Solar technologies use the sun’s energy and light to provide heat , light, hot water, electricity, and even cooling, for homes, businesses and industry.

Photovoltaic solar cells which directly convert sunlight in to electricity, are made up of semiconducting materials. The simplest cells power watches and calculators and the like, while more complex systems can light houses and provide power to the electric grid.

Building designed for passive solar and daylighting incorporate design features such as large south- facing windows and building materials that absorb and slowly release the sun’s heat. No mechanical means are employed in passive solar heating. Incorporating passive solar designs can reduce heating bills as much as 50 per cent. Passive solar designs can also include natural ventilation for cooling.

Concentrating solar power technologies use reflective materials such as mirrors to concentrate the sun’s energy. This concentrated heat energy is then converted in to electricity.

Solar hot water heaters use the sun to heat either water or a heat transfer fluid in collectors. A typical system will reduce the need for conventional water heating by about two thirds. High temperature solar water heaters can provide energy- efficient water and more…

Solar water heaters save money because the fuel source, the sun, cost nothing. It is the means of storing the energy from the sun that is expensive. Although there still will be need for some other back up heat source such as electricity or gas, the use of solar heater will reduce the use of these considerably; if of course you live in a warmer climate your solar water heater will be more beneficial because there will be more sun shining. Too, in warmer climates, installation and the types of system needed may be less expensive.

Solar energy is a clean source of energy and is environmentally friendly and will not leave any left over side effects from its use as fossil fuel do. The initial cost and the weather are the prohibitive reason these are not widely used in colder areas. At present to install “an active flat plate solar collector system will cost you from $2,500 to $3,500 dollars; a passive system can be installed from about $1,000 to $2,000. This will create about 80 to 100 gallons of hot water daily.”

Solar hot water heaters are of two types, active and passive. Both need storage tanks more…

In the 1970’s and 80’s Solar Energy first emerged as a potentially viable and cost-effective alternative to traditional heating sources such as fuel oil, natural gas, coal, wood, and electric. Unfortunately, these first generation solar collectors were expensive, inefficient, and delivered long payback periods and lower returns on the initial investment than expected.

In the following decades leaders in the Solar Energy Industry went back to work, striving to create more efficient, more affordable, and more cost-effective Solar Water Heaters that would not only be a viable alternative to traditional heating sources, but would be able to supplant the majority of our heating needs, lowering the world’s dependence on non-renewable energy sources, which cannot be replaced once they are depleted.

Today, there are three main types of Solar Water Heaters available. These collectors are for more efficient and cost-effective than their predecessors, and are well-suited for a number of applications such as small residential installations and pool heating, all the way to large commercial, industrial and municipal installations across the United States, and around the world. These three collectors are Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors, Flat Plate Solar Collectors, and Unglazed Solar Collectors.

Evacuated Tube more…

Hey, Todd is now podcasting articles and commentary on the HomePower Podcast Channel. Good stuff, Charlie Brown!

Today’s new podcast: IntroductionTo Solar Power

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In most homes today, hot water heaters come in two different types, gas or electric. Which one is used depends largely upon the availability and price of natural gas or propane, which can be more economical than electricity. Some homes are adapting to solar hot water heaters, but overall, electric and gas hot water heaters are far more common.

The difference between gas and electric hot water heaters is relatively basic. One uses a supply of natural gas or propane, which is piped directly into the home or delivered by a service company, and the other uses household electricity from the grid. The price difference between the two commodities is usually the deciding factor in making a decision about which type of hot water heater to use. Since they are approximately the same size, they are usually interchangeable with each other, wherever they are installed.

Gas and electrical hook ups should be completed only by qualified technicians or licensed plumbers. It’s always a good idea to check the local building code for any installation requirements that you have to follow. This includes the proper connection of the T&PR valve and relief tube, which relives a heater of overheated water if the temperature more…

a-Mazing i-House Cuts Solar Costs

Move over, “trailer parks” and “manufactured home complexes”, you are yesterday’s news with your toxic outgassing, poor insulation and generally frumpy looks.

The new kid in town is Clayton’s “i-house”, an eco-friendly green building that includes solar power built into its design. Clayton Homes plans to price the “i-house” at $100 to $130 a square foot, depending on amenities and add-ons, such as additional bedrooms. A stick-built house with similar features could range from $200 to $300 a square foot to start.

Cheap, green, and solar powered

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Solar Power Efficient Appliances

Solar power is the latest in saving the planet and conserving our energy. Solar power is energy produced from the sun and has great results when you use both energy and conservation. With solar power becoming more popular there is also the need for solar power products. People are now building solar power houses to live in more efficiently. They also want appliances, lighting, heating, water pumps and water heaters to be solar power efficient as well. That is why we now have a way of purchasing solar power appliances to use in the kitchen. Appliances are usually the most costly appliance in a home as they usually run almost continuously and get used often.

Appliances Available

Now you don’t have to go through the time and effort of making your home solar power but using regular standard appliances. With solar power appliances it is easy to become solar power all the way.

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Make Your Own Solar Power Source

Solar power can be found in several different places on the earth. You can find solar power in a parked car, in a building with no air circulating, in a home without windows opened or fans circulating the air. When you step into any of these places that have been in the sunlight for a while you soon become overpowered by the amount and the intensity of the heat. This kind of heat can be taken and converted into heat that can heat your home, your water, an outbuilding, or any other building you would like to have heat in.

Heating by solar power is a free way of heating. When you heat using solar power you use a source that will direct the heat from the sunlight during the daytime to your solar source. A solar source is a device that you use to attract and trap the heat from the sun. Just like a car out in the parking lot gets hot when it faces the midday sun and the windows are rolled up. The seats can become very hot, too hot to sit on. These seats are a solar source because they trapped the heat inside and didn’t want to let them go. When this happens the seats will still be warm long after the sun quits shining directly on that car.

Creating a solar source can be easy to do with a little thought put into it. With a solar source you need to think about all the things that attract the sun, such as metal, the color black, glass that is tinted or clear, mirrors and more. There is an endless supply of idea to signal the heat your way and trap it for your use. To get the heat to benefit your water system or even your heat, you need to come up with a way that you can circulate a liquid that when it passes by your solar source it will heat the water naturally because of the concentrated amount of heat that was trapped inside your solar source that day.

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Heating Water Using Solar Power

When you decide to convert your main power source over to solar power you will need to make some adjustments to the appliances that carry the power source. When you use solar power to heat your water you may find that you will need to purchase a solar powered water heater in order to do that. You may be able to make adjustments to your existing one but what ever steps you take to turn it into solar power it will be worth it.

There are several different ways to heat your water using solar power. You can even make your own solar power source. The water runs through pipes before it enters your home. Heating water using solar power will occur before the water gets into your home as it passes by the solar source that attracted the light. You may also have a tank to store the water in that can heat the water up. In order to heat your water successfully you will need to have both a solar collector and a storage tank.

A flat plate collector is the most common collector. It is designed to be a thin, flat rectangular box that has a see through cover and it can carry fluid to be heated. This fluid could be the water or it may be a solution, such as antifreeze that will prevent the water from freezing. Next the water moves through the tubes to an absorber plate. This plate is painted black to attract and absorb the heat from the sun. When the collector gets hot, it will heat the fluid that passes through the tubes. As the water passes through the tubes it goes into the storage tank. The storage tank holds the heated water. It is usually well insulated so the water will stay warm longer. Then the water flows into the home on demand.

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