Solar Power Energy - Which is Better Option For You, Active Or Passive?

Solar power energy is a hot topic in the news these days. But if you're not already familiar with the terms, it can be confusing. What's the difference between active and passive solar power energy systems? And which one is better?

Active solar technology uses electrical or fuel-driven mechanical equipment to perform some of its functions. For example, some solar swimming pool heating systems use electric pumps to move the heated water from the coils in the solar panels into the pool. Large off grid solar electrical systems that provide 100% of the electricity to buildings usually use diesel or gas-powered generators as part of their backup systems.

Some solar electric systems use motors to allow their photovoltaic arrays to track the sun's movement throughout the day in order to maximize the amount of sunlight they capture. Grid-tied solar electrical systems are also considered to be active systems because they rely on the electric company as a backup source.

Passive solar technology does not use additional mechanical or electrical devices to deliver heat or electrical energy. There are no additional fuel or utility costs, and no added environmental impacts. For this reason, many people think that passive solar technology is superior to active solar technology.

The most common passive solar application is solar water heating. A truly passive solar hot water system can provide enough hot water for washing and bathing. It usually consists of a collector tank located on a south or west-facing wall or on the roof, and a plumbing system that delivers the water using gravity. These types of systems are most successful in moderate climates where temperatures don't get cold enough to cool the water in the storage tank.

It's also possible to combine passive and solar energy systems to get the benefits of both. Any of the active systems that use electric motors can also use solar cells to create the electricity. For example the motors that move photovoltaic arrays can easily be powered by solar cells. And solar cells can also power the electric pumps that move the water in solar swimming pool heaters, and in water heating systems used in buildings.

Some active solar electric systems, like off grid systems, need external generators. They are part of the system to provide backup energy during long periods of cloudy days when there is no direct sun. Solar power energy still works but not quite as effectively under those conditions.

Autor: Michael J Mckay

Get paid to convert your home to a Solar Power Home. All you have to do is Click Here to realise how easy this option is to actually achieve!

Added: January 30, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

How to Save on Electric Bill? - Earth4Energy PDF Review

Do you wish to learn how to save on electric bill easily? After researching for the most effective methods to do this, I have found out that it is possible to build our own home energy systems to generate free power at home. Some examples of such systems include wind turbines / windmills and solar panels. Using these systems, I am making some free electricity today that has helped me to reduce my monthly electric bill by more than 70%.

How to Save on Electric Bill by Building Homemade Power Systems

The 2 types of systems that can be built at home to generate power are solar and wind power systems. However, finding the best designs that suit your house can be a problem and you will need a good instructional manual to help you construct the systems. I have seen many complicated instructions and designs before, but I am glad that I found one manual which describes the whole construction process step by step and makes it easy to follow.

Earth4Energy PDF Review

This guide is available for download online in PDF format, and it explains the steps for building all the essential components of electric power homemade systems as well as the materials that are required. It also provides design illustrations that make the construction even easier. Best of all, the whole system is very affordable to build and did not cost me more than $170.

The Necessary Parts for Building a Wind Turbine

The 5 most important parts for building a wind energy system are the generator, turbine blades, tower, electronic controller and batteries system.

The generator is used to convert kinetic energy to electrical power, and can be found for free in old sewing machines, treadmills and washing machines etc. The blades can be easily made with materials in a savage yard or bought for cheap. The tower is for elevation purposes and allows the blades to be situated high enough to capture the kinetic energy of wind. Finally, the battery system stores excess electricity produced that can be used when wind energy is no longer available.

Autor: Gary Ashby

Are you interested to Save on your Electric Bill? CLICK HERE to Download the Best Step-By-Step Home Energy Guides at http://www.renewableenergysystemreview.com first!

The author has managed to reduce his energy bill by more than 80% by building his own renewable home energy system. Check out his website above to find out how to do it!

Added: January 27, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Using Alternative Energy Extracted From the Oceans

The OTEC association, standing for the conversion of ocean thermal energy, was founded by French engineer called Jacques D'Arsonval back in 1881. The only remaining plant that is still a member of the OTEC is based in Hawaii and represented a natural energy laboratory. OTEC represents a source that can produce alternative energy which is currently, however, underrated and unexploited. The thing that stands in the way of the popularization of the OTEC is that it costs too much at this point for many to afford it. It is thus difficult, to keep costs down to some level because processes affected the OTEC, rendering inefficient. Thermal energy derived from the ocean needs to be cleansed and treated of any remains and then it can be utilized in the air. It is also fairly important that the water coming from the oceans is not polluted, since otherwise, you would risk to fail completely in the transformation. Therefore, one needs to pay careful attention when utilizing the OTEC at any point.

