Renewable energy systems get their energy from nature. The top 5 most customary of these natural sources include the sun, water, wind, geothermal and biomass.

Low cost DIY Solar Panels are fast replacing expensive ready made solar panels for home use. The evolution of solar technology has finally reached a point where it is now practical, affordable, and accessible to all.

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Renewable Energy Systems Wind-power

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Until recently, renewable solar energy for home use was a fancy term with little practical utility, considering its high initial costs for an average household.

PEROVO SOLAR PARK

Renewable Energy Systems – Solar Panels

It looked a great cost saving and environment friendly technology in theory, but hardly anyone was actually able to use it because of its prohibitive installation costs that contradicted the very cost saving economics it proposed.

That is now a thing of the past, because the cost of installing solar power has dropped substantially. There is now huge investments in this technology which will drive prices down even further.

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Fascinating video below, well worth a watch…

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Peter Sinclair says that utilities in time will become managers rather than owners of energy, and that the emerging systems are inherently anti-monopolistic.

Wind power converts renewable energy from the wind into a useful form, most often electricity. The most contemporary name for these devices is “wind turbine.” There are wind turbine farms, off shore wind turbines, and small residential wind turbines. Many European countries have managed to double their wind generation, and over 80 countries around the world are using renewable wind energy on a commercial basis.

Wind power is capital intensive, but has no fuel costs. So, the economics of wind power is consequently much less volatile than the prices of fossil fuels .

The marginal cost of wind energy once a plant is constructed is usually less than 1 cent per kW·h. As wind turbine technology improves so the prices should keep coming down.

Geothermal energy is a type of renewable energy that encourages conservation of natural resources. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Geothermal energy is fast emerging as a significant source of electricity in several island nations, mainly in the Indian oceans and the Pacific regions.

Geothermal plants make use of naturally heated steam drawn to the surface through a series of bore holes. Exchange systems save home-owners 30–70 percent in heating costs, and 20–50 percent in cooling costs, compared to conventional systems. Geo- exchange systems also save money because they require much less maintenance. In addition to being highly reliable they are built to last for decades.

Geothermal energy is a renewable source of power derived from the earth’s crust. The usable heat beneath is called geothermal heat, which is used to create power by drilling wells and using a number of technologies such as dry steam, flash steam, and binary cycle. Another major utilization of geothermal heat is its direct use in space heating, aquaculture and, horticulture to name but a few.

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Biomass energy is quite simply energy that we take from natural materials, such as flora and fauna so as Renewable Energy Systems go, it’s pretty high on the list.

As well as plants, some of these sources include municipal and industrial waste, residues from agriculture and animal waste such a manure.

The biggest advantage of biomass energy is that it is almost completely renewable, and in the current years where the more traditional sources of energy are depleting, this gives it a good selling point.

Because this type of energy is very renewable, it gives it a good standing over other sources of energy such as fossil fuels, which will eventually run out. By it’s very nature, biomass is all encompassing and so easy to harvest and distribute.

The definition of biomass energy may sometimes be confusing as it is used interchangeable with the words bio-fuel and bio-energy. Biomass belongs to what we call alternative energy resources and is derived from material contained in living organisms.

Hydro power or water power is power derived from the energy of falling water and running water, which may be harnessed to create electricity.

Since olden times, hydro power has been utilized for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as water mills, saw-mills, textile mills, dock cranes, the list is endless .

At a most the basic level hydro power works just by converting the falling water into the electricity by using turbines. The electricity power generating turbines normally works by spinning the magnet in wiring to produce the magnetic field that has been converted to the electrical power.

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I hope you have found this article – Top 5 Renewable Energy Systems – informative, and you will share your own experiences below in the comment box and please take the time to click on the share button, many thanks; see more articles on The Daily Green Post home page.

The post Renewable Energy Systems appeared first on Environmental Design Solutions | Green Living Tips.

Solar Powered vehicles

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Through the centuries, scientists have found innovative ways to harness the power of the sun — from magnifying glasses to steam engines. Converting more solar power into electricity is high on the political agenda in many countries, amid the push to find domestic energy sources that are less polluting than fossil fuels.

