Solar panels are devices that convert light into electricity. Solar panels are dropping in price, but they still are not cheap, so if you’re switching to solar it’s a great time to also carefully evaluate your electricity use. Call your utility company and get an “energy audit” and follow the recommendations. Most homeowners can cut their use of electricity or gas by anywhere from 5% to 30%. By cutting your power usage to an absolute minimum you can purchase only the expensive solar panel capacity that is required for your home. PV (photovoltaic) solar panels are made from solar cells which are a semiconductor material.

Electricity

The process for creating electricity from sun light is rather complex, but all you need to know is that photons collide with electrons in the semiconductor material and essentially free them up to flow when hooked up to a battery. This flow of electrons is what makes an electrical current.

The average household uses 30kwh of electricity per day. Electrical utility companies are required by law to accommodate “net metering”. This means that you can sell your excess power back to the power company. Thus, if you are out at work on a sunny day, or go on a two-week skiing vacation and aren’t using any electricity, the power being created by the solar panels is going back into the grid to the utility company. In other words every kilowatt-hour of electricity produced by a solar energy system ends up being used to the advantage of the homeowner, either as power to run appliances when the homeowner is there or as a dollar-for-dollar credit provided by the utility company for power that is not being used.

Cost

The most important component of the PV solar panel system will probably be the amount of subsidy you are eligible for. Since some utility companies need to meet goals for the amount of renewable energy they furnish, there are some very attractive rebates offered at times. These can be large rebates indeed, up to 50% of the cost of a system or even higher. This can make a system that would support the average 30 kwh per day home cost roughly $20,000 rather than $40,000! In addition, there is a $2,000 tax credit offered by the federal government. However, this is not always the case. In our local area of Colorado there are several utility companies that service the region. One offers a 50% rebate as described above. Another offers a 66% rebate, and a third offers no rebate at all. So you need to check with your utility company to see what rebates, if any, apply to your location. You should also contact a solar panel contractor who can give you lots of information about system costs, and of course they will probably know the rebates offered in your local area. Typical PV solar panels cost about $4 per watt before installation. Installation is a major expense, however, and in the example cited above with a 50% rebate, final system costs will amount to about $6.50- $7.00 per watt installed.

Batteries

Batteries are required in stand-alone systems to provide energy during night hours. These can be very expensive, but if you have an isolated cabin, an RV, or some other need for power and don’t have access to the public power grid, a solar system with batteries is certainly a solution.

Conclusion

When you consider the costs of a full blown PV solar system which will cut your electric bill down to zero or close to it, you get one other benefit. The value of your property increases with such a system, and your property taxes will not increase because of this added value. In addition to the satisfaction of cutting down your carbon footprint significantly, your system will eventually pay for itself, and your property will be worth more as well. Keep these factors in mind when you calculate your pay-back period.

Energy crunch is on, fuel prices have hit the roof and they are slated to break through the roof soon. Days are not far when utility companies will jack up the electricity rates to a point where you will have to run for cover. Everybody is looking for ways to install some alternative energy system at home. Solar power system is one of the popular alternatives. A solar power system comprises of three basic components, apart from the mandatory disconnects and safety accessories:
1. The solar panel;
2. Battery, for storing the energy generated, and necessary charger;
3. Inverter, to convert stored DC power to AC power.
Cost of a solar power system capable of supplying power to all household appliances can be quite substantial and solar panel makes a significant proportion of it. Fortunately the solar power system can be made in a modular fashion; you install the basic requirement and gradually as the time and the cost permit, carry on adding to it. Your own solar panel can be assembled by you; the other components mentioned above will be procured as required from the local suppliers.