To begin with, you should know that there are three types of OTEC.

The first one is Closed Cycle OTEC which uses a liquid with low boiling points; one such liquid is propane which is an intermediate fluid. OTEC plants pump water which is warm into reaction chambers which boil the water and use the intermediate fluid you have already chosen. This means that the vapor pushes the turbine into the engine and generates electricity. As a consequence, the vapor is cooled and then is used into cold water coming from the sea.

The second types is the Open Cycle OTEC, which does not differ from the closed method to a large extent. In here, you use no intermediate fluid and you use the sea water to drive the engine across. In this format, the sea water that is located on the surface ocean becomes transformed in low pressure vapors, under the action of a vacuum. Then, the vapor that was produced, which is , keep in mind, low pressure, is released in another container and it thus located in that it is capable to power the turbine. Then, you need to cool the vapor and also, to produce water with no remnants of salt from the ocean in it. After you do that, the water coming from the deeper parts of the ocean will be added to vapors, and then it becomes capable to generate electricity.

The last technique is called "Hybrid Cycle", but this technique is for the moment, not implemented. It describes an optimal approach you could use thermal energy at the maximum from the waters of the ocean. There exist two theories concerning the hybrid cycling. As a consequence, the first means using the closed cycling operation to generate electricity. Thus, the amount of electricity is then used to establish the cleaning environment that you will need for open cycling. Therefore, the electricity that you produce this way will be used to integrate the open cycling together. You then produce double the amount of water that was desalinated.

Besides the fact of using OTEC to produce electricity, the plant with OTEC has a closed cycle, which can be utilized to treat chemicals. The OTEC plants, are capable of pumping cold water coming from the sea and then use it for further purposes : refrigeration or air conditioning. While under moderation in which the sea water surrounds the plant, what you obtain from the process can be reused in aquaculture crops, for instance in fish farming.

If you know how to exploit the opportunities you have, you will find that there are numerous uses to the services and the products derived from this alternative to energy production.

Autor: Paul Moss

Uncover the truth behind alternative energy research development as well as researches done on harnessing alternative energy from http://www.replaceablegas.com, the internet top portal on alternative resource portal.

Added: January 26, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

DIY Solar Panels - Guide to Creating Your Own Home Solar Energy System

How do you save electricity bill with your own Do It Yourself (DIY) solar panels at home? This article will provide some useful information on how you can do so. The world is current facing many problems right now. From credit crunch to depleting gas and oil supply in the future. One thing is very clear; we will be paying higher cost for energy to power our homes. How do we shield ourselves from this issue? Many home owners foreseeing this issue have started to take action to cut their energy bill. One solution of doing so is to use the energy from the sun via homemade solar panels.

The challenge of an off the marketing solar panels is its high costs. If you were to outsource the retrofitting to a contractor, you would have to invest a couple of thousand dollars. In this scenario, the cost would have out weights the benefits of a home solar energy system. Hence, many people would not choose this option. As an alternative, you can build your own residential solar panels.

The concept of a DIY home solar panel is pretty simple. You will need solar panel or solar cell to collect energy from the sun and convert it into usable electricity. This energy would have to be stored in deep cycle batteries. Since most of our home appliances run on AC current, you would need an AC converter. The amount of electricity you can gather from the system will depend on the size of the solar cells, the amount of batteries and also the number of electrical components drawing power from the system.

Autor: Ken J. Maxwell

Want to know how you can build your own Home Solar Panels to reduce your electricity bill for under $300? If you are good with hand tools, start a Do It Yourself (DIY) project to construct a residential solar array to harness free energy from the sun. What you will need is a step by step instructional guide. Get a comprehensive Solar Power For Homes guide review at http://www.DIYSolarHomes.com

Added: January 24, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

DIY Solar Energy - Reduce Home Electricity Bill With Solar Power

How do we use a Do It Yourself (DIY) home solar energy system to reduce our electricity bill? One of the major expenses of our homes is the electricity bill. We use electricity to power all our household appliances. Most electric power plants use either oil or coal to generate power. We know the supply of this material is limited therefore as housing development grows, the cost of electric power will increase as well. How do we shield ourselves from future rising cost of electricity? One option is to use a renewable energy source such as solar power.

