Tag Archives: Alternative Energy

How Does Solar Power Work For You?

Posted by Richie Vee on February 27, 2011 Comments Off

Many times an appreciation for a technology is all that it takes for someone to warm up to it. So if you know how solar power works, you are better positioned to accept it as a potential solution for your home power needs. In the past decade, the photovoltaic cells have become one of the most popular products in the market. One of the big reasons for that is the boost the government has given the technology through incentives. These cells are not cheap and with many manufacturers in the market you need to become knowledgeable about these products. You need to be smart enough to pick the right products and solutions.

The sun as we see it today, is one of the largest nuclear reactors known to man. The reactions within the sun continue to produce energy in the form of light. Light consists of photons which are characterised by two factors: wavelength and frequency. The wavelength of a photon is the distance between two photons in the same phase of motion and the frequency is the rate at which the photons change their phases.

The concept of wavelength is important in understanding solar energy products because the sun does not radiate uniformly at all wavelengths. Unless you can appreciate this concept, you will have a tough time figuring out which solar equipment will convert maximum solar energy. Typically the sun radiates more energy in the infra-red range of wavelengths than the visible range. Here you must also understand the idea of colors of various objects. The sun’s light is white light, which means it has all the colors, but when it hits a blue object, you can see the blue color. This is because that object absorbs all the colors and reflects back blue. Logically, anything that seems black in color is absorbing all the light and reflecting none.

While we may feel that sun is not that powerful, the total sunlight that falls on earth’s surface can actually satisfy 35000 times more energy demand than what we need today. If you manage to trap even 6 kWh of energy from a small area of 5 square meters on a sunny day you can power all the appliances in your home. This is the kind of power we are dealing with. All we need is the right equipment to trap maximum power from minimum area for best results.To find more information like this read this EzinArticle about portable solar power. Go there for more info.

At this point it is also interesting to understand the idea of passing radiation. We have seen how certain objects can absorb light and some that can reflect certain wavelengths. Some materials like the glass can actually let the radiation pass through them. These materials are used as solar collectors, because they pass the light radiations and insulate the unit from the heat protecting the PVs in the assembly. Mediums that do not absorb or reflect the entire light, but let some pass through them are called filters. The filter coating that we cover our home windows with is a good example. Similarly, we have several sunglasses with UV filters – these glasses do not allow UV rays to pass, but let other light wavelengths to pass. Filters are vital in the glazing for solar equipment. Glazing is the term used for materials that cover the solar equipment and let the light pass through. With the right filters the most energetic light rays can be passed while the rest are filtered out for very efficient performance. We know that the infra-red range is the best to tap solar energy so the glazing needs to filter out the rest of the light.

It is interesting to note that any material that you pick will have some combination of filter, reflector and absorber features. We talked about windows with filter, but even plain windows do no pass all the sunlight that falls on them. They reflect back 15% of the light and pass the rest. In fact the atmosphere also has similar properties; it is no surprise that sunlight is pleasant at dawn and dusk but harsh during mid-day. In the morning,because of its distance from the earth sunlight must travel much longer through our atmosphere then when it travels at noon. As a result, the rays are weakened at morning and evening as compared to noon.

The same idea holds true for summers and winters as well. During summer more of the sun’s light reaches the earth surface as compared to winters. As a result, more sunlight is reflected and absorbed in summer. Absorption of photons releases energy in the form of heat and this heat warms the air. This why summers are hotter and winters are cooler. In fact, heat is nothing but a function of motion. When a surface absorbs energy its molecules start to vibrate and this generates heat. Thus when solar energy strikes the surface it causes the molecules to vibrate releasing heat energy. These are some of the basic aspects of solar energy that you must be aware of. Understanding these concepts will aid you in understanding how solar power equipment works.

Stop by Richie Vee’s site where you can find out all about how solar power can help you.

Make Your Own DIY Solar Panels and Save!

Posted by Jon Elsdon on February 21, 2011 Comments Off

Using solar power to supply your homes energy needs is nothing new. Doing a quick search on google will reveal there are now a large number of DIY solar electricity guides being produced, which you can download over the internet. These do it yourself guides boast savings of as much as 80% off your power bills by replacing your existing power source with energy harvested from home built solar panels.

