An Overview on the Interesting Facts about Solar Energy

There are lots of interesting facts about solar energy. Educating yourself about this will prove to be beneficial in the long run. You can share the information to your loved ones. You can teach them of ways on how they can help to conserve the energy. You can also do your share to help this method to advance if you are a genius in the field. But if you are an ordinary citizen who only wants to enjoy, then feast on. But remember that you also have responsibilities to the environment that you must accomplish in order to do your part in the whole scheme of things.

The Facts that Matter
1. Solar radiation makes it possible for the energy coming from the sun to be used as power source and energy that can in turn be used for many purposes. The technology on this aspect is characterized in two ways. They can either be passive or active. This will depend on the methods that are used to get, convert and allocate sunlight.

What are active solar techniques? These utilize pumps, photovoltaic panels and fans to renovate sunlight into useful resources. These aim to increase the energy supply that is why these can also be referred as supply side technologies. The passive solar techniques, on the other hand, use only selected resources with constructive thermal properties, utilize the kind of spaces that can circulate air naturally and apply the position of buildings and structures towards the sun. These will lessen the need for other sources and can also be referred as the demand side technology.

2. Solar energy has influenced many factors that surround people. This can be referred in planning and designing buildings. This process can be rooted back at the early days of the architectural history. The Greeks and the Chinese first used such factor in building and constructing their architectural pieces and on their planning methods.

3. Solar energy is also being utilized by the agricultural sector because they rely heavily on its benefits in order to gain more harvest. They developed ways in order to plant the kind of crops that will grow according to the amount of sun that they will be getting for the season. This can also be used to dry the crops, pump water, brooding of chicks and to dry animal manures that can later be used as fertilizers.

4. On seasons like the Little Ice Age, fruit walls were used by French and Chinese farmers to be able to collect and store solar energy to help them keep the plants warm and to speedy up the process of ripening of fruits. These walls serve as the thermal masses. The fruit walls that were first developed were perpendicular to the ground and faced the south direction. Over time, innovations were done and slopping walls were used to gain more advantage from the sun.

5. To convert the solar light into heat, people have developed greenhouses. These enable the production and cultivation of specialty crops all year round. Such innovation made it possible for crops to be produced in untimely seasons and in places where you think that those plants won’t grow.

And these are only some of the interesting facts about solar energy. These give you a good peek at how wonderful nature is and how people have developed ways to use it to advance in many aspects of their lives.

The Future of Solar Energy – How It Looks and How It Affects Nature?

The future of solar energy lies on the indigenous hands of people who never tire out from thinking of ways in order to make life easier to live. With the advancement in the technology, the boom of the Internet age and a lot of other things, there will come a time when people will turn their backs on whatever is conventional. This can be good and bad in many ways, depending on who is looking at it and from what perspective.

But people’s quest for the advancement and development of everything that surrounds them provides lots of negative effects as well. Here are only some.

1. Sometimes, people neglect the environment and how to properly take care of it for the mere fact that they are greedy to get their ideas done no matter what the consequences to the nature will be. Such advancements create harmful effects in the whole state and balance of nature. How many times have you heard about forest denudation or grave floods that kill people? All these occurrences can also be rooted to the activities of men that suffice for their own good without so much consideration for their natural habitat and the nature.

2. With the continuing advancement of everything that surrounds people, the generational gap becomes wider and wider. Old folks will fight for the benefits of the conventional tools and mediums. The newer generations cannot afford to sit on those old ways to do things. They are a slave to the continuing technological developments.

It is okay to initiate change. It is good to find better ways to do things. But people must be cautious in achieving this. They must think about everything around them before they even start on their venture to newer and better ways to achieve greatness.

The Innovations

As of today, solar energy is one of the best options that people have with regards to alternative power sources. This has already evolved. There was a time when you can only avail such power source when the sun is present and that is during daytime. With the genius of the people behind the development of this resource, they were able to create green gas that can produce electricity. This is done by splitting water properties into hydrogen and oxygen. Both gasses will then be grouped into a cell that will be the electricity source.

The same geniuses estimated that the entire planet can rely to an hour of sunlight for its one year electricity consumption. Solar cells have been developed to produce electricity from the energy coming from the sun. The panels for such technology can also be used to heat water and cook food. There are now the solar heating, solar cookers and solar furnaces as add-ons to this innovative venture.

There are now hydrogen based cars. These are fueled by the split hydrogen in water. The solar cells also power the satellites that orbit through the surface of the Earth. This is the reason why there are advancements that people benefit from such as satellite phones and TV, accurate weather forecasting, even the development of the GPS technology and a lot more.