The current challenge of using solar energy to power our homes is the high cost. If you were to engage a contractor to do the retrofitting, be prepared to invest a few thousand dollars. Many people would not be able to afford that. As an alternative, we can build our own homemade solar energy system via a DIY approach.

The idea of extracting the power from the sun ray is quite simple. We need to install an array of solar cells on the roof to collect the energy from the sun and convert it into electric power. The power from the sun is stored in rechargeable deep cycle batteries. Since most or our home electric components use AC current, we need an AC converter to change the DC power from the batteries into alternate current.

To reduce our household electricity bill is a matter of connecting our home appliances into the solar power system. The amount of power we can use from the system will depend on the size of the solar panels and also the number of batteries. If we were to aim for 10 percent energy cost reduction, the amount of money saved will be quite substantial after a few years.

Autor: Ken J. Maxwell

Want to know how you can build your own Home Solar Panels to reduce your electricity bill for under $300? If you are good with hand tools, start a Do It Yourself (DIY) project to construct a residential solar array to harness free energy from the sun. What you will need is a step by step instructional guide. Get a comprehensive Solar Power For Homes guide review at http://www.DIYSolarHomes.com

Added: January 22, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

The Best 3 Ways You Can Power Your House With Free Energy

Of all free energy generation methods, there are a few that stand out to me as being the most viable for the average home owner or home builder. Here I will list the best 3 ways you can power your house with free energy.

The first is probably the most often talked about; Solar. There are certain advantages and disadvantages to each system, and this is no different. Firstly, while the other two generators I am going to discuss can often be assembled by the person who intends to use the device in their own home, generally speaking this one can not. Most solar panels use a silicon wafer to gather and convert sunlight into electricity, which is fragile and expensive. Cell production and efficiency breakthroughs continue to be made, however, and soon this issue will become irrelevant.

Wind turbines, on the other hand, can be assembled from old power tools and scrap metal you could pick up at low cost or even for free if price is an issue. Additionally, unlike solar cells a wind turbine is able to produce energy to keep your batteries charged all through the night. People who live in areas with often cloudy weather may benefit more from this option. Environment plays a large role in both of these methods.

Finally for those of you who can't rely on the sun and wind, or who need to make sure you have the ability to produce energy on demand, the best solution might be a pedal-powered generator made from an old exercise bike. Many developing nations use this technology to power computers or an internet connection when living off the grid. While it is physically demanding, and you will require some tasty fuel, pedaling for your electricity can provide power in situations where it just isn't an option in the other two cases. While these are the best 3 ways you can power your house with free energy, many other options exist that may be better suited for your situation.

Autor: Devon Robinson

CLICK HERE for the Top 3 Renewable Energy Systems available right now...

The Top 3 Renewable Energy Systems

Added: January 21, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

The Best Renewable Energy Systems For the Home

With the rising costs of energy and the overall cost of living inching higher everyday, many homeowners are beginning to set their sights on ways to live a more basic lifestyle and reduce their energy dependence and expense.

The best renewable energy systems for the home can be found with a simple search of the web and through magazines such as Home Power, Earth Toys and Mother News. There is a multitude of combinations available to achieve energy independence from renewable sources. The most common are solar, wind and hydroelectric. Furthermore, there are also systems now available for renewable water sources as well.

Every day new companies are starting to help customers develop the best renewable energy systems for the home. Almost every metropolitan area has renewable system vendors and also consultants that will help develop the systems. There are also more and more home builders that are knowledgeable in "green" building techniques and will utilize renewable energy systems. The costs can be higher than conventional building techniques and renewable sources but over time the systems more than pay for themselves through energy savings. Also, there is the possibility of governments developing new taxes that tax those that use more energy at a higher basis than those that conserve and are independent.

There are many reasons to develop energy independence and install a renewable energy system and it is now easier than ever to find the right professionals to help you develop the most efficient, cost effective and best renewable energy systems for the home.

Autor: Devon Robinson

CLICK HERE for the Top 3 Renewable Energy Systems available right now...

