I have long been interested in the potential of solar energy and its potential. It definitely has a place in the future for reducing our dependency on foreign oil. The biggest disadvantage of solar energy is the room that the collectors take on the land. Collectors are getting more efficient and doing a better job with smaller collectors. The big problem right now with any form of renewable energy is that the heads of our government are both big oil people and this high priced oil is making them richer every day. Why should they want to find a form of energy that will take money out of their pocket. I think that future administrations will be more interested in solar and wind energy.

There has been some research on solar powered cars and their have been some made that worked fairly well but they have never been made or marketed commercially. The big problem as I understand it is that the storage batteries have to be so big and heavy that they just aren’t very practical. I am sure that there are probably companies working on that problem but I can’t tell more…

Unlike a conventional storage tank water heater, a tankless water heater starts to heat water only on demand. It has a heating device that is automatically triggered by the flow of water when the hot water valve is turned on. Once it gets activated, the heater delivers an uninterrupted supply of hot water. You can run it for as long as you need to at a stretch without the water going cold.

Most of the latest tankless water heaters have computer-monitored safety devices and automatic water and gas valves. They are more flexible in terms of possible applications. Some of them can even be used in boats, mobile homes and RVs, radiant heating systems, etc. These water heaters are used to fulfill all your hot water needs or else to supplement the heat from a solar hot water system. They save up to 20 per cent of your water-heating bill. This can be considered to be a significant saving in view of the fact that water heating accounts for about 14 percent of the average U.S. household energy budget.

Tankless water heaters, which could either run on gas or electric, are rated by the maximum more…

A single tank solar water heating system combines solar preheated water and backup heating into one tack, which is in contrast to a typical two tank systems which will separate these functions. In either case solar water heating systems can save 55% to 85% on your water heating costs. Since water heating is the second largest energy guzzler in your home this can mean some serious savings in the future. Most single tank solar water heaters feature a 240 watt electric heating element in the top half of the tank. This element heats the water in the upper half of the tank while the water in the lower half is heated by the solar collectors. If the environmental impact of you energy choices is important to a single tank system can offer impressive savings. Here is a brief description of shrinking your green house gas emissions when it comes to heating your water. Of water heating appliances tank system water heaters fueled with natural gas can create some of the greatest carbon dioxide emissions – actually at ton or more of CO2 per year. Replacing a gas fired tank style heater with a tankless gas water heater can cut more…

The solar collector is assembled so that it faces south. Sunlight passes through the collector’s glazing, striking an absorbent material which then converts it into heat, the glazing then prevents this heat from escaping. The temperature inside a glazed solar collector can easily reach 150°C if there’s no heat transfer fluid flowing through it.In solar water heaters the most commonly used solar collectors are glazed flat plate or evacuated tube collectors.Watch some videos on solar hot water collectors.  A glazed flat plate collector consists of a shallow rectangular box with a transparent glass “window” covering a flat black plate. The black plate is attached to a series of parallel tubes or one serpentine tube through which air, water, or other heat transfer fluids pass.An evacuated tube collector consists of several individual glass tubes, each containing a black metal pipe through which the heat transfer fluid passes. The space between the pipe and the glass tube is “evacuated,” so the air is removed. Get a quote or contact a company in our Green Pages solar sectionThe more unusual, unglazed plastic collectors can be used as a seasonal solar water heating system. However, they are used mostly for pool heating. Each collector more…

Installing a new solar water heater is a rewarding purchase, buying into energy independence pays for itself. With Tax credits and Utility rebates the time is now to install new solar power and solar thermal home energy systems.

Solar Thermal is the practice of converting the energy from the sun hitting your roof into hot water for your entire home: Baths, Showers, Cooking, all heated with solar energy and stored in your homes new solar water heater, similar to a thermos with backup heating elements for none solar days.

In Tampa Florida we have the most solar days, if your electric bill exceeds 180 a month you should be buying into a new solar water heater today. Solar water heaters save 30-40% off your electric bill, couple this solar thermal system with a new High Efficiency air conditioner, thorough duct inspection and seal , and a new water conditioner and Reverse Osmosis system for the combined savings within 10years of a new car.

-Tax credits pay you back -Fuel savings reduced by 40-50% -Home energy smart

If your family ever needs more hot water than the sun can provide, or in long periods of inclement weather, most include a more…

Tankless water heaters have pros and cons, just like everything else. They can supply an endless supply of hot water, and can save energy.