Solar is growing quickly in the United States. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, more solar was installed in the third quarter of 2011 than in all of 2009 combined. Assisted by technological innovation and years of government subsidies, the cost of solar power — and wind power — has fallen sharply, so much so that the two industries say that they can sometimes deliver cleaner electricity at prices competitive with power made from fossil fuels. At the same time, solar and wind power companies are telling Congress that they cannot be truly competitive and keep creating jobs without a few more years of government support. Solar and wind companies argue that the tax breaks they are seeking are different. The tax credits can be taken only by businesses that are already up and running, so taxpayers are less likely to be stuck subsidizing a failing company, proponents say. Without the new breaks, industry executives warn, they will be forced to scale back production and eliminate jobs in a still-weak economy. President Obama, who has been a steadfast supporter of clean-energy programs, has already begun making a case for new government investment in clean energy projects as a way to foster both energy independence and employment at a time when Capitol Hill evaluates new laws in terms of job creation as well as budget cost or savings. More at… Solar Energy

CIRES assembled a panel of the top minds in the field of renewable energy at the 2012 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting. The panelists discuss recent scientific studies, new technologies, new oppertunities, and global strategies that help to further the industry of renewable energy.

How do Photovoltaics Work?

by Gil Knier (courtesy of NASA)

Photovoltaics is the direct conversion of light into electricity at the atomic level. Some materials exhibit a property known as the photoelectric effect that causes them to absorb photons of light and release electrons. When these free electrons are captured, an electric current results that can be used as electricity.

The photoelectric effect was first noted by a French physicist, Edmund Bequerel, in1839, who found that certain materials would produce small amounts of electric current when exposed to light. In 1905, Albert Einstein described the nature of light and the photoelectric effect on which photovoltaic technology is based, for which he later won a Nobel prize in physics. The first photovoltaic module was built by Bell Laboratories in 1954. It was billed as a solar battery and was mostly just a curiosity as it was too expensive to gain widespread use. In the 1960s, the space industry began to make the first serious use of the technology to provide power aboard spacecraft. Through the space programs, the technology advanced, its reliability was established, and the cost began to decline. During the energy crisis in the 1970s, photovoltaic technology gained recognition as a source of power for non-space applications.

The diagram above illustrates the operation of a basic photovoltaic cell, also called a solar cell. Solar cells are made of the same kinds of semiconductor materials, such as silicon, used in the microelectronics industry. For solar cells, a thin semiconductor wafer is specially treated to form an electric field, positive on one side and negative on the other. When light energy strikes the solar cell, electrons are knocked loose from the atoms in the semiconductor material. If electrical conductors are attached to the positive and negative sides, forming an electrical circuit, the electrons can be captured in the form of an electric current — that is, electricity. This electricity can then be used to power a load, such as a light or a tool. A number of solar cells electrically connected to each other and mounted in a support structure or frame is called a photovoltaic module. Modules are designed to supply electricity at a certain voltage, such as a common 12 volts system. The current produced is directly dependent on how much light strikes the module. Multiple modules can be wired together to form an array. In general, the larger the area of a module or array, the more electricity that will be produced. Photovoltaic modules and arrays produce direct-current (dc) electricity. They can be connected in both series and parallel electrical arrangements to produce any required voltage and current combination. More at… How do Photovoltaics Work?

I hope you have found this article – The science behind solar energy – informative, and you will share your own experiences below in the comment box and please take the time to click on the share button, many thanks; see more articles on The Daily Green Post home page.

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Solar energy encompasses the entire planet due to the fact that it stems from the sun.

Solar energy can be utilized to power electric terminals, pump water, to warm your home or office and power vehicles.
With all that we can do with solar power you need to question why we do not do enough to conserve this source of renewable energy.

You need to direct the sunlight to a concentrated area in order to have adequate energy to power your source.

I found an interesting Article on the subject below:

In countries with plenty of sunshine, such as Cyprus and Greece, it has long been the custom to mount a water tank on the roof of your house as a somewhat primitive, but effective use of the sun’s heat to provide domestic hot water. For the rest of the world other forms of heating such as oil and gas have always been relatively cheap, so solar energy has largely been ignored. The reasoning has always been that if you do not have constant sunshine, why bother with solar energy?

The answer to that is that the remaining oil reserves of the world are said to have a life of just 50 years and although coal reserves are more extensive, even these are expected to run out by the middle of the 23rd century.

Meanwhile solar energy is expected to last for at least another 5 billion years.