The Top 3 Renewable Energy Systems

Added: January 19, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Top 3 Facts That Wind Power Can Save You Money

People who have installed wind turbines to harness the not so elusive wind power are sitting pretty under the turbines tilting and whirling. We have always known that reusable sources of energy are the way to go as the cost of fossil fuels continues to fluctuate. These are the top 3 facts that wind power can save you money.

Fact One: The popular energy source of burning of fossil fuels adds pollutants to the air. Not only do these pollutants affect our air quality, they also in turn affect our health. Wind power offsets these pollutant numbers, lowering our trips to the doctor's office for respiratory related illnesses, therefore wind power does not affect air quality, thus reducing of our medical bills.

Fact Two: Another important fact of how wind power can save you money is related to the not so popular word "tax". When you install a wind turbine, you inadvertently add the word "credit" to the dreaded "tax" word. Congress continues to extend the tax credit associated with wind power putting money back into your pocket.

Fact three: The final and most amazing fact is the huge and proven potential of lowering our electric bills and this can be by as much as 50 percent. If you install you own wind powered turbine on your property not only will pay less on your electric bill, there is a very good chance you will end up getting a check back from the utility companies that provide your electricity at present. How is that for saving money?

Autor: Devon Robinson

CLICK HERE for the Top 3 Renewable Energy Systems available right now...

The Top 3 Renewable Energy Systems

Added: January 17, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Wind Power

Do you want to know the advantages and disadvantages of wind power? If you have considered the use of wind energy in your home, you will definitely have wondered about the above question.

After researching almost every aspect, advantages and disadvantages of wind energy, I have discovered that wind power technology is a viable option and have since built my own homemade windmill electrical system to generate free power at home.

Advantages of Wind Power

The first advantage is also the reason why it is becoming increasingly necessary that we must find ways to use renewable energy. Harnessing wind power for electricity is not harmful to the environment and, unlike the burning of fossil fuels, does not cause pollution.

Another advantage is that it has helped me and many other home owners save a lot of money. First of all, a home built energy system is much cheaper to build (costing around $200) compared to buying a ready made one that can cost around $10,000 or more. Also, ever since I installed the system, my household electric bill has dropped by more than 70% and I am very pleased with how much it has helped me save.

Disadvantages of Wind Power

The biggest disadvantage is probably unpredictable wind patterns, which may not be enough in some situations and areas. This is one disadvantage that can be overcome with battery storage systems. Also, there are very few areas that have insufficient wind for such wind powered systems to work properly.

Another issue that some people have complained about is that some big wind turbines can be quite noisy when their blades rotate. This has never been a problem for me as the windmill system that I have assembled is relatively quiet.

Autor: Gary Ashby

Want to learn how to run your home with Wind Power? CLICK HERE to Download the Best Step-By-Step Home Energy Guides at http://www.renewableenergysystemreview.com first!

The author has managed to reduce his energy bill by more than 80% by building his own renewable home energy system. Check out his website above to find out how to do it!

Added: January 16, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Building Home Solar Electricity With Battery Backup System

Are you thinking of making home solar electricity with battery backup system? This is a free renewable energy system that I have managed to build at home. I highly recommend it because there are so many benefits of using solar power. I will discuss more about the advantages of solar electricity in this article and how you too can run your home on solar power.

Advantages of Home Solar Electricity

#1: Clean and Renewable Energy Source

Converting solar power to electricity does not result in the emission of harmful gases like nitrogen oxide, carbon dioxide, mercury and sulphur dioxide into the air, unlike burning fossil fuels or other traditional ways of generating electricity. Solar energy is clean and using it is a good way to conserve the environment.

Solar electricity is also renewable. It is created as and when it is needed, and does not deplete Earth's resources in any way. Because of the Earth's rapidly decreasing supply of natural resources like fossil fuels, it is important that more people start using renewable energy systems now.

#2: Tremendous Cost Savings

Even though the solar energy system will cost money to build initially, the costs can be recovered very quickly depending on how much your homemade power system is able to generate. Once you have the solar electricity system set up, you too can start enjoying free energy from the sun.

Another scenario that could occur if you harness solar power is called net metering. This happens when your homemade solar system is able to generate more electricity than the total power consumption in your home. When this happens, you can resell the excess power back to your grid company for a profit.

Autor: Gary Ashby

Do you want to run your Home with Solar Electricity with Battery Backup? CLICK HERE to Download the Best Step-By-Step Home Energy Guides at http://www.renewableenergysystemreview.com first!

