Power Your Home with Solar Energy!
Solar Power Overview
Solar power is energy that comes from the sun. As the sun’s rays strike the earth, solar collectors, most commonly known as solar panels, convert these rays into energy. A solar photovoltaic (PV) panel consists of two layers of silicon and as the sun hits one of the layers of silicon, it excites the free electrons which then flow back and forth to the other layer of silicon creating a natural electric current. The energy produced from this current can be used to provide electricity for a variety of applications. Solar panels can be formed into a variety of shapes and placed anywhere where they can receive sunlight but are most often placed unobtrusively on the roof of commercial, industrial or residential buildings.
Why Solar?
There are many different reasons why solar power is such an appealing source of energy:
1. First, solar energy is a completely free, inexhaustible and renewable fuel source. In fact, according to some, the sunlight that hits the earth is more than enough to meet the energy and power needs of mankind more than 8,500 times over.
2. Second, there is no pollution or greenhouse gases expelled during the conversion of the suns rays to energy. This contrasts traditional forms of energy production such as the burning of fossil fuels, which release carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide or mercury into the atmosphere and environment.
3. Third, in remote areas, or small villages, solar power may be the only realistic way to locally generate and provide energy to communities that are not capable of drawing energy from conventional sources.
4. Fourth, solar power can be used in a variety of scaled applications from battery chargers, hand-held calculators, and outdoor lights to air conditioning, cars, and to power satellites.
5. Finally, solar panels are silent as they have no moving parts and they require little maintenance over their very long lifetime.
Professional Home Solar Systems
A homeowner's first option should be to look into investing in a comprehensive solar power system installed by a solar professional. These systems are typically much more expensive than home solar kits (as discussed below) running up to $30,000 or even $50,000 per system. The advantage of investing in a higher end professional system are many:
1. You can customize the solar power system to fit the needs of your home energy usage as well as the structural requirements of your home;
2. Access to the most premium and up-to-date residential solar products;
3. Almost all reputable solar professionals are licensed, screened and insured and will monitor and manage your solar project from start to finish;
4. Your solar professional will handling of all installation-related paperwork including applying for and processing all permits, tax credits and coordination with your power company; and
5. Flexible financing options and one competitive project prices that cover everything from initial paperwork to the final cleanup.
Home Solar Kits
For many, an investment in a larger, more comprehensive and expensive home solar system is not feasible yet they still want to utilize solar for their homes. And with the continued rising cost of energy prices, home solar kits have become increasingly popular. These kits provide the bare essentials needed for setting up your home to receive supplemental power from the sun. They are typically much cheaper than a traditional full-blown professional solar system and far less complicated as well as much simpler to set up. When using home solar kits to supplement their energy consumption, some consumers have reported up to a 50% decrease in their energy bills, particularly at the peak time of year.
Tips on Buying a Home Solar Kit
Before you invest in a home solar kit, please be mindful of a couple of things:
1. First, home solar kits are not normally suited to fully power conventional homes. The average U.S. home consumes more energy a day than a typical home solar kit can provide, even at the top end of the range. Remember that a home solar kit can offer a great supplemental source of power but not a primary source of power.
2. Second, make sure you buy your kit from a reputable, professional manufacturer of home solar kits. Many kits that you find on the Internet are home made which may include sub-standard parts that result in inefficiencies or worse, put your home at risk. Always seek out the guidance of a professional when considering a home solar kit, even a small, simple kit.
3. Finally, you get what you pay for with a home solar kit. Most kits come standard with a 200 watt solar panel and an inverter to convert the energy captured by the panel into home use. However, the cheaper you go, the less power the solar panel will be able to produce and the less bang for your buck you will receive on reduced electric bills. In addition, a lot of the inexpensive kits do not include the necessary array wiring between the modules and battery bank. These and other necessities will need to be purchased separately.
4. And even though home solar kits are smaller and simpler to use, you will need to make sure that a professional installer helps you with the installation of your kit to ensure proper functioning of the kit as well as proper tying of the kit to your utility grid.
If you want more information on solar for your home, request a free consultation!
