Renewable "Green" Energy in the Home – How Does Solar Power Work?
May 7, 2010 by James
Filed under alternative energy

Anthony Dempster asked: Solar power is often seen as one of the most expensive ways of generating renewable energy. Compared to the number of electricity generating companies using wind power, a lot less of them are making use of solar power. The same goes for people who are trying to generate their own electricity at home — wind is seen as the most viable option. Actually though, solar power doesn’t have to be that expensive — as costs come down solar power is becoming increasingly affordable. In this article I will outline the basics of solar power generation. Solar electricity generation is actually a lot simpler in terms of setup for the home energy enthusiast. Whereas with wind power one must make blades, put up a tower, sort out an alternator and such, in solar generation the magic all happens within the solar power cell. Solar power cells are more correctly known as photovoltaic (PV) cells. Essentially what happens inside the cell is a reaction based on negative and positive slices of silicon. As the slices heat up electrons start to move around inside the cells. These electrons are captured by electrical contacts and there we have it — electricity. Generating solar power at home couldn’t be more simple. To generate the electricity all you really have to do is put up the solar panels in an appropriate location within your house and wire them up. Much like wind power, the electricity generated by solar power is DC or Direct Current, whereas most household devices are alternating current. Generally in a home system you will store electricity in a bank of batteries. You can also setup what is known as a “dump load”, so that when the batteries are full the excess electricity being generated is used to heat hot water or provide some kind of lighting — basically, you are ensuring that none of the generated electricity gets wasted. The last step is ensuring that we can make use of the electricity we have stored. Without getting too technical, basically the electricity stored in batteries and the electricity we use to power our appliances is different. However, we can make them the same. To do this, the electricity from the batteries passes through what is called an inverter. This basically converts it into the right kind of electricity to power your appliances. From the inverter you have your plugs setup that you plug your TV / stereo / etc into. Solar power Read more on Renewable “Green” Energy in the Home – How Does Solar Power Work?… Energy Tags: solar energy , clean energy alternative electric power

Original post:
Renewable "Green" Energy in the Home How Does Solar Power Work?
Green Energy For Your Home
February 13, 2010 by James
Filed under alternative energy
The trend of using green energy for the home has become more and more common due to pricey electrical bills and rising consciousness to our environment. Through the use of such renewable energy, we are able to live without destroying the natural world. Green energy cannot only be cost effective but can be used as a support system to power your houses in times of black out. It may also be used in case of emergency. The most widely used method nowadays is solar energy. The latter uses technologically higher equipment that shifts the suns power into electricity. The next most popular green energy used nowadays is wind generation. The text below will further explain the use of these 2 methods and how it can positively affect our environment. Solar Energy The use of solar panels is both cost effective and eco-friendly. Here are some advantages of using this kind of energy: Does not need the use of generators Converts sunlight to electricity without delay Quick and simple installation Like many other systems, solar energy has its own slice of disadvantages. For example, a big area may need an enormous amount of sunlight to power the whole place. A home would also need a sustained flow of sunlight to use this method efficiently. Solar Power makes use of panels that are installed on the rooftop. You can make these panels by yourselves or purchase kits which contain every material you require to craft the panel. You may also have it installed at home to accelerate up the process. Energy Of Wind Another great source of green energy is the wind. Apart from being free, the wind is an abundant source of power. Wind turbines are used to harness wind flows that are to be transformed to electricity. As with solar energy, this method does not pollute our surroundings. Wind turbines used to be very high-priced. But with the advancement in technology, they have become more and more affordable for the population. Today, they are extremely energy efficient and a lot simpler to use. Top Advantages Public consciousness to stop global warming has accumulated throughout the years. The warming effects on the planet have intensified at an alarming rate that more and more people are preferring for green energy in their houses. It is essential that we recognise the advantages it can offer. There is enough free energy for people to consume. Wind and sunlight are both freely provided by nature and will thus make great sources for our electricity. It causes zero pollution. Sunlight and air are simple sources of energy. The methods have become cost effective now more than ever. Because of the recent progressions in science, we are able to enjoy green energy at a cost we can afford. Renewable energy can help areas with poor population. There are many companies now which offer affordable ways to use green energy. Some even supply free installation services so people can better afford the system. Read more on Green Energy For Your Home… Energy Tags: wind power , battery technology how to make a solar powered win mill
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Green Energy For Your Home




