Tag Archive 'solar panel'

Aug 24 2011

Solar Power: Clean And Free Energy For Your Home

Published by under Appliances

More and more people these days are installing solar panels or modules onto their rooftops. These solar panels or modules consist of several photovoltaic (PV) cells which are arranged in series and mounted onto a board. Photovoltaics, as the term implies, convert light (photo) energy into electricity (voltaic). Silicon, along with other elements like phosphorus and boron make up the semiconductor material found in most PV cells. As photons from sunlight strike the solar cell’s surface, a portion of it is absorbed and causes the release of electrons. However, the solar panel generates only direct current hence you still need an inverter to convert it to alternating current to be used in powering household appliances.

One criticism of solar energy though is its variability. Shade and snow will expectedly cause decreased power output from the modules. This variability has been addressed with the integration of deep-cycle batteries as well as grid-tied systems.

The high initial capital cost is an oft-mentioned reason why people don’t get solar power systems. A single factory built panel can be around $900. Depending on your requirements, it can go to as high as $25,000 to 50,000. True, the initial investment is rather hefty but beyond that you will be spending only for minimal upkeep.

One of the advantages of using solar energy is that you can save a lot of money in the long run. In other states, homeowners with grid-tied systems can even receive incentives from both the state and from the line company for the excess electricity they feed back to the grid. Not only are you saving money but you are taking an active role in reducing our dependence to power sourced from fossil fuels which for a fact has contributed to global warming and climate change.

If you want to save a lot of money, you can build one on your own. Cost for home made solar panels can be as little as $200 Materials and plans solar panel can be found online. If you are adept at working with tools and electrical circuits, you can easily make your homemade solar panel system. If you aren’t as confident, there are available DIY packages online which contain plans for solar panels as well as video walkthroughs.

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Sep 02 2010

What You Need to Know When You Want Off Grid Energy

Published by under Energy Saving

These days awareness of higher energy costs are gradually motivating people to think outside the box. A way to save energy is of course, to limit the use of electrical appliances, but most people look for easier, cleaner, cheaper and more energy efficient solutions when it comes to their energy consuming appliances. One of the alternatives is to buy solar panels for on site electric generation. Let us take a closer look at what to consider when you choose to generate your own electricity with solar panels.


For anyone unfamiliar with solar panels, it is a devices that catches light from the sun and converts it into usable electricity. The more bright the sunlight is, the more electricity the panel can produce. But investing in this device can get very expensive so buying very large solar panels is not cost efficient.


When you compared conventional heating methods with generating your heat with harnessed energy from solar panels, it is needless to say you will need to store energy during the day for heating in the night. That means you will need considerable space to store connected batteries. The use of this energy would last much longer when appliances would operate on DC instead of AC. Solar power is free of monthly expenses for as long as it operates. In an off grid house the consumption of power should be as limited as possible. Not only would you need it to provide heating, it also has to provide cooling and ventilation and many other things through your electric appliances. In certain countries, governments even gives allowance and incentive to people who provide in their own electricity needs!


When you consider investing in homemade electricity, it is primarily important to know your electrical needs. So first thing to check would be which electrical appliance you wish to power, and how much power they need. Most common use for solar panels is heating of water because this consumes a lot of power. I would do the same. The most energy consuming appliances would best be substituted with solar energy. A DC to AC converter would be needed to use typical household appliances on solar power. When you have summed up the total wattage of your commonly used appliances, but a solar panel capable of producing a high wattage. This will ensure that the solar panel you will be using will have enough power output for your energy needs.


The roof of your house is most commonly used for locating the panels. You want your solar panels to have maximum light collection throughout the day. A solar tracker will provide maximum energy output, but it will cost additional investments. The use of such a device would be advisable for larger scale and when applied at a location that is predominately sunny during the year. The best thing to do without such a device is to place the solar panels in a way that they would be facing the sun directly when the sun is at its brightest.


Check the guaranteed service and lifespan of the solar panels you buy. The lifespan can range between 10-20 years. Compare the expenses of the commonly used panels to buying a more expensive and durable panel. It could give you savings considering it will only last for such period of time. People think it lasts forever, no it does not!


Solar panels truly give benefits to our houses. But other alternatives are appearing so most people hesitate to buy them. New technology can create much more efficient panels but always consider costs and benefits when buying your own electricity generating system. Moreover, do not oversee the time that your equipment will last. You want to enjoy the benefits of generating your own power, not suffer the high cost.


I advise anyone to seriously consider my recommended resource i am providing. You might find scientists on the internet even warning people that this technology is impossible and that it defies the laws of physics. Perhaps some misinterpretations have been ruling our beliefs. I am telling you this Works!


Jorit van den Bogaert

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Jorit van den Bogaert

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Mar 10 2010

What You Need to Know About Solar Panel Prices

Published by under Energy Saving

Solar panels are a great way to reduce electricity costs and to protect the environment. They come in a lot of flavors from very high tech and expensive to very cheap. They can be silicon based and even organic. This is why a lot of people are intimidated by solar energy panels. They do not believe that they can build their own panels from scratch.


By now you should be enthusiastic about building your own solar energy panels and wondering how you can build them yourself. You may not be very confident but you should know that most of the sites that selling these panels are run by people that building them themselves. You do not have to be an expert in order to build some basic solar energy panels.


If you decide to outfit your house with solar energy panels you will build, you should start look for a course on the subject. These courses usually cover everything you need to know about building solar panels. You should be able to go through the entire course in a day or two. They will also teach you how you should plug the solar energy panel system in your grid.


You probably already have the skills required to build a solar panel. The parts you need are very common, cheap and can be found at your local hardware store. You can even build enough panels to go completely off the grid and no longer depend on the power companies. Try it now!

And, a step-by-step video guide that will show you how to Make a Solar Panel at home can be found on my site. Click here to find out how YOU can save thousands by making your own solar panels and save even more off your power bills.

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