Solar Power and Other Renewable Energy Forms
Though the claims of enthusiasts are sometimes overstated, it’s still true that solar power and alternative energy forms are viable and valuable. They’re low-pollution generating, even accounting for manufacturing effects to make the components. They are, in principle, inexhaustible sources of energy. And, those forms of energy don’t require looking to unstable countries to supply raw material.
Solar energy, in the form of light streaming in through the atmosphere from the sun, is converted to usable power by a now-well understood process. Sunlight strikes a PV (photovoltaic) module that respond by generating a current. That electricity flows into a home or business by the same components (wires, circuit breakers) as are used by the utility company.
Wind-generated electricity works by an entirely different principle, but there are some similarities. Wind turns a propeller on a shaft surrounded by a magnet wrapped by a coil of wire. As the magnet turns near the wire (or the wire turns, it doesn’t matter which), electrons in the wire experience a force. That force moves them along inside the wire and that movement creates an electrical current.
Both methods are simple in principle. The sun and wind are there and cost nothing. But converting those energy sources into usable electricity does have costs, along with some interesting physical limitations and engineering challenges.
There are the materials required to build a wind turbine or PV (photovoltaic) module, of course. Creating them is not free. They have to be transported and installed, something which is also not free. And, unfortunately, they are relatively cost-inefficient in terms of the amount of power produced compared to coal, oil and natural gas.
Though improvements have been made, they simply don’t produce the same amount of power as other sources for the same cost.
For example, roughly 1,000 watts per square meter of solar energy reaches the surface (at the equator). But, latitude, weather and other factors often reduce the amount to between 125-375 W/m2. Add in that the efficiency of a solar-powered PV (photovoltaic) module is generally 10-15% depending on how it’s made, and the available energy is relatively low.
Still, given the ability to cover an area the size of a house roof with panels, even that relatively small amount can generate about 1.35 kWh/m2/day. That’s enough to power an average home if the homeowner is careful about usage.
Wind systems have their own unique problems. They regularly kill birds. They rely on almost continual wind. Otherwise, like solar systems, they have to be connected to storage systems. And, they don’t put out the amount of power demanded by most applications.
But even with all these limitations, solar, wind and other alternative energy technologies can sensibly form part of a total power generation strategy. They’re clean, which makes them highly desirable by a society continually striving to improve the quality of the environment. They don’t require importation of oil, or mining of coal or other materials which meet with environmental and political controversy.
With continued technological improvements to increase efficiency and lower costs, they can contribute to supplying electrical demand. It will be sometime before they can reasonably promise to displace a significant percentage of the supply from other sources. But the future is always where the best ideas lie.
Solar Panel Installation – Should You Do This Yourself?
Needless to say, one of the main considerations when deciding to install a solar power system is cost. You have to include the cost of materials and installation of the system.
There is a lot of information on the net about installing solar panel systems yourself. Some of it is complete and some is not. When you find a source of information, look for reviews and comments by others who have used it to make sure it is what you need.
Constructing your own solar panel costs much less because you will not have to pay for professional solar panel installation. You will, however, have to get instructional materials that will teach you how to get your solar panel system assembled and running. These are readily available on the net, book store or through DVDs. Many people have successfully built their own solar panels using such resources and have reduced their electricity consumption and bills.
The majority of work when installing your own solar panel on your home is preparation. You will need to obtain building permits in many cases. You will also need to research where to place your solar panels for maximum efficiency. A solar survey expert could do this for you. You also need to decide if you wish to be grid-tied. If so you need to contact your energy company. Do this before you begin to make sure that you can meet the requirements to be connected to the grid. Homemade panels may not pass muster.
Being grid-tied can be highly beneficial, as it means you can use the grid as a back up supply if your solar system does not produce enough electricity. This can happen on cloudy days or in higher than average use. It also means you can sell back any excess energy to your supplier in the form of credits.
If you don’t feel confident enough to install your own solar panel, there are now many commercial solar panel installers that can fit solar panels to your roof. The advantages to having a professional install your solar panels is that you get the complete package. They will quote you a price before they begin work so you know exactly what you are getting in to.
Your installer will take care of everything from design to maintenance. Your involvement is minimal, but this comes at a price. You should be able to find an installer in your area, but recommendation is always preferable. Look out for solar panels on neighborhood roofs and ask the owners about their experiences.
The main reason for DIY solar panel installation is cost and although it can be very successfully done, it leaves very little room for errors. You can damage your home, especially the roof if your panels are not properly installed. There is also the risk of fire and explosions from wiring and battery banks.
So unless you feel completely confident about installing your solar panels it may be best to seek expert advice. In any event, the final connections to your meter should always be carried out by a professionally qualified electrician.
Selecting the Best Solar Energy System for Your Home
With the advances in technology over the past few years, the ability to produce viable and clean energy used to power your home is now a reality. Alternative energy sources and energy will not only help you avoid burning fossil fuels to provide electricity to your home, but will also help you save a considerable amount of money on the cost of your utilities. One of the alternatives is solar energy.
