Enjoy The Quiet of a Solar Energy Home for a Great Vacation

If you are planning to buy or construct a holiday home for your family where you can escape into the embrace of nature and away from the hectic urban life, then be prepared to receive the bill shock of your life every month on your dream vacation home. In rural or remote areas, where electricity is not always available, applying for a service will cost you a premium. Hence, if you want to keep your dream alive, and your vacations free of all these tensions, then look to opt for a solar energy home.

While it may be an expensive affair in cities, the solar energy home concept is the best option when looking at a vacation home and it comes with many advantages like reduced electricity costs, independence from other utility services like gas and water supply etc. Moreover, since you will only be spending a small but quality time in this place, it is essential that the cost of living in such areas does not come out to haunt you after your vacation is over. There are a lot of options when it comes to designing a solar energy home and some of them are discussed in this article.

Electricity remains the most important requirement of any domestic setup and holiday homes are no different. Hence, what you can do is look for installing solar system (SHS) along with the normal connections to the local grid. This is the first step to realizing a solar energy home. SHS is a collective grouping of all the equipments from solar panels (photo voltaic cells), inverters, charge control fixtures and all necessary wiring and switches to run your daily appliances like TV, lights etc on solar power.

The heating and cooling needs of your solar energy home can be taken care of by implementing passive solar systems. For this, you can install thermal masses, natural materials that store and dissipate heat inwards or outwards based on their design. They include thermal insulation bricks, concrete, heat trapping glass etc. For more thermally efficient airflow, you can use the service of experts to build a solar ventilation system that uses the heat form the sunlight to maintain the temperature of the solar energy home.

For lighting your solar energy home, you can look at installing LEDs and solar light systems. While the former can be light up your solar energy home landscape, the latter can directly process natural sunlight and feed it into lighting equipments to provide you with bright and natural light source in the nighttime.

Apart from that, there are other devices like solar chargers, clocks, speakers, CCTV systems that can all be run using solar energy. All these and more solutions will definitely make your vacations home a treat for not only the senses, but also the pocket!

What Are The Advantages Of Solar Energy?

Sun is the only source of energy, which provides light and heat to our planet. Solar energy supports every single life form on earth since the day of its existence. In the ancient history, Sun was worshiped, and it has continued until this day. Even the scientists have found the beneficial facts about the energy from the Sun that can protect our earth from the major problem of lack of energy resources.

Sun is a huge ball of fire where fusion of energy takes place and this is a never-ending process. Therefore, solar energy is considered as renewable source of energy that can be used as a substitute for all the fossil fuels, oil, petroleum, etc that are the non-renewable sources of energy.

Advantages of solar energy are numerous and can be applied in our daily lives in following ways.

Eco friendly in nature

Solar energy when used as an alternative source of energy helps to reduce the poisonous gases that are released in to the air while burning fossil fuels. Hence, it can be used for controlling the adverse effect of pollution on environment, which is harmful for every creature’s existence on the earth. Greatest advantage of the energy is that, it does not emit carbon dioxide, methane or any gas that warms the atmosphere. Therefore, it helps in reducing global warming and lessens the chance of formation of a hole in the ozone layer by ozone depletion.

Reduces cost

If we make solar energy as a primary source for powering the households or industrial appliances then initially, the set up of grid will be a bit expensive, but it will reduce cost on various factors like fuels. Maintenance of the grid is not required very frequently. Once it is set up, it starts working for a long time without decaying in its property, and this reduces cost. With increase in cost of fossil fuels, development of technologies for the alternative sources such as solar energy is advancing fast, and price of its cost of production is reducing.

Various other applications

Solar energy is a reliable source of energy. It is independent of every political and economical issue also. It is suitable for those remote areas, which are not connected with power grid and can be a source of income and employment is such undeveloped areas. In addition, it assures the safety of life. In some poorer countries, people use fire to heat and lighten up the house; this causes respiratory diseases and impaired eyesight. Sometimes it results in accidents evoked by the fire. This can be easily avoided by using solar energy.

