Use Solar Panels To Save Money And The Environment

March 30, 2010 by Peter Refren  
Filed under Green Energy

More people are willing to learn how to use solar panels to save money and the environment. They can build panels on their own to save even more money. This is possible with the instructional materials that are available in the market and online. Properly applied these guides are both an opportunity to learn and generate power.

It is possible to save money with solar panels you build yourself.

Solar panels are a collection of solar cells wired together. They produce an electrical current when struck by sunlight. Although, solar cells generate minimal electricity individually, grouped together they generate substantially more. You can save money by building them yourselves rather than purchase them prefabricated. You can easily purchase solar cells you will wire together to make a panel online. You can purchase good quality whole cells, or lesser quality cells that are cheaper but are blemished in some way. Pre-tabbed cells facilitate wiring. You can save up to half to three quarters of the cost, if you make the panel yourself compared to a premade panel. If you purchase the wood and pretabbed cells a panel can cost a little over 100 USD for a small system for a few small devices. If you use scrap wood laying around and tab the cells yourself, the cost can be below 100 USD per panel. You would need basic tools that can be purchased at the local hardware store. Silicone caulk, wood glue and for the wiring, wire cutters, wire strippers, a soldering iron and solder would also be needed. If you want to power your whole house, the cost will be steeper.

A system using solar power to generate electricity uses cells, batteries for storage, a charge controller for energy regulation and a power inverter to convert DC electricity produced in the battery to the AC electricity needed for the devices in the house. A simple model can avoid using a charge controller with the attachment of the solar panel directly to the batteries. However, a charge controller can top off the batteries to keep them fully charged.

Do it yourself solar panels are possible.

What you need them for determines the number of solar panels needed. Do you want to power one device, a few or something more? The power bill contains relevant for calculations to be made.

The other important measure is the insolation value. Solar panels require a certain level of intensity in the sunlight. Should there be low intensity, it will reduce the power they can generate. The intensity varies during the day, and during the year. Locations have insolation values and you should know the insolation value of your location. Maps of these values are accessible online. With this measurment, you can simply divide the kWh of electricity you will need to produce daily by the insolation value to determine what is needed for your panels. However, for accuracy you will you need to keep in mind there is always a loss in conversion. Generally this loss is about 25 percent. Hence, you will need to multiply whatever your final figure turns out to be by 1.25 to take this conversion loss into account. Now that you have your daily kWh requirement adjusted for insolation and efficiency, you will know how much power your solar panels should produce. To determine how many solar panels are needed, you divide the power output you calculated by the power output of a single panel. Solar maps that indicate average sun for different areas are a guide. If a solar panel is located in an area with double the score, it can produce twice the electricity with the same size panel. If you reside in a location with a low score, more or larger solar panels will be needed to produce the electricity required.

How to build solar panels.

To build your own panels, knowledge about the different solar cells is a requisite. Two types of solar cells are readily available. The most efficient type is the monocrystalline cell. This is more costly, but delivers the highest energy output and lasts longer. Polycrystalline cells produce less power; but, they are also cheaper. A simple system can be devised relatively easily. After you have decided on the type of cells you want you can build such a system by gluing and mounting them on a strong backing board and wiring them. A thick piece of plywood can serve as a backing board. The wiring diagram included with the purchased cells indicates the different voltages they can produce. Decide on the voltage and thus the cells needed to produce it. Then, lay the cells in a rectangle to give you the size you need for the backing board.

Cells are attached with silicone caulk. Pretabbed cells may be wired by soldering the tabs together. Otherwise, tabs will need to be soldered to create the panels. A charge controller renders a diode needed otherwise to regulate the current irrelevant. Once the panel is constructed, a container to protect them from the elements is needed.

Plexiglass or Lexan material you can be used for the transparent top which allows sunlight to strike the cells. A liberal amount of caulking seals the enclosure. Your unit is complete and is ready to be placed on the roof or the ground location you have decided on. The enclosure may be built from different materials. The easiest material to use is wood and the simple system described here will not need anything different. The enclosure dimensions will depend on the number of panels you intend to use. The transparent top will have to be cut accordingly. Inside the enclosure the cells will be attached to a piece of wood or material. The wood cut to make the enclosure will need to be screwed together. Of course, a hole must be drilled for the wires to exit the box from the bottom of the enclosure. The wooden panel with attached solar cells will be glued into the container. The transparent top will need to be put down on top of the container. A connector can be soldered to the end of the wires depending on what the panel will be attached to. The panel can be tested by hooking up a voltmeter to the panel in direct sunlight. Your experiment with solar electricity can then begin and show you how to save money with solar panels you build yourself.

