Solar Power for Homes
In this day and age of ever rising energy prices installing a renewable energy system for your home makes economic sense. A well designed renewable energy system will in time pay for itself and any excess power that the solar power system generates can then be sold back to the grid utility at a premium.
One of the easiest and renewable energy systems to install is solar power. Solar power for homes is the generation of electricity using solar panels. The solar panels are manufactured from silicon the second most abundant element on planet earth. One of the main drawbacks with installing solar power for homes is that the cost per watt of a large solar panel is the highest of any renewable energy source such as wind, Pico hydro and tidal streams. At the moment the cost per watt is around 1.5 to 2.5 USD for good quality solar panels.
The reason the cost per watt is so high is because a large amount of energy is required to convert the raw silicon in to a form that can be used to produce solar cells. It is ironic that this energy is produced by fossil fuelled power stations. Given the cost of purchasing sufficient solar panels to satisfy your domestic demand for power (1,500-2,500USD per Kilowatt) the initial investment for the purchase of the solar power system will be high. However once the initial purchase is made the solar panels will pay for themselves in between 8-10 years. The payback period will be less of course if a Feed in Tariff system is approved and operated by your local grid utility. Solar panels if maintained can last for up to thirty years or more.
Solar Power for Homes: Several Options
Having decided to go ahead with a solar power system there are one or two options available to the home owner.
Solar Power for Homes: First Option
The first option is to check whether the local authority is giving out grants to help the home owner install solar power for homes. It is surprising the number of authorities that have such a scheme in place.
Solar Power for Homes: Second Option
The second option is to decide what percentage of your daily domestic demand solar you want to generate using solar energy. In areas with no Feed in Tariff most people opt for between 50-75%.any shortfalls of energy being supplied by the grid utility. In areas with a Feed in Tariff system in place most home owners opt for the full 100% of domestic solar power generation. Installing a solar power system for your home is one of the areas that any handy DIY person can save money. It is possible to buy single solar cells and manufacture your own large solar panels. All it takes is some metalwork and soldering skills.
Solar Power for Homes: Savings
The cost savings between producing your own solar panels and commercially produced solar panels can be significant. Installation of the solar panels is quite simple and again any handyman would have no difficulty in this area. Should you require a professional installation, it is still worth your while to consider purchasing the solar panel yourself rather than from the installer. Solar panels are by far the biggest cost of a solar energy system and any savings that can be made in this area would be helpful. A well designed and installed solar power for homes system will give years of trouble free use and is well worth considering for the home owner that wants to reduce his carbon footprint, go green and help save planet earth.