Solar energy, or getting energy from the sun is nothing new. Ancient cultures used energy from the sun to keep warm by starting fires from the sun’s rays. Buildings were designed to capture the sun’s heat.

Photovoltaics were discovered as long ago as 1839 when the French physicist Edmond Becquerel found that electric current in certain materials could be increased when exposed to light., but it was not until 1905 that Albert Einstein was able to clearly describe the photoelectric effect, which is the principle on which photovoltaics is based.

Solar cells have been around since the mid 1950s and provided essential power to the earliest space satellites. These first cells had an efficiency of about 6%, meaning that only 6% of the energy that hit its surface got converted into electricity. Today’s cells have efficiencies in excess of 20%.

Initially these cells were cripplingly expensive, which was one of the reasons why they did not get much attention, but in the 1970’s new designs were able to bring down costs by about 80%.

This immediately opened up whole new markets, making solar energy an attractive proposition not only for lighthouses, off-shore oil rigs and remote homes, but also for the general domestic market.

Given that, a typical solar system could produce about 40% of the home’s annual electricity consumption….More at Solar Day – The Earth Times

Ultimately, we find solar energy everywhere; it is really more about the incentives people and industries are given to start utilizing it.

If you have any comments (good or bad) please make your views known in the comment box below…

I hope you have found this article – Where is Solar Energy found – informative, and you will share your own experiences below in the comment box and please take the time to click on the share button, many thanks; see more articles on The Daily Green Post home page.

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Solar power is the conversion process of sunshine into electric power, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly making use of concentrated solar power (CSP).

Is Solar Power Worth It

Concentrated solar power schemes make use of lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunshine into a small beam.

Photovoltaics convert light into electric current using the photoelectric effect.

Solar power scheme owners are now drawing the rewards of their wise investment; clean energy became the safe haven under the continued energy price hikes.

Energy2green – Wind And Solar Power System 1 Home Energy Program

Solar power is a brilliant way to maximize a free, renewable energy source, which benefits the environment whilst saving you money. The only factor for this to work is sunlight.

DIY solar power guides show you how to build solar panels from materials most people can find at their local hardware stores. Some people even get into the hobby of building these for fun or for neighbors.

 >> Interested in DIY Solar Energy <<

It can get expensive, but it’s still far cheaper than a professional job, and they easily pay for themselves over time.

The solar power generator may seem to be very complicated and complex to create, but you should know that it’s actually the complete opposite as evidenced by many people who start to integrate this environmentally friendly system into their lifestyle.

The internet has plenty of instructional material and guides on the topic of constructing solar powered generation systems.

Once you purchase a good set of plans, you can research local hardware supplier and dealers that can carry the parts you need.

The solar powered generator is manufactured from three straightforward, principal parts: a frame, a charger for the battery and the generator itself. The solar frames of your generator captures the sun’s energy and stores it within a battery for future use.

These solar power kits are easy to install and some do it yourself providers can even teach homeowners and enthusiasts how to design and build batteries on their own.

 >> Interested in DIY Solar Energy <<

All homeowners need to determine first is the best location for the installation of their solar panel kits for maximum solar energy reception.

A residential solar power kit allows a homeowner the ability to run their homes using only solar energy.

Ecologically concerned people have invested large amounts of money to design and come out with totally green homes that uses residential solar power panels to generate their own electricity.

Did you know, in a single hour, enough sunlight reaches the earth’s surface to meet the entire world’s energy needs for a full year.

Imagine! That information comes from the American Solar Energy Society.

How much does solar power cost?

Many people are still apprehensive about solar power because of the bill of such a project.

They still think that it is not a wise investment. No one can blame them for they are used to the idea that it is a brand new technology and, as with any new technology, they will always be costly.

This is where they are wrong. Solar power technology has been around for years. Plus with recent technological innovations the prices have been coming down quite considerably.

Obviously prices will vary from area to area.

 >> Interested in DIY Solar Energy <<

Did you know ‘Warren Buffet’ has made a considerable investment is renewable energy businesses?

There is one man who very rarely gets it wrong.

Building a DIY solar power system doesn’t require complicated technical skills or a degree in engineering; you just need some simple DIY skills, a few hand tools and some equipment available from local suppliers, ebay or your local highways department.

See the video below to witness the power of sunshine – You may never want to sunbathe again..!

Jem Stansfield travels to the Solar Furnace Research Facility in Southern France. 

