The Pros And Cons Of Residential Solar Energy

Residential solar energy, although having great ecological as well as financial benefits, can also present some of the greatest hurdles as well.

Whereas large industrial solar arrays maintained by corporations with large budgets can easily seem cost effective on paper, outfitting a single family dwelling can present a rather large investment to a family wanting to lower their power bills and carbon footprint.

Another problem in some residential areas are the owners association and zoning rules regulating what sort of things can be visible on top of a roof. Likewise, there are the issues of the shape of a roof and the angle which the panels are required to be facing in order to gain maximum exposure.

Large industrial arrays can be faced in any direction when installed and can also follow the sun as it crosses the sky. Residential solar energy systems are far more limited. Usually they are stationary and limited to the size, shape and orientation of the house they are to be installed upon, as well as the sizes and types of kits which are offered to the general consumer.

Some of these kit systems are simply added on to the existing grid system. Many are advertised as a way to lower power bills and even sell electricity back to the power company during times of low demand at the solar site. It is not unfair to characterize many of these systems as scams which do little else than make money for the manufacturers, insulation companies and finance companies.

A truly useful solar system is going to involve the solar panels which collect the energy, batteries which store it, inverter which converts it, and the wiring and switching which distributes it. This is usually an expensive venture, with the most expensive parts being the panels and batteries.

These are all factors which should be carefully considered when looking into residential solar energy systems. In the end, a huge investment does not always equal a huge return. Before you make any decisions regarding solar energy, first read a few books, make sure it’s something you can actually live with and whether or not it will fit into the house you are living in. For some people, it’s worth designing an alternative style structure which makes a solar life far more functional. It just comes down to educating yourself and then deciding what you truly want.

Solar Panel Design Is Ever-Changing

A solar panel design has a specific set-up needed to make it work efficiently. The design has been refined over the years. Solar panels started out as very cumbersome pieces of technology. Today, these panels can be used in something as small as a calculator. When deciding on the placement of panels for home use. It’s helpful to know exactly what you need to get an entire solar energy system hooked up and running smoothly.

There are websites that offer a type of calculator for figuring the number of batteries and solar panels you will need to run your household. In case you aren’t always sitting at a computer, there is a tutorial on how to do the calculations manually for later on. Once the number of batteries and panels are decided upon, the proper wiring of the batteries and panels need to take place. Sites that focus on panel assembly will provide detailed information on how to set up the battery and panel system.

PV cells are the common type of cells used in solar panel design. Photovoltaic cells convert solar energy to electricity. These came about in 1954. There are also thin-film cells that are lower in cost and convert energy more efficiently.

Newer additions to the traditional method of panel assembly have recently been developed. Instead of the flat, bulky panels commonly used, smaller nano-towers are assembled into a tiny square. These work to catch tons of sunlight, sort of like blades of grass, only smaller. Even though these 3D panels are smaller, they produce over 60 times more than the older cells used in traditional solar panels.

Someday, this solar panel design will be able to be made affordable for the average consumer, instead of only for people who are able to shell out big bucks to better equip their home with solar powered appliances.

A Solar Powered House Isn't As Uncommon As It Used To Be

A solar powered house is something that many people are interested in trying, at least to some extent. Not everyone can afford to completely transform their home into one that is run on strictly solar energy. While solar panels have become more affordable, they are still expensive enough that it takes people many years to find the financial means to make the switch off the grid. Some even have the benefit of being able to earn money from the electric company, due to the excess amount of solar energy collected.

This extra energy can be sold back to the electric company. It’s exciting when the electric company is paying the home owner for electricity, instead of the other way around. Starting off with a combination of solar power and being hooked up on the grid is common. There are people who always have this combo effect going on, while others strive to convert their entire home to energy from the sun.

Countries that are trying to improve the environment have started creating entire communities that have homes which rely on this form of energy. These houses cost more than the average home, but the amount of money that is saved over the years is worth the initial high cost.

Not only will a solar powered house save money in the long run, but pollution won’t be created by these homes. Some newer homes rely completely on solar energy and others use solar for only a portion of the electrical requirements.

There is a misconception still had by many people about the location of a solar powered house. Many people still believe that only homes in desert or extremely sunny regions benefit from the use of the suns energy. With the use of batteries, solar panels work great on any home. The batteries allow for storage of extra solar energy to use at a later time when the sun isn’t present.

Home Solar Heating Is Environmentally Friendly

Home solar heating is not only an idea which is good for the environment by reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere but it is also a great way to reduce the everyday costs of living.

As the costs of energy increasingly go up, the cost of sunlight remains free. The costs of capturing and turning sunlight into useable energy are also slowly going down. If a person is willing to do their own fabrication and development of solar heating systems the prices can be reduced even more and faster. Even the prices, relative to cost of living increases, of store bought systems have slowly been coming down as the quality and capabilities have increased.

