More and more, people are looking into the possibility of taking advantage of solar panels for home use. Where before, the prevailing idea regarding solar energy involved mostly large institutions such as the government, or large corporations, or perhaps other large institutions, such as universities, at this point in time, the technology has reached the point where it is becoming more and more feasible, for individuals and families to set up solar panels at their own private residence.
Solar panels for home use have much in common with the much larger installations out there, but at the same time, they have come about due to improvements in the technology, which were not around in years past. For the most part of our history, the promise of solar energy has been just that, a promise. It has been fairly clear for some time already that there is quite a large amount of solar energy hitting our planet, on any given day. The sunlight which helps to warm our planet, and provides energy for the many biological processes which rely on the sun for their power, represents a large amount of available energy, if only there was a way for us to harness it.
And we did find ways to harness it, through the use of devices such as solar panels. The problem was mostly one of efficiency. Yes, on any given day, a huge amount of energy is arriving on our planet in the form of sunlight, but given a particular surface area of solar panels, for the most part, these panels have been very inefficient when it comes to converting solar energy to something we can make use of as electricity. Hence, there has been experimentation and further development, looking for a way, through different substances and different designs, to take the sunlight arriving on our planet, and convert as much of its potential energy as possible to actual electrical energy.
In the beginning, solar panels were very inefficient which meant that they could only convert a very limited amount of the solar energy hitting them, into electricity. With improvements in the technology, however, more and more of what had previously been lost energy, is now capable of being captured and converted. At this point, the technology and the range of devices available has reached the point where the process has become economically viable, not merely for large institutions, but also for individuals and families. Solar panels have a certain particular lifespan, and at this point, the savings gained from being able to rely on the sun for energy, as opposed to the electrical grid, are able over time, and over the years, to offset and allow recovery of the initial investment made.
So that is where solar panel technology stands today. The technology has reached the point where for some persons, the installation of solar panels on a home roof, or within the area of a residence, is economically viable. And for those persons who are looking to harness solar energy for their homes, they will find themselves faced with more and more choices, especially with the passage of time.
For instance, just to take one particular solar product out there, there is a solar product available from BP Solar, called the BP SX 5. As can be gleaned somewhat from its name, it involves a 5 watt multicrystalline photovoltaic module. It is described as the smallest of BP's Solar SX Module series, designed to operate direct current loads with small to moderate energy requirements. Each module contains 36 multicrystalline cells in series, said to be capable of charging 12 volt batteries in various climates. The typical commercial applications of these modules, given that they generate nominal maximum power of 4.5 watts, include remote telemetry, instrumentation systems, security sensors and signals.
The SX 5 is further described as having a versatile Multimount frame, which is supposed to allow for greater flexibility with respect to the mounting of the solar panel. The design allows the module to be mounted from the side or back. Already it is becoming clear that this particular product, given its electric output, will be applicable to the needs of some individuals but not others.
The range of solar panels and solar power devices available can make choosing from among the many alternatives rather difficult. In addition, the language used to describe the features of these products can be quite unfamiliar, especially to someone who is only beginning to research and consider solar panels as a worthwhile investment. Over the course of the next several posts on this site, an attempt will be made to go through some of this language, and explain some of the meanings here, as well as the implications of certain features on the choices to be made, among the many solar power products for homes out there.
In the end, of course, it will still be up to the individual homeowner or researcher, to decide on what exactly his or her needs are, and which product or products out there will best satisfy those needs. The person will have to come to an understanding regarding how much power exactly will the solar energy system need to be able to output, how large a surface area is available on which solar panels and other relevant devices can be installed, and how much exactly does the owner have to invest in such a system, among others.