A Practical View of Solar Energy Cost And Its Impact On Economy

While all this talk of ‘going green’ by advocating solar energy for powering our future is all good, it also needs to be substantiated by proof of sustainability. Yes, environmentalists might have their way, even the rich and famous can take a dab at solar panels for powering their homes. However, can we, the general masses, look at it practically or are we just making much ado about nothing? Now, it would not suffice by simply stating that solar energy has a lot of potential to be the next large scale economy driver. Therefore, let us look at solar energy cost to better understand, its potential impact on us and our economy in the coming years.

The solar energy cost is typically calculated in price per watt. Since the energy source i.e. the sun is a non exhaustible source of power, therefore, the constrictions automatically appear in the technology or material used to trap solar energy and then convert it into our favored unit such as electricity, light, heat or other forms. Hence, from the manufacturer’s side as well as that of the buyer, the solar energy cost of bearing an installation ca n only be realised if the total cost of installation is compared against its electric power output. That will give us an idea of how long it should run to pay back the investment in terms of watts.

Now, the average solar energy cost is around $8-10 per Watt according to 2009 figures in the US. This is further decreased to $3-4 per Watt in the face of government programs as well the low solar energy cost incurred by buying the components in larger volumes. An easier understanding can be obtained if we convert these costs in terms of units of electricity usage. In other words, by converting the data into ‘Kilowatt Hour’ or kWh, we can directly compare it with our existing electricity bills that we pay for using conventional off the grid power.

Hence, that would bring the solar energy cost to 25-40 cents per kWh when bought without applying any cost cuts. This is practically 3-5 times of the current bills we already pay. So, what happened to all the promise? Well, if you consider taking the cost effective approaches to installing a solar energy system by taking into consideration grants and tax benefits from the government as well buying cheap yet quality products for your ‘solar power system’ then the cost drastically come down to 10-12 cents per kWh!

With increasing in solar panel construction technology and therefore the subsequent rise in efficiency of the panels moving beyond the 20% mark, the solar energy cost will come down further. Thus, solar energy seems to be the major energy bottleneck remover once it is realised over a countrywide level.

Residential Solar Power Lies

There are many things in this world, which spread around as wild rumors. The truths behind these situations are never recognized with their true potential. Misconceptions, keep you away from taking steps that can save you from many hassles, physically as well as financially. A case in point is residential solar power.

Several lies and half-baked truths are floating around regarding residential solar energy. Only due to these misinformation and misconceptions, you tend to suffer constant financial loss, when there are other economical alternatives available. It is as if you have a huge amount of money that you can give away to electric companies, and causes harm to the environment while doing so!

Surely, when put that way, you do not want to be a part of it! You can change that today by learning the truth behind some of the major lies that have been heard about residential solar power.

Firstly, the technology to build a residential solar power plant economically does exist. Years ago when the solar energy kits were expensive and came in assembled forms have long gone. DIY residential solar energy kits are available at second hand rates over the internet. if you do not believe me, you can easily go check on EBay. With time, the technology involved in making these grids has also become simpler. So much so that the material required building a solar plant is easily available, and by using the manuals (that you can download from the internet), you can build it all by yourself. Thus, what you hear about residential solar power, being expensive is nothing but a lie!

Secondly, when your electricians tell you that you can make the difference by being careful, think again. This is because, they are duping you to make sure they keep earning from your expenditures. You can always use efficient-energy appliances that consume less electricity, and have better windows put in, but it does not really make that much of a difference. Human nature of being forgetful and careless has a lot to do with this concept not working very well. We all know how these energy saving devices can help us, but we rarely pay heed to them. However, if you install a residential solar power grid, then you will automatically save money on electricity.

Last but not the least, the idea of having a residential solar power panel running in a few days time, is also a huge misconception. Of course, when you have all the materials ready, you can build the solar grid in a few days, however, most people fail to understand the working that requires to be done behind the scene. Some of these are calculating how many panels are required, at what point is the maximum amount of sunlight received, taking permits, etc.

