place of water, to transfer the heat. This method protects your panels from burst tubes in winter or cold nights and offers greater durability and trouble-free operation. A closed-loop installation is as well suggested in areas where the water is hard, as it prevents scaling in the pipes. It´s on the market in a flush or rack mount.

Benefits cold Climate Hot solar water kits
• “Plug & Play” installation
• Has every one of the parts included (minus piping & storage boiler)
• Can often be mounted to existing hot water boiler
• Wholly protected from too much heat and freezing

The big benefit of the cool Climate Solar water systems is it´s effective procedure. As soon as there is adequate warmth to be drawn from the collectors, the controller automatically activates the pumps. Heated solar fluid is then circulated from the collectors, through the heat exchanger, where its warmth is moved to water in the storage reservoir. The solar liquid is then pumped back to the collectors to once again be reheated. This circulation circle is going to continue as long as there is warmth to be drawn from the collectors. During times when there is not a lot or no sun, a backup heating installation will be activated to give sufficient hot water.

For warm areas: Warm Climate Solar water systems

Warm Climate Solar water systems are an terrific choise for regions where freezing is not a main concern. In this open loop system, water circulates directly from the solar collector to the tank where the water is collected. The simplicity of the Warm Climate installation makes it really affordable (in comparison to specialized hot water solar suppliers), although you cut these prices when done totally DIY!

Advantages Warm Climate Solar hot water kits
• It´s simple procedure and Very few parts
• Can often be mounted to existing water boiler
• Inexpensive option
• Mild freeze-protection built-in to a low of 40° F

The big advantage of Warm Climate Solar hot water kits is their effective process. When there is plenty heat to be drawn from the collectors, the controller automatically turns on a pump, which is going to pull cold water from the storage tank through the collectors to be heated. When heated, the water is pumped back down into the storage tank for usage. This process will carry on as long as there is heat to be drawn from the collectors. In times when there is not much or no sun, the backup heating panels can be turned on to provide adequate warm water.

. If you wish to reduce costs the bare minimum and choose to go for a Homemade project, get yourself a Homemade hot water solar manual.

Check our site for more info on Solar hot water kits and check our review for the best manuals for hot water solar.

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Yes!!! A DIY Solar Panel does Lower Electricity Bill!!

I started making my first Home Solar Panel to save my energy bill when I saw that my energy costs where souring. In 2005 I spend $2,100 per year on my electric bill (a little over the $1,900 that the regular family spends a year on their electric bill). In 2007 this grew to $2700. Sounds familiar? This was going out of hand. Therefore I asked myself how I might Reduce Energy Costs? I requested a solar installation corporation to give me an offer for expertly installed solar panels.I was astounded when they gave me a price of over $26,000 for a simple solar installation on my house. Where solar installations only for those that already own the funds, I asked myself? .

I didn´t possess the funds for a specialized contractor to make solar installations and the payback time was far too long. Even if I would have been given the federal support (of up to 50% for taking a PV system in your home in the form of tax credits and rebates, reduced permit fees, or cash back systems, which depends on the state in which you live) it was still much too expensive for my household earnings. I started looking on the internet if there were alternatives or second-hand panels to be found.

I saw information concerning a Homemade Solar panel and I even found some DIY manuals available to help you through step-by-step instructions to build them. The manuals turned out to be extremely useful. I´m Okay on the mechanical stuff, however I feel a little less comfortable with the electrical part of a DIY Solar Panel installation. And that is where I really benefited from the orders in the manual. I purchased a guide and when I built my own Home Made Solar Panel, I was surprised about the outcome.

- It lessened my ever increasing power bill. Energy bussiness rates have been progressively increasing by nearly 6.7% every year, and a 30% jump within the previous three years solely. After having my homemade solar panel installation, I saved nearly 80% on my energy bill (in average over the year).

- Low system Costs. It couldn´t have been a better investment. I managed to keep the costs for the materials at around the $200 and paid $49 for the manual itself. I thus achieved a payback of less than a year. This is a earning on your investment bigger than any bond or stock that you can discover in the market today.

- Value of Information. The guide that I used was providing self explanatory. Fantastic images and videos made building a Home Made Solar Panel a rather easy task (and I´m not a DIY savvy) and a great enjoyable DIY project.

- Green Solution: I´m contributing to the energy challenges our earth is facing.