If you choose to pursue a DIY home solar power kit, it is important and recommended for you to consider grabbing a guide to help you in realizing an effective and reliable solar power system. Usually these kits provide the guide but you can also opt for other references for it may make your work easier.

 

I hope you have found this article – Is Solar Power Worth It – informative, and you will share your own experiences below in the comment box and please take the time to click on the share button, many thanks; see more articles on The Daily Green Post home page.

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Clean renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly. In its various forms, it derives directly from the sun, or from heat generated deep within the earth.

Clean Renewable Energy

Included in the definition is electricity and heat generated from solar, wind, ocean, hydro-power, biomass, geothermal resources, and bio-fuels and hydrogen derived from renewable resources.

Clean renewable energy use has grown much faster than even advocates had anticipated.

WIND MILLS ON THE SACRAMENTO DELTA

Wind turbines create getting on for 30% of Danish electricity. Denmark has many bio-gas digesters and waste to energy plants as well. Together, wind and biomass provide 44 per cent of the electricity consumed by the Nations six million population.

In 2010, Portugal’s ten million population created more than fifty per cent of their electricity from indigenous renewable energy resources.

Spain’s forty million population meet a third of their electrical needs from renewable energy.

Solar Stirling Plant – Uses The Sun To Create Free Electricity

Clean renewable energy has a history of strong public support.

In America, for example, a 2013 Gallup survey showed that two in three Americans want the U.S. to increase domestic energy production using solar power (76%), wind power (71%), and natural gas (65%).

Far fewer want more petroleum production (46%) and more nuclear power (37%).

Least favored is coal, with about one in three Americans favoring it.

Clean renewable energy in the United States accounted for 11 percent of the domestically produced electricity in 2011. California is a leading state and around 20 percent of California’s electricity comes from RPS eligible renewable sources, and more if traditional hydro-power sources are included.

SOLAR AMUSEMENT

Clean renewable energy technologies are getting cheaper, through technological change and through the benefits of mass production and market competition.

Renewable energy targets in most countries are indicative and non-binding but they have assisted government actions and regulatory frameworks.

The United Nations Environment Program has suggested that making renewable energy targets legally binding could be an important policy tool to achieve higher renewable energy market penetration.

Renewable energy basically stands for ‘natural resources’. So renewable energy resources are ways of obtaining energy through natural things we can find in our environment.

This type of energy has sources that are restored and always accessible. It consists of the sun, rain, and bodies of water, like the sea, for instance. All of these energy sources could power our homes.

Robert Llewellyn visits Masdar City, a city fully sustainable on green energy.

Clean renewable energy for your home, also known as alternative energy, can come in quite a few forms. Solar power is a form of renewable green energy. We have all seen the solar panels sitting atop of someone’s roof, quietly capturing clean solar energy to use for heating your house or powering your lights and appliances.

Renewable energy sources absolutely sustain life because they do not emit carbon based warming and harmful substances into the atmosphere.

I hope you have found this article – Clean Renewable Energy – informative, and you will share your own experiences below in the comment box and please take the time to click on the share button, many thanks; see more articles on The Daily Green Post home page.

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The London Array Wind Farm offshore substation construction and installation.

The London Array Wind Farm – What are they doing down there?

Have you ever wondered what goes into the building of Wind Farms?

Watch this video for an insight into the amazing feats of engineering required to build the London array wind farm, it is quite astonishing to see for yourself how these projects come together.

If you enjoyed the video and it whetted your appetite to learn more about wind turbine energy read this very informative article I found in the Telegraph, details for the full article are at the bottom of the post.

The London Array: the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
As Britain strives to meet European renewable energy targets, the world’s largest offshore wind farm is rising from the waves off the coasts of Kent and Essex.

When the first phase of the London Array wind farm is complete by the end of this year, it will generate 630 megawatts of electricity – enough power for more than 470,000 homes, or two thirds of the homes in Kent.

Onshore wind farms, heavily criticised for their visual impact on the landscape, have generated a great deal of vocal opposition in recent years. In 2010 32 out of 66 applications for onshore wind farms were rejected. Offshore wind power, however, is expanding rapidly. Britain’s first offshore wind farm, near Blyth in Northumberland, opened in 2000, and since then another 14 farms (about 570 turbines and counting) have been built around the country, including three others in the Thames Estuary between the Kent and Essex coasts. Another six are under construction; and a further seven have planning approval.