Therefore, when you are clear about these above truths, then you can easily build yourself an economical solar energy panel!

3 Common Solar Energy Devices Applications Used Around The World

The primitive humans employed solar power for the day to day activities and as the world became sophisticated and solar energy could no longer meet our power requirements ways of harnessing the sun’s energy into various forms took shape. There are still certain solar energy devices which convert sunlight directly into electrical or mechanical energy. They are used all around the world as they are not only cost effective but also the pollution factor is low while using them. Their popularity is rising with the people around the world feeling the heat of global warming and also is crippled by paying huge amount of electricity taxes to the government, so want a way out of the grid power.

• Solar house is the new concept of producing zero power houses in which the power loss is zero. It is not only economical but also prevents the pollution and wastage of valuable energy. The greenhouse buildings are modeled on similar concept of zero power buildings and they use solar energy for the protection and growth of plants in colder regions. A greenhouse consists of glass roofs and walls to serve as excellent retainer of infrared rays from sun and keep the surroundings warm. Certain homes around the world also have greenhouse windows which are a smart form of utilising solar energy. In this device, the window sashes are opened about 6 inches and air current is allowed to develop. The cool air from rooms is pulled into the green house and warm air is circulated out. At night the reverse follows and thus helps to maintain optimum germination conditions for seeds and growth of plants.

• The most important domestic work is water heating and constitutes of major share of our electricity bills. Solar heaters are used for producing hot water and are easy to set up over the roof tops near the water tanks. They are made of glass panels coated with acrylic paints which enable it to collect solar energy and water is distributed using metal pipes insulated from exterior to minimise heat loss. They also utilise solar energy in form of driers and simple solar concentrator mirrors can be used to speed up the evaporation of water from palm and sugarcane juices, which is the source of oil and sugar for rural population as well.

• A recent development is the solar irrigation system which is gaining popularity steadily. They use photovoltaic power to run a low volume pump in which the amount of water circulated depends on the solar energy obtained by the cells. Thus when the heat is at its peak the solar energy is used to water the plants effectively by continuous water supply and preventing water lock. There are numerous applications of solar devices and in future they will become efficient and economical.

Is it Worth Investing in Residential Solar Power?

Many a times, we keep contemplating about doing certain things, and all we need is a slight push in the right direction. If you are thinking about opting or not opting for residential solar power systems, we hope that you will be able to take the (right) decision after you read this article.

To make our point clear, yes, we think it is worth investing in residential solar power grids. If you make this switch, you are bound to be enjoying lifelong benefits. It really does not matter where you live and what your profession is. As long as you are constructing the residential solar power grid properly, you will save yourself a lot of money.

The initial investment that goes into making a solar power system can be done in a smart way. You can use the solar panel calculator to determine the best deal that you ought to get out of the panels installation. Once the calculation is done, do not try to cut corners. The investment that you will do in the beginning will start giving you returns right from the first day itself.

This is because, when you have a solar power system ready, you will never have to pay for electricity for a lifelong duration. Therefore, it is necessary to do some good initial investments to ensure that you reap the maximum benefits. You should ensure that the quality of the products that you are using is optimum. They will be set outdoors, where the sunlight falls and the rays of the sun are required to produce solar energy. Thus, your components will be exposed to all kind of weather conditions and they should be strong to handle these.

Once the installation is complete, you can straight away get to producing electricity using these photovoltaic cells. You will realize that this process comes without any expenditures. You no longer have to pay any electricity bills, if you are running your entire home on solar power. It is like not having to fill fuel in your car and still running it. You can use this electricity produced by the solar power panels, to light up your home, and the surrounding areas.

The Sun shines everyday with all its might, and the forecasts show that it will keep burning for millions of years to come. Therefore, your residential solar power grid is surely getting the sunlight it needs to produce electricity for a complete lifetime! That is definitely worth investing into.

