Are solar panels for homes worth the effort? There has been a lot of buzz recently on [tag-tec]renewable energy source[/tag-tec] for homes ever since energy cost went up. It is obvious, one of the largest expenses to maintain a home is the power utility bill.
There are many benefits of installing solar panels for homes. But wait! Before you call a specialist contractor to setup the solar system, there is one key question you have to answer.
Are you planning to move anytime soon?
It may not seem obvious but some people will invest couple of thousand dollar for a [tag-tec]home improvement[/tag-tec] project and then move to another location the next year. Some times situation is beyond your control, such as job related issue.
A residential solar power system can be quite expensive. If you were to employ a professional contractor, be prepared to invest upward of $5000.
Before you begin, make sure you have the permission from your local authority. Due to certain zoning restriction, some places do not allow any extension or additional loading on the roof structure.
How does solar panels for homes work? In simple terms, the solar cells inside the solar panels convert the sun’s energy into electricity. Photovoltaic (PV) cells are normally made using special semiconductor materials that allow electron, which are energized when the material is exposed to sunlight, to be freed from their atoms.
What is PV? The term “photovoltaic” is derived from a combination of the Greek word for light “photo” and “Volta”, the name of the Italian physicist, Alessandro Volta, who invented the battery back in the 1800.
The PV effect is the direct conversion of solar energy into electricity. This process does not generate much heat like domestic solar hot water or solar pool heating system do.
It also differs from the process used in solar thermal, where concentrated solar energy is used to produce steam that activates a turbine connected to a generator.
The information above are very scientific stuff, sort of like being back in high school science class. In a nutshell, when you use solar panels for homes, the solar cells converts the sun’s energy into usable electricity to power our household electrical appliances. That in effect will reduce the total energy consumption therefore reducing our home energy bill.
Home Solar And Wind Power Videos
Do you want to know how you can use solar modules or wind generator to reduce your home energy consumption? If you do, check out the 30 solar and wind power for home videos e-book we’ve compiled. It’s free to download.