Posts from — October 2008

Now that the economy is shaky to say the least, and energy prizes are more unpredictable than ever, wouldn't it be great if you had some way to drastically reduce your electricity bill?

Maybe you don't realize it, but there are a few different ways you could achieve that goal. Today I will be talking about one of my favorites because of its ease and efficiency: DIY solar power. If you can harness the free and infinite power of sunlight, you can immensely reduce your cost of living, or even earn money!

Solar power can be used in an almost infinite number of ways, in and around your home or your company. A great thing about solar power systems is that they are very diverse. Let me give you just a few examples of things you could use DIY Solar Power for, instead of the expensive, non-renewable electricity that you are using right now.

- Hot water - radiant floor heating.

- A big energy saver: Washing your car (or your motorcycle) with solar powered warm water.

- Warm water and lighting for inexpensive luxury in your cabin, cottage or second home.

- It's possible to apply passive solar air heating, a big saver as well.

- Garden/landscape/path/home lighting.

- Partially covering electricity needs for your home, or even completely so.

- Industrial and/or commercial water heating and hot water appliance.

- Domestic hot water heating.

- Pool heating (indoor/outdoor).

- Street/parking lot lighting.

- Power for the construction site (tools, computers, communications equipment).

- Warming the water in your hot tub, or maybe even your spa.

- On-The-Go use: If you are out and about a lot, you can charge your phone, laptop or other electronics with a portable solar power device.

- Of course warming up shower water uses a lot of energy. If you do it the "solar way" you can cheaply heat shower water for hotels or apartments.

- Powering your security system and/or the lighting for your motion sensor equipment.

So clearly there is an abundance of potential usage of solar power systems. But how would you get your hands on one?

Of course you could go and buy yourself a solar power system, they start at around $3000. But you can just as easy (and way cheaper) build a solar power system yourself!

If you would like to get one, but you don't have a clue where to start, there are a few manuals out there that explain how you can build a solar power system. I think the one at DIYSolarPower.Net is one of the best, since it's very detailed and therefore basically "idiot-proof".

Apart from that, the course covers many topics on DIY home energy solutions and green electricity issues. For instance you will also learn how to build a wind power generator, and how to make batteries that you can use to store your electricity in.

Besides the soaring cost of the fuel itself, power plants all over the world are already operating at levels exceeding their critical capacity loading. On top of that, the ever-increasing wastes from conventional energy usage of oil, gas and coal continue to strain the sustainability of the environment further and further. It's obvious that turning to clean renewable energy is a foregone conclusion and heading the pack are solar, wind and hydro power.

Of the available renewable energy solutions, solar power is the most feasible option for private homes. Its panels are available over a good range of sizes and designs making them very suitable for individual households and are also easily custom-made. Another reason for its popularity is the convenience and practicality. Also, the only fuel that's needed is the omnipresent sunlight; clean, green, abundant and free.

Residential solar power is catching on in a big way these days. People turn to this form of energy for various reasons, most predominantly of which are cost, environment and outage backup. Since sunlight is free, the amortization of installation capital is practically the only cost of solar power, making it pretty competitive against today's oil prices. Being emission free is another attraction over conventional energy and solar power homes with adequately-sized energy banks are never down form power outages.

There are a number of ways to make use of solar power and residential solar power generators are the most popular means. The concept is straightforward and powerful. Sunlight energy is simply harnessed through solar panels and converted to electrical power by the circuitry in the power generators. They are then wired onto the mains of the house for consumption and also possibly interconnected to the grid where excess electricity produced can be sold.

Some key factors to consider when you want to make solar power with a home system are viability, budget, capacity and neighbors. Some locations simply have too little sun, too much shade or other natural constraints. Like everything else in general, the more you pay, the more you get with solar power systems. Work out the capacity requirement beforehand and check out if excess power can be sold or credited. Tax incentives for offsetting the investment are also available in various states. Lastly, it's also important that the panels don't pose any unsightliness upon the neighborhood.

Residential solar power can be a savvy and noble way of freeing yourself from the hassles of conventional energy sources. For those who are more averse to risk-taking, it's very easy and friendly to start out small. Plenty of information on the subject is accessible on the internet. Building one from scratch is a good way to get familiarized and DIY guides are readily available, again online. It can be really rewarding for both the spirit and the pocket.