Step number one in getting started with any solar power setup in your home is to perform an energy audit. This is where you evaluate the amount of power (in kilowatts/hour or kilowatt hours) that you’ll need in any given day.

You will also need to take into account the site where your home is located. Geographical considerations such as climate, number of peak hours of sunlight per day, number of days of peak sunlight per year, and average rainfall will play a big role in how efficient a solar system you can design.

Any solar electric system will need, at the very least, the following components:

a collector (usually solar panels);
a mount (to put it on);
an inverter (to convert 12 volt DC power to 110 volt AC power);
a circuit breaker or fuse box and fuses & switches (to regulate the power transferring from the panels to your outlets and/or storage batteries);
(optional) one or more storage batteries;
(if you get a battery) a charge controller (to keep from over- or undercharging the battery and severely reducing its lifespan);

Once you’ve purchased all the elements of the solar system you’ve just designed, installation is fairly easy, though the simplicity of installing a solar power system does not mean you should necessarily do it yourself. There are numerous advantages to hiring a professional installer with training in both electrical systems and solar electrical systems, including knowing how to set everything up to code, should the building inspector ever have the need to look it over (ie. for insurance purposes).

If you find the right solar professional, they will instruct you in those parts of the installation that you are capable of and allow you to do some of the work yourself, saving you on some of your labor costs.

Even if you don’t decide to have a professional install your solar system, it would be well worth your while to consult one with your design to make sure it’s a viable design, one that’s taken all the necessary considerations into account. For example, there is a wide selection of panels, controllers, inverters, and batteries, each one manufactured with different requirements, each one not necessarily interchangeable with the other.

To further minimize the chances of incompatibilities between components in your solar system, consider purchasing all the elements of your set up from the same company and consulting with someone on their sales team that is knowledgeable in solar electric power.

In fact, many companies sell solar kits that contain all the components you would need to set your house up with solar power, with the certainty that all the components are compatible.

Whatever you decide, you don’t have to break the bank to try and supplant your entire power grid reliance with solar power right away and all at once. If you’re interested in availing yourself and your household of the multifold benefits of solar power, start small. Get yourself a single solar panel and see how well that works for you. When you’re ready, add on more panels, batteries, etc., one at a time as you can afford it and as your needs evolve.

Michelle Bery
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/how-to-get-started-with-your-own-home-solar-electric-system-125012.html

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Solar powered lights are popularly associated with providing illumination and accent to the exterior areas of home properties such as gardens and walkways. But do you know that they are also useful for lighting up commercial and public places such as office parking lots, building car parks, bus stops and shelters, outdoor signage, streets, roads and highways and public and national parks?

What is immensely beneficial to these solar powered lights is the safety and security that it provides to the riding and walking public especially during the night hours. These outdoor solar lighting efficiently keeps the parks, roads and sidewalks brightly illuminated, which in turn deters any crime and other untoward incidents from happening, to the benefit of the pedestrians.

Of course, the city and local governments can benefit from the use of solar powered lights instead of the conventional ones when lighting up their offices, parking lots, streets and parks as running all these lighting can be very expensive and consume a good part of the government budget.

This is the reason why more and more US local governments and cities as well as those from all over the world are using solar powered lights as a much inexpensive lighting alternative. While replacing the old, conventional lights with new solar lighting can be very expensive, it cannot be denied that a significant amount of money originally allocated for power is saved with the long term use of such sun powered lighting gadgets.

And as the power comes from the sun, no pollution is further created unlike if electricity from carbon and fossil fuels is used in the case of conventional lights. What is great about solar powered lights is that there is no need to worry about installation as the process is easy since wiring and cords are absent.

For interesting and relevant articles and discussions on solar-outdoor-lighting-equals-zero.html”>solar outdoor lighting and solar lighting in general, do visit our Outdoor Solar Lights for You blog.

Ernesto Maitim
http://www.articlesbase.com/gadgets-and-gizmos-articles/solar-powered-lights-ideal-for-open-commercial-and-public-places-678493.html

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To truly understand the benefits of green solar energy, you must first understand how solar energy is harnessed. There are two types of green solar energy-thermal and light. Thermal energy is considered passive solar. This type of green solar energy is harnessed through the design and materials used to construct a building. By integrating south facing windows and materials that retain heat, like brick and stone, you can lower your energy needs and build an energy efficient structure. The thermal energy produced by green solar energy is also used to heat water for solar hot water systems. The rays of the sun also produce light and radiation that can be captured by solar panels to create electricity.