After I saw the helpful effect that a Home Solar Panel installation has on my electric bill, I was interested to know if there would be other guides out there that could tell me how to adjust the efficiency of the installation even more (you ought to understand that solar panels have a somewhat low efficiency in transferring the solar heat into electricity; the energy transfer of solar heat into hot water is more effective). So currently I have my own DIY Solar Panel and I never regretted it!

Find Out More on Lower Electricity Bill and Check Our Review on the Best Manuals For a Home Made Solar Panel System.

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Warm water. We all need it and love it. Nothing is better than getting yourself a hot bath of shower. But it comes at a price. Heating water for washing, bathing and running our washing machine and dishwasher stands for nearly 15-30% of your energy expense, depending on the region you live.

Heating up your water with the sun´s gratis energy get´s you great benefits.

DECREASE YOUR ENERGY BILL.
On average, Solar Water Systems are able to decrease your household´s water heating bill by 50-90% saving you around $100 and $400 per year (depending on how much warm water you use and your fuel type and prices). This is the great advantage of the sun as a gratis energy source. Furthermore, your are protected from possible fuel shortages and consequential electricity cost increases.

SAVE THEECOSYSTEM.
Hot Water Solar Systems work on the free and natural source of power of the sun. Having solar energy to heat water will be able to for that reason greatly decrease your families carbon footprint, because it creates no greenhouse gas emissions.

Hot Water Solar Systems are the best investment you can make for your house.

While Solar PV for making energy catch every part of the interest currently, actually Solar hot water system are a great deal more efficient in transforming the sun´s energy into it’s actual usage. Solar hot water systems produce electricity at 1/3 the price of Solar Electric (PV) and Solar hot water systems are the least expensive method to heat water by a wide margin! With the use of the generous 30% and other State and Utility incentives that will be in service from 2006 until the end of 2016 (the earlier tax credit cap of $2.000 is of the table), this is the moment for you to get your share of FREE solar electricity!

There are several choices how to get yourself Solar hot water systems.

3. Solar hot water system installed by a qualified solar hot water system contractor

PROS:
- A expert takes care of it. You get a warranty.
- You are able to apply for the 30% tax credits
CONS:
- In spite of the tax credits, expect incredibly high out-of-pocket costs about $8.000 – $18.000 for a standard indirect Solar Hot Water System for 2-4 household members. Bearing in mind a yearly cutback of $400 on your power bills, the payback will be extremely long!!!

2.´Pre-build´ Solar hot water systems kits.

PROS:
- Far less expensive ($2.000 – $10.000), but including warranty.
- You are able to apply for the 30% tax credits
CONS:
- You have to connect the pre-build solar system to your existing hot water boiler yourself. looks difficult, but it isn´t. A exceptionally detailed guide that goes together with the Solar hot water systems kits will help you accomplish that. It will be a simple task in comparison to building the installation entirely by yourself from scratch.

1. DIY Solar Water Heater systems.

PROS:
- The cheapest solution ($200 – $1500)
- Simplicity: Making these panels is not complicated. You don’t have to be a DIY black-belt to build one yourself. Something you do require, is a great manual that clarify for you step-by-step what to do.
CONS:
- Tax credit won´t be relevant (however with this price you will not want them)

If you are looking for an economical solution and for a small upfront investment with a great payback, get yourself a DIY Solar Water Heater System.

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I´ll show you shortly How Solar Energy Works so you see how the panels are connected to batteries, inverters and other important gear.

Solar cells, also called photovoltaic (PV) cells, allow you to work with the sun’s power to generate electricity with no noise, greenhouse gasses, fragile structures or fossil fuels. That permits you to dramatically decrease your carbon footprint and protect yourselves from annual utility rate increases.

BATTERIES

Solar PV installations goes in two ways: including battery and direct. In the case of battery systems the sun charges the battery on clear days (it´s not the direct warmth of the sun that makes a PV system efficient, it´s the intensity of the solar radiation. Normal battery systems for country homes and off-grid installations make somewhat less power (18 kilowatt hours) than the normal home power usage (20 to 30 kilowatt hours). Battery installations are however not merely fitting for off-grid solar power installations, they as well function as storage in regular grid connected houses for when the sun doesn´t shine.

To see How Solar Energy Works, you must know that it is not possible to merely push your solar installation into your homes’ wiring as the voltage output generated by your solar installation change wildly due to instable solar intensity during the day. This would blow away your house equipment since it´s very vulnerable to electricity changes. You ought to have specific gear such as batteries, inverters and transfer switches. Batteries work both as storage and as a barrier to absorb the fluctuating electricity output of the panels and shield the inverter.

