Solar Power For Homes
Solar Power For Homes
Many of us are fed up with paying hundreds of dollars a month for heat and electricity. Others are starting to see just what kind of effect we are having on the planet and are eager to make a difference, while other groups live in hard to reach areas that cannot be serviced by conventional electricity lines. Whatever the reason, these people are gravitating towards solar power for homes.
Converting your home to solar power is a great way to send a message that you care about the planet and want to reduce your carbon footprint. It shows that you have gotten tired of polluting coal-fired electricity or environmentally disruptive hydro electricity and are longing for a change.
Installing solar power in your home is not difficult, nor does it take any specific skill. As long as you can follow instructions and drill a few holes you should have no problem, and if you happen to get stuck there are many resources to provide you with assistance.
What do you need to create a self-sufficient solar power system for your home? First of all you need some solar panels to capture the energy from the sun and convert it into electricity. The amount and size of solar panels you need depends on many factors, such as how much sun you receive and how much energy you are looking to create. Many people like to start off with a few panels so the financial cost isn’t too great, as it is fairly easy to add new panels as you need them.
The panels can be installed on the roof of your home, or any sunny location in your yard. Most people prefer the roof because it doesn’t take up any additional room. To get the most out of your solar panels they should be tilted south to capture more of the light from the sun.
Other parts of your solar panel system include a charge controller, which ensures that electric current goes from the solar panel down the line, and doesn’t backflow into the panel. You also may or may not want batteries on your system to provide power when the sun is gone. This gives you a failsafe if you have a few dark or rainy days and gives you power at night.
Another alternative is to see if your utility company offers net metering, which means that when your solar panels are creating excess energy it is sent back through your utility meter which creates credit that you can use when you need conventional power. Through this method your electricity bill will be significantly reduced and you will have power whenever you need it. The only downside of not having batteries in your home solar power system is that if there is a power outage and it is dark, you will have no power.
After the batteries there is an inverter which simply converts the electricity from DC to AC power so it can be used by regular electronics and appliances in the home. From here the solar power system plugs into your home through a regular electrical outlet. That’s it; you now have solar power for your home.