However, they are limited in the amount of hot water that can be produced at one time and they are more expensive to purchase than a conventional storage type water heater.

They also make it take longer for you to get your hot water, since they don’t start heating the water until you turn on the faucet. This problem can be solved by using a demand hot water pump, which in combination with the tankless heater can get your hot water to you at less than half the time it would take running the faucet full blast, and the pump doesn’t run water down the drain, so you save not only time, but water as well.

The tankless water heaters also cause an increase in water wastage since you have to let the water run longer to get your hot water. This problem is also solved when using the demand pump.

Tankless water heaters come in a variety of sizes for different applications, such as a whole-house tankless water heater, more…

Waitsfield, VT March 21, 2008 – Houseneeds.com, The Vermont based internet seller of energy efficient, environmentally friendly heating and ventilation products, has partnered with Fafco of Chico, California, to offer the Hot2o Solar Hot Water System to homeowners across the USA and Canada at a very special introductory price.

The Fafco Hot2o Solar Hot Water System was designed to work in conjunction with a household’s existing water heater, whether it’s a standard tank or a more energy efficient Tankless water heater, to dramatically reduce the typical Homeowner’s water heating costs. Utilizing the free energy provided by the sun, the Hot2o can produce up to 50% of the hot water required by the typical US household. The Hot2o’s unique drainback system protects it from the possibility of freezing, making installation quick and easy in any climate.

Besides savings of up to 50% for water heating costs, The Hot2o also qualifies for the 30% federal tax credit. Made right here in America, the system comes with a worry free 3 year warranty. Light weight and easy to install, Houseneeds.com is ready to ship the Hot2o out today for a special introductory price of $2203.75. more…

So you have determined that you can afford the Solar Hot Water System that will save you hundreds of dollars a year in heating costs. But, just like with every major decision and investment in your life, you need to make sure that you Solar Hot Water System is sized properly, and that the equipment and installer you choose are the highest quality, the most efficient, and the most affordable.

Because of the incredible popularity of Solar Energy due to the incredible financial and ecological benefits they provide in a world that is screaming for both, and the ever-increasing price of traditional heating fuels, many companies are looking to capitalize on short term gains by selling Solar Hot Water Systems at far above what they should cost. This sort of over-pricing is designed to take advantage of you, the homeowner, who is willing to pay any amount they can afford for the benefits of have a Solar Hot Water System on your own home.

In researching Solar Hot Water Systems, I was able to find a company that sells Solar Hot Water Systems; all of the individual components and complete pre-packaged kits, for far less than more…

The salt in the sea comes from the eroding lithosphere of this world, supplemented by eruptions from deeper down. Space debris also makes a contribution. There is also evidence that salt has come to the Earth from the planet Venus.

Venus is intensely hot and there seems to be lots of salt on the surface. The atmosphere is 90 times denser than that of the Earth. One result of this is that the deep venusian atmosphere swirls around the planet at enormous velocities. Venus has no magnetic field and streams of ions have been detected both leaving the planet and reaching almost as far as the Earth’s orbit. There is no water to be detected it seems to have boiled away long ago.

The Sumerians kept older records that suggest that Venus went through a period of great turmoil some thousands of years ago. It was recorded that water came from Saturn and salt from Venus. There seems to be little doubt that Saturn and Jupiter are giant ice-making machines. They help keep our Solar System as wet as it is.

Various authors have drawn a variety of conclusions about events in the Solar System around the time of more…

The sun produces an enormous amount of energy. It brings heat and light. It is the purest form of renewable energy. But that energy must be harnessed and managed. To harness the energy of the sun is to have solar power.

For more than twenty years, methods to convert sunlight into electricity have been created and refined. One of the more common methods is the use of photovoltaic cells.

Made up of semiconductors, such as silicon, a photovoltaic cell is the converter. When light strikes the silicon, the silicon absorbs the energy, which causes a reaction; electrons are knocked loose. The electric fields within the photovoltaic cell move the loosened electrons in one direction, creating a current. Metal contacts at the bottom and top of the cell allow the current to be used externally. This is the conversion of sunlight into electricity.

This is, of course, of very simplified version of the process. The solar panels seen on rooftops are a complex technology, and at this time, still an expensive purchase. But the technology at its most basic is seen in products such as solar power calculators and solar garden lights.

Throughout the day, the sunlight hits the photovoltaic cell housed in the more…