In an urban area you are connected to the electricity grid (direct system) and a battery is not considered necessary (though can come in useful in case of electricity lacks for example). You will be able to use the electricity generated by the sun to power your dishwasher through the grid connection.

A battery is needed to store the power that the solar panel generates when the sun is shining and to make that energy available to your electrical devices at your house when it´s asked for (that is during nighttime and when the sun doesn´t shine). When you are not capable to give the produced electricity to the grid (which is the case for diy solar installations due to the technical requirements of your utility company), you have to use a battery-bank. That is exactly the way how solar works.

Though a PV panel provides energy when the sun is shining, there are other things next to the batteries, needed to conduct, control, convert and distribute the generated energy.

Which of these things you would need, depends on how you would work with your DIY Solar Panel. You would however certainly need an inverter that converts your stored Direct Current (DC) electricity from your batteries to alternating current (AC) that your electrical devises at home need.

INVERTERS

A bank of batteries can generally give you 12volts, 24volts, or 36volts, whilst grid electricity is normally at 240volts. The inverter changes the 24volts into 240volts needed for the house electric equipment. A ‘true sine wave’ inverter carries a harmonious stream of energy to your devices, just similar to the stream which comes from the grid. Matching the flow like it comes from the grid shields your sensitive appliances like your PC´s, a fridge or appliances that need a dimmer, or a speed control. This you need to be aware of to realize How a Solar Panel Works.

Now you understand How Solar Energy Works, are you ready to decide to decrease your electricity bill and that you will not have to pay the constantly increasing electricity rates, than you can go to the local solar contractor or build the system by yourself.

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The Future of Solar PV (Photovoltaic) Energy
1. The Problem
2. The Solution
3. The Results
4. The Benefits
5. An Investment in the Future

1. The Problem:

Traditional sources of electrical power generation are running out as production will peak in the next decade but demand will continue to rise. Energy prices will continue to rise at a higher rate as well as the number of outages during peak hours. There is the obvious problem of the pollution we are causing to our environment.

From my perspective, the world’s energy needs vary greatly; there is no clear single solution to the problem of supplying the world’s energy.

All forms of energy production have issues associated with them, i. e. -

1. Coal – Pollution/Strip Mining
2. Natural Gas – Cost and Lack of Infrastructure
3. Hydro – Limited Availability/Environmental Concerns
4. Wind – Limited Site and Resource Availability
5. Solar PV – Higher Cost
6. Nuclear – Waste disposal

2. The Solution:

Solar PV (Photovoltaic) systems effectively deliver three to five hours of peak power per day at roughly 10 Watts per square foot. Not one square inch of new land would be required to site PV. Theoretically, there are adequate residential, commercial, Government rooftops, and parking structures in California to power a substantial percentage of our State’s electrical needs from solar.

In Southern California, solar produces a net energy gain in approximately three years. This means that within three years, PV systems begin producing more energy than the energy spent in producing the system and its raw materials. Best of all, the energy produced cost zero emissions.
At today’s prices, a typical solar system costs approximately $8.00/watt, installed and has an operating life in excess of 25 years. For all intents and purposes, maintenance and operating costs are minimal. Now there are systems available for rent. Companies such as Citizenre at www.jointhesolution.com/rethink-solar allow you to create solar power of a unit that is installed, maintained and monitored by them. You merely pay the monthly rental fee for you clean electricity which is the same price as you pay the electric company for you electricity. Also they allow you to lock in a rate now for up to 25 years so you are paying the same price throughout the entire contract.
3. The Results:

Solar energy increases the diversity of power and adds stability to a fossil fuel favored energy structure, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
4. The Benefits:
– Solar can be quickly deployed at the point of use, reducing the need for additional transmission and distribution infrastructure, and cost thereof.

– Solar operates most efficiently at mid day, when grid demand is at its peak. By decreasing the strain during peak hours, the longevity of existing power plants and infrastructure is extended, lowering further the cost of energy production.

– By deploying solar over time the cumulative effect of the installed base is impressive. Given its 25-year life, within 10 to 20 years, a respectable portion of California’s energy could be supplied by solar.