We thought we should look a little close at these diy guides to see if they really do live up to their promise of saving money and helping the environment.

The first thing to look at is to compare the cost of a retail solar kit with a DIY solar electricity kit, this really is a no brainer. Depending on the size and energy needs of your household, a retail system could cost you thousands, even tens of thousands in some cases. The materials specified in a DIY solar electricity kit will cost you around $200 of materials readily available at your local hardware store, this difference represents an enormous saving.

The next major cost saving factor is the due to the fact we will be replacing our regular electricity which we are charged for with free solar energy. Once again the actually savings will vary depending on the needs of your home and the people in it, but savings have been reported to run as high as 80% or even more slashed from your current bill, once again this can represent hundreds of dollars that can be better spent somewhere else.

By now I am sure you are wondering how easy is it to build a system to generate solar energy? Well it’s extremely simple. Armed with a good DIY solar power kit guide you can have one up and running in just a few days, it’s the perfect project for any home handyman. You do need to ensure you get a clearly written and illustrated guide, preferably one that comes with video instruction as well as written.

The beneficial impact of using diy solar power should not be underestimated. By choosing solar as our energy resource we are selecting an energy that is infinitely renewable and has no impact whatsoever on the environment during harvesting, production or consumption phases.

So if you are looking to save a few dollars and reduce your carbon footprint by making your own diy solar panels check out the following link for more information solar panel kits

Looking To Buy Garden Greenhouses For Sale? If So, Click Here…

Posted by Alex Colin on February 2, 2011 Comments Off

You’ve stumbled upon the right article in case you’re looking to buy greenhouses for sale. In this article, I’ll go through the several advantages of building a garden greenhouse and why you too should build one.

First of all, you add to the nature’s beauty with garden greenhouses. You’ll see that in front of your eyes once you install a greenhouse in your house. Greenhouse is the place where plants are grown under moderate, just about right conditions. This way, plants are protected from the harsh conditions outside.

Another advantage is that greenhouses come in many varieties, shapes and sizes. You can buy a kit off your local store and build one yourself. It shouldn’t cost a lot to build a greenhouse however the exact budget depends on the size and the shapes you choose.

You should be ready to answer a few questions when you think of installing or building a greenhouse. First one is the size of the greenhouse. Are you thinking of building a small greenhouse or a large one? Budget is another major consideration. These two go hand in hand. If your budget is low, you shouldn’t expect to build a gigantic greenhouse.

Take a look at some greenhouse models once you’ve decided on installing a greenhouse. Go to your local store – you’ll find many. There are several kits to aid you in the process. They can help you do everything yourself from the very start. Or, you may take some professional help.

Other things you should take care of is the greenhouse plan and the location. Its highly recommended that you choose a location that gets ample amount of sunlight and where the weather conditions aren’t too harsh.

If you need help with the how-to’s of the whole process, there are several guides available on the Internet that lay down the entire process step-by-step. If you want to build a cheap one, you may use plastic frame and not the glass one.

Or, if you’d rather buy wooden greenhouses for sale and not build one from scratch; that’s a good option, too.|Some people don’t want to build one from scratch. They would rather buy greenhouses for sale. That, too, is a good option.

Are You Windy Enough To Power Your Own House?

Posted by Bart Forcey on February 1, 2011 Comments Off

Wind is the affect of air in motion. Wind is caused when the sun shines and heats up the earth’s surface unevenly. Because the earth’s environment is made of different materials such as land and water, as well as the things that make up these surfaces like wood, metal, and glass, they absorb the sun’s heat many different rates.

During the day the land obviously heats faster than in the evening, because the sun is out. The water also heats up, but not as fast. Water also cools slower then land so at night the wind reverses course. When the heat rises, the cool air comes in to fill in where the heat is not, and this is when the wind is created.

Today as we look for new ways to power the earth, it is a natural thing to look at wind power. It has been used for many years to power simple machines of the past. Wind is another type of solar energy, which makes it a renewable energy source. In years past we used windmills, the wind machines of today are called turbines.

Just like the windmills, turbines also use blades to capture the wind and turn it into energy. If there is no wind, then the turbines will not turn, this means that you must have a back up source of energy. Turbines are more sophisticated than windmills and they can use even the slightest breeze to turn the blades.