Although there is still plenty of room for improvement, solar energy systems have come a long way since first becoming available to the general public. Still, there are three basic ways to turn solar energy into heat for home solar heating. One method is by gathering it with properly facing windows and storing it in some sort of thermal mass such as concrete, stone, metal or water which then radiates it back out into the space within the glass or plastic the sunlight has passed through is one. Converting the light into electricity and then using it to run electric heaters is another.

A third way is storing a liquid such as water in black pipes exposed to the sun on the outside of a structure and then transferring that heated water within them to a place where the heat can radiate off inside the structure or even be used as heated water. Anyone who has left a hose full of water out on a hot day and then turned it on and felt the water inside the hose understands how hot it can get in even light colored hoses.

Ultimately, home solar heating, once installed, is close to a free energy source which affords savings in stress, costs and ecological impact.

HQRP 10A Solar Panel Power Battery Charge Controller / Regulator 12V / 24V 10 Amp 150W with PWM Type of Charging plus HQRP Mousepad

• HQRP® Solar Charge Controller plus HQRP® Mousepad;
• Regulation point:14.4 Volt; Low voltage disconnect:11.1 Volt;
• Low voltage Reconnect: 12.5 Volt; Self-consumption: 6mA maximum;
• Electronic protections; Terminals:for wire sizes to 2.5mm2;
• Type of Charging: series PWM. 200 days warranty!

Product Description
Products trademarked HQRP® are marketed and sold exclusively by Osprey-Talon. HQRP Solar Charge Controllers are high quality, efficient and reliable Solar Power Regulators. They are perfect for rural electrification system. They offer a lot of possibilities and benefits. Regulations point: 14.4 Volts; Low voltage Disconnect: 11.1V Volts; Low voltage Reconnect: 13.1 Volts; Microcontroller digital accuracy; Type of Charging: Series PWM & stat of charge(SOC); 4 Stages… More >>

HQRP 10A Solar Panel Power Battery Charge Controller / Regulator 12V / 24V 10 Amp 150W with PWM Type of Charging plus HQRP Mousepad

Solar Tower Energy

This is the future project in Australia. It will be ready in 2012.

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Solar Energy – The Future is Now

biobum.com Learn how to make your own renewable energy. Don’t pay the electricity company, make the electricity company pay you. Get started for under $200 visit biobum.com for more info 🙂 Blogging effectively using natural resources (sunlight & wind) The future of energy is Solar and Wind. Here is a short video of some solar energy farms around the world. Enjoy Solar Energy is energy from the Sun. This energy drives the climate and weather and supports virtually all life on Earth. Heat and light from the sun, along with solar-based resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available flow of renewable energy. Solar energy technologies harness the sun’s energy for practical ends. These technologies date from the time of the early Greeks, Native Americans and Chinese, who warmed their buildings by orienting them toward the sun. Modern solar technologies provide heating, lighting, electricity and even flight. Solar power is used synonymously with solar energy or more specifically to refer to the conversion of sunlight into electricity. This can be done either through the photovoltaic effect or by heating a transfer fluid to produce steam to run a generator. Solar photovoltaics provide 0.04% of the world’s energy usage. There are many technologies for harnessing solar energy. Applications span through the residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural and transportation sectors. Solar energy can be used to produce food …

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Sharp 216 watt solar panel module ND216U1F

Product Description
216 Watt ModuleMulti-purpose 216 watt module from the world trusted source for solarUsing breakthrough technology, made possible by nearly 50 years of proprietary research and development, Sharp ND-216U1F solar module incorporates an advanced surface texturing process to increase light absorption and improve efficiency.Common applications include commercial and residential grid-tied roof systems as well as ground mounted arrays.Designed to withstand rigorous operati… More >>

Sharp 216 watt solar panel module ND216U1F

Solar Energy Power

www.SolarEnergyDelivers.com learn how you can use solar energy power to zero out your energy bill, water your animals, and a host of other useful projects. Download a FREE e-book filled with tips on solar energy power when you visit our site.

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Sunforce 37015 60-Watt Solar Panel – Crystalline

• Solar panel is designed for RVs, homes, boats, back-up and remote power use, and more
• Built with high efficiency crystalline cells
• Weatherproof panel is easy to install
• Includes wiring, brackets and screws
• Maximum output of 60 watts and 4 amps

Product Description
The Sunforce 37015 60 Watt Crystalline Solar Panel is designed for RVs, homes, boats, back-up and remote power use, 12-volt battery charging, and solar power stations. Built with high efficiency crystalline cells, this weatherproof panel is easy to install and comes equipped with wiring, brackets and screws. And for more power, you can easily connect multiple panels. This panel has a maximum output of 60 watts and 4 amps…. More >>

Sunforce 37015 60-Watt Solar Panel – Crystalline

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