There are a lot of benefits that people can gain from the future of solar energy. You just have to think that whatever you do or however you use such technology for your own good, you must always think of ways to protect your environment first to be able to get the most out of such improvements.

Facts about Solar Energy – Some Things to Ponder and Why

What are the facts about solar energy that you know? It is given that this comes from the sun. This was developed by people in order to take advantage and benefit from everything that the sun can provide. You can also easily guess the goals of these people why they opt to develop such technology. For one, they want to make lives easier to live. Second, they want to find other resources that people can use in their everyday lives. Maybe they also want to profit from the experience because if this will all be successful, people, businesses and industries will gain a lot from what is being developed.

During the first years of its introduction, people deem that this technological advancement can only be used by wealthy people. It used to cater mostly for the can afford types of individuals. What if it can heat pool and can run spas? Why should an ordinary John Doe care when he couldn’t find time to have a good rest because times are hard?

But the evolution of the solar energy is just starting. Nowadays, the benefits can be felt even by ordinary citizens. Researchers keep thinking of ways to arrive at this state. And this is proving to be good for everybody’s sake.

1. The scientists developed solar panels that can power up homes. They made this available not only for the rich and famous, but they sold the idea to governments. The latter used the innovation to bring electricity to people in their countries who still haven’t experienced to live in the comfort of having this kind of power source. As a result, many people experience how it is like to have lights. They have also resorted to businesses that can be aided by such technology. The maintenance is still on-going while the technology is still being pursued. But the fact remains that this has been made available even for the ordinary John Doe.

2. Aside from electricity, solar energy can be used to heat water and cook food. Life is really becoming easier as people find ways to achieve such state. While the developments are still under way, people are finding ways to make such resource available for everybody. Different organizations and government agencies help in making this product affordable for everyone no matter what your status in life is.

As time passes by, people will be able to develop more and more gadgets and tools to make lives easier. There will come a time when almost everybody can benefit from this. The first notion that the solar energy is only for the wealthy will cease to be remembered.

The responsibility now lies on to people’s hands to take care of nature. They must give back to nature for everything that they have also gotten in the process. Technological advancements can be better achieved if people will consider how these can affect the natural habitat in general. It is okay to get what people want and what people need. But this must always be done with precaution and by thinking of the effects that these will have on everything.

It is fun to learn some facts about solar energy every once in a while. These will excite you about the process. But more so, these must open your eyes to the whole scheme of nature and how important it is to take care of your surroundings to be able to benefit more in the long run.

You Need a PV System to Generate Solar Energy

Solar energy has been around for quite some time. In fact, now is the best time to get it if you want to cut your electric bill and do your share to protect the environment.

For that to happen, you will need to buy a PV system. This is designed to reduce or eliminate the amount of electricity you purchase from the utility especially when there could be a price increase in the next few months.

The best part about the PV system is that it generates clean electricity which is clean, reliable and renewable since it does not emit any harmful gases into the atmosphere.

The PV system must be placed in an area that is free from any obstruction otherwise, it will not be able to capture the sun’s rays. A lot of experts say that the south facing roof is best while the east and west is sufficient. If the roof is not available, it can be mounted on the ground.

You should know that PV systems come in various sizes so you should get the one that matches our electrical needs. If you consume about 6,500 kilowatts a year, then a PV system within the 3 to 4 kilowatt range is right for your home. You can measure this by reviewing your past electric bills and making some projections.

Naturally, the size of the PV system will determine the amount of space needed. If you do not use that much electricity, 50 square feet may be sufficient. However, a larger system may require a little over 600 square feet. Just remember that a kilowatt of electricity requires an area of 100 square feet.

Solar energy is converted with the help of an inverter since this is what changes direct current to alternating current. You will also need batteries so excess energy may be stored so you can still use solar energy during the evening or during a power outage.

The size of the PV system is also in direct proportion with the cost. Most cost from $9 to $10 per watt and when you include installation, the bill may reach be from $10,000 to $20,000.

The cost of the PV system should not discourage you from investing in solar energy. People who use it are able to get tax rebates and it will also increase the value of your home. With that, the only thing to do now is to call a reputable solar energy provider.

One other thing you should know about the PV system is that this should also be connected to your grid. For this to work, you have to enter into an interconnection agreement with your utility.

This agreement will address the issue with regards to the terms and conditions under which your system is tied up with them. This also includes what is known as net metering which allows you to bank any surplus electricity that your system generates on the electric grid in the same manner that you will be charged accordingly should you consume more electricity than what you have banked.

You need a PV system to generate solar energy. You just need to know what size of a system you require so this can be installed by your solar provider.