5 Reasons Why You Should Be Opting For Solar Power Systems

The gloomy future of fossil fuels as a source of energy is one good reason to embrace solar power. Solar energy is produced by the sun due to the nuclear fusion reactions of hydrogen and helium and the huge energy produced uses up solar mass rapidly but sun is heavy enough to continue with lighting our lives for more billions of years. Solar power systems employ renewable energy and there is no requirement of waste management as in cases of hydro or nuclear energy for power generation.

The electricity bills are soaring high and it is getting difficult to manage with normal incomes and maintaining a decent standard of living as we cannot always worry about meter reading while cooking or boiling water. Using air conditioners in summer still bring the sweat when we think of the electric bills it would generate. Solar power systems are a sure way to reduce dependence on electricity from power stations and also put a control over the rapidly moving meter. The water heaters, radiators and solar cells are few such solar power systems which can be easily used for fulfilling domestic requirements.

Even if it is safe and clean along with the fact that it reduces the electricity bills, solar power systems should be opted because they can be designed easily using the readily available materials from the nearby hardware store and can also be acquired online. The guidelines to fabricate the solar power systems can be easily searched over the net and power magazines frequently provide information on increasing the efficiency of these systems. As Emerson once said that do not go where the path leads you but to the place where there is no path and leave your trail, you must discover the beauty of solar energy and inspire people to do the same.

The space programs are powered by the solar energy. Solar Power Systems do not require a big plant for fabrication and thus cause less pollution. Their clean form of energy has revolutionised the power performances of the spacecrafts and solar power systems in space research can be very helpful to keep the satellite in the orbit for longer periods. This can help to understand the changing universe and also various stored secrets will be revealed.

Solar power systems should be used on large scales because recent developments have made it possible to store solar energy for long periods of time. The dry mass of plants or the algae are proving helpful in generating power on small scales by storing the solar energy even at nights. If a little faith and patience is shown towards them, then your optimism will be certainly rewarded and energy for future uses can be easily obtained.

Portable Solar Power Energy Devices

The growth of the hi-tech world is mainly due to the fact that it provides numerous applications in easy to carry frames. The use of cell phones and the laptops sizes are shrinking each day and are becoming portable. The solar power energy has reached all levels of society and equipments are gaining popularity as they not only are elegant but also convey the message of going green by producing power without any cost and by using renewable sources of energy.

The most widely used solar power energy device is the solar battery charger. It finds its applications in the remote areas where electricity is unavailable. They mainly consist of a solar panel and an array of photovoltaic cells which can be varied based on the requirements of power. These devices are not only portable but easy to construct as the materials required are easily available.

Solar ovens are getting noticed as they have the power of cooking raw food without destroying the natural essence and nutrients. They can very easily cut the costs of electric bills by getting rid of electric heaters and also the money spent every month on cooking gas can be minimised. These are portable and use solar power energy directly to heat and cook food. They can be easily prepared by using two flaps like reflectors made from thin plywood and covered with heavy duty aluminium foils or shiny Mylar to retain heat in the oven. This device is efficient to harness solar power energy when kept in direct sunlight and thus can be very handy while going on picnics or to high altitudes where electricity cannot be carried.

A lesser known device called site evaluator is also very portable form of solar power energy. It is used to calculate the hours of sunlight or shade a site will receive during any time of the year. It is widely carried by architects along with them to the sites to determine the intensity of sunlight available at a place and this knowledge in turn helps to design homes and offices and also to select sites for parks and gardens. These devices are a very smart form of harnessing solar power energy.

If you have to go on along business trip and you want to take the garden with you, then there is a way of using the solar power energy in form of greenhouse windows. It provides cool air to the plants and keeps the surrounding warm at nights. The lovely way to harness solar power energy is to create a home for the pets which mainly takes the heat from the animal’s body and retains it by the use of various insulating foams inside the house. These solar power energy devices are portable and your dog will always find a place in your excursions and holidays and also remain safe while you are away for long.

5 Lesser Known Facts Of Solar Power Energy

The importance of solar energy in the survival of living species and proper functioning of life cycles are well known to the people around the world but there are certain facts which can amuse you about the solar power energy.

