Solar Power Systems Energy Generation
Guide
Solar Power Systems For Your Home And Business
By Genevieve Thomson
Solar power systems are available to run home and business
systems requiring electricity. You can run your home
appliances, hot water system and turn on the lighting
in your home, with electricity generated by solar panels.
Apart from the initial cost of installation, which
can be quite high, although prices are coming down as
demand is increasing, you will find that savings in
electricity costs can be gained over a period of time.
This is evident when you consider solar power is sourced
from sun energy. Sun energy is free and there are no
emissions when collecting sun energy with solar panels
to convert to electricity.
Now consider this when you buy electricity from a coal
fired power station. Before electricity is generated
by a coal powered station, the coal has to be mined
and transported to the power station and then the coal
is burned to generate electricity. This process creates
high levels of emissions polluting the atmosphere.
Whereas sourcing energy from the sun, creates no emissions.
Sourcing energy from the sun is free, so there is a
consequent reduction in your electricity costs.
The First Solar Power Systems
Solar power systems have been around for a long time.
When the technology first became available, solar cells
were heralded to be the end of the oil crisis and the
energy crisis. We suddenly had plentiful free energy,
all of it coming from the sun.
Within ten years solar power systems were predicted
to heat and power our homes and businesses. Some people
even thought we would be driving solar-powered cars
soon, with long, sleek shapes covered with solar panels.
A Rebirth In Solar Power Systems
Unfortunately, the reality didn't quite match up with
the dream. Solar panels were expensive to manufacture,
and unless you had a lot of panels exposed to a lot
of sunlight, solar power systems didn't produce very
much power. However, now that we're seeing more refinement
in solar power technology, we may be witnessing a rebirth
in solar power systems, at least in certain environments.
Though solar panels still absorb solar energy when
it's cloudy outside, they absorb much more energy and
therefore produce more power if they're exposed to direct
sunlight. Solar power systems are therefore much more
effective in Tucson, AZ, then they are in Seattle, WA.
Also, solar power systems produce more power during
longer days, so short Alaskan winter days aren't very
good for solar systems. The ideal environment is in
the desert, with long days and little cloud cover.
Solar Power For Selective Use In Your Home And Business
To be effective, solar power systems don't need to
power an entire business community or even provide all
of the power for a private residence. Solar power systems
are much more efficient at heating water than they are
at producing power.
Since standard hot water heaters can consume over a
third of a house's energy, replacing a gas-powered hot
water heater with a solar powered heater can reduce
a home's energy bill considerably, as well as making
the owners eligible for a tax cut in select states.
Low Maintenance Requirements
Solar power systems are also very useful for providing
power in locations which are hard to reach with standard
power lines. They're extensively used for cell phone
towers and other reflective antenna arrays located on
mountaintops and other hard to reach places. Since these
installations don't require a great deal of power or
maintenance to run, solar panels can provide plenty
of power without needing to be maintained or refueled.
Though we're probably still quite away from a completely
solar-powered society, we'll likely see many more solar
powered devices as solar technology becomes more refined
and more efficient.
Solar Powered Appliances In Your Home
These days, you can walk into a store and buy solar
powered lights, to place on the front and back lawns
or even near the patio. You can even buy a solar heated
swimming pool for your family to enjoy.
You can buy a calculator with a solar cell, and there
are solar cars racing at World Championship level. One
day some of these experimental solar cars, will become
the normal family cars of today. The only difference,
is there will be no polluting emissions being released
into the atmosphere, like the the polluting cars of
these days.
If you are willing to spend a little money, you may
take advantage of solar power in your home to run all
your appliances, to turn on your lights and heat your
water. You will find, your electricity bills will be
reduced, as you are not using electricity from coal
fired or nuclear powered power stations, but your electricity
is sourced from free sun energy. You may find in the
long run, it is cheaper to run your home on solar power.
About the Author:
Genevieve Thomson has written a number of articles on
solar power and renewable energy including
Solar Thermal Systems,
Wind And Solar Power,
Alternative Power Systems,
Alternative Power Sources,
Ethanol Fuel,
Hybrid Cars.
Look out for new articles as they become available on
this site.
Little Known Solar Facts.....
How do I utilize solar power for my house?
There are ways to use solar power in your home.
The first thing you have to do is decide what appliances you want
to try running using solar power. Many people are electing to use
solar powered water heaters as a way to lower their overall
electricity bills.
One thing you have to remember is that solar power
equipment is contingent upon space, hours of sunlight
and watts of usage.
Unless you are an electrical engineer or have extensive
experience with installing and using solar power, your
best option is to hire an environmentally friendly architect
and contractor to review your location and home.
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