The most popular use of green solar energy is for saving money. Although green solar energy systems can come with a large initial investment, they generally pay for themselves in a few years by providing either supplemental electricity or all of the electricity to your home or business. Building your own solar panels, participating in government refunds and net metering, in which you sell unused electricity back to the power company, can reduce the cost of implementing a green solar energy system. In addition, green solar energy systems require little to no maintenance after installation, as most have no moving parts.

The most important benefit of utilizing green solar energy is completely environmental. With polar ice caps dwindling away and climate changes creating tragic storms world wide, it is increasingly obvious that steps must be taken to decrease global warming and our dependence on fossil fuels. Green solar energy provides a clean energy alternative as it creates little pollution and does not contribute to global warming.

solar energy panels have become more affordable in recent years making it a viable alternative energy option for savvy home owners looking for savings on their monthly utility bills and the environmentally conscious who also enjoy the financial advantage, but focus more on the benefits solar energy panels have on global warming and independence from fossil fuels.

If you are a beginner to the solar electric world, then you may be wondering what exactly solar energy panels are? It is really simple and yet fascinatingly complicated. Solar energy panels are also known as photovoltaic panels; photovoltaic meaning electricity from the sun. Solar energy panels work by collecting protons from the sun, which displace neutrons, and create a flow of electrons or electricity. An inverter converts the power generated by the solar energy panels from an AC current to a DC current making it usable in homes as a direct electricity supply.

You can use solar energy panels to heat your pool, workshop tools, greenhouse lights and fans or depending on you personal electric usage, your entire home or business. Most solar energy panels are designed to last 30-40 years and require little to no maintenance. Over the life-span of solar energy panels, the energy savings realized by the owner is enough to justify the initial cost of the system and prices are dropping more and more as a larger number of consumers express interest and make the change to solar energy panels or other renewable resources.

Solar energy panels for small applications can be purchased at your local hardware stores. These small versions are ideal for outdoor lighting, small water pumps and other outdoor tools. If you are purchasing a home size or business size system of solar energy panels it would be best to seek out a local retailer of solar energy panels or a green energy retailer in your area. There is also plenty of information available online about different solar energy panel providers.

Corrado Vinci
http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/benefits-of-green-solar-energy-679319.html

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Solar Outdoor lights are sun powered gadgets that have proven to be very useful to the ordinary home owners.  Not only are they effective in providing efficient illumination to the exterior surroundings of the home, it likewise ensures the protection and safety of the residents as well as the property from criminal elements.

But two of the most important usages of solar outdoor lights are the benefits that it offers to our environment, cleanliness and preservation. Since outdoor solar lighting only gets its power from the energy of the sun, there are no harmful by products that are produced and can contribute to the destruction of the environment.

Solar outdoor lights and other forms of gadgets that run with the use of alternative sources of energy like solar and wind indeed contribute greatly in the healing of our environment. Surely for those who are aware about the global environmental problem that exist nowadays, the use of these solar lights can make one feel good in contributing to the environmental crusade.

Still, there is a lot more for home owners to benefit from outdoor solar lights, and one of the most desired benefits is the savings that one gets from the decrease in use of electricity.

Actually, the only time that you need to shell out money when using solar outdoor lights is the purchase of the gadget. Many excellent quality lights are now available in the market, and while most are much expensive than the conventional type of lighting, this is just a one time cost. Owning one will certainly turn out to be a wise decision as you will reap a significant amount of savings in the long run. Part of your budget that would have been spent on electric bills is now available for other important expenses.

For interesting and relevant articles and discussions on solarlightsforyou.blogspot.com/2008/12/solar-landscape-lights-enhance-your.html”>solar landscape lights and solar lighting in general, do visit our Outdoor Solar Lights for You blog.

Ernesto Maitim
http://www.articlesbase.com/gadgets-and-gizmos-articles/benefits-of-solar-outdoor-lights-to-home-owners-678495.html

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A solar power generator uses solar energy to convert it into electrical energy in order to run the household appliances. Nowadays, one can easily see TVs, washing machines etc being powered by a solar power generator.

It is termed as “green generator” as it is a proven source of energy which adds nothing to the global warming and the atmospheric pollution. Rather it helps a lot to save the natural energy sources such as petroleum which are on the way of going extinct.