The author has managed to reduce his energy bill by more than 80% by building his own renewable home energy system. Check out his website above to find out how to do it!

Added: January 14, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Guide to Living Off the Grid - Review of Earth4Energy

Are you looking for a guide to living off the grid? There is technology existing today that allows anyone to build their own renewable energy system at home. I know this because I have tried it and I know that it is both fun and saves me a lot of money. The 2 homemade power systems that can be built easily to live off the grid are solar and windmill power systems.

Download the Best Guide to Living Off The Grid

I managed to download an online guide called Earth4Energy for learning how to live off the grid and how to make my own system for using renewable energy. The instructions inside are very clearly written and very easy to understand. Using the instructions and illustrations inside, I knew exactly what are the materials I needed, where to get them and how to assemble the entire power system step by step.

Advantage to Living Off The Grid

By living off the grid, I am completely self sufficient and do not need to rely on the power company for electricity anymore. I am saving more than 70% of the power bill amount that I used to be paying in previous months.

Review Earth4Energy Guide

This is the DIY guide that contains step by step instructions, pictures and diagrams that will help anyone build their own home power systems. These systems will not only help you save a lot of money, they also do a lot of good for our environment. They do not release harmful chemicals and gases into the air, unlike burning fossil fuels.

Having your own power generating system and being free from the power company's bills is called living off the grid, and it can be done easily by anyone who wants to do it. Check out the manual that I downloaded if you want to learn to build your own solar cells and wind turbine.

Autor: Gary Ashby

Are you looking for a Guide to Living Off The Grid? CLICK HERE to Download the Best Step-By-Step Home Energy Guides at http://www.renewableenergysystemreview.com first!

The author has managed to reduce his energy bill by more than 80% by building his own renewable home energy system. Check out his website above to find out how to do it!

Added: January 12, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

All About Solar Water Heating

Most homeowners would love to lower their utility costs and household expenses, and if they could do so while helping to slow global warming and reduce their own "carbon footprint" all the better. These are the primary reasons that many people seek out alternative energies from the sun, wind or water.

Today, millions of homeowners enjoy a remarkable amount of financial relief through the installation of solar panels that collect and generate energy as well as provide domestic hot water supplies. To date, there is no single all-encompassing application that provides a single alternative energy answer to the numerous systems throughout any home - just as there is no single traditional energy answer for an entire home.

While there are currently no solar technologies that can completely eliminate a home or property owner's need for traditional electric or utility suppliers, there are several systems that can be incorporated into a home or building's existing systems to help reduce emissions, cost and energy consumption.

One of the simplest systems to address is the domestic hot water supply. To incorporate a solar water heating system into an existing or conventional system requires three essential components: solar panels or collectors, a transfer system, and an appropriate hot water cylinder. Generally, it is suggested that a professional install, or at least design, the system to be utilized. This is because a solar water heating system has several factors to be considered before being purchased and installed.

First, an ample supply of southern facing roofing must be available to meet the needs of the required system. Generally, evacuated tube systems will require significantly less roof space than the more traditional flat plate systems. Next, the existing system must be analyzed in order to see if it is suitable for a second solar water-heating boiler to be added. Currently, most combi boilers are not suitable for any solar water heating systems to be incorporated. Finally, budgetary concerns must be addressed to select the most affordable system for a homeowner's financial capability.

Financially, the "average" installation of a solar water heating system can save a home or property owner a significant amount of their annual fuel or energy expense and should be figured into the cost of purchasing and installing a solar heating system.

Today, most solar water heating experts in the United Kingdom recommend the installation of evacuated tube systems. They are doing so for several reasons. First, the evacuated tube systems operate at much more effective levels under low-light and cold weather conditions. Because this is a frequent pattern in the United Kingdom the more reliable function of the evacuated tube systems are making it the preferred installation. Secondly, the evacuated tube systems require a lower amount of space for equal performance, which adds to the aesthetic as well as functional value. Finally, evacuated tube systems have very limited maintenance required and they do not allow for some of the traditional problems of flat plate panels which can frequently suffer from standing water and broken seal conditions.

Autor: Sara Magee

Kingspan is recognized through the construction industry for its wide range of products that provide building solutions to architects, developers and owners. For more information, visit http://www.Kingspan-Renewables.com

Added: January 9, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Build Your Own Solar Panel!