Things You Should Know Before Investing in Solar Energy

There is no doubt that there are a lot of benefits in using solar energy. Aside from protecting the environment, you get to save a great deal of money. But before you switch to solar energy, here are a few things you should consider.

First, is your roof right for solar power? Most solar power systems can be installed as long as the roof is flat and made of material such as bitumen, composite shingle, cement tile, metal or tar and gravel. If this is how your roof is positioned, then there shouldn’t be any problems.

The solar panels will be installed parallel to the roof surface. If you are concerned that the weight could be too heavy for your roof, don’t be since this is very light and quite rare that you have to do some structural work before installing the system.

When you are looking for a contractor, find out how much it will cost to install the system. You should compare these first before you decide in picking the best one. But you should know right now that installing solar powered cells are a bit expensive. There are also no financing programs you can avail of. Your best bet if you don’t have enough money is to apply for a home equity loan.

If you are planning to install this in a commercial establishment, the various loans you can avail of include the capital equipment loan, equipment secured loan, property secured loan or the SAFE-BIDCO energy efficiency loan.

Non-profit organizations may also avail of special loans for solar energy and the best one is through third party financing. In this case, the non-profit organization and the contractor will purchase the system and make use of the tax credits. The third party will then pass on the charges for the produced power to the non-profit and after the system has depreciated, this is sold to the non-profit at a discount.

The end result is that you pay for less than what you are currently paying for because it is maintenance free.

In fact, people are encouraged to borrow money to pay for solar energy. This is because you borrow money at a fixed rate and in return recouped your investment of about 7-11% annually as the utility rates increase so you pay less for it every month. This makes investing in solar energy very similar to other investments such as bonds, property and stock.

Will installing a solar system have any effect on your property? The answer is yes. In fact, it will increase the resale value of your property without having to pay much more in terms of property taxes. If you have a lot of space to spare, you may even be able to zero out your electric bill as long as the sun comes out so you can convert sunlight into electricity.

Aside from increasing the properly value, you will also be able to avail of tax credits from the government.

Solar energy can power your home in the same way you get electricity from the grid. You won’t be able to use it when there is a power outage or when the sun is shining but fortunately, this doesn’t happen daily so it is still an alternative form of energy worth considering.

The History of Solar Energy

Solar energy is for everyone simply because the sun shines in every corner of the planet. In fact, the history of solar energy can be traced back to the Greeks that were then passed on to the Romans which marked the first people to ever use the passive solar design.

Passive solar design is a way to warm the home based on the dwelling’s design. They may not have had glass windows back then but their architecture made it possible for the people to use the sun’s rays to light and heat indoor spaces. As a result, there was no need to burn food that often which was in short supply.

In 1861, Auguste Mouchout invented the first active solar motor. Unfortunately, its expensive price made it impossible to produce commercially. Less than 20 years later, Charles Fritts invented solar cells which will later on be used to power homes, heaters, satellites and other devices today.

Since what he invented was very primitive, other people experimented on solar energy. One such person was Albert Einstein who won the Nobel Prize for physics in his research on the photoelectric effect which is a phenomenon associated with the generation of electricity through solar cells.

In 1953, Bell Laboratories which we know today as AT&T labs developed the first silicon solar cell capable of generating a measurable electric current. Three years later, solar cells ran $300 per watt. With the Cold War and the Space Race on, this was used to power satellites and crafts.

But the biggest event in the development of sola energy occurred during the oil crisis of 1973. This prompted the US government to invest heavily in the solar electric cell that was developed by Bell Laboratories 20 years ago.

By the 1990’s, research towards solar energy came to a standstill as the price of oil dropped in the world market. Funds were diverted elsewhere and the United States which was probably the leader in this form of alternative energy was soon surpassed by other nations mainly Germany and Japan.

In 2002 for example, Japan had installed 25,000 solar panels on rooftops. Because of that, the price of solar panels went down as the demand for it was on the rise. To date, solar energy is growing at a modest 30% per year.

Although there have been improvements in solar energy, its fundamentals are still the same. The sun’s rays are collected and then converted into electricity. Aside from powering homes or office buildings, the technology has been used to power aircraft, cars and boats.

Unfortunately, none of these have been made available yet for public use. We still rely heavily on oil for electricity, gasoline for our cars, fuel for planes and ships.

In fact, the US is one of the biggest oil users in the world. To prove a point, the department of Defense consumes 395,000 barrels per day because of the wars being fought right now in Afghanistan and Iraq which is almost the fuel consumption of an entire country like Greece.

This has to change because our oil reserves are almost depleted and many experts believe that global supply for these non-renewable resources will be gone before the end of the century. We have to do our share to push for renewable energy and one of them happens to be solar energy.