It is emerging as one of most reliable eco-friendly power generating devices. Its total inability to produce air-polluting smoke and irritating sound as other oil run generators do makes it special.A solar power generator is one of the best answers to the shortage of electricity.

A well optimized solar power generator helps a lot to minimize the soaring electricity bill as it is capable of running almost all the appliances merely using the free and unbound solar energy.

Moreover, this device is very user-friendly and needs least efforts while its installation. It is widely used in the countrysides and at those places where people face regular power crisis.

Like all other power generators, it too runs on a definite mechanism. The solar energy is concentrated on the solar panels only to produce DC ( direct current). Then this DC is converted into AC ( alternating current) using the solar inverter already present in the generator itself.

Apart from these two components, the third important components of a solar power generator are its rechargeable batteries. These batteries constantly keep receiving power from the inverter in order to run all the appliances.

The strength and efficiency of a solar power generator depends completely on how powerful its inverter is. It is the most important part of the generator as it has the capability to convert DC into AC. While buying an inverter, it is advisable to buy one which can produce a bit more energy than the actual demand of the home appliances.

In many homes it happens that there is hardly any appliance which is run buy AC. Thus those homes don’t need solar power generators with any inverters, apart from devices like DC input systems and DC meters.

Pattrick Savarna
http://www.articlesbase.com/technology-articles/solar-power-generator-an-ecofriendly-green-generator-671935.html

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Solar shed lights are a relatively new product on the market today. They consist of a small solar panel, a solar panel mount, a battery, an interior light and a wire that connects the battery to the interior light.  They work by capturing the suns energy with the solar panel and turning that into 12 volt electricity. That electricity is then transferred to a battery for storage. When the light is turned on at night by its own on/off switch it runs off of the internal battery.  It is all fairly simple and straight forward.

Most of the solar shed lights on the market today are easy to install, some easier than others. They are perfect for a shed, a boat house, a green house or a barn that has no electricity run to it. It is very inconvenient to try to search through a storage shed or a barn at night with a flashlight in hand. This product eliminates that at a very reasonable price. Solar shed lights can run anywhere from about $30.00 to about $100.00.

There are several things to look for in a solar shed light. First, what kind of interior light does it use? Some products use fluorescent tubes while others use Halogen or Xenon bulbs. The more popular shed lights use LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights. LEDs last a very long time and draw very little current so they will stay bright much longer. LEDs are virtually maintenance free while other types of bulbs must eventually be replaced. Replacing the bulb, while not difficult, does add to the cost of the unit.

The second thing to look for is the kind of battery it uses and if it is replaceable. Batteries will almost always wear out at some point in time and if they are difficult to replace or hard to find, again it just adds to the cost.  If the solar shed light uses LED lights it is also good to know how many lights are in the fixture. Some use 6 lights while others use 10 or even 24 LED lights. The reason that may be of some importance is LEDs are quite bright but also quite small. An interior fixture that uses only 6 LEDs may not be bright enough for all applications. The more LED used the more expensive the unit but I have found that the additional cost is usually worth it.

The last thing to discover is, how long does the light operate on a full charge? Most will work for up to 2 to 4 hours at a time on a full charge. Usually an hour or two is more than sufficient time to get what ever it is you need taken care of.  If you need to have a lot more time available at night then you need to consider a larger solar panel and larger capacity batteries. When you start changing out solar panels, batteries and light fixtures you get into custom configured solar lighting. Custom solar lighting is available but at a considerably higher cost.

There are new applications for solar products being invented all the time. Solar shed lights are a great example of this new technology. They are not very expensive, in the over all scheme of things and they serve a very useful purpose. solar shed lights are easy to install on almost any surface. They also last a very long time with only minimal maintenance. It seems rare when a product comes along with a specific application that performs well, at such a modest price.  

Bob Gambrell
http://www.articlesbase.com/diy-articles/solar-shed-lights-672527.html

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One of the best things you can do for your self is to us DIY Solar Panels for your home. It not only saves money but its very environment friendly too. There will be no fuel problem and hustle for health problems. You can use the solar energy for residential, commercial and industrial power. It is also used in power pumping stations, power telecom equipment. So let us introduce our lives to this thing popularly called Green Energy…

DIY Solar Panels are assortment of photovoltaic cells that can actually create alternative energy source that we call solar energy from sun. What works for this system is maximum exposure of sun and moderate temperature. A solar panel produces a clean and environmentally friendly source of solar power. A solar panel is typically installed on a rooftop or stand alone mounting racks, depending on your requirement. The highlighted factor that should always be kept in mind is that the solar panel system should be located at a place where it can absorb maximum exposure of sunlight without any shading. Shade can drastically reduce your solar power production of your solar panel, which in turn reduces your total amount of solar power for your solar house. Logically speaking sunlight is the source through which is acting as a fuel for our solar panel so how its going to work without it. That’s the point that should be dealt logically.