Turbines today can use a horizontal or vertical axis, though most are made with a horizontal axis. They also come in many different sizes depending on what they are meant to supply energy for. If it is for a home or small office the turbines will be about 20 feet or more and can put out about 1000 kilowatts. The larger ones can put out as much as 5 megawatts, and these are used for commercial purposes. You might see wind farms which are made up of the larger turbines, and these supply a grid which can power a whole community.

The blades on turbines typically are about 200 feet across, but can be as wide as a football field. These blades are made much like an airplane propeller, and can be made of fiberglass, or a lightweight metal or plastic. The towers or bases have to be wide and tall in order to efficiently harness the wind. This is a great power source for the world of today.

One major drawback of electric wind power is that the windmills used to generate power are massive and make a lot of noise. It can be used in remote places of the countryside as space and higher terrain is needed for it. Due to this reason it has a limited scope of use and not practical to install in densely populated areas.

Thinking about how to make a wind turbine for your home? It actually isn’t as hard as you think. You can buy all the stuff from local shops and use soem tools that you probably already own. http://howtomakeawindturbine.com

Advantages Of Solar Cell Equipment

Posted by Jamie Morris on December 31, 2010 Comments Off

Solar technology is a highly demanded technology in which a tiny cell creates electric pulses by storing solar energy into it. Imagine if you take hundreds of these cells and assemble these in a circuit, then your worries of electricity will be over. If you take a solar calculator, it is working on a single solar cell. The problem of electricity is rising and world’s fuel is becoming scarce because people are burning the candle from both ends. At least you have this wonderful technology in which you can combine thousands of tiny solar cells and the whole panel can be wired up in a circuit. With the help of this circuit you can store electric current in batteries. These batteries can be used in time of need. People are saving money by applying solar panel to their roof tops and making their own power supply.

Sun is the main source of heat and in solar power generation heat energy is converted into electric energy. Sun rays strikes on the solar panel are captured by the tiny cells which you connected in a circuit.

The active solar techniques consist of the use of solar panels and thermal collectors. And the passive solar techniques include selection of materials with thermal mass, dispersion of light properties etc. The best advantage of using solar panels is it can reduce your electricity bill to a great extend if you use it in your home.

Sometimes people pay more for electricity bills which are wrong. These people should try solar panels if they are unhappy with their power company. Imagine a future when there will be no fuel to create electricity but there will be sun.

So, you can try this technology now or you can pay more and more to government until you become empty. Selling of solar panels is increasing daily. These solar panels are very easy to operate. You should just have enough space on your roof tops to apply these panels.

Some countries have solar road lights which have sensors in these. In day, these panels save energy into batteries and at night these lights show you the right way.

Or you can order your own solar panel via internet and wait for its delivery. Solar panels are not like power generators which require permanent service. Every one can fix their panel and there is no load on your pocket.

The voltage fluctuation and power failures will not affect you if you use a photovoltaic panel. The installation of this device is very easy. It does not require any wiring. Due to the above benefits, solar panels still hold a good position in every one’s mind. You can try this equipment in your homes.

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Get exclusive inside information on the many benefits and application of solar panel technology now in our complete review of all you need to know about solar energy UK.

DIY Solar Power – The Advantages Of Building Homemade Solar Panels

Posted by Jon Elsdon on October 9, 2010 Comments Off

People all over the globe are attempting to build or make their own DIY Solar Panels . But what exactly are the benefits or advantages of building your own solar panels? Read on to find out…

Reasons to build your own solar panels include:

1. Financial Savings:

You stand to save substantial amounts of money, thousands of dollars in fact by building your own panels. This is due in the main to the cost of having a commercial system installed, this cost can run into the many thousands of dollars. Building your own solar panels on the other hand will cost you a mere couple of hundred dollars.

Once installed only minimal maintenance is needed, just give them a clean every now and then to be sure the maximum area of your panels are exposed to sunlight.

Solar energy is free energy, that’s right free! As solar energy is harvested from a free source (the sun) you can expect to save quite a lot of cash by slashing your power bill, in some cases this can be as much as 80%

Sell excess energy that you no longer need back to the power station.

2. Lesson the Environmental Impact traditional fuels make:

This is an extremely clean form of energy. No harmful emissions are given off during the harvesting, production or manufacturing of solar energy.