Wind Turbines at sea – An eyesore – you decide!

So far, Britain has made slow progress towards the goal set by the European Union of generating 15 per cent of our energy needs from renewable sources by 2020, and towards the target mandated in the Climate Change Act of 2008 of cutting carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. Yet the government believes our reserves of wind, wave and tidal power will enable us to meet them. It estimates that offshore wind alone could meet Britain’s current demand for electricity 10 times over, and environmental campaigners are urging the government to make the most of its potential.

‘Forty years ago, we were discovering North Sea oil, and now, as we find ourselves on the cusp of a technological revolution, we are sitting on the most fabulous resource once again,’ Andrew Pendleton of Friends of the Earth told me. ‘It would be a tragedy if we didn’t exploit it.’

The first turbine in the London Array was installed in January this year, and another 90 have been added since then. The 175 turbines that will make up the 630-megawatt capacity of the first of two phases are due to be in place by the end of the year, and Stephen Reynolds, London Array’s offshore site manager, was pleased by the way the work was progressing.

The London Array Wind farm – Wind Mill

The local fishermen, who fish the Thames Estuary for Dover sole and other catches, have less reason to welcome the wind farms. Merlin Jackson, the treasurer of Thanet Fisher­man’s Association, which represents about 30 vessels from Ramsgate and other harbours in the area, said that some fishermen were concerned by the loss of their traditional fishing grounds. ‘Fishermen and wind farms seem to like the same places,’ he said. ‘We both like shallower areas, nice and close to the shore.

Other regions, including the North West and the North East of England, are keeping an eye on events in the Thames Estuary, having expressed similar ambitions themselves. There is a cluster of wind farms in the Irish Sea, including Walney, which is currently the largest in the world, with a capacity of 367 megawatts, and a group of the North East’s leading energy companies have invested £400 million in an attempt to make the region a hub for offshore renewable energy.

Environmental considerations are another constraint: the number of turbines in phase one was reduced from 258 to 175 in order to protect a population of red-throated divers in the Thames Estuary,

The RSPB regards the harnessing of offshore wind as essential in the fight against climate change, but is also determined ‘to protect important marine sites from adverse development impacts’. Earlier this month, an application to build a 540-megawatt wind farm at Docking Shoal, near the Lincolnshire and north Norfolk coasts, was refused because the potential impact on Sandwich tern seabirds in the Wash. It is not only birds whose welfare is an issue: the developers deploy ‘marine mammal observers’ to patrol the site. When the turbines’ foundations are drilled into the seabed using a hydraulic hammer, the resulting high levels of underwater sound can be harmful to wildlife in the vicinity.

Andrew Pendleton maintains that, in the long run, offshore wind will be cheap as well as clean. ‘The wind industry is an unrivalled opportunity for UK plc,’ he says. ‘There is a genuine opportunity for us to be at the forefront of some very exciting 21st-century industries.’

Full article at… The Telegraph

I hope you have found this article – The London Array Wind Farm – informative, and you will share your own experiences below in the comment box and please take the time to click on the share button, many thanks; see more articles on The Daily Green Post home page.

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When I’m researching various topics on Green Living, solar energy is one where I see some amazing images so here are my favorite solar energy pictures.

So, I thought I would make a compilation of some of my favorite solar energy pictures for your entertainment. Some of them are truly breathtaking, I only wish I could have witnessed them in person.

Image below:
A strong solar wind can lead to auroras like this one. Credit: NASA

Solar flares and coronal mass ejections can quicken the solar wind. The solar wind is a flow of charged particles that spirals away from the Sun through space. This “electric breeze” can be harmful to astronauts. It can also affect satellites and cause power outages on Earth. One positive effect — a strong solar wind can lead to auroras. These are incredible displays of light in the night sky.

Aurora’s rarely reach below 60 kilometers, and can range up to 1000 kilometers. Aurora light results from solar shock-wave causing energetic electrons and protons to striking molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Frequently, when viewed from space, a complete aurora will appear as a circle around one of the Earth’s magnetic poles.

I have included the following illustration because real information makes a difference in how we develop our opinions, and well informed opinions are fairly thin on the ground when it comes to the solar energy debate.