What you need
The actual process of assembling your own solar panel is not very difficult. You need a certain amount of guidance on some aspects such as:
How to assess the solar panel power rating to meet your needs Where to buy the solar cells from
How to interconnect the cells to obtain the desired voltage and current capacity
How to assemble the solar panel
How to install the solar panel, etc
There are many guides available to provide such information. These guides cost about $25 to $40. A small search on the internet will get you website addresses at which these guides are available. These guides give step-by-step assembly and installation instructions with pictures/photographs where necessary. Obtain one of these guides, study thoroughly and now you are ready to get going! To assemble your own solar panel you require the following materials:
Solar cells
A sheet of plywood of suitable size
Sheets of glass
Copper wires
Few simple tools such as pliers, screwdriver, hand-drill machine, a soldering iron (with solder, flux, etc) will suffice.
Solar panel assembly:
• Arrange the solar cells in rows on the plywood sheet, with the back of the cells on the plywood and in the configuration suggested in the guide book.
• Drill holes in the plywood sheet so that the wires connecting the cells can be taken through to the back. Interconnect the cells as per the instructions.
• Put a backing board on the back of the plywood so that the interconnected wires are held in place and sealed
• Place the sheet of glass over the top of the solar cells
• Put a framing piece over this assembly (as would be done in framing a photograph)
• Seal the edges of the assembly, and your solar panel is ready.
The assembly procedure described above is the basic process of assembling your own solar panel. Of course you can improvise on it so as to make your assembly more sturdy, make it impervious to ingress of dust, water, etc, make it strong so that its installation outdoor will not cause any problems. A self assembled solar panel can bring about a substantial saving. You can save about 50% or more of the cost of solar panel by doing your own assembly.
Learn How to Make Solar Panels & Save Up to 80% Electricity Bills. Get the Details Now!

You can convert your home into solar power. By using solar system to generate electricity does make your home stand out. Solar energy or renewable energy can help you to save your electricity cost by 60% annually. A single house with 2 solar systems is sufficient for daily power usage. But the problem is a solar power system cost more than $1000. In this article I will show you the way of how you can get a home-made solar system for less than $200.

Earth 4 Energy is a website which offers a web-based program teaches how to build a home-made renewable energy generator. A solar power is enough to produce electricity for 3 heaters. It is also depend on the size of the solar plate. Each house should need at least a 2 kilowatt solar power system. The exceeding of electricity which isn’t use can be sold to a local power utility company.

2 meters are required to record the solar power which being used and another to record how much electricity did the solar system generated. As a result the electricity cost is less than $10 per month which reduces the utility expense by 60%. So you won’t have to worry about how much you have to pay for the bill. A solar system not only helps to keep the environment green but save a lot of money for you. As mentioned earlier, a solar system is costly. Earth 4 Energy is a D.I.Y. home-made solar system the program show you how to build a solar power device for less than $200. In fact you can buy parts from your local store or on the internet.

The program offers an instruction manual and videos show you how to build the system in detail. The process is explained in basic steps. The program is designed for people who have no basic knowledge about renewable power system and does not based on technical content. An experienced person can use the program for new ideas and tweak their skills. Earth 4 Energy offers a cost-effective way to build home-made renewable energy system for every household.

Let me show you how to successfully create a solar system for less than $200

With the state of the current economy, countless people are looking for ways to cut costs and to become more efficient. There are countless articles in print and online that detail various ways to shop for food cheaper, to find low cost methods of entertainment, to save money by downsizing vehicles and even houses. While these are just a few of the predictable and traditional money saving tactics in a bad economy, there are a few new ways to save money on utility bills and to do the environment a favor at the same time.

Home solar panels are about to become a part of the average mainstream residential home in this country. Historically, home solar panels were limited to the affluent due to the high cost of the components of the system. In addition, solar panels of the past have not been very energy efficient and have not produced a large savings relative to the up-front costs. Now, with advances in solar panel technology, home solar panels have become dramatically more efficient and affordable. Now, the cost of a complete home solar panel system can be recouped in less than a year in the savings that it generates.

The home solar panel system is fairly uncomplicated. A number of solar panels, the more the better, are installed on the roof of the house or the garage and are securely bolted or nailed down. The panels are connected to each other and to the house’s electrical system. While the actual wiring of the system should be completed by a licensed electrician, the task is a quick one, and the rest of the installation can be accomplished by anyone who is reasonably familiar with tools.

Once the system is installed, many are sunrise by how much power it can generate even on fairly cloudy days. Some people are even able to go off the grid, or disconnect from the electric company entirely, with solar power. However, it is probably more prudent to remain connected to the electric grid and to let the solar panels simply reduce or cancel out the monthly electric bill. This alone can be a savings of thousands of dollars per year. The electric companies will simply track the amount of power the home solar panel system is putting back into the grid and credit that account accordingly. It is not uncommon for efficient systems to be able to more than pay for all the power used in an average household.

Installing a home solar panel system is a good thing to do on a number of levels. It supports vital green industries that are vital to reducing pollution from fossil fuels, it allows people to save significant amounts of money in utility bills and raises the collective environmental consciousness. With the new increased efficiency and afford ability of home solar panel systems there is no reason why almost every household shouldn’t have one, especially considering the fact that almost any system pays for itself in the first year.