The sheer number of questions that need to be answered may be bewildering at first, as well as the range of options available, in terms of solar panels and solar products, but all this comes with the advantage of having may alternatives to choose from. There is probably at least one product, if not more, which is suited to the particular solar energy needs of even more unique individuals and families. And having more companies out there jockeying for position, looking to sell more of their solar panels to the world, is also good for consumers because the increasing competition will tend to drive prices down, while at the same time creating the economic incentive to engage in even more research and development, leading to even more efficient solar panels, and cost effective products, whether one is seeking solar panels for home use, or for something else.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Solar Panels for your Home
Maybe you visited this blog because you're looking for information on setting up solar panels for your home. Maybe you're here because you'd like to learn more about some of the many options and products available out there, for people looking to get off the grid, either partially or completely. Or maybe you're reading the posts on this site because you find the idea of solar power fascinating, although you're not yet quite ready to make the leap, and set up your own home solar energy system.
I'm sure that different visitors are at this page for different reasons. But whether you're already looking to set up solar panels for your home, or whether you're simply browsing or doing more generalized research, it's probably safe to say that most readers at this blog are here because of a certain interest in or need to do more, on an individual basis, to help protect the environment.
Concerns over climate change and global warming continue to be raised, and there is the fear that before too long, sooner perhaps than many people realize, the negative and perhaps disastrous effects of an increase in the earth's temperature, will haunt us and future generations. There is the sense perhaps, in the minds of people, that we are beginning to run out of time, and it will not do us any good to simply wait for the governments and government leaders of the world to act on the problem. It is in fact time for us, as individuals and people who live on this planet, to begin to do our own fair share, and begin to look for ways to change our own lifestyles, so that we are contributing to the solution to global warming, and not making things even worse.
That is one reason alternative sources of energy are becoming that much more popular, and are beginning to penetrate the consciousness of mainstream society. Even individuals who might not think of themselves as environmental advocates will probably at this point, already have some familiarity with the basic ideas behind solar energy, wind energy, and other means of deriving power and electricity, in a way which does not depend on fossil fuels, and which either limits or does away with the emissions of carbon dioxide and other substances which contribute to global warming and climate change.
Solar power, in particular, is seeing a lot of movement behind it. In the past, the use of solar energy might have been thought by many people, to be limited only to large scale installations on one end of the spectrum, all the way to the other end of the spectrum where small solar panels have been used in the past to power such small devices as calculators. So on the one hand, there were the large solar power installations, whose use would more or less seem to be limited to that of the government, large corporations, or other large institutions such as academic facilities. And then on the other hand, there were the small devices whose power consumption was so negligible, that even the solar panels of the day, which were not particularly efficient, and which were quite small, in line with the small form factor of these devices, would be able to power these gadgets. But while devices such as calculators, which received their energy from the sun, were not particularly expensive or complicated, they did not do very much to introduce the idea to the public at large, that one day their own homes could potentially be powered by similar, albeit larger solar panels.
Things are quite different at present. There are still many issues to consider of course, such as the cost of solar panels, the efficiency of these when it comes to converting the sun's rays to usable electricity, the amount of sunlight to which a particular house is subjected throughout the year, the potential placement of the solar panels, where they could potentially be attached to the roof, for instance, the amount of surface area available for the placement of solar panels, and then such things as the total consumption of power of the household, which will help determine the amount of energy which must be produced from the sun, if the house is to completely get off the grid, as well as many other factors. Taking a long hard look at these factors will help a family or an individual to get a better grasp of how to introduce solar energy into their lives.
That said, even where the situation is not particularly ideal for a solar panel installation with respect to a particular house, that does not mean that solar energy is suddenly no longer a viable option. Technology continues to improve after all, government subsidies or other related or similar programs may help to bring down the cost of solar energy, more efficient solar panels may allow places which receive less sunshine to produce enough energy anyway, and if it is not yet feasible for a house to go completely off the grid by making use of solar panels and solar energy, then it may still be possible for it to partially become energy independent, with the reduction in the electric bill of the household helping to reimburse the cost of the installation, and perhaps allowing the family to save up for an even more comprehensive setup.