As long as the sun shines in the sky there will be an abundance of this form of energy, its 100% renewable and as such doesn’t impact on the environment.

3. Become independent:

You can move toward self sustainability by implementing a solar power system, no longer will you be tied to the grid. You can also build small panels to power devices in remote areas where conventional power is not available such as a campsite.

So the evidence is clear, there are a large number of advantages when it comes to choosing solar power to fulfill your energy needs. The only real negative is the cost of purchasing a commercial system if you decide not to go down the do it yourself route.

To learn more about homemade energy and how you too can build your own Photovoltaic solar panels check out the following link solar power kits

Can You Really Build Your Own Solar Panels?

Posted by Jon Elsdon on September 26, 2010 Comments Off

Do it yourself solar power is becoming an extremely popular alternative energy source for homeowners. A quick search online will reveal just how popular solar panel kits are as reflected in the search results, with dozens of guides available for digital download. The question on most people’s lips then is do they actually work and can you really build your own?

To answer this question I thought it would be a good idea to share my own personal experiences in building my own DIY solar power system.

What led me to become interested in diy solar power was a concern for not only the environmental impact our household energy usage was having but also the ever increasing cost of our electricity bill.

Whilst solar energy is an excellent energy source, it’s clean, cheap and renewable, it is prohibitively expensive, expect to pay thousands to have an off the shelf system installed. A quote for our house came in at a staggering $9000 USD!, this was simply a cost we couldn’t afford and just didn’t make sense. It would take years to get back the expenditure in the money saved by cutting out electricity bills. I did however find an alternative which is very cheap.

What I found after searching online was you can get how to build solar panels guides for less than fifty bucks. The guides show you step by step how to assemble a solar panel with materials you can get from the hardware store and will cost you no more than $200 USD. It took me three days from the time I Purchased my guide, built my homemade solar cells and wired them up to some batteries.

I know what you’re thinking, you don’t have a phd in physics, nor are you an expert handy person, well fear not if I (who can barely change a tire)can manage to put together my own panels, you definitely can, just make sure you get an easy to follow comprehensive guide to work from.

For reviews of the leading guides available on DIY solar power projects, check out the following link DIY Solar Panels reviewed. This article brought to you by Swimwear For Women

Solar Power For Homes – Residential Solar Power

Posted by Dr Jon Elsdon on August 11, 2010 Comments Off

Build your own solar panels : We have all felt the impact of rising fuel and energy costs, we have also all seen the devastating impact on the environment the extraction and use of fossil fuels has. For quite a few years now solar power for homes has been a much promoted alternative, the only problem is that it is so expensive to purchase and have installed, that is until now…

Residential solar power for homes has become a must if we are to free ourselves of the rising cost of traditional power resources such as fossil fuels. Solar power for homes has been with us for some time now, unfortunately the costs of taking it up have been prohibitive.

Residential solar power for homes is the simplest alternative energy installation we can preform on our homes. Easy to install and maintain (solar panels have a life span of around 30years) a residential solar power system will have you saving money for years to come.

No longer do you have to have massive, ugly solar panels decorating your roof, the panels produced today come in a variety of shapes and sizes (depending on your energy needs) and are made to blend in with the design of your home.

Possibly the most attractive feature of solar power for homes is it gives you the freedom to live your life independently or at least be less dependent upon, the power grid. This independence not only allows you to have what is effectively a free energy source, it also means you are not harming the environment as solar energy is a clean (no emissions, non polluting) and renewable energy source. The fact that residential solar power provides us with a clean, renewable energy, gives us the luxury to be less conscientious of and more liberal with our energy usage in the home.

Regardless of whether you are looking to totally power your home with solar or are looking to supplement traditional power sources to give you a cheaper, more reliable (no more power outages), unrestricted power resource, solar power is the way to go.

Recently we have seen the emergence of an affordable way to get a residential solar power system up and running. Many households are turning to DIY (Do It Yourself) solar power projects. DIY solar electricity guides are available on the internet via instant download and contain all the information (via video and ebook) you will need to get a solar power for the home system built and installed in no time.