After recently reading a New York Times article, we started thinking about home solar panel politics.  You see, although solar power is gaining popularity as a renewable energy solution for home, it will never become mainstream without the backing from the federal government.

A poll by the Nuclear Power Industry revealed that the number one choice for generating power was not from nuclear, coal or natural gas, but from solar energy. However, at the time the poll was taken solar only provided for about 0.01 percent of America’s power supply. Solar power is popular, but there’s not enough investment!

In Washington, where the energy policies are signed, solar power lobbyists generally work with small budgets in the tens of thousands of dollars. Now when you compare it to the tens of millions of dollars that nuclear, coal, gas and oil lobbyists have available, you can only guess which energy policies gain approval by our beloved politicians.

But when you look at countries like Germany and Japan, their government policies have increased solar power implementation beyond what was thought possible. With the support from government not only have the manufacturing costs decreased because of economies of scale, but solar technologies have also rapidly advanced.

We know government regulation is not very popular in America, where many of us believe our capitalists markets should be left alone.  But according to Vinod Khosla, a partner at one of the world’s biggest venture capitalist firms – VC Firm and major investor in green technologies:

“…Market-driven improvements are not happening fast enough to put solar technology beyond much more than a boutique investment”.

We agree with Mr Khosla. Until the American solar industry gets backing from the federal government, our solar power costs and technology will always lag behind the rest of the world. And as long as that happens, solar power will never gain mass-market appeal in the US.

However, with the new change of government there are 3 distinct factors taking place that give us assurance that home panel solar power is about to take off in America.

1 – The new president-elect Obama and his administration is putting big coal and oil aside, and giving green technologies higher priority. Furthermore, their new laws will help limit the power and influence wealthy lobbyists have on new energy policies.

2 – Some states, such as California and Hawaii are not waiting for Washington to pass the new energy policies. Instead they are taking initiative. Governor Schwarzenegger’s “Million Roof” campaign will not only create a new industry, but also lower global warming and create thousands of jobs.

3 – And lastly, we, the home panel solar power users have the biggest role to play. All the energy policies and campaigns would be useless if the population did not embrace solar power at home. But, from the poll and what was said by Mr Khosla, that is not a problem. The America people are not only very interested in solar power, but are also supporting it with investment.

And although it can take years to pay off the solar power cost, people still invest. And when cost is a concern some are so interested in getting involved that they learn to make and install their own home solar panel power. So, let us continue moving towards solar and supporting the politicians and corporations who promote green technologies.

Solar power has so many advantages over regular fuel sources that you probably should be thinking about installing your own solar panel system. However, most people believe that solar panesl are expensive. It’s true that they CAN be expensive. Just the installation fee is enough to give you a heart attack.

Thanks to modern technology, it’s now possible to build your own quickly, easily and cheaply!

Do It Yourself: Solar Panel Kits

A large solar panel can cost you a few thousands of dollars. When you build a solar panel by yourself, using a solar panel kit, the cost will be as low as $200. The DIY solar panel kits are really easy to follow and give you specific instructions to put them together. So even if you don’t have any experience, you’ll still be able to do it yourself. Once you have the guide, you can build your first panel in an afternoon.

These guides also come with a list of parts that you can get from any hardware store. This helps you know exactly what you need and you can often get everything (cheaply) in one place. These DIY solar power kits even show you how to install the panels for maximum energy production. Many people are saving as much as $200 a month with these kits. Compare the $200 cost to the $5,000+ of a regular “professional” system. It makes so much more sense to build your own solar panel.

How To Choose A Solar Panel Kit

When you want to purchase such a kit, it is a good idea to compare the products of a few stores to find out the best that is worth your money. You should also look for offers if available, and can save even more money. The internet is also a great place to look for information. Don’t forget to make sure the instructions are easy to follow.

The kit with the easiest installation procedure is also a good choice, provided you don’t compromise on the quality of the product.

With the rising costs of fossil fuels, now is the perfect time to make the switch to solar energy. You could save up to 80% on your electricity bill just by building a simple solar panel!

Spring is in the air, and now would be a great time to think about ways to contribute to the environment. One way to do so, if you have an outdoor swimming pool, is to consider a solar pool heating system. Not only will it save you money, it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The system is fairly simple to create. The pool provides the thermal storage, so there is no need to purchase anything for this particular aspect. And, the pump that is currently used to filter the water in the pool will also circulate the water through the solar collectors.