DIY Solar panels are effectively required for manufacturing a solar cell. Therefore, extra care and consideration should be given to this fact that the panels are manufacturing correctly, because this high consideration will result in highest efficiency of the final outcome of solar electricity generator.

These days its real simple and convenient for us to buy the kits from market which helps us in building our DIY Solar Panels. It doesn’t require high investment, but now its quirt within budget. But then again, before even buying those economic kits we should give some thought to our requirement as well. Its very important that first you do you home work about the solar panels. First off, make sure you have enough room on your roof to actually install the DIY Solar Panels. That’s actually very crucial part of the whole process, that you should have enough space for the panels. Again logic is that the amount of electricity that you want to generate is directly going to be associated by the wattage corresponding to the DIY Solar Panels. There are kits available in market beside the huge amount of guides that we can get from everywhere through various sources of information. All these are comprehensive and easy to understand. Genuinely for the consumers who want to cut short their electricity bill.

pratibha
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/diy-solar-panels-678012.html

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The increasing cost of organic fuel and its hazardous effect on environment are opening the door for the massive usage of alternative energy sources. Organic fuel is exhaustible in nature and the the whole globe is worried regarding what will happen when they are exhausted. The most viable solution for this situation is to use renewable energy sources like sun, wind and tide to reduce the dependence on organic fuel. With the help of solar panel, you can convert the sunlight into energy to meet your daily energy requirements like heating water and production of electricity.

Solar panels can be installed on the roof of your house and connected to the in-house heating system. Solar panels when designed to heat water only are known as thermal solar systems. The collector of this system is capable of absorbing solar radiation and converting it into heat. After it, the process of heat conduction is done to transfer the heat from the collector to the water tank.

Photovoltaic systems are the solar panels capable of producing electricity. In case of photovotaic solar systems, an electrical field is created by placing a positively charged layer of silicon against a negatively charged layer of silicon. When sunshine falls on this field, electric charge is created. Then with the help of conductors, this charge is conducted to power household appliances.

There are many advantages of installing solar panel. This offers you the access to free and clean source of energy. You can check the environment pollution and reduce your fuel and electricity bills. Now, some of the states in US are offering incentives on solar panel installation. Estimates show that solar panels, within five years of installation are capable of covering the investment on it. It is definitely a wise investment if you are planning to stay in your home for a longer period.

Roberto Luongo
http://www.articlesbase.com/technology-articles/solar-panel-installation-an-environment-friendly-access-to-energy-677641.html

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Most homeowners would love to lower their utility costs and household expenses, and if they could do so while helping to slow global warming and reduce their own “carbon footprint” all the better. These are the primary reasons that many people seek out alternative energies from the sun, wind or water.

Today, millions of homeowners enjoy a remarkable amount of financial relief through the installation of solar panels that collect and generate energy as well as provide domestic hot water supplies. To date, there is no single all-encompassing application that provides a single alternative energy answer to the numerous systems throughout any home – just as there is no single traditional energy answer for an entire home.

While there are currently no solar technologies that can completely eliminate a home or property owner’s need for traditional electric or utility suppliers, there are several systems that can be incorporated into a home or building’s existing systems to help reduce emissions, cost and energy consumption.

One of the simplest systems to address is the domestic hot water supply. To incorporate a solar water heating system into an existing or conventional system requires three essential components: solar panels or collectors, a transfer system, and an appropriate hot water cylinder. Generally, it is suggested that a professional install, or at least design, the system to be utilized. This is because a solar water heating system has several factors to be considered before being purchased and installed.

First, an ample supply of southern facing roofing must be available to meet the needs of the required system. Generally, evacuated tube systems will require significantly less roof space than the more traditional flat plate systems. Next, the existing system must be analyzed in order to see if it is suitable for a second solar water-heating boiler to be added. Currently, most combi boilers are not suitable for any solar water heating systems to be incorporated. Finally, budgetary concerns must be addressed to select the most affordable system for a homeowner’s financial capability.

