It is no surprise that the ample source of solar power is becoming more interesting to many people, if you think about the ongoing energy crisis and the threat of peak oil. The sun’s energy is environmentally friendly and can be harvested effortlessly.
Solar power solutions for your home have so far been seen as too costly and complex to install. People would be amazed how relatively cheap and easy it can be nowadays to install solar power at your home. By installing solar power solutions at your home, you can significantly reduce your power bills and contribute to the next generation being left with a green and functioning environment.
Here are three different solar solutions for your home:
Solar Oven/Cooker:Cooking with Solar Power: You can use solar energy for cooking and baking by using a solar oven or cooker. There are box cookers, panel cookers or parabolic cookers. They all work by concentrating the heat of the sun through reflective materials into one spot which reaches extremely high temperatures, sufficient for cooking and baking.
Solar Power for Heating: The main component of a solar heating system is the solar collector, usually one or more boxes with a see through cover, through which pipes are threaded. These pipes are filled with a fluid – usually some kind of antifreeze, and heated by the sun’s heat. They are also wound through the hot water storage tank, where the heat exchange is happening.As the hot water system and the solar heating are both closed systems, the antifreeze in the solar collector pipes cannot contaminate the water.
The working fluid can either be moved by pump, which is called an active system or by natural convection, which is called a passive system.
You can use the generated hot water for different purposes, like running hot water for kitchen or bath, for house heating or even heating the pool, if you have one.
Solar Power Generation: Did you know that the sun’s light rays can create an electric current when certain materials are exposed to them – called the photovoltaic effect? Did you know that this was already discovered in the 19th century by a young French physicist? Later in 1923, Albert Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize for his theories describing the photoelectric effect, which is the basis for the photovoltaic processes.
The use of photovoltaic technology in space craft in the 60s and 70s of the last century made this technology viable for general use as reliability was improved and costs reduced.
Individual solar cells can be bundled together to build a PV module. The size of the PV module and the amount of sun light determine the generated voltage and current.
A disadvantage of solar power is its unavailability during the night or on overcast days, therefore you have to use it when available or store it. For your solar power solutions for your home you would have to use rechargeable batteries to store the excess solar energy.
These days you have no problems finding good and efficient solar cells.
Even as an inexperienced handyman can you create your own do-it-yourself solar power solution for your home and save a lot of money along the way plus show you are environmentally responsible and good to nature at the same time.
If you want to find out more about how to create your own Solar Power at home, then take a look at: Build your own Solar Power Solution at Home for under $200