Pool Cover

A pool cover will drastically save on heating costs and cost, on average, around $120. Not only that, but this will also reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are harmful to our environment. David Boehmer states, “…all other pool heating methods…should only be used in conjunction with a pool cover. Not to do so would be like running your house air conditioner during August with the doors and windows open. The system will still work, but the operating cost will be as much as three times higher.” Visit the United States Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website to peruse estimates of how much it costs to heat a pool with and without a pool cover.

One of the reasons swimming pool covers are so effective is due to the loss of water incurred through evaporation. A pool cover alone can provide up to 50%-70% savings. There are various types of pool covers that you can consider in your purchasing decision. Bubble (or solar) covers are probably the least costly. Vinyl covers, however, are made of a thicker material and tend to have a longer life expectancy than bubble covers.

As stated, pool covers provide savings in your energy costs. However, they also have the following benefits:

* They conserve water by reducing the amount of make-up water needed by 30%-50%

* They reduce the pool’s chemical consumption by 35%-60%

* They reduce cleaning time by keeping dirt and other debris out of the pool

Solar Swimming Pool Heaters

A solar pool heater can significantly reduce the costs you acquire through heating your pool. Not only are they similar in price with other heating options, but they also have extremely low annual operating costs. When compared in many climates, they actually come out on top as being the most cost effective. These types of swimming pool heaters generally last longer than their gas and heat pump counterparts. With proper maintenance, they can last anywhere from ten to twenty years. Here is what is usually included in solar swimming pool heaters:

* A solar collector – the device through which pool water is circulated to be heated by the sun

* A filter – removes debris before water is pumped through the collector

* A pump – circulates water through the filter and collector and back to the pool

* A flow control valve – automatic or manual device that diverts pool water through the solar collector

The material that solar pool collectors are made of varies, and the specific type you will need is dependent on what climate you live in.

Copyright (c) 2008 R Douglas Allen

Thirty years ago in a number of countries around the world, a push began to install solar energy panels on private houses. Many experts argues that solar power, including solar energy incorporated into residential property, was to be the proverbial wave of the future. In reality, the early movement towards solar energy slowed down during the latter part of the decade and into the 1980s. A major concern associated with solar homes centered on the fact that many consumers discovered that the installation and utilization of solar power systems into their homes was not proving particularly cost effective.

Since the advent of the 21st century, there has been a significantly profound renewed interest in solar energy generally and in solar homes specifically. The “rebirth” of the trend towards the construction of more solar homes and towards the retrofitting of existing residential properties with solar systems has occurred for two primary and essential reasons.

First, an increasing segment of the media has become concerned with the impact that carbon based energy sources are having on the environment, on the planet. As a consequence, there are an ever growing number of people who are making a concerted effort to make their living spaces far more environmentally friendly. From recycling to the use of alternative energy resources such as solar power, more men and women all of the time are becoming committed to establishing and maintaining homes that are more environmentally friendly.

Second, the costs associated with petroleum, coal and natural gas as primary sources of power have increased dramatically over the course of the past several years. The net result of this tremendous cost increases has been to make alternative energy resources – including solar power – far, far more cost effective. Therefore, many people are now turning (or returning, as the case may be) to solar homes because these types of residences have become cost effective in the current marketplace.

While some people are hoping (and likely against hope) that the costs associated with petroleum, coal and natural gas will drop sooner rather than later, most industry experts and financial analysis predict that this likely will not be the case. Therefore, research and development is becoming more intense when it does come to alternative energy resources such as solar homes. Moreover, consumer demand for alternative energy resources, including residential property that relies on solar power, is increasing markedly. These are companion long-term trends that are expected to continue into the future.

With this in mind and understood, many financial experts and analysts are suggesting with increasing regularity that making investments in such alternative energy resources such as solar homes is a wise course to take. These analysts maintain that the days are long gone when an investment in solar home technology was considered speculative at best. Rather, investments in such alternative energy resources such as solar homes is considered to be a sound course which will allow for the realization of significant profits in both the short and the long term.

Radiation emitted by the sun can be captured and converted into useful forms of energy. This energy can be used to power electricity appliances in homes or heat water. The feasibility and economical operation of home solar panels depends on the availability of sunlight in the region.

Solar Energy

To get maximum benefit from home solar panels the ideal place to install it is on roof tops, ideally mounted to face south, but south/east and south/west are great too. PV home solar panels are electric generating solar panels, which are a little more expensive than solar thermal systems. PV solar panels have zero maintenance, and zero fuel cost. These panes have no moving parts. No one actually knows how long these panels will last as the very first PV panels are still producing electricity today.