It important to keep track of the Earth’s radiation budget because the production of greenhouse gases seems to be affecting the natural balance. This creates concerns about rising sea levels, changing precipitation patterns, and an array of other possible effects. With the use of polar orbiting satellites, scientists hope to monitor changes in tropospheric and stratospheric temperatures to look for ways in which we are altering the Earth’s radiation balance. The four topographical regions chosen to do this activity represent four distinctly different terrains. Each region has a predominant feature: rain forest, water, ice, or desert. Each has a unique albedo (reflectance), absorbance ability and heat capacity. These factors, among others, determine how the Earth interacts with the input of solar radiation.
More at … Nasa education

This solar energy picture below of an Aurora – ‘above,  Bear lake, Alaska’ – just had to be included, it looks like something from an alien world. “Quite amazing!”

There’s more to solar energy pictures than you could ever imagine.

For those of you who are interested in what makes up the sun in all its glory, this one is for you.

Courtesy of : Wikimedia

Solar Powered Vehicles

Solar2 experimental power plant

I hope you have found these few images of solar energy pictures of some interest and that if you anything to share, you will leave your comments below; thanks for taking the time to view this page.

I hope you have found this article – Solar Energy Pictures – informative, and you will share your own experiences below in the comment box and please take the time to click on the share button, many thanks; see more articles on The Daily Green Post home page.

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There isn’t a straight forward answer to that question; my best answer is:
They don’t have to, it depends more on how you go about it and if you are prepared to do any of the work yourself, so if you want to know how much solar panels cost, read on.

Solar panels cost – Neufrach
By Dietrich Krieger (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

…AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT…!!!

Parish church St. Peter and Paul and St. Elisabeth, Salem-Neufrach, Bodenseekreis.
There are solar panels in form of a cross on the roof.

I was looking through the various posts on the; – solar panels cost – how much??? … Sites on the internet, and I found this one below that has good information and is worth your time to read through if you are interested in creating a more energy efficient home.

Costs of Turning Your Home Solar
By Kris Walker

Introduction
Fossil fuels such as coal and oil are depleting at an alarming rate, causing many countries to look for alternative resources.

Solar energy represents one of the collection of various renewable energy sources and in contemporary society, solar energy is being harnessed not just for use in industries and commercial buildings but also in our homes.

The power of the sun can now help fuel homes in many parts of the world.

All a home owner requires is to have solar panels installed onto the roof of their homes to catch and store solar energy.

This energy is converted to electricity or solar photovoltaic, and for solar water heating, enabling the home owner to become almost if not entirely independent of traditional energy.

There are always stipulations and the key to getting the most out of this alternative source of energy can be simply be down to location.

If you are like me and live under a cloud, you may not get the benefits so ideally, it is always good to be located in a region that gets a lot of sunshine!

 Personal Recommendation From The Owner Of this Blog

Solar panels cost effective idea – why not build your own?

We intend on giving you all the help and the most current up to date information on – How to live a more Eco-Friendly way of life.

But, on occasion there will be areas that will need more specialist and technical advice and that is when we will make a recommendation on where to find more detailed specialist information and some extra help!

How to build your own solar panels falls into this bracket.

While researching the subject of: are solar panels worth it and solar power kits, I found a really useful guide that may be of interest to you.

If you would to learn more about – ‘how to build solar panels’, I have provided a link below –

Check out –>> Build your own solar panels and start making a difference to our world, for the better.

A house facing the south would be ideal as well.

Types of Solar Technology
There are two types of domestic solar technology:

Solar PV (photovoltaic) – This type is used to generate electricity.
Solar thermal- This type is used to heat water.

Components of PV System
The following is a list of components found in a basic PV system:

• PV panels: These are the most important and expensive part of the system.

• They can cost from $2.40 per watt to about $5 per watt. Placement and mounting of the panels must be done precisely by authorized personnel so that the PV system provides optimal performance.

• Mounting equipment: The panels must be mounted to get maximum sunshine throughout the year. It must be strong to last at least 25 years or more.

Solar panels cost – solar panel cooker
Villagers like this woman in Zouzugu, Ghana, prevent dracunculiasis and other waterborne diseases by pasteurizing water in a solar cooker

The Cost of Making Homes Solar

The exact cost of a solar power system varies depending on several factors such as different types and sizes of roof, as well as the different energy needs of individual homes.