A Solar panel is something which can be called a device, and this device is usually a converter. It converts the solar energy into photons of light. These photons come from sun and this converter converts these photons into electricity. A stream of light's wavelength is required to perform this task. Beside that solar power is an eco-friendly source of energy which makes it more attractive.

Building your own solar panel is a tricky thing but not a difficult one. With the help of correct steps and material we can easily build our own Solar panel. First of all we have to make sure that we have enough space for building our Solar cells. In many cases, the large amount of sunlight can be found in our backyards or our lawns/gardens. Then comes the placing of photovoltaic cells on the floor of our location where we want to build the solar panel. These cells will be heaped up one after another in horizontal fashion. Make sure that you install these cells at that angle where sunlight could be maximally captured and stored inside.

There are many elements available in marked that can exhibit photovoltaic effect. Cuprous oxide are among them but they are not extraordinary efficient in producing electricity flow, but they are hugely available in hardware market. But, if you are ready to pay high you can get mostly highly refined silicon for producing solar energy equipment. It depends if you are willing to supply more energy than is required in other solar equipment. Creating your own Solar Panel is no big deal, if you have the correct equipment and you are well versed with your requirements. That is how you become more confident in deciding material for your choice of solar panel. It is just that a little homework and planning goes a long way.

Autor: Ashish K Arora Ashish K Arora
Level: Platinum
I am a Software Developer working in an MNC. Writing is my hobby and love to write on various topics....

Earth4Energy is such a guide, once you go through it, you can build and install your own Solar Panel.

Check out Earth4Energy Review

Added: January 8, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

How Energy Efficient is Your House - EPC

The Energy Performance Certificate is essential by law when a building is constructed, sold or put up for rent. It is said that every home that is marketed for sale must have an EPC Energy Performance Certificate as part of a HIP (Home Information Pack), which details a home's energy efficiency.

Who offers you an Energy Performance Certificate?

A qualified Domestic Energy Assessor offers you a certificate after certain assessment of your property. In order to issue a certificate it is necessary to conduct a survey of your property, which can be carried out by an Home Inspector too. There are various types of EPC's offered such as rented property EPC, landlords EPC, Social Housing Epc, Public building DEC, Letting EPC.

A valid EPC, is vital to sell or rent your house. The improvements that Landlords can make through the energy saving allowance; will in most cases have a direct positive impact on the energy efficiency rating of the Energy Performance Certificate. It offers a rating for your home at present and also rates if there's any energy saving improvements carried out. Rating is done in this way, If it's a, it is said to be highest level, most efficient and G, which is least efficient. The energy saving measures would need to be put in place prior to the assessment taking place for this to be evidenced on the EPC. It also helps one to save money and at the same time helps the environment too.

Your house is assessed based on certain criteria:

Age of your building

Fixed light efficiency

Adjacent building's thermal property

Heat loss

Walls and lofts' insulation level

Method of heating and controls used

Volumetric calculation of all floors

Autor: Kirthy S Kirthy S
Level: Platinum
Kirthy Vijay Shetty, content developer of finance domains such as bankruptcy, debt consolidation, remortgage, secured loan, unsecured loan and IVA...

Kirthy Shetty, Platinum author,

Get all your tips related to Energy Performance Certificate from:

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Landlords building insurance assistance:

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Added: January 7, 2009
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Home Wind Power Generator to Make Free Electricity

If you've been thinking about building a wind power generator to help reduce or eliminate your home energy costs, now is a good time to act. Prices for raw building materials have plummeted in the current economic environment, and will rise again soon as the world comes out of recession. This article gives you information about the cheapest, most efficient wind power generator available.

I'd like to start with giving some background information into renewable energy solutions at home. Basically, they've been around for quite a while, but have mostly been far too inefficient and expensive to power complete households. Solar and wind energy were viewed as "the rich man's energy" until very recently.

Oil, gas, and coal have been creeping up in value since the beginning of the 21st century, progressively forcing home owners to look into more sustainable energy resources. As a result of this, demand has caught up with supply making prices cheaper and technology better.

Now, what are your options? To be honest, going out and buying a standard home wind turbine is not the best choice financially, nor in terms of efficiency. A solid, efficient, green home energy grid can be installed in your household by simple DIY methods. In fact, you can build your own wind mills and solar panels for under $200 each!