– Once installed, the cost is fixed. In comparison to traditional sources of energy, the fuel cost is nonexistent, and operational costs are limited. A solar system’s cost is amortized over its life, there are no rate hikes due to fuel or operating cost increases.
5. An Investment in the Future:

There are some negatives. Presently, solar costs more than traditional energy generation. Its efficient use is limited to daylight hours unless storage is employed. Admittedly, the solar industry today is not large enough to address all of our needs. The solar industry does not have the financial influence to compete with existing utilities, which typically oppose PV, within political circles. (Industry revenues globally represent only 3.0B/year). Globally, the industry has experienced an annual growth rate in excess of 18% in over a decade. This rate of growth is equivalent to that of semiconductor, telecommunications and computer industries.

Clearly, there is no easy solution to California’s energy problem. No doubt, a variety of technologies and tools are needed to ensure California’s energy independence and security.
The Solar Industry Needs Your Support
For those interested in promoting a clean, safe and environmentally friendly source of energy, I urge you to write your representatives in the State and Federal Government. Make it clear you vote for representatives who support current legislation aimed at advancing the deployment of solar energy, such as the net metering law which allows the solar producer to feed surplus power onto the grid, causing the meter to spin backward, lowering the electric bill. Tax credits and deployment subsidies provide the revenues necessary to support research and development of more efficient solar systems.

Remember, in the 1970′s the State of California enacted emission standards that surpassed the rest of the nation. The argument against these standards was the cost of such improvements. Almost 30 years later, the impact is in the air and reflected in the increased fuel economy of the vehicles we drive.

Solar energy is part of the solution and is a key to America’s long-term energy supply. After all, fossil fuels have a long history of issues with respect to stability of supply and cost.
The Outlook of Solar Power is Bright!
1. Solar will sustain its torrid growth, as costs continue to fall. The solar market has grown at ~40% per annum in recent years, and there are many reasons to think that it will sustain, if not exceed, that clip in 2008. Solar panel prices have followed a predictable experience curve since the 1970’s, with prices dropping by 20% with each doubling of manufacturing capacity. As the silicon-dominated industry moves to thinner and higher-efficiency wafers, increases manufacturing scale, improves wafer and cell processing technologies, sees polysilicon prices return to rational levels, and migrates production to lower-cost countries –- costs will continue to drive towards parity with grid rates, and solar will become increasingly more attractive. Companies have developed creative PPA (power-purchase agreement) financing models to reduce or eliminate upfront installation costs, which will make solar more accessible for a wider range of corporate and residential customers. The election year should also see more state subsidy support for solar and a renewal of the federal tax credit, which will further bolster growth.
2. Emerging startups that benefit from the polysilicon supply shortage will face increased pressure, as the poly-Si crunch begins to ease. Solar veterans can debate the timing endlessly, but many expect additional poly-Si supply to come online by late 2008. Startups that tout silicon-independent solar solutions, like concentrators and thin film (CIGS, a-Si, CdTe, etc.), will face pressure to come to market more quickly, as their cost/supply advantages erode with greater availability of poly-Si and a retreat from spot-pricing. E.g., none of the CIGS thin-film startups, which have collectively received hundreds of millions in investment in recent years, managed to reach mass commercialization this past year as many had projected. They will continue to be under pressure to reach market before the window of opportunity closes.
3. Entrepreneurs will increasingly look beyond cell and module production. As the technology-heavy areas of cell and module production get crowded, more and more entrepreneurs look to startup opportunities in the downstream balance-of-systems part of the value chain. This area has seen less attention to date, yet makes up ~50% of the total installed cost. Novel packaging techniques, distributed inverter / MPP tracking / power management technologies, systems monitoring solutions, streamlining of the installation process, and creative solar financing models — entrepreneurs increasingly recognize the ripe opportunity in this part of the solar business, and 2008 should see heightened startup activity in this area.
4. China and India will begin to emerge as strong domestic markets for solar. With a 500 MW coal-fired plant going up in China every week, the growth of greenhouse gas emissions has reached dizzying levels. China already “boasts” 16 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world, with hundreds of thousands a year dying prematurely from such pollution. Many experts expect that the government will spend tens of billions of dollars in the next 5-10 years –- a significant portion going to solar -– to reach the mandate of 15% from renewables by 2020. In India, where the energy shortfall has reached 15% and domestic coal reserves will run out in ~50 years, the government is actively pursuing incentive policies and feed-in tariffs to help drive the use of solar and other renewables. 2008 should see further policy refinement in both countries, which will spur increased domestic adoption of solar.