The optimum size of home solar panels depend on how much energy in kilowatt-hours is necessary per month, and how much it costs per month. Shifting entirely to electricity generated from home solar panels will mean reducing the use of home appliances which draw plenty of electricity.

Home solar panels are becoming popular source of renewable energy for home owners. To have a hassle free installation, solar panels should be purchased from manufacturers who are leaders in this technology. The panels should have durable connectors on the module, as this is one of the items that give trouble. The connections should be sturdy as it is open to all weather conditions. The terminals should also be rugged.

Unlike electricity generated from finite fossil sources like oil, gas and coal, solar energy has no fuel price volatility. With no moving parts, home solar panels are ideal for small homes where solar power has negligible maintenance cost and are reliable. Solar cells generate electricity without air and water emissions. There is no noise pollution either.

The cost of solar electricity is higher than the cost of retail electricity from private power houses. This is so because home solar panels require relatively high up-front costs and low ongoing operational costs. The only obstacle for its mass popularity is its initial investment. As technology in home solar panels become mature, PV cell efficiency increases, manufacturing efficiencies better, and economies of scale improve, it will become more affordable to many more people. Another reason for its low popularity is its aesthetics. The present panels are bulky, heavy, rigid, fragile and non-modular. A flexible, lighter, modular solar panel which fits aesthetically into homes will be welcome.

At USD$800 for a 170 watt solar panel many of us are scared at the cost of buying enough solar panels to power our home. Well, for a home that uses 3Kwh/day it’s around USD$14,000; however, we have a secret that can cut down that cost significantly. It happened by “accident” actually. (forgive the pun)

We were driving down Highway 401(Canada’s busiest divided highway) and noticed an accident ahead. The driver had crashed into one of those mobile signs which indicate to change lanes. The sign was completely ruined, but the panel which was ON TOP didn’t seem to be damaged. We called the company up the following Monday and the receptionist answered “Yes, the signs get hit all the time, and yes, we could probably have the cracked panels after the insurance company looked at them.”

BINGO

It turns out that this company installs 5- 65 watt solar panels on each unit. After getting the company approval we toted away 13 slightly damaged solar panels. After we got them home we tested the current on each of them. It turns out that only two of them were damaged beyond being usable. In total we picked up over 200 watts of panels for the price of the gas it cost to drive there!

We’ve now shown you a source of no-cost solar panels, but we should also know about the different kinds of solar panels because in the last 10 years there have been some amazing advances in this field.

Tried and True Monocrystalline…

For many years monocrystalline solar modules have been the mainstay of the solar market. Those iridescent blue faced panels you have been seeing on rooftops are probably of this type of panels. They have distinct rounded individual solar cells visible from all angles stacked in very uniform rows. This type is produced from a single silicon ingot or crystal. Manufacturing costs are very high because of this process making them the most expensive solar modules on the market. They are, however the most space efficient type of solar panel making them the correct choice when space is at a premium. Monocrystalline cells have a life expectancy far exceeding 25 years, probably over 50 years. The only real problem with this type of cell is it’s fragile nature making it a requirement that it be mounted in a very rigid frame.

Polycrystalline…

Polycrystalline modules are manufactured from a block of multi-crystalline silicon. They are usually square and have a varied, almost mosaic-like appearance. Only slightly less efficient than monocrystalline modules they are cheaper to manufacture and thus cost less money. You can expect the same great lifespan as monocrystalline cells too.

Thin Film…

Recently a new product was introduced into the market that could provide some much needed answers for solar power users. Amorphous silicon PV or thin film technology could make rigid solar panels obsolete if some better research is done. Thin film panels are produced by applying silicon material on glass or stainless steel, or more commonly between two pieces of flexible laminate material. Solid or rigid thin film panels are in use by flexible laminated thin film panels are more popular.

The flexible panels can be applied to any surface and sometimes used as roofing material. Most customers like the almost seamless blending of solar panels right into their roof top. Saving you the cost of regular shingles or steel roofing, thin film solar panels are a good choice. These panels are not nearly as efficient at converting light to electricity when compared to mono or polycrystalline solar panels- not nearly by half.

You would need twice the space to accommodate their installation. From a manufacturing standpoint they do absorb light more efficiently though, allowing for a thinner design and less material being used in their manufacture. The real benefit, because less material is needed, is in the simplified manufacturing process resulting in lowered costs to build. The lower price has pushed thin film panels to the lead in price per watt of output.