Home solar systems
March 24, 2009 by admin
Filed under Solar, Uncategorized
When you mention alternative energy most people immediately think of solar power in its many forms. Solar energy can actually be utilised in a number of ways. First of all lets deal with the semantics, technically every form of energy is derived from solar, but in this article we will be discussing direct harnessing of solar radiation for energy.
There are several applications of solar energy collection currently being used. From space heating to cooling, water heating to generating electricity. Electricity generation is currently the most popular in domestic installations using photovoltaic cells. The production of Photovoltaic cells has been doubling every two years making this the fastest growing form of energy technology.
How do photovoltaic cells generate electricity?
In simple terms, photons from sunlight agitate electrons in a photodiode creating electricity. Solar
photovoltaic cells produce direct current (DC) electricity from light, this can be used to power DC
equipment, to recharge a battery or using an inverter (converting the DC to AC) to power household
appliances. The photodiodes used in solar cells need protection from the elements and are usually covered with a transparent glass or plastic sheet.
The efficiency of solar cells has been steadily improving in recent years, from an avaerage efficiency of 15% in 2006 we are already seeing cells commercially available with an efficiency ration of 23% and many research and development projects are under way (many using nanotechnology) with confident projections of over 42% efficiency.
Economies of scale, in conjunction with technological advancements, has meant that solar cells are now affordable and economically viable for domestic use in many parts of the world. Thousands of people are already harnessing solar energy to power their homes. In addition to eliminating/reducing their electrical bills many people enjoy increased feelings of security knowing that their energy supply will not run out any time soon and is environmentally friendly. The only cost’s with home solar systems are the one-off installation costs. Large solar arrays for commercial systems can cost tens of thousands of dollars. However, there are step-by-step guides showing you can now build your own solar cell system powering your home for less than $200, using components readily available from hardware store.
The pick of these DIY solar guides by far, is the one produced by Michael Harvey. Michael’s complete step-by-step fully illustrated manual and easy to follow videos will have you generating your own electricity for less than $200, reducing your power bill by 80% or even eliminating it completely!
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Macnet on Wed, 4th Nov 2009 7:19 am
We should concentrate more on Alternative Energy sources like hydrogen and solar because fossil fuels are already depleted and they are polluting the environment.