You can save literally thousands of dollars by purchasing a few raw materials from your local store, following some good schematics, and committing a weekend to build your project. Of course you can always hire a builder to do it as well, since labour is currently quite cheap.

Autor: Mick Jeys

For more info on building a wind power generator, go to this Renewable Energy Systems website now for more excellent advice and product reviews.

Added: January 5, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Information About Solar Power

Solar power gives us the ability to harness the power of the sun. It is a completely renewable source and causes no ill effects on the earth.

One of the things you can use solar power for is to get electricity for your house. With the rise in cost of electricity and the decrease of natural resources many people are converting their homes to solar power. To produce electricity in your home you need solar panels.

In order for solar panels to work they have to have solar cells in it. Solar cells are the part of the solar panel that stores the energy that your house uses.

The solar cells are put inside of the glass panes for two reasons. The first reason is to weatherproof the solar cells. It would do you no good to have solar panels if when the first time it rained they shorted out.

The next reason is that when the sun shines through the pane of glass it gives it the green house effect. The solar cells are then able to generate more energy which comes in handy on cloudy days.

Solar power can also be used to heat your water. The process of using solar energy to heat your water is called thermal solar power. The sun has naturally provided us with heat since the beginning of time.

Using solar power for electricity in your house and heating your water are two of the main ways for using solar power. Implementing these two into your life will greatly reduce the cost of your electric bill. In fact, if your house produces more energy then you use then you get to be paid by the electric company.

Using solar panels and thermal solar power are not the only ways solar energy can improve your life. You can get battery chargers that are powered by solar power, phone chargers, or even buy kits to turn gas powered things into solar powered.

Using solar power on the small things may not seem like it would make much of a difference but over time even the little things add up.

Autor: Johnathon Eyslier

Want to know more about solar power? Be on your way to a cleaner and more cost efficient way of life.

Added: January 3, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

DIY Solar - Don't Be Left in the Dark When You Build Your Own Solar Power System

It seems that everyone cites either technological or financial considerations as the main reasons we aren't generally installing solar power systems. Although technological considerations should be considered they are in fact the least of our worries. Over the years solar technology has advanced that much even countries with very little average sunlight are committed to the idea - Denmark is a case in point.

Financial considerations tend to be measured in terms of payback. And, although it's true an off the shelf system can take many years before costs are recuperated, the idea of DIY solar to build your own solar power system in the main lays this problem to rest.

Side stepping these problems has allowed many people to attempt DIY solar power system installation. A great step forward for our environment but not without a whole set of new problems to consider!

If you believe all the sales hype on how you build your own Solar power system you would think there were practically no costs involved. But beware! Having read a number of these documents it seems that some of the more expensive items you might require are picked up at what amounts to car boot sales or begging off your local factory owner!

Ok, we are still in the early stages of this DIY solar boom so the ideas to acquire solar system parts may still be valid. Even so, it would still be wise to consider the true financial cost of sourcing all the required parts before setting out to build your own solar power system. In addition, don't overlook expenses arising from installation both in terms of tools and where the DIY solar equipment will be located.

There are different solar panel technologies, some more efficient than others. The selected technology and energy requirements will determine the size of solar panel needed and therefore the most suitable placement for it.

More often than not people consider installing solar panels on the roof of their home. However, there are a few things to think about before you do this. Firstly, you may require some sort of planning permission before you start your project. You might find your solar panel aesthetically pleasing but I wouldn't count on your neighbours thinking the same. Also, consider that the solar panel has to be cleaned from time to time. In a country where snow falls frequently this could be a headache.

Before you install your own solar system consider where you will house your batteries and other equipment (DC to AC inverter etc) as there are safety issues to respect - especially when you have children in the house.

Because batteries work better at warmer temperatures you may need to make an additional investment in a battery box. If you locate batteries in a colder environment you will require greater battery capacity to compensate for the power loss.

These are just a few considerations you will have to make before setting out to build your own solar power system. Although DIY solar can be up to 10 times less costly than off the shelf solutions it's wise to get an idea about the type of problems you may encounter before starting your solar project.

Autor: Stuart Gardiner

Please visit my Eco Friendly Warrior Blog for more information related to alternative energy and environmental issues. Go to DIY Solar for Energy Saving for more practical information about Solar energy.

Added: January 2, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/