by admin on June 12, 2013
As more homeowners become environmentally-conscious, the idea of adopting alternative energy is growing in popularity. One of the more popular options has always been solar power, using the warmth of the sun to produce energy. As technology has evolved, it’s now possible to install solar panels in residential homes, allowing families to “get off the grid” and say goodbye to high electrical bills. While installing solar panels requires specialized knowledge, it has been made easy enough for almost any person to complete.
The Right Calculations
Before installing the panels, a person needs to determine how many will be needed. To do so, an electric bill from the previous month showing usage from the previous several months will be needed. Using an online solar calculator, it’s important to find out the average number of hours of sunlight where you are located. After doing so, it’s a matter of dividing how many watts of power a home uses daily by the hours of sunlight, and then taking the number of watts needing to be produced daily and dividing that into the type of panel needed. Solar panels come in different watts, such as 500 watts and so on, so individual results will vary as to how many will be needed.
Get Off The Grid
While the initial cost of converting to solar energy can sometimes run into tens of thousands of dollars, there are many options homeowners have to greatly reduce the cost. One of the most popular is to do business with a solar energy provider, which is run very similar to a regular electric company. The solar energy provider will evaluate the home and its energy needs, install all necessary equipment for free in exchange for the homeowner agreeing to pay a monthly fee, much like they had been doing with electricity. To make sure this will be economical, compare the current electric rates with what the solar energy company is quoting. Usually the savings will be substantial, so many people opt for this method. Others are determined to go their own way, and build their own panels with materials found in hardware stores or obtain discarded panels in need of slight repairs. Whatever method is chosen, people determined to “get off the grid” usually find a way to do so.
The Installation
If installing panels yourself, it’s not that difficult. Locate them facing the sun and with little obstruction to sunlight, attaching them to the rafters to ensure a secure hold. After drilling the holes and bolting them in place, make sure they are flush with the roof so they will be able to draw in as much energy as possible. Once all this is done, simply connect them to the power inverter. A line should be run from the solar panels to the power inverter, which is found inside the home. Once this is done, a homeowner is officially “off the grid” and using nature’s energy to power his house and everything inside. Installation is pretty easy, with most panels able to be installed in no more than two or three days if all goes as planned.
Jason Kane is a former construction foreman and avid blogger. Jason writes for www.FallProtectionUSA.com, a provider of construction safety equipment.
by Guest Author on June 6, 2013
Solar panels have come a long way in recent years due to technological advancements. Unlike in the past, solar power has now become accessible for many households and businesses that are looking for alternative ways to obtain electricity. Here is a list of reasons why businesses and households should seriously consider installing solar panels.
Any building that uses solar energy for its electricity source is practicing energy independence. There is a lot of talk about energy independence these days, but many people aren’t sure how to become more energy independent. Solar panels offer a way to take your building off the grid, meaning you will no longer rely on the local power company for electricity.
Buildings with solar panels potentially fare better after a natural disaster. There have been recent natural disasters that have left hundreds of thousands or millions of people without electricity for days or weeks. Not having electricity can be disruptive to households and businesses, costing quite a bit of money and creating a number of problems. Generators offer a way to produce electricity, but when fuel is also in short supply generators aren’t the best option. On the other hand solar panels will continue to produce electricity despite low fuel supplies and other infrastructure problems following a big natural disaster, giving businesses and households a way to continue on with life normally.
Remote locations can receive electricity easier. Before solar power was readily accessible it used to be that owners of buildings located far from power lines had to pay the power company a considerable amount of money to have power lines extended to their building. Using solar panels, building owners only need to attach the panels to the building’s roof and have the panels connected to batteries and the house’s electrical system, costing significantly less. This means a cabin literally in the middle of nowhere, or any building in a completely undeveloped area, could have electricity without a huge upfront cost.
Solar panels can generate passive income. If your house or business is still connected to the electrical grid in the area you might be able to generate passive income from your solar panels. Most power companies will work out arrangements with anyone who uses solar power, allowing those people to sell a portion of the electricity their solar panels produce each month. This means instead of sending a check to the power company, these businesses and households receive a check from the power company.
Solar panels require little maintenance. So many people are afraid to install solar panels because they fear the panels require expensive maintenance on a regular basis. The fact is that solar panels often come with warranties that last twenty years or more, just like many modern roofs. This means solar panels should survive the elements in the outdoors without suffering damage. You might need to clean the dirt or sediment buildup off the solar panels two or three times a year using a microfiber cloth, but that would be the extent of the maintenance you would have to perform on your own set of panels, making them a low-maintenance way to generate electricity.
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Laura Ginn knows just how much of an impact installing solar panels can have on the energy economy of a building. Though the way forward for many people may be solar power others can use uSwitch.com to ensure that they get the best possible prices on their home or business energy.
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