The 2003 the Northeast blackout affected 45 million people in eight US states. Those using alternative sources of energy such as solar panels were able to benefit from their independence from the grid. No food going bad in refrigerators, no sitting in the dark for them. The Council on Foreign Relations, a think tank, has reported that electricity consumption and production have consistently expanded, resulting in an increased burden on a system not designed for such a large load, meaning that many people are turning to solar panels for security as well as financial and environmental reasons.
Solar power is a “green” and renewable power and doesn’t emit harmful carbon dioxide, which means it’s a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Close to 3000 pounds of CO2 per year can be saved by a typical home solar energy system, which works out to about 30 tons over its lifetime. These clean, green technologies will be the core of the next industrial revolution, according to Tony Juniper, Friends of the Earth director.
Photovoltaic cells generate electricity from sunlight, but there are other methods for making solar energy. You can also get solar-thermal panels which heat water as opposed to creating electricity. Solar-thermal panels work differently than PV panels, and don’t involve electricity. Although they seem similar to solar panels, instead of light particles being grabbed by solar cells, solar panels have black glass which absorbs the sun’s heat. Hot water is generated by directing water between the solar panels, heating it up as it goes, after which it is channeled into the water system and of course, comes out of the faucets as hot water.
An average of 164 watts of solar power per square meter is delivered to the Earth’s crust by the sun. If we placed enough solar panels in the Sahara desert to cover just one percent of it, we could generate enough electricity to power the entire planet. This abundance of solar power means there’s more than we’ll ever need. But because the power sent out by the sun arrives as a mixture of light and heat, we can’t use it as it is to directly power a car or a computer. This is why solar panels were invented – to convert the sun’s power into a form we can use, like electricity.
Any extra electricity you create using your solar panels, if you’re attached to the grid, will be paid for by the utility company. Accounting for a solar energy system’s electricity production and enabling utilities to purchase excess energy from homeowners, net metering is allowed in 30 states. The most frequently used option is a single, reversible meter. As a solar energy system produces electricity, the kilowatts are used first to meet on-site energy demand. Excess electricity is then fed into the grid, turning the electric meter backwards, instead of being stored in a battery. The homeowner is credited for the extra kilowatts at the end of each metering period.
Water bills can be cut by 50 to 70 % by using a first-rate solar water panel system. Apart from the evident environmental benefits of solar power, it makes financial sense. By combining both solar water panel and PV panel systems you can save even more. Installation costs for solar energy systems are high, although there are different grants available to help finance solar technology. A much more reasonably priced option is to assemble your own solar panels.
How is solar power produced? To produce solar power, you’ll need a solar panel, which is composed of one or more solar cells. As sunlight falls onto a solar cell, the cell takes in light particles (called photons). Each photon contains power, and when soaked up, the photon releases an electron in the material of the solar cell. Electric wiring on both sides of the cell enable a flow of current as the photon is absorbed. Using this method, the solar cell produces electricity, which can be used immediately, or stored within a battery for future use.
Solar panels are made up of solar cells. An individual solar cell is not able to produce enough power for most purposes; therefore, several are joined in solar panels because of course, they create more electricity together. Solar panels are available in many types and sizes, the most typical of which produce as much as 50 W of electricity and consist of silicon solar cells. Interconnecting solar panels produce even more electricity.
Actor, Edward Norton was so inspired by the solar panels installed in his own house that he created a program, in partnership with BP, to provide solar energy systems to lower income households in the LA area. Through the BP Solar Neighbors program a free solar system is offered to a low income household each time a celebrity buys one. An outstanding idea, the project has already had some of the best of Hollywood talent participating in it, including Owen Wilson, Alicia Silver stone and Will Ferrell. This project is probably contributing to the 30% annual growth of BP solar division.
Many more individuals are creating their own solar panels now than ever before. Since solar system installation costs are still very high DIY solar panels are fast becoming popular. And the process is easier than you may think. DIY solar panels can be safe and highly effective if created and installed using a good instruction guide. Certainly, creating your own solar panels saves the initial installation costs which means the savings are even greater in the long run.
Want to find out more about solar panels, then visit Ilina Hadzhieva’s site on how to choose the best solar power for your needs.
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