To find out more about Residential Solar Power For Homes click the following link Residential Solar Power also be sure to check out water tank installation

In 2010, These 5 Things Will Lead You To A Green Home

Posted by Rory Martin on July 31, 2010 Comments Off

Looking to get your house humming green? In 2010 we’re completely full of great advice from every corner of the internet. We’ve done a little informal survey and put together these 5 tips on how to get yourself started on saving money and living green! Check them out:

#5: Pretend You’re Tasked With Saving Money.

Walk around your house like you’ve been tasked with reducing the energy budget severely. Go around with a clipboard, taking notes and pretending as though you need to shave off several hundred dollars from your company’s energy budget and they’ve tasked you with the job because only you have the smarts to pull it off.

#4: Invest Now, Save Later.

They always say ‘a stitch in time saves nine’, and it’s a useful proverb for a reason. Take care of some of your wasteful expenditures — those old-style power bars that suck energy all day, or the idea of leaving your computer on constantly — things like that, which might require a bit of spending up-front, but will leave you in much better financial (and environmental) condition later on.

#3: Look to Parts of Europe.

Your dryer wastes a ton of energy. You probably have a hallway or something in your house that can take care of this, just as easily, without the huge expenditure of energy that happens when you run that dryer. So — get a drying rack and do like the old world.

#2: Figure out ways to get Alternative Energy.

There’s no reason you have to get 100% of your power just from the electricity grid. Call a solar panel installer or a local green co-op and see what some of your options are. This is the new direction for 2010, and you’d be surprised about how much you can do with a bit of investment.

#1: Keep Up With Environmental News.

You’ll never run out of ideas or inspiration if you check up with the latest green news from time to time. Not only will you get new ideas, but as the news coming from climate change scientists seems to only be getting more dire, you’ll be spurned into action all that much faster!

Looking for more ways towards a Green Lifestyle you can implement yourself? GreenerIdeal is your source for Green News, strategies, and a whole ton more.

Landlords, Lower Your Bills With Solar Heating Tubes

Posted by Craig Axelrod on July 19, 2010 Comments Off

Anyone who has spent any significant time in the real-estate rental business will know that energy expenses can take a great deal from your profit margin. Energy costs will often be the responsibility of tenants, of course, but even so, cutting these costs would give you a significant edge in the property rental marketplace. By installing solar heating tubes you can cut a large chunk out of your energy consumption and help to save the environment at the same time. Landlords, cut your bills with solar heating tubes. Solar heating tubes are the next generation of solar technology, enabling you to harness the power of the most plentiful power source in the world – sunlight. Recent developments in solar energy reception have made solar power practical even in areas where the technology was previously thought to be unusable, particularly cloudy countries and cold climates.

The Benefits of Solar Heating Tubes

Most people are familiar with solar panels. They have been with us since the sixties, and you’ll have seen them on roof tops. Whilst solar panels were a novel idea, they were impractical in some ways on the grounds that they can only produce energy when placed in direct sunlight. The shape and methods of storing the energy once it was received also caused much of the solar energy to be lost. Solar heating tubes address these design deficiencies by using a cylindrical shape, allowing them to be positioned so that they receive sunlight during all daylight hours, thus making them more efficient. Whats more, the energy is stored in a more efficient manner, employing a vacuum tube which retains a much higher percentage of the solar energy captured.

Solar heating tubes are a great way to heat your building’s water for free, while reducing your energy bills significantly. You may be able to save even more money by using your solar heating tubes to warm the whole building. The more solar power you are able to use, the less you will need to rely on other, more pricey power sources. If you are a landlord energy costs will be one of the key factors potential tenants will look at. Having lower energy costs will not only appeal to tenants on a spending budget but also to people with environmental concerns.

Green Energy Gives You an Edge in the Competitive Rental Market

Today’s rental market is extremely competitive. It always has been, and is only going to become increasingly more competitive in the foreseeable future. The largest expense facing any landlord is energy costs but you can gain an edge over the competition in this area by installing solar heating tubes and providing hot water to your building for free.

With the United States government and many other governments around the world supporting green energy initiatives, the costs of installing solar heating tubes can now be subsidized. Solar heating tubes are on the cutting edge of the new green energy movement. Whether your building houses apartments, industry, or virtually anything else, landlords, you will cut your bills with solar heating tubes.

Craig Axelrod is VP of Business Development for EmmyEnergy.com, a New York solar power system business delivering solar heating tubes solar power systems & green systems throughout the Northeast.