If a home has a hot tub and an electric car, the home would probably need a larger solar system than a neighboring home of the same size and style.

Solar panel manufacturers state that an average solar system including panels and installation can cost anywhere between $10,000 and $20,000.

Studies reveal that the average home uses about 3,400kWh/y, so a 2.5kWp system would provide little above half the power needed for the average home.

Benefits of Solar Homes

The main advantage of a solar power system installation would be that it offers a reduction in the cost of electric.

The other key benefits are as follows:

• Solar heating systems use free heat from the sun
• The excess power produced by the PV system can be sold to the utility company, giving the home owner an opportunity for some profit in the long term
• No dirty fossil fuel toxins
• No power outages in storms
• Solar panels are sturdy and have a long service life
• The surface of the panel is coated with a protective film and rainwater usually washes any dirt and dust away
• Only minimal maintenance is required to ensure the panels are dust-and debris-free
• Helps reduce the carbon footprint
• Solar systems are green, renewable heating systems that can reduce carbon dioxide emissions

The solar panels cost of US home owners using these systems enjoy generous 25-year government feed-in tariffs (FIT), or subsidies, which literally mean solar panel owners get paid to own them.

This scheme was introduced to encourage ‘green’ power.

Summary
Solar power is definitely a viable option and home owners can benefit in the long run especially if local governments provide good incentives and subsidies.

Full article at… Costs of Turning Your Home Solar – AZoCleantech

Remember: We all need to start making an effort towards greater sustainability and what better way than saving yourself a bundle of cash which will only get bigger as the years roll by, so what’s holding you back?

Check out –>> build your own solar panels, and start making a difference to our world, for the better.

I hope you have found this article – Solar Panels Cost a Fortune – Right – informative, and you will share your own experiences below in the comment box and please take the time to click on the share button, many thanks; see more articles on The Daily Green Post home page.

The post Solar Panels Cost appeared first on Environmental Design Solutions | Green Living Tips.

If you would like better understanding on how to produce power and minimize your electrical power expenses:  then this article ‘build your own solar panels’ is definitely for you.

Build your own solar panels – Solar panels on roof

With the never ending spiral of the cost of living and of course, global warming becoming a bigger and bigger issue in the world.

Now is the time to start making a difference to a more sustainable environment for you and the planet.

So, stop throwing cash out the window and begin your own conservation drive; by starting to generate your very own electricity.

 Personal Recommendation From The Owner Of this Blog

We intend on giving you all the help and the most current up to date information on – How to live a more Eco-Friendly way of life.

But, on occasion there will be areas that will need more specialist and technical advice and that is when we will make a recommendation on where to find more detailed specialist information and some extra help!

How to build your own solar panels falls into this bracket.

While researching the subject of: are solar panels worth it and solar power kits, I found a really useful guide that may be of interest to you.

If you would to learn more about – ‘how to build solar panels’, I have provided a link below –

It is called….  Earth4Energy

build your own solar panels

Whether you wish to just cut your power bills or completely eliminate them, I think you will find the solution that you are looking for with the people who created this program.

Why pay $ 1000’s for the application of solar or wind power when you could have the possibility to construct your own home made solar system for less than $ 200.

That’s right, the guides that they provide, will give you a step by step education on every thing you are ever likely to need to know!

You will be given a complete understanding about creating your very own electrical power; by using solar power.

Maybe it will be your first step to building your very own business – build your own solar panels!

With the complete step-by-step setup: totally illustrated manuals and easy to follow video instructions present in this guide you will have the ability to create a renewable resource in your own house.

Solar and wind power systems bought from the consumer market will cost a considerable amount of money; however, by using this guide and the program in it, and utilizing the information that is within, you will obtain the same results at a fraction of the price.

The sooner you learn how to build your own solar panels and install your alternate power supply, the sooner you will save hundreds of dollars on your electricity bill.

The information in this guide will show you the very best system for people who are aiming to conserve money on their energy bill and want to develop an energy generator in their home.

The link again …. Build Your Own Solar Panels

There is no other guide out there in the market like this one, that explains clearly with handbooks and ‘how-to videos’.

Lots of people the world over, can now have access to alternative solar and wind energy.

The guide will show you how to drop home energy prices by 50-80 %.

• The solar power kits also share information on where to buy free of cost batteries required for your project.

• These batteries keep the alternative energy making it a transportable energy resource.

