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How To Use Solar Power At Home

by: sahil | last updated: August 26, 2009
Category: Green Savings | Tags: Solar power.

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How To Use Solar Power At Home

As world population explodes and resources dwindle, it has become important to find and use other sources of energy. There are many alternative energy sources; however solar power is favored by many because it is a renewable and cheap power source.

Solar panels. The first requirement for harnessing solar energy is solar panels. The basic technology used in solar panels is the photovoltaic panel’s technology. These are electricity generating panels and are more common and popular. There are many DIY panels available in the market that are cheaper compared to industrially assembled ones. These are usually accompanied by guides on how to assemble them.

How they work. Energy absorbed from the solar panels is stored in a battery for use at a later time. The only drawback of solar panels is that they become temporarily redundant in regions where sunlight is not in abundance. People living away from the equator can enjoy the benefits of solar energy only during summers.

Solar shingles. Solar shingles also known as PV shingles convert the heat from the sun to electricity. These come in two types; the solid ones and the semi-rigid models. The semi-rigid models use silicon cells in order to convert the heat into electricity. Other types of shingles include crystalline shingles that are used for commercial purposes and have an output of 50 watts.

Saving on solar panels. Some builders offer to make built in solar panels or solar shingles which will cut the price of the solar panel as well as construction. If buying a new home, then it is recommended that you install at least basic solar panels. However, shingles are more aesthetic and compact compared to traditional panels albeit costlier.

Back-up battery system. Backup battery systems are those which can provide electricity for about eight hours. These are the most famous and popular systems available; however these are costlier compared to those that are directly hooked to the utility power grid. You can save money by connecting the solar panels to a direct grid rather than using them only as a back-up.

Adavantages. There are many advantages of using solar power at home and one of them is cutting costs. In the initial stages of the inception of solar panels they were considered to be contraptions that were for hippies and environmentalists. However, many people have discovered that they can be used for many purposes and save money. A solar cooker is one such invention that can cut costs of cooking by half.

Solar heaters. Solar heaters are of two types; Active solar heaters and passive solar heaters. Active solar heaters accumulate the energy harnessed by sunlight and use mechanical devices such as fans or pumps. On the other hand, passive solar heaters are those that do not require any mechanical devices to distribute solar energy. For the passive type of solar power to be effective, a specific design of home is required.

Tax benefits. Many governments and jurisdictions provide a discount in the form of tax relief to people who use solar power for their homes. The rebates may vary according to country or region but solar power is here to stay and more governments are likely to implement this policy as technological advances are made.

References: wisegeek.com, wikipedia.org.