There are several different solar energy systems available in the market today. Since solar energy is becoming more popular, developers have begun to make different solar systems that you can choose from depending on your needs and limitations. Choosing a solar system that would best suit your home is not necessarily an easy thing to do. It is important that you learn to choose the best type of system to provide power for your home. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
Learn About Solar Energy Systems
The very first thing to do, before anything else, is make sure you know the different solar systems that you can choose from. There are basically two different types of solar systems, the photovoltaic (PV) panels and solar thermal systems.
Photovoltaic Panels
Photovoltaics (PV) panels are solar panels that convert solar energy into electricity that you can use to run most of your appliances and household lighting, and should only be used for those specific uses. Unfortunatley, the photovoltaic panels are one of the more expensive, if not the most expensive in the solar power market today. You can cut the cost of this type of system if you build your own solar panels or buying used panels.
Solar Thermal Systems
A solar thermal system, on the other hand, generate simply heat, and are suitable for boilers, furnaces and water heaters, as this type of system allows you to make heat by means of direct solar energy. These systems are mcuh cheaper than those using conventional energy and electricity. However, if you want to retrofit your house with one of these solar thermal plants, you need to give up a little space in your home but you can save a bundle on your power bill.
Calculate Your Energy Cost and Usage
Once you have investigated and understand the types of solar energy systems available, and how they work, you just need to learn how the cost of your energy to calculate. This will also help you determine what type of solar system you choose. Most power bills have a graph or a list of the amount of power consumption over time – usually the last 12 months. Compare years and you can get a fairly accurate picture of your energy usage profile. You will know which months you use the most and the least power. This will help you decide how large a system you want and whether you want to go completely off the grid or just replace some of the electricity you are buying.
As part of calculating the cost of your energy, make a list of all things that use electricity. Include appliances, lighting, water heating, space heating, space cooling and air conditioning. Are they older or newer more energy efficient appliances? Is there something you have on all the time that does not need to be on? If you can reduce your consumption, adding the solar energy system will help you save even more in the long run.
What You Need to Switch to Solar Energy
Switching to solar energy to heat and power your home requires some rather costly items. Usually, you can recoup your investments in the long run. Going solar properly means using the right technology and doing some planning on your part.
Firstly, you have to estimate the amount of electricity you need to run your home. If you are only planning to supplement your power needs, that’s just fine. Then determine the percentage you want to offset.
A look at your electric bill can help. Most utility bills will show a drawing of a monthly use during the year. You can average the total, or use the peak demand. If you plan to go “off grid” – stop using the power from the utility company fully – focus on the peak demand.
These figures can be used to judge how many and what size PV modules you require. PV is short for photovoltaics, the method nearly all solar cells use for converting sunlight into electricity. This is a matter of plain mathematics to match size of your south-facing roof section to the number and size of needed modules.
Each module or panel can create a certain amount of power at a set cost. If you linked them the correct way the modules add up, so finding the total power production (and costs) is just as simple. For a decent sized home, the cost of commercial panels is in the range of 10,000 – 16,000 U.S. Dollars at current prices. Consider that when you plan for the cost that there may be some tax deductions or other programs that will help compensate you for the invested amount.
Bear in mind, the solar panels have to to connect to something. Connectors, clamps, wires and other components add to the total. They vary considerably in price. And do not forget to add installation costs. Most homeowners do not have the skills to put together the system themselves.
The sun is not shining all day every day. It’s dark at night, of course. Rain and heavy cloud cover will reduce the amount of solar radiation. There are also other uncontrollable factors that can lessen the amount of sunlight available. So, nearly everyone who goes “off grid” will want a battery storage system. If you are not planning on replacing all your power usage with solar energy, you can draw power from the local utility in these times.
If your system generates more than you need at any given time, some utilities will contract to pay for any surplus you put into their system. This is normally done by running your meter backwards when the energy supply exceeds your needs. The meter ordinarily runs forward as you draw power from their system.
Naturally they will insist on inspecting your system before finalizing any contract. In fact, most municipalities stipulate that you have your system inspected and approved even if you go completely off grid. They must ensure that it is implemented in a manner that is safe for local lineman. During power failures they must assume that no power passes through the lines. Your system must be installed in a manner that ensures this.
Between the panels, batteries, installation costs and other expenses a decent sized commercial solar panel system will cost around $ 32 000 – $ 50,000. , Some not as much, some more. This cost should be set off against what you pay for electricity from the power company during the lifetime of the system, usually about 20 years without major changes. If the cost seems too high then you might investigate building your own solar panels, especially if you are not planning on going complete off the grid.
Fortunately, as time passes, the costs are coming down and efficiency is improving, even as the price of electricity continues to go up. Why not find out if it may possibly be worth it for you to invest in a solar power system for your home.