The Benefits of Solar Energy

Solar energy will benefit a lot of people and not only the rich. This is why some governments have increased funding for this type of technology because they are aware of its many benefits.

For one, solar energy is very cheap compared to other technologies. It is also renewable unlike coal or the rest which are non-renewable and hard to maintain.

It also improves the health of people since it does not produce any carbon dioxide emissions unlike kerosene lamps that give out fumes which are just as deadly as smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day. It also reduces the incidents of fire that are often associated with the use of kerosene, candles, diesel fuel and gasoline for generators.

Solar energy is almost maintenance free because the solar cells used will last for 20 years or more before it has to be replaced. You just have to keep the panels clean so it is able to absorb sunlight and convert that into electricity.

These are also very useful in remote locations where power lines are not yet available. Some examples of these include fish houses, highway signs, marine applications, remote lighting and telecommunication.

If countries focus on solar energy and other renewable techniques, they will be able to conserve their foreign exchange because they no longer have to use it to pay for foreign oil. This money can then be used for other things such as health care, infrastructure projects and education.

Solar energy will also reduce your electricity bills because you are no longer dependent on electricity coming from the power company. The only downside to solar energy is the initial cost in setting it up.

Yes you will have to buy a lot of solar panels which are quite expensive but in the long run, you will be able to save more because you don’t have to pay for anything else to keep them running. Should the cost of solar cells be beyond your budget, you can probably invest in used systems first then try to acquire the brand new ones later on.

Another benefit of using solar energy is that you get to conserve fossil fuels and other natural resources that are quickly diminishing as a direct result of an increase in the world’s population which could compromise the needs of the future generations.

So should people get into solar energy? The answer is yes because it is safe, cheap and good for the environment. You only have to worry when the sun isn’t shining because when this happens, rays from the sun won’t be able to produce electricity so you have to rely on other means to get power. The same also goes when there is a blackout or brownout because you will soon lose power from your solar system.

The demand for solar energy is increasing and you should join in. Aside from reducing your electric bill, homeowners who use solar energy may claim up to $2,000 in federal investment tax credit in the first year while businesses may claim a 30% federal investment tax credit.

Believe it or not, solar energy has one other benefit and that it increases the value of your home. According to home appraisers, a dollar decrease in your energy bill results in a $20 increase in its property value so do the math and you can easily figure out how much your home will be worth after you decide to invest in solar energy.

Net Metering and Solar Energy

You can’t help but get into net metering when you decide to invest in solar energy because you sometimes consume more or less than what you actually generate. When you consume less energy, your electric meter spins backward, if you use more then it goes forward.

Net metering is simply a special metering and billing agreement between you and the electric service provider. You are eligible for this if you reside in a residential area and generate some form of energy using solar, wind energy or a combination of both. It also has to be located on your premises and connected to the grid.

For this to work, you need to have a meter capable of moving in both directions. Most meters these days can do that but if your provider wants to use two meters, they will have to pay for it. However, if you enter into a time of use billing agreement, you will have to be one to buy the unit.

The net metering agreement works by letting you use the electricity you generate first before you use what you normally get from your electric service provider. Your meter should show the net which is measured as the difference between the electricity you purchased and what you actually purchased.

The benefit of the net metering system is that it allows you to store electricity when you are not there and then use it the moment you get home. Since there is a law that expands net metering, you can take advantage of it by generating electricity during peak hours and then using it during off peak periods.

Another benefit is the fact that you only pay the net electricity that you use. If you consume below the baseline, you pay less and more if you go over it. If what you use offsets what you normally get from a provider, then you will most likely pay a lower rate.

Since you entered into an agreement with your provider, you will still be billed monthly. This will state the amount of power you generated and the amount you actually consumed. On the anniversary of your agreement, you will be billed for the previous 12 months but you can also request for this on a monthly basis. Keep in mind that you will not be paid for the excess generation of electricity in a given year although some do.

If you want to use solar energy, you have to contact your electric service provider and ask if they offer net metering. When the papers are drawn up, remember that they cannot require you to pay for any meters beyond the bi-directional meter. They cannot conduct any tests or impose any requirements if it meets existing national standards for grid-interconnected systems. Lastly, you don’t have to buy additional insurance or buy power from any of their affiliates.

Net metering is a policy and also an incentive when you decide to use solar energy. This is because you reduce the number of kilowatts used by your electric service provider which in turn decreases the emissions of carbon dioxide into the air.

If you happen to live in either New Jersey or Colorado, consider yourself lucky since they have the best net metering policies in the US. In fact not all states have such a policy in place for people who decide to use solar energy.