Many Americans have decided to become more energy independent, and want to play a part in avoiding a very foreseeable energy crisis. They’ve decided to go solar. Creating a solar powered home is an endeavor that requires an initial investment, but the costs are being lowered everyday. Solar power provides long term benefits. Not just for the home owner, but the environment too.
Now that solar power is more efficient, you can reduce or even eliminate your electric bill, increase your home’s value and contribute to a cleaner environment, all at the same time. It’s a great time to join the move to renewable energy resources, and the perfect time to take advantage of the generous government and local utility financial incentives that can cut thousands of dollars off the price. And now that solar power is becoming even more main stream, it is growing in accessibility. Manufacturers of solar powered products have realized the potential for a solar age, and are creating new options for those who are considering a solar powered lifestyle. If you are ready to step into the solar age, you are probably wondering how and where to begin. Below is a list of ways to make your home a solar one.
more…
I have no doubt that solar energy will reduce our dependence on oil. We have only recently begun taking our first real steps toward using solar energy as a resource. As a supporter I mean no disrespect, but I feel that up to this point most efforts to use solar energy have been little more than novelties. Still, what we’ve learned through the very limited applications of the last 20 years is that these novelty’ installations actually work. When oil was relatively cheap and seemingly endless, there was little incentive to invest in developing the technology; but today you don’t have to be a green crusader to understand that oil is not unlimited, and that the less emissions we put into the atmosphere, the better off we’ll be. The world is changing and now we are able to develop better solutions.
Twenty five years ago my aunt installed a solar hot water system on the roof of her suburban New York home. The system was to provide a savings in the area of 30 to 60% on her hot water costs, depending upon the season. Today, she is replacing the old panels with more…
Another name for solar water heaters is “domestic hot water systems”. They are a very cost-efficient way of keeping your home warm. One great perk of this particular process is that it can be used regardless of what type of climate you live in, and you get your energy from a free source, the sun.
There are two types of solar heating systems that are most commonly used for residential purposes. Each of these collectors includes a storage tank and a solar collector. The first type is “active” which has circulating pumps and controls and the second type is “passive” which don’t require pumps or controls.
Solar water heaters need a storage tank that is insulated well. They have an outlet and an inlet that is connected to the collector. A two-tank system has a water heater that is powered by the sun and preheats water before it enters the water heater. In a one-tank system the back-up water heater is joined with the solar storage in one tank.
For residential purposes there are three types of solar collectors; Flat-plate collector, integral collector-storage systems, and evacuated-tube solar collectors. The flat-plate collector has glazed flat-plate collectors. It is insulated and contains weatherproof boxes with more…
A way back I had a conversation with an acquaintance of mine who hails from California paid me a visit in my home in Israel. “On routine business,” was his excuse for being in the country. Well we talked this and that about our families, the old times when we studied together in college. When, out of the blue he started to complain about his high electricity bills, “Paid over three hundred dollars last month, mainly for heating the hot water geyser. Trying to find an answer to lower the cost!”
I told him there is a way install a solar heater to heat your water and it can reduce your electric bills immensely. You live in California and there is plenty of sun to heat a solar system for obtaining plenty of hot water. He listened intensely as I explained the advantages of a sun-heater and the minimal cost of installation….
Solar heating are quite simple systems. They are generally composed of solar thermal collectors covered with dark glass, a fluid system to move the heat from the collector to its point of usage, and a reservoir to stock the heat water for subsequent use. The systems may be used more…