Financially, the “average” installation of a solar water heating system can save a home or property owner a significant amount of their annual fuel or energy expense and should be figured into the cost of purchasing and installing a solar heating system.

Today, most solar water heating experts in the United Kingdom recommend the installation of evacuated tube systems. They are doing so for several reasons. First, the evacuated tube systems operate at much more effective levels under low-light and cold weather conditions. Because this is a frequent pattern in the United Kingdom the more reliable function of the evacuated tube systems are making it the preferred installation. Secondly, the evacuated tube systems require a lower amount of space for equal performance, which adds to the aesthetic as well as functional value. Finally, evacuated tube systems have very limited maintenance required and they do not allow for some of the traditional problems of flat plate panels which can frequently suffer from standing water and broken seal conditions.

Sara Magee
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/all-about-solar-water-heating-675463.html

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Two solar power technologies exist, the passive and the active technology. The passive technology are the photocell panels or the photovoltaic film that receives sunlight and generates electricity more apt for a space station or a home. The active technology is a solar thermal that uses a dish to concentrate sunlight that produces steam, which in turn powers a turbine that generates electricity. Another active technology, which is not being promoted, hidden form public view, is using the Stirling Engine to move a power generator.

The passive technology is ready to go, and there are a few homes that have already installed the system. This system is totally clean, backed by the USDOE Solar American Initiative, it requires sufficient space on the roof to position the panels or film, and uses an inverter to turn direct current into alternate current homes can use. The Utility companies have also developed the Net Metering system to buy electricity on their terms, from homes that have generate a surplus of electricity. The new federal tax law “Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008″ effective January 2009 provides a 30% tax credit of the cost of a solar system. Some States are also providing large incentives to install solar systems, although with the current economic crisis these paybacks can be curtailed or delayed. The rest of the payback has to come from real savings generated over time by the system from the Utility company. This passive solar system is expensive as of today, and payback is obtained in 8 years of savings. Photovoltaic film or photocell panels are low efficiency and voltage, and compare badly with the option of buying electricity from the utility company. Currently you require from 13 to 15 photocell panels to generate the 2.5 to 3.0 Kilowatt hours generating capacity.

Walmart has established a pilot plan to install photovoltaic panels in several of their stores. If the system produces a return, they will massively implement it in all their stores, since they have sufficient roof space currently not utilized.

The Solar-thermal system is not adequate for homes and mainly will be used for large Utility companies. However, the active system based on a Stirling engine to power a generator which could be applicable for homes, is not available for massive distribution. Although all of its components have been developed, no one has yet integrated the solar power generating kit, or a home appliance. This home system or appliance should be very low cost because it requires: a solar collector or dish which could cost around $200 USD, a stiriling engine with a cost of $350, the 3 KW per hour power generator with a cost of $350, and the battery bank which is the expensive ticket item and could run several thousand dollars, to store electricity if the system is a stand alone not tied to the power grid. If the home is currently supplied by a utility company, then the battery bank is not needed and the Net Metering system with the public utility company can be used. In addition to the sun collector dish the rest of the system can be packaged in two boxes. One which has the stiriling engine and power generator, and the other with the battery if you are a location not tied to the grid. It can also have a gas heater installation as a backup to when there is a lack of sunlight making this a very reliable alternative.

Apparently, there are companies in America, New Zealand, India, Sweden, and other countries trying to develop the stiriling engine . A few companies are receiving funding from investment funds to develop the stiriling engine for this home appliance. Infinia Corporation, a US company has a head start, because they are currently producing a big sterling engine to power up 10 homes at a time and installing many of them in a centralized solar farm in California. Other companies should not be discouraged because markets are so huge, there will be enough room for all suppliers. Just in United States alone there is a potential of 124 million homes that could use the solar power appliance, plus commercial and industrial sites.

Having the home powering appliance, can be the initial steps for returning to sustainable systems. Today, the sun is light and warmth, provided to us from God and Nature, free for all of us to use and enjoy. A home solar powered generator would provide clean energy, and allow equal footing to all nations rich and poor, to devote their funding into other worthwhile social services such as health and education. Rich nations which have electrical grids and power generation capacity would suddenly feel there would be no need to continue increasing Power generation capacities and hopefully they would discontinue all those plants that contaminate. Please see Poverty generation:  http://www.articlesbase.com/politics-articles/poverty-and-the-new-world-order-809385.html

Juan Trevino
http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/solar-power-technologies-on-hold-673269.html

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