Few people doubt solar energy’s potential, but many wonder when it will be reached. “In the long term, solar may well play an important role,” Karg says. “I personally expect a contribution of 10 to 20% of the global electricity production, mainly in the form of grid-connected systems.” However, he does not foresee that happening within the next 20 years.
Nevada Solar One
The sun sits high over the Nevada desert in the Eldorado Valley, gleaming off the upside down rows of mirrored parabolic trough collectors at the Nevada Solar One power plant.
At 64 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity, Nevada Solar One is the largest CSP plant to be built in 15 years. While the plant won’t come online until April, its construction marks the revival of an industry that has seen almost no market growth in over a decade.

The plant was developed by Acciona Energy and Solargenix Energy — two companies that have worked hard behind the scenes to get the CSP industry up and running again.

The plant uses parabolic trough collectors to generate electricity. The mirrored troughs face the sky and direct sunlight to a large metal and glass receiver in the middle of the trough that holds circulating oil. The oil travels to heat exchangers, which heat water and create steam to run a turbine. Parabolic troughs are one of three commercialized CSP technologies.

Further down the row of parabolic troughs, Plant Manager Bob Cable admires the impressive devices before him.

“I’ve been working with this technology for the last decade,” Cable says. “I’ve seen some impressive gains in technological advancement, and now we’re seeing more broad acceptance of the technology as the market becomes more attractive.”

Indeed, after roughly a decade of little growth for the industry, CSP is coming back strong. And it’s not just parabolic trough collectors that are experiencing a boom. Power towers, which use heliostats to focus solar energy on a central receiver to produce steam, and dish systems, which use reflectors to power a generator at the dish’s focus point, are making great strides in technological capabilities, lower costs and market acceptance.

But according to Thomas Rueckert, Program Manager for CSP Management at the U.S. Department of Energy, parabolic troughs are the most advanced.

“Because of the track record [the parabolic trough industry] had in southern California with the 354 megawatts (MW) operating — and actually improving in performance — I think you’re seeing the financial institutions more willing to embrace trough technology because it’s proven and the risks are less,” said Rueckert.

Rueckert was referring to the 354 MW of parabolic trough collectors installed in California’s Mojave Desert between 1984 and 1990. Those plants are still operating today, currently producing energy at around $0.12-$0.14/ per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and proving the technology can provide clean, reliable energy to the grid.

The Nevada Solar One plant will produce electricity at around $0.15-$0.17/kWh. While those costs are double what area residents pay for electricity, Nevada Solar One will sell energy to two utilities through a power purchase agreement (PPA). The PPA will ensure a fixed cost for the electricity over a long period, making the solar power economical down the line.

Now that global investment in CSP is increasing, technology costs are decreasing and renewable portfolio standards (RPS) in the U.S. are requiring more solar generation, project costs for all CSP technologies should come down significantly in the coming years, said DOE’s Rueckert.

“All of those things have really opened the door,” he said. “And it’s interesting that all three technologies are pushing forward, which was kind of unexpected.”

Back at Nevada Solar One, Acciona Solar’s Cohen stands before the group of reporters and members of the solar industry who have come to witness the rebirth of CSP.

“The potential is huge. It was difficult to get the attention of the financial institutions in the U.S., but right now we have their attention. We get a lot of people asking us, ‘how can we develop this technology?’”

Dr. Alex Marker, Research Fellow for Schott North America, Inc., stands to the side of Cohen, nodding his head. Schott is certainly feeling the positive impact of increased CSP development. To meet the demand for its glass receivers, the company brought a new receiver manufacturing facility online in Germany last summer and is developing another facility in Spain that will come online in early 2008.

“I think [the market] is going to grow drastically,” says Marker, looking over at the receivers in the troughs. “We’re happy to be a part of this new development.”

Now that financial institutions are noticing CSP, companies like Acciona and Solargenix will be able to tap into the vast resource potential in the Southwestern U.S.

According to figures from DOE’s Solar Lab, 20,000 MW of CSP capacity could come online in the U.S. by 2020 with the proper investment and technological capabilities. Rueckert seemed optimistic that a large amount of those resources will be tapped.

“When this plant comes online next month, it’s going to be a great success,” he said. “The market is exploding and things are really taking off.”

Indeed, a solar panel for your home, whether brand new, second hand or rented, is definitely a wise choice as it helps you in minimizing your electric bills, helps the worlds growing energy needs and is especially an environmentally healthy and helpful choice.