The author is an expert in solar panels. He enjoys teaching his knowledge. She has over twelve years of experience with solar panels products. His expertise in building solar panels and diy solar panels has provided a very good resources to people.

Solar Panels Efficiency- Improvements In Technology

March 21, 2010 by Susan Russ  
Filed under Green Energy

Because of technology improvements on solar panels these days, there has been a renaissance in this form of energy harvesting of late. Much of this new interest is fuelled by the need for overcoming the problems caused by fossil fuel depletion and excessive pollution of our airways.

The way that the world harnesses the power of the sun to make it serve our energy needs, making it more efficient and less costly, has driven solar panel technology to create innovative and fresh ways. Because we have at our disposal sunlight most of the year through, and since this is readily available we are obviously looking to make more reductions in the cost of energy for our home use by finding the most efficient and cost saving technological advances in the area of harnessing the sun’s power.

Solar panels currently at the cutting edge are very different than the regular kind. For a start they are very low maintenance when set alongside the, as it were, old fashioned panels.

Then again there is also the deeper problem of solar panels usage over dark and cloudy days and of course overnight when there is little if any light source available. On a more positive note, solar panel technology has made rapid strides over recent times to the point where radical innovative methods have come into use such as photovoltaic cells.

This technology has totally transformed the power, efficiency and costs of using the sun’s energy for home use. The size of panels has been reduced, but the efficiency of the panels has been magnified greatly.These photovoltaic cells are aligned on a bed of steel. The various cells are able to trap the many spectrum of sunlight. The panels have layers of cells, which overlap creating a powerful power-producing source.

On a brighter note, the technology and development of solar panels has made giant steps forward in current times and brilliant and clever products like the photovoltaic cell has been introduced.

The innovation here has drastically enhanced efficiency, costs and performance of the Sun’s power to households and commercial premises across the nation. This has been achieved by greatly reducing the size of solar panels and yet actually at the same time, enhancing their efficiency. The intriguing photovoltaic cells are the heroes in this story, and are bedded on a steel backing.

The shingles technology is simply one of many imaginative techniques of improvement on solar panels technology that are in use today through the magic of science. There is still much to do and a lot of research is ongoing to create the most efficient and low cost solar panels efficiency possible.

The author is an engineer expert in the environment field. He enjoys teaching his knowledge. He has over fifteen years of experience in solar panels. His expertise in green diy energy and diy solar panels has provided a very good resources to apprentices.

categories: solar panels efficiency,diy solar panels,homemade solar panels,build solar panels,green energy,help environment,environment care

Power Your Car With Green Diy Energy

March 7, 2010 by Zach Angelo  
Filed under Uncategorized

Often when we hear the terms green diy energy, we think of electricity for the home. It is also possible to produce your own DIY Green Energy for your automobile. This is sustainable energy that produce fewer pollutants than conventional fuels. For gasoline burning vehicles, this often involves production of ethanol. For diesel vehicles, biodiesel can be produced from a large variety of sources.

Ethanol can be produced from a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. It is a byproduct of the fermentation process of the sugars in these fruits and vegetables. By adding yeast to a solution containing the fruits, vegetables and other sugar containing vegetable matter. By using a low temperature vacuum fermentation and distillation, a majority of the available sugar is converted to alcohol and a very pure product is produced. Best results with ethanol are achieved when it is blended with gasoline at a 10 percent ratio, although it can be used without any gasoline in the vehicle.

Biodiesel can be made from many different sources. It is an excellent use for waste fryer grease from restaurants and other sources, but can also be produced from any oil producing crop. Since biodiesel contains less sulfur than other types of diesel so it is a greener alternative.

Producing your own vehicle fuel will require room to grow the crop used for either ethanol or biodiesel. It will require that you have several acres of land in which to grow the crop. In addition you will need the equipment that produces your needed fuel from the crop.

In some areas there are cooperatives that share in the cost of producing the fuel. These can be an effective way to prepare your own fuel.