• Solar power energy has been used by the Greeks and Romans as the means to light the lighthouse to guide the ships around the rocky shores. They were also used as weapons with large concave mirrors focussed sunlight on the enemy ships and burned them down with sun’s energy. Sundial was used to keep a track of time in very early days by the Indians and its proof can be seen in the jantar mantars in Jaipur and Delhi.

• The plant kingdom is the major storage body for solar power energy as the leaves of plants utilise solar energy to prepare food through a process of photosynthesis. The green pigments called chloroplast trap solar radiations and use carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Thus they maintain the CO₂ content and keep the surroundings full of oxygen. The rapid deforestation which has led to global warming is due to rise of this gas as the action of industries and automobiles.

• When a plant material is burned in air, it yields 6KWh of energy in the form of heat per kg of material burned. In the sugar cane fields of tropical regions about 10 kg/m² of dry organic matters is present. Burning this would yield about 60 KWh/m² of solar power energy. This can be very useful prospects for poor farmers as they can harness the solar power from the wastes of the industries.

• Dry algae can be used to harness solar power energy by using sun’s radiations in algal growth tanks. The slurry of partly decomposed sewage is fed into the tank along with algae and they are completely digested in the digester and decomposed to give various forms of nitrates and phosphates which serve as fertilizers and a fuel gas is produced whose major component is methane. Thus such hydrocarbons are easily liquefied and transported for consumption as fuel. This method of solar power energy utilisation still is in development stages.

• Solar cells are the important devices for converting the sun rays directly into solar power energy which can be used to support the household activities of charging, heating or lighting. They are the most commercially viable and the photoelectric cell array for spacecrafts is used by Earth resources Technology Satellite (ERTS). These photovoltaic cells not only store heat from sun but also radiate to make the interiors of spacecrafts cooler.

These facts about solar power energy shows tremendous future in solving the energy crises faced by humans and also will prevent widespread deforestation and global warming. It is the power of future.

Solar Energy Cost – How Affordable Can It Really Be For Domestic Use?

There are two schools of thought when it comes to solar energy appliances. One school of thought talks about the fact that current solar energy cost can be only competitive in terms of small sized units that work on solar power such as calculators, water sprinklers, charging devices etc. In terms of larger applications where powering an entire home is considered, they cannot be considered an option due to their high initial investment.

The other school of thought while not denying the above facts, try to focus on the core future needs of the population. It says that while current solar energy cost look to be quite large as compared to the established fossil fuel and hydroelectricity production mechanisms, the fact is that it will only get better as time moves on.

For example, the current solar panel has an efficiency of roughly 20-24% meaning that less than one fourth of the incident sunlight falling on the panel can actually be stored into usable energy. This is the major reason why the solar energy cost for large power generators stand at 25-40 cents per kWh (kilowatt-hour). However, if the solar energy cost is to be calculated for longer periods like 7-10 years, for a residential solar power project, then the results are quite different!

For example, an average construction and instalment cost of solar energy based generator for a 3-bedroom apartment would come to $30,000. Nonetheless, after a period of 7 years, the cost of energy generation would fall from a 40cent per kWh to a meagre 10 cent per kWh as the solar energy cost then would only be the fractional amount being taken from the power grid. Thus, while technology constraints may increase the initial setup cost of a solar power system, the various relaxations in the form of tax benefits, government subsidies and other cuts, make this an attractive proposition for anybody wanting to cut down their expenses over a long term.

In order to take a good look at solar energy cost in today’s terms and therefore the future financial independence, let us look at a practical example. The Lani Bay Hotel in Hawaii has installed a solar powered generator that produces roughly 75kilo-Watt output. Now, in a period of five years, this solar panel array will pay itself off, leaving the hotel with free energy and minimal maintenance costs.

Therefore, if one commercially inclined hotel can take a step looking at the future, then, imagine what the output for a small domestic setup will be after a period of 5 years. In fact, experts peg the solar energy cost of a home based system to be just 4-6 cents per kWh in the future if solar powered alternatives are considered!

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