If you’re interested in getting more info on a free solar panel installation check out www.jointhesolution.com/rethink-solar

Also if your interested in joining the solution and becoming a Citizenre sales associate check out www.powur.net/rethink-solar

Learn how to create electricity and save your bills!! Read on how you can make your very own solar panels at your own home! small solar panels small solar panels

With the recent rise in energy costs many people have been looking to alternative sources of energy. One of the greatest energy sources (our sun) is readily available for the taking. We just need to be able to harness it’s power. For those interested, below is a brief history of how solar power came to be.

The history of photovoltaic energy (aka. solar cells) started way back in 1876. William Grylls Adams along with a student of his, Richard Day, discovered that when selenium was exposed to light, it produced electricity. An electricity expert, Werner von Siemens, stated that the discovery was “scientifically of the most far-reaching importance”. The selenium cells were not efficient, but it was proved that light, without heat or moving parts, could be converted into electricity.

In 1953, Calvin Fuller, Gerald Pearson, and Daryl Chapin, discovered the silicon solar cell. This cell actually produced enough electricity and was efficient enough to run small electrical devices. The New York Times stated that this discovery was “the beginning of a new era, leading eventually to the realization of harnessing the almost limitless energy of the sun for the uses of civilization.”

The year is 1956, and the first solar cells are available commercially. The cost however is far from the reach of everyday people. At $300 for a 1 watt solar cell, the expense was far beyond anyone’s means. 1956 started showing us the first solar cells used in toys and radios. These novelty items were the first item to have solar cells available to consumers.

.In the late 1950′s and early 1960′s satellites in the USA’s and Soviet’s space program were powered by solar cells and in the late 1960′s solar power was basically the standard for powering space bound satellites.

In the early 1970′s a way to lower to cost of solar cells was discovered. This brought the price down from $100 per watt to around $20 per watt. This research was spearheaded by Exxon. Most off-shore oil rigs used the solar cells to power the waning lights on the top of the rigs.

The period from the 1970′s to the 1990′s saw quite a change in the usage of solar cells. They began showing up on railroad crossings, in remote places to power homes, Australia used solar cells in their microwave towers to expand their telecommunication capabilities. Even desert regions saw solar power bring water to the soil where line fed power was not an option!

Today we see solar cells in a wide variety of places. You may see solar powered cars. There is even a solar powered aircraft that has flown higher than any other aircraft with the exception of the Blackbird. With the cost of solar cells well within everyone’s budget, solar power has never looked so tempting.

Recently new technology has given us screen printed solar cells, and a solar fabric that can be used to side a house, even solar shingles that install on our roofs. International markets have opened up and solar panel manufacturers are now playing a key role in the solar power industry.

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Many a person, myself included, has gone on and on about the benefits of solar energy. While theoretical arguments are always interesting, what about daily applications?

Uses for Solar In Every Day Life

Solar energy is an important advance in the effort to save the environment. Perhaps the most easily usable and most convenient of the renewable energy sources (which also include wind and water), solar energy has been used since the beginning of time as a heating source. In the 1830′s one of the other solar energy platforms was developed, as a solar energy cooker was used on a safari. Since then, many other solar energy applications have been formulated, and almost everyone can take advantage of one of these.

One of the most common of the solar energy application is to use it as a power source. Since the 1970′s, many people have been putting solar collectors on their roofs and using the resulting collected power to run their households. While having enough solar collectors to obtain power that will run an entire house may not be common, it is becoming more so. Most of these types of solar powered homes run their appliances and other needs directly off the solar collectors’ power during the day, and use power that was stored from the solar cells in batteries at night. In this way, the homeowner can avoid ever having to use power that was generated by a non-renewable resource.

Another of the common solar energy applications is to use solar power to heat your hot water. These systems can either use passive solar energy (in the case of heating a tank of water by leaving it out in the sun) or by using solar collectors with a heat transfer fluid. These systems require the homeowner to install solar panels, behind which run tubes filled with fluid. These tubes collect the heat from the sun and transfer it into the fluid – these tubes, filled with the heated fluid, then run around a water storage system, and the heat from the fluid is transferred into the water. Another way is to have water running through the tubing and have it obtain the sun’s heat directly – this heated water is then pumped into swimming pools, so that pool owners don’t need to run a pool heater to keep their water warm.

In the last 10 to 15 years, solar manufacturers have started to develop new, creative applications for solar power. One development is the portable solar panel, a popular product used on RVs by vacationers. On a smaller scale, there are solar panel packs that fold out like a small ledger and are used to power up anything from laptops to cell phones. As time passes, new products along this line are expected to continue to come on the market.

