http://www.thearticleplanet.com/ Articles at Free Article Directory - Free Content For Webmasters en-us http://www.thearticleplanet.com/alternative_energy/solar/solar-power-for-home.html http://www.thearticleplanet.com/alternative_energy/solar/solar-power-for-home.html Sun, 30 Aug 2009 03:46:19 -0500
- Taking advantage of the heat given off by the sun to regulate home temperature (passive solar energy)

- Thermal solar collectors: with the use of mirrors, the suns energy can be intensified and used to heat water or air

- Through the use of photovoltaic panels, the light emitted by the sun can be turned into electricity

When done effectively, taking advantage of the heat and light energy displaced by the sun can have a substantial impact on your monthly bills. Harnessing the suns power in this sense is known as Passive Solar Power. A few ideas to help you take advantage of the suns passive energy include:

- The most important step in taking advantage of the suns heat is to have a well insulated home. Ensuring that walls, ceilings, and floors are adequately insulated can have a tremendous effect on maintaining a constant home temperature. Also check for insulation in spots such as around windows, doors, and electrical outlets.

- As mentioned in the "energy saving tips" section of my home page, curtains are another effective way of keeping warm air in or cold air out. Along these lines, clear insulating window covers or shutters also play a strong role in maintaining inside temperature.

- Strategically placed vegetation, both inside and outside can help prevent heat from entering your home. When placed around windows or door ways, plants serve as a sort of heat barrier and can surprisingly keep a house quite cool in the summer. In addition to this, plants also provide fresh air, which is a nice thing to have!

In addition to taking advantage of the sun in a passive way, one can use a more active approach. As mentioned above, a thermal solar collector is a great tool for using the suns tremendous temperature output to heat water or a space.

A thermal collector is a device that features an array of dark metal plates, covered in a sheet of glass. The sun warms these metal plates, which absorb the heat and transfer it to a substance, for example water or air. This heated substance can now be used immediately, or stored in a well insulated container for later use.

Finally, light emitted from the sun can be captured and converted to electricity. Basically, this is achieved through a reaction that happens within the photovoltaic panels which results in charged electrons creating an electric current. This can then be stored in a battery or used directly. ]]> http://www.thearticleplanet.com/alternative_energy/solar/diy-home-solar-energy-make-your-own-solar-panels.html http://www.thearticleplanet.com/alternative_energy/solar/diy-home-solar-energy-make-your-own-solar-panels.html Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:05:24 -0500 Everyone is interested in cutting energy costs these days. A DIY home solar energy system is the perfect way to accomplish this objective. By supplementing the power you receive from your electric company, with free electricity you create yourself, you can make a huge dent in your utility bill each month.

In addition to saving money, home solar energy also saves our environment. The fossil fuels we have all been relying on for so long for our power and fuel, are not only diminishing rapidly, they are leaving behind a carbon footprint that has had a devastating impact on your world. We can each do our part to reverse this trend by using alternative energy sources.

As China and India continue to increase their use of fossil fuels the problem has only worsened. It is time for us to turn the tide and lead the world to cleaner, more affordable energy alternatives. Much of the oil we are currently using comes from the Mideast. It is time to free ourselves from our dependence on this unreliable and unstable source.

A DIY home solar energy system is an alternative energy source that is a viable option for the majority of homeowners. Anyone can build a solar panel using plans available on the internet. Search under solar panel plans and you will quickly find eBooks that you can download, videos that will take you through the process step by step, and more.

Commercially manufactured solar panels are expensive. Building your own home solar energy system is amazingly inexpensive. For a fraction of the cost, you can build a solar panel by using photovoltaic solar cells. Hook a group of cells together and you have a panel that will give you exactly the same thing that a manufactured panel can give you.

Commercial solar energy systems for a home of average size can run upwards of $20,000 and above. You can build your own solar panel and install it yourself for about $200. And once more, there are no special skills required to build your own solar panels and all the parts that you will need can be purchased at your neighborhood hardware store.

If you're a little intimidated by the idea of building a DIY home solar energy system for your home, start out slowly. Get some plans and build just one. Even one will create enough free electricity for your home to operate all your appliances. Once you get the hang of it, you can continue to add panels. Each one will be easier than the last.

It is possible, and not even difficult to accomplish, to generate enough electricity with home solar panels to eliminate your utility bill entirely. It is even possible to create an excess of power that you can then sell back to your power company for a profit. Free energy, can you imagine that? You should, it's completely doable.

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