This blog is set up in order to gather information on relevant solar products, which may prove useful to the individual or the family looking to rely more on the sun for their home energy needs. There are a lot of products out there, so a little bit of additional information may prove useful. If you are looking to set up solar panels for your home, I hope this site will be able to help you with that endeavor. And even if you are not yet willing to make such a commitment, I hope the posts here will still prove useful to you in some way.
I'm sure that different visitors are at this page for different reasons. But whether you're already looking to set up solar panels for your home, or whether you're simply browsing or doing more generalized research, it's probably safe to say that most readers at this blog are here because of a certain interest in or need to do more, on an individual basis, to help protect the environment.
Concerns over climate change and global warming continue to be raised, and there is the fear that before too long, sooner perhaps than many people realize, the negative and perhaps disastrous effects of an increase in the earth's temperature, will haunt us and future generations. There is the sense perhaps, in the minds of people, that we are beginning to run out of time, and it will not do us any good to simply wait for the governments and government leaders of the world to act on the problem. It is in fact time for us, as individuals and people who live on this planet, to begin to do our own fair share, and begin to look for ways to change our own lifestyles, so that we are contributing to the solution to global warming, and not making things even worse.
That is one reason alternative sources of energy are becoming that much more popular, and are beginning to penetrate the consciousness of mainstream society. Even individuals who might not think of themselves as environmental advocates will probably at this point, already have some familiarity with the basic ideas behind solar energy, wind energy, and other means of deriving power and electricity, in a way which does not depend on fossil fuels, and which either limits or does away with the emissions of carbon dioxide and other substances which contribute to global warming and climate change.
Solar power, in particular, is seeing a lot of movement behind it. In the past, the use of solar energy might have been thought by many people, to be limited only to large scale installations on one end of the spectrum, all the way to the other end of the spectrum where small solar panels have been used in the past to power such small devices as calculators. So on the one hand, there were the large solar power installations, whose use would more or less seem to be limited to that of the government, large corporations, or other large institutions such as academic facilities. And then on the other hand, there were the small devices whose power consumption was so negligible, that even the solar panels of the day, which were not particularly efficient, and which were quite small, in line with the small form factor of these devices, would be able to power these gadgets. But while devices such as calculators, which received their energy from the sun, were not particularly expensive or complicated, they did not do very much to introduce the idea to the public at large, that one day their own homes could potentially be powered by similar, albeit larger solar panels.
Things are quite different at present. There are still many issues to consider of course, such as the cost of solar panels, the efficiency of these when it comes to converting the sun's rays to usable electricity, the amount of sunlight to which a particular house is subjected throughout the year, the potential placement of the solar panels, where they could potentially be attached to the roof, for instance, the amount of surface area available for the placement of solar panels, and then such things as the total consumption of power of the household, which will help determine the amount of energy which must be produced from the sun, if the house is to completely get off the grid, as well as many other factors. Taking a long hard look at these factors will help a family or an individual to get a better grasp of how to introduce solar energy into their lives.
That said, even where the situation is not particularly ideal for a solar panel installation with respect to a particular house, that does not mean that solar energy is suddenly no longer a viable option. Technology continues to improve after all, government subsidies or other related or similar programs may help to bring down the cost of solar energy, more efficient solar panels may allow places which receive less sunshine to produce enough energy anyway, and if it is not yet feasible for a house to go completely off the grid by making use of solar panels and solar energy, then it may still be possible for it to partially become energy independent, with the reduction in the electric bill of the household helping to reimburse the cost of the installation, and perhaps allowing the family to save up for an even more comprehensive setup.
This blog is set up in order to gather information on relevant solar products, which may prove useful to the individual or the family looking to rely more on the sun for their home energy needs. There are a lot of products out there, so a little bit of additional information may prove useful. If you are looking to set up solar panels for your home, I hope this site will be able to help you with that endeavor. And even if you are not yet willing to make such a commitment, I hope the posts here will still prove useful to you in some way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