It doesn’t matter which of the solar energy applications you choose to implement in your own home or life – even a small change to solar power over traditional power sources can help the environment. The more we can use solar energy, the less dependent we become on non-renewable resources, and the more we help the Earth.

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Wind turbines are used for several reasons but the main reason is to generate energy from the wind. This may sound difficult but it is possible. You experience energy from the wind whenever someone runs past you quickly. A second after they pass you can feel the wind from them going by. This wind that you feel if produced in a great amount can be converted into energy. You may have seen the tall turbines standing in the fields when you drive by. There is the older classic model windmill that helped to crush grain when the windmill blades would turn, it would turn a mechanism inside which was attached to a device that would crush grain for flour. There are several different locations that are perfect for the wind power and depending on where they are as to how much energy they produce.

OffShore Turbines can be placed offshore in order to produce energy from wind in the air and from the water. They don’t bother the view as much when they are out on the water and the noise that they make cannot be heard on land. The average wind speed is higher on the water because the water has less surface roughness and can use every part of energy from the wind. There are several different locations today that you might see wind turbines offshore and there are more building in the future. The one main complaint with people and turbines is the noise they make. It is constant and annoying to some. The other complaint is that they are tall and not pleasant to look at.

While all of these are true the main reason for wind turbines is to find an alternative to using fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources to produce our power. When a tower is built offshore it may cost more money in the long run because the towers need to be higher so there will be no restrictions. Turbines access power through undersea cable which may use high voltage direct current. The sea salt may also cut down on the length of time these turbines stay in shape.

Near Shore These turbines can be seen but not heard. They are on water so they can produce enough energy compared to being totally on the land. Because the sea shore lines are considered to be very windy due to the tides coming in and the wind on the water, it becomes the perfect location for a turbine. There are issues and concerns with how wildlife is using these towers and zones for their nesting and habitats. There is another concern that the shoreline wind farms are not in the best interests of those who wish to come to the shore line to visit. It becomes a sight to see and hear the generation of power through these wind mills. The size of the towers can be minimal but this causes controversy as well because the smaller the tower the lesser amount of energy to produce.

Off shore and near shore are the choices we have. There are advantages and disadvantages to each one. We have to weigh the results with the problems to see which way may be best for everyone.

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We have become accustomed to turning a dial or pushing a button in order to have heat. These ways are nice but they may be inconvenient as well. Heating homes, schools or businesses with solar energy is not only easy but cost effective as well. There are several ways that we can capture the sun’s heat even in winter times. In order to capture the sun’s heat you need a solar source. This source can be something that will attract the sun rays but trap the heat from it when it enters the source. A good example is a sunroom.

These rooms are attached to a home or a building and are constructed of glass panels from the floor to the ceiling. It is usually facing the morning sun in order to get the full affect of the heat. When the sun shines into the room the glass allows the sunrays heat the furniture and everything in the room. These areas become the source that holds the heat in so that it will not escape back out of the glass. This type of heating is natural and can be very efficient if it is constructed correctly.

Other forms of solar power heat are:

Thermal mass that absorbs and holds in the heat. It traps and holds heat while the sun is shining and disperses the heat when the sun goes down.

Trombe Wall is a natural solar heating and ventilation system that uses air channels to hold the heat between a glass object and a thermal mass that is facing the sun. The sunlight gets trapped and stored inside this wall and is then circulated though vents and the top and the bottom of the wall. The wall radiates the heat.

Transpired collector is also a wall that is used facing the sun. The wall absorbs the sunlight and heats the air when it enters into the ventilation system.

Solar Cooling is a great way to ventilate a building. It absorbs the solar heat and cools it making ice with a solar powered steam engine that is attached to a cooling device.

Solar Chimney is also a solar ventilation system. It is made of a thermal mass that is hollow inside. The chimney will warm the air inside the chimney and causing the heat to rise. The rise allows the air to circulate and vent properly.

There are several ways that we can provide heating and cooling to our homes, businesses, buildings or other structures that need to be heated. The ways listed above are by using all natural material that will pay off in the long run when you have heat using the sun and not an artificial heating source that may be produced by non-renewable resources. We all need heat no matter what. We need to find out what ways we can save the heat from the day to keep our house warm at night. Not only does it work for heating but also cooling as well.

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