• You could take them anywhere, for any sort of usage!

If you want a guide that is a quality friendly system, and ready to help you prepare an alternative energy resource for your home, this is the one ….. solar power kits

So if you are preparing to save cash on those high energy costs, then you must get this guide and begin working on it.

Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power expenses.

Below is a video which is extremely educational in
explaining Solar energy, enjoy.

Remember: We all need to start making an effort towards greater sustainability and what better way than saving yourself a bundle of cash which will only get bigger as the years roll by, so what’s holding you back?

Check out –>> build your own solar panels, and start making a difference to our world, for the better.

I hope you have found this article – Build Your Own Solar Panels – informative, and you will share your own experiences below in the comment box and please take the time to click on the share button, many thanks; see more articles on The Daily Green Post home page.

The post Build Your Own Solar Panels appeared first on Environmental Design Solutions | Green Living Tips.

Solucar PS10 is the first solar thermal power plant based on tower in the world that generates electricity in a commercial way.

By afloresm  [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

>>> Advantages Disadvantages Solar Energy

Possibly, the advantages-disadvantages solar energy debates tend to  focus on, are costs and business interests; global sustainability generally gets pushed to the back.

Maybe the greatest argument that could be leveled about needing to make use of fossil and nuclear fuel is our dependancy on it.

Worldwide global warming, though a real and severe threat, is it really something that we should be concerned about?

On an individual basis nothing much can be done about it as it will take intense political will, if it is to be taken care of efficiently: and in the meantime, other nations are not working together to solve the problem.

However, the option between standard and alternative sources of energy, that is something many of us can easily choose to do, if we want to make a difference to our planet.

Solar energy is plentiful and is cost-free.

Solar power being used to to power the street lights in Kabul

We can count on the sun to rise tomorrow and the day after that.

Oil and natural gases on the other hand are non eco-friendly, once the source taps out, it is gone for good.

Sure there are other areas that could still be tapped into; however, without doubt they will run out too.

Solar energy does not pollute the air.

>>> Advantages Disadvantages Solar Energy

Oil and all its derivatives, produce pollutants on a massive scale.

In fact, did you know initially for the oil to be refined and supply a home with electrical energy for a year, 22,000 pounds of carbon monoxide will have to be produced.

Solar energy photovoltaic panels are silent operators.

Except maybe for the technical devices that are created into the panels so it can track the sunlight, from the collection of the sunlight rays to its photovoltaic conversion, they provide neither a peep nor a squeak.

It is a massive distinction from the cacophony of huge drills and pumps that are made use of, to extract oil from the ground.

Care for the solar panels is very small. Except for the mechanical parts that are optional, virtually no maintenance is needed.

Once it is set up nothing much will be the cause for concern.

The energy that is acquired is free. With oil there is no telling just what the next pump price would be and when.

Oil, being a raw material and a global commodity, it greatly depends on market forces for it’s price.

Courtesy: Nasa

Frequently we see more and more volatility in pricing because of unrest and uncertainty.

The Disadvantages of Solar Energy

The expense associated with the installation of photovoltaic panels, while solar energy is free of cost, the costs of installment can prevent people from taking the plunge into a greener environment.

New solar energy generating systems are costly.

>>> Advantages Disadvantages Solar Energy

Although it tends to pay off overtime, initial cash outlay might range into a number of thousands depending on the quality and volume of power a family or an establishment might need.

While solar energy innovation has actually been around from the 1950’s onwards, it is only in recent years that its development has really moved on.

While prices of installment could additionally be subjective, relying on the buying ability of a customer, the advantages that could be acquired out of it is substantial, although mostly in unquantifiable terms.

For mass usage, distribution lines are needed and this remains a big concern.

Old circulation lines used to transfer electricity and additional methods of fuel into residences are obstructed in many areas, so to deliver solar energy power into the houses of consumers will need a different technique.

Be that as it may, the advantages from renewable energy far exceeds its disadvantages.

>>> Advantages Disadvantages Solar Energy

It is an optimal source of energy that could quickly become the norm in power generation.

I hope you have found this article – Advantages Disadvantages Solar Energy – informative, and you will share your own experiences below in the comment box and please take the time to click on the share button, many thanks; see more articles on The Daily Green Post home page.

The post Advantages Disadvantages Solar Energy appeared first on Environmental Design Solutions | Green Living Tips.