One of the easiest ways to produce your own fuel is if you happen to own an electric vehicle. Then you can use conventional green energy in the form of solar or wind energy to keep the vehicle charged at no cost and use renewable energy.

These methods to produce your own energy are both green and sustainable. Pollutants that are produced are very few and this type of fuel production will actually help to improve the environment. The plants lower the carbon dioxide in our air and the used oils would otherwise be dumped in a land fill.

Green DIY energy is possible for both your home and for your vehicle. You can have the transportation that you need and help to improve the environment.

Ready to build your own solar energy system and stick it to the electric company? Click Here to use solar panels to power your home and live off the grid. Visit http://getyourreviews.com/green-diy-energy for the full scoop on green diy energy.

Green DIY Energy Project Overview

February 27, 2010 by Zach Angelo  
Filed under Green Energy

There has been so much information given to the public about solar energy that many people feel they know it well. After seeing programs on installing green DIY solar in a home with little or no assistance one begins to wonder how hard it can be. If a person has not had experience with solar cells and panels and their installation, it is important to look at all of the options that are available.

When thinking about installing solar power in a home one needs to consider the amount of energy that is required to power a home. In homes that have only electrical energy the requirement placed on the solar energy units will be much greater than on a home that has a combination of utilities in use. Either way, solar energy will significantly reduce the costs of an electrical bill.

Knowing about the “guts” of a solar panel will help an individual to decide if they want to start from scratch and build their solar panel, get a kit where most of the tedious labor is already done, or get some help or consultation in getting the solar panel installed.

Amorphous, monocrystalline, and polycrystalline solar cells all have different characteristics that make each effective for a specific use. When selecting the cell it is sometimes necessary to research solar energy or talk to someone who has experience with each of these cells and can give you details on how each will interact with your home use requirements.

There are two other types of solar cells that are used in residences as well. All three of the solar cells have their own distinct characteristics and you will need to decide which one will best meet your needs.

Solar panels actually are what holds the cells in place. They come in a variety of styles and are made from different materials. Some DIY’ers who use polycrystalline cells actually encase the chained cells in resin to protect them from the elements.

After deciding how much, or how little, of the green DIY solar project a person wants to take on there are many options available. One can get a kit that contains step-by-step instructions on how to make and install the panel. If a person wants to take on more of the project and buy the materials and tools themselves they can purchase solar panel designs which will give instructions on how to build and install the panels.

Join the thousands across the nation who have built their own solar panels and are stickin’ it to the energy companies! Click Here to get started on your solar panel project. Visit http://getyourreviews.com/green-diy-energy to get green diy energy at the discounted price.

categories: green energy,how to build solar panels,solar panels,diy solar panels,solar energy,home diy,green energy,alternative energy,renewable energy,home improvement,home,family,energy,technology

Green DIY Energy is Cheap and Works Great

February 8, 2010 by Zach Angelo  
Filed under Green Energy

Green DIY energy is a great way to incorporate renewable energy into your home for a small investment, in most cases less than $200. Many times a professional system and installation will be quite expensive but you can still use renewable energy without breaking the bank. The most popular DIY renewable energy is creating your own solar power system. There are many resources available that can provide you all the information you need to know to build your own solar system. You have two options with a solar system. You can take the extra energy produced and use it to charge batteries that you can use when there isn’t any sun or you can have your system connected to the electrical grid. Connecting your system to the grid may be more expensive as the electrical company will need to do this.

Other types of do it yourself green energy systems include building your own wind turbine or a type of magnetic energy system. If you live in a very windy area then a wind turbine can be low cost to build and install and you can get huge returns on the power produced. A magnetic system only needs about $120 and you can generally power your home off a magnetic system

There are also many adjustments you can make to your home that are all DIY and can help to reduce your electrical energy bill. There are many ways to create a greener environment that do not necessarily cost a lot and can be done yourself. The largest drain on your electricity is leaving appliances plugged in when they are not being used. Your TV alone uses 75% of its power when it is shut off.

Insulation is also very important for getting the most form your green energy. If your home is not properly insulated then all the hat and cool air will escape. With good green insulation you can make sure your home stays warm in the winter and cool in the summer without having to constantly keep the heat or air conditioner running. This greatly decreases your energy consumption.

It is important that you have good air flow throughout your home and make sure you stop up gaps where air can escape. Nothing should be blocking your air vents and you should check your windows and roof for leaks. Using timers and motion sensors can also decrease the amount of time lights are on. By coupling energy saving tips with a renewable energy source for you home you can dramatically save on your electricity bill while using an environmentally friendly energy source that does not pollute.

Learn more about Green DIY Energy. Stop by Zach Angelo’s site where you can get the full scoop on the Green DIY Energy Guide and why it may be a great option for you.

Benefits You Should Know About Solar Roof Panels

January 3, 2010 by James Hughes  
Filed under Green Energy

After read this article, you will know how to build your own solar panels for very low price. But you need to learn new interesting things. This will increase your chances of achieving your objective. The making of your solar panels can be build by yourself alone. But it can be good that you ask for help to your family members or friends, so all together can enjoy the making. As you know, build your own solar panels will reduce your bill energy cost drastically.

Lets talk about the main benefits of solar panels:

1.- Store the energy: You can use the energy stored into batteries for future.

2.- Maintenance: The solar panels are easy to maintain. You dont need to spend money or time in maintenance.

3.- Cheap energy: The installation cost is a one-time cost. Later, the investment is recovered within a few months of installation. Once built, your solar power system can provide free energy to your house for years to come.

4.- Save money: Depending on the number of solar panels, you can save all the money you pay to the electric company.

5.- Increase your home value: In the future, if you want to sell your house. The price increases with the implementation of solar system panels because your house can provide free energy.

6.- Green energy: The use of solar panels do not polute the air.

7.-Sell your energy: You can sell your excess generated electricity back to the utility companies. In many states, the energy companies will give you money if you can produce more energy than you consume. This is because your solar power system can be setup to return unused electricity to the grid for use by other consumers.

8.- Avoid bill energy prices increase: Nowadays, in today’s volatile economy and marketplaces no one can predict what will happen to the price of fossil fuels. With your own solar panel system, you can relax. You never be charged for using the Sun.

Basically, solar panels are dependent on sun light to work. So, the most ideal location to position your panels is on the roof of your house. Always, you have also other alternative locations such as on an empty part of garden that is close to the main area. It is very important that the solar panels stay accurately angled to face the sun’s direction. Then, the solar panels will receive maximum exposure to direct sun rays.

After reading the main benefits of solar panels, a lot of people are changing their minds. They realize that can save hundreds from their energy bills. And also to help to improve the environment.

You can use a do it youself guide to build your solar panels. There are companies that sell these new guides a very affordable prices, around $50. You may think that the materials will be much more expensive. But they claim that cost of material for the solar panel dont exceed $200. This is five times less than a solar panel can cost. It is a good opportunity to save money and the environment.

James Hughes has been working more than fifteen years in Green Energy field. Want to find out more about DIY guides, then visit James Hughes’s site on how to choose the best wayto build solar panels.

Build A Home Solar Panel: An Introduction

November 14, 2009 by Soo Hammer  
Filed under Green Energy

Several times as a child you might have surely come across solar cells and their utilities. Like several others, you can also have thought as to how to build a home solar panel? Nowadays in most web portals, you shall find exclusive captions with various keywords such as “the ways to build a home solar panel” well supported by environmental advertisements but eventually the whole content ends up complimenting the ideas of environmental awareness and advice. As a result a visitor is not satisfied in fulfilling his or her dream.

Many websites presents the literature about how to configure a home solar panel. But unfortunately they end up telling just environmental protection ideas that are supported by environmental advertisements. These websites use the prominent use of key phrases like “the ways to build a home solar panel” or “the main ideas to make a home solar panel”.

Generally a solar panel is expensive to build. It costs around $50,000 plus the charges of installation and charging. So naturally it is a costly affair. To some people it is worth pay that much although many people do not see the advantage. The solar panel involves three basic steps to get assembled completely. They are:

1) Construction of the enclosure, 2) Installation of the panel and 3) Charging of the panel.

Therefore apart from the cost aspect, factor, you should be an expert in handling the sophistication, delicacies or subtlety of installations with careful handling of the whole panel. So, you got a clear idea about how to build a home solar panel as well as its requirements. However I would like to thank you for the awareness of saving power and supporting eco-friendly cycle of nature that most others forget.

Are you ready to build a solar panel? We have gone through all the home built solar panel guides available